Hello, Sunchild,
Good to see you back and writing so well again.
Yes, you CAN make it on your own. It just takes a little practice.
I've had 18 years of it now and don't believe I'm bitter or old yet.
Uncanny
Uncanny
JoinedPosts by Uncanny
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28
Choices we have, choices we make....
by Sunchild in"when you're older, you'll understand.".
"when you're older, you'll learn to see things my way.".
"when you're older, you'll be cynical and bitter.
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Uncanny
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Brooklyn, are you listening?
by OrangeBlossom ini wonder if the gb ever check this board to get a grasp of how the rank & file (the hanger-oners like me) really feel about things or even curious as to why so many have left the organization.
there are many elders and ministerial servants that post here because they are so frustrated with what is going on.
i think that they would really like to see a change, a reform of some sort.
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Uncanny
OrangeBlossom,
I enjoyed your list of possible improvements to be made from the "Brooklyn Honchos", as you call them.
I would add one about trying to get the JW rank and file members to be less judgemental of others. I believe it's this growing lack of love amongst the brothers which is doing just as much to thin out the numbers in the Kingdom Halls as is the failed predictions, stern rulership and out of date operational methods coming from the big end of Brooklyn.
It's been said that the Watchtower Society constantly monitors JW discussion forums like this one, maybe even on a 24 hours basis. It's also believed that the brothers who do this type of covert Net site lurking and reporting are constantly rotated for fear of them being contaminated by apostate teachings. Or is it more a case of those Brooklyn honchos being in fear that some of their theocratic donkeys will learn the truth about the truth and opt out themselves?
It is my humble opinion that if every mentally coherent Jehohvahs Witness was to learn the Truth about their religion, the Kingdom Halls would not just be thinned out, they would be virtually empty.
Uncanny
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Baptism Into the Organization
by AlanF intoday's remarks about the wts's 1985 baptismal vows reminded me of.
an incident an elder recently told me about.
seems a man was still.
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Uncanny
Oh dear, I stand unliked and corrected. How logical of you.
'When you make a vow to God do not be backward about paying it off, because fools are not liked...' Eccl 5:4 (The Bible In Living English.)
I would rather be a fool than a fraud.
Uncanny
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Baptism Into the Organization
by AlanF intoday's remarks about the wts's 1985 baptismal vows reminded me of.
an incident an elder recently told me about.
seems a man was still.
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Uncanny
I got baptised as one of Jehovah's Christian Witneses in 1982, three years before the oral vows during the ceremony were altered to pledge allegiance to the Watchtower Society as well as the Creator.
Therefore, I rate my baptism as fully legal and acceptable to God. (Not that it means much to me anymore. Time will tell.)
But do baptised brothers and sisters from the past 15 years enjoy the same status? Hardly. And the great shame is that virtually none of these brothers and sisters even realise that they have really dedicated their lives to an Organisation, not a God. This newly written baptismal pledge of allegiance makes one wonder how many other sneaking changes have been made by the Organisation in the past 15-20 years; only to go unchallenged, or worst, unnoticed, by the faithful rank and file JW majority.
You can hardly blame the sheeplike ones though. For since the failure of other long held doctrines and 'unofficial' predictions like that epic 1975 "Armageddon is Here" one, it seems the WTBS' Governing Body has turned chameleon-like alterations and/or additions into an art form. As a faithful witness, I wasn't even aware of the impact of the changes made for a symbolic dedication until I did some exterior research when on my way out of the organisation just over a year ago now.
So how insidiously dangerous a religion like this one can be. For when you think you've found the right channel - that exclusive hotline to God - it's so easy to be mind controlled: lulled into mental lethargy by just always going along with what you're told.
Not only are the Society's so-called powers to annul a baptism completely outrageous and unacceptable, as you have related above, AF, a JW baptism is indeed bogus - an insult to the Creator - and just a totally adulterated sham. A snare and a racket, for sure.
Uncanny
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If modern day JW could stone apostates would they?
by nojw86 invia "new light" of course.
would they truly follow it as scriptual bashing of evil ones forsaking their god jehovah, all this old light changing into new light makes one go hmmm........regards nojw
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Uncanny
Coincidentally, the National broadcaster here, ABC TV, last night put to air a live satellite interview with a muslim woman in London who was trying to draw support for her outrage at the impending stoning of a woman in Iran. (Her crime? She committed adultery.) As I am not of the Muslim faith, I personally don't feel I have the right to take sides on whether or not Islam should change its ways and leave behind their ancient punishments in our so called civilised and politically correct world. (After all, they've still got to take Salmon Rushdie out, don't they?)
