Posts by undercover

6

What is the most arrogant thing you have done while in field ministry

by l3gi0n in

i remember one time i while doing street work, at about 6am.

we were working the store fronts in a large shopping center, which would not open until 10:00am.

i was approached by a homeless person, he asked me for money.

undercover

I actually told people I wasn't trying to convert them.
I just wanted to talk about the bible.

I was guilty of that too. I usually said something about "not forcing people to change religions". It was like I was trying to rationlize(read: lie) to myself if I said outloud that we were trying to help people understand the bible when all along we were trying to win converts. I hated all the service meeting parts on overcoming objections. If somebody told me, "no, I'm not interested" that was good enough for me. I didn't need to "draw them out" and see exactly what they thought the trinity was before I attempted to prove them wrong and us right.

I mean, god, how stupid was I? ministry school/service meetings were sales meetings. Here's our product. Here's how it works. Here's how to convince people they need it. Here's how to overcome their objection at not needing it. All in the name of god.

82

Just received Crisis of Conscience!!

by acsot in

jw
friends

i've already exited the jws in mind and heart, and have read many comments from everyone about the book, so didn't really see the need to buy it for myself.

however, after reading something here on the forum, i decided to order it (and the tao of pooh and siddhartha.

) a super-dub sits two desks away from (she and her husband knew ray and his wife, had tea with them in their room when he was on the gb, etc.

undercover

I have not read CoC as of yet. I've seen enough evidence through the WTs own pages to see the hypocrisy. But, after so many here have recommended it and have given so many glowing reviews, I ordered it yesterday. I'm looking forward to getting it and reading it. Now if I can figure out a way to get the wife to read it.

18

Which is worse: Going in Service or Having a Meeting on a Holiday?

by Room 215 in

.

i used to dread the prospect of having an evening meeting to to go hanging over my head all day long on a major holiday, almost as much as being compelled to ``go out in service.".

how about you?

undercover

Field service on a holiday is the worst. I hated it as a kid. When I was old enough to make my own field service schedule, holidays were out. I got some flack from a couple of the over-zealous elders but I didn't budge on that one.

Meetings on holidays were bad too. All day goofing off or enjoying some activity only to have to plan ahead to get cleaned up and go to the hall. Ugh. The worst was Thanksgiving. Watching the Dallas Cowboys is more of a religious experience to me than going to the KH. Our parents always made us leave for the hall even when there was only a couple of minutes left. Even before I had doubts and started fading, I quit going to meetings on Thanksgiving.

14

4 every WT that a member reads,presumely 4 R read by non-members

by badboy in

jw
friends

i have worked that out b/c they r 6 million members, and they print 24 million wts.

undercover

I can remember being in the ministry and hearing someone's presentation, knowing they had not read the article they were describing.

Blondie, you have a way of bringing back bad memories, LOL. I remember riding in the car/van on the way to the territory frantically trying to come up with a presentation for the mags. I hated using the WT most times because it was, well, too religious. I always tried to find a good article in the Awake that might appeal to average people. Every Saturday morning, dreading the first door without a decent presentation. Over time I got to where I didn't even bother with that. I knew that I wouldn't get past my name and that I'm one of Jeho- before I would be cut off. If someone did show interest, I would read a bible verse and then ~~push~~ offer the mags.

Field service. What a bad memory.

19

How the Society have failed our youth

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

when you think of how much talent and creativity young people have, isn't it a shame that the watchtower bible & tract society has done absolutely nothing for the development of young people?.

they can print a'young people ask' article on the use of cellphones, they can produce a video on how to make friends, and they can release a glossy tract about what will youths do with their life, yet they do nothing to promote 'youth' in the organisation.. generation after generation of young people are subjected to 5 boring meetings a week, an endless supply of doors to knock on and an endless amount of literature to read, study and mediatate on.. i'm not sugessting for one moment that all jw youths/young adults are miserable and bored in the organization.

some seem to have gone through life with ready made friends in their congregation, no bullying at school, steady jobs and some sort of 'career' in the organization, whether it be pioneering or bethel service.. but there is a saying that ignorance is bliss and this is true of the religion a lot of us were raised in.. how may churches do you know have services for young people?

undercover

Some friends of ours in another religion(not quite as cultish but not far from it) have teenaged kids. Their church has all kinds of programs for the young. They have after school programs. They have daycare. They sponser dances for the teen crowd. Plenty of adult supervision. They keep a close eye on the lyrical content of the music and watch for "lewd" dancing. I'm sure some of the older teens probably think that it's over protected but at least their religion cares enough to provide safe, fun activities for their young ones. JWs do nothing other than print a book once in a while.

