this is actually a serious question.. when i was a jw, i was taught all kinds of things about how horrible the rcc is.
i believed it.
many years after leaving the wts, i began looking into the rcc for myself and discovered that everything i had been told about the rcc by the wts was a lie.
I don't hate the Catholic Church.
When I was coming into the JW thing, the book used on me was the Truth Book....I don't even have a copy anymore. I think the use of the cross, pagan traditions etc., made the Catholic's look pretty bad from the view of the Watchtower. In my opinion, taking the WT teachings out of the picture, Catholic's are not all that bad. I know many very good people that are Catholic's.
Maybe the folks that "hate" it, are having other issues of "hate" as well.
were you told that you werent "spiritually mature"?
you were "acting worldly"?
you need to "rethink your association"?.
This has nothing to do with religion....at least I don't think so. I was a city council person for a couple of years a while back. We were trying to clean up the old junker cars in town according to the city ordinance. One lady owned a ranch just outside of town about five miles out. She also owned a property, a corner lot on main street in town. She and her dad owned about 10 old cars and trucks that were junk and keeping them on this corner lot. She came to the council meeting to protest having to clean up the mess. The Mayor ask her if she could just have them towed to her ranch....she said: "Why would we do that? we don't want to junk up the ranch!"
i know three women from the local kh (one is a distant relative of mine) who call on my uncle for bible study.
problem is, he has alzheimer's disease--and they were told about this!!!
still, they've been doing studies with him until my aunt (his wife) told them to stop coming by.
My wifes cousin was in this catagory. She was really hard headed too. It was a challege to deal with her. We used to take her to meetings. She would rarely miss a meeting. I think she liked the social aspect of it. I don't think any harm was done however, nothing gained either. It is all a numbers game with the JW's.
i remember this happening to my dad, when i was just a kid.
there was a disfellowshipped brother in the cong, whom my dad had been friends with.
before the meeting, my dad just nodded hello to him, didn't even say the word.
Jehovah's Witnesses have horrible manners. They miss the "forest for the trees". Yet, they think they are God's chosen people. If there is God that cares...one day they will get a shunning, special...just for the cold blooded and ignorant humans they are... " a people for his name".
the truth that leads to eternal life says on page 13:.
we need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with whichwe may be associated.
are its teachings in full harmony with god's word, or are they based on the traditions of men?
A Christian:
Your response is so true and so sad. Yes, what can a child do but accept what its parents program it to be? It is depressing to think of how some born ins are sincerely trapped with no hope of escape no matter what they personally believe. It just sucks. Do you think there will ever be an accountability of the men at the reigns of the WT for the lies, misrepresentation, broken families, and broken promises?
the truth that leads to eternal life says on page 13:.
we need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization with whichwe may be associated.
are its teachings in full harmony with god's word, or are they based on the traditions of men?
a christian:
How in the hell did we swallow all this crap? Was it a mental deficit? Were we inspired? Was it the family in the cult that made us? Were we looking for friends? Were we on drugs? Were there not any other religions or organizations that would fill our spiritual need? Did God want to punish us?
I simply look back and I am amazed that I and so many others swallowed the whole damn deal lock stock and barrell and then defended it to the teeth.
What in the name of God were we doing hauling around all that literture and distributing it, fast, before new stuff came out to do the same with!
We wore out our cars, spent money we did'nt have to attend conventions... in our case at least 400 miles one way!
We sat through hours of canned and boring meetings. Wasted time preparing parts that were to be repeated over and again by different borgs.
We gave our life energy and years of our lives for a friggen lie! We sign off on no blood cards!
We shunned our friend and family!
Appreciated your detail on the 14 points. Made me a little upset though!
share on the first visit?
i am ready to explode!
!.....i am tired of the apostaphone and the double life....i feel like a cheat and haven't even gotten to!
Been there. There might be some surprizes.....It can be a healing thing if all goes well. Hope that you and the wife can establish some common ground and bury the hatchets. Mrs Chickennest and I left the organization at different points. My mental departure was a few years before she decided to join me. It took a lot of time and I respected the time she needed to decide what to do. I was ready for her to pull stakes if that was her decision to choose and stay in with her extended family. We have always been in love, soul mates so to speak, that helped. Our therapist said that our challenges were easier because neither one of us had participated in extra-marrital affairs. We had a small child to raise as well. Having the kid was a bond that held us together and kept us focused on a positive future for the family.....oh ooompa, am I boring you? sorry. I wish you well. You are a good man.
Duane
I just want to vomit. I live less than one hour from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. This is not a correct portrait of native american life around here! I am sure most all of the native americans in this area would be insulted by this tract. Why in the hell did they dream up this god-awful tract? Its the weirdest thing I have ever seen from the WT, it takes the prize!
just wondering if active jw's on this forum or jw's just watching this board still put into practice in one way or another, shunning?.
what is the motivation do so?
is it to save face or relationships?
Just wondering if active JW's on this forum or JW's just watching this board still put into practice in one way or another, shunning?
If so why? What is the motivation do so? Is it to save face or relationships? Is for a protection? Is it done out of fear? Is it heartfelt? Does it feel like the right thing to do? Do you think the WT is wrong in this policy?
Just curious.
back in the old days, i remember when the elders actually cared about the flock.
i was involved with helping older sisters, (octegenarians, widows) to take them to the grocery store and help them each week.. i remember helping when an older one would fall, and helping clean up the blood, and get there home in order from their return from the hospital.
just a lot of good works.. that stuff is out the window now.
My experience as a witness was over years ago however, I will say this-there is a huge difference in Elders and BOE's. This can make a world of difference in a congregation. In twenty five years I attended eight different congregations due to my employment taking my family and I on serveral moves. The first congregation that I was associated with before I was baptised was full of love and help for everyone. The second congregration I went to after being baptized was so caught up in old ideas and internal struggles there was no time to take care of anyone. The third one was even worse...really bad. The forth one was a great congregation where my wife and I helped many older ones with a number of things, it however, was a very large congregation so it was easy to for older ones or ones with personal challenges of one kind or another to just get lost and overlooked. The BOE's really set the example. "The speed of the leader sets the pace of the pack". If the BOE has a tyrent for a PO it's a bumpy ride for those trying to get help as everything goes under the governing bodies microscope and to hell with compassion, manners, or genuine concern for others.
