Posts by scratchme1010

22

Summer Regional Convention

by miss.ives01 in

has anyone attended the sunday program of the summer regional convention, remain loyal to jehovah?.

i have been very concerned about the tone of discussion surrounding sundays program.

i went to friday and sat., not sunday.

scratchme1010

Question, miss.ives01: How do you feel about it? Do you have concerns?

14

Question for Christians: What Religion are You Now?

by LaurenM in

i know many on here are atheist.

but for the christians on here...what religion are you now that you are no longer a jw?

i'm still undecided as to whether i believe in god.

scratchme1010

Does any christian-based religion teach this? What are the base principles of whatever religion you are involved in?

There are some organized christian groups that offer more liberal views on certain things, but I really doubt that you will find them all in one place. Some who are open to gay people may not be open to believe that Muslims are to be welcome. Some who are open to other people's believes may be homophobic.

So, good luck.

Actually, I can't leave it alone to that. I wonder, what is your spiritual need? What exactly makes you want to join a religious organization? What are you looking for?

6

A Message to the Governing Body of J.W.'s - from Christ Himself!

by The Searcher in

(john 7:34) you will look for me, but you will not find me, and where i am you cannot come.

(john 8:21) "so he said to them again: "i am going away, and you will look for me, and yet you will die in your sin.

(john 13:33) "little children, i am with you a little longer.

scratchme1010

So does Jesus speak directly from heaven to them as individuals or when they gather as a group?
Or does he speak to them from his recorded words in the bible, or the interpretation of that by the 12, or older men, or traveling Christians like Paul?
Does the holy spirit fall on them to speak at meetings etc?
If so why do they have to adjust and clarify Christian teachings, was Jesus talking to indistinctly or they weren't listening?

This is 2016; it's all done now on Twitter.

6

Apostacy the same as blasphemy?

by QuestioningEverything in

jw
friends

when i was growing up, the worst thing a jw could do was be 'blasphemous against the holy spirit'.

that was certain to be instant death in the eyes of the wt.

now, as i understand it, apostacy is the worst thing you can do.

scratchme1010

They aren't the same thing but they are very close to each other. Typically something said that is apostatic, is also blasphemous.

12

Consolidations of congregations

by TheWonderofYou in

http://www.simcoereformer.ca/2016/10/21/jehovahs-witnesses-fold-in-port-dover.

where have the witnesses gone?

the remaining 20 witnesses will travel to the neighbour churches now.

scratchme1010

They are in the real estate business now. Their decision have never been to favor their people. It's all about them making money.

21

JW's know how to guilt trip....

by HereIgo in

when i left the org, the jw's tried their best to guilt trip me.

some of the questions i was asked and things i was told:.

"how could you possibly be happy outside of jehovah's organization?

scratchme1010

When I left the org, the JW's tried their best to guilt trip me. Some of the questions I was asked and things I was told:
"How could you POSSIBLY be happy outside of Jehovah's Organization?" (watch me!)
"The world will eat you alive and spit you back out!"
"Why don't you just humble yourself and talk to the elders?" (because they are men maybe?)
"The elders might DF you, but they might not, just talk to them"
"Do you really want to see your 3 year old daughter destroyed?"
"I know you are not responsible for them, but what do you think all of the young bros will think when they see you leaving?" (reminded me of Charles Barkley, I am NOT a role model for your kids )
"What does the world really have to offer you?" (idk, sanity and freedom from cults?)
Did anyone else experience guilt trips and shaming?

Sounds like my parents raising me. In fact, in my experience most organized religions act this way. Trying to guilt and/or scare people into staying "in line" with them and their purpose goes to the core of most religious organizations I know. Christianity is a very guilt- and shame-based religious philosophy.

And yes, there's absolutely no mercy. They are more than happy to shun their own loved ones over their Jehovah. That right there tells you how "loving" they are.

