Simon Templar

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Posts by Simon Templar

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  40

  Jws and poverty

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i say poverty, i mean not knowing where your next meal is coming from or being unable to pay your bills or afford necessary medicines poverty.

  i'm talking the kinds of poor people who have to get food from charities kind of poor, or long term unemployment living in a trailer/caravan kind of poor.

  holes in clothes poor.

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  Simon Templar

  I agree. I have never seen that kind of poor in the JW religion.
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  61

  Thoughts on going back, am I the only one that feels this way?

  by excaliber in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello everyone, i know you have heard this topic before and your probably thinking.

  ...not again lol.. but i was wondering if anyone has thought of going back for the same reasons as myself, i don't think its the truth but i searched and my conclusion is that other religions don't have the truth, they are all wrong in my opinion.

  if there is no other religion to go too, why leave were i was born and raised.

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  Simon Templar

  Excaliber:

  I was never in Bethel. My beliefs now are semi-complicated, so I will tell you in summary. Generally, I go along with the JW teachings on morals and values. No quarrels there. I dont know when the end will come (and neither does anyone else, per Jesus) and therefore dont really care when it comes. I just dont want to talk about it all the time, or act in fear because of it. I believe that preaching is a requirement of any christian (yes this means you too Catholics/Protestants), and that God is justified in expecting that of a professed believer. Preaching means directing people to God and Jesus as the Savior. I think that gathering together periodically to worship is good and a required activity. Periodically means what it does to you. I dont believe that any worship or associated activity should be forced or overly controlled. I am not sure that the CA, SAD, or the DC are necessary or people should feel compelled to attend. I Think that it is clear that the "Elder Arrangement" hasnt yielded the expected results, and that in practice it has more negative impact than positive. This needs to be changed. I think that people get too tweeked over the GB and the Branch-DO-CO stuff. That has to be expected when running an organization, and has little daily impact on the rank and file. I dont spend any mental energy on those things. I think that the Memorial is a requirement. I think that FS time and placements should not have to be reported monthly, but who really cares? It takes 5 minutes a month to report. I think the demonization of higher education is way off base. I think the weekly emphasis on Pioneering is too much and needs to be toned down. I think that the blood issue should be converted to a personal decision matter in the advent of medical technology advances. Thats about it for a summary.
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  61

  Thoughts on going back, am I the only one that feels this way?

  by excaliber in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello everyone, i know you have heard this topic before and your probably thinking.

  ...not again lol.. but i was wondering if anyone has thought of going back for the same reasons as myself, i don't think its the truth but i searched and my conclusion is that other religions don't have the truth, they are all wrong in my opinion.

  if there is no other religion to go too, why leave were i was born and raised.

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  Simon Templar

  I understand how you feel and think. I am very similar to you in background. Lifer, served for years, married in, family in on bothsides, blah,blah,blah. I find for me, the best course of action is to remain in and do nothing. I go to meetings regularly, do field service, I am minimally social, the "friends" like me. However, I am not in the school, and I dont do anything but comment once in a while and chat a little bit after the meeting. I come to the KH, sit down and then get up and leave. There is no problem for me (maybe it would be for you or others but not me). I play it straight. No bad conduct, no secret sinning, no nothing, and I have no inclination to do anything that can result in being thrown out. The Elders want me to be involved (again), but when the subject comes up, I change it. I go to the CA, SAD, and DC for the days that I can or wish to and thats it. I avoid the CO and wife when they visit. So, I am in control of the things that I do, not the BOE or anyone else and it is a pretty comfortable place to be in- for me. I do sense that this lack of control drives the "coordinating elder" and another one or two of them nuts, but thats all the impact that I see. The formula is a simple one. Oh yes, I dont let things bother me. I dont care what the recent understanding of this and that is, why it changed, what J.F. Rutherford wrote about it in 1929 or any of that stuff. I focus on what I believe, why I do and thats it. If any of it isnt the Party Line I keep it to myself. I am good with that.
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  3

  Elders at the door

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yesterday at 10 am the doorbell was ringing.

  thank god we were upstairs bussy with the kids.. they left a litle note with the text "we, __ and __, found you not home, see you in the kingdom hall.

  cellphone number xxxxxxx".

