Posts by Magnum

15

JW.ORG link

by Pete Zahut in

jw
friends

i was thinking about the thousands upon thousands of posts that have been made on this site over the years and all the valuable information contained in them.

i was also thinking about all the years that this site was in existence before i stumbled upon it.. i wondered if from now on, if each person making a post on this site, put the words jw.org at the end of the title of their post or somewhere in the body of their post itself, if it would somehow drive those who are looking for jw.org to this site instead?.

for example "what's up with those new literature carts ?

Magnum

I'd like to know the answer to that, too. I don't know much about that kind of stuff.

If it works, it would only work for those who, as you said, are "looking for" JW.org, as in using Google. It seems that most are going to type JW.org right into their address bars, though. I think that's why the org chose such a simple address... so people wouldn't have to search for it. They know what'll happen if people have to search and see all the other stuff that pops up. That'll be the end. If they have any sense, after that, their only interest in JWs will be the kind we have.

28

Donation Changes-Elders Meeting

by XBEHERE in

jw
friends

so we had our elders meeting to discuss the 3/29 lboe...it was was many of you expressed.

below are some of the quotes from the elders:.

"we just need to keep the focus on jehovah's work, remind the friends of this".

Magnum

Blondie, interesting. Didn't know that about the Quakers or that the term went back that far with JWs.

28

Donation Changes-Elders Meeting

by XBEHERE in

jw
friends

so we had our elders meeting to discuss the 3/29 lboe...it was was many of you expressed.

below are some of the quotes from the elders:.

"we just need to keep the focus on jehovah's work, remind the friends of this".

Magnum

pontoon:

They like expensive elaborate complexes for themselves 1st. and are now spending many many millions on themselves and couldn't give crap about some poor pioneer driving a 200,000 mile wore out car and can't afford a tank of gas as long as their circuit overseers are in their new Buicks supported by the friends. They don't pay for anything.

I've been thinking about that a lot lately. I once went to a training school for a company I worked for. The company paid for nice rooms and all of my very good meals and even all the snacks I wanted. Compare that to how the org does for couples school, pioneer schoool, etc. Local brothers provide rooms; local brothers provide meals. The org doesn't put out a cent.

Add to that the fact that the company was paying me for my time at the school. Those going to couples are paying, not being paid, to be there. They pay in the form of gas money, time spent, clothes, etc. My company paid for my travel to the school, too; they paid the airfare and they paid me while I travelled.

DuvanMuvan:

Do jws really call each other the "friends" over there?

Yeah; it's weird. Been hearing that for decades over here. It sounds cultish. It is said both on and off the platform. We have some who say the word over and over in talks. "Friends,...." / "Now friends..." / "You friends..."

I have never ever uttered that expression in that way as a JW. My wife and I both think it sounds so unnatural and cultish.

56

Is There Anything About The Witnesses That You Like?

by minimus in

jw
friends

anything??

?.

Magnum

Even the rank and file are judgemental jerks.

Yep! They might have some goodness and they might actually care about you, but the whole time they're judging you, thinking they're helping you as if they're stronger than you are and you need their help. They're condescending, judgmental, brainwashed, naive, & ignorant. And many (most in my area) are intellectually deficient.

4

Jesus, Interrupted: Revealing the Hidden Contradictions in the Bible (And Why We Don't Know About Them) by Bart D. Ehrman

by EdenOne in

jw
friends

just finished reading this book ("jesus, interrupted: revealing the hidden contradictions in the bible (and why we don't know about them)" by bart d. ehrman.

very, very interesting reading - i strongly recommend it.. eden.

Magnum

Thanks for the recommendation. I first learned about Ehrman on this site. I have Misquoting Jesus, and will now get the one you recommended.

35

Family of 4 in Miami FL Partakes

by James Jackson in

jw
friends

kendall lakes congregation (miami fl usa), partook of the emblems.

he is an elder(40), his wife and their 2 daughters (21 &19), all 4 are also regular pioneers.

another 6 pioneers in that congregation partook of the emblems..

Magnum

label licker:

Here in southern Ontario an elderly couple partook two years ago. The elders waited almost a year (the week before the next memorial) and hauled them in to the second school and told them to read the stack of articles they gave them. Then they had the co work with them and he asked them if the wife felt she should partake because her husband did. He asked the husband if he thought he was going to be in heaven and the husband said he didn't care where he was but that he knew they should partake. The co told him then don't partake. A local needs was given a week before this memorial about not partaking.

cantleave:

Funny how no one questions Sanderson.

Isnt' that strange? An older couple can partake and they face an inquisition, yet Porky Sanderson partakes as a young man and he's appointed to the GB. Where's the logic? Since JWs like to use the Scriptures to back everything up, what scriptures explain that? What are the criteria. Is it because maybe Porky can read better... is more intelligent... is more educated? What is it? I'm a little older than Porky, but if I had partaken when he did, I would have at least been questioned (and I assure you I'm more intelligent and educated than he is).

In posts above, Vidiot seems to indicate partakers are crazy and kneehighmiah says they're not. I agree with both; here's why: The partakers who believe JW doctrine (only 144000, etc) seem to be crazy as Vidiot said. I know of only three in my area and they all look, talk, and think like snake-handling holy-rollers. However, I think kneehighmiah is referring to a new breed who don't swallow all of JW doctrine; they seem to be rebelling against current JW understanding/theology. So I agree with kneehighmiah; they might be smarter.

