Posts by pimojw

45

Special Talks now via video

by AverageJoe1 in

tired of listening to your local elders giving the "special" talk ever year after the memorial?

well don't worry, as of next year we will be spicing things up for your enjoyment.. not only will we be having the talk before the memorial (i know, wild huh), but we will be treating you to the talk via video starring our famous speakers from bethel so you can see how a talk should be given (after all bethel does boast the best speakers in any country, right?!).

here's a copy of the text from our latest letter as i'm sure that with so much excitement you won't believe it at first!.

pimojw

many will have attended the latest KMS by the time the special talk comes round.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

Thanks for all your comments again. Ill reply to as many as I can, in reverse order:

Re creation v evolution, i should clarify, I DO believe in evolution. (in fact all jws are uber evolutionists they just dont know it. they think all animals have evolved from a very small number of kinds since 2370 bce - thats fast!). my question is re a creator starting it off and/or guiding evolution.i used to have a lot of faith, but wt has ruined it. I really hope to get it back, but am sure like many i will struggle with it for a long time.

I do not have a science background but have always read very widely. I have read a number of dawkins' books (selfish gene, blind watchmaker, god delusion come to mind) and many creationist books too. used to use them widely in talks.

re my paranoia, i can completely understand how it seems excessive! i do not think anyone is after me in particular, but i do know of several brothers who frequent forums like this who would know me instantly if i gave away any hints, descriptions of "privileges i enjoyed" etc. i dont want this. my experience is quite unique (although im sure we all feel like that)

its nice to hear so many comments of ones who feel, or did feel like me. i am not 100% healed yet, so i hope being here will help. im not even sure it will...at times i have had to have a break from reading this forum as it made me feel more anxious!

re the wt about the gb, yes it was certainly another nail in the coffin, but i was "raised in the truth". no one thing brought me in, and no one thing took me out (mentally).

another positive of still being in and an elder is that i can hopefully help with the terrible situation surrounding child abuse. many elders HATE the direction they are getting. they either go along with it , or kick up a fuss in a way that gets them removed and dfd. I know the system, i know how to deal with co's, the branch, and even WHQ. at the very least im on hand if anything happens locally.

a number of elders speak openly about their disagreement on issues to do with child abuse, money (being taken from congs, and the begging), treatment of sfts's who were "reassigned to pioneer service" (booted out), khs being sold etc. there is a LOT of dissatisfaction out there, but not a lot of will to deal with it.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

thanks alive! a lovely comment and obviously heartfelt. im on my way and hope to get there too! a lot of unlearning and undoing to happen first.

45

Special Talks now via video

by AverageJoe1 in

tired of listening to your local elders giving the "special" talk ever year after the memorial?

well don't worry, as of next year we will be spicing things up for your enjoyment.. not only will we be having the talk before the memorial (i know, wild huh), but we will be treating you to the talk via video starring our famous speakers from bethel so you can see how a talk should be given (after all bethel does boast the best speakers in any country, right?!).

here's a copy of the text from our latest letter as i'm sure that with so much excitement you won't believe it at first!.

pimojw

i agree with your comments about the purpose behind the video talk

i still feel sorry for them (i was one)! most brothers are not bad or evil, they are deluded and probably struggling with their own doubts too. the pressure on those in senior positions is intense (emotionally) and they often crack up (some take their lives). we dont need to blame them all. franz had it right in his CoC book (which i read probably 20 years ago) when he described them as being deluded but well intentioned. nowadays, i think some of those at the very top (GB/helpers) probably know exactly what they are doing, and this doesnt apply. but most, even that high up are sincere

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

regarding the above question about stepping down:

i dont think so for now. it would cause too much heartache for family and change my life too much too soon

as for public talks you can chose which ones to do so i chose topics carefully. meeting parts are harder (and assembly/convention talks) but can still emphasize what i want to.

regarding discipline i try to be loving, kind, bible based and avoid judicial committees nowadays! the body i am with is also very loving and kind albeit inept (including me).

