talesin

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Posts by talesin

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  44

  Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

  by Hidden-Window in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

  i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

  i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

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  talesin

  Apog, what you said,

  There's still sincere brothers in there who feel that they're just doing what's expected of them: they fulfill their assignments and go out in service, then one day they're asked to be an MS, and they don't feel they can say "no"... years pass, and the same thing happens again, and now they're an elder. And they feel like they're pleasing Jehovah by helping the congregation. They're working hard for little reward, and they don't wear their title like a badge.

  Personally, it seemed like a world of pain, and I saw no reason to work hard enough to meet the field service requirement just so that I could be made an MS.

  ---

  Yes, I totally agree. Check my post above, and consider yourself hugged. (in an old-enough-to-be-your-mother, or at least your older sisteer, way). :))

  It's not just the women who get a raw deal, and we talk about that a lot -- but what do the young men have to look forward to? A lifetime of servitude in poverty, perhaps stuck in a loveless marriage or, if they see TTATT, one torn with sorrow and disruption in spite of the love..... AND if they are LUCKY (lol), the opportunity to let the WTS suck the life from their souls. Indeed.

  t
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  20

  Feeling down as Christmas nears

  by Quandry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't think i've started but one or two threads before.

  i find myself sitting here listening to beautiful instrumental christmas music and feeling down.. you see, i was "in" for over thirty years.

  thirty years with no christmas.

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  talesin

  *bump*

  Well, my spirits have lifted, hope yours have, too.
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  14

  WTBT$/JW's = AMWAY/MLM Schemes

  by Darth Fader The Sequel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  all of the wts tactics and procedures are based off of your most basic mlm (multi-level marketing) schemes.

  take your pick of amway, or any of the other vitamin or financial mlm's.

  they all work the exact same way.

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  talesin

  nonjwspouse - now that is a great thing to read. You used this as an opportunity to teach, and turned a negative into a positive.
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  44

  Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

  by Hidden-Window in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

  i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

  i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

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  talesin

  The WTS abuses its young 'brothers', too. We talk a lot about how women are nobodies, but it's the same for the men - they can get faux titles, but really, it must be just as hard, only different. Having to brown nose, toe the line so to speak, with few rewards (except for status, if that matters to the individual) and lots of critiques.

  They are discouraged from getting an education, and get married so young, that the little ones come along, and they are stuck. No prospects of making a good wage unless they go against Jehovah's admonitions (excuse me while I puke) and get an education, and perhaps 20 years old with mouths to feed, and a full plate at the KH.

  These young men hardly have a chance in today's world. I can only imagine how discouraging life must be - most likely working at a labour-intensive job to make ends meet, feeling inadequate as a provider, PLUS all the WT stuff on top? It's amazing that they can find the motivation to go in FS, let alone 'reach out' for more responsibilities. It's a thankless job, with little satisfaction. I would guess that the elders who truly want to help and guide people, get few chances to do that. It's sad, so sad on many levels.

  tal
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  14

  2014 Year of the.......

  by sparrowdown in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  tight-pantsgate?.

  the great wt rebranding?.

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  talesin

  2014 was the year that Aurora Borealis gave some Canadians and Americans the first celestial light show of their lives.

  It was the year we rode out a press-fueled Ebola scare.

  And day-yum, in 2014, we had one of the best crops of strawberries in years!

  t
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  14

  WTBT$/JW's = AMWAY/MLM Schemes

  by Darth Fader The Sequel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  all of the wts tactics and procedures are based off of your most basic mlm (multi-level marketing) schemes.

  take your pick of amway, or any of the other vitamin or financial mlm's.

  they all work the exact same way.

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  talesin

  A lot of JWS are (or at least were) into MLM schemes, and some exJWs as well.

  The WTS is changing its business model, it seems, because MLM is no longer as successful as it once was - people can't afford the 'front load' anymore, as is well-demonstrated by that link, Julia Orwell.

