Bringing reproach...that's a copout. The wrongdoer brought reproach. It seems whenever you try and point out a problem you are told to take it on the chin, leave it in Jehovah's hands, or just drop it. A legitimate complainer is labeled apostate.
inactive1
JoinedPosts by inactive1
-
24
Australian ABC News article on JW incest victim
by shepherdless ini am surprised nobody else has posted this yet.
a lot of people in aust will read this.. “incest victim turned lawyer speaks out on reporting violence and sexual abuse”.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-04-08/incest-victim-to-honours-law-graduate-shelly-triumph-over-abuse/10978530.
-
-
-
-
-
inactive1
Too funny. For a man that took a vow of poverty he sure knows how to live. Drives a nice Cadillac. I wonder what the living accommodations look like that the GB have?
-
2
Cart song redone thanks to Tony Morris
by Dubtown intony morris was spottd in dubtown buying whiskey from the 'bottle anointed king'.
https://youtu.be/y3xsw59j0ti.
.
-
-
inactive1
I hate to say it but I laughed my ass off. I haven't spent that much on alcohol in my lifetime...64 years.
-
20
Suicide Attempts
by APieceOfShitNamedTate indoes anyone know if the new elders' manual addresses attempted suicide?
in the previous manual, it was seen as a potential judicial matter, which is absolutely ridiculous.
have they changed it?
-
-
inactive1
Mental illness is acknowledged and intellectualized but in practice, if you have a mental illness you are still treated as spiritually weak. I had to go on disability in 2015 after being diagnosed with chronic major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and PTSD. I have been inactive since 2016 and my depression has gotten worse since a serious heart attack in 2018. I've received no practical help or encouragement. The elders only want you to return to meetings so their records look good. They say they love you. They don't. I live alone. My wife divorced me unscripturaly in 2002. I have been labeled as a bad associate unofficially. I'm 64 years old. In poor health. No friends. Being an inactive witness is very very lonely.
-
20
Are there any JW songs that you HATE?
by neat blue dog inyou're probably thinking 'all of them', and it's true that the songbook is riddled with wrong stuff .
but are there any songs in particular that irk your moral sensibilities?.
for me it would be song #26, "you did it for me".
-
-
inactive1
Listen, obey and be blessed. Taste and see that Jehovah is good, song 80. I hate the line in the second verse, " For those in the full time service. Rich blessings and treasures abound." This infers that only pioneers will be blessed. I hate the phrase 'rich blessings', it's an overused, worn out cliche that means nothing.
-
5
Elders as judges??
by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara inthe shepherd book page111 under the subheading .
elders are teachers and judges.
he has raised up elders to serve as counselors and judges.. (isa.
-
-
inactive1
Having the responsibility as elder can be very dangerous. I know. I had a power rush. Thought too much of myself. Men are groomed to approach becoming an elder with this attitude. It's built into the very culture of the organization. This is in spite of what the Bible says. When the elders say they love you it's conditional. Unless you are wealthy, prominent or stand out as a pioneer, forget about it. Come down with a chronic illness that prevents you from going to meetings or service, you lose. With position comes power. With power, you lose qualities of compassion, love and kindness. There are a few exceptions but for the most part, elders serve as automatons doling out counsel and correction with little or no thought to the damage it may do.
-
21
Introduction
by inactive1 ini have been in crisis regarding the international problem of the way child abuse has been handled in the wt organization.
i have been dealing with serious health issues that made it necessary for me to go on permanent disability since 2015. since then my health has gotten worse making it nearly impossible to attend meetings.
in this period i have received no spiritual or other help of any kind.
-
-
inactive1
It's sad that one cannot find practical help with the confines of the WT. I love Jehovah very much but cannot reconcile that elders are allowed to bully people around and seem to get away with it. If it weren't for one such elder I would have been spared marrying the woman who deep down didn't love me and didn't want to marry me but put on a pretense of marrying me because of ugly threats made by an elder who claimed to be annointed. He was a bully in every sense of the word. Not a nice person. Why are men who leave so much collateral damage allowed to remain in a dangerous position of authority?
-
21
Introduction
by inactive1 ini have been in crisis regarding the international problem of the way child abuse has been handled in the wt organization.
i have been dealing with serious health issues that made it necessary for me to go on permanent disability since 2015. since then my health has gotten worse making it nearly impossible to attend meetings.
in this period i have received no spiritual or other help of any kind.
-
-
inactive1
I became associated in 1959. Baptized in 1971. I had a father who was authoritarian. He was physically abusive to me especially out of 5 kids. I learned to dislike family study, going in service, going to meetings etc. It was never enjoyable. I did it because it was expected. I followed the crowd. I've seen so much favoritism, hypocrisy that certain theocratic phrases turn my stomach. An organization based on real love it is not. Every expression of love seems to be for show to get attention which is opposite of Jesus who said make gifts of mercy in secret.
-
21
Introduction
by inactive1 ini have been in crisis regarding the international problem of the way child abuse has been handled in the wt organization.
i have been dealing with serious health issues that made it necessary for me to go on permanent disability since 2015. since then my health has gotten worse making it nearly impossible to attend meetings.
in this period i have received no spiritual or other help of any kind.
-
-
inactive1
Having friends has been a real challenge. I'm single and not "free" to remarry. I'm 64 years old. No one wants to associate with me. I tried and tried to make friends to no avail. I gave up. Love is preached but rarely practiced especially if you have "special needs".
-
16
Just wondering. . .for those that are Ex-Elders . . .
by HappyBlessedFree indid your conscience ever bother you when you were counseling/reproving/disfellowshipping ones in the congregation?
did it feel extreme or justified based on your biblical understanding at the time.
also are there any ex-elders here that dealt with child abuse accusations?
-
-
inactive1
I served as an elder and will confess that it was a power rush. I thought way too much of myself. I was not a good father or husband. It seemed I was going through the motions, doing what WT expected of me. I said things I now deeply regret. My wife got sick with severe mental illness in the late 1980's. That became a turning point. I was pretty much looked down on indirectly. When my wife was in hospital for two weeks I received no support from fellow elders. It only got worse. The power struggle within the body eventually forced me to give up privileges as an elder and lead to my resignation as an elder in 1994. My kids suffered the most as no parent would allow their kids to associate with our kids because of their mentally ill mother. My kids left the organization never embracing its beliefs. Can't say I blame them. I learned more about being a compassionate person after resigning. In fact I took it upon myself to collect articles from WT publications that emphasized compassion, empathy, kindness as primary qualities that an elder should display. My wife divorced me unscripturaly in 2002 putting me in a difficult situation not free to remarry. I've been deeply discouraged seeing so much emphasis placed on performance, ie, becoming a pioneer, elder or servant. Do more, do more attitude. It feels like one is never doing good enough. I have become invisible since 2015 when I was diagnosed with chronic depressive disorder. I had a second serious heart attack in 2018. No one from the witnesses knew. I was in a congregation that was dissolved and was never notified. My faith has been shaken to the core especially with all the news about child abuse cases. I don't feel I will live much longer. My life has been empty for so long. I don't fit into the mold WT expects me to. No one seems to care. All they expect is that I come back to meetings. They want their records to look good. It seems it's all about appearances. Unless you are wealthy, prominent, hold a high position or something similar, you're nothing.