Posts by GrreatTeacher

32

Conventions, Kingdom Halls, Relief Funds, and Other Financial Scams and Schemes of Jehovah’s Witnesses

by Watchtower-Free in

a few seconds ago this hit the net todayhttp://jwvictims.org/conventions-kingdom-halls-relief-funds-and-other-financial-scams-and-schemes-of-jehovahs-witnesses/.

conventions, kingdom halls, relief funds, and other financial scams and schemes of jehovahs witnesses.

jehovahs witnesses often note that at their meetings (like church services), they dont pass a collection plate.

GrreatTeacher

I think these are two separate issues.

The deficit happens because a large "donation" to the Society is included as an expense for the assembly. Thus, though they may have met the actual expenses, a deficit is announced when they haven't also met the amount of this "donation."

Then possibly because they are no longer meeting the budgeted expenses, they now seem to be levying a per publisher fee, pressuring local elders to make a resolution to cover the amount for their congregation. I believe it's about $10 per publisher, give or take.

91

Setback

by EdenOne in

i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.

i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.

then she decided she would attend the memorial.

GrreatTeacher

Spelling correction: hyper-religiosity.

For some reason, I can't edit on my Samsung tablet.

91

Setback

by EdenOne in

i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.

i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.

then she decided she would attend the memorial.

GrreatTeacher

Hyperreligiosiy can be a symptom of bipolar disorder! It can feel like a "high" or it can also feel like self-medication for a depressive phase.

Please research this to see if this sounds like what she's doing and, if so, talk to her doctor!

This is how I grew up, though my mother ultimately got a different diagnosis. She literally used the religion like a drug. And you can't really reason with that.

It sucked, big time. Please look into this possibility for your child's sake.

9

New Avatar

by mrquik in

jw
friends

i can't help but think how many committee meetings this photo would have generated.

this is on the caribbean side of cozumel at a quaint bar called mezcalito's.

this side of the island is virtually deserted.

GrreatTeacher

I really don't think that beach looks very naked, I mean it seems to be covered in dune grass and.......oh my god, you mean that naked man in the middle of the picture!!!

48

How many here gave up having a family for the sake of the "truth"?

by stuckinarut2 in

this is a sensitive topic for many of us i know, but i am wondering how many here actually gave up the idea of having a family "in this system" for the sake of "kingdom activity or service"??.

start the count here with my wife and i.

GrreatTeacher

Maybe someone has a better understanding than me? Finklestein?

What I recall was something about an assembly in the 1940s (maybe) where "John and Eunice" pledged to save their love for the new world.

But, I'm really sketchy on the details. Anybody recall (reading about) this?

48

How many here gave up having a family for the sake of the "truth"?

by stuckinarut2 in

this is a sensitive topic for many of us i know, but i am wondering how many here actually gave up the idea of having a family "in this system" for the sake of "kingdom activity or service"??.

start the count here with my wife and i.

GrreatTeacher

There was a time when they also encouraged people to hold off marriage as well, wasn't there?

I wonder why this never stuck but the encouragement against children did?

36

How do stop myself getting too Bitter?

by stuckinarut2 in

jw
friends

you know, i always maintained that during this fading process, and while learning ttatt, i would not let myself get "bitter twisted and angry".... but, in all honesty, if i examine myself, i have become quite bitter toward the org, toward the false friends and the gb.. i have become angry as i see the extent of damage i feel being raised in "the truth" has done.... i feel hurt towards the lost opportunities in life etc.... how do i not allow myself to get too swallowed up by such bitterness?.

i have always been a very happy, positive, selfless person.

i can put people at ease, i am someone people feel comfortable chatting to.

GrreatTeacher

That is a Big Question and those are difficult to answer.

For myself, I've processed a lot of these emotions and I don't feel them so strongly anymore.

But, they still do wax and wane to a certain extent. So, I just live through the feelings. When I feel good, I enjoy life. When I feel rotten and get stuck on negative feelings, I keep doing Life, knowing that the feelings will wane eventually.

Being an XJW is like living life in the ocean with the tide rising and falling around you. One minute you're stuck in a trough of bad memories and sour feelings. But, the next minute you could be catching that Big Wave and surfing through life feeling excellent!

Just ride the tides, my friend, there's always a new wave coming.

48

How many here gave up having a family for the sake of the "truth"?

by stuckinarut2 in

this is a sensitive topic for many of us i know, but i am wondering how many here actually gave up the idea of having a family "in this system" for the sake of "kingdom activity or service"??.

start the count here with my wife and i.

GrreatTeacher

My two best friends growing up each married young and have never had children.

They are now in their early 40s and it's likely too late to change their minds, even if they wanted to.

5

Unity or Uniformity?

by stuckinarut2 in

the feb 2015 broadcast finishes with a stupid "reminder" to remain united in worship etc.... the real definition of witness life though should be : uniformity!.

there is no room for individuality....there is no room for anything except complete mindless adherence to whatever the 7 in power dictate!.

.

GrreatTeacher

Maybe CONFORMITY is a better word?

Uniformity indicates that we are the same, but CONFORMITY indicates not only do we believe the same, but we have to conform to WTs version of the truth.

They would never conform to any other version of truth but their own.

9

A form of healing?

by New day in

it has been mentioned on here by quite a few posters that when they let go of the pressure of living up to the standards set out in the wt publications, they felt relief from a strangulating set of rules and regulations which do not truly reflect the kindness and love displayed by jesus.. as more than a year has gone by since i first read the ray franz books and started reading posts here, i recently stepped back and thought about how i now feel.

having always been a boy who can't say no (theocratically speaking) i have just now realized that, yes, i can refuse talks in the tms if i either can't do them or (gasp) don't want to do them.

just last week a well-meaning but misguided elder put me down to take a fs arrangement without asking me, despite the fact that i resigned as an elder last year and had asked for the pressure to be taken off.

GrreatTeacher

Good for you, Newday, standing up for yourself. And for your wife, too.