Posts by gingerbread

36

Fading, Stopping Meetings, DA or DF'ing, Thoughts on Getting the Hell Out Of There

by OnTheWayOut in

so i read some threads about why someone remains a ministerial servant or elder, or why they are still active jw's.

others are telling stories about how they cut back slowly, and some of them got removed as ms/elder/pioneer or whatever.

yet others tell of how they just up and stopped going one day.

gingerbread

We stopped turning in time just over a year ago. We stopped attending meetings at the first of the year. Our grown children are moved away but made the same decision - about a year before we did.

We are both raised in, well known in the area - big JW families. Our parents and some of the siblings know of our 'doubts'. I hear that we are considered to be "taking a break" (for just a little while - in their minds). Life long 'friends' in the congregations are silent - no phone calls, emails or cards. Even the elders are 'hands off' with us.

I really don't think they want to open our can of worms in the congregation. By leaving quietly with out any kicking and screaming (no desire to prove we're "right" anymore!), our life has been undisturbed by any of the JW's.

I'm certian they would be overjoyed to have us back in - we were pioneers (some years ago), reasonably active with extra volunteer participation and made regular, healthy contributions to the local box...

ginger

10

Keeping it simple.

by gingerbread in

jw
friends

as the convention season is upon many of us, i recall my first assembly that we attended during the very beginning of our questioning if this religion that we were raised in was 'right'.

by really listening to the talks and observing the behavior of the other attendees, we came away that weekend with real focus on uncovering the realities of being one of jehovah's witnesses.. i had, for many years, issues with some basic organizational practices and customs : turning in a time slip, counting hours, re-hashing material over and over, dress and grooming rules, congregational politics/favoritism/discrimination, the 'judicial committee', etc.. at the same time we were researching the history of the watchtower and it's core beliefs : what were the origins of the belief in a paradise earth, the faithful and discreet slave, and (most importantly) the watchtower's chronology/dating that leads to the 1914 conclusion.. to all who are in the beginning of this process, i recommend you keep it simple.

take one topic or issue at a time and prove to yourself that the watchtower's stance is biblical.

gingerbread

I also did online research of the International Bible Students - looking for their reasons why they decided not to support the 2nd WT president J.F. Rutherford. Pretty enlightening.

Another great online resource is www.watchtowerdocuments.com

10

Keeping it simple.

by gingerbread in

jw
friends

as the convention season is upon many of us, i recall my first assembly that we attended during the very beginning of our questioning if this religion that we were raised in was 'right'.

by really listening to the talks and observing the behavior of the other attendees, we came away that weekend with real focus on uncovering the realities of being one of jehovah's witnesses.. i had, for many years, issues with some basic organizational practices and customs : turning in a time slip, counting hours, re-hashing material over and over, dress and grooming rules, congregational politics/favoritism/discrimination, the 'judicial committee', etc.. at the same time we were researching the history of the watchtower and it's core beliefs : what were the origins of the belief in a paradise earth, the faithful and discreet slave, and (most importantly) the watchtower's chronology/dating that leads to the 1914 conclusion.. to all who are in the beginning of this process, i recommend you keep it simple.

take one topic or issue at a time and prove to yourself that the watchtower's stance is biblical.

gingerbread

As the Convention season is upon many of us, I recall my first assembly that we attended during the very beginning of our questioning if this religion that we were raised in was 'right'. By really listening to the talks and observing the behavior of the other attendees, we came away that weekend with real focus on uncovering the realities of being one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

I had, for many years, issues with some basic organizational practices and customs : turning in a time slip, counting hours, re-hashing material over and over, dress and grooming rules, congregational politics/favoritism/discrimination, the 'judicial committee', etc.

At the same time we were researching the history of the Watchtower and it's core beliefs : what were the origins of the belief in a paradise earth, the Faithful and Discreet slave, and (most importantly) the Watchtower's chronology/dating that leads to the 1914 conclusion.

To all who are in the beginning of this process, I recommend you keep it simple. Take one topic or issue at a time and prove to yourself that the Watchtower's stance is biblical. Use the Bible. It can be painful and distressing. That why we suggest you take is one topic at a time.

Does anyone else have some practical suggestions?

ginger

48

THE CURRENT FADING OF BRAND NAME "THE WATCHTOWER"

by steve2 in

jw
friends

the current fading of brand name "the watchtower" & the rise, rise, rise of jw.org.

the watchtower as brand name is in the process of being imperceptibly faded from visibility in the organization.

who'd have thought you could make a watchtower fade and disappear?

gingerbread

Rutherford invented the name "Jehovah's Witnesses" to distance (rebrand) the religion from C.T. Russell, the 'Russellites' and the International Bible Students. Rutherford also implemented the 'no beards' policy in Bethel to remove any visible association with the 'old' guys. Out went the 'Cross and Crown' as well...

