New Board members within the last 1 year..... (page 5)

Nobleheart

I joined in Nov. 2010. I lurked only for a couple of days then became a member. This forum has helped me so much in finding information about JW history and doctrines. Also it's great being part of a community that understands where you're coming from, and where you're free to voice your opinions and concerns without censure or fear.

Hoffnung

Dear Franklin Massey, thank you for sharing, and please come back often. I agree with you most elders are well intended, there are quite a few in my family. However I would like you to ponder about the following: The way the elder arrangement is set up and the tasks involved make it very heavy. Do you agree? Just to highlight one big item: Why are you put in these JCs in the 1st place? When Jesus makes his statement in Matt 18, he refers to the congregation and not the older men as last resort. The same idea you find reflected in Paul's letters to the Corinthians. What is actually practiced in congregations worldwide is step 1 (the accuser goes to the accused) and step 2 (there is a witness involved, in the congregation it reads, the accuser goes to an elder and the COBOE sets up a JC if it is DF offense) of Matt 18, and it NEVER reaches step 3, the congragation is never informed, because either the person is reproved and he is admonished not to talk to anybody in the congregation about it, or he is DFed and he is not allowed contact with JWs any more (the announcement in the local congregation, never mentions the offense, but the offense is documented and sent to bethel for filing, whereas the congregation has the RIGHT to know why, as per Matt 18). If matters would be handled less secret and more biblical, the child abuse issue would never have become so big amongst JWs, and your burden would be considerably reduced as side effect. And when James writes in chapter 5, that when somebody commits a sin, and the older men pray with this person and give counsel, his sins will be forgiven. You know that in many cases, sins are not forgiven, people in the most difficult time in their lives just get a good kick in the butt, and find themselves unprepared alone in the world for the very 1st time. I feel that the JC arrangement is not in accord with bible. Please feel free to correct this. I hope I am not putting you off with this. Please take care with warmth, love and feeling of the poor sheep in your fold, because they need it.

Franklin Massey

@Hoffnung: You said, "You know that in many cases, sins are not forgiven, people in the most difficult time in their lives just get a good kick in the butt, and find themselves unprepared alone in the world for the very 1st time. I feel that the JC arrangement is not in accord with bible."

I couldn't agree more. I understand the need to help those who are facing problems in their lives. I understand the need to protect the congregation in the instance of a serious threat. However, many JCs do not revolve around serious threats. Many are personal matters or matters involving very few people and of which the issue at hand does not affect the congregation at large. Add to that the fact that we are imperfect and should not be set up to judge other human beings. It just kills me when I can tell that someone is given a negative sentence due to an "unrepentant attitude" (as deemed by a JC) when in all actuality, they are just vulnerable, or inable to communicate openly and freely with a group of men who are there as a formal committee of judges. I know of one young girl, an old friend of mine, who was disfellowshipped because she didn't cry at her judicial meeting. To the JC, tears of regret and sorrow were the criteria for repentence. No tears, no reproof. If they actually knew her, they would have known that she was painfully shy and had some traumatic experiences that rendered her unable to tap in to deep emotion at times. When things got tense, she just shut off. They thought she was being rebellious or uncooperative. As a testament to her faith, she stuck it out and eventually came back so that she could interact with friends and family.

mouthy

This topic was sooooo encouraging for me .( Granny on board for many years)
Welcome all you newbies,,, It is SO GOOD to have you join us. Please
keep on keeping on posting,Who knows? One of these days my daughter & grandkids
& great grandkids will find the site. I pray for that all the time

Mouthy

confuzzled777

Franklin Massey......I was disfellowshipped for exactly what you mentioned in your post above. An unrepentant attitude. This was because an "interview" about a certain event was turned into a JC committee for me. They actually had a 3rd elder in waiting, just in case. They excused my hubby and me into another room and when they called us back in much to my surprise there was 3 elders sitting on the other side of the conference table. I felt as if I had been suckerpunched. My stomach hurt SO bad at the end of the almost 3 hour meeting that I was doubled over in pain. I will disagree with you on the crying though......I sobbed. I left the room with my face in my hands and my heart broken in two. No apology to me when I finally returned (although they did apologize to my hubby when I first left). So, for me, crying got me no where.

Not sure if you are familiar with my story.....but there were 6 publicly reproved and 4 (including myself) disfellowshipped at the same time. I was announced 2 weeks after everyone else as I appealed my decision. This was orchestrated by the CO and the PO in our hall. They were out to make us an example as the night in question had been talked about throughout the circuit. Talk about gossip......

Hoffnung

Dear Franklin Massey, thank you for your quick reply. I fully agree with you on this point. Too many have become colateral damage in the JC process. The sad story you related about this young friend of yours is not unique. May the Jesus grant you peace of mind and guide your well intended efforts.

FadeToGrey

Hi I am new aswell. I did post a story a little while back. Hav been fading since around jan 2010. Last meeting was the 2010 memorial.

It's been great out of the ratrace of all the bullshit of this religion, the looks when u miss a few meeting the judging cos you dont want to reach out to be a MS or what ever crap they want u to do. That alone was killing me, Literally!!!

They say Jesus load is light, It maybe so, but not with the JW's. You have to be doing so much its bullshit. It's like having 2 fulltime jobs.

As you all know it's to much. Anyway i could go on for ever with all this.

One thing i am extremly lucky with is my Dear wife is on board with me too, well she read COC before me and we are both together and out..

YAY..

mamalove

I think I lurked on and off for a year or two. I never figured out how to navigate, etc and started posting until last summer. I come here for comfort, education and some laughs. Not really any really close friendships yet. I would like to meet other JWs in my area some day.

unshackled

Hi all...I joined in June 2010. Didn't lurk too long before signing up. I had faded over 4 or 5 years and moved on with my life. I left because of the hypocrisy I had seen and also some deep questions about the whole god/bible story. But didn't dig further than that. Only about 2 years ago did I start taking interest in scrutinizing the JW religion. The trigger for myself was reading the book "Under the Banner of Heaven" by Jon Krakauer. It is about the LCD churche and some fundamentalist splinter groups. Light went off realizing JWs were no different...a controlling, puppet master religion.

Once I started pulling the thread it unraveled fast. Found this site and immediately started to engage. I'm glad I did....great to share thoughts, feelings, and general experiences with all of you. Here's to freedom from religion!

factfinder

I joined in Sept. 2010 I think. i actually tried to for weeks before but I was not accepted. My username was in Norsk ( Norwegian!) so I guess that was why. Eventually I tried again with a different (English) username and finally got accepted! At first I thought Jehovah was directing me away from this forum since I could never log in! Good thing I did not give up trying!

New Board members within the last 1 year.....

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