i dont recall him from the broadcasts, but he was formally a helper on the writing committee as per https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/governing-body/.

jp1692

Interesting that he hasn't been very prominent up until now.

Although past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, I'm going to go out on a short limb here and predict that we'll be seeing him introduced in one of their lame TV.JW.ORG. videos in relatively short order. In other words: soon!

105

New Member Of The Governing Body 24 Jan 2018

by pale.emperor in

just seen this announced on reddit:.

ken cook was announced today at morning worship as the new member of the governing body.

i dont recall him from the broadcasts, but he was formally a helper on the writing committee as per https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/governing-body/.

jp1692

BREAKING NEWS ...

I wonder when FOX or CNN will pick "Breaking News" this story up? LOL!

37

You or Family at Uni? Bye bye Ministerial Servants Position

by snugglebunny in

kingdom ministry school.

2018 service year.

programme for congregation elders: file:///c:/users/michael/downloads/kms-tk18-e_no8.pdf.

jp1692

WTW: The biggest trap of college is the debt.

If you think education is expensive, compare it to ignorance:

The Value of Higher Education

Why you should seriously consider the merits of a college education:

A 2013 study based on Labor Department statistics showed that Americans holding a four-year college degree made 98% more per hour on average than those without a degree. - (CNN Money)

More recently, according to 2015 data compiled by the Economic Policy Institute, "college graduates, on average, earned 56% more" than those who only have a high-school diploma (USA Today).

Employment Projections (US Bureau of Labor Statistics)

While we are at it, let's take some time to think about finding a career or vocation that is more than just work, but is actually meaningful and rewarding in more ways than just monetary:

7 lessons about finding the work you were meant to do - Kate Torgovnick May discusses Dave Isay’s new book, Callings: The Purpose and Passion of Work

I want to understand British references to your countries.

by compound complex in

jw
friends

greetings, friends across the two ponds:.

of course, as per other posters' recommendations, i could google this; i have and remain, not totally confused, but wanting the straight dope as well as nuanced meaning.

i'm both curious and needing to know for purposes of editing works of american and british writers.

jp1692

This just came in my inbox:

British vs. American English: 63 Differences (Infographic)

8

Just thinking.....i

by Bigdummy in

jw
friends

i made a couple of comments the other day on this forum and i hadn’t realized it had.

been so long.

my history shows i joined 3 years ago.

jp1692

BD: The circuit servant visited a few months ago and told the members that their tues. night mid week attendance was horrible. Thanks for the fine encouragement I thought. He said to change it back to thurs night and attendance would increase back to the way it used to be before the members voted for tues night to be.

Rearranging furniture on the deck of the Titanic would have been more meaningful.

It’s hard to know what to say in response to your post other than this: I appreciate the mixed emotions and conflicting feelings you expressed in your stream of consciousness post. Thank you for sharing.

Oh, and this. Let’s review: It’s a cult!

63

Sister may have had a slight heart attack, do I text her?

by Xanthippe in

jw
friends

so my cousin phoned and told me my jw sister was taken to hospital with chest pains and it may have been a slight heart attack or possibly she's starting with angina.

now as some of you know my sisters and brother have had little to do with me for 29 years.

we've met at funerals, or arranged them, but i just thought today what if she did die?

jp1692

Steve: It raises the question about why ex-JWs try to be seen as caring in the face of JWs indifference?

Well, "trying to be seen as caring" would be wrong.

But the problem is many of us genuinely DO CARE and LOVE or family members still in the cult. The problem is that when we do what normal people do we are rebuffed and made to feel like we are wrong simply because we don't share their beliefs.

What we get from our "still-in" loved ones is not "indifference," it's abusive mistreatment, attempts at control and guilt.

8

Jehovah's Witness dreams

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i'm pretty certain i'm not the only one here who experiences this.. i occasionally have jw dreams.

the most recent one was me giving a talk in my home congregation.

all i had on was my trousers (pants), socks and shoes.

jp1692

I've had JW related dreams off and on as many here have also commented. Usually I have one every month or so. As I posted here, it's been four years since I've set foot in a Kingdom Hall.

The common themes are similar to yours truthseeker: at a meeting or convention, not dressed properly, not knowing where I'm supposed to sit, where anyone I know is, I'm late ...

And yet for some reason, I've have JW nightmares the last four nights in a row!

Strangely, in my nightmare last night I was actually in a suit and had all the materials ready to consider a Service Meeting part. Unlike the usual dreams (see above), this time I was the only one prepared and ready. There were only a couple of other people there and they weren't prepared; everyone else started showing up late. I got frustrated and left. Very bizarre turn.

Either way: Not fun.