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  Simon Templar

  Gorbatchov, if you dont want them to call, just tell them so. Now that you have a mobile number for one of the Elders, just send him a text message telling them not to call. That should be painless. Try this example: "Got your note in the door. Thanks. We would appreciate no future calls at our home."
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  4

  How to access the link at my ex-KH??

  by quellycatface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just in case i need a really good laugh one day, how do i get the number and pin code for my ex-kh??

  i am da'd.. i also need to be careful not to reveal my location etc...... any ideas for the james bond's among you??

  or bond girls as well., of course!!!.

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  Simon Templar

  you have to get it from the elders or another person in the Congregation that has it. Even though you are DA'd you can still attend meetings if you want to. Thats what the telephone hookup is for. it shouldnt be a problem I would think. Just ask the Elders that you were dealing with for the number and see what happens. The phone software records your number and the name the telephone company associates with that number.
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  4

  Will the "SCANDALS & COVERUPS" subsection dissappear soon?

  by Calebs Airplane in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  as of late, it appears that the watchtower corporation has been trying to walk the "straight and narrow" (so to speak) as there really hasn't been too many newsworthy scandals or coverups in the last few years (other than their usual doctrinal flip-flops, steven unthank, conti, and a few others).... also, they've done a lot of damage control in the last few years by spinning the events of 1914-1919, using the library card excuse, dishing out tons of "hush money" to the parents of child molestation victims, etc... with their ongoing scheme to bury their dark past, it appears that they may actually emerge smelling like roses once again.. so i ask: will the subsection "scandals & coverups" dissapear from jwn soon?.

  what say you?.

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  Simon Templar

  I would leave it. Things will come up.
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  33

  scum bag elder

  by Crazyguy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so last night i had a family meeting and told my kids that i was quitting as a jw and then gave my wife my da letter to give to the one elder i like at the hall tonight.

  so this morning i see a text from the co elder the one that met with me and is gunning to get me out and had already tried to get me to a jc meeting this week.

  so the text reads "your wife has informed me of your letter and its sad to hear, would like to meet one last time not as a jc, to be sure this is what you want.".

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  Simon Templar

  This is just a standard procedure to verify that you want out, and haven't written the letter while in a bad emotional state, drunk or something like that. All you have to do is respond to the text/email and briefly say that there is no need to meet. Your letter expresses your decision. If you leave it at that, they will leave you alone and announce at the next Service Meeting.
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  31

  JWs took off from work in 1975?

  by skeeter1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a friend of mine is an electrician supervisor.

  back in 1975, one of his employees was a jw.

  the jw was so convinced that 1975 would bring the end of the world, that the jw took off from work (like, the first week in january) and sat on the top of a north carolina mountain waiting for armegheddon.

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  Simon Templar

  All that I personally knew of was people quitting their jobs or college/school and Pioneering. I know of many that bought new cars and houses, heavy credit card use, etc, expecting to stiff the banks when the "end of the world in 1975" would happen.
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  13

  District Convention drama practice

  by hoser in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this experience goes back some time too.

  it was one of the defining moments in helping me to wake up to this nonsense.. .

  i had a minor role in a drama several years ago.

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  Simon Templar

  None of this surprises me. It sounds like the standard stuff that goes on in the Organization which has caused many to walk out the door.
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  37

  The elders came by and my DA letter

  by Crazyguy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the lead elder co of my hall said he was going to push for a jc meeting.

  i could tell all along all hes interested in is protecting his god the org.. so i'm 90% sure now of going on the offesive and first having a family meeting telling them i'm offically quitting and how its going to play out and how i'll will be shunned even though i have commited no sin.

  i also may explain a little of why and how i came to this decision with out bashing the org to much out of respect for my wife.

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  Simon Templar

  I was wondering why you feel it necessary to explain anything to them. It serves no purpose other than making you feel better. If that's the reason, so be it.