Posts by TMS

55

Is there Racial harmony among the JWs?

by Amazing in

jw
friends

when i joined the jws, racial issues were not really discussed much, other than some mention in the material given to me during my bible study in the "truth" book.

our kingdom hall had only one dark skinned individual, who is portguese, and one of the anointed.

i believe that he is now deceased.

TMS

Jehovah's Witnesses were well behind the curve in the United States with respect to civil rights(Brown vs Department of Education, 1954). The concern was always "community standards," not Christian principles. Corpus Christi, TX was integrated in 1969. Little Rock, AR had a predominately black congregation that drew from all congregation territories in the city until 1986. Oh, there was a sprinkling of black publishers in all of the Kingdom Halls in Little Rock, but, the nearly all black congregation was tolerated and encouraged.

As for interracial marriage, that was tolerated with the understanding that opportunities for organizational advancement might be limited.

As for congregation responsibility, this was an area where non-whites could excel, giving an impression of even-handedness.

For some reason, while JW's taught that all races were brothers, they never wanted to make an issue of this in the community.

22

JWs and pessimism

by elisaporquien in

there are people who are pessimistic, optimistic, cynical or whatever.

i've noticed that ever since my sister became a jw she's become very pessimistic about life now (present time).

i love and care about her but her pessimism sometimes brings me down (emotionally).

TMS

Elisa,

JW's do not actually live in the present, they merely tread water anticipating the so-called new system.

14

Should an elder discourage military service even if said elder has a military pension?

by garyneal in

jw
friends

discussion with my wife concerning what i perceive as a hypocrisy that i see amongst elders (and ministerial servants) who happened to serve in the military long enough to draw a pension check.

all this in a former life (read before coming in to the truth) of course.

i think if said elder were to discourage a young one from seeking military service, or worse participate in the disfellowshipping of such a person if he or she choose to serve, smacks of total hypocrisy.

TMS

Another example of blatant hypocrisy was a man who is currently an elder in North Little Rock, Arkansas. When I was a young elder there, he was in my book study as simply the unbaptized husband of a JW sister. He attended the meetings, went to JW gatherings and was generally treated as a person of interest. He was in the National Guard, not as a weekender, but full time with just a few years before retirement. When I gently suggested he get out of the military, he say "no way" as he was fairly close to retirement. He continued associating for two or three years, then finally retired from the military with a full pension.

In very short order, he was active in the congregation, appointed as a ministerial servant. He pioneered during the month that included the next Circuit Overseer's visit and was appointed an elder. Clever guy. His military pension enabled him to show some "kindness" to traveling brothers, always taking the C.O. and a large group out for a restaurant meal.

tms

40

Last night the one cool elder calls me

by confusedandalone in

i figured he was going to arrange the committee and try to get me kicked out after the whole "big pile of books" labelled "take this shit".. well his call made me realize that more and more people ... elders included no longer take this religion seriously.

after he told me he heard what happened he actually laughed and said i would never expect that.

he then told me that it is apparent that i no longer want to be connected to the organization.

TMS

confusedandalone: THESE ARE HIS EXACT WORDS, "Ok ******... tell me what you want us to do?" I asked him what does he mean. He said, "Do you just want to be disfellowshipped or do you want us to just leave you alone and act like you have puilled of some great disappearing act?"

I'm a bit cynical. Elders know about fading. . . . When your elder friend says: "Do you want us to just leave you alone?", can he really sell that approach to the others on the committee(if formed)? He may simply be trying to see where you're coming from. Even if he's that real world tolerant, he will likely fold under pressure.

tms

20

The Objectors have Taken Over

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

the objectors have taken over.

today i published a new article underscoring how far removed current watchtower leadership is from yesteryears leaders.

what got a person disfellowshipped by watchtower in 1981 is embraced by its current top leadership.

