had a visit from the jws this week.
i've lived in this house since 2012 and this is the first time, they have reached me at home - quite the urgent work.. anyway, i was home on saturday morning and around 10am, there was a knock.
i had a feeling it would be them.
'A few minutes' wasted, knowing ahead of time how she would react and answer.
I don't know why ex-JWs bother baiting JWs at the door and at their carts. We know it goes in one ear and out the other. Better to use that time/debate skills for a JW friend or family member who actually expresses a doubt or concern.
But, to each his own. If it trips your trigger, happy shooting...
this really works.
i've already applied the basics of this with one elder who "offered" us a shepherding visit.
we've been totally ignored since!!!
The following is by no means comprehensive, but it is simple, straightforward, and very effective if you are offered a "shepherding call" ...
...simply say "thanks for your offer brothers, but not at the moment. I'll let you know when I feel ready."
I used a similar approach. After a couple of sheparding calls, and their expressing concern, I told one elder, I was just taking a break (similar to how he stepped down for a period, and I pointed that out to him). I needed to recharge batteries. "Don't worry, I'm not leaving the truth" I told him (you know, Theocratic Strategy and whatnot). That backed them down, and eventually they lost interest. Face it, they have families, jobs, KH chores, their own problems. If someone doesn't come around quick enough, they're going to lose interest and move on to something/someone where they're actually somewhat successful.
can a parent slap or use a "rod of discipline" on their kids?
i know it's politically incorrect and perhaps illegal, but is it a personal decision based upon the scriptures or is it taboo these days?.
Shortly before I quit attending meetings, I saw an elder 'disciplining' his granddaughter outside the KH. He was just wailing away on her. She was screaming bloody murder, but he didn't let up. Just kept hitting and hitting. It was basically physical abuse... and not even his kid.
I did nothing... said nothing, did nothing. Which I have regretted ever since. That's why I remember it like it happened yesterday.
If I were to see that man today hit a child the way he hit her, I'd break his face. (and don't give me any lip about 'violence begets violence'. Sometimes a bully needs the shit beat out of him, and people who can't help themselves needs someone to come to their aid and defense)
this statement may seem odd at first.
you may think of jehovah's witnesses as being an american religion in a country where freedoms exist and are prized.
you may think of the organization's legal battles in the supreme court to protect certain rights and freedoms.
You know it's scam religion when the leadership is more concerned with Jimmy Swaggert's tax issues than they are with (true) freedom of (any) religion for it's own members.
last weekend was regional convention and mark sanderson was the bethel speaker for the last talks every day.
his talks were video streamed from zurich to other cities in switzerland, austria and germany.
one interesting point was that he wore an apple watch, stainless steel edition (link).
On one hand, this is a tempest in a teapot. Big deal. Apple Watch. Some wealthy dub probably gave it to him. Not really a scandal or worth worrying about.
On the other hand, as pointed out already, the leadership is constantly harassing the R&F to avoid materialism, and to work menial jobs, and spurn higher education. So it is fairly hypocritical, and a slap in the face to all those that follow their 'advice'...if they were actually paying attention.
I say, let em wear all the bling they want. Wear expensive suits, shoes, accessories, watches, rings. Go ahead and look like the con man TV preacher you really are. Maybe some dubs will start to see there's no real difference from the men they worship and the men that other dupes worship.
judge sanctions jehovah's witnesses.
imposes $4000-a-day penalty for not producing documents in sex-abuse case.
by dorian hargrove, june 24, 2016. a san diego superior court judge has ordered the church of jehovah's witnesses, also known as the watchtower bible and tract society of pennsylvania, to pay $4000 a day for every day that it fails to produce documents requested in a civil lawsuit brought by former parishioner, osbaldo padron, who claims a church elder sexually abused him when he was seven years old.. in a june 23 ruling, expected to be made final today, judge richard strauss admonished the church for willfully ignoring a court order to produce all documents associated with a 1997 body of elders letter that church leaders sent to parishes around the world in a quest to learn about sexual abuse of children by church leaders.. over the course of the past year, the watchtower society and its lawyers have fought hard to keep the letter confidential, claiming that turning over the documents would infringe on the privacy of those mentioned in the letter that were not associated with the case.. in march 2015, the church turned over a heavily redacted version of the letter.