You might also see this recent thread also on this subject by CoCo:

Do you have JW-related dreams (nightmares)?

22

It’s My Anniversary!

by jp1692 in

today is the four year anniversary of the last time i set foot in a kingdom hall.

it was the day of the kool-aid issue of the wt!

“at that time, the life-saving direction that we receive from jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint.

jp1692

Thank you all for your thoughtful and supportive comments! I really appreciate it. I am overwhelmed. Things like this are truly the best part of this forum.

I took Friday and yesterday to relax and reflect and so--although I saw and appreciated your posts--have not responded until just now.

And now for some specific replies:

millie210: Was that your last day because of the article or was it a building up of other things?

This was "the final straw" for me. I actually began to have doubts in 2002/3 when I learned about the UN/NGO controversy. I didn't actually leave the organization until 2009, but "kept a toe in" to try and maintain a relationship with my still-in children. That was futile. When I first read the now infamous WT article cited in my OP, I decided that the congregation "study" of it would be my last time ever in a KH. That was also the last time I ever spoke face-to-face with my oldest child. All attempts I've made at contact have been rebuffed since.

Fink: Congratulations jp1692 It is better living in the truth isn't it ?

Yes it is, yes it is!

Bigdummy: My wife and I were watching a documentary a few months ago on the Waco incident with David Koresh. They showed a clip of him teaching his followers and I promise he said that same line to them almost exactly word for word.

Apparently this kind of language is Cult 101. It's kind of embarrassing any of us ever fell for it. At least we have woken up. Sorry your wife hasn't, but there's still hope.

Smiddy: This is an organization that is heading down the road of David Koresh/Waco/The family and every other doomsday cult that has brought misery to those who have had any connection with them.

Very true. It's painful to leave family and loved ones behind, but at some point we need to save ourselves. I tried for six or seven years to get my family members to wake-up. It was futile. At first I hoped to get my whole family out intact. Then I hoped and tried to at least get my kids out. Then I hoped that, even if I left, at least my kids' love for me would be greater than the cult control and we could still have a relationship. I was naive. I was wrong.

Cults destroy families. It's what they do.

LongHairGal: Congratulations on your anniversary of being out of the JW religion! I have been out many years but confess if I were still there and heard those words about ‘obeying instructions that may not appear sound....’ I would be disturbed by it. I’m sure this did not sit well with many JWs.

Thanks. I'm equally sure that many were disturbed by this WT. Some left as a result, but most have remained.

Xanthippe: Happy Anniversary jp1692. I'm glad you're no longer trapped in that dark dungeon of a cult. It will be twenty-nine years for me next month.

Thanks. Yes I have left that "dark dungeon," I have escaped my oubliette.

Congrats to you too on 29 years of freedom!

Flipper: Freedom is sweet!

Yes it is. Peace out to you too my aquatic friend.

DOC: One just has to wonder why that quote didn't cause more to awaken?

That is a very good question, one which I have spent considerable time pondering. I've learned a few things about myself and human nature as a result, but nothing definitive. Perhaps that topic can be a future thread at the right time for it.

kairos: I had exited just a few months prior to that article. After seeing it, I immediately got a sick feeling that many will die because of JWs.

Interesting response. It certainly made me uneasy too, particularly because I have two children and countless other relatives, loved ones and former friends still in the cult. Fortunately--at least for now--there hasn't been any Jonestown-type follow through, but I don't count that out if and when the GB ever become desperate.

kairos: That WT quote is the gift that keeps giving, in that it will continue to wake up doubting JWs that start doing WT research. There is no reasonable way to interpret those directions from the GB.

There is this. It is, as I said above, a Cult-101 control statement that is inarguable in its significance and meaning. That's why I think it's important to, whenever appropriate, bring it up again. Friday was appropriate for me. And--based on the affirmative responses I've gotten from you all--very appropriate for you too.

Half Banana: For a believer with a less than robust mind it creates the unnerving idea that some dangerous instruction will come which they must obey without question.
It is the very potency of this announcement which will instill fear and loyalty. Thinkers on the other hand like JP and bigdummy will leave.
Many happy returns of the day JP!

Thank you!

I think the key difference here is critical thinking ability. This is something that cults in general, and JWs in particular, discourage by constantly denigrating independent thought as sinful. It certainly isn't purely native intelligence that makes the difference in who leaves and who stays. I think it is a combination of traits and abilities.

Good discussion and points to ponder!

And finally to LV101,freddo, scratchme1010, truth_b_known, and stuckinarut2: Thank you so much for your kind words and supportive comments.

You're the best!

jp1692

Posts by jp1692

The Value of Higher Education

This just came in my inbox: