for some background, i am still in.
still an elder.
very much awake.
Pete, "Technically, Russell's statement above was specifically made about the magazine Zion's Watch Tower"
And I'm sure some have lawyered up and answer along those lines.
If anyone tried to tell me some stupid shit like that, I'd just shake my head and roll my eyes in obvious disdain, "Are you serious? 'cause if you are, then you should get out your checkbook."
i just wanted to introduce myself and say a big hello to all of my mentally diseased friends.. i say friends because i have been lurking for some time so it feels like home (us lurkers are a bit scared and cautious so it takes a while).
i won't bore you with too many details, but i am a born in, currently serving as the cobe of a congregation.
my wife and i have pioneered for the last 10 years and were shaken awake by that ridiculous 15th july 2013 wt about the generation and 1914.. my wife who is much smarter than me has questioned for years.
Welcome!
You and your wife have some serious decisions ahead of you and some hard work to do, but you will feel so much better once you're finally able to live an authentic, real life.
IWB: The July WT shook us, and because we have 40 yrs of indoctrination from childhood, it was a long time before we were fully awake.
A rule of thumb is that it takes a month to "deprogram" for every year you were in a cult. By that measure you have roughly 4 years of hard work to get yourselves straight. Obviously your mileage may vary, but most of us have found it to be a process--much like grieving, there are definite stages you both will go through. It sounds like you're well on your way.
Please keep us posted as to your progress and any challenges you face.
Oubliette
have you noticed the article entitled "watch your associations in these last days" in the new august 2015 study watchtower?.
unless i'm reading it wrong, or somehow misinterpreting it, it is saying that we should be kind to intentional breakers of god's laws inside and outside the congregation, including fornicators, but that we must not be close associates with them.. are they already preparing for a shift in their disfellowshipping practices?.
here are the relevant paragraphs:.
They want to be able to rationalize to themselves that they are "kind" (nice/good/likeable) people even though they SHUN those that don't toe the JW line.
oh man, i know i'm gonna catch flack for this.. everyone sees masonic conspiracies everywhere.. i am not a conspiracy theorist.
i don't honestly believe the governing body are freemasons.. yet, probably due to cruising this site and seeing all the masonic conspiracy threads, i saw this when looking for a shot of lett's pinky ring to show how he wore one in october, but then took it off in may to ask for money.. .
original is on the left, and on the right, i played with the brightness/contrast to get it to show up a little better.. what does the pattern on his ring look like to you?.
what changes and new light have you found so far in the new 2015 insight book?.
here's a short list so far of the articles i noticed which have been changed:.
* generation.
FMF: Its funny when it comes to spanking the congregation they are "appointed by god," but when it comes to f%#$ing up, well "they are just imperfect men"
Yeppers!
Let's review: It's a cult!
i was out today at the grocery store, picking up a few things for the weekend, when just beyond the pineapples, i spotted a jw lady i was once friends with.. i wasn't interested in engaging in conversation, so i just continued picking out fruit, when out of the corner of my eye, i see her look at me and recognize me.
she looked like she was panicking, and then darted behind a pillar in the store, trying to hide from me!.
my dd was with me and noticed what happened.
Yeah, they are such cowards. So much for "fearlessness."
But then again, that is one of the things the WTBTS is good at: redefining words.
for some background, i am still in.
still an elder.
very much awake.
“Seats Free. No Collections”
As early as the second issue of the Watch Tower, in August 1879, Brother Russell stated: “‘Zion’s Watch Tower’ has, we believe, JEHOVAH for its backer, and while this is the case it will never beg nor petition men for support. When He who says: ‘All the gold and silver of the mountains are mine,’ fails to provide necessary funds, we will understand it to be time to suspend the publication.” Consistent with that, there is no begging for money in the literature of Jehovah’s Witnesses. - *** jv chap. 21 p. 340 How Is It All Financed? ***
well after a full watchtower study last week about how we should not read to much into bible account as types and antitypes, we had a whole study article on what the 10 wise virgins now means.
interesting though is the fact that only in 2007/8 they taught that the discreet virgins were the annointed ones who waited for christ's return in 1914 and the foolish ones were the ones who fell away in 1914 because the end didn't come.
now though, we have new light!
Sparrowdown: How "wise" are you if can't get laid by that age.
You made me laugh out loud!
nice try brother lett.
you moved the cups around the table and thought we would not see the slight of hand you were handing us.
you begged for money but you have failed to show yourself capable of handling the monies already provided .
Frank, (aka HMTM), excellent summary.
You just need to add the appropriate scriptural references.
For example, "Who starts a building project without first calculating if he can afford it? - Luke 14:28"
Martin Luther would have been proud.
Oubliette
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imagine that the cult decided to stop shunning family members on the proviso that the dfd person was not actively trying to attack the cult.. (please don't debate whether or not this is likely - it's hypothetical).
how would you respond to your family?.
personally i think i would be less than cooperative.
ABS: Besides who want to listen to a JW talk about Watchtower infomercials/doctrines if one is not allowed to express ones own opinion.
This is an important point. As in all codependent, dysfunctional relationships, they insist on controlling the frame. No subjects may be discussed except the ones which they approve.
By definition, this creates a superficial relationship at best, a highly abusive one at worst.
What kind of relationship can you have with someone when you cannot even be yourself.
This is proof that they do not love you, they only love themselves and allow others around them that feed their narcissistic supply.
The sad thing is, they are really the ones missing. They think they have "the real life," but we know better. They don't; we do!
