gingerbread

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Posts by gingerbread

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  24

  as long as shunning continues donations will be slow

  by poopie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one of the reasons the watchtower is having problems with donations is because they have refuse to let go of wholesale across the board shunning.

  the average publisher is sick of it and jehovah is withholding his full blessing.

  when you do not show love to fellow humans you run the risk of not being able to show love which i'm turn has a direct relationship to your joy in turn if your not happy your not motivated to donate lots of money to and arrangement you perceive as unloving all you bethel lurkers convey this message to bro letters and rest of gb stop trying to convince fair minded people to support unloving shunning.

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  gingerbread

  The 'wisdom' from the WT has been, for decades, to simplify your life, work less, don't educate yourself, don't accept promotions, quit your job if you aren't allowed to take off for an assembly, don't move for a better job; move to where the need is greater (usually in a rural area with limited positive income opportunities), don't better yourself today. Live for the future....

  Now the organization is reaping what it has sown.

  To make matters worse, Jehovah's Witnesses currently have the worse record for membership retention (three out of five kids raised in "the truth" leave (or become barely active) in adulthood. And, few people become members as a result of the door to door activity.
  
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  14

  Missing the point?! Is this what Jesus had in mind??

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  is this what jesus had in mind?

  to be a spiritual person you must:.

  underline your books.

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  gingerbread

  These are among the many rituals of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  See: Legalism

  
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legalism_%28theology%29
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  36

  Something tells me 1914...

  by Monsieur in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after todays watchtower lesson, and the lessons coming, something tells me bigger and bigger new understandings are coming.

  and that it will culminate with 1914. notice how jesus is now coming, and no longer already here.

  the current understanding is both, he is here and hes also coming.

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  gingerbread

  1914 will stay. The understanding will change.

  Adventists have been waiting on Christ's return since the 1830's. They've changed their understandings of date predictions over the years.

  The founders of the Bible Students took most of their core beliefs from the Adventists. Current JW's think God gave the Governing Body special insight.....

  By the way (not that I care) but Adventists amount to 22 million members worldwide. As the JW's pat themselves on the back with a number just over 8 million.....?...
  
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  16

  I listened. I obeyed. Then I realized...

  by stillin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what was that blessing part about?

  i kept hearing pioneers talking about the blessings that they were receiving and as i looked at their lives objectively, there really isn't anything special about them.

  maybe they are just more appreciative of things than other people.

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  gingerbread

  This is cognitive dissonance in action.

  A Pioneer is a professional JW.

  Some do it for the recognition they receive - sacrificing their personal life in order to slave for the organization. They LOVE to let you know that they are full timers. They will always share how pioneering benefits THEM personally (and their STATUS in the organization). These are organization people and love its rules, regulations JW.org - unless it messes with own personal quirkiness and lunch dates. They'll tell you how you're not up to snuff. They love their iPads, shiny new "service car" and their never ending supply of new dresses. The pioneer 'ranks' are full of these kinda people.
  

  Some do it because it's their life calling. These pioneers REALLY believe and follow the rule book wholeheartedly. They have come to the conclusion that their time is being controlled by Jah, Jesus and holy spirit. This type thinks they are sacrificing their lives to serve God. They are the 'old school' pioneers - live on beans and rice, work just enough to make ends meet, wear hand-me-down clothes, have yard sale furniture and a crappy car. Not many of these pioneers around anymore.
  
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  56

  Who REALLY believed in the idea of living forever on earth??

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  seriously.....even when you were 100% in "the truth", did you really believe in living forever?

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  gingerbread

  The Adventists developed this belief (before the Civil War) and C.T. Russell & Nelson Barbour adopted the doctrine when they began publishing the Watchtower (1880's).

  When we studied with or were raised in "the truth", we weren't told about the origins of this belief. Most JW's have no idea about the shaky scriptural underpinning - and Jesus never said "hey, when I become King I'm going to turn the earth back into a paradise". Most JW's think of the paradise hope as a Watchtower exclusive....
  

  This carrot hope (that includes resurrected parents, grandparents, kids, etc.) is the primary reason questioning JW's remain in "the truth".
  
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  51

  What JW's are afraid of~

  by kairos in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  just putting together a mental list:.

  jehovah .

  jesus.

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  gingerbread

  I tell friends and family that are still active : The only "fear of man" I've ever felt was from those in the Kingdom Hall.

  I usually finish that off with "It feels so much better now not having to be around people who are depressed, tired, sick and afraid."

  ginger
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  38

  University Application Personal Statement dilemma - Should I mention my jw past?

  by will-be-apostate in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am applying to chemical engineering course in the uk through ucas (a lot of things changed since i've posted last time).. i have a lot of skills i developed while regular pioneering, like public speaking skills, ability to reason (even if it's bs), presentational skills etc.. i feel it would boost my personal statement a lot, but i'm also afraid they would say "this guy beleives in god, and loves science, he must be creationist.

  away with him".. how could i mention that i gave interviews front of thousands of people and did voluntary work in my hometown without giving a bad impression?.

  i don't want to go into details and start explaining myself that "however i don't beleive in god", or something like that.

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  gingerbread

  You are facing the personal dilemma that many of us that were raised in deal with (or not) - wearing multiple "masks", being careful to only reveal parts of our personality, seeing our job and our 'life' as separate entities, learning not to be 'ourself' around 'worldly' family/schoolmates/workmates/neighbors etc.

  You're struggling with honesty - because we are trained as JW's to be dishonest.

  This probably won't help you with your immediate situation - but it's something to think about it as you continue your exit.

  ginger
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  52

  TV.JW.Org - WTF is Wrong With This Guy? - CAPTION THEM

  by passwordprotected in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've heard about his bombastic, overly patronising, cartoon-ish delivery before, but i'd never actually seen it...until now.

  and i should add, this religion bears little to no relation to the one i left 6 years ago.. .

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  gingerbread

  The next steps for TV.JW.ORG will be crying and praying for all the brothers and sisters being persecuted. And continual reminders for the need for support the 'kingdom'.

  ginger
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  41

  How Much Drinking Is Too Much?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have seen that some say if a man has 3 beers per day or a woman has 2 glasses of wine per day, that they may have .

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  gingerbread

  Visit : www.aa.org/pages/en_US/is-aa-for-you-twelve-questions-only-you-can-answer

  ginger
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  35

  How many born ins actually stay?

  by lostinthought in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  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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  gingerbread

  Robert - You have a plan. Excellent! My son did the exact same thing you speak of - and it works.

  Have a goal and make it happen.

  I still advise not to 'destroy' your family in the process. Understand where their minds are at and show them how you can be independent and happy.