undercover

Joined

• started 302 topics
• posted 13,482 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by undercover

• 
  60

  Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  (the david bowie song in case you're wondering).

  there seems to be a lot of talk and speculation about the changes that are coming at the next district conventions.

  there have certainly been quite a few articles and talks (esp.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  I just noticed that Simon's post was in 2000. No changes in 00, 01 or 02. Prolly none in 03. They'll just keep dishing out the same ole drivel.
• 
  11

  WT having convention fees paid for them?

  by ignored_one in

  1. social
  2. current

  council rejects proposal for renovation

  06/19/03benjamin niolet .

  news staff writer.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  I wonder if the brother in charge of the convention accounts will announce a deficit Saturday afternoon? Every convention I've been to that's what happened. Then the brother admonishes the friends to help defer the costs and reminds us of the cost of renting the facility. I wouldn't be surprised if they include the cost of the rental in the accounts but fail to tell the friends that it's already paid for.
• 
  60

  Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  (the david bowie song in case you're wondering).

  there seems to be a lot of talk and speculation about the changes that are coming at the next district conventions.

  there have certainly been quite a few articles and talks (esp.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  But haven't the district conventions taken place? Has there been any "new light?"

  There have been a couple of conventions already. I thought a couple of people here had posted reviews or summations of what they heard when they attended. They haven't mentioned any startling news. Maybe they slept through it.
• 
  24

  Explain this to me

  by Ariell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm new here.. i would like to question those who tend to disagree with jw teachings, but still seem to believe in christianity and refer to god as jehovah.

  i always told myself that if i were to ever leave i'd stay out of religion all together, because if this isn't the truth than nothing is.

  christianity in today's society is so warped that it's not even funny.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  Actually, you'll find a wide array of differing beliefs. Those that become "born-again christians", those that search other non-christian religions, those that just become agnostic and those the become convinced that there is no god.

  Some hold to certain beliefs of the JWs like no burning hell, no trinity, etc while others may accept the trinity or go back to celebrating x-mas and easter. Many will share their beliefs with you and friendly debate the issues. Others will be as stubborn or obstinate about their beliefs as any JW, while others may say, whatever you want to believe is fine too. Others will ridicule the idea of believing in religion or god or whatever.

  I personally have become agnostic or maybe I just don't care, I don't know. I do know this, all organized religion and I do mean ALL, is not of God. That was the one thing that kept me a witness for years, thinking that they were the only ones that were not hypocritical. Now that I see they are as bad if not worse than others, I have no use whatsoever for religion.
• 
  7

  I told my JW friend I talk to apostates.

  by sandy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i ran into an old friend who i always liked and hung out with from time to time.

  she is old enough to be my mother.

  i always trusted her and always had this sense that she wasn't exactly a model jw.. i told my jw friend that i talk to a co-worker who is "apostate".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  Even JWs that are not "model witnesses" will toe the company line when it comes to outright mutiny. They may bend the rules and skirt certain issues, but if backed into a corner by a dissenting family member or friend, they are going to proclaim allegiance to the WTS. They have had it too ingrained into their sub-conscience to do otherwise. Until they see for themselves that something is amiss, they will run to "mother" when pressured by dissenters.

  I have a family member who is every bit as inactive as I am, but they know nothing of the problems and scandals surrounding the WTS. When anything comes up regarding religion, they parrot the company line about being in the time of the end and act like they are any other active JW. I realize at these times that it still isn't time to try to convince them of fallacy of being a JW.
• 
  15

  Harry Potter Versus The Watchtower.

  by SpannerintheWorks in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anybody have any wbts literature references that criticize, condemn or warn against harry potter books and films?.

  you see, my wife and family (jw) "love" harry potter, and so it would be great to be able to show them how absurd the watchtower society is for condemning harry potter, if indeed it does.

  i am assuming the wbts would disapprove of such demonic witchcraft and the like that is contained in the harry potter publications!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  The WTS learned their lesson on the ET article. I remember lots of people pish-poshed that article. After all it was just a movie about an ugly little alien that made friends with a little boy. The WTS article read like they were scared of too much attention being pulled away from God(WTS), like this little alien would replace Christ or something. But after so much backlash, I think they learned that is best to not name movies, shows, bands etc. by name, but just condemn them all in a generic way. If anyone trend or movement scares them, they will use the assemblies and CO visits to straighten up the friends. That also keeps them from looking like kooks when non JWs read their literature. The downside to that for XJWs is that you can't point to anyone article or publication to "prove" that any one thing was condemned. All you have is the collective memory of the people who were around then.

