Posts by Bonsai

41

Review of Dr. Chryssides' new book on Jehovah's Witnesses

by Old Goat in

http://truthhistory.blogspot.com/2016/04/a-review.html.

the book costs 140.00, but i bought it.

i agree with dr. de vienne's review.

Bonsai

140 dollars? Pounds? No thanks. Maybe 140 pesos and I'll consider it.

36

Faith, where now?

by Theburstbubble in

so for the first time ever i went to a church service at my local church (coe) and i have to say it was awful!

it was just like a ritual.

the vicar would say something and then the congregation would all say a phrase in unison back to him.

There is only one positive role that I can think of that going to church would have, helping you to draw closer to the community and improve one's social life. If I had to go, and if I had to force myself to pretend to believe in a mystical, invisible being, then I would go to a local church where I could build up some friendships locally. Having good friends there might make all the weird rituals and brain numbing sermons bearable.

I just want to say also that I respect your desire to believe in something. That is a wonderful right that we have- to continue to search and strive for truth - whatever it may be. But the truth may not always line up with what we want to believe. I wish you a happy journey in your quest for knowledge and truth!

Hope I wasn't negative. I tried my darndest not to be.

26

A troubling visit with a satisfying end.

by Bonsai in

so, i've been out for 2 years now.

just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt.

i've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why i ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me.

Bonsai

Steve 2 and Smiddy:

It's especially true in Japan. So many housewives trapped in a loveless marriage are sucked into this religion. That initial love bombing works every time! The men work there asses off here and have little time for religion. That is not to say that women aren't hard working here, because they most definitely are, but the housewives are the ones who are exposed to JWism when the door knockers come.

26

A troubling visit with a satisfying end.

by Bonsai in

so, i've been out for 2 years now.

just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt.

i've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why i ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me.

Bonsai

Magnum, I haven't stepped foot into a KH in 2 years, so I don't have any up to date info, but it would appear to me that they are losing a lot of young ones who wish to pursue a career and don't have the time to get baptized or attend meetings. This religion has always had a strong pull on housewives, with children and the husband later joining in. But now it is becoming a religion for housewives here. Children are simply not coming in to replace the original boom of converts from the 60's, 70's and 80's who are starting to die off.

I remember sitting in an assembly one day a few years back (2013?) and the title of the talk was "overcome stumbling blocks' or something like that. A man was giving an experience of how he was disappointed with the new generation teaching so he stopped attending meetings. Later, an elder friend of his patiently explained how there could be an overlapping generation ( if you twist and convolute enough scriptures) and helped him to overcome his stumbling block and he became active again.

It was actually the first time I had heard of the 1914 generation teaching becoming an overlapping generation doctrine and I had a huge WTF moment sitting in the middle of that assembly hall. I was first shocked that the 1914 generation teaching had been done away with and I was equally shocked that someone could be stumbled by the new teaching. Well, the more research I did, the more I could understand why he was stumbled in the first place. Anyway, the experience at that assembly shows that there were those who were not convinced by the new generation teaching and walked away "stumbled".

26

A troubling visit with a satisfying end.

by Bonsai in

so, i've been out for 2 years now.

just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt.

i've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why i ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me.

Bonsai

I'm very curious myself to know why they are selling off a kingdom hall that lies in a very important centralized location. I'll see if I can find out why. I was itching to ask the elder, but I had an even stronger itch to get him off my property as quickly as possible.

26

A troubling visit with a satisfying end.

by Bonsai in

so, i've been out for 2 years now.

just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt.

i've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why i ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me.

Bonsai

Witness My Fury, I can see how my thread title would conjure up that image. Not a problem though! I do my best thinking and get my best ideas while sitting on the throne.

Suffice to say, I live somewhere in Japan or on one of its many numerous islands. Vague I know, but we wouldn't want to leave a trail of bread crumbs for the rats to follow!

