Posts by Laika

30

What Was The Effect of You Knowing Hypocritical JW's?

jw
friends

(1) did it cause you to leave sooner than you might have, otherwise.. (2) it didn't bother you enough to do anything about it.

hey, we are all imperfect.. (3) did you want to prove you were better than they, and nothing they could do or say, was going to stumble you.. (4) they stumbled me, probably as much i stumbled them.

we all know it's an old boy's club and we are not going to tell on each other.. loislane.

Laika

I was a terrible JW hypocrite. The shame I felt from this definitely contributed to driving me out. Does this count?

10

UNDESERVED kindness or DESERVED kindness?

by scotoma in

jw
friends

i'm tired of hearing people grovel before their "benevolent" creator.. recently i was listening to a jw relative express regrets over their rebellious life-style when they were young.

then came that phrase:.

"i'm so greatful for jehovah's undeserved kindness and that he can accept me with my sinful past.".

Everyone wants to be loved and accepted unconditionally for who they are, but they also know life doesn't work this way, so they hide behind masks. I mean, if I was honest about every thought I had I don't think I'd have any friends left...

Of course (in theory) we can't hide our true selves from God, so the natural response to coming across him is to ask forgiveness but don't confuse that with something we have to do to make god love us.

13

CHRISTIANS: Are we meant to identify the last days?

by Zoos in

i've been reading articles from ronald e. frye's, the christian respondent.

he puts forward this understanding of mark 13, mathew 24 and luke 21:.

(1) the destruction of jerusalem is set forth in graphic detail.

Laika

Peter thought the last days began at pentecost (acts 2 17) whatever we're meant to do trying to nail down a specific time period hasn't worked and we should probably give up on it.

88

If the big change at the AGM meeting is dropping the literal 144,000...

by slimboyfat in

the best conjecture seems to be that the gb are going to drop the literal 144,000 teaching, especially in view of the december watchtower that pointedly does not mention the 144,000 number.

if they are dropping the literal 144,000 number, but still claim that only a small number are anointed, and can partake, and that only a few are left on earth, then it is fair to ask what has really changed?

they are simply clearing up the embarrassing situation that there were obviously more than 144,000 "anointed" believers from 36 ad until now, and that the number of partakers has been increasing in recent years.

Laika

wallsofjericho: hmmm... I'm not sure where you got that from. Most believe that they will live to see the GT but there is nothing in their definition that makes that any part of the criteria

I got it from the GB: (http://m.wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2010446)

“The Righteous Ones Will Shine”
Brother Barr made clear that the gathering would not continue indefinitely. He referred to Matthew 24:34, which says: “This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.” He twice read the comment: “Jesus evidently meant that the lives of the anointed ones who were on hand when the sign began to be evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation.” We do not know the exact length of “this generation,” but it includes these two groups whose lives overlap. Even though the anointed vary in age, those in the two groups constituting the generation are contemporaries during part of the last days. How comforting it is to know that the younger anointed contemporaries of those older anointed ones who discerned the sign when it became evident beginning in 1914 will not die off before the great tribulation starts!

Of course he doesn't say 'current GB members' so I suppose you can say it's not official doctrine, but I think it is obviously what he means by 'younger anointed contemporaries'

25

Dinah's "friends"...

by Viva la Vida in

an example on how the wt gets things out of proportion.

this is all we know about dinah's "friends" from the bible: .

"and dinah the daughter of leah, which she bare unto jacob, went out to see the daughters of the land" (ge 34:1).. wt conclusion: .

Laika

How dare you make friends with sinners and tax collectors, they don't obey God's laws and he is therefore very unhappy with you for befriending them! (Luke 15)

Also: Victim blaming much?

88

If the big change at the AGM meeting is dropping the literal 144,000...

by slimboyfat in

the best conjecture seems to be that the gb are going to drop the literal 144,000 teaching, especially in view of the december watchtower that pointedly does not mention the 144,000 number.

if they are dropping the literal 144,000 number, but still claim that only a small number are anointed, and can partake, and that only a few are left on earth, then it is fair to ask what has really changed?

they are simply clearing up the embarrassing situation that there were obviously more than 144,000 "anointed" believers from 36 ad until now, and that the number of partakers has been increasing in recent years.

Laika

The current teaching on the generation is basically that the current members of the GB will live to see the great tribulation. How they get to that is convulated and nonsensical and future GB members will probably play on that confusion to push the dates back again, but that's what the doctrine is.

I think the GB came up with it because they want to believe they won't die and this is how we know they won't get rid of 1914 yet.

1

I had a dream...

by pronomono in

i had an interesting dream last night.. in my dream, i decided to visit another church for the first time, although i'm not sure what denomination this church was.

as we were leaving from the sunday morning service, i saw my long-time friend and mentor (let's call hime bro.

wales).

Laika

Hi pronomono

This reminds me of a couple conversations I had after I left the JWs. They asked me how I could keep Jehovah's standards without the organisation. I said since I no longer believed and would thus have to lie to remain a JW, I couldn't keep those standards in either.

Btw, if you ever go to churches in real life you'll find that most of them will teach that gaining God's favor has nothing to do with fulfilling your obligations to your church in good conscience, but comes through God's grace.

88

If the big change at the AGM meeting is dropping the literal 144,000...

by slimboyfat in

the best conjecture seems to be that the gb are going to drop the literal 144,000 teaching, especially in view of the december watchtower that pointedly does not mention the 144,000 number.

if they are dropping the literal 144,000 number, but still claim that only a small number are anointed, and can partake, and that only a few are left on earth, then it is fair to ask what has really changed?

they are simply clearing up the embarrassing situation that there were obviously more than 144,000 "anointed" believers from 36 ad until now, and that the number of partakers has been increasing in recent years.

Laika

If this happens I wonder if they'll stop counting partakers as the number will shoot up again.

29

Am I in a "cool hall " or what?

by ?me? in

jw
friends

anybody else in the situation i am?

me and the wife go to a hall that is pretty "hands off".

i have not really been out in service for probably 1.5 years and my wife has went out maybe 3 times in the last year.

Laika

Personally I think 6% meeting attendance would be too much for me, but if you're happy I guess that's none of my business.

I don't think you'll find many here share your experience of Kingdom Hall... Are you on the school?

6

Dealing with JW family

by Laika in

a little update on my life: a few months ago i was sure i was going to be disfellowshipped as my mum told me that my dad had reported my apostasy to the elders.

however, nothing has come of this so far in about 2 months and i am very relieved!

i am not sure if it was because the report to the elders was just an empty threat to scare me back in, or because they reported me to their local elders and now that i am a member of a new congregation those elders decided they couldn't be bothered to pursue me.

Laika

Thanks jgnat, I was hoping you'd respond! Must get a copy of Steve Hassan's books, is there any in particular you recommend?

On another note; it's funny to me that you say you're husband is not logical, funny because growing up JW I was often told only men could be elders because we were logical, whereas women were emotional. I would love to be around if an elder tried to sell you on that one!