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

very true re jws being jehovians.

i never agreed with the excessive use of jehovahs name, and the downplaying of jesus role. the nt is all about jesus and jehovahs name doesnt appear even once in the 5000+ greek manuscripts! it is wrong to put it in, just as its wrong to take it out of the ot

many senior brothers feel the same way but of course they cant say it! btw i believe that many many elders/co's/bethelites view this website. even senior wt writers/gb helpers etc will be looking (even if not directly assigned to do so). they probably have mixed feelings and doubts. message to them all: why not join like i have. anonymously get your feelings out there. the sooner the wt crumbles the better.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

thanks thats kind

if it wasnt for extended family, i would definitely hand in my resignation and fade (after helping my wife to get to the same point as me). for now its not worth the hassle. i try to focus on the good bits of "the truth", including the friendships (conditional as they are).

like everyone else around here i do my best to avoid jwbroadcasting like the plague. many dubs hate it, although some rave about it. dont know how genuine that is though - its so embarrassing to watch

33

New "Annointed" Brother In My Old Hall...

by pale.emperor in

i've only just stopped laughing.. in my old hall there's a brother who's now claiming to be of the anointed.. he's 28.. i do wonder if he's doing this for attention, if he's awake and messing with them, or if he really is that deluded.

when i was in he was an ms. which surprised even me because only a year earlier than that he was "a bit of a lad", is rubbish at talks and relies on his elder uncle to get him out of trouble all the time.. i guess this now means he's get his pick of jw sisters.

he's been after the same one as the rest of his peers since 2014..

pimojw

i pointed out in another post that some days i feel like i should take the emblems (other days my faith is gone entirely and i would say im agnostic).

i just wanted to point out that not all who take the emblems have mental or emotional problems. of course some are but not all! quite a few just have their own private view (of course they cant go round saying it or will be dfd) that all christians should take the emblems. they are not in a separate higher category. they simply want to obey jesus and see no scriptural reason not to take them.

it may be that some take them privately after the memorial so as not to make a scene (i considered it this year but chickened out), so those who do so openly may by definition have some form of mental problem as they are willing be seen as crazy by others and dont care!

i think the day will come that the society will change the thought on taking the emblems. they wont get rid of the earthly group immediately, as that is too big a change, but they will say all are one flock, all are in the new covenant and all should take the emblems. the dubs will love this, and completely forget that for decades they have been refusing jesus' blood each year!

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

thanks again for your welcomes!

i hope i dont stay on here all day from now on! need to work! but its my first day so i will allow myself to enjoy chatting with you all!

thanks for the links. yes i have been looking at the exjw reddit site for about 6 months now. as i said this forum i have followed since it began (was it around 2002?).

life is good (for those of us in certain countries anyway, for the rest it can be hell). leaving the truth, physically or mentally CAN be a great thing, as long as you arent too burnt already.

ill look for the book you mention on buddha, thanks. yes its crazy that you could be dfd for saying jesus is the mediator for all. the reality is that many elders have private doubts about all sorts of things, and even admit it to each other. that is not seen as a problem (at least on some bodies). the problem is only if you openly go against the wt teachings. that will get you in trouble for sure.

actually, the higher up you get (CO, branch committee etc), often the more open minded, and non orthodox they can be. amongst themselves they will debate things in the wt, and express personal views. on the platform, and one on one with the publishers you have to toe the line. i could no longer do this. of course not all "high ups" are like this but many are, and there is a new generation of young ones in service departments etc who are quite open minded.

the problem is however that the organisation cannot be reformed...if it was gods organization it wouldnt have been the way it was before! it might morph slowly into a more mainstream organization (once people like AM3 have gone) but it will be too little too late.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

pimojw

thanks again. its really difficult to know what to say without giving away my identity. my wife knows my doubts, and shares many of them, but i dont want her to know im on here either for now. i dont want to get caught as i dont want to lose my family, all very sincere "dubs" and lovely people (as are many jws)

i am also going to ridiculous attempts at hiding myself. i have created a new email address (one that doesnt connect to my fone or other email), am hiding my ip address, using firefox on the private browsing setting, and sitting in the dark with tin foil on my head (some of that is actually true).

re meleti's website, i dont know what i believe any more. wt has temporarily ruined faith for me. i would say i am more spiritual now than i ever have been (have even been dabbling in yoga!). i think i believe there is a benevolent being up there who started life. i love jesus as a character and believe he must have existed and had some wise words. i think there is a lot of truth in Buddhism etc too. i love the positive parts of the bible and many of its principles, but have to admit that basically you have to pick the nicer bits and apply them, ignoring the horrible bits! i would love to have the faith of meleti again. some days i think i should be taking the emblems, other days im an agnostic! (dont worry, im not mad. many who start taking the emblems do not think they are in a different class to the rest. they just see clearly that there is no earthly class in the bible, and all should take the emblems) im happier admitting that to myself than i was pretending the wt was right!

its bad enough being an elder, and having to stand on the platform teaching things i dont believe, i can usually make sure i bring out what i do believe, and think is actually of practical benefit. in my previous "assignments" it became impossible.