TMS

"Since the WTS regards disfellowshipping to be akin to execution under the law code, and the law code said that if certain people's words wrongly led to the death of another Israelite, that they themselves were to be put to death, they should be df'd."

great point, Blondie!

tms

12

Will Familiarity Breed Contempt For The Governing Body At Bethel?

by frankiespeakin in

we all heard the saying 'familiarity breeds contempt' do you think this bunch of new boys on the governing body are breeding contempt with all they rub shoulders with at bethel?.

i think anthony morris with his 'i'm the corporation atitude' got to rub a lot of people the wrong way, paranoid stephan lett with his xenophobia(fear of strangers) and his wide open big mouth when speaking must cause a lots of contempt for himself, and lets not for get to mention gerrit losch and his hate of sports like football gotta make a lot feel like he's a self-righteous loonie, herd got to be the envy of many black brothers at bethel not to mention his simple mindedness and an eye for good looking sisters.. splane seems to be an irion fist in a velvet glove, the rest just seem to fade into the wood work, but these are just my opinons.. i'm thinking with all this armageddon always close but never materializing many of the old timers just look on with contempt as these new guys do their clumsy half witted best to guide the corporation through these ruff waters of unfufilled expectation and dashed hopes..

TMS

Very good observation, frankiespeakin. To accompany one of the GB in field service or on a shepherding call or to observe their idiocyncracies at a Bethel dining table is potentially disillusioning. That's why Bethel is the cradle of the apostacy.

tms

38

2014 means "LUCY, you've got some splainin' to do" for Jehovah's Witnesses

by Terry in

next year the watchtower society will be forced by world events (i.e.

no armageddon yet) to confront a full century of christ's presence.

with nothing to show for it!.

TMS

Terry,

This is the most concise, logical history of the religion I've ever read. It makes sense that a 27 year old habadasher doesn't become a biblical scholar overnight, but relies on the ideas of others. Russell was simply better at marketing and self-promotion than his predecessors, with his published weekly sermons, public debates and figure-eight oratorical style.

tms

41

exJW Psychology 101--Keeping Your Cool While Fading

by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

jw
friends

in an effort to get some help and hopefully help others, i'd like to start this thread about psychology, specifically starting with the subject of anger management.. .

personally, i don't have much of a temper.

what i do have, i've learned to control.

TMS

Great thoughts, Billy. . . . . . .

Here are some of my approaches:

There's a certain quiver in the voice when the emotions are so connected to what we're expressing. You can hear and feel the emotion in the voice of a religious fundamentalist when they call in to a radio talk show. I know I felt that same emotion well up when, as a JW, I dealt with criticism or mockery. I tried to suppress it then and have gotten much better at it now. Discussing religion dispassionately like most any other topic is a huge advantage. The lack of emotion also makes for clearer thinking, more reasoned, thoughtful responses.

Not being opinionated or dogmatic on things that do not matter, always being the "reasonable" one, makes it difficult for a frothing-at-the-mouth apostate label to stick.

I also join in discussions about the nuts and bolts of being a JW. . . and the memories of good people. It's not like I've amputated that part of my heritage. Having been a JW is a big part of who I am today, adding certain skills and eliminating many normal opportunities. I don't view those types of discussions as a compromise. If it leads a relative to ask if I would ever consider going back, I can just smile and say "oh, no." The discussion stops there, but they know I have my reasons and they must be good ones, based on how I carry myself.

tms

115

Public Apology Nathan Natas

by Simon in

i'd like to offer a public apology to nathan natas for making a wrong decision when i deleted him.. i allowed a combination of previous issues we'd had and input from other forum members to bias my decision which lead me to what i now, in hindsight, believe to have been a mistake.. whether you want to come back and post here or not i wanted to at least say sorry and will reactivate your account..

TMS

Mr. Natas,

. . . . missed ur washington state wit

63

Are the Witnesses Really Losing Their Young People?

by What Now? in

that article about jehovah's witnesses having the lowest retention rate for born ins keeps popping up every now again ... i'm just curious if any of you have noticed that this is actually the case.

in the congregation that i grew up in, i'm going to say that 95% of the young people in their teens to mid twenties are either regular pioneering, regular auxiliary pioneering, serving in foreign language congregations or where the need is greater.

both of my younger sisters are regular pioneers - and the young people in their hall even organize 8 pm to midnight service on friday nights of their own accord.

TMS

Between by wife and I we have 7 brothers and sisters who are active JWs. Collectively, they have 17 children ranging in age from 25 to 52, all raised as JWs. Of the 17, only 2 are still witness.

tms