Today's the day that a conference is supposed to be held to see 'whether the monetary sanctions have been effective'.
It's mid morning on the US west coast. If anyone hears the results of any actions today, please post let u know.
hi, i just signed up.
i'm 35, i've been baptized 20 years, married 15 years.
it seems like the wife and i are going in opposite directions spiritually.
still a regular attender and don't plan on leaving, I enjoy the friends I have, and being raised in the truth, it is a matter of being in a comfort zone,
Welcome. You'll find many who have similar background and experiences. I will caution you however - you will not find many here who "enjoy ... being raised in the 'truth' ". Most of us have left the JW faith. Some here have mentally left, but are trapped physically (family etc). Some have 'faded', slowly drifted away to be able to live their life on their terms. And some have taken a stand and disassociated themselves and have become outspoken against the WTS and some of it's practices.
I hope that doesn't scare you away, but that you take the time to explore, read experiences, research the claims and then chime in with your thoughts, and explain how being a JW is a comfort zone.
2016-07-15 to all bodies of elders in russia re: new law on missionary activity.
translation:.
to all bodies of elders in russia new law on missionary activity.
Old Joe Rutherford must be spinning in his grave. What a bunch of pansy-assed wimps. Double speak and underhandedness.
And it's going to backfire. There's way too much documentation to show that the preaching work, and the dissemination of publications is spearheaded, and controlled, by the WTS (an American religion no less), and not a personal evangelizing effort by single individuals. Poor Russian rank & file dubs are going to get locked up, while the GB, and their brown nosers look forward to moving into their shiny, new ivory tower.
the whole congregation was required to sign up for this all day program.what are they going to talk about for the full day.
maybe a one hour talk by an elder about "responsible toilet cleaning in this time of the end" with demos as how it can be accomplished.
only sisters seem to need to listen to that one.. maybe cutting grass to the proper height so we don't bring reproach on jehovah's name.
The memories that sometimes pop up after reading certain posts...
We once had a Ministerial Servants meeting headed up by the lead MS (didn't know there was such a thing did you? Well, he was the PO's son, so when in a monarchy...)Anyway, this meeting was on how to properly roll up the roving microphone cables after each use. Like we were roadies for a traveling band.
Once had a meeting with all the cleaning dept heads at the assembly hall, led by the assembly hall's keeper elder (who lived there. Kinda like the old janitor in Harry Potter actually). We were using too much cleaning fluid and disposables. So to ensure keeping costs down, all liquid cleaning supplies were moved from original containers to new bottles and diluted with water. And 'special' cleaners (read: uncut in original Scrubbing Bubbles cans) were kept under lock and key, accessed only by the AH elder in charge.
i guess you are guaranteed to survive the "great tribulation" if you don't be a "kevin".
my family members are doubling down on their fervor about meeting attendance.
they are having an effect on some of my wishy washy long time inactive family.
I expected some heat, as I had some immediate family (who were basically inactive and out, but had not yet made the final determination that the WTS/JWs were what we all know they are) attend the convention. I previewed a couple of the videos, and was preparing for the guilt trips and even ultimatums... but it never happened. Actually it was like they never attended. Sunday night was back to dinner out with friends (real friends, not phony JW ones), a few drinks, and then Game of Thrones on HBO.
In fact, it may be that the videos had a reverse effect. The videos are so guilt loaded and cultish, that for someone removed from the everyday indoctrination, and who has been living in the 'world' and enjoying it, the videos can be unsettling, and maybe eye opening.
