i have always wanted to do that.. nothing special.
in fact, i have learned i'm not very good at it.
i have many talents.
This is year 5 for us, decorating for Christmas with the kids. We add a little each year. Our lights are crooked, but the kids love it.
Each year, we add new characters and lights. This is the army that greets you today, should you pass or enter our driveway. There is no doubt that this family celebrates Christmas.
hi, i just joined the board and wanted to present myself.. i'm active, in fact very active in congregation activities serving "where the need is great" in a foreign language congregation somewhere in western europe.
as a young brother, i'm seen as an example as i'm doing all a good witness should do.. i had doubts years ago but i decided just to ignore them and move to another congregation to preach more.
that worked for some years but i'm now at the exact same point.
Welcome to the discussion! Thanks for having the courage to share your concerns.
In fact, I had a conversation with a pioneer some days ago and she was also disenchanted. You cannot raise all issues for the sake of being labelled as 'apostate' but this pioneer told me that she can't see love in the congregation nowadays.
You are clearly not alone.
Many are doubting and confused, yet no one is allowed to ask critical questions... ??
As a young brother, I'm seen as an example as I'm doing all a good witness should do.
Yes, you are!
Every good witness should be doing exactly as you! God gave you free will. Use it!
Pay attention to those doubts that keep nagging you... they are valid.
the theme of the jw calendar 2016 is building, building, building.
all the calendar pictures are about building wts property with cheap labor witnesses.. and then, just before the year approaches the building has halted.. it seems a short term decision.
a strange correlation again.. gorby.
so the other night we had a resolution to purchase two 70 inch t.v.
's to hang on either side of the stage.
and also a smaller t.v.
stuckinarut2: It seems that every hall has an Internet enabled computer, a wifi network, projector and screen, and at least one or two giant TVs.....
....no room for anything except controlled info.....which is not necessarily a bad thing actually....
so the other night we had a resolution to purchase two 70 inch t.v.
's to hang on either side of the stage.
and also a smaller t.v.
Now it's nothing like that silly big brother/Orwell 1984 thing. Whew.
Muddy Waters: Wow, so right! It's the opening scene ...
You know, they will probably need to upgrade the sound and light system next.
It actually just reminds me of your typical modern day Baptist or Evangelical church. People don't have to bother opening their Bibles or song books. The verses and quotes are projected on the screens.
Maybe they are starting to realize the disadvantages of encouraging everyone to get on tablets. They can't control what you're viewing, can't tell if you're even paying attention, and are probably losing donations.
Eyes up front! (Who knew that grandpa was going to be distracted by his smartphone?)
when i was just studying, the c.o.
was brought to my home for a "visit".. the only thing i can remember from his conversation is this - (and the principle is so true, i'm going to use it).
"searcher, if you're talking to someone about the bible and they don't accept three scriptures as proof about the subject, then don't waste your time trying to give them thirty scriptures, because they clearly don't want to hear the truth.".
I don't remember where I heard this:
Using scriptures to try to prove a point, is like throwing ping pong balls at a brick wall.
so last night i went to the meeting with my family.
had not gone in 2 weeks.
as usual i sat down reading the bible.
It's very interesting to watch the Watchtower struggle to keep up with this system of things.
It would be funny, if it weren't devastating and damaging so many lives.
Simon said: They could be trying to game Google. If enough people search for and click on their link then it gets a boost.
Are they that sophisticated?
hello i am john a student of naperville north high school.
in a comparative religion project we have to research a branch of christianity mine being jehovah's witness and do an interview so this is out to all jehovah's witnesses or former jehovah's witnesses.. what do you enjoy about being jehovah's witness and what do you enjoy the least?.
what is communion like for jehovah's witnesses?.
Greetings, John Doe!
You have been given quite an assignment. The religion of Jehovah's Witnesses, is a sect of Christianity, but the more you learn about it, the more you will see how it diverts from traditional Christian beliefs. The well-dressed people who come to your door, are operating under the false assumption that they have the exclusive truth about the bible's message. They are nice people, and believe they are doing the right thing, when they offer you that magazine from the Watchtower Society's massive printing facility. They are following the directions of Jehovah's organization.