69

Your Experience with Resigning as an Elder

by committeechairman in

i'm considering resigning as an elder.

i'm not planning to fade or stop as one of jehovah's witnesses, just stop serving as an elder.. i have responsibility in the congregation and in circuit, district, rbc, etc.

and i'm completely exhausted.

Magnum

I just read in several posts above something like 'you can't just resign'. Says who??? Wow, this is sounding more cultish every day. Sounds like Scientology.

The only control/power they have over you is what you give them or let them have. It's a power game. They push a little and see whether you push back or just passively let yourself be pushed. If you let yourself be pushed, they push harder.

If they told me I couldn't resign, I'd say "I just did; I think you need new light on that."

69

Your Experience with Resigning as an Elder

by committeechairman in

i'm considering resigning as an elder.

i'm not planning to fade or stop as one of jehovah's witnesses, just stop serving as an elder.. i have responsibility in the congregation and in circuit, district, rbc, etc.

and i'm completely exhausted.

Magnum

LogCon

69

Your Experience with Resigning as an Elder

by committeechairman in

i'm considering resigning as an elder.

i'm not planning to fade or stop as one of jehovah's witnesses, just stop serving as an elder.. i have responsibility in the congregation and in circuit, district, rbc, etc.

and i'm completely exhausted.

Magnum

My God! I've read every post so far on this thread, and I'm seeing stuff like 'You can't just tell one elder; you have to talk to at least two.' And 'the org has to accept your resignation.'

What??? That sounds like N Korea or Communist China or Putin's Russia. That pisses me off. Do not let them have that kind of control. If it were I, I'd tell one brother politely to tell the body of elders that I will no longer be serving as an elder. If they tell you that you've got to meet with two of them, then please tell them "no, I don't" and walk away.

Another suggestion: I know a brother who did not want to serve as an elder anymore, so he moved to another congregation and then turned down his reappointment in that congregation. Easy way out.

69

Your Experience with Resigning as an Elder

by committeechairman in

i'm considering resigning as an elder.

i'm not planning to fade or stop as one of jehovah's witnesses, just stop serving as an elder.. i have responsibility in the congregation and in circuit, district, rbc, etc.

and i'm completely exhausted.

Magnum

I agree with Comatose. I had responsibilities like yours. I know people wondered (and still do) about me. But I was treated the same. In fact, I still had others coming to me with problems, Bible & organizational questions, etc. I still had elders coming to me for help with parts, discussing problems with other elders, etc.

I think one thing is that I never acted weak or apologetic. To put it bluntly, I don't take much junk. They know me and my abilities. If you step aside, tell them you want to become more spiritual. Don't say it sheepishly as if you're weak. Do not say it apologetically. Say it strongly as if it's a well-thought-out decision.

And I agree with your two friends; it has been absolutely wonderful to not be in the grind.

If your heart is in the right place, you might have some moments of missing certain parts of it, but you won't miss it much. In fact, I realize that a large percentage of my time was purely wasted as an elder. For example, I could spend a lot of time just trying to get a certain talk to fit its alotted amount of time. That wasn't spiritual. I wasn't learning anything. A lot of my study time was just preparing parts - not learning and not really questioning and researching. A lot of it was just orchestrating interviews and all kinds of stuff like that that I feel was a total waste. I would ride two or three or hours out of time for a pre-circuit assembly or pre-district convention meeting only to get there and find out it was a waste of time.

Since you are getting older, use your time wisely. If Jah is who you think he is, he will understand you and appreciate you and you will be rewarded. Search for truth and humbly (& strongly) be willing to go where your search leads you. Study the Bible deeply. Consider different translations. Research the canon of scripture used by JWs and others. Consider why other books were not included, who determined the present canon and whether they can/should be trusted.

I actully feel nobler and stronger now. I know that my study and seeking now is genuine - not for glory. I want to find real answers - because I hate suffering and injustice, I love life, and I love the planet and am fascinated by the entire cosmos.

If there truly is a loving god, and if you are a strong person who loves justice and kindness and hates to see others suffer, and if you are willing to put forth effort, then I think that god will be pleased with you and you will fare well. If there is going to be a new world as JWs teach, and if you are as just described, I think you will be a prince in that new world. At that point, nobody will even remember who were elders in this world. Nobody will remember who gave district convention talks in 2014.

There is something wrong in JWdom right now. If you still believe in the JW way, then maybe you could view it as being like the times in Israel when there was much corruption and only a few noble, righteous souls. Finally, Jah performed cleansings. Maybe there's going to be a major cleansing among JWs.

So, step aside. Start engaging in real study, meditation, and prayer. Ask Jah to help you unbiasedly and open-mindedly find and see truth. Whether you realize it, you've actually been sort of kept in ignorance as a JW. JWs don't do real, in-depth study. Your time has been eaten up by busy work (probably intentionally by JWs).

Watch to see what's going to happen in the JW realm. It's interesting. Maybe future happenings, changes, etc. will help you to see more clearly where you stand and help you to sort out feelings.