It's funny how when your in the religion, this stuff seems legit and reasonable, but when your out it just seems entirely ridiculous.
Jehovah sheds ever increasing light on his word. Why doesn't he just turn the friggin lights ON
of course, that question was softened up and changed to:.
"is your teaching up-to-date?
" (see illustration on page 9).
It's funny how when your in the religion, this stuff seems legit and reasonable, but when your out it just seems entirely ridiculous.
Jehovah sheds ever increasing light on his word. Why doesn't he just turn the friggin lights ON
"true story" the circuit overseer came to our kingdom hall and read us the riot act (local needs style) "magazines of this quality are not free, they cost money and we are not generating enough donations to defray the cost of the magazines(or running the top of the line printing presses) i get my ass out of bed to place literature in the laundray cleaning, coin opperated shops and some asshole puts his apostate stickers on our magazines.
do you know how hard it is to get up at 6:00 am and how expensive those magazines are costing the organization to print?
please stop defiling our literature, i dont post hateful stickers on your website so please leave my magazines alone.
AuntConnie is either bat-shit crazy or she is taking the piss. Whatever the case this thread has made me laugh.
the wts says that people should read the bible daily, but did you really do that as a jw?.
or were you kept so busy reading wt literature, attending meetings, and going door to door, that you basically had little time for the bible itself?.
also, doesn't the wts teach that no one can understand the bible without "the slave" to teach its true meaning?.
As a witness your personal study program is arranged. Prepare for meetings, underline your WT. The bible is used to support what the WT says, there is a verse in the bible you could cherry pick to support just about anything.
Even with the weekly bible reading, you only read a few chapters before returning to the meeting to make sure everyone understands it the same way. The oral review is a chance to put unique WT doctrine spin on any controversial verses.
I Don't even need to mention the Examining the Scriptures Daily.
I read the bible at every meeting I attend now. Find it hard to stomach most of the stuff from the platform.
a friend of mine i'm in lust with, has been trying to convert / recruit me.
she's been very pleasant with me and very patient with me.
she hasn't been very pushy which i appreciate.. she's even said that if at anytime i'm getting smothered or feel this religion isn't my thing, to say so and she will stop asking about it.
There is a member here BibleTeach. He has YouTube account under the same name. Watch his review of the Faith in Action DVD, its a gem. Every JW who is aware of what they use to believe, compared to what they now say they believed, has to reconcile with the fact that they are following liars.
how long do you think the watchtower can speak about 1914 and have followers think it relevant?
i think for people born in the 1900's, it feels like an acceptable year.
but what about those born since 2000, will 1914 seem like a year of relevance?
I think 1914 is at the end of its tether now. When you put 1914 in the WT library cd search you can see the occurences drop off in the last 10-20 years. The 1914 doctrine use to get a good run in the publications, now in the Bible Teach book it is left to the appendix in the back pages.
I think they would like to ditch it but it is to messy. They have been proclaiming 'Look! Here is the Christ!' for a hundred years. I think they are trying reduce its significance by not harping on about it but it really is the foundation of the whole movement. They will have to stick with the date I believe.
That date already has no feel for younger ones. It's relevance is limited to WWI, Jesus becomes King, and something they read in the bible teach book. It does not inspire any urgency or have any faith strengthening value.
I might be thinking wishfully, but I reckon the WTS is on a slippery slope.
we have decided to let the world know what happened when our websites were shut down earlier this month by means of this new video..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_9efi84qnc.
huge thanks to nugget for lending us her gorgeous voice, and also to cantleave for his cameo role as the voice of the big bad watchtower!
cedars.
Nice work.
I really liked the cameo from the 'shoe maker' at the beginning. Let him have his say, and then prove him a double speaking snake after revealing the contents of the BOE letter that he would be fully aware of.
because i was abroad we had to use the original revelation book and only the reader had the new improved version so i don't know if this was the same else where but following along using the old version made the adjustments seem even more ludicrous.. why didn't they ensure everyone had the new version before studying it rather than highlight all the "adjustments" that had to be made in a km and therefore making them more obvious?.
do you think there could be a list of amendments to be inserted into the reasoning book in the same way?.