They will proudly tell you that there are over 8 million JW's around the globe today. The Watchtower Society keeps track of every hour and piece of literature distributed, and their statistics are published in a yearbook each year, as well as being available on their website. They love numbers and statistics.
If you want an in-person interview with a believing, you might try going to jw.org, and requesting a visit from your local Kingdom Hall. As long as you realize they are not peddling the truth, but working for a group of men in New York, you are not in danger of believing any of their twists on the truth.
A devout Witness of Jehovah will proclaim that they are the happiest people on earth. They can't wait for the end of this system, so they can live forever in paradise. They will deny their prideful ways, but they are often boastful in their own claims to have this exclusive channel to Jehovah. Their kingdom songs are not about Jesus, grace or forgiveness... they sing songs that celebrate vindication of their organization.
Like other high-control religions, sometimes called cults, they have their own jargon and catch phrases. They use repetition of catch phrases and trigger words, to control the followers of their organization. I'm going to use red text, to help you recognize their lingo in my answers.
Some of their unique teachings include:
What do you enjoy about being Jehovah's witness and what do you enjoy the least?
After several years of research, I decided not to continue associating with the nice people who thought they were teaching me the "Truth."
Pro: When I was studying with them, I enjoyed the fellowship and the illusion of an association of brotherhood. The friends. The way they came to my house every week... it really felt like they loved me. (This is a technique called "love bombing." It works great on lonely people and idealists.) I wanted to be a good person, and the people that I met in the JW religion were really some of the nicest people I've known and loved.
Con: They did not want to examine their own teachings or origins (not allowed). They would not answer my critical questions, but instead told me I should set my objections and questions aside. When confronted with facts from their organization's own origins, and doctrines previously published by the Watchtower, I was accused of listening to apostates. In the end, I was labeled as unwilling to submit to authority, and my husband was accused of chasing riches. They gave up on trying to get us to make progress.
What is communion like for Jehovah's witnesses? (not called communion)
JW's celebrate only one "holiday" each year, which they call "The Memorial." This is the one time each year that communion is performed for the members to "observe." A serving tray is passed through the congregation, but no one touches "the emblems." No one partakes of the wine or the bread, unless they have been "anointed," and believe they are part of the "heavenly class."
The JW's have a special "campaign," for the few weeks prior to Easter weekend, when they go and "invite" everyone in the community to attend. The invitation is usually in the form of a little pamphlet, left in your doorjam. If you happen to be home, you are likely to be quickly handed a pamphlet, so they can get to the next house... unless you show interest.
I have attended 2 of these Memorial services. It includes a long talk, explaining why they are remembering the night Christ died. It is a strange ritual, in which no one touches the symbols that represent blood or the body of Christ. They reject it, and do so joyfully. There were no anointed ones at the Kingdom Hall we attended, so all 100+ people rejected the symbols of Jesus's sacrifice.
What is your important belief as a Jehovah's witness?
You'll get a lot of answers for this question. My observation, after watching the way they worship and work for their kingdom message:
Christianity is a false religion.
Very soon, Jehovah will put an end to "this system of things."
It is important to keep working until the very end. ("faith without works is dead.")
How has being a Jehovah's witness affected your life?
Thankfully, I was never baptized as a JW. They continue to affect my life, because my parents and my sister (and her family) made the opposite decision. My sister now has decided to shun me. She told me that she has to "protect her children" from me, my apostasy and idolatry. (We are idolators, because we have attended churches that display the cross).
I have been labeled as an "apostate," because I learned all about the JW religion, but have "turned my back on Jehovah" and "the Truth."
What are your stances on homosexuality, abortion, and divorce?
Wrong, wrong, and wrong. JW religion is black and white. There is no grey area.
side by side, on the grocery store magazine display, i saw two celebrity magazines with cover stories about scientology.
i purchased both.
i find it interesting, how similar this "church" is to the organization of the watchtower.. i thought i'd share some of the interesting quotes from the articles, which are both mostly about leah remini's new book, troublemaker: surviving hollywood and scientology.
Side by side, on the grocery store magazine display, I saw two celebrity magazines with cover stories about Scientology. I purchased both. I find it interesting, how similar this "church" is to the organization of the Watchtower.
