Posts by Alligator Wisdom

11

When did the Society start making territory cards?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i'm curious to know when the territory card system came out.

any ideas?.

in some congs i have been in, the territory servant is printing out the maps in color for each car group.

Alligator Wisdom

When the C.O. made his next visit, that, was the end of that. We had to go back to the old ones. We all had to be "united in worship" you know.

He said something to the effect of "don't alter what the Society gives you. It's done for a reason.".

I remember that happening as well in my former congregation. Nit-picking while using the "united in worship" line was paramount with those taking the lead. Often times "reasons" can't even be explained logically by such ones. That really made me see that they depended on the need to function outwardly instead of focusing on the love of Christ.

21

Are JW's cold people?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

in all the years i attended meetings, i don't recall seeing anyone kiss anyone there....... all i saw were handshakes.. not even any hugs.. i thought of this a few days ago, when my cousin came over to visit my old parents, and when he left, he gave a warm handshake and slight hug to my dad and hugged and kissed my mom on each cheek.. you don't see this at the kh.

Alligator Wisdom

I know of several sisters who not only hesitated to shake hands with me, but we even did "high-fives". Does that seems odd to anyone? By the way, I have been married for over several years and these sisters were either married or single. Sometimes hugs were given, provided that the circumstances was a solemn one.

13

Need info. on fading

by kls in

i didn't fade from the cult ,i just left so i don't know how fading work's.

do you attend meeting less offten ,do you attend a meeting then not go for a few weeks, then go back then stay away for a month etc.

if you fade to fast do you have to worry about the dredded talk with the elders?

Alligator Wisdom

Several posters advised you to keep quiet about any disagreement with Watchtower teachings if you want to avoid disfellowshipping or disassociation. I agree!!

I know a family who started out doing that, but then spoke to a few close friends about their feelings. Well, the whole thing is all over the circuit now! The elders are asking direct questions trying to get them to say whether or not they support the Org. etc. They are now unofficially shunned by many in the hall.

So until you get your bearings and have thought things through, please do not discuss this with anyone.

Alligator Wisdom (aka "Brother NOT Exerting Vigorously")

8

"Dear God"

by The Grudge in

i was driving in my car this morning, listening to the radio and i heard a song that i remember hearing when i was younger.

this song really bothered me when i heard it back then.

it made me mad that someone would say these things about god.....when i heard it today, although i liked to believe in a god, i actually agreed in many ways with the lyrics describing the biblical god.

Alligator Wisdom

Nilfun asked:

"Alligator Wisdom, are you saying that the lyrics to this song were your suicide note?"

Yes. It basically was. I wrote nothing else but those lyrics of that song and left it on a sheet a paper and stuck it in my "Large Print Reference New World Translation Bible". Even though I haven't heard it for years, those words ironically came to heart just about word for word that morning.

My wife found the Bible lying oddly on the coffee table with a piece of paper sticking out. She then desperately searched for me. She discovered me in the bathroom lying in my vomit. She called for medical assistance. And here I am.......doing the fade.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT Exerting Vigorously")

8

"Dear God"

by The Grudge in

i was driving in my car this morning, listening to the radio and i heard a song that i remember hearing when i was younger.

this song really bothered me when i heard it back then.

it made me mad that someone would say these things about god.....when i heard it today, although i liked to believe in a god, i actually agreed in many ways with the lyrics describing the biblical god.

Alligator Wisdom

Just to let you know that I myself had copied those very same lyrics on a sheet of paper a little over a year ago (December 3,2002 - to be exact) and stuck it in my Bible.

Yes, I remember when I was in junior high school in Los Angeles when that song by XTC came out. It always left an impression in me, but I never let it surfaced....until December 3,2002. That day I attempted suicide. As you can tell, I didn't succeed. I'm kind of glad that I didn't.

Each day I'm being educated. I just need to get in touch with reality. I just wonder if "God" is anything but real. If so, I just wish HE/SHE would do something to relieve all humans of their suffering and turmoil.

John Lennon sung this line in one of his songs; "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

I'm letting myself make my life without the plans of the WT organization.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT Exerting Vigorously")

6

What percentage were born jw's to those who were not?

by micheal in

jw
friends

after taking a count of my last 3 congregation phone lists 85% of those on the lists were born as jw's.

what do you think that says about jw having the true religion?

doesn't that mean that if you were not born into a jw family your as good as dead?