19

WTS Rich or Hurting for $$$

by Zeds Dead in

seen a few discussions asking if the wts are hurting for $$ or still sitting on a mountain of gold.. regardless of their child abuse legal fees and ongoing broadcasting for more dough, i believe they have piles and piles of cash.. talked with a diff'd accountant who sat in the accounting dept.

at the conventions for years.. a football stadium (or the like) costs them about $70 - 90,000 to rent for a 3 day dub show.

they take in $400,000 in donations from the r&f.

scratchme1010

Seen a few discussions asking if the WTS are hurting for $$ or still sitting on a mountain of gold.
Regardless of their child abuse legal fees and ongoing broadcasting for more dough, I believe they have piles and piles of cash.
Talked with a Diff'd accountant who sat in the accounting dept. at the conventions for years.
A football stadium (or the like) costs them about $70 - 90,000 to rent for a 3 day Dub show. They take in $400,000 in donations from the R&F. Now times that by a hundred dub shows in the USA alone.
Think you can do the math!

I think they are in a pile of cash. They are no longer a religious nonprofit organization. They have a real estate business that is thriving, with an amazing startup of gazillions of dollars by having all KHs properties turned to them for free.

101

HELP needed from folks in UK, esp. in Scotland!

by WTS Archive in

jw
friends

tl;dr: if you live either in scotland or in other parts of uk and you don't mind traveling, you might be able to help a fellow ex-jw by being present during a courtcase where she alone has to face more than two dozens of jws who have ruined their business.

please contact me directly for details on when and where the court case will be held (i will know these details in few days probably).

ps.

scratchme1010

I wish I could just go to support her, but now with slimboyfat's comment, I'd like to make sure that this is a verifiable story.

15

Realtors and Financial Advisors needed: Watchtower Real Estate deals

by Hecce in

https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/ds/documentsearch/partynameresult?page=2.

i don’t know if this topic has been discussed before.

here are the public records of some of the re transactions done by the wt.

scratchme1010

The IRS is curios (I think). They are a little slow and therefore tend to catch people evading taxes when offguard. However, maybe the WT does pay their due taxes.

What I see more relevant is that this may be the reason why they allow JWs to slack a lot more than before and they are more relaxed. Their main source of income is real estate not getting people to work for them house to house for free.

20

Do JW's ever really grow up ?

by Phizzy in

i ask the above because of my personal experience.

as a born-in i was naive, socially inept and had never really thought deeply about anything.. i was also unable to accept arguments based upon reason and facts.. just like a child.. it was only after freeing myself from the mind-control of the jw cult that i educated myself and matured as a person to being (almost) an adult.. jw's attitudes and their inability to debate in any meaningful way, (they could start by actually listening),means they have not grown up..

scratchme1010

I ask the above because of my personal experience. As a born-in I was naive, socially inept and had never really thought deeply about anything.
I was also unable to accept arguments based upon reason and facts.
Just like a child.
It was only after freeing myself from the Mind-control of the JW cult that I educated myself and matured as a person to being (almost) an adult.
JW's attitudes and their inability to debate in any meaningful way, (they could start by actually listening),means they have not grown up.

As another born-in, I too was naive (to a hi degree, though I've always been very observant and a fast learner). Socially I was awkward.

In my case, however, I developed a lot of independent thinking. I had to, that's how I survived. I learned a lot by observing people in the congregation's behaviors.

Once out, my attitude was one of freedom and wanting to make up for lost time, so I started trying to learn as much as possible as fast as possible. However, later I did learn an important lesson, which is that it was important not to completely dismiss my JW past. For once, not everything they say is necessarily untrue when it comes to the kind of people one should let in their lives. The part that they get very wrong with that is that they claim that they are the keepers.

The JW way of thinking, the tunnel vision, the naive explanation for things, the black and white mentality, all those things can be removed from your life. It is possible to learn to think differently. I did. However, emotionally, the negative influence of that organization is always going to haunt me. I try to keep it to a minimum.

But yes, as an ex-JW with now plenty to show for, I can definitely tell you that we do grow up, we do get rid of their way of thinking and acting. It's possible, though it feels very uncomfortable at times. Just make sure not to become what they claim you should if you leave them. I didn't and I am way happier and a much better person once I sent them to hell.