Posts by umbertoecho

27

Who am I to screw up their happiness?

by Crazyguy in

that was the question to me tonight.

because of their beliefs they have a moral compass, a net work of friends and a support group.

they have what they believe is a loving god.

umbertoecho

I think it's a case of taking away a lifestyle for the oldies. My sister is ten years older than me. He son is an elder and the other one is disfellowshipped and truly f&*^%$d up emotionally, mentally and spiritually. He was so clever with music, played in a band, that band were going places.

What stopped him from gaining his full potential? The shunning and loneliness of missing his family. He was in his early twenties when EMI was about to sign them up for a contract that would have opened the world up to them. But he was lonely and indoctrinated, so he crawled home a mess, gave everything up, let the band down and has not played one tune in fifteen years. He is also still disfellowshipped and living in a twilight zone.

My sister is quite happy for me to die, for my other sister to die. My other sister and me have been separated from each other all our lives until recently. Now we talk in a real sense. She has faded very well and without too much notice. I think the children are the ones who need to be protected from this sect and it's constant message of doom and misery...I think all the comments above have some value.

49

Extreme emotions re today's watchtower

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i was supposed to attend the meeting today, one of my once a month duties for the sake of my family and my fade.

i read the wt and i just can't stomach going.... what this wt does is again and again reiterate that only jws will survive the coming destruction and that they should be happy about this and raise ourselves erect...eg:.

we cannot expect that many people will suddenly convert to true christianity.

umbertoecho

No doubt God’s people will proclaim a hard-hitting judgment message. This may well involve a declaration announcing that Satan’s wicked world is about to come to its complete end.

Oh my God!! This is exactly what that elder said to me about a month ago. My sister too.

What are they going to do? Stand out in the street wearing those funny boards yelling..The end is nigh?!!" I can't believe they are jumping ahead of the bible.....literally...again! Only a short time ago I grabbed the updated Revelations book that they had studied a few years back. (it was prior to the RC and I have been visited every week, but that's another story) I told him it was interesting how few books they had today compared to the vast amounts that were printed over the decades. " He said, " Oh we don't read those anymore, they are old material and are understanding has grown". Then the whole issue came out about how they have done away with types and ante-types.

In other words, unless it is specifically stated as a prophecy in the bible, they no longer attribute the many confusing passages that they once gave all sorts of future meanings to.

This is when I asked him about the clear word "prophecy" in Revelations, it's confusion of meaning, the fact that it's a future event that is not understood......I could have just banged my head on a wall for all his wary resentment of me.

He's an "ELDER". And who in the hell was I to find any fault with the orgynization!!

I have daughters, grandchildren who are loving and beautiful. I have a really old, funny, and slightly wicked neighbour who I watch footy with. She's a Catholic and 89 years of age. And I love her. She is at Church every single Sunday and has never failed. Does she slam it down my throat and tell me I'm going to die? No.

I too am watching the good people in Europe who are trying to help those fleeing persecution from their own countries....

Read fulltimestudents post on that. Yet we have people who are good, who do care.

I don't want god to kill my friends off on this forum, my family, my friends. What about our pets? Unless you've got birds....preferably crows or vultures...

This is terrible reading, it's wicked. And I am upset...really upset about it today. I spent the weekend with people I really love.

18

Anyone miss "Scholar" who used to post here? Found him!

by sir82 in

jw
friends

...in the jwtalk thread covering the september broadcast re: "generation".. http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/22665-september-broadcast/page-5.

poor neil, he comes on this forum, he gets hammered.. goes on the virulently pro-jw forum, gets hammered.. you'd almost think he was a troll.....no, couldn't be..... .

umbertoecho

Ex Priest Rev Alexander Hislop " The Two Babylons" is one of those Scholars the WTBTS loves to quote when it suits them. Be'Duhn, is another one who ( as someone pointed out to me on this forum) disputed the use of Jehovah in the "appendix" of his 200-page book. Such selective use of "scholars" is suspicious enough alone....It is a poor way to refute without offending the JWs by Be'Duhn... (by the way it is believed quite a few of his family are JWs)

Too many examples to choose from. Examples that are poor; for, upon reading the entire book of A Hislop...it is quickly evident that he is not some JW apologist. Yet they eagerly quote the little points that make them, the WTBTS look "correct" in their reasoning. I wonder how this Hislop chap would feel if he knew he was being literally used and abused by dint of a few observations in this book that gratify the JW religion.

