gingerbread

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Posts by gingerbread

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  31

  How I Ended Up On JWN...

  by Divergent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is the story of how i ended up here on this site.... .

  i was stuck in a situation where reaching out took forever, an eternity.

  it was ridiculous - no matter what i did, there was always more to do.

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  gingerbread

  Thanks for sharing. Many of us have walked down a similar path.

  You've lived through some of the pain of being part of this organization. You are not a victim. It's how the WT machine works.

  Plenty of us have been full-time pioneers or elders and found ourselves in moral and ethical dilemmas. This frustration (and cognitive dissonance) with our relationship to the people in the congregation and the directives of the man made Organization causes us to examine our religion.

  Many continue to stay in the Organization - hoping their situation is unique or that they need to work on their own spirituality by increasing their activity.

  Some (like myself) decided to research - the history of the Watchtower Society and to read the scriptures (particularly the words of Jesus) by themselves.

  Take your time. Be patient. Keep your doubts & reservations private. Educate yourself.

  Welcome to the journey!

  ginger
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  9

  who says apostates are mentally diseased, bad people?

  by hoser in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i had an encounter with a long time fader on a recent business trip.

  this regular lurker and sometimes poster on this forum was nothing but kind to me.

  i had contacted her and offered to buy her a coffee on my stop in her city but she went out of her way for me.

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  gingerbread

  The phrase 'mentally diseased' was removed from the (new) New World Translation.

  "We never said that" will be the answer to your question.

  ginger
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  23

  If you are thinking about "Stepping Down" you better do it QUICK!

  by Comatose in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new arrangement for co's to handle deletions (and appointments) means you no longer will be able to give your friends on the body an excuse and step down.

  you will have to answer to the co and most likely have a long uncomfortable chat about everything with him in order to step down.

  so if you have been thinking about stepping down, you need to do it quick before the new arrangement..

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  gingerbread

  The latest BOE letter makes it very clear. New rules are coming down the pike.

  The Circuit Overseer is now responsible for the individuals on the elder body. He has to power to appoint or delete. No guidance from the 'holy spirit' here folks!

  Elders will begin to feel even more pressure to conform to uniformity.

  The noose is tightening.

  ginger
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  143

  Letter to BOE: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello, you read it here first!.

  governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  to all congregations.

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  gingerbread

  After re-reading this letter, a couple of points came to mind.

  The circuit overseers are now responsible for making these decisions. No longer do they pass recomendations to the branch. They are liable for their appointments and deletions; perhaps the consequences as well. You can be sure that the CO's received their own separate letter too.

  In the post script, it refers to future letters that will provide additional direction regarding this 'adjustment'. Any elder with his head screwed on realizes that this is just the tip of the iceberg. The pressure continues to be turned up on elders - and they will pay, their wives will pay and their kids will pay.

  The GB doesn't care about the individual. It cares about the sustainablity of the organization. The message is clear to elders > either play by the new adjustments (rules) or you will be deleted.

  ginger
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  34

  Aposate crashes the memorial!

  by Batman89 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i should have posted this a few weeks ago, anyways this guy tony prime has guts!.

  check it!.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uadqh8-3qa0&list=uu7urkksine92mtdj2s33gwq.

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  gingerbread

  This guy has as about as much 'guts' as an adolescent shaving one side of his head or getting her lady parts pierced.

  Big deal.

  This video records a guy looking for his 15 minutes of fame (his YouTube channel if full of whining, complaining and selfies). In this video, he appears (or probably is) drunk, high, a little off or a full blown nut job. I agree that growing up as a JW messed him up. No doubt. Time to grow up and let it go dude.

  ginger
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  30

  Serious subject - How to cut your alcohol consumption?

  by quellycatface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  how can i cut down without going teetotal?

  i love the taste of wine, i'm not fussed with other drinks but just need to rein in it a bit.. going wine-free tonight and tomorrow, as i'm out socially.. i also need to shift a few pounds.. thank you, everyone..

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  gingerbread

  As a recoverer, I can say from experience that a person doesn't have a drinking problem. A person has problems so he drinks.

  If you are a dependent personality, you have tons of will power - you'll climb a mountain to get a drink.

  Use that energy is a positive way. Don't isolate yourself. Change your playground - drinking friends and places.

  If you can't manage your life problems by yourself, there are plenty of good folks and groups in your area who can help. You won't ever get this from the Org. or the Kingdom Hall.

  Their answer is to DF you a.s.a.p. and take away all your support system - family and friends.

  ginger
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  143

  Letter to BOE: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello, you read it here first!.

  governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  to all congregations.

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  gingerbread

  The elder & servant wannabe's will be doing everything possible to get the attention of the CO's - service time, taking them out for meals, giving them cash, opening up their homes, volunteering to give talks during the CO's visit, volunteering for everything at the assemblies...

  The Branch big-wigs know this.

  It stirs up the competitive spirit (activity). And brothers will go out of their way to financially take care of the Branch Representatives.

  The Watchtower leadership is calculated. No doubt.

  ginger
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  143

  Letter to BOE: Adjustment in process for appointing elders and ministerial servants

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello, you read it here first!.

  governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  to all congregations.

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  gingerbread

  Paul and Barnabas (in case you're not too sure, these guys were NOT 'circuit overseers') put experienced men in charge of teaching in congregations.

  They could do this because there was .... no 'Governing Body'.

  I think this is an interesting development because, in a weird way, it returns some power back to the CO's. If I understand the process correctly, the elder body would recommend someone for a position to the CO. He would then give his approval - or not - to the branch. They would then make it official.

  Perhaps another way of looking at this 'adjustment' is to realize the the elders will no longer have a say-so. This pulls another autonomous freedom away from every congregation.

  First it was ownership of the Kingdom Hall. Now it's the loss of control of the congregation's bank account. Next the elder body can no longer make localized decisions regarding it's teaching/shepherding staff.

  The local elders can no longer be trusted

  ginger
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  19

  May 15, 2014 WT: "God will intervene on behalf of his people"

  by cultBgone in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i borrowed this mag as i hadn't looked at one in several years.

  of course i had to review "are you moving ahead with jehovah's organization?".

  paragraph 4 under heading "satanic action leads to armageddon" states:.

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  gingerbread

  Upcoming WT study articles give a thrashing to any who JW's who question or who are slackers. The Organization is made up of persons who are just floating along and doing only what is required. It's a herd of mediocrity.

  I feel the clamps coming down on everyone in the Org. - CO's, elders, parents & kids.

  The next step (I feel certain will happen) is for the leadership to 'create' persecution circumstances - to prove who is 'faithful' to them. And to stir up fear of the Great Trib...

  ginger
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  19

  May 15, 2014 WT: "God will intervene on behalf of his people"

  by cultBgone in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i borrowed this mag as i hadn't looked at one in several years.

  of course i had to review "are you moving ahead with jehovah's organization?".

  paragraph 4 under heading "satanic action leads to armageddon" states:.

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  gingerbread

  How did God step in when 'his people' were assaulted by the Assyrians, Babylonians, Egyptians, Persians, Romans, German Nazis or the governments of Malawi, China, Soviet Russia, Italy, Singapore, Cuba, Spain or Greece?

  Answer: NOTHING

  Thousands imprisioned, maimed, raped and killed for nothing.

  Today the Organization protects itself...and expects it's members to wait on 'Jehovah' to solve their problems.

  Jehovah's Witness children and wives can be abused by their family or members of the congregations and the Org. provides zero support, counselling or practical assistance. However, the Watchtower will spend millions of dollars protecting their own assets and reputation.

  ginger