With the constant flashes of new light they could just ditch the reasoning book and have a SMS system where the brothers could get text messages with the latest understanding.
The generation that saw 1914 is well dead.
Obviously it means an infinite amount of overlapping generations.
Magic makes Jehovah sad.
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Come on celestial chariot we have the technology lets make it happen.
Lol data-dog. Mark is at the kiddie table very good I like that.
I can just imagine egotistical ambitious ministerial servants trying to 'reach out' so they get there elder appointment and climb the list from lowly publisher to the big number 4. Just a few ranks from Jehovah!
Where does this list leave inactive publishers? Oh no! I need to get back on the list before the big A!
On second thoughts Jesus isn't even on that list so I should be fine.
so my parents cannot answer my question and are pretty much pushing me to go to the elders for an answer so i'd like to know what the best questions to ask an elder are.my first question is going to be the mediator one..and if he tells me it's the 144,000 or the anointed, i'll ask him to show me where it says that in the bible.what are some other tough questions for an elder to answer?assuming we can get past the mediator one of course.i'm going to hold off on asking about new light or 607... also, has anyone ever asked about how satan can cause wwi in july if he wasn't expelled from heaven until christ became king in october?i haven't gotten much of an answer to that either..
If the elders sense that you are not genuine in your concerns, or that you are just trying to find holes in WT logic or trying to promote contary teachings they are not going to listen to you. If they get the feeling that you have been viewing anything 'apostate' they are not going to try and answer any questions you raise, they will just want to know your motives for questioning and what has brought these feelings up.
Then you can expect a question along the lines of, 'Do you believe Jehovah is directing this organization?'
This is all that matters to them when you start questioning the fundemental doctrines.
If they feel you are genuine in your concerns expect some WT article refrences, a few on the subjects you raise and some on not reading anything apostate or critical of Jehovahs organization. You will be told to pray and wait on Jehovah. Another sheparding visit will probably be arranged a bit later to see how you are going.
The only chance of getting them to think about what they believe is to try and act as genuine and humble as you can. They have to feel that you don't have any answers. If they think you are trying get them to reach a conclusion they will just stay in WT drone mode.
If you can play humble student your questions might stay with them for a while and have some effect on there faith. But if they think you are trying to play teacher you won't get anywhere.
I think there are many thought provoking questions you can raise but it is more the way you ask and conduct yourself that will determine the how effective they are.
for those that dont know my story, basically i "woke up the ttatt" about a year ago, started fading, then went back, now fading again because i just cant stomach it anymore.
my husband is very supportive, although he's still "in" for now, and trying to be regular with meetings and witnessing, he can see my point of view now, and often notices things in the wt or other publications that are "off".
the fading thing is hard, sometimes i want to da, but because of the upheaval it would cause my family, im waiting a little while - i guess hoping that my husband will be on the same page at some point, so that we can support eachother.
I am still adjusting myself so I know exactly the emotions and feelings you are experiencing, a bit insecure, frustrated, confused, annoyed, sad overwhelmed and so on. The whole idea and purpose behind your life seems gone, and it's like your scrambling for the right direction. So much of what we knew was wrong and now we are back at the start and have so much to learn. Our minds are opened but it is a bit daunting and can get depressing.
I have found that I am pretty content with agnostic views. If it wasn't so confusing, if I had clear direction, I could please God knowing what he expects. But it is confusing and God has not left any clear direction. I can't spend my life trying to work out the standards and requirements or following other people's invented standards trying to please God. A God who has hidden himself from mankind.
The only thing that is guaranteed is the life we live now. This is it. Try and enjoy it and find happiness. If God does exist he cannot punish anyone who lived a good life wondering what the purpose of it is, or even a life of questioning his existence.
Most here understand your feelings. You would have to of been a JW and believed it to understand what your going through, it's a huge adjustment. I hope you get some comfort and good advice here no matter what you decide or where you put your faith. Don't stress. Try and enjoy life.