just reviewed the cd-rom to get the historical view on blind obedience.. suprisingly, the wt has had some flip-flopping ideas on this.. should we 'blindly obey'?no - w63 2/1 p. 73 par.
3 conduct "worthy of the good news".
and as we consider these commands of god, it is not just blind obedience that is required but, rather, seeking with 'our whole mind and heart' to understand and appreciate why god tells us to do this or that, or not to do a certain thing, so that we may serve him with understanding.
This is why we are told to attend EVERY meeting.
Complete control of a person's thought patterns are achieved through repetition. Over time flip-flops are expected ... and actually looked forward to with great anticipation.
"What NEW light will we receive at the convention (or annual meeting) this year???"
i was wondering if anyone know sany statistics of the amount of born ins that actually stay in the orginization.
i think i have read it before on here but i can't really remember what it was.
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The WT org is very clear that it wants young born-in JW's to commit to membership by baptism before they become teenagers. Depending on the family situation, pressure is put on parents (by their parents and others in the congregation) to get their youngsters baptized.
As these kids become adults many stay 'active'. But these folks are very different from when my generation was that age. I call them 'floaters'. They get dressed and make the meetings and are sorta regular in field service. They've learned to stay under the radar - play by the rules and keep out of judicial trouble. They know the rules. They don't know the Bible.
They believe the major WT doctrines - but the end times dogma is downplayed to a 'maybe the end will come sometime soon'. They're all into social media, the new music, hipsterisms and psudo environmental awareness. They pose as the 'cool' Witnesses with edgy clothes, iPads & video games. They have limited education and minimal earning power. They continue to depend on their parents for emotional and/or financial support. They marry each other and have babies. The cycle continues.
ginger
the secretary of the congregation said in a talk, what the congregation should have as goal for the new service year: attend field service meetings!.
he explained in a sad tone, that he visited all of our 3 or 4 service groups.
and what happened at the field service meetings.
I've known many "full time" pioneers that just showed up for the meeting for service and then made 'calls'. This is a common practice - supporting the meeting arrangement with your suit and tie or dress on and then running personal errands.
When CO's are visiting, they always asks for everyone to attend the mid-week meeting before service - even if you're not 'going out'.
It reinforces the structure : what's important is how you appear to others in the congregation.
ginger
idk if waking up has been good for me.
i still have almost no friends.
im still waiting to graduate this december to qualify n b certified for my job.
Many JW's put on their Kingdom Hall uniform.
Field service has morphed into a social event.
Most don't believe ALL of it anymore.
We couldn't pretend (deceive ourselves) anymore and quietly stepped off the JW merry-go-round over a year ago. Boy do things look different when you examine this religion while standing with your feet firmly planted on the ground (reality).
ginger
idk if waking up has been good for me.
i still have almost no friends.
im still waiting to graduate this december to qualify n b certified for my job.
It's time for you to take a break.
Your world has been turned inside out - divorce is very hard and having kids during this process makes it even more difficult. Rejecting your religion and your 'friends' during this past year complicates things even more.
Take stock of your life goals. Let yourself off the hook. Forgive yourself.
Understand that you cannot accept responsibility for things that you can't control (the outcome of a judicial meeting is one of those). Let it go.
Change the things you can - take care of yourself. Find happiness in something simple every day.
ginger
we received this link through an email chain.
not too sure what the purpose is....it's mostly about food.. .
vimeopro.com/user4747451/tnvideo.
The South is a stronghold for Jehovah's Witnesses in the US. The traditional religious and political conservatism, rural demographics and 'southern hospitality' makes for an easy transition for the locals to become Witnesses. In fact, many continue with the same intensity they had in the religious upbringings as Witnesses - it's all in and fire and brimstone (the threat of shunning and Armageddon).
Those of us who are from the south know that it's the 'group mentality' that prevails. Individualism is frowned upon. It's a "my granddaddy thought that way and my daddy thinks that way so I'll think that way" mind set that is deeply intrenched in southern culture.
The south is also thriving economically (has been for the past 30 years) so this makes the southern US very appealing to the Watchtower leadership (sorry Honesty....).
ginger
we received this link through an email chain.
not too sure what the purpose is....it's mostly about food.. .
vimeopro.com/user4747451/tnvideo.
It seems to be a locally produced promotional video - somehow directed toward Witnesses in Britian. Some of the folks in the video are long time elders and fully involved families that are almost always on convention and assembly parts.
I was wondering if any others from different parts of the US have seen similar videos...
we received this link through an email chain.
not too sure what the purpose is....it's mostly about food.. .
vimeopro.com/user4747451/tnvideo.
We received this link through an email chain. Not too sure what the purpose is....it's mostly about food.
recently i had a conversation with a close witness friend.
i have always viewed him as moderate.
not full j-dub nut bag witness style.
so today's study is all about being kindly, and not judgemental to those in the congregation....we don't know their circumstances etc.... i can't believe the hypocrisy being spewed out...both in the article and by means of the answers from the audience!.
we know the reality is so different!
unless a witness does everything exactly as the gb directs...in every aspects of life, they are effectively no longer a good person, but are viewed as spiritually lacking or weak..... they are going directly beyond the biblical directives, and being ones who condemn, rather than ones who commend!.
Listen, obey and be blessed...or else.
This is typical behavior of an abusive relationship. I control you, put you down, demoralize you and slap you around tonight. Tomorrow I shower you with gifts and tell you how much I love and care for you.