When I was growing up, congregation picnics were very common. The whole congregation was invited, unbelieving spouses were invited, bible studies were invited. There would be upwards of 200 people at a picnic. Softball, volleyball, horseshoes, kiddie games, even live music sometimes. Then came the counsel about large gatherings. The counsel about social gatherings are never sponsered by the "congregation" and some one individual is to be responsible for all activity at any social event damn near killed all congregation picnics. No one wants to be held accountable for the actions of someone else. It just wasn't worth the trouble. Eventually people started planning smaller home picnics and parties. Even that got counseled on. Actually this anti-large gathering counsel has backfired on them. When you had a large gathering like the picnic, everyone behaved and got along for the most part. The elders were watching, no one's going to get really out of hand. When people started partying on their own and going to worldly functions, they started getting into trouble. The teens and young adults found their own fun since the congregation no longer cared enough to provide social activities for them.

19

A question for dubs - Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter? Which can u watch?

by truthseeker in

the answer?

it depends on the context of the film.. .

a number of witnesses in my cong absolutely refuse to watch harry potter.

undercover

JWs will justify or rationalize watching/reading LOTR or the Hobbit because of its stature in the literaray world. Harry Potter is a fairly new phenomenon, written mostly for kids or young adults. That doesn't change the fact that they both have a lot of similarities as far as the supernatural, and by strict definition neither should be watched by faithful JWs. Once again, though, hypocrisy knows no bounds in the world of Jehovah's Witnesses.

84

The Elders Are Getting Opinions About Minimus

by minimus in

jw
friends

my mother told me that her bookstudy overseer asked his group this question---"why do you think a mature brother in the truth would just suddenly leave and stop coming to meetings?

any ideas?

" the group gave different opinions and finally he gave what he thought could be the reasons.

undercover

Sometimes, the elders don't approach a person who has just stopped coming because they already "know" why they aren't there and just don't want to give voice to it........

.....Though it went unspoken, we both knew he left because he didn't believe it anymore, or just got tired of it. There was nothing more to be said, and nothing to be gained by opening that can of worms ourselves.

Now, if all elders treated everyone that wanted to leave quietly that way, there would be a lot less problems, for them and the one leaving. But since the WTS is intent on punishing "apostates" you can't always simply walk away.

You're elder friend said, "You can't force people to love Jehovah". While that's a simplistic, blind faith statement, it's partially true. You can't force people to adhere to a belief system if they no longer believe it or discover problems with it. Why force the issue? Why be intent on forcing people to choose between an organization or their family? If they no longer believe and wish to withdraw from the activities associated with the religion, why hunt them down and create a situation that no one will win in?

30

Maybe the Beatles were right......

by Sentinel in

i just came upon a very interesting article, appearing in the atlantic monthly, may 2003, titled let it be, by jonathan rauch, correspondent.

the first introductory statement reads: the greatest development in modern religion is not a religion at allits an attitude best described as apatheism.

this immediately caught my attention.

undercover

As for the Lennon bashing, it isn't the first time. I personally don't care if those doing the bashing like
him or the other Beatles etc.or not. I do, and that's all that matters to me. I'm not going to talk about what I think about the Beatles or John Lennon. I had to explain too much of my private life when I was in the Borg.
I'm going to "give peace a chance".
Love, Prudence

Dear Prudence,

Can you come out to play?

84

The Elders Are Getting Opinions About Minimus

by minimus in

jw
friends

my mother told me that her bookstudy overseer asked his group this question---"why do you think a mature brother in the truth would just suddenly leave and stop coming to meetings?

any ideas?

" the group gave different opinions and finally he gave what he thought could be the reasons.

undercover

....within the last month, 2 other elders questioned her about my family and she told them that if they wanted to visit HER and give her a shepherding call to ENCOURAGE her that would be appreciated but if they wanted to quizz her about me, they should stay home.....And you wonder where I get it.

You may yet help your mother escape the WTS. If the elders keep bugging her and harrassing her, she might just open up to listen to why you made your exit. Once the doubts creep in, she'll be more open to accepting information from sources outside her Watchtower magazine.

82

Just received Crisis of Conscience!!

by acsot in

jw
friends

i've already exited the jws in mind and heart, and have read many comments from everyone about the book, so didn't really see the need to buy it for myself.

however, after reading something here on the forum, i decided to order it (and the tao of pooh and siddhartha.

) a super-dub sits two desks away from (she and her husband knew ray and his wife, had tea with them in their room when he was on the gb, etc.

undercover

Does Franz keep the money? $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Like the WTS gives all of theirs away to charity