Ab-so-lute-lee!!!
cha ching, cha ching
time to dance & sing!
i'm so happy to have been able to sleep in yesterday and this morning!
no fs and sunday meeting!
every weekend i feel a huge relief and both hubby and i always look at each other and say "it's great not having to go to meeting huh?".
Ab-so-lute-lee!!!
cha ching, cha ching
time to dance & sing!
recently, we were challenged when we told someone that the wt itself says that it is not inspired, and we then were asked is that something you recently started to believe?.
how many people just forget what the wt has said?
well, read it and weep.. .
cha ching!
recently, we were challenged when we told someone that the wt itself says that it is not inspired, and we then were asked is that something you recently started to believe?.
how many people just forget what the wt has said?
well, read it and weep.. .
Recently, we were challenged when we told someone that the WT itself says that it is not inspired, and we then were asked “is that something you recently started to believe?”
How many people just “forget” what the WT has said?
Well, read it and weep.
Here is what is written inside a February 1972 Watchtower, on the inside cover…
THE PURPOSE OF “THE WATCHTOWER”
Every watchtower has its purpose. It serves as an elevated place for a wide-awake person with sharp vision. It enables him to see far ahead into the distance and tell those below for whom he is a watchman what is drawing near, whether it is a danger against which to prepare or it is something good over which to be glad with strong faith and hope.
Because of having the name “The Watchtower” this magazine justly has to render a similar useful service to the people of all nations. This is an international magazine and makes no racial distinctions, for we are all facing a common world danger, we are all hoping for a common good.
Ever since “The Watchtower” began to be published in July of 1879 it has looked ahead into the future, always striving to aid its readers to advance knowledge and to gain a clearer picture of the glorious new order of things that is in store for righteous mankind. No, “The Watchtower” is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy the predictions in which have proved to be unerring and unfailing till now.
“The Watchtower is therefore under safe guidance. It may be read with confidence, for its statements may be checked against that prophetic book .
Number 1. The Watchtower SAYS it is not inspired
Number 2. What has the WT just instructed us to do? “Check it’s statements” against the Bible.
ive been posting here from more than ten years.
im not a prolific poster, but based on my ongoing participation i thought i knew participation policies, by firsthand experience if nothing else.
recently i had need to consult the forums policy and posting guidelines looking for position statements, definitions and explanations.
Dear Marvin,
Are you an English teacher?
it's clear that virtually everyone on here is infuriated by wt teachings/doctrines/practices, but i would really like to know what is of most concern to people who frequent this forum.. here is my top 5, number 1 being the most significant/infuriating:.
the disfellowshipping practice - expanded to include family members (but not parents) who are old enough to leave home.
wrecks families and creates abject fear once people find out the truth about the organization.the blood issue - another unmerciful teaching, but one that costs lives.unquestioned authority of governing body - a handful of men make life-altering decisions as representatives of a larger group of people who they never see or speak to, and yet they demand unquestioning obedience on pain of being disfellowshipped.failed prophecy - the fulfilment of huge swathes of bible prophecy, including revelation, has been attributed to the events of the early 20th century, and the actions of a small group of men.two-tier christianity - faithful and discreet slave are anointed who go to heaven to whom ransom provisions apply directly, whereas remainder, or "great crowd" stay on earth and form a sub-class, only access benefits of ransom through fds.i realise that many of these issues are inter-related, but that's roughly how i would put them.
1. Lying. Lying about 607, lying about "we hate the UN", lying about "millions now living will never die" (and they did) , lying about 'we said Christ's presence began in 1914 (nope, 1874, then 1914, then... Armageddon is coming in 1914, wait 1925.. etc) lying that "we are not inspired, but led by God's spirit" & lying that they really care about us. Lying that "We are $6,000 short on the assembly this weekend" and they had the money all along.
2. Taking people's money. "We need it for the preaching work" What money have they spent on "preaching?" They spend millions on court cases to pay off poor children who've been abused in the organization by pedophiles. Saying they are a "non-profit" organization & making $$$$$$$. Asking for people to donate their life savings in a will to them, that is soooo sooo sad.
3. Taking fathers away from their children & their wives. Elders spend so much time at the K Hall in JC's, RBC's, meeting parts, etc, etc, that their families do not get to enjoy them.