35

Japanese sister woke up with this Watchtower article !

by nakanozzi in

a japanese sister who recently woke up revealed me that she became extremely suspicious about the organization after reading watchtower article .oct.15 2015page31.

.

Bonsai

Zeb, "Omedetou gozaimasu" is "congratulations" in Japanese.

Divergent you are right. They embrace the flabby seven as their new, modern emperors and their loyalty has no limits.

26

A troubling visit with a satisfying end.

by Bonsai in

so, i've been out for 2 years now.

just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt.

i've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why i ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me.

Bonsai

So, I've been out for 2 years now. Just picked up and walked away from the wacky religion that tried to control every part of my life through fear and guilt. I've been wondering as the months go by what would happen when an elder finally showed up at my door and pressed the issue as to why I ceased all activity and then tried to reactivate me. Would I fly into a rage and tell him to get the heck off my property? Would I chase him to his car while screaming obscenities at him? Or would I calmly get into a debate with him about TTATT and archeological discoveries? Would I feel compassion for him and view him as a victim of fear and superstition, thus avoiding any controversial topics and part on good terms? Depending on the day and my mood, any of those scenarios are possible.

I have no wish to DA for the sake of my wife's side of the family still in. But if push comes to shove, I'd willingly attend a JC and teach them what real truth is. If I had it my way I'd do whatever it takes to wash my hands of the whole fear mongering bloody lot of them. To hell with their fear, guilt and obsessive worship of a man made organization and its capricious, violent, baby butchering deity.

So, today was the day when that persistent, nosy elder finally caught me home and completely off guard. I was sitting in my garden near the gate of the entrance of my house, watching the butterflies flit about in the butterfly garden. Suddenly the elder comes up and starts speaking to me.

At first I was livid that my peace was ruined by his visit. These people cant take no for an answer. He's been calling on my house once a month now for the last six months and up until now we were lucky in not being home most of the time. The few times we were home, we'd retreat to the interior and avoid what was likely to end up being a confrontation between him and I. It's just bloody bad luck that one of my neighbors is also a return visit of his, giving him the excuse to show up at my door from time to time.

Well, he starts in on the small talk ignoring the look of irritation on my face which any good publisher would know to be a sign for them to make a quick exit. Well, surprisingly, my anxiety and rage quickly dissippated to nothing as I thought, what the hell, it's a beautiful day and what can this harmless old dude do to me?

So we engaged in meaningless banter and he went on his way. But before he left a troubling look came over his face. He said, " I should probably tell you that we can no longer go to the kingdom hall near here anymore. Our congregation and the 2 congregations sharing the hall have to start attending another hall that is 30 minutes from here. Our hall will be sold off."

I was so happy! 7 congregations being squished into a small hall that is way off the beaten path of where I live. Good riddance! Almost every day I had to drive by that hall and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. Now it will be gone! Poof! What a delicious ending to an unsavory visit. I don't know about the rest of the world, but in Japan, the JWs are in decline!

52

Any thought behind your " Avatar"

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i think that's the correct phrase?

anyway when i first came here, that little picture that "the rebel" hides behind, was a self portrait of a very sad man, who simply had too much knowledge.

now i feel after 7 months here, i should repaint that " avetor" give some happiness to the eyes, and a contented smile to the lips.. in short my " avetor" was a self portrait of a man with too much knowledge.

Bonsai

I love bonsai - the horticultural art of training trees to grow in flat containers. My avatar is a picture of Mt. Fuji, which I visit often and in my opinion is the very essence of beauty and power.

Many westerners see "bonsai" and they mistake it for "banzai" which can be a war cry or just mean "Hurray!" or "Long life to you!"

18

A world without religion? Any different?

by punkofnice in

i wonder what it would be like, without any religion in the world?

i don't think it would be like 'imagine' by lennon.. i don't believe it will ever happen.

even if it did, people are the same.

Bonsai

I'd sure like to give it a try. Religions can always be reinvented later on. It'd be nice to have a break from all the superstition and guilt tripping for 300 years or so.