36

Could "this generation" inspire a new "1975 debacle"?

by Island Man in

i think that it's possible that they're getting ready to issue a new end time date insinuation like they did with 1975. now i know what some of you are probably thinking: why would they be so stupid as to repeat such a mistake, knowing what happened in 1975?

well here're two reasons why i think they could do it:.

first, it's important to remember that they are deluded.

umbertoecho

I have heard it first "mouth" from an elder that the message is about to change. It's going to be about the end as opposed to the opportunity to live forever on earth as a cow, sheep or some other low ranking survivor of the big A.

It's going to be something like the proclamations of poor old Jeremiah who got thrown into a cesspit for proclaiming "the end".

Therefore, build your' bunkers, buy canned food, stock up on some medication or home grown. Or just carry on doing the best you can to your fellow man.

13

Update on Royal Commission - "Child sex abuse inquiry hears 4000th testimony"

by OrphanCrow in

newcastle heraldchild sex abuse inquiry hears 4000th testimonyby joanne mccarthy sept. 10, 2015, 10:30 p.mthe royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse held its 4000th private hearing in a jail in august as britain followed australias lead in tackling child sexual abuse.the royal commission heard evidence on august 19 from a prisoner who had been sexually abused as a child.in britain, the head of its newly established independent inquiry into child sexual abuse praised the remarkable response to the australian commission.in a speech to australian church leaders on thursday, royal commissioner justice peter mcclellan said he was pleased the british inquiry would closely follow successful australian arrangements.more than 1500 people were waiting for a private hearing and about 40 people a week requested a private hearing, justice mcclellan said.the royal commission has received 16,361 allegations involving 3566 institutions since it was established in november 2012 following the newcastle heralds shine the light campaign for a royal commission into historic child sexual abuse.more than 7000 allegations relate to religious institutions, with 4418 against the catholic church, and more than 3600 against government institutions.allegations against other churches are: anglican, 871; uniting church, 411; presbyterian, 123; methodist, 69; salvation army, 519; jehovahs witnesses, 137; jewish, 80; baptist, 59; seventh day adventist, 56; australian christian churches, 50; lutheran, 32; brethren, 30; mormon, 18; coptic orthodox, 4; and greek orthodox, 2.justice mcclellan said the royal commission had referred 727 matters to police to investigate with a view to prosecuting alleged offenders.in the past few weeks, the royal commission had reported to the federal government on a national redress scheme for victims of abuse.it was clear that time limits presented a considerable, and sometimes an insurmountable, burden for survivors wishing to commence civil proceedings against child sex offenders and institutions, he said.the royal commission should also mark the end of the societal norm that children should be seen but not heard, he said.when the required silence of the child was accompanied by an unquestioning belief by adults in the integrity of the carer ... the power imbalance was entrenched to the inevitable detriment of many children, justice mcclellan said.we must ensure that in the future the institution does not silence the child.

umbertoecho

Mine is tomorrow. There's one more for the record. Have a game of snooker and bet on me...Orphan.....cow.....ha! I loved the thought of you being an orphan cow......

Juliette xx

13

Update on Royal Commission - "Child sex abuse inquiry hears 4000th testimony"

by OrphanCrow in

newcastle heraldchild sex abuse inquiry hears 4000th testimonyby joanne mccarthy sept. 10, 2015, 10:30 p.mthe royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse held its 4000th private hearing in a jail in august as britain followed australias lead in tackling child sexual abuse.the royal commission heard evidence on august 19 from a prisoner who had been sexually abused as a child.in britain, the head of its newly established independent inquiry into child sexual abuse praised the remarkable response to the australian commission.in a speech to australian church leaders on thursday, royal commissioner justice peter mcclellan said he was pleased the british inquiry would closely follow successful australian arrangements.more than 1500 people were waiting for a private hearing and about 40 people a week requested a private hearing, justice mcclellan said.the royal commission has received 16,361 allegations involving 3566 institutions since it was established in november 2012 following the newcastle heralds shine the light campaign for a royal commission into historic child sexual abuse.more than 7000 allegations relate to religious institutions, with 4418 against the catholic church, and more than 3600 against government institutions.allegations against other churches are: anglican, 871; uniting church, 411; presbyterian, 123; methodist, 69; salvation army, 519; jehovahs witnesses, 137; jewish, 80; baptist, 59; seventh day adventist, 56; australian christian churches, 50; lutheran, 32; brethren, 30; mormon, 18; coptic orthodox, 4; and greek orthodox, 2.justice mcclellan said the royal commission had referred 727 matters to police to investigate with a view to prosecuting alleged offenders.in the past few weeks, the royal commission had reported to the federal government on a national redress scheme for victims of abuse.it was clear that time limits presented a considerable, and sometimes an insurmountable, burden for survivors wishing to commence civil proceedings against child sex offenders and institutions, he said.the royal commission should also mark the end of the societal norm that children should be seen but not heard, he said.when the required silence of the child was accompanied by an unquestioning belief by adults in the integrity of the carer ... the power imbalance was entrenched to the inevitable detriment of many children, justice mcclellan said.we must ensure that in the future the institution does not silence the child.

