i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.
im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?
the the bible is word?
Take the time to read "Heroes with a Thousand Faces" by Joseph Campbell. You will come to realize how the religions of the world all share the same rituals, creation beliefs and god forms - from the tribal peoples of the Americas to Buddhism to Hinduism to Islam to European Christianity.
Also, inform yourself about the root beliefs of the American Adventist and it's history. Most of the major doctrines of Jehovah's Witnesses were ripped from the Adventists.
Ginger
this is a quick experience i have recently had and i have two questions at the end.. a couple of weeks ago, the dogs were barking at the gate on saturday morning and wouldn't you know it, it was some witnesses.
there was a father with his lovely wife and their young daughter.
the father did all the talking as mother and daughter just dutifully smiled and watched.
Remember that JW's are told to use the literature as service material - not their own thoughts. They are told to stick to the script and have the Watchtower do the talking. This 'rule' goes back to the beginning of the organization - recall the phonograph records? Now it's the cart method.
Unlike decades ago, Witnesses don't read their Bible - they parrot the ideas of Watchtower literature and videos - and attempt to use a couple of cherry picked scriptures (with no understanding of it's context).
ginger
a number of years ago when i was still active, our service group was having a coffee break with the visiting circuit overseer.
during the conversation he mentioned that the "society" was now being run like a business.
being raised in the "truth" i thought that rather odd (and my eyes began to be opened!
It's evidence of the reduction of donations (income) from the JW membership. The organization is now feeling the pain after years of discouraging people to take promotions at work or get an education past high school. Minimum wage work and labor jobs makes for low or average incomes - with limited disposable income for donations. And the congregation 'work force' has become tired.
The big-wig Governing Body members strut their stuff during JW Broadcasting programs while the money folks are sweating bullets.
And it doesn't mean jack if the WT is building new halls or branches in some parts of the world. Many people who are in debt up to their eyeballs have new homes, new clothes and new cars - all on borrowed money/credit.
The Watchtower leaders just want to appear powerful (proof that God is supporting them) and successful (competing with other mainstream religions).
ginger
the witnesses are really challenged socially.
in their own little world, they seem oblivious to the niceties of saying thank you or that they are sorry for some minor wrong.
these things help life go more smoothly in the real world, like a social lubricant.. i'm simply appalled at the fact that an elder's son, who was married more than a year ago, has never sent out thank you notes for all of the gifts that the congregation gave him for his wedding.
In the last 25 years, I've seen the transformation of the individuals in the organization - judgmental, suspicious and self-centered.
Line up early at a convention or assembly. The doors open at 8:00 and the pushing, shoving and running begins to get the best seats in the auditorium. I have never experienced this at any theater production, concert or pro sports event - everyone stays in line and takes their turn.
ginger
i have (well had) an extremely small circle of jw friends.
lots of acquaintances and associates but 2 or 3 i would consider my true friends.
that list is now 0. yup, once i told them i no longer believe in the org and haven't for a long time, and their attempts to encourage me thru jw lingo and terminologies to "rely on jehovah" and not to "stray away" failed that was pretty much it.
The culture of the Jehovah's Witnesses (individuals, congregation, leadership, publications) requires each member to become judgmental and suspicious.Whether you know it or not, this process begins when a person begins to study and proceeds to baptism.
As soon as a member begins to develop an 'attitude' or conducts parts of his personal life in ways that are not in line with organizational rules (independent thinking), the shunning begins - more strongly with some, less with others.
The longer one is 'in the truth' the more an observant person realizes that real friends don't exist in the congregation. When a person reaches seventy or eighty, they better have some good adult children and grandchildren to assist them. They sure won't get it from the 'friends' in the congregation.
ginger
okay, so yes, i'm a born-in, but this point has always baffled me (and i guess i never bothered to research or ask).
what is the purpose of counting time in service?
when was it started and why?
J.F. Rutherford began this tradition. In the beginning, all approved for field service were required to turn in a service activity report weekly. Of course, back then, all baptized Bible Students (and later JW's) really, truly believed that the end was upon them. They went out in service ALL THE TIME - no leisure time at all.
The congregations were called "companies" and pioneers were called "colporteurs" - which literally means book and magazine salesman. So the members of a local company were turning in their weekly sales reports.
Time slips later became a way to assess a persons "spirituality" - which is its primary purpose today.
ginger
my wife is shunning me.
she is always in cult mode, we don't talk anymore, we don't sleep in the same bed.
i have been sleeping on the couch.
It sucks.
I spent the last two years (out of 15 years) on the couch. My first wife was also passive aggressive (and abusive and violent). After years of shepherding calls to get a handle on the problems (I always came out as the bad guy), she filed for divorce. No grounds. The local body of elders said she could file if she "thought" I ever had an affair (she was always accusing me of that). Not.
The evening of our divorce she and her 'friend' announced their engagement. A month later they were married (he's an elder) by another local elder. No prob!
Our now grown children have nothing to do with her. The last time I saw her she was an overweight, old looking, broke JW.
Sometimes it's best to move on. It's worked out great for me. It was very painful but now many years later it's a distant memory. And I'm happier than ever!
Gingerbread
a number of years ago when i was still active, our service group was having a coffee break with the visiting circuit overseer.
during the conversation he mentioned that the "society" was now being run like a business.
being raised in the "truth" i thought that rather odd (and my eyes began to be opened!
A number of years ago when I was still active, our service group was having a coffee break with the visiting Circuit Overseer. During the conversation he mentioned that the "Society" was now being run like a business. Being raised in the "truth" I thought that rather odd (and my eyes began to be opened!) because of the belief that the business men would lament the demise of Babylon the Great.
Fast forward to now and I begin to think of Jesus' words to sell excess belongings and give to the POOR. He never said give to my apostles (in order to spread the good new or advance kingdom interests).. Rather odd that the governing body wants all (those of you who are still active) your money. They've already taken ownership of all kingdom and assembly halls and have emptied all congregation bank accounts to the bare minimum. As we all know,, they now require a monthly money transfer from each congregation to the main office.
A few weeks ago, a family member told me that the congregation coordinator said to him that elders have been informed of a stop of new builds and remodels and that parts of the Warwick (new world headquarters) construction project are paused as well.
ginger
the governing body knows they scare children.
from the may jwbroadcasting puke-a-sode at the1hr 5 minute mark .31 second clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqeey0uyvuw.
The Watchtower since the days of 'Judge' Rutherford has used fear as a primary control tool.
It works great on children and the undereducated.
As a side note, we recently watched a PBS program about earthquakes and one of the seismologists said "earthquakes never cause the earth to split open." We just looked at each other (having been brought up with the so-called 'paradise' book) and laughed - another Watchtower lie...
ginger
i have noticed that in florida at least i see at every flea market and or town square jws sitting drinking coffee with a table and a couple of sandwich signs with watchtowers and awakes doing nothing more than playing on their phones and or talking to each other.
i have not yet seen anyone going up to them and engaging them but i bet they are counting time.
what a cheat.
This new approach puts the publisher in full public view in their community. No longer can you just ride around in a car or fake knock on a door.
This method also has the potential to feed a persecution complex.