Alligator Wisdom

Currently, by the looks of it here in Japan, it's more like 95% are born into the organization. This is based on the actual ones being baptized at the assemblies and conventions. They are all teens and young adults who were raised as Jehovah's Witnesses from childhood on. I suppose the other 5% are those who eventually had succumbed to the pleads of their JW family members. I found that many JW Japanese households don't have their "fathers" in the organization. Japanese men are "work-a-holics" and are devoted to the companies they work for. These "fathers" of JW Japanese households are embarrassed if they were to reveal to their peers that they are passively associating with Jehovah's Witnesses, let alone to reveal that their own families are JW's (pioneers for that matter). Here in Japan, JW's are viewed as a cult, as like in many other places. And since there are many cult-like factions popping up here in Japan, the JW's are hard pressed for finding "other sheep" who will even listen to their message.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT" Exerting Vigorously")

6

One reason I know it's not the truth.

by BeelzeDub in

jw
friends

i can remember how the wt always claimed that the bible could be trusted as gods word because the bible writers were so honest and candid about their own mistakes and did not try to hide them.

can the same be said of the governing body of jehovah's witneses?

if i were to join the ymca for no other reason to have access to the pool, i would be disfellowshiped.

Alligator Wisdom

Excellent point!

I'll remember that one when the elders make their rounds with the CO on their shepharding calls. (I wrote a letter requesting to step-down as a MS). I can state this as a reason for my spiritual "weakness".

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT" Exerting Vigorously)

8

Slide shows

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

growing up i remember the only excitement for the public talk was if it was a slide show.

once the first one happened, i always looked at the windows of the hall to see if there was aluminum foil on them.

if it was, boy did i get excited.

Alligator Wisdom

Flashback!

I haven't thought about those slide presentations in years. They were good though. Kept me awake, being a kid at the time. It usually was announced earlier during the week, so the congregation always had a BIG turnout. Every seat was taken.

I believe they discontinued those slide presentations. I haven't seen one since the late 80's when I was a teenager. But then again, it wouldn't matter. I'm doing the slow fade and when they look back in line, they'll find my place vacant.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT" Exerting Vigorously)

15

Int'l Convention Qualifications?

by Jourles in

jw
friends

does anyone know who approves candidates to attend the international assemblies and what the qualifications are?

i know of a family that was "approved" to attend one of next summers international conventions.

all but one family member was invited.

Alligator Wisdom

My former (entire) congregation was invited to the International Convention held in San Diego, California, USA in 1998. Actually, most of the congregations in my former circuit were invited. I guess it was because they wanted a "significant" turnout, plus the fact that it was held only two hours away down interstate 5 (my former congregation was in Los Angeles).

I'm assuming that you are referring to International Conventions that are held abroad from the country in which the publisher was living in. Then, in that case, as Little Toe mentioned, the individual publisher would have to turn in an application to the Service Committee in his/her congregation, which would then be accompanied by a letter of approval from the elders and mailed to the International Convention Committee for the final determination.

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT" Exerting Vigorously")

17

Did you want to be a MS?

by JH in

jw
friends

do you think that if a brother didn't become a ministerial servant in a reasonable amount of time, that he was considered weak?

did you want to be a ms or did you prefer not to have any responsibilities in the congregation?

edited by - jh on 2 january 2003 17:33:47.

Alligator Wisdom

No. But that didn't matter!

I one day just before the meeting began, the service committee called me into the "backroom" and told me that I was approved by "Brooklyn" and was now a MS. (I suppose I did everything according to the WT/GB's Talmud of rules). I didn't even have any say in the matter. It was just given to me unexpectedly. Maybe it was because the elders needed help in the congregation and no other brother was "qualified". It was official when the PO made the announcement during the Service Meeting that night.

However, over the past two years I did decline appointment of eldership twice. Boy, were the elder body puzzled! They continued to ~~harass~~ persuade me to accept this "fine" privilege of service. No way! (details within my personal profile).

I am currently a MS, although I turned in my letter requesting to step down on October 30,2002. Still waiting for an official acknowledgment. The elder body, however, did put me on "light duty", which I'm currently in. From what I hear, I'll have to explain my decision to the CO in person (when his next visit is scheduled in April this year).

Now attempting the slow fade ~

Alligator Wisdom (aka Brother "NOT" Exerting Vigorously")