Posts by Alligator Wisdom

24

Did being a witness bring out the best or worst?

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

a person years ago made a comment to me, about witnesses.

they said that in their opinion, being a witness brought out the extreme in a person.. for example, if they were untrusting, they would trust less.. if they were vindictive by nature, they would become more hateful and vindictive.. if they were kind and loving, they would even be more so.. basically, whatever type of person they were, being a witness would intensify that persona.. have you found that to be true?

maybe you knew someone before they came a witness.

Alligator Wisdom

I guess it depends!

Worst case : I am, by nature, very organized and orderly. So, within the Organizational Functions of the WT Society, I was extreme. Everything I did was to the tee (ahead of time, and in human standards, "perfect"). This included everything that I was assigned to do. Accounts, Territory, Sound/Stage, Magazines...etc. The friends in the Hall started to call me "Brother Exerting Vigorously". [However, that label has now changed]. I even got to the point of straightening up the chairs at the Kingdom Hall before the meeting started so that they were perfectly lined up. [Sick, huh! ]

Best case : I always felt that others deserved more than I did. So, I was always there to lend a helping hand to the "brotherhood" both in and out of the congregation meetings. Helping elderly ones with their yards, coordinating activites for the "youths", donating my material resources to those in need....ya' know. Believe me, this was done out of all sincerity for their well-being. I wasn't not "selling" myself.

Then came the time when I realized that I was starting to become a "warped" person. Burned Out and Disillusioned! Now doing the "submerge"!

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT Exerting Vigorously")

2

Unified Thinking

by link in

despite the fact that there has to be unified thinking in the kh, i have sometimes heard brothers arguing amongst themselves over the interpretation of scripture.. one such discussion concerned "the days of noah".. this elder was adamant that noah never did any preaching work after jehovah gave him the plans for building the ark.

his reasoning was that since jehovah already knew at that point exactly what size the ark must be, he must also know how many persons would be occupying it.

his point being that jehovah would not expect noah to continue preaching to people that he was aware would never listen.. this obviously has some connotations frrom a prophetic point of view and most of his listeners said he was talking rubbish.. what do you think?

Alligator Wisdom

Interesting point "Link"!

I myself have never considered it nor have I heard anyone touch upon the thought of Noah not preaching after the fact since Jehovah had already determined the logistics of the ark.

What I'll do is bring it up among the "brotherhood" . This may be an opportunity to see a "divided" stand on this issue.

Thanks for mentioning it!

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

18

Governing Body! Worshiped like Kings!

by Alligator Wisdom in

i can't get over the fact the the gb of the wt society are treated like kings.

aren't they supposed to be "one of the brethren"?

the wt always accuses others of being guilty of "idol" worship when it comes to people of fame (i.e.

Alligator Wisdom

I can't get over the fact the the GB of the WT Society are treated like kings. Aren't they supposed to be "one of the brethren"? The WT always accuses others of being guilty of "idol" worship when it comes to people of fame (i.e. movies stars, musicians, sports figures...etc.) However, nothing is being done regarding the fact that the R&F JW's practically are worshiping those fellows who are called the "Governing Body". Myself, being raised in the ORG and having many connections in it while also visiting the headquarters has proved that these GB members are willing to accept their "followers" admiration .

One ex-bethelite told me that he used to sit next to Ray Franz at his table. Boy, that's all I ever heard, day in and day out! He even told me his favorite scripture is Psalms 113:8 (NWT = "To make him sit with nobles, With the nobles of his people"). He said he felt this applied to him because these men are the ones presiding over the Kingdom work on earth and are future kings and (again!!) he used to sit next to Ray Franz. Obviously he and other are captivated by the hierarchy of the WT Society. My goodness!! How hypocritical! Doesn't Psalms 146:3 say (NWT = "Don't put your trust in nobles, Nor in the son of earthling man, to whom no salvation belongs").

