Posts by Faithful Witness

30

Studied with JW grandma for 3 years and went to meetings, I have now seen the light!

by yogosans14 in

im new here and im 17, going to turn 18 in 1 week.

i studied with my gradma the bible teach book and went to meeting with her and other relatives (considering most my relatives are jw except my parents) and i believe in all of it because i never read the bible for myself.

after reading the gospels i started noticing contradictions in the jw doctrine like when jesus said many would dine with the patriachs in the kingdom of heaven (yet only 144,000 jws can) which would seem odd considering the fact he adressed this to more then the apostles.

Faithful Witness

Welcome, Yogo and thanks for sharing your story. You are a wise young man. You have a great story, and I hope you will stick around. Is God going to use you to reach your JW family?

My story is similar to yours in a way. My husband and I studied with the JW's as adults, but as soon as we began examining the JW religion itself, we had to quit lying to the "friends" at the KH. Sadly, my parents and sister (along with her husband and 2 kids) got sucked into the organization. My sister now shuns me for "turning my back on Jehovah." This has caused all kinds of drama in our family of 5 daughters, with only one JW sister "wrecking" the whole dynamic we once enjoyed.

What has been your JW family and grandmother's reaction, to your "abandoning the truth?" Just curious.

I wish you all the best, and congratulate you on using your free will and examining the scriptures with an AWAKE mind. Thank God, you were RESCUED from this controlling group! (I believe I was too... although I am still surrounded by them, and currently have on calling on me again)

I have also gone on to be baptized in a Baptist church. My family and I are now the brunt of judgment from my JW sister (completely indoctrinated). She has "cast us out," but does not offer any explanation for this decision to ex-communicate me. The JW's have divided our once happy family, and I have been put in this awkward place in between. I've come to believe there is a reason for everything, and I am not taking it personally. In order for me to have compassion or take any action against the infiltration of this mind-controlling cult, I have had to have my family tree "shaken" quite a bit.

I wish you all the best, and I look forward to hearing more from you. You are wise beyond your years, and I do think that God uses people like you for His purpose. Your words here could be helping someone. Please do stay!

20

No refreshments.

by quellycatface in

jw
friends

why is it that we never had coffee/tea after the meeting??

yet, nearly every kh has a kitchen??.

i do now i'm going to church.

Faithful Witness

It is interesting to read all these experiences. The 2nd KH that we attended had no kitchen, but DID have refreshments after each Sunday meeting.

Members of the cong would bring in cookies, cakes, muffins, etc. There was a coffee urn, and usually someone would bring in a jug of milk or something for the kids to drink.

Everyone would stand around in the coat room, eating cookies and chatting after the meeting.

We haven't been there in over 3 years now, so I'm not sure if they still do that. It was actually kind of fun, and was a way to bribe your kids into staying quietly in their seats through the boring meetings.

17

How do you get a word in edge-wise, when talking to a JW?

by Faithful Witness in

just looking for some pointers, as i was never a jw.

i have an elderette coming over on friday, for another performance.. last week, i was under the impression that she was coming to answer some questions i had.

it quickly became clear that she came with a plan for the "conversation," and we went on an expedition from one passage of the bible to the next, while she made leaping claims, argued with herself and kept me confused and always with more than one question lingering in my mind, while she continued talking and talking.. when i have a conversation with someone, i tend to stop talking when they are speaking.

Faithful Witness

Just looking for some pointers, as I was never a JW. I have an elderette coming over on Friday, for another performance.

Last week, I was under the impression that she was coming to answer some questions I had. It quickly became clear that she came with a plan for the "conversation," and we went on an expedition from one passage of the bible to the next, while she made leaping claims, argued with herself and kept me confused and always with more than one question lingering in my mind, while she continued talking and talking.

When I have a conversation with someone, I tend to stop talking when they are speaking. I can only assume that JW's have something included in their ministry school, that helps them avoid being interrupted while they are giving one of their presentations.

Back when my husband and I were bible students, we used to start referring to our weekly BS session as "The Bob Talkalot Show" (name changed to protect my own identity). I now get to look forward to the "Miss K Show."

I fully expect her to follow up with me, and try to get me cornered into a topic for discussion this week. She rejected my idea of finishing or fully answering my question about the slave. Her conclusion was something to the effect of, "every person has to decide for themselves." (blink blink blink... no, I'm not judging you right now, not at all... blink blink blink).

