thedepressedsoul

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Posts by thedepressedsoul

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  64

  2020-May-16-S-147-E--Announcement in English and Spanish!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you are on the email list these letters are already in your refrigerator.. 2 letters arrived, the same letter in english and spanish.. 2020-may-16, s-147-e announcementif you are not on the email list, reply below if you want the link put in your pm box.petra!

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  thedepressedsoul

  Hi!

  If you could please message me the files. Also, I'd like to be added to the email list.

  Thanks for all you do!
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  29

  Have you ever known elders who were more into being and elder than really being a believer?

  by phoenixrising in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have known many elders who were much more into the idea of being an elder and getting all the old ladies to tell them what wonderful talks they give and the power then really being a believer.

  i had one elder tell me that when he became an elder he was on top dog on top of the heap.

  i knew some who were really all about the religion and following the cult.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I was one of these within the last few years. I woke up when I was a MS and then 3 years later I became a Elder. I actually didn't bother anyone because I didn't believe it so I wasn't the counsel/pushy type.

  I enjoyed the parts and the "responsibilities". I like to keep busy and work hard.

  I actually started feeling bad for a lot of the elders while I was one. For about 90% of them, it's all they have. Their only success and achievement is being an elder. I've seen so many of them fight for their life to keep the title because it was all they had. Months and months of stress just for the hope that they can hold onto it. Once I realized that, it made stepping down that much easier. I didn't want that to be me.

  Since then, I drink a lot less and only enjoy 1-2 drinks now and then. As an elder, it was every night. You are literally the Borgs lap dog.

  I came to the realization that the more "privileges" you have, the less power and authority you actually have. Your "privileges" are constantly brought up and dangled in front of you as a a reason to fall in line. Joe Publisher with zero things in the congregation actually holds the most power. As long as he isn't doing a DF offense that is out in the open, there's really nothing they can do to him on the lesser things. I had this WTF moment when I realized that and took my first opportunity that came my way to step down.

  Since then, I put my time and energy into my business and family. I've been a lot happier and I got to enjoy hobbies again! I never realized how much I gave up, things that I loved doing, just to be an elder.
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  158

  8 Documents Arrived Today!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  1.--authorization and release agreementfor disaster relief medical assistance.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------2.--for the attention of all elders------------------------------------------------------------------.

  3.--additional direction regarding assistance with practical needs------------------------------------------------------------------.

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  thedepressedsoul

  If you could send them to me please!
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  24

  Are Ex-JW's Suffering From Burn Out?

  by IWant2Leave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the reason that i ask is, in the two years on this forum and you tube, i've seen ex-jw's either drop off entirely or make fewer and fewer videos.

  i know the emotional toll can be high.

  is that the sole reason, or is it cost (video) or do you think it's external pressure (legal or family)?

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  thedepressedsoul

  I think for some, to truly move on, they have to leave this all behind.

  They hit a point in their journey where they no longer care about JW's, what they're doing or what's going on inside the organization. They have truly moved on to something else.

  This doesn't work and isn't for everyone. Each person deals and moves forward in their own way. I wouldn't consider them dropped off, but they've decide it's time to move on to the next thing.
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  94

  2020-May-S-147-E Announcements And Reminders!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  friends, atlantis is receiving so much stuff so quickly, it is hard to keep up with it all.. the 2020 may announcements and reminders just came in also.

  (s-147-e) in english and german.. if you want those just say so in the replies.. petra!.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I'd like a copy and to be included on the list.

  Thanks!
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  12

  GB Letter To Elders In Response To Oxygen Series

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  this letter was put out right when the series aired.

  seems they have "disfellowshipped" reporters pretty much in the eyes of their followers.

  public information desk: as of july 1, 2019, a public information desk (pid) was established to handle communication with news media, academic institutions, and government agencies.

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  thedepressedsoul

  This letter was put out right when the series aired. Seems they have "disfellowshipped" reporters pretty much in the eyes of their followers.

  Public Information Desk: As of July 1, 2019, a Public Information Desk (PID) was established to handle communication with news media, academic institutions, and government agencies. The PID is an important resource for all congregations in the U.S. branch territory, especially during times of crisis or when significant events are reported by media organizations. If the media contacts a congregation to request an interview or comments, please note that no interview should be granted by an elder or ministerial servant without permission from the branch. Request the reporter’s name, contact information, and the name of the media outlet. Inform the reporter that his request will be given consideration. Thereafter, immediately contact the PID either by calling (718) 560-5600 or by means of jw.org e-mail. Publishers may be approached for a comment by media representatives in connection with our activities or beliefs and may decide to participate. However, when elders learn that a publisher has granted such an interview, they should immediately inform PID.
  
