the february 8, 2003 awake has an article entitled:"is there an unforgivable sin".notice the good news for apostates or those who once associated.
"some people who were once faithful christians have purposely drawn away from god, perhaps because of bitterness, pride, or greed, and are now apostate fighters against god's spirit.
they willfully oppose what the spirit is clearly accomplishing.
The public talk last Sunday in my cong was along the lines of "Where will we go to" - in other words - if you leave, where will you go? Who else has the 'truth'? Who else has Jehovah's approval? They are implying that if you leave, you are doomed. Scare tactics!
I didn't go, but I have my spies!
They must be getting pretty scared at the amount leaving the org. In my congregation, in the last year, I know of 8 baptized publishers who have become inactive - me included.
xxR
i have been research the topic of how christ died and have read many articles (most interesting of them was at the url http://www.freeminds.org/doctrine/cross.htm) which indicate that he died on a cross, so i contacted the wt and they told me to look at vine's expository dictionary of new testament words, and this is what i found.
topic: cross, crucify
<a-1,noun,4716,stauros> .
Hi Tommy Boy and welcome.
I often wondered about this cross/stake thing. But, when you really think about it, what does it really matter? If you believe the Bible, and believe that Jesus was God's Son and he was sent to give his life as a sacrifice, does it make one ounce of difference whether he died on a cross or a stake? What does it matter whether he was crucified, drowned, beheaded, strangled, stoned etc etc? The fact is, he died and was resurrected - that's if you believe the Bible account. I think the JWs make too big an issue out of this stake business. Personally, I couldn't care less how he died.
There are many on this board that don't believe the Bible at all. I am not too sure and am doing a lot of research myself. I am open to debate and love to hear other people's views, but I don't really think the manner of Christ's death is that important. I know there is a scripture in the OT somewhere that says he will be hung up and pierced (I think - could be wrong - my knowledge of scriptures is appalling!)
Just my thoughts.
xxR
10 min: talk by elder.
"help at the right time" highlight that the special effort being made to assist those who are inactivate reflects jehovahs loving concern for his people.. .
help at the right time.
I was talking to a friend last week (she is also inactive) and we both agreed that it is funny how the ones that have stopped coming to the meetings are the ones we really liked. It seems as if all the truly genuine ones are leaving slowly but surely, leaving behind the real hard-nuts or those who don't have the courage to leave. My congregation has got to be one of the most unloving in the UK - full of spiteful hypocrites and gossips. There are a few genuine ones, but they are far and few between. Why on earth do the elders suppose I want to go back to that cesspit? Once my hubby (a hard one to crack) and children (almost there) are completely out, I will throw a party to celebrate.
xxR
i was reading something bout bashing the org unfairly...i disagree with doing it to a degree but did you get an unfair bashing by jws after you left?
i was accused of marrying a sister (who i helped to leave at the same time as me), she was twice my senoir and had sons the same age as me...pure lies and gossip.
and i was accused of smoking some drug, and thats why i disassed.
I have heard many funny stories because I have not been regular at meetings for months and haven't been to any meetings for weeks. Apparently, I have left my husband, started my own sect, slandered one of the elders, had a nervous breakdown, lost my job, and moved away. All these things are lies - my husband and I are very much together, I wouldn't start a sect if my life depended on it, I have ALWAYS slandered the elders (ha ha!), I am mentally sound (at least for the moment), I am still working and I am STILL HERE! I haven't moved anywhere. It is amazing how the gossips have a field day about such things.
xxR
PS - They can say what they like, when they like. My true friends will stick with me. Those that don't were never friends to begin with.
another anti-apostacy article.
speaks for itself.
(updated with better scanned images) .
Gopher said "What about people who were kicked out because of human weakness, or those whose judicial cases were perverted by bias?"
I am only just starting to realise what a problem this really is. For yeras, I stupidly thought that there were strict, scriptural rules regarding disfellowshipping. It is such a cruel and harsh punishment for someone to be cut off from family and friends. However, I have now found out that it is usually done according to the pet hates of a particualar elder or set of elders. What is classed as a disfellowshipping offence in one congregation goes unchecked in another. The hypocrisy makes me sick to the stomach. These presumptuous men are playing about with people's lives and emotions, and they have the brass neck to say they are doing God's will and it is for our own good - how depressing!
xxR
it seems that it would be very useful to know the tricks jws use, most of us are no doubt aware of this on some level but i thought it would be nice to really get into them, maybe even look at some actual incidents that have happend to see what was going on.
what comes to mind for me is that some of the emotions involved are guilt, shame and fear, but not only that there is the whole "love bombing" thing on the other side.
i think it's worth pointing out that the bombing is basically to stroke your ego, i mean they are being nice to you because they want a new person.
I've had the elders tell me what a wonderful person I am and it is such a pity that I am letting a few 'trivial' things come between me and Jehovah. The 'trivial' things were not trivial by any means. They also keep saying that so-and-so (and then they mention different ones in the congregation) really misses you and it would be such a pity to let them down by not coming when they are relying on you so much. It's funny, but when I was a regular attendee, the elders never had anything nice to say to me. They are really trying to make me feel as guilty as hell, but I'm not buying it anymore.
xxR
if a person is disfellowshipped, can they talk to anyone in the congregation?
and if not, what scripture says they (the disfellowshipped person) can not.
and, has anyone ever heard that an elder or someone else suggest a disfellowshipped person wear a letter "d" (the scarlett letter) when they go to public functions like an assembly?
In my congregation, the elders wives talk to disfellowshipped ones!
Where does it say that in the scriptures - that the wives of elders can talk to ones that the rest of us are prohibited from talking to???
What a load of tosh!
xxR
this has probably been discussed on this forum hundreds of times - my excuse is that i am fairly new.. i have a friend who has decided to listen to me as regards why i do not go to many meetings any more.
i mentioned the 607 bce for babylon's destruction but could not remember where the 'society' get the date from.
i know some of you will say they just counted back from 1914 etc, but i have read that they get the date from jeremiah, isaiah or daniel or something.
Gizmo,
You're a star!
xxR
this has probably been discussed on this forum hundreds of times - my excuse is that i am fairly new.. i have a friend who has decided to listen to me as regards why i do not go to many meetings any more.
i mentioned the 607 bce for babylon's destruction but could not remember where the 'society' get the date from.
i know some of you will say they just counted back from 1914 etc, but i have read that they get the date from jeremiah, isaiah or daniel or something.
Thanks Ozzie,
I checked with the British Museum and got the 586/587/588 BCE date. They were not as dogmatic as the WT are - quite flexible and open to discuss it.
I will check out past threads.
Many thanks
xxR
lately, i've been really depressed at missing out on my life.
from being pulled out of school in the 3rd grade to keep me away from the "worldly" kids.
i was basically isolated.
Mouthy,
My heart goes out to you to have lost 2 children.
I lost my daughter when she was 5. There is not a day goes by when I don't cry bitterly for her and long to hold her.
My thoughts are with you - you are obviously a fine, strong woman. I wish I was as strong.
xxR