The 21st century Governing Body wants to distance the religion from the 'Watchtower' and it's negative past, it's faulty chronology and it's absurd prophetic applications. No longer will any JW use the phrase "look it up in the Watchtower Library" - that will be old light.

These changes might seem like a new coat of paint (over rotten wood) to us.

But...to the faithful it is seen as evidence of Jehovah's chariot in action.

ginger

9

Another possible reason why GB demoted Pastor Russell from the FDS.

by donuthole in

jw
friends

in barbara anderson's research for the proclaimers book she was tasked with identifying the faithful & discreet slave throughout history.

the idea was the watchtower could identify a line of kingdom proclaimers from the days of the apostles.

she was not able to do this with the established criteria, that the individual had to adhere to the basic doctrinal beliefs seperating jw's from "false religion".. it seems that governing body would now agree.

gingerbread

The Watchtower has always tried to draw parallels or precedent from Bible record and apply these to themselves.

Russell is now been given the honored position of the 19th century "John the Baptist" who layed the theological groundwork for the Watchtower organization. The Faithful Slave / Governing Body acts as mankind's mediator to God.

They effectively erased Jesus from the 'chain-of-command'. Why not Russell as well...

ginger

20

Why Do Certain "Inactive Ones" Get Bothered By The Elders While Others Don't?

by minimus in

jw
friends

it seems some inactive ones and active jws are hardly ever bothered by the elders while others are constantly called, checked up on, etc...... what gives?.

gingerbread

Yup.

Exit quietly and they'll leave you alone.

Of course it all depends on individual circumstances - family, congregational responsibilities, years of involvement and dollars you have contributed. In each of these four areas the elders might bug you to death...or they might not bother you at all (hoping you won't leave).

ginger

9

For love

by fredPotato in

hi there folks,.

i no longer believe in a dime the wt corporation says.

for over a year i've been inactive in field service and i skip meetings whenever i can.. all my family is jw, and that includes my spouse.. i have already come open with her and exposed the wt for what it really is.

gingerbread

There is an unwritten custom that encourages both pity and subtle shunning to anyone who is married to a spouse that has become inactive. It's seems like a contradiction - but that's how things work in a disfunctional 'family'.

It's tough on your wife because she has to field questions from the elders, the wives and all the nosey ones. If she has been a Witness her whole life, she feels alone. Pressure from her family increases her feelings of failure (as a good JW wife).

What worked for me is doing things that we both enjoy - during meeting nights or on the weekend. Just as an occasional thing in the beginning. It takes patience and time. Getting her out of 'the box' will help - instead of you going back from time to time.

ginger

25

Another PR / marketing website for a JW international convention - this time Seattle

by sir82 in

jw
friends

here is the link: http://seattledelegates.org/.

i would guess this is the wave of the future.

a secondary channel of business revenue for the wts - compensation for recommending restaurants, tours, etc.

gingerbread

The Org is twisting itself inside out ... to be a Jehovah's Witness mean TONS of friends, fun & travel...

We have family and friends that are attending the conventions in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit, Seattle and in Hawaii. They all LOVE these new ideas! - streaming talks, literature carts, the annual meeting, iPad witnessing, the "JW" internet and all of the new focus on young ones.

If anyone is fully 'in', this is the best time in the history of man to serve God....during the first 100 years of Kingdom Rule.

They give us puzzled stares when we don't mirror their enthusiasm (like we used to just two short years ago)...

ginger

30

New DVD review

by Laika in

i managed to catch the new dvd on youtube last night before the inevitable takedown.

as a film i felt it wasn't anywhere near as good as the prodigal movie, the story wasn't as dramatic, the characters much less interesting and developed and the direction weaker.

i found the prodigal relatively entertaining (all things considered) this one was just dull.. here are some of my random thoughts anyway [spoiler alert - ha!].

gingerbread

The Governing Body is aware that most kids raised in 'the truth' leave as adults.

This film is used to guilt trip parents into obedience to the organization and it's structure.

Good parents raise good kids.

Too many parents in 'the truth' have unfortunately raised insecure children who turn into co-dependent adults.

ginger

11

Israelites as "examples for modern witnesses"??

by stuckinarut2 in

it amazes me how the gb and witnesses keep using the ancient isrealites as examples for modern day "servants of god" (read: good witnesses).

how can an ignorant, ancient people who worshipped with animal sacrifices, went to war, killed children, stoned people, treated women as property, called women unclean due to normal body cycles, allowed polygamy, etc......be used as good examples?.

i mean, the gb can't have it both ways!

gingerbread

The mythology, verbal story telling and significance of numbers in ancient Isreal was a favorite topic of C.T. Russell. This facination is the underpinning of most of the beliefs and customs of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Parallels have been drawn for over 100 years between the ancient Isrealite nation and "modern servants of Jehovah".

Most contemporary Witnesses don't have a clue that their belief system is based on the ancient notions of a tribal culture - who borrowed much of their own beliefs from Egypt, Mesopotamia and Asia.

(Read or watch on YouTube - Joseph Campbell)

ginger