Posts by Roddy

57

CO begging for more MS's

by life is to short in

the co is at my husbands hall this week so i tied in to the meeting he was going on and on about how there are 140 elders in the circuit and only 80 something ms's.

of the elders 25 are over 75 years old.

of the ms's it was about 20 are over 75 years old.

Roddy

Being an elder is more like being part of a police force. The MSs are more like minions of that police force.

The idea of hauling people you may have known all your life into sudden meetings in the back of the kingdom hall in order to smell their dirty laundry and then disfellowhipping friends you've known for years for some rigid decision that came from Brooklyn anyway is of no appeal to men with higher principals and values.

I've started to see subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) egomaniacs and wolves rise to being MSs and elders -- and now this rush? -- will only spell more doom to the congregations as they will further self-destruct from within.

Here is the real reason brothers are not reaching out: There is no spiritual joy in being an MS or Elder anymore.

The spirituality of such responsible positions in the congregation has dwindled since the 70s. Perhaps even earlier. The only ones that are left are those that old or politically connected. The really good men either don't come to the meetings anymore or don't want to be any closer to the mess than they already see.

Hmmm, with a diminished "police force" with more losses projected and less recruits to take up the slack, what will the WTS do? Lower standards or "simplify".

Won't surprise me if the WTS goes back to the one elder per congregation program of many years ago hidden as another "simplification" to hide the fact that they have decimated both the current and future prospects of good men from ever reaching out. And those good men that happen to reach out are soon corrupted or dismayed by what they instead end up doing for most of their servant-time. And for what?

82

first contradiction in the bible?

by cptkirk in

contradiction without the use of an outside medium (such as archaeology, fossil study).

i just stumbled on this after reading the thread about adam and the sexual subliminal message.

i was thinking about adam and eve and chronology, and a contradiction popped up in my head...so i picked up the bible and there it is.. gen 1:27 - god creates adam and eve, tells them to be fruitful.. gen 2:18 - now adam is alone?

Roddy

@ cptkirk

The early creation account in Genesis was actually two accounts which were put together ... not exactly chronologically well.

So, the whole point of your critique is based upon someone putting point 3 ahead of point 2? ... or something like that? :)

16

An update on my recent developments

by umadevi in

my last visit to kingdom hall was on memorial day.

since then i have decided skip to meetings and preaching.

the co and his wife visited my congo in the last week of april.

Roddy

Well, give "Sister A" the benefit of the doubt. She really thinks the elders feels she can be helpful to help you. So that gives her a boost to try to reach out to you. But if you are truly busy, then you can honestly say that you really have a lot on your plate right now. But do thank her for her reaching out to you. Then maybe she'll report back that you do have a lot to sort out right now but you got a lot of encouragement. So maybe they'll give you time now.

7

I Feel Really Sad About This

by Ilovebirthdays in

my grandma (jw) has been wanting to see one of my first grade son's games for a long time.

she always asks my grandpa to take her, but he hasn't up until this point.

she's called several times to say they were coming, only to have my grandpa back out of taking her as she's unwell, and can't drive anymore.

Roddy

How about you taking your boy to see grandma? It is apparent she is finding difficulty doing this on her own due to circumstances. Just do it. It will bring the both of you joy. Just do it while you can before it is too late and you wished you did. My two cents.

30

What is better? Disassociation or Disfellowshipping?

by Quarterback in

Roddy

I thought of something. Sorry to change the subject. Maybe this could be its own subject thread? I sometimes keep my ear to the ground hearing some of the local grapevine of my congregation and other congregations in my circuit. Some elders have quit returning to the rank of publisher. I know of two who simply quit the religion. I have to think that all the Judicial Meetings on apostacy is having an effect. I think I see why someone mentioned why elders simply accept disassociation rather than try to meet with you to "discuss" your problem with your faith and try to change your thinking. I think this is quite an about-face from the past when elders were encouraged to help those who are "weak in their faith". Well, I thought it was interesting.

30

What is better? Disassociation or Disfellowshipping?

by Quarterback in

Roddy

Depends on your pride level.

Disassociation means you left them. Disfellowshipping means they kicked you out. Both means they announce you out at the next Service Meeting.

I've known those that during their Judicial Meeting they went out in a Blaze Of Glory giving those elders a earfull after earfull of their sins and being proud of that or giving them a well researched talk of WTS errors which they cannot disprove making those elders speechless.

Others simply left and never looked back.

I took the third alternative - I dropped out. And it's been so long they haven't given me a Shepherding Call for years.

30

Why do JW's downplay older WT articles?

by mamalove in

i was looking at brotherdan's thread about the two articles that really point out in the wtbs's own words that we must follow this organization, blah blah, and they are indeed a cult from reading those articles.

it made me think that i would love to show my mom and sister that, but i know the response would be "so what, that is a 40 year old magazine," it was dated 1969, and 1983 was the other article i believe.. are the jw's i know the only ones who poo poo older articles and say that thinking isn't up to date anymore, that new thinking has superceded those new articles?

even though we know that the overall thinking is the same.

Roddy

1. The light gets brighter and brighter.

2. If an older Watchtower contradicts a newer Watchtower, the newer Watchtower is brighter.

28

Loaded language for december tower

by booby in

reap blessings through god's spirit-guided king!.

19 among those "gifts in men" are the members.

of the governing body, who act in a representative.

Roddy

Are they still with the elders being the princes of the congregation and of the New Order? I thought they grew up from that self appointed royalty phase after the passing of Franz.

Sigh! Old teachings never die. They either are not mentioned or get recycled.

I guess there is going to be new discipline, rules, and regulations that's going to be delivered by the elders and traveling overseers soon. They are getting the rank and file ready now with obedience training.

65

BOE LTR (PDF) Brazen Conduct !!!

by yknot in

i apologize to those in the vincinity of my spad's ladies bathroom....... yes!

oh my gaud!

give it to me baby!

Roddy

You guys are too much with the pictures! LOL

I hope there is an elder out there that will provide us all with the service of scanning the book and publishing it for the world to see.

33

I finally did it

by doublelife in

jw
friends

i told my mom that i'm not going back to the meetings.

i wasn't planning on telling her that but i've been going through some hard times with my husband and just got fed up with her hounding me.

so she asked if i'll still consider going back to the meetings and i just flat out told her no and that it wasn't up for discussion.

Roddy

Expect a shepherding call just before the time the circuit overseer is scheduled to visit your congregation. One of the things the CO does is goes over every publisher's report card at the elder's meeting. When he gets to yours he is going to ask, "Did anyone visit this person?" A "no" answer always gets the PO and the elders into a lecture that after getting it once they don't want to hear it again.