I thought I'd share some of the interesting quotes from the articles, which are both mostly about Leah Remini's new book, Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology. Neither magazine's website seems to be featuring these stories now, (and I find myself wondering why I can't find them).
-----------------
From the cover of People Magazine (November 16, 2015):
(I found a cover image available on this blog, but couldn't find it on the People website) http://tvnewsandviews.com/2015/11/04/people-magazine-november-16-2015-leah-remini-my-escape-from-scientology/
Leah Remini: My Escape from Scientology
- Cleaning hotel rooms for the church as a child
- Grueling interrogations and fears for her family
- Punished for disrupting Tom & Katie's wedding
- PLUS Explosive new details from her tell-all book Troublemaker
From the 5-page article in People:
- "Everything happened slowly. Your indoctrination happens over a lifetime." (she was brought to Scientology by her mother at age 8. When Leah left Scientology, her family left with her).
- From a conversation Leah had with Nicole Kidman's children, Bella and Connor Cruise:
"How's your mom? Do you see her a lot?" she asked the kids.
"Not if I have a choice," Bella who was then 13, said, according to Remini. "She's a f---ing SP." (A "suppressive person" is someone viewed as hostile to the church).
- Leah: "In Scientology, there is no middle ground, so unless I was willing to leave my mother, my sister, my brother-in-law and all my friends, I had no other choice."
- When Leah finally reached her breaking point, she was "terrified that her husband, mom and other family members would have to 'disconnect' from her -- a practice of cutting off contact from someone declared hostile to Scientology."
Reactions from the church to her claims:
"It comes as no surprise that someone as self-absorbed as Leah Remini with an insatiable craving for attention would exploit her former faith as a publicity stunt," the church said in a statement, adding that she was "on the verge of being expelled for her ethical lapses," and detailing her alleged lies and misdeeds in statements on its website http://www.scientologynews.org/statements/abc-news/church-of-scientology-statement-leah-remini.html
This is one difference between the Watchtower and Scientology. Scientology publishes statements in response to those who challenge them.
-------------------
From the cover of inTouch Magazine (November 16, 2015):
(I haven't been able to find an image of this cover online, or any reference to it on intouchweekly.com)
Katie's Revenge on Tom
She humiliates him: marriage and Scientology secrets finally revealed
- His meltdowns over cookie dough and a chipped mug!
- Why baby Suri was left crying on the bathroom floor
- Leah Remini joins Katie in exposing Tom's bizarre world
"Katie has been muzzled by her divorce agreement with Tom and has been forced to stay silent for years," says a source. "So speaking out now is huge."
The inTouch article, is mostly about Leah's book, but it does include an apology statement that Katie issued to Leah, and this statement from a Scientology insider: "Tom is furious with Katie because he knows, and the church knows, that she has a nondisclosure agreement. Katie agreed not to spill any secrets."
Some interesting highlights they share from Leah's book:
my wife is taking a literature course at a local college.
this was her final topic of the semester: why rational people buy into conspiracy theories?i automatically thought of this site and of jws.
the jws i knew, were the kind of people that would believe in conspiracy theories, and i noticed a small following on this site.. the article that was referenced for this course was: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/26/magazine/why-rational-people-buy-into-conspiracy-theories.html?_r=0.
Why do rational people buy into conspiracy theories?
Great question!
I am a critical thinker. I am fascinated by conspiracy.
Conspiracy exists. Government, religious and media propaganda are tools used to control people.
Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're NOT out to get you... and so many cover-ups have been exposed by those who have the courage to question authority.
I agree with these 2 statements:
The Rebel :
A) Conspiracy theorists exist because things should be questioned.
B) Because many conspiracy theories are later proven not insane nonsense, but actually true.
Looking back to when I was first introduced to the Watchtower propaganda, being asked the question, "What Does the Bible REALLY Teach?"... I think I became more interested in the material, because of the way it made me question my existing religious beliefs. I was challenged to question what I'd been told by my Sunday school teachers and pastors.
I specifically remember my JW friend asking me, "How does it feel, knowing that you've been LIED to your whole life?"
I think conspiracy is fueled by emotion, and the desire to prove that you were right all along.
Everyone has an agenda.
