Posts by Faithful Witness

91

...What do you Do,when People Ask You for Spare Change?...

by OUTLAW in

.. .........................some people are truly in need..some are not... a man passing by on his 10 speed bike,asked me for $2.00 for a cup of coffee... .................................................."uhhh,no"... ............another asked me for spare change outside a super market... ......................................i said i didn`t have any... ...................so he say`s "how about a credit card?!"......lol!!...

.. ....................what do you do,when people ask you for spare change?...

..... .. ..........................................whats the most outrageous thing... ......................................you`ve been asked forby a stranger?...

Faithful Witness

I was sitting in the car, waiting for my husband to come out of work. It was late in the evening, and he often worked late.

A woman came up to me, after walking across this very large, empty parking lot (not the best part of town). I saw her coming, long before she approached me directly. I cracked the window to see why she was talking to me.

"My car ran out of gas about 1/2 mile down the street. Can you give me some money for gas?"

I didn't give her any money, but a funny thing happened... Someone else had the same sad story about a week later! If she'd been carrying a gas can, it would have been much more convincing.

Another car story: Working overnight shift in at a 24 hour copy center in a downtown area. A man came in and told me his son was stranded with a flat tire on the highway. He needed some cash to pay the tow truck driver, who was waiting at the scene. "Please lend me $40! I will be right back to pay you back. Take my vehicle registration as collateral." I was 22. I fell for it, and gave him money out of the register. He never came back, and I had to pay the store back $40.

We have a few busy intersections in our town, where people stand with those cardboard signs. They did a story on the news, and apparently it actually pays off. The guy they interviewed made about $400 a day, standing on the corner. Why go get a job? When it is really cold out, I feel so bad for them. I have handed them food or candy bars before. One lady had a sign that said she needed soap and shampoo.

20

Why a Faithful and discreet slave???

by Crazyguy in

the bible speaks of it making a man fully equipt 2tim, and that the anointing teaches one 1john, holy spirit is also available luke, john and even god will grant wisdom if one asks james.

so why the need for a faithful and discreet slave, in the bible???

?.

Faithful Witness

The whole idea of serving a slave, or having a slave direct your life, makes no sense. Slaves serve their masters. You don't pay slaves. You don't let slaves make the rules.

I always thought Jesus was the Master. If you serve Jesus, you are his slave. You don't serve a slave.

The JW's put all their money on this one parable, and then twist it around to mean something Jesus never said. Do not follow the teachings of men.

They ignore anything that relates to love or charity. They do not follow Jesus' example, but hold up this one little passage as proof of their own power. Millions follow... why?

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

I am grateful that this discussion board is here. I have learned a lot from all the people who contribute.

I know I have a lot to learn, in dealing with people in general, especially JW family. Thanks for allowing me to vent and helping me work through the thoughts in my head.

It is definitely better to write them here, than in emails to my family. That didn't go well!

I haven't heard from my mom at all since this new development from my sister, so I think I am going to focus on re-establishing contact with her this weekend. I might send my sister a quick note next week. I'm still thinking about what to say.

Thanks for all the input. It really helps.

47

Why Is Alcoholism Deeply Embeded In JW Culture?

by RottenRiley in

we get plenty of company men passing through our circuit, often filled with misinformation and lugging around a suitcase of guilt, they bring more guilt to the weak while praising the braggart pioneers and slapping the "righteous over much" elders.

why are the wrong people getting praise in this distorted community?

i know for a fact many of the elders i served with have issues with alcoholism, when "brother guilt" brought his emotional hurricane through our circuit, i had the chance to eat and help pay for his "seven shots of tequila", both him and his wife were not immune to over-indulgences.

Faithful Witness

I have known far more non-JW's, than I have JW's.

I think alcohol can be a problem for anyone.

Or food. Or drugs. Or television. Or facebook.

They are hypocrites.

JW life is not happy family life, no matter how many times they make their claims. They are not immune to worldly problems. They try to insulate themselves from society, and sit inside buildings with no windows, so they can pretend they are better than the world.

I still remember the day the JW's gave us that book about how to have a happy family. What a joke.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

Neverknew: She joined the JW's and got baptized about 4 years ago. I don't know if they studied for more than 8 months or a year at most. She and her husband jumped in with both feet, and hopped onto the fast track to "qualify" for baptism. He had control issues with her from the beginning, so it was a natural fit for him.

I was the opposite: a slow learner, scrutinizing everything they told me. We are critical thinkers, and didn't just accept their publications and written commentary as facts. My husband and I had lots of questions, which they would put on the shelf, or sometimes answer if they felt we were worthy of a response. Until the day we asked questions about the Watchtower Society, and then we got dumped by our teacher. He came back and told us the parable of the seed sower, accused us of chasing riches instead of seeking Jehovah. (Bad seeds! You are BAD BAD BAD! I tried, but you are BAD! Was the message. I think he had to ease his blood guilt, before he totally left us for dead).

