Posts by rebel

6

recent statistics

by Azalo in

does anyone have any recent statistics for how many jw's there are today and their rate of growth?

i thought i heard recnetly that they actually lost people on year recently?

can anyone verify?.

I think it is obvious to many JWs in the west that all is not well with the organisation. In my congregation, as fast as they come in, they go out. For every convert, there seems to be 2 or 3 that are either DF'd, DA'd or they just stop coming. The growth only seems to be in poor countries with limited access to information - as in the quote posted by Qwerty.

Well done for having the intelligence to leave despite the fact that all your family are in. That must have taken a lot of guts, especially at such a young age. Some of my family are still JWs and I hope and pray that I can make them see sense one day. I had doubts for years and years but didn't have the bottle to leave until now

Stick around - I have gained so much from this board and you can too.

xxR

64

Let's Say Some POSITIVE Things About The Organization Or Being a JW

by minimus in

jw
friends

since we're accused by some of being so negative about jehovah's witnesses, let's start a thread regarding some positive things about being a witness or believing in the organization.

rebel

I agree with onacruse, there is good and bad in lots of religions. I feel I have the right to talk about being RC and JW because I experienced both. I know how destructive both religions can be. Had I been involved with the mormons or any other religions, I suppose I would have plenty to say about them too. I can only give my opinion due to my own experience.

I know as RC I never picked up a Bible, but once I studied with JWs, I actually bothered to look at it for the first time. No doubt many will say their translation is pretty flawed - I'm not sure, I've never studied it or compared it with other translations, but I will.

The thing about JWs is the tremendous authority the elders have. They are a pretty warped bunch, in my opinion, and they have the power to ruin lives. If they have a personal dislike of something or someone, they can make a big issue of it until that person is booted out and shunned by their family and friends - all on a mere whim. That's got to be very dangerous. I know it happens because I have seen it. The elders also repeatedly turn a blind eye to what their cronies are doing. Any religion that allows this is not loving and has no right to run down other religions. They should put their own house in order first.

xxR

21

Cult alley

by starScream in

i have lived in the san diego area all my life and i have to say i can't imagine a place that has more cults.. this one street, melrose, which runs through a northern san diego city where i lived for years had virtually every cult you could think of in a one mile stretch including mormo and jw.. we also have a proliferation of ufo and cosmic cults.

we have this one whore of babylon, ruth norman, who is always on public access and operates out of east san diego.

just looking at her makes me want to puke.

rebel

Molhie,

On the contrary. The RC religion is growing, as is Islam and many other religions. Yet you still insist you are the only 'true' religion that is growing, at least according to the last talk I heard (only this morning). Yet, in my almost-ex congregation, they can't plug the hole quick enough - for every new convert, roughly 2 leave by the back door.

I have no desire to return to the RC religion any more than I intend to remain a JW. It is a case of the pot calling the kettle black - JWs (mis)interpret the Bible one way, other religions do it their way.

xxR

21

Cult alley

by starScream in

i have lived in the san diego area all my life and i have to say i can't imagine a place that has more cults.. this one street, melrose, which runs through a northern san diego city where i lived for years had virtually every cult you could think of in a one mile stretch including mormo and jw.. we also have a proliferation of ufo and cosmic cults.

we have this one whore of babylon, ruth norman, who is always on public access and operates out of east san diego.

just looking at her makes me want to puke.

rebel

I was a Catholic before I became a JW. When I became a JW, all my RC friends, including my old parish priest, still talked to me and treated me like a human being.

If I went back to the RC church, NOBODY, and I mean NOBODY from my old JW congregation would look at me, let alone speak to me. This is not Christian behaviour - they could learn a few things about Christian love from the RCs.

And to answer MOLHIE NIGG from another thread, ex-JWs don't think JWs are evil, you silly person. Many of my family and friends are JWs and they are not evil. The organisation is responsible for all these bad practices and JWs are too scared not to go along with them, even though many JWs I know hate what they are being taught and wish they could get out! What keeps the majority in is the fear of being shunned by their own flesh and blood - how sick is that?