  (Friggin' fascinating, blog, btw! I have my own Mary Kay story to tell and lol, I got them GOOD. Why did she insist on recruiting a CMA student? drrr! She would not let me *just* be a client. I bought enough product at about 40%, to supply myself and friends for a couple of years, and make back my investment *plus*. I sold at parties for 2 months and doubled my front load, then quit. Those sales meetings were crAzAY! There was no religion, of course (we are a more secular culture), but other than that, yup, the Pink Truth is spot on as my experience, too! Anyhoo, I left with a few hundred bucks in my pocket, enough product to last me years, and most importantly, the last laugh! That was 1986.)

  Back to the OP. It willl be interesting to see 'how the worm turns'. The WTS is busily buying and selling, building and developing real estate, and focusing even more on donations. Field service is being replaced by Info Carts and the new re-brasnding of JW.org is coming along quite nicely. It's accepted and LOVED by the sheeple. I also found one of the quotes from a recent Watchtower (TM) suggested to *me* that they may be leaning towards instituting tithing. There was a particular emphasis on those who make more $$$, giving more $$$. hmmm. Random thoughts.

  t
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  45

  What products have you bought that exceed your expectations?

  by skeeter1 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well?.

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  talesin

  JWdaughter - yes, I got one at a yard sale, what a mess! But they clean up very nicely. Have been on a 'use cast iron' campaign all my life. ;P THe Lodge stuff is quite pricey, indeed. I am always on the lookout for one, though, at the thrift store and such.
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  45

  What products have you bought that exceed your expectations?

  by skeeter1 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well?.

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  talesin

  My Lodge cast iron skillets, naturally non-stick.

  I can make beautiful pan-seared just about anything: fish, steak, you name it!

  Even scrambled eggs turn out wonderfully and you don't have to worry about all the toxic crap from teflon.

  ---

  Oubliette - That's all I use - mine are ancient skillets, and I have several sizes (they are so heavy, but that's okay). But I would LOVE to get ahold of one of the Lodge Dutch ovens!

  tal
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  68

  If Your JW Parent Died Would YOU Go To The Kingdom Hall For The Talk?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i would like your thoughts, please..

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  talesin

  Everyone has their back story, and I really do feel that going to a memorial service, where *every single person, blood and otherwise* has shunned me since I was 20 years old, would be letting them re-offend me with their abuse. The last time, my grandfather's (maternal), it took me months to recover. And that wasn't in a KH, it was just the visitation at the funeral home. I was the ONLY ONE who visited Grampy at least 5 days a week in the nursing home. But I learned that night, to do my grieving alone.

  Also, some parents don't deserve respect. Don't forget how many of us were sexually abused, and nothing was done. We have parents, parents who either knew, covered it up, or participated, so don't judge anyone if you have not walked a mile in his or her shoes.

  I encourage anyone who is an Adult Survivor, either male or female, to search old content/threads for people's stories, and some really healing discussions. :))

  So when y'all say 'of course', it makes me cringe. There is no 'of course' or so-called 'normal' behaviour in cults.

  peace and love

  **Edit: Grampy wasn't a JW, he liked Herbert W. Armstrong and the WWCOG, but he wanted to have a JW memorial service. He believed they had 'the Truth', but wouldn't give up tobacco. I miss you, Grampy!
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  54

  How do you overcome this JW excuse?

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  during one of those meetings that took place before my jc, one of the elders, who was a good friend of mine back then and used to come up with a few outlandish personal views about some teachings, attempted to counter one of my arguments like this:.

  eden - "well, if the truth doesn't change, why is it that what we teach as 'truth' has changed over the years (several examples given)?

  how can we dogmatically claim at any given moment that we have 'the truth' if our teachings keep changing?".

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  talesin

  Sounds like Circular Reasoning (or circular logic).

  Jehovah is omniscient, infallible, etc.

  Therefore, the present truth from Jehovah is always the truth.

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  from Wiki, a definition:

  1. Circular reasoning is not a formal logical fallacy but a pragmatic defect in an argument whereby the premises are just as much in need of proof or evidence as the conclusion, and as a consequence the argument fails to persuade.