...when i told them i didn't believe anymore.
they cried like i'd never seen before.
my oldest, 10, pleaded with me that she'd do anything to get me to keep going to meetings ("i'll get a's on my report card!").
Pick your battles wisely.
And be honest with yourself - treat your children like you would have liked to be treated at their age. If they ask about how babies are born you wouldn't go straight to explaining how forceps are used or the risks of an epidural or how the doctor performs an episiotomy.
If you're mad at the Org. or "the kid's mother", don't use the kid as a pawn.
Just some 'motherly' advice...
ginger
the moment the leadership of the wt (a publishing company whose purpose was originally to produce pamphlets and books to edify christians) first made the claim to be gods sole channel of communication for dispensing biblical truth here on earth.
that not so discreet assumption has now left them wide open to 'everything they teach as truth'.
as a result, every time an error is exposed or a teaching is changed, their credibility will continue to be affected.
Let's not view the Bible Students through rose colored glasses. Early Watchtower magazines point to Charles Russell's Studies in the Scriptures as the definitive authority on the Bible - and was the only publication being used by Jesus to spread "Truth".
If they (and later Rutherford's Jehovah's Witnesses) wanted to only print Bible study aids for people, they would have remained a Christian publishing house. Or they could have taken it one step further and created a New York mega-church.
Instead, by seeing themselves as the human representatives (and future kings) of God's heavenly government - with the only way, truth and (new) light - the WT leadership put themselves into a pickle. They gambled with the pickle and it has payed off - with an amazing amount of loyalty by the faithful membership to the WT organization and it's Governing Body.
In their eyes, remember, they don't make mistakes.
ginger
if you could list the major themes of the watchtowerland per decade, what would they be?.
for example, 2010-2014: overlapping generation, gb=fds, jw.org, 100 years.
2000-2009: harder stance on higher ed.. 1990-1999: generation no longer a major doctrine.. 1980-1989: getting over 1975, ray franz, year of peace, end before 20th century ends, generation is 70 years old.
Thanks Millie -
I've been thinking about this gradual evolution/transformation in the 'Society' for some time. It's based on reading as much as I can about the history of the organization and the people who held key positions of power and influence.
I've had my own personal experience to draw upon (came in as a kid in the early 1970's) and the expressions of some that we've known - from different parts of the United States - that were Witnesses since the 1930's, 40's and 50's.
Understanding the past is essential to understanding the present (and future)!
ginger
if you could list the major themes of the watchtowerland per decade, what would they be?.
for example, 2010-2014: overlapping generation, gb=fds, jw.org, 100 years.
2000-2009: harder stance on higher ed.. 1990-1999: generation no longer a major doctrine.. 1980-1989: getting over 1975, ray franz, year of peace, end before 20th century ends, generation is 70 years old.
I'll define it by century:
19th - Honest hearted Bible Students who were a special people chosen by God as the final part of the 'remnant' annointed. Sharing God's plan with mankind was the mission. A non-religion who met informally in small groups and used Russell's writings as a study aid. The end of the world was coming in 1914.
20th - God has a chosen "earthly organization" who's mission is to spread the good news of Christ's enthronement to the world. The message is geared toward increasing the organization's population by active proselytizing - to bring 'honest hearted / sheeplike people' into the the 'great crowd' or "the Truth". Families would soon be entering into the "New Order" hand in hand to welcome back their resurected relatives and friends.
21st - The leadership of the central organization takes complete control of the membership. Matters of individual conscience and personal decision making cease to exist. Jehovah's Witnesses are now a religion - with a hierarchy (laity and clergy), the confessional and penance. The leadership is no longer a faceless group. Obeying the organizational structure and rules override scriptural principles.
ginger
about 5 minutes ago i get an article emailed to me from my mother telling me that i need to find a way to get back to jehovah and his saving arm... she read an article in a reputable newspaper that all the friends are using to show that its not just jehovahs witnesses who see religion about to get attacked by the u.n.. it concludes with a link to the article and her desire for me to please read it in light of my recent situation.. .
here is the article http://www.examiner.com/article/is-the-un-preparing-to-attack-religion.
the writer bill underwood is a jehovah's witness.
