i would like to remind you of this article:.
*** w86 4/1 30 questions from readers ***.
why have jehovahs witnesses disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for apostasy some who still profess belief in god, the bible, and jesus christ?.
macH,
It's ok! to examine a teaching from the Tower with the aim of accepting it regardless of any findings that throw it's truthfulness into doubt. It's only when an honest and open minded examination is made that the Witness is accused of doubting.
In short it's ok! to examine a teaching, providing the element of honesty is abscent.
'I was an oak, now I'm a willow I can bend.'
making mole hills into mountains .
we had a wonderful and most exemplary family in our congregation.
they are hard workers, hospitable, caring, generous, suffer with you through hardship, kind, compassionate, and as loyal to the organization as any family could be.
Amazing,
I never cease to be amazed at the heavy handed way in which small matters are dealt with. I remember a brother who brougt a flick-knife back from abroad. As they are not allowed in the UK it was deemed to be smuggling and the full force of the elders was envoked. In the end the brother was forced to take the knife to the police and confess. The police didn't care, so he was just cautioned by the elders. I think they really wanted to stab him with the knife
from the chicago sun times:.
-100 baptized = 0.7% of attendance.. - interesting comment on those in attendance being largely african-americans; presumably in chicago those deprived of education and opportunity are from non-white groupings (?)..
expatbrit.
Baptism
I was just thirteen years old when I qualified for baptism. It seems very young looking back, but at the time I was aware that to be fully accepted and to be sure of surviving Armageddon, it was a step I had to make. Failing this I would have had to rely on my parent's baptism to count for me.
In my own case, the baptism, which was a happy occasion, took place in a specially constructed small baptism pool built into the floor of one of the Kingdom Halls near where the assembly was taking place. The water was warm and the people present were kind and happy for me. The event brought great joy to the brothers and sisters who knew me. I was warmly congratulated and experienced a feeling of well-being and deep satisfaction that I was pleasing those I loved and dedicating my life to serve God.
It only I'd known the truth!
apostasy has been the devil's most effective means of fighting against the truth.
after all, time and time again the devil was able to lure the israelites away from the worship of jehovah and in to all sorts of idol worship and whatnot.
some anointed christians in the 1st century were also induced to become antichrists.
Java,
They say a picture paints a thousand words I thought your
posting was great.
.......................................................
To - You Know,
Are you, by any chance, from the tribe of HUAB?
(Head up a... brigade)
Trevor
'I was an oak, now I'm a willow I can bend.'
i found this a few years back on one of the sites which has since closed down ..... .
remember: there is a time for everything under the sun.
helpful techniques for getting in your pioneer time .
I had all these tricks and more up my trouser leg, when
I was a pioneer. In the end I decided that every day that
I set aside for ministry was worth 8 hours plus evening time.
That was was I recorded and I dispensed with all the tricks.
jesus, save me from your followers!.
i do work for food!
JESUS SAVES - I hope he's getting a better rate of interest
than me!
We had a couple in our congregation with the sir name of 'Holt'.
A car paint firm also called 'Holt' brought out a car sticker with
the slogan 'I only let Holt touch me up. They proudly displayed
it until the elders made them remove it.
.
.
i have always had trouble breathing.
in track i was great for a quick burst of speed in the 50 yard dash, but couldn't move enough air in and out to keep myself going for the longer runs like the 330. i had sleep apnea really bad, with the classic symptoms where i stopped breathing for a while and then suddenly snorted myself awake gasping for breath.
for most of my life, surgery wasn't an option due to my jw lifestyle and employment choices (cleaning business = no insurance).
Comf,
Glad your well again - that was quite a scare. Thanks for sharing that,
it makes us realize that the only reality is the present. I am 46 in 2 weeks.
I got a lot of living still to do - I hope!
Trevor
' Were it not folly, Spider-like to spin
The Thread of present Life to win-
What? for ourselvs, who know not if we shall
Breath out the very Breath we now breath in!'
Omar Khayya'm
"disfellowshipping does not sever family ties.".
or so claims the watchtower's official faq.
so, i would like to take an informal poll: how has being disfellowshippid/ disassociated/ inactive/ just having doubts affected relations with your family?
tergiversator,
I have over 50 relatives who are in the tower. Since I left, 15 years ago, voluntarily most of them have ignored me. Recently the other few of the closest relatives have actually written to state their intention to shun me. I have not replied to a single letter.
The Witnesses claim that they don't break up families. Just one more lie for the record.
i copied my reply from the "can you confirm this wt quote" thread because i wanted to highlight the need to be careful when talking to jw relatives.. it all started out as a joke for my jw brother.
for 7 years, since i left the wts, i've kept silent about what i've found out about the wts to prevent my losing contact with him and his family.. i sent him an email the other day jokingly wondering if he was going to stop preaching since the 20th century is over, included in the email was the wt quote from 1-1-89. he emailed me back, saying that he looked it up and it said "our generation".
i replied by saying that the quote was changed because of the screw up.
TR,
I am sorry to hear that you may have lost your brother by speaking the truth.
I had managed to keep a relationship with my younger brother, an elder, going for the fifteen years since I jumped from the tower. He came to stay with his wife, in March just gone. We got into a discussion about truth and whether the old men at the bethel are spirit annointed. It was a friendly and civilized discussion. We had a meal afterwards and made adate to see them. Later that week I recieved a letter telling me he could not see me any more. He then contacted my parents who have also written to say they cannot see me. My sister and other narrow-minded frightened relatives have followed suit.
Do I have any regrets. None at all. I refuse to live my life in fear and silence, being blackmailed by a bunch of selt-righteous religionists. I have spent too long bitting my tounge.
I think you did the right thing in pointing out to your brother the errors of the club he belongs to. It may cause you pain right now but in the long term you will be helping him. At least you know that you have tried. I hope he can accept what you have said was truthful and that you simply presented him with facts that he did not have before. He may yet come to respect you and appreciate what you have tried to do. It could be a long wait but worth it in the end.
common psychological problems of mind manipulation:.
the following problems and emotions are common with survivors.
these are all normal emotions and will pass as you recover.. keeping a journal and sorting one's overwhelming feelings is most healing and helps work through feelings of betrayal and abuse.
Thanks Jang,
That was an informative and well thought out post which
is why it was ignored, apart form the thanks that Goo offered.
Anything trivial or caustic will get far more attention.
One would expect your observations about cults and the emotional
effect they have, to have recieved at least as much interest
as swear words or insults do. Please keep trying - this board still
needs sensible posts!