umbertoecho

I sorry to be the harbinger of doom but regarding the UK inquiry. If the government are trying to suppress child abuse allegations made against their own MP's , I can't imagine the UK inquiry being very successful!

Oh. Don't worry about that. There is a collective consciousness at work here. This is not some Freudian Theory. Whoever is exposed will go down. I have complete faith in the basic good of mankind. I know we focus on the bad for it is newsworthy. However, I will always pump out the energy that supports the good in people..."The thought gives birth to the deed" and such sayings.....

10

NOW THAT I AM OUT.

by Guy Montag in

jw
friends

i used to be jon preston.

now that i've escaped the watchtower i have much to report on.

in just a year i left the cult, started living, reset my kids' brains, had my spouse cheat, move to a new location, and started a new job.

umbertoecho

"I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question"

And isn't that true! I am watching with great interest the reactions of those who are deeply compassionate toward those who are fleeing into Europe. Hungaria is showing i'ts "many decades of antipathy toward those in need". Germany is definitely compensating for it's inherited past. ( the average German is so lovely; honestly, so fun loving and optimistic)

The thing is to reclaim your' mind. It is yours. You have every right to develop your thoughts and reactions, based upon good evidence. I think it might be helpful to drop all religion for one year. You may need this time to recover some of what you may have lost.

You may even need to restrict yourself in regard to forums, or only read the posts that are gentle to the soul. There are some hurting people here and some very kind ones too.

23

I've decided to make a difference that REALLY matters

by Mrs. Eden in

hello friends!today is a sad day for me, as seven months have gone by since my mother passed away after a decades-long fight with breast cancer..

because the witnessing/preaching/teaching work doesn't make any sense to me anymore; because it's not about any "truth"; and because it's basically useless, i've decided to quit doing it.

instead, i've decided to do something that actually can make a real difference in other people's lives.

umbertoecho

Brilliant and so pro active of you. I honestly admire you xxxxxxx

2

Interesting lecture that gives some insight into why JWs hate/fear dissenters.

by Island Man in

the actual lecture starts around the 10 minute mark.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvjzqwy9dve.

umbertoecho

I have never allowed myself to watch any sort of material regarding atheism. I have just finished watching this one. I gained the author of a book that I will now get by John Updike: " In the Beauty of the Lilly's" A book about a minister (can't recall his faith now) Who announced from his pulpit that he no longer believed in god.

It's a fictional story but could also be a thesis by the sound of it.

Thanks for uploading the video.

18

Anyone miss "Scholar" who used to post here? Found him!

by sir82 in

jw
friends

...in the jwtalk thread covering the september broadcast re: "generation".. http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/22665-september-broadcast/page-5.

poor neil, he comes on this forum, he gets hammered.. goes on the virulently pro-jw forum, gets hammered.. you'd almost think he was a troll.....no, couldn't be..... .

umbertoecho

Yes, he does manage to displease everyone with his comments and I think he is searching for substantial evidence that he has got the right "truth". They hammer him for being disappointed and so it goes........

Having just read that thread, they are all "pleased" with Splanes explanation. Yet, what all witnesses seem to forget about this passage re Christ and..... This Generation not passing away.... Is that he is talking in the present tense in his address to the Apostles.

Many times I have heard and used the expression the younger generation or the older generation to identify certain people who were contemporary to that time. My generation came from the hippy era. My mothers from the post WW2 generation.

"This generation" sounds like Jesus is talking about the here and now of his time, his peers ........Not that I'm preaching, not at all. It's the improper use of the "this" that is misapplied by the GB.

It's also the lack of research on all levels that allows them to swallow anything they are told. So much easier that way.