First post (page 4)

respectful_observer

"...so maybe I will just use the line I have used sometimes in the past, ' our understanding now is...'"

I made a decision several years ago to never say something from the stage or in comment that I do not personally believe in. You could always just "call a spade, a spade" and say, "The Governing Body now teaches...". That way, your not forcing yourself to state YOU believe a teaching/interpretation when you really don't. But since it's factually accurate, no one should be able to criticize what you're saying.

(Now that the GB claims to make up the entire membership of the "Faithful and Discreet Slave Class", I've completely stopped using the term and just refer to them as "The Governing Body." On occassion when someone starts throwing around the term left and right, I reply "Oh, you mean the Governing Body?" They get a really uncomfortable look on their face and change the subject because suddenly it makes it sound like they're worshipping men.)

thedog1

Final post for today as I have reached the 10 posts limit for today. Haven't I been busy? The ovelapping generation teaching goes against all reason, unfortunately, so I find this impossible to defend. To me, generation means what it always has, as in 'my father's generation,' a group of people or roughly the same age, so that this has a certain life- span, and cannot in reality 'overlap.'

Comatose

Welcome to the board. I was born in a loving JW home, and raised by strong parents. I pioneered from teenage years into early marriage. Served as a MS for a long long time, never could take the step to be an elder. Posting here was so hard, then I saw my avatar. A winking devil. I almost died... :)

Please know we all have been through and are continuing to go through what you are. We are here for you. Its very important to remember to slow down. Relax. We get so you used to thinking that everything we do is a mad dash and a rush when we are in the organization. Now that you know the end is not coming anytime soon and that things are going to be okay, take your time with your family. If you move too quickly it will blow it.

I wish you the best. I honestly do. Post often is my advice. When you have a question or doubt that you want to express post it here. Almost all of us have had the same questions or doubts and you'll get several comments and it will help you to talk with people about it here instead of those that you know personally.

Daniel1555

Dear dog

I feel very much for you as I was in a similar situation. I was an elder but knew deep down that shunning is a wrong thing to do especially family members. After a shepherding call with a brother whose mother disassociated I couldn't bear it any longer. I also had some other doubts.

I am a very honest person and it really makes me sick to pretend things. So I wrote the elders that I would like to step back because of my doubts. I wrote in detail about shunning, that I can't approve of Jehovah ordering killings of children in the old testament and also in armaggeddon, that I don't believe the flood was global and therefore my conscience doesn't allow me to be an elder. They understood my decision and also my wife understood but was sad about it.

Then followed to years of studying many topics of my belief. I really tested my religion and I found out things that made it so hard to me to remain even a publisher. The last thing was the blood doctrin. I read most articles here in the medical folder. Especially the letter a brother called Vinny wrote and also the Jensen letters opened my eyes.

As my wife found out about my true feelings she became very cold towards me, she kind of thinks I betrayed her spiritually even though I am kind and tolerant to her.I hope that we can manage to stay together and that our relationship gets better. I can tell you I buried my doubts but they came back. I feel much better now because I followed myconscience. I am not an unbeliever. I still believe in a creator and kind of built my own faith based on pacifism, human rights and love towards humans and creation and science.I wish you all the best and think of you. You can always send me a private message. Daniel

Dismissing servant

The dog..I am sure that 99% of all people will define a generation in that way.

Butm you probably understand that the society hade to change te teaching to "save" the WT chronology and 1914. Remember this is the third change of the generation teaching since 1995. But a lot of JW seem to not have noticed those changes.

Finkelstein

Welcome to the forum thedog1

The WTS has quite a large problem on its hands for what was so markedly enticing for this religious publish house to be strenuously

endeavored with for the last 100 years, such as mankind is living in the last days, (this) generation from 1914 and so forth. etc.

Is now complicating things for the organization in trying to create those actual proclamations still appear viable and truthful.

They certainly were advantageous and marketable doctrines in the proliferation of the WTS. literature toward the public but they

did hold somewhat of a time stamp contained within them.

They've recently come out and said well there is an overlapping generation involved with this particular doctrine but the bible doesn't say

that and there is little scriptural support to be found.

In biblical epistemology a lifespan of one person is one generation so if the WTS. still wants to hold onto 1914 as a start date

they have a real tangible problem on their hands and it gets worse as time progresses.

Ding

1. Welcome!

2. I suppose that in leading the study you can stick as close as possible to the exact words of the WT articles. You might say something like, "When the Watchtower modifies a previous understanding, we are dealing with deep issues that even the Society's leaders have had to wrestle with and study. I want to make sure that I am teaching the new light as precisely as possible rather than trying to come up with my own explanation that might inadvertently contain some inaccuracy."

3. If you don't mind the expression, I think you may be coming to your own crisis of conscience. What does it say about the Watchtower Society that honorable Jehovah's Witnesses (even elders) can't express their confusion honestly and openly in front of brothers and sisters? Instead, you have to pretend to agree with things you don't and even to pretend to understand things you don't. Is that biblical Christianity? 2 Peter 3:16 expressly admits that Paul's epistles contain many things that are hard to understand! If Jesus had removed or disfellowshipped disciples who didn't understand something, all of the apostles would have been disqualified. They were frequently misunderstanding him or puzzled by things he said and did.

If at any time it would help you to discuss matters privately, feel free to PM me.

tornapart

Welcome thedog1.. I too found the overlapping generation difficult to understand and it was the beginning of the end for me. I still go to meetings, my hubby is an elder and he takes the WT sometimes. He knows a lot of my doubts and finds many things difficult to comprehend himself but still believes it's God's organisation. He too uses the phrase 'the current understanding is'.. if he doesn't go along with it himself. I've known 'The truth about the truth' for two years now and am on #8 (leaving quietly's list). It does get harder and harder as each month goes by. I hope you can continue to write here to get some support.

anonymouz

thedog1, you have a PM

ABibleStudent

Welcome thedog1, DITTO what other posters have written about do not tell other JWs about your doubts, unless you want to be DF'ed/DA'ed. Were raised a JW and are most of your friends and family JWs?

It is better for you to vent your feelings on JWN, to independently research your beliefs/doubts, and to critically think for yourself instead of letting the WTBTS tell you how to think. I would recommend that you visit websites like www.jwfacts.com, www.watchtowerdocuments.com, www.jwsurvey.org, www.freeminds2.org, and www.freedomofmind.com to help you research the WTBTS and organizations like it.

After you are sure about your feelings/doubts, then make a plan about what you want to do. You have plenty of options and I am sure that JWN members would be happy to give you advise.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

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