If I do end up giving her a topic, I don't plan to let her start her speech, until I ask her some follow up questions to comments she and Miss W made last week. I also want to try to get them to confirm what they really believe is going to happen to me, if I never become a JW.

Does anyone have any pointers, or things that helped you ever stop and realize that you were working so hard to NOT listen to people you were supposedly "helping?" I don't know if I asked that clearly, but I don't want to sit through another bullying session, without my questions at least being allowed to come out of my mouth.

I did not finish a complete thought even once, without her changing the subject or trying to get me to answer some unrelated question. I am so unfamiliar with this communication pattern, and I am looking for ways to get my point across, without sounding like an apostate or a b*&ch.

25

Had a reply for job...

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

.

got a cool job, surgery and emergency medicine in a nice holiday town, super happy :d. .

Faithful Witness

Awesome! That looks like a beautiful city. Congratulations!

51

"This Generation" at the meeting today

by Batman89 in

it was really quite amusing 2day at the meeting when we got to the "this generation will not pass away" subheading in the wt.

the conductor spent very little time on the section and the comments that were given didnt at all make sense really.

you can tell its not understood by the majority of the friendsand will go over there heads, i was trying not to laugh lol.

Faithful Witness

If they are teaching 3 generations now, why not 4 or 5, when they are still alive 50 years from now?

The JW's I talk to say, "I can't tell you if it will be tomorrow, next Tuesday, or next year..."

To which I always add, "Or 133 years from now!"

7

My non-JW sister & her observations and updates from visiting JW family

by Faithful Witness in

my non-jw, never been interested in even tralking about it, always avoid the topic of jw issues, came for an overnight visit this weekend.

the kids all had a blast.

she updated me with a few observations:.

Faithful Witness

Listener: The last 2 times she visited us, she talked about how it had been "SO LONG!" since she had been out in service. I reminded her to count her time at our house, and to bring a few magazines next time.

DD: JW families really ARE a wreck. Ever since they presented us with that little book, "Secrets of Family Happiness," I have noticed that more and more... It does not look like a loving group to me!

They all just sit around patting each other on the back, for being chosen by Jehovah to work harder. The JWs I meet, really do come across as much more "holier than thou," than even my most conservative, evangelical Christian friends.

7

My non-JW sister & her observations and updates from visiting JW family

by Faithful Witness in

my non-jw, never been interested in even tralking about it, always avoid the topic of jw issues, came for an overnight visit this weekend.

the kids all had a blast.

she updated me with a few observations:.

Faithful Witness

I got a text from her today, telling me she would be postponing her visit again. I'm not sure when she will come and visit, but it will be at least 2 weeks more.

skeeter: It's not really that I want approval from my parents, although it would be nice if my kids got a chance to have a relationship with their grandparents. My parents are new JW converts, and although my dad has pretty much turned into a zombie, my mother has made some definite statements of remorse, specifically when speaking about her baptism. Every time she visits me, she has at least one open comment that is clearly full of doubt and fear.

My house is a safe place for my mom, and she knows I will not tell on her if she has doubts about the instructions being administered by this bizarre cult. One of her statements, when she first heard my sister (and I) were studying with the JW's (several years ago), was how they "divide families." Now, she is a party to that very statistic. My sister has stopped speaking to me, simply because I decided not to join. (I was never a JW, but I know too much). This action by my sister is very troublesome to my mother.

I have compassion and concern for all JW people who are trapped. My mother is among them, but both geographic distance and now religious differences are pulling her farther and farther away from me. I'm not taking it personally. This battle is not about me, but I do feel that I am being put in this position for a reason. I will not give up on my mother, even if she does end up dying as a JW. Until that day, she will know that I am here for her with unconditional love.

(as of right now, she is still a "JW freak" in the making... her "new personality" is in a constant battle with her real one, especially around me)

Robert: Thanks for the thoughts. I think I will ask her about that when she comes next time. I now have stories to share, about my BS elderette. I can ask my mom a few questions about the end times and the definition of a generation. Typically, I keep my JW questions pretty light. I don't want to scare her away. I frustrate easily, when I see her in her cult persona. It has been so long now, since she has been around us in your natural state, that it sometimes feels like we don't really know each other.

Unlike my sister and my father, my mother and I do have a 40+ year history of what I would call a very close relationship. It has only been the last few years, that she has been drifting away. She has not mentioned anything about them selling the house, but I can definitely ask her more details about the reasoning behind that decision. Hopefully, I will talk to her soon, even if she isn't coming over this week as planned.

