To have the freedom to talk about the WTBS is part of debriefing and deprogramming. . Once healing occurs other wonderful things in life are open for discussion. Good to support the new ones coming out. I have never forgotten what I went through over 30 years ago (cried for two years) and would have valued a board to discuss hundreds of questions I had. I trusted no one. no religion. Not even an english version of the Bible and only used the Hebrew and Greek Interlinear. I just told God I didn't know who to trust or what to do or where to go but I wanted to follow him and I trusted the original versions of the Bible. It all worked out. Thankfully, I now have a very broad range of wonderful things in life to share. I also realised that some JWs were not as indoctrinated , ie still had reservations about certain things about what the org taught, so it may ?? have been easier if doctrines not an issue.
amos77
JoinedPosts by amos77
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22
I don't know why you all keep yapping about the WTBTS when there is a much more important problem
by Hortensia inmatt smith is quitting dr. who!.
damn.. and among those rumored to replace him is rupert grint.
damn again..
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Is Blind Obedience to group of men supported by Scripture?
by nugget ini have been pondering over the demands made by the governing body for absolute loyalty and unquestioning obedience to their interpretation of scripture.
is this a reasonable request and is it in line with scripture?
alternatively is there in fact a scriptural defence for taking personal responsibility for beliefs and having a questioning attitude when being told what is to be believed.. there are ample scriptural warnings about trusting in men psalm 146 v 3 warns us not to put our trust in nobles or earthly men and galatians 1 v 8 goes even further stating that even if an angel were to preach to us something contrary to the teachings of christ it should be ignored.
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amos77
An example of blind obedience. When we left the org andhad a few hot discussions with my father (had been a JW for over 40 years by then) . Pointing out clear errors in the NWT buy actually using the Greek Interlinear". my poor old dad's reply?. "If the NWT is wrong, then Jehovah is a liar". I was so shocked at this blasphemy, I had nothing to say but made me realise the level of his indoctrination. Sad, Sad, Sad.
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The emphasis is on Jesus, even in the New World Translation
by JimmyPage inthis was a point from "in search of christian freedom" that i really appreciated.
in the new world translation the name "jesus" appears in the christian greek scriptures 912 times.
compare that to "jehovah" which appears (or has been inserted) 237 times.
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amos77
I agree moving quickly from NWT to any other, almost any other. It is just having used the NWT for so long it seems to indoctrinate. I recall reading Byingtons bible put out by the Org. Came across the word GRACE..... I found that reading the NWT when one came across the "selected theological" verses, eg Matt 24:14, because the tape would start in your head, all the comments the WT had made about that etc etc. you woke up at the end of the chapter when the tape had stopped and you had really missed a great deal of the Whole of the Bible. Your experiences are indeed Good News. Best wishes.
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So apparently I'm now a Secular Humanist
by Oubliette ini was doing some research on the subject of beliefs and belief systems when i came across an on-line survey/test that supposedly helps you determine which religion or philosophy is most like your current beliefs.
if you're curious, you can take the quiz here: belief system selector quizafter answering the 20 questions the results were spit out!
tada!!!.
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amos77
Humble apologies to all. What on earth do the Quakers and I have in common? thought I was very liberal on many issues! Must have selected the wrong importance button. At least JW was last. Got that bit right.
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amos77
Don't know about US or other countries. In Ozzie land, I do recall having friends who had a baby that needed blood, and the court order ensured that it did. The mum did tell me that the baby was treated like a leper by the congreation, even though it was not the parents (or, I preume the baby's) fault. Also heard of another JW, who had a BTransfusion, brought before the elders, and was subsequently disfellowshipped, not for actually having had the offedning blood transfusion but when they asked the question, would he "have one again if the same circumstances presented?", he said YES, and was promptly DF. is that like being punished in advance, ie even before the "wrong" is committed. Crazy stuff.