  I personally haven't heard Harry Potter mentioned from the stage, but then again I don't go to the meetings much anymore. I can see where the WTS would condemn these books/movies. It's full of wizardry and magic and witches and spells and so on and so forth. It's also fanciful fiction fantasy fun. But since so much attention is made about the popularity of it, you know the WTS is scared that people will get all caught up in it. And they can't have that. They have to have your whole-souled devotion. So naturally, something so full of this "satanism" is easy to condemn and will be, so as to keep control over the people.
• 
  8

  from JW-Zone: Odds for apocalypse put at 50-50!!

  by greven in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  found this in the briefing room, see how close we are to the end:.

  http://www.jwzone.org/forums/showthread.php?s=a5096384b23235980fa8fe2e56fae6b6&threadid=7712.

  lol.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  Yea, the link didn't work, but I popped in over there and saw that I can still navigate the site. They've changed the format a little I noticed. If I remember correctly, I thought that you had to be referred by someone to join or there was a waiting period while the admins verified your congregation. But I started the registration process and it looks like that isn't the case anymore. Maybe I'm confusing it with another site. Could be a hoot if a bunch of XJWs joined up and subtly wreaked havoc.

  While checking out some of the posts, I noticed one guy had a pic of Neo from the Matrix as his sig. pic. with the heading, "The One". Not only is he hero-worshipping a character from an R-rated movie, he apparently has a Messianic complex. Ah, ya gotta luv the hypocrisy there.
• 
  15

  Are JW's prejudice ??? 15 questions (not talking about race)

  by run dont walk in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  , what do you think ............ 1) will a jw parent allow their son/daughter date someone who is not a jw ???.

  2) will a jw parent allow their son/daughter marry someone who is not a jw ???.

  3) will a jw parent allow their kids to socialize with other kids after school or weekends ???.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  My older sister was dating an Elders son. We were invited to Sunday lunch to meet his family. During dinner the Elder made a joke about me being the first black person he's met that doesn’t like bananas. Later on in the evening, he "joked" that if his son married a black person, she'd end up looking like a fat mamma. Coming from a black family and growing up in a predominately white congregation I can't answer the question of "Are JW's Prejudice???", but I can say that at least 50% of my congregation were. Maybe its not the same everywhere else, and maybe things have changed since, but I'll never forget the subtle abuse be encounted on a weekly basis. Espcially from the older members.

  I know that the older ones in the congregations that I attended were somewhat prejudiced(against blacks). They didn't think they were, but it was obvious to the younger crowd. I think the younger generation(yikes, there's that word again) has less prejudice but it still isn't completely erased.

  I remember one older white sister complained about my not being at the book study much. She was acting concerned for my spiritual well-being, but then she leaned in a little closer and commented about being the only white person there and it would be nice for there to be others of her "own kind" there. Other older ones could never bring themselves to use the word "black". They continued to use "negroes"(pronounced neegra) or "colored". I was embarrassed at times because of the WTS proclaiming us prejudice free yet here were ones who obviously were prejudiced.
• 
  34

  Did you get made fun of when you were in school?

  by doodle-v in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did you get made fun of when you were in school?

  i'm curious to know because when i was in junior high i was constantly picked on made fun of and the butt of many jokes.

  even remembering that hurts till this day.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  It got better when i got in high-school but I still had a hard time interacting with "worldy" people because of my underdeveloped social skills.

  I know exactly what you mean. Even after school, dealing with people in the world was intimidating.

  I went from an out-going, boisterous, inquisitive pre-schooler to an introverted, quiet, shy teenager because of the ridicule heaped upon me in school. I learned to hide in the background, not bring attention to myself, fade away from any controversy or confrontation. My parents would not let me dress or groom as the other kids which was almost unbearable at times. Almost everybody had long/longer hair in the 70s cept us JW kids. I walked away from fights(turn the other cheek ya know) as I was being laughed at, while inside I was busting with feelings of rage that would have made me really kick some ass if I had fought. Being different/persecuted did not show me how God favored me over anyone.
• 
  12

  Sheparding calls

  by undercover in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  remember earlier in the year when the elders were supposed to try to contact all inactive ones to try to get them active again?

  what success rate did they have?

  how many were da'd or df'd after these visits?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  undercover

  Remember earlier in the year when the elders were supposed to try to contact all inactive ones to try to get them active again? What success rate did they have? How many were DA'd or DF'd after these visits? How many came clean that they wanted no part of the organization?

  The elders gave it their all to contact me. I avoided them for awhile, but finally got cornered. I met with them and instead of just blasting away with what I learned I played it a little cooler. I admitted that I had doubts. I was concerned about the change in the generation teaching. I brought out how I learned about the 586/7 vs 607 problem. I purposely did not mention the UN or the pedophile issue. I wanted to actually give them a chance to try to explain doctrinal points first. One elder was very understanding and actually agreed to do more research and get back to me. He did ask though, that if he did prove 607 correct, would I accept it. I agreed(knowing that he can't "prove" it). The other elder was a hard case. He asked if I still accepted the GB as the F&DS. I responded, "That's a good question. I just don't know anymore". I wanted them to research, come back, try and fail to convince me. I left it wide open for them to really work with me. I haven't received one call since then. In the few meetings that I have attended since then, I have been greeted and chatted with, but nothing about our discussions or the pending research. I should consider myself lucky that they are not hounding me to decide for or against the organization, but it makes me wonder how much they may realize that they can't win so they are avoiding the situation altogether.

  How about some of you? What happened when they tried contacting you?