7

My non-JW sister & her observations and updates from visiting JW family

by Faithful Witness in

my non-jw, never been interested in even tralking about it, always avoid the topic of jw issues, came for an overnight visit this weekend.

the kids all had a blast.

she updated me with a few observations:.

Faithful Witness

My non-JW, never been interested in even tralking about it, always avoid the topic of JW issues, came for an overnight visit this weekend. The kids all had a blast.

She updated me with a few observations:

My mom is planning to retire before the end of May. She told my sister that she would have more time to spend with grandkids and help out when situations arise (my nephew broke his leg in a horrible sledding accident and is just now getting out of the wheelchair). Mom said, "Just think how much help I could have been!" My sister rolled her eyes. My mom so obviously favors the JW grandkids, it has caused some pretty hard feelings for the others. Sadly, none of them ever expect Grandma to follow through on her promises to them.

My mom told me several months ago, that she wanted to quit her job and pioneer. I'm sure that is more likely the plan. :(

My dad is apparently getting their house ready for sale. They want to move into a retirement condominium in their town. That is a very new development.

My sister overheard dad and brother in law talking about the upcoming International Convention in Detroit. BIL was saying how he was going to "check out" the venue and their hotel. Also, someone in the KH is working parking, and has promised to somehow only allow certain people to park in a preferred place. (It was my JW sister's anniversary, so grandparents are watching my nephew for the weekend... again. That poor kid has been severely damaged by the JW's. My niece (12), was sent to a JW friend's house, against her will, for the weekend...)

Anyway, none of these gossip items sounded promising to me. I'm hoping my mom is still planning to visit this next weekend. I sent an email and asked her if she is still coming, and mentioned that I'm now being treated as a Bible Student by my elderette.

I wonder if she will tell my sister, or if the fact that I am talking to JWs again, will suddenly earn me more favor. I love conditional love! (There is nothing like knowing that your mom, once your best friend and confidante, feels that it is more important to go out in much neglected field service activities, than to spend time with her grandkids).

41

I survived a 3-hour manipulation session with 2 elderettes!

by Faithful Witness in

i'm not sure how else to describe this meeting at my kitchen table.

my elderette ("miss k") arrived with her friend in tow.

i vaguely remember the 2nd lady ("miss w") from the times we went to the kh, but like miss k, we never really talked in depth.

Faithful Witness

Quarterback, you sound exactly like Miss K, in regards to Noah. In the discussion I had with them, we agreed ahead of time to stick with what is actually written in the bible. When they started making assumptions like yours, and asking me to draw logical conclusions, I had to stop them from manipulating the documented account.

Since there is no story of anyone asking Noah about the ark, we can't answer the question about what Noah did or did not say.

41

I survived a 3-hour manipulation session with 2 elderettes!

by Faithful Witness in

i'm not sure how else to describe this meeting at my kitchen table.

my elderette ("miss k") arrived with her friend in tow.

i vaguely remember the 2nd lady ("miss w") from the times we went to the kh, but like miss k, we never really talked in depth.

Faithful Witness

I should mention that she keeps trying to bait me into apostate discussions. She made a statement about how "a lot of people will say JW's keep changing their beliefs and what they believe is the truth. I'm sure you've heard people say that."

I said, "Yes, I have heard that before."

"You've probably heard that A LOT!!" getting a little excited.

"Not a LOT. Most of the world is not talking about JW's..." I replied.

Miss K: "Well, I HAVE heard it many times from people."

Me: "You're talking to a lot more people about JW's than I am!"

I am going to resist bringing in a lot of outside information about the society. I have already been provoked into making comments and revealing that I have more information than her normal bible student. I am ready for her, if she warns me again about listening to gossip or reports about the JW's.

She also claimed that even when people present her with "supposed" statements from old WT magazines, they all turn out to be misquotes, or quotes that were published in the WT from others. I was interested, because it sounded like she had actually taken the quotes and researched them herself. I did not take the bait and follow her down the rabbit trail. I kept saying, "I don't want to change the subject..."

She was relentless, and she really does have a very bad habit of interrupting and talking over me. I did not manage to complete a single thought, before one of them cut me off.

Our next meeting should be interesting, as I am going to really try to get them to let me talk. Are you here to make a speech, or do you really want to hear my questions?