Hello WTBS ...we have a problem... millions missing publishers

by TexWiller 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  steve2

  When an organization focused on meeting places is growing in numbers, it needs more, not fewer, meeting places.

  Now, untold numbers of JWs have had their local halls closed and have to travel greater distances to the next available hall.
  
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  BethSarim Is My Name

  It's super easy... SO many people do actually baptize and then leave... they don't substract them from it... kind of like a company reporting number of one-time customers... it's true, but it says nothing.

  You're supposed to be SO good and sooo amazing for people's lives they keep coming back.

  I remember back in 2003, I was in my late teens finishing highschool, our small congregation was repeatedly told it was stagnant. The CO would talk about deletion. I think that's when I first started to hear the talks like that voice from Peanuts. We were constantly barraged with this works = faith nonsense. We were out in service HOURS, I had a part time job AND I went to school still and also managed to go on 6-8 hour stints with a regular pioneer from my congregation, me and my sibblings did this a lot. All the time.

  But in my heart my concern was being found approved by God (another popular phrase used in many many a WT study program).

  All this strain... that congregation today STILL has more or less the same composition, it's just as empty. They moved around language groups, they have "growth" in the form of children born... like I had 3 new babies in that time, so did many other families, so it feels full... sure, until those teens leave.

  Because my friend, they DO in droves. I didn't leave as a teen, I am a second generation JW, there's a TON of pride that comes with that, pioneers in all my fam, born to a young elder full time evangelizer... you just DON'T crash and burn in public, what a holy f@#$# shame to your family... and Jehovah...

  So... double life it was for me... which was really a defense mechanism, I had no idea why I felt so empty inside striving so much... worried about my number of studies and placements. I still remember that was when I stopped caring about saturday morning service.

  My mother would stand by my bedroom door and call me things I was disloyal, didn't love God anymore and rebelling.

  I was in a mess all right, thanks to that magazine attendant in my hall who was kissing me hard behind doors when no one was looking and slipping hands here and there. I'd ask him to stop or talk about how this was gonna bring us a curse and a judgement, but 18 and horny myself... yeah what do you think happened.

  And this was happening in the Hall... announcement after announcement of no growth, and talks about if you hide your sin God can't bless the congregation... I was suicidal now... great it's ALL my dang fault.

  I just wanted it to end, that dud and me... but I was also totally enamored, thinking also he owed me marriage (what idiocy), this abusive manipulative jerk who used things done to me (satuatiory rape at 14, molestation at 6) to abuse me emotionally. So many times I hear: if you tell who do you think they will disfellowship? The person with a past? Or the one who is a virgin?

  9 months I endured that thing, they say distance makes the heart wander... boy I tell you the only thing that saved me was being away from town for a month. I came back and looked at the situation again. To me it was clear, we were either gonna marry or break up asap. He dumped me when I said it. I had changed, no longer weak and controllable.

  We parted ways, everyone asking why? what happened? such a beautiful couple, always in service? The elderly would try to get us talking again...

  less than a month passed a non-JW reported seeing us at 3:00 AM getting into his house... and the committee from hell started.

  Anyway, my point is, these numbers and decline are often blamed on the people in the congregation, they are guilt tripped and the "elders" are far from helpful in helping people in spiritual problems. They have NO idea what the work of ministering to those who need it. They act like it's a burned if and when you sin... because apparently baptism means being born again as a perfect sinless person.

  The JW also does not understand the process of sanctification that a person coming to Christ needs to walk through and the RELATIONSHIP you should be focusing to develop with Christ. Oh they WILL tell you they talk about it ALL the time, but as a child raised in this thing... I felt God in my life in tiny spurts, the message from other members and the leaders and the books was often condemning to the max factor... so I saw God mostly as this angry dude... like Santa knowing you naughty or nice... you have flaws like masturbation... and carry SUCH shame, you self-punish, self-condemn and think not doing it -- often may be enough. Or that it continuously coming back to haunt you is a signal that YOU are basically a goat.

  It took being disfellowshipped, emotionallt beat up, shunned, reinstated and feeling STILL as an outsider, becoing adulterous and divorcing, disfellowshipped again for me to hear what God was saying...

  Your sins reflect your woundedness... I was molested by a complete random old man who walked up to our porch at 6. I slapped him tod him if he ever did that again I would report him... but THAT didn't help my feelings of shame, and curiosity that got stirred in my body. And I have only heard the idea that abused kids become perverts in a very judgy unkind and self-righteous tone... so I hid what happened and was engulfed with nightmares about being exposed and ideas that I was a seductress temptress and sexually immoral.

  No... I was molested and needed help understanding my feelings and body sensations. And because of this a whole chain of events ensued leading to be being forced into sex when I really didn't want to, I just felt a huge pressure to stay and not say I changed my mind, I am going to go... Because up to then someone else's arousal and perversion had become in my mind my doing and my fault.

  Honestly the JW elders have ZERO skills in this department, they don't even know what Christian counselors are, let alone can these 3 tired overworked old men know how to understand someone's process to repeat a sin.

  A day doesn't go by that I don't thank Jesus for leading me, no, literally ripping me by the neck out of that place. At first I refused to stay out... round one I forced myself back to be a JW, now... NEVER. It's a nope.

  My father doesn't know things, I have not told him. My mom knows so she doesn't even bring up coming to meetings when and if I see her which is rarely.
• 

  jonahstourguide

  Well BethSarim Is My Name, I have a friend here in Australia with a strikingly similar experience. What ever got you outta there is your saviour be it emotional strength or simply resolve to do better or human endeavour. Call it what you will. Some do call it jesus, allah, yahweh, etal. Importantly, you need a trusted friend. Whomsoever that may be.
  

  I'm happy to hear you have torn away from the jw falsity. Your evaluation of elder qualifications is right on the money,,,,,,brain dead comes to mind.
  

  Well done. Enjoy your life and persue all of your visions of happiness.

  jtg
  
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  SAHS

  Well, the Jehovah’s Witnesses are the right religion. We know this because of the great increase in . . . . (Whoops.) I mean – okay, we are assured it’s the right religion because of all the prophecies the Watch Tower has . . . . (Oh, oh.) Well, okay, we do know it’s definitely the right religion because of the love . . . . (Oh, forget it!) [Satire indeed.]
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  Brokeback Watchtower

  Could be a lot of disfellowshipping is responsible for the shrunken figures.