Meanwhile....Fox News reports that in the United States there is a vicious "War on Christmas"....
On a serious note - JW's want the United Nations to "attack" religion so their own (Joseph Rutherford/Fred Franz) invented prophecy will be fulfilled.
That event will prove that they are RIGHT and now God can kill everyone who doesn't believe in him or JW.org.
And all Jehovah's Witnesses will have nice big brand new homes wherever they want. And it'll be perfect.
ginger
since being out mentally and missing meetings my children mention people from the hall and i cant help but feel bad that they are missing the association.
my daughters are 4 and 2 and we live in a small town with not a whole lot to do.
what activities did you do with your kids?
Little ones enjoy the little things in life (all of us should take time to do the same as adults) and will love just spending time with you - keep it simple, play games, take time to relax with them...ask them what they would like to do!
Our contemporary culture impresses a false need that we need to keep our children busy - all the time. They'll get enough of that as they go through school and become teenagers...then adults. Let them be kids - and be like a kid with them.
Stepping off the Watchtower merry-go-round is disorienting - loss of a 'schedule'and 'friends. We get dizzy, fall down and get 'sick'.
Your daughters have just picked up on your change of schedule and the absence of their Kingdom Hall 'friends'. No need to worry. Children are very adaptable - way more than adults.
Fill the void by being together as a family. It works everytime!
ginger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8wmz3nvlek.
The Society is actively recruiting young people in the United States to participate in self funded missionary tours - 3 months, 6 months ... a year or more.
This is targeted at Jehovah's Witness born-in teens. It's slick. It's optimistic. And it's a fantasy.
Full-time service has become an act of selfishness - what it can do for ME spiritually, how it makes ME feel, how doing this gives ME great experiences.
ginger
meet benny.
he had all the opportunities and talent to persue a 'higher' education and have a great career.
however he did meet someone and started a bible study... he changed his future... he changed his life and now, in his opinion, he has the best life ever.
Emeth
I try my best to stay out of threads like this - but for some reason today I feel like commenting on your comment.
You carried on during your past - with sex and drugs - not because you were 'worldy' - but because you were a selfish person. You changed these habits, not because you became a Jehovah's Witness, but because you realized that this lifestyle was getting you no where and was unhealthy.
You feel 'free' but, in reality, you are controlled by your religion and it's rules. (Even though you appear to enjoy breaking a major Watchtower rule : by visiting and commenting on this site.)
You enjoy teaching Watchtower knowledge - not Biblical knowledge. I imagine that you love 'new light', the new methods of ministry, congregational responsiblities, involvement in commitees and JW.org.
You have left your natural family in favor of your un-natural Jehovah's Witness family. If you, in the future, have real life difficulties (say your kids become marked as 'bad associates') you will experience very quickly how these 'friends' un-friend you - in reality. Ask the quiet older folks in your congregation - they'll tell you all about it.
I applaud your effort to downsize your life - by reducing the amount of material 'stuff' you have to worry about. It's also something that many people in the States are doing - without being Jehovah's Witnesses.
I applaud your effort to find real happiness in this life. I hope that you do your research on the history of the Bible Students and Jehovah's Witnesses. Cross reference the Proclaimers book and the Society's DVD series on the organization with other non-Witness sources.
We are all looking for personal happiness - for some of us that means freeing ourselves from this religion and its man-made organization.
ginger
her funeral was at 1pm today.
they held it at a vfw hall where the service was upstairs and a meal downstairs.
we all brought dishes to pass, so much food!
Rest up a bit. Take care.
ginger
does anyone personally know jws serving on the writing committee?.
what is their outlook regarding the end; are they still truly convinced?.
are they expressing doubts or seem demotivated?.
Salesmen are some of the most gullible people I've ever encountered. Salesmen train other salesmen.
If they are good liers, they eventually believe their own stories.
ginger