I'm sure my sister and her family are golden examples at their KH. (We live in different towns). They are actually a family recruited through the door-to-door ministry. They also blackmailed my mom into meetings, and then my dad into meetings, and now both my parents are baptized JW's!! What a success story for the guy who rang their doorbell on that fateful day! 6 new people at the KH. My niece is 12, nephew is 10... forced into it, but they still have memories of pre-JW life. :(

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

"Cram our views down people who are obviously done with us?" Which views would those be? I'm confused by that question.

I will continue to demonstrate love and patience with her.

I was never a JW, and I am not chasing anyone.

I will not beg, but I will not be afraid to talk to my own sister.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

Ok. Good idea. Do I challenge her behavior?

I also need to be careful not to get too high and mighty. I've done enough of that.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

I'm not sure we have enough past history to make a personal connection with her. I'm 12 years older, and have been more of a parent than a peer to her.

My memories of her, are of when she was a preschooler. When I dream about her, she is a child and her daughter is her mother. Haha.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

So, can anyone help me word that note? :)

I know that sometimes it's what you DON'T say, that matters...

If I am going to be her story, I'm not going to be the "my sister turned her back on Jehovah, and she no longer speaks to me. I never hear from her anymore." She can say what she wants, but somewhere deep inside her, she will know that I am still trying to reach her, and that I do actually love her.

I know it's time to leave the Watchtower out of it. I won't bring up anything else. Try to draw on memories of her old self... I guess I was hoping that encouraging the "Real" sister to come out, would make her realize she was not acting like she used to... and is this really a positive change?

Help! I can't put things concisely.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

Great questions, Steve! Exactly what I have been asking myself, before I send a response.

Without rehashing all the past AGAIN. (I was never a JW, just interested, until one day I woke up).

I guess I really need to be honest with myself. What are my intentions?

1. Disobey Watchtower & refuse to abide by her sudden decision not to communicate. You don't think we should communicate, because of how it affects your emotions? That is exactly why we SHOULD communicate. That is what family is for... to be here for each other in difficult times! If you turn your back on me and tell me you don't want to talk about it, I am going to try to figure out what is wrong. Do I just let you walk away, while I stand here and accept it? NO, I do not! I'm not done communicating with you.

(I realize she doesn't have to listen or respond. But I am not going to stop talking to you, just because you forgot how to be loving toward me "at this time.")

2. Highlight her abhorrant behavior. Get her to see herself from an outside perspective. Just because I studied with the JW's for a few years, and have more "inside" information about why she is behaving in this way... does that mean I have to quietly accept it? What if she suddenly decided to say this to a coworker who hurt her feelings (possibly by sending her a Christmas card, or giving gifts to her kids), someone who has no idea about her beliefs. How would a normal person respond if she said that to them. "Based on prior encounters, and the affect on my emotions, I don't think we should communicate at this time." HUH? Ok, let me grab onto that little ray of hope you added... "at this time."

Maybe it's time now! "I know you said you weren't speaking to me, but I wanted to ask you..." "Are you ready yet? Are you ready yet?"

3. See if she will respond. It doesn't have to be personally to me... but see if she will take things further or if she will react in any way. I am not trying to antagonize her or torment her. But I feel that a little cage-rattling is in order here. I may never know if she responds or not. She might block my email, or even start warning my mom about me. Someone else mentioned here how JW's just try to avoid conflict by running away.

Really, what do I have to lose? I really don't want to let her make this move, without having to examine it further.

Maybe I am stirring the pot. I have been guilty of that before. I am a reasonable person, and I forgive her. She doesn't know what she is doing, I realize that. I don't think it would be fair to her, if I made this easy for her to do. If she wants to pick me for her first big shun, I should make it a tough one for her. She might as well get practice with her new personality, and use it on her big sister who has loved her since she was in diapers. She used to be so kind and loving.

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Observation from times we went to KH: Everyone has a "story..." They all seemed to have at least one person in their family, or they happened to be the ONLY person left in their family. ALLLLL these people who had "left the Truth..."

"Soooo sad.... We are Sooooo lucky to have the loving brothers and sisters here at the Kingdom Hall. I just can't WAIT for this system to end, and we can all be rid of these worldly pains." As an outsider, I must say those stories seemed very odd and cruel. There was always an undertone of self-congratulation. No sadness for anyone but themselves, and NO forgiveness. "My willingness to sacrifice for Jehovah's organization, entitles me to a special badge, and I proudly repeat my stories of persecution, as proof that I am a GOOD Jehovah's Witness!"

I think my brother in law took this opportunity (the fact that I had "turned my back on Jehovah"... WHAT are you even talking about??), to get one of those special badges for his JW lapel. "I cut off my sister in law, when she turned her back on Jehovah." My sister must obey. BUT she has made the point (twice) of telling me she was speaking for herself. Once was a telephone conversation, and it did sound like she meant it. She didn't make sense, but she seemed like she meant it. While she doesn't boast about her JW accomplishments and privileges in front of me, she has probably displayed her special shunning badge at the KH by now."

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Making peace with her, and getting our whole family together for an annual party, is the eventual goal... but she has dug in her heels and decided she is going to just withdraw from the family. It is going to have to get worse, before it gets better.