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  8

  Organized Book Change

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i made this post yesterday.

  i couldn't remember my login info for this account.

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6247826114740224/update-change-od-coming-soon.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I want to watch how I word things but the CO's will not be informing the elders first directly.

  To me this would mean that the update could be told to the elders by letter & congregation announcement since they are both on the same form each month.
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  39

  Publisher ID - I Saw It In Person & It Was Terrifying!

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'd like to start off this post by saying, we all know that the wt loves control.

  it's clear by their history, their wt's, the elder arrangement and so on.

  however, after witnessing and using the publish id program in person, it takes this need for control to a whole new level & it was scary.. if you've ever seen builder assist (the website program used for ldc volunteers) or the metro program, it actually looks pretty similar to that.

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  thedepressedsoul

  Good question. I'm not in the UK and didn't know anyone from there to lookup. I was wondering the same thing after though.
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  39

  Publisher ID - I Saw It In Person & It Was Terrifying!

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'd like to start off this post by saying, we all know that the wt loves control.

  it's clear by their history, their wt's, the elder arrangement and so on.

  however, after witnessing and using the publish id program in person, it takes this need for control to a whole new level & it was scary.. if you've ever seen builder assist (the website program used for ldc volunteers) or the metro program, it actually looks pretty similar to that.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I'd like to start off this post by saying, we all know that the WT loves control. It's clear by their history, their WT's, the Elder arrangement and so on. However, after witnessing and using the Publish ID program in person, it takes this need for control to a whole new level & it was scary.

  If you've ever seen Builder Assist (the website program used for LDC volunteers) or the Metro program, it actually looks pretty similar to that. A basic web looking app with a search bar, information, login and so on. Here's what's interesting.

  More people have access to it than I thought. Specific people at Bethel have access, certain remote bethelites and people not even at Bethel. Higher up LDC members, Assembly Hall Overseers, CO's etc... There is a lot, and I mean a lot of information at their finger tips.

  They can't login directly or use the program on their remote computer. They have to first login to a computer running on a server. Basically, it's a older version of Windows OS running on a server. Each one is assigned one of these virtual computers. It's unclear if their server is running the OS on Microsofts servers or on Bethels servers. That's the first step. They have to login to their virtual, assigned computer. From there, they can bring up the Publish ID program. It runs like a regular Windows program, meaning it's not a web browsers program. From there though, it looks like a web program running inside of this Windows programs.

  Here's where it gets scary though.

  The individual showing me this said think of any name or a brother or sister that you know. I spit out a random name of Joe Publisher who attends 1 Sunday meeting per month. They type their name in. To my disbelief his name pops up... He was in this database. So they click on the name. A card style view shows up and it displays their address, phone number, congregation, date of baptism, if there was any congregation privileges, male or female. There was even a photo ID spot were if they had a picture on file it would be displayed.

  It gets even crazier. There's a "Documents" section under this person name. In that section is displays any application they submitted, and "incidents" that happened with this person, correspondences, if or why they were removed as a elder or MS. Literally a full record of just this one person was a few clicks away from the individual showing me this program.

  I spit out more names. Every name, came up with the exact same information. This is a huge database! I even gave my own name and saw all of my information that the branch had on me. If you were baptized & I'd even go as far to say a unbaptized publisher, you are in this database.

  I gave a generic last name and it displayed "Showing 200 results of 3,000". You can then do a more refined search. Add in the state, congregation, phone number and you will find the exact person you want.

  I asked the person showing me if there were different levels of access you could be granted. I know on Builder Assist you can be granted different access levels which displays more information, lets you access parts others can't, make changes and so on. They said they didn't know. However, their access level already displayed a ton of information on each person. I assume there are different levels that display even more.

  I left very creeped out by how much information was in this database. How much info there was on me, my friends, family and how easy it was for them to access this information.

  They always talk about protecting our brothers and sisters from the government in the time of the end. If 1 official got access to this info they'd have every piece of info on every witness and could go right to their house since their address is in this database. It makes no sense!

  I think the scariest part was realizing I am forever in this database. It doesn't matter if I leave, I will still be part of their database.

  I don't see how something like this is even legal without providing consent. Any person I could think of, we typed their name in and there they were. There was not one time that we couldn't find the person who I named.
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  8

  Organized Book Change

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i made this post yesterday.

  i couldn't remember my login info for this account.

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6247826114740224/update-change-od-coming-soon.

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  thedepressedsoul

  I made this post yesterday. I couldn't remember my login info for this account.

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6247826114740224/update-change-od-coming-soon

  I don't have the exact info. Other than the CO's have received the updated change already so we should expect the actual copy to be updated soon.

  It's a big enough change that the CO's had to be notified ahead of time on what the change was.