Stick around - you might learn something.

xxR

27

Jehovah's Witnesses can now VOTE!

by UnDisfellowshipped in

jw
friends

jehovah's witnesses were raped and tortured by the thousands in malawi because they obeyed the watchtower society's rules, and they broke caesar's law and refused to purchase a political card in a country that only had one polictical party.

now (since 1999), jehovah's witnesses are allowed to vote in political elections!

i would love to hear everyone's comments.

rebel

When I think of the anguish I and many others suffered over whether is was ok to do this or that, it really makes me mad. I have felt so guilty for so long and all the society does is change it's rules on a mere whim. God is supposed to be unchangeable, so how can he say something is right one minute, but wrong the next? It makes me so angry I am more angry at myself for going along with this hogwash. I must have been brain-dead at the time.

xxR

18

Theocratically Appointed "servants"

by zev in

jw
friends

well i got me a copy of the new wt 2001 cd rom, and started looking at it and learning how to use it.. this was the very first thing i stumbled across, which was a thing that always bothered me.

those of you who saw me and watched my phases as i left will remember that this topic was a major issue for me.. .

here is the article, in part:.

rebel

This has always bugged me.

It is obvious to those in the congregation (at least, those with any brains) that those who are appointed to the position of MS or elder are ALWAYS best buddies with the current body of elders. They appoint their mates - those who grovel to them the most - basically yes-men. They never choose the kind, caring genuine ones. The elders in my congregation are a bunch of extremely wealthy, out-of-touch-with-reality, sad, demented old morons. They wouldn't know a christian quality if it bit them on the nose. And they have the cheek to dictate to me and tell me how I should behave. It makes me want to puke.

Sorry - had to get that off my chest.

xxR

13

Do all witnesses pay income tax?

by JH in

jw
friends

jesus said that honest christians pay their taxes to the government.

so, do all jw's pay income tax like they should?.

as you all know, the more you earn, the more you pay income tax.

rebel

I am npt a JW supporter, they have caused me so much grief, but.......

What has this to do with JWs. Everyone takes advantage of tax laws etc

Why shouldn't they?????

Just a thought

xxR

33

Panic Attacks

by rebel in

jw
friends

i don't know if this subject has been touched on before - i didn't know what section to put it under.. i have to go to the meeting this sunday - basically emotional blackmail by my husband (long story).

i have suffered from panic attacks in the past.

when i don't go to the meetings, and my family do, i get very panicky and breathless.

rebel

LyinEyes - Thanks for your advice. I will keep my mind occupied so that I don't listen. I am good at letting my mind wander - I do it all the time. I think my husband does worry about me, but only the spiritual side and what will happen to me because I hardly attend any more. He knows how I feel about the whole thing. I have shown him so many things, including the news report from The Guardian on the UN scandal, but he still won't accept that they aren't the true religion.

CC - You are right. I have often wondered how many people suffer from mental illnesses in the JW organisation. I think there was a thread on it before. They put you under so much pressure to do more, conform more and think less. I feel as if I have been suffocated all these years.

I am amazed by the number of people on this board who have suffered with panic attacks. Is it a JW thing, or what?

xxR

33

Panic Attacks

by rebel in

jw
friends

i don't know if this subject has been touched on before - i didn't know what section to put it under.. i have to go to the meeting this sunday - basically emotional blackmail by my husband (long story).

i have suffered from panic attacks in the past.

when i don't go to the meetings, and my family do, i get very panicky and breathless.

rebel

Thanks for all your suggetions, everyone. I shall certainly look into them all.

I know I have to beat this thing because it ruins my life. Ultimately, I know I need to be free of this organisation because it doesn't help me - it never did. It's like some big monster, lurking in the background - It's always there. I am always being asked - "Are you coming to the meeting", even though I have said I don't want to go. I know once I am truly free of all this I will control the attacks much better.

Thank you all for your kindness.

xxR

33

Panic Attacks

by rebel in

jw
friends

i don't know if this subject has been touched on before - i didn't know what section to put it under.. i have to go to the meeting this sunday - basically emotional blackmail by my husband (long story).

i have suffered from panic attacks in the past.

when i don't go to the meetings, and my family do, i get very panicky and breathless.

rebel

SheilaM - God, I am such a mess at the moment!

I will reply another time.

xxR