4. Telling you every little move to make, what clothes to wear when visiting Bethel, wear your lapel cards out to dinner, don't make other arrangements, sex? how about dating "to marry" (you don't get to know people) what kind of dance to dance, music to listen to, how long your skirts s/be, don't go out for food during the convention, bring your lunch. "Don't let your kids draw during the meeting" "Don't get together in your own study groups to read the bible"
5, Evidently, however, in further review, looking back, apparentley, it seems as tho, upon further consideration.... ALL used to show why they are still right, even tho Holy Spirit "led" them to believe something entirely different in the first, second & third place.
over the course of decades as a jw, an elder, a bethelite, then learning ttatt and wanting to leave, i'd collected a lot of insight into the power of "confidentiality.
" although the confidentiality in a judicial hearing is supposedly to protect the sinner, in actuality, i saw that it was about control and was protecting the power of the jc.. i didn't use any of this knowledge until i was called before the boe because the other elders figured they had grounds to remove me as an elder.
it was a work situation that only lasted a matter of hours, but it was enough that they seized the moment.
Billy,
It must have been weird & hard to be at Bethel (and to think, one of my children almost went) but you survived!
Thx for all of your stories, they add insight, and add validity to our experiences also.
I am so glad people take the time to post here, thank you.
we were told today, yes!
our accusers will be there.
is it true?
A judicial committee will allow you nothing.
They have a goal, you will have no rights.
One time, when facing a thief, all three elders lied to my face, then the thief exposed them! (he didn't realize what he was doing)
I told them they lied, showed them WTs, they just stared at me. I showed them WT articles, scriptures, they stared at me. They have power & control.
I have had other experiences that gave me PTS, no sleep, nightmares & more! Men, they are simply men. Nothing special.
After all of this, I urge you never ever ever ever to put yourself in their hands. Why? What great wisdom do they have? What is their goal? Would you put yourself into the hands of "worldly" people with the same intent?
Tell them you are emotionally upset, your health cannot deal with it, and your doctor has instructed you to avoid stress.
My motto? "Hell no, I won't go" .... ever, ever.... again!
i am not sure if anyone cares, but the drama with my mother and me leaving the org continues.. apparently after todays craptower she goes on a spastic rant that because of my decision i am slowly killing her and my father.
the funny thing is i do not feel bad over this... i can't.. i have children and a wife of my own that i need to be happy for.
i love them - but as they get older and closer to death i realize that a new season is coming and imust care for my family the best way i can... the same way they thought they were doing.
As a mom, I know how she feels....
When my son stopped saying "Amen" to prayers, it was all I could do to keep going, but I still loved him. I still talked to him, I cried every day... I cared about him.
What is it that "you have done"? That is the question?
I like to ask, "Did I disfellowship people for taking a liver transplant, then change the policy a month later?"
"Did I write a book that told people the end would come before the end of this century, and it didn't?"
"Did I tell people not to get an education, because so little time was left they would not be able to use it?"
"Did I refuse to change the pedophile policy?"
"Am I the person that had to pay out millions of dollars in court fees because of not caring "enough about the little ones?"
Then remind her that that is exactly what the Society has done, and she is holding you to a higher standard than she holds her trusted leaders.
If she can hang up the phone on YOU for simply 'not going to the meetings,' because you are disturbed by these dilemnas, will she hang up the phone on the men that caused them?
not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but yeah.
they just posted up the new watchtower...with the confusing new information.. time for me to go dive into this "new light" and try to see what sense it makes.
of course cedars already nicely did a run down for us.. .
If I could sing that song at the K Hall, I think I could manage one more visit J
Truthseeker: “considered” “reviewed” examined’…. Exactly!
I thought they are suppose to be led by Holy Spirit?
Pterist: OctoMom! Luv it!
JWGoneBad: Thx for the list, I was going to do that too! Very hard to even look at that
kind of “merry-go-round speech” tho..
not sure if anyone mentioned this yet, but yeah.
they just posted up the new watchtower...with the confusing new information.. time for me to go dive into this "new light" and try to see what sense it makes.
of course cedars already nicely did a run down for us.. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx6aRCa8lrE
Want to know how the WTBS gets away with it?
Enjoy the music!