And if that isn't enough. Boy, you should see the Japanese witnesses here in Japan. Whenever any GB memeber is making a visit to Japan for whatever reason (Bethel Branch Office visit, District Assembly Program, Dedication of an Assembly Hall...etc.), these Japanese witnesses practically hound them for photographs and to "touch" them by shaking their hands. I even had some brag to me that they even had a meal with some of GB members. Maybe one day I'll hear of some JW's asking a GB member to sign their Bibles for them.

I've seen this type of "veneration" all my life within the ORG. (Albeit an "anoited one", "Branch Overseer" and the like. But nothing compares with the Governing Body!) Didn't Jesus give us principles regarding fellow humans and how they are to be viewed, no matter what their position are in life? This also has contributed to my "spiritual weakness" in the eyes of the WT Society.

Question: Have any of you personally seen or heard of such a display of adoration and glorification toward the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses?

Your thoughts, please!

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

30

"Are you ready to Die?"

by breeze in

jw
friends

.

i don't know about the rest of you but i spent the better part of my life believing that i would never die!

i think i have dealt with it....but it still almost seems unnatural.... we are all going to die???

Alligator Wisdom

No! At least not today.

However, if it were to happen to me at any other given moment, I can say that I'm "not afraid". But I must say that it will be a tragedy for my wife. It will devastate her! Then any thoughts of myself dying will make me feel reluctant about it. I love her too much to know of the pain she will have. [Can you make any sense of what I'm trying to relate?]

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

18

Did you know??

by fulano in

jw
friends

the gb-laundry has to be washed seperately?

missionaries get a annual total-control visit (what do you do with the $$$) from the branch?

a yearly keep-up-the-good-work speach from the gb?

Alligator Wisdom

I didn't know about the missionaries in Africa. What happened? I'm interested in the details on that one.

Clothes washed seperately? I suppose because they are of the "discreet" class! Can't have any rumors starting about the kind of "undergarments" that they are wearing.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

25

What do you live for?

by YoursChelbie in

jw
friends

i have been wondering, .

before, while in the borg, many of us were under intense indoctrination of ideas like; "live for god", "look to the new system were everything will be perfect.." .

--not in those very words but you know what i mean... .

Alligator Wisdom

I'm going back to the basics.

While in the WT Society, I never learned how to "LOVE" God. Always had a morbid fear of Him. (You know, I was always taught by the JW's that Jehovah is a God of apprehension, punishment, execution, judgment and death). Now I'm getting out of the ORG and making my quest in life to learn how to "LOVE" God entirely (Mark 12:30) . This time with the right motives!

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

9

Go Theocratic War.... fair???

by kelpie in

jw
friends

go theocratic warfare!!

i thought i would update you all... .

i have officially "moved" out from my flat that "shared" with a male... .

Alligator Wisdom

Kelpie,

Feel free to always keep us posted on the decisions that you make in your life! Don't feel that it may bore us. It doesn't. It's always good to hear of individuals that are happy with their decisions.

Certainly we all hope for the best in all of your endeavors in life!

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

27

Brain Freeze Fluff

by RubyTuesday in

jw
friends

whats your favorite flavor and brand?

mine is chocolate haagan daz.

edited by - rubytuesday on 21 november 2002 22:17:44.

Alligator Wisdom

Yes! Haagen Daaz!

(Butter Pecan, however)

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

35

What do you fear the most about the WT cult?

by Claudia Kittel in

when i was a jw, i think what i was most afraid of was being hurt.

i did everything to keep myself from getting hurt.

i banged on doors with the best of the pioneers.

Alligator Wisdom

Robbing the "Spiritual Freedom" from humans.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")

17

Internet Influence

by JH in

jw
friends

.

if it wasn't for the internet, and sites like these, would you still be an active witness?

Alligator Wisdom

Maybe??!! Not quite sure??!!

The internet helped confirmed what my torture was all these years. If I never found out the real "revelations" of the WT Society through the internet, I may have tried to continue with the teaching of the WT. But I know that wouldn't even have lasted too long. Maybe I would have eventually left by means of suicide. Gratefully though, it didn't come down to that. Now trying to do the "submerge" out of the emotional and mental mind-control. [Yes, the internet was and is a MAJOR factor for my direction.]

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "Not Exerting Vigorously")