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Being a jw almost killed
by moley inthis is the first time i've commented on this site, but i do enjoy to come here just to help clarify myself in times of need, ie when those wretched teachings resurface.
a bit about myself.. i was born in 1970 into the wonderful happy organisation (lol) and had a unremarkable childhood or so i thought (apart from being abused by an ms), all i can remember is being terrified of dying at armageddon.
attending 5 meetings a week and being used to preach as people wont shout at a child, studying the literature, not being able to watch popular tv shows, no xmas, birthdays the usual shit.. fast forward to age 16 and i fell in love with a worldly girl (the horror) and got her pregnant, my parents were devasted talking all the time how people in the borg would view them, nothing about what i was going thru, 16 and becoming a father, quite a big thing to me.
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amos77
Hi Moley, What a sad story but thank you for sharing. I get so angry with the parents - so brainwashed, but sure I would have been the same if I had not got out. My young children also were terrified about Armageddon for years - had not realised how these fears were so consistently instilled. Now that you are out, working with professionals and finding solid support must be great for you at last. Best wishes. Stay tuned - many loving folk here to help and support.
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2013 MEMORIAL ATTENDANCE & DC BAPTISM NUMBERS SOUGHT
by steve2 inare the numbers available for either the 2013 memorial attendance or baptisms at the current round of district conventions in the usa or any other countries?
thanks.
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amos77
Sorry, Don't know about Australia but certainly intensive marketing with leaflets and even giuving alternative programme times. Hope the Full moon fittd in with the programme.
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Ladies, do you think you have public speaking skills because of Theocratic Ministry School?
by Iamallcool in -
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amos77
Yes, I think it certainly helped me.. Public speaking is evidently one of the most, or the most, feared things to do. Whilst I was always nervous, but having started from an age of 12, doing the fake sermons etc to another person, it did give me a confidence that I developed further in High School. Subsequently when I went to Uni, had no problems with presentations, and then national and international conferences in Health. I was then a Nursing Educator/Adult Educator and enjoyed postive feedback. The only shame was, the MS did not teach me to think, or to reason or to question.. However, that came later...
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JW Intelligence services
by amos77 ina memory came to mind recently of my father (a ministerial servant at the time) and our book study conductor.
a couple in the congregation were going together, and the servants thought they might be getting too close.
so my father and the book study conductor, went in the dark and hung around the lady's house, monitored the time he arrived and left and what time the lights went on/off and location in the house.
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amos77
A memory came to mind recently of my father (a Ministerial Servant at the time) and our book study conductor. A couple in the congregation were going together, and the servants thought they might be getting too close. So my father and the book study conductor, went in the dark and hung around the lady's house, monitored the time he arrived and left and what time the lights went on/off and location in the house. After they were confronted later by the committee, it turned out they were reading the Bible together (in the dark? perhaps by candlelight or a torch) and it became a congregation joke of reading the Bible in the dark! Do other religions do that as well?
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smoking gun??
by Crazyguy indoes anyone have the smoking gun that connects the governing body to hypocrisy with the blood issue??
what i mean is, so far every thing ive found in their writing's they say no blood as far as the major 4 components but then say all other fractions,synthetics are a conscience matter seeming to dismiss themselves from responsibility.. so when you try to explain to a stupid jw the hypocrisy they just say well it up to the conscience of the person taking the blood fractions etc.. need help..
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amos77
Being an oldie, I am puzzled by the changes. From my recall from my parents, don't quote me, but that prior to the 1940s one could take blood. then when vaccines first were developed, the watchtower trashed that idea because they didn't believe in bacteria. but used the fact it was made in horse blood, the issue why vaccines could not be taken and from there, blood transfusions. My goodness, how slack, now people can actually save their lives from bits of blood, in our day - no fractions were allowed at all and certainly not transplants as that was cannibalism! I wonder if people can now commit only 1/4 of adultery or become only a 1/4 apostate and save the DF procedure?. We had JW elders come to our ED Department to "explain" about blood and transplants. when I raised about not having transplants because of cannibalism - they told me that was not true - JW never believed that (or Armageddon coming in 1874 or 1914, or Moses resurrected in 1925, Armageddon in 1954, 1975 etc ad nauseum.