Posts by talesin

36

Coming to terms with the Watchtower experience

by Lee Elder in

it is a challenge coming to terms with your experience as a jehovah's witness.

if you were born and raised as a jw, and your parents were true believers, the impact on your life is profound, lasting, and largely negative.

in some cases quite abusive emotionally, spiritually, financially, educationally and yes, even sexually.. i recently watched "trumbo", and was quite moved by dalton trumbo's speech to the screen writers guild in 1970. here is an excerpt that i think is quite relevant to this topic:.

talesin

A child of physical abuse is a victim. He/she grows up to be an abuser and is now a victim/victimizer. He/she was a victim of circumstance and will always be considered a victim of sorts when discussing what happened to him/her as a child and as a result of that becomes the thing he/she hated most, abusive. Some people that were abused physically don't repeat the cycle but many do, thus they are still a victim by virtue of the horrid way they were brought up and now a victimizer by repeating the abusive behavior.

Welcome, faithnomore!

I was thinking the same thing, but let's take it a little further.

Does the abuser get off? "Oh, the poor thing is a victim of his/her upbringing." No. It is not tolerated by society, and against the law. Especially the willful, repeat abuser.

I think the 'victim' stance is on a continuum and individual level - certainly the GB and other high-ups (and some folk at all levels) know exactly what they are doing.

22

Anyone eat bunnies on Easter????

by James Mixon in

we eat turkey on thanksgiving why not rabbits on easter???

what's your traditional meal.

for easter??

talesin

25

The saga of Russell and Rutherford

by Terry in

i think little charlie russell having been born after many miscarriages by his mother, was doted on and coddled beyond normal.

his mother died of a fever epidemic when he was about 9 and he may have associated burning with fever with burning in hell.he seemed to be obsessed about hell for awhile even to the point of graffiti on sidewalks marking scriptures as warnings.he was privately tutored and brought into the men's clothing business and given and adult's responsibilities.

although the family was presbyterian, there appears to be a streak of insubordination in the genes because they switched to a congregational church with an autonomy of leadership and no organizational oversight.why was this a big deal, do you think?

talesin

Chuck Russell was all about the money. His Miracle Wheat scam was just one that paid off, and has gained some notoriety.

13

Satan & Disasters

by Hadriel in

was told by someone that a receipt article eluded to the fact that satan can cause natural disasters.

i don't see how i could have missed this.

doesn't anyone remember this?

talesin

Insurance companies don't usually pay out for 'acts of God' unless you have a specific flood insurance or whatever is needed (for which coverage you pay dearly).

I posted the *one* site that agrees with JWS. I found 5 others that says Satan has nothing to do with it. It is God's creations, and he controls the earth. They are so-called 'acts of God' on most of the Xtian sites I visited. xx

2

Gospel Story Quiz

by Petraglyph in

jw
friends

see how well you know your bible with the gospel story quiz - 20 quick multiple-choice questions.... gospel story quiz.

share how many answers you got right ;).

talesin

haha, well, isn't that something? You know the answer, and I won't be a 'spoiler'.

27

Shunning: is it still practiced?

by FinchAndWeston in

are df, da and apostates still shunned?

are each treated differently?

i heard a secondhand report that they seemed to have eased up on this practice ...

talesin

Mrs. Flipper

Rabbit's daughters have been shunning him for at least 10-15 years; they are not even JWS! Even when his wife died, it sickens me.

I just ... don't ... get it. "Lack of natural affection" ... indeed.

27

Shunning: is it still practiced?

by FinchAndWeston in

are df, da and apostates still shunned?

are each treated differently?

i heard a secondhand report that they seemed to have eased up on this practice ...

talesin

Let's not forget, they are the losers in this game of life - not to be mean. But I refuse to assume the victim / martyr stance.

I am in touch with a family member, secretly. The risk is DF. My parents also are receiving pressure to stay away. Shunning is alive and well in Canada - my immediate family is spread from coast-to-coast, and they all shun.

5

How many here have meet face to face?

by greenhornet in

jw
friends

years ago when i joined this forum we use to meet each other in person and it was nice to talk in person about our background and why we left.

years ago i meet "seattle nice guy" and another guy buy name of arie was his real name he was from spokane wa.

usa.

talesin

That is sad. My friend in Philly died last year, and we had planned visit this spring. It ain't easy sometimes. xx

31

Who has made an unforgivable sin against the holy spirit?

by atomant in

we all sin and some sins are worse than others but blasphemy against the holy spirit is said to be unforgivable.what is considered to be an unforgivable sin?

talesin

Found it, in WT, but it's 2007, so you and I were long gone (unless it's a rewrite) That was weird, ugh.

w07 7/15 p. 17

2 Yes, it is possible to sin against Jehovah’s holy spirit. “Every sort of sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men,” said Jesus Christ, “but the blasphemy against the spirit will not be forgiven.” (Matthew 12:31) We are warned: “If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment.” (Hebrews 10:26, 27) And the apostle John wrote: “There is a sin that does incur death.” (1 John 5:16) But is it left to the one who has sinned seriously to determine whether he has committed “a sin that does incur death”?
9. What is blasphemy, and what did Jesus say about it?
9 Blasphemy is defamatory, injurious, or abusive speech. Since the holy spirit has God as its Source, saying things against his spirit is the same as speaking against Jehovah. Unrepentantly resorting to speech of that kind is unforgivable. Jesus’ words about such sin show that Jesus is referring to those who willfully oppose the operation of God’s holy spirit. Because Jehovah’s spirit was at work in Jesus but his opposers ascribed this power to the Devil, they sinfully blasphemed against the spirit. Hence, Jesus declared: “Whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit has no forgiveness forever, but is guilty of everlasting sin.”—Mark 3:20-29.

31

Who has made an unforgivable sin against the holy spirit?

by atomant in

we all sin and some sins are worse than others but blasphemy against the holy spirit is said to be unforgivable.what is considered to be an unforgivable sin?

talesin

smiddy, I don't remember it either. Here's the current teaching ... I went to the site (sry, just threw up a little in my mouth)

... However, a person can become so set in following a sinful course that he will never change his attitude or conduct. The Bible describes such a person as having “a wicked heart” that has “become hardened by the deceptive power of sin.” (Hebrews 3:12, 13) Like clay that has been fired in a kiln and that can never be reshaped, the person’s heart has become permanently opposed to God. (Isaiah 45:9) There could never be a basis for such a person to be forgiven, so he is guilty of the unforgivable, or unpardonable, sin.—Hebrews 10:26, 27.
Some Jewish religious leaders in Jesus’ day committed the unforgivable sin. They knew that God’s holy spirit was the force behind Jesus’ miracles, yet they maliciously said that he got his power from Satan the Devil.—Mark 3:22, 28-30.