But all jokes aside, like most of the other comments given here, as an ex JW, before watching this program last night, I would have been quick to agree that the average witness would be scrambling for the nearest rocks as soon as the Governing Body gave them the nod to terminate the life of wicked apostates. Now I'm not so sure.
In fact, I don't think so. I believe that when confronted with actually carrying out such blood curdling torture or directly involving him/herself in delivering someone's death, the average human today - particularly if they were a JW - wouldn't have the heart or the stomach to physically take part in such a violent execution.
I base this assumption on my (our) reaction last night to televiewing a real life stoning in part. For at one stage during this same TV interview, the on-screen vision of the two talkers was overlaid with some footage of an actual Islamic stoning. It showed two men, buried upright to the waist up with white capes covering their head and shoulders, waivering and screaming as they were pelted with rocks.
What a way to die. Even for a hated apostate. The Islamic woman in London also reported that if and when the adulteress is stoned, the stone-ees must be careful to find the right size rocks. ie. not too big so she dies too soon, and not too small so she doesn't feel enough pain before the fatal damage is done.
So come on. Do you think warm and fuzzy JWs - if only on the outside a lot of the time - would even be capable of witnessing such a hideous event? 'Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.' Indeed.
Uncanny
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23
I am no longer a Ministerial Servant
by cocolocoii inyesterday was announced that i was not longer a ministerial servant.
to be honest i felt really good about it.
i literally was tired of been pretending.
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Uncanny
Hello, Cocolocoii & Scott,
Enjoyed both of your experiences about being ex Mini Servants. I was one myself till I deleted myself from the position, the congregation and the Watchtower Society some 14 months ago.
It feels very liberating to be able to reinvent yourself when you are still young enough to do it.
TO Scott: From another 'newbie' here, welcome aboard. We are the same age and share the same length of years in the trooth. Tell me, was it your modesty that precluded you from posting your expierence as an original post? Or are you just a little green to know how?
(Anyway, thanks again, but don't ask me for help. All I know what to do here is type in the words and drop the odd icon in now and then.)
Uncanny
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No Invalid Baptisms
by metatron infrom what i gather at the service dept., there is no such thing as.
an invalid baptism.
they defined it out of existence.
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Uncanny
You would think that to all 'true Christians' the annulling of his/her baptism would be morally reprehensible, scripturally abominable, and legally impossible, seeing that a public dedication of one's faith is supposed to be a personal bond or contract made between an individual and Jehovah God.
But since the questions to be answered in the affirmative by all candidates for JW baptism were ammended some years ago to add a dedication to the ORGANISATION itself, as well as GOD, therefore, annulling of a Jehovah's Witness baptism is presently understandable, fully acceptable and legally admissable...to the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
(I should have been a QC, damnit, and not a pioneer.)
Uncanny
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Help with my study
by Kiwi ini have a study tonight from the "united inworship book".
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page 9. having a problem understanding how you can "draw close" to someone who only comunicates with you though an organisation.
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Uncanny
Sounds like you are having a real hoot with your pre-study.
How about you ask those same questions to your study conductor tonight and then post his/her answers on this forum tomorrow.
I need a good laugh too.
Uncanny
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Help with my study
by Kiwi ini have a study tonight from the "united inworship book".
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page 9. having a problem understanding how you can "draw close" to someone who only comunicates with you though an organisation.
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Uncanny
Kiwi,
Sounds like you have a communication breakdown.
And are you trying to "draw close" to that
someone, or to the Organisation itself?Uncanny
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Angels and the Preaching Work
by Focus inthe following idiocy may be found at http://www.cinternet.net/~rsmith/pages/illlink4.htm.
angels and the preaching work.
angels are busy today as before (acts 8: 26; rev.
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Uncanny
"I'm embarrassed and ashamed that I ever believed something so ridiculous." My sentiments exactly p o' thorns.
My favourite "the angels are with us" quip at meetings for field service always happened when we had an uneven number out and the odd brother/sister left over would self-rightouesly volunteer to work not alone, but "with the angels."
Hey, if I pray real hard before I got to bed tonight, do you think the angels will let me know which horse is going to win the Golden Slipper Stakes in a couple of weeks time?
Uncanny