Welcome to JWD.
Reading your posts gave me some hope for my wife. I hope one day she'll joint me on this forum.
TheListener
JoinedPosts by TheListener
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72
I'm new too!
by Annointeds Daughter ini'm new to the forum.
i've been lurking for some time, since i was "disconnected" by my husband, "tooktheredpill".
i'm a 3rd generation witness, and still inside of the borg, because all my family is inside.
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As predicted, no loosening of the reins . . .
by AuldSoul inwell, the new governing body is circling the doctrinal wagons and funneling information through fewer and fewer access points.
there is no loosening of the reins.
i believe those who are awaiting mainstreaming from the organization are waiting in vain.
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TheListener
If the COs are truly being phased out....
At first I thought that it would send shockwaves through the congregation, certainly the body of elders. Can you imagine? No more CO visits? Picture yourself sitting on a body of elders; all the preparation that goes into getting ready for the CO visit.
Making sure the territory book is up to date and that there aren't too many unworked territories or too many territories that have been out over 6 months - if there are to many unworked territories they must be checked out to someone quickly. If there are territories out over 6 months you must check them in and re-check them out again. Doing these things keeps the records safe for review.
What about the literature counter? Don't want to have too much overstock on hand. Yikes. Magazine guys have to watch out too. How many magazines do we order for our congregation? How many publishers do we have? How many magazines are placed each month? Doing this kind of math could end up showing the true waste. The magazine brother better watch out.
What about finances? Better have everything in order and neat.
This is only a small amount of the buid up to a CO visit. The actual visit can be a real pain in the keyster. Especially if it's a new CO to the area. He won't know who's who. Yes, he received a rundown from the previous CO but that doesn't always translate well. He'll try to change things in the congregation too. Each CO has their pet peeve and you just have to deal with it until they get reassigned. Some COs want to appoint everyone, some want to appoint no one. Some COs focus only on preaching and the territory cards, others barely care about that because they're concerned with the kingdom hall funds and how much excess or lack there may be.
Basically, you can tell from each COs talks what their focus is. Regardless of whether the WTS gives them the outlines or not they fit their own twist into things.
My guess is that is one of the things the WTS doesn't like. Plus the personal loyalty that COs often receive from specific bodies of elders. The CO is kind of a superstar in the dub religion.
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However, given what I said above, I don't think the congregations will notice the change much. Whether a specific CO visits or a regular specially appointed elder visits and accomplishes the same things will not much matter to the rank and file. The elder body will notice; they'll have less respect. But the rank and file will go about their business and just schluff it off as a minor adjustment. After all, it's the same thing, the only difference is that the WTS has wisely chosen to use the funds we provide them in a more efficient manner.
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TheListener
That was fantastic. It really helped me to see how they use loaded language and logical fallacies in the WT. Thanks.
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Time again for........ Congregation roll call
by Jourles init's been a while since this topic has been brought up.
use it as a chance to see if there is someone you might know from years past.
1973-1976 --- lakeside, ca??
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TheListener
Dwtnphotog, what years were you in Arroyo Grande?
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Bethelite auto mechanics????
by asilentone inwhere do bethel workers get their cars fixed?
do the bethelite mechanics fix it for free?
just wondering.
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TheListener
The Farm and the Brooklyn have auto repair shops. The Farm also has a repair shop for 18 wheelers. These are used primarly to maintain the Society's pool of cars but can also be used to repair bethelite cars, either by themselves on a Friday or Saturday evening or by appointment. The farm also has an automobile paint shop and body repair facility.
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BETHELITES - Whatever Became of?
by Black Man ini often times wonder what happened to certain bethelites that i ran around with during my 1990s tenure there.
while there are still a few left there, the greater majority of them aren't there for various reasons (marriage, disillusionment, left the borg, etc).
a couple of cats i wonder about - there was one brother who i believe was from kansas, who got his fingers cut off in a printing press.
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TheListener
These are the type of threads that I find it dificult to read. Because I'm a fader I don't feel comfortable commenting on names I recognize or throwing my own old friends names out to the board.
When I was at bethel I was young and idealistic. I loved the organization and would have done anything they asked of me. Even at that I loved to party and visit various congregations each weekend. I remember all too well when the girls would come touring and us boys would strut around like peacocks trying to impress them.
Here's to having enough courage and freedom one day to really discuss my bethelite years openly on the board.
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283
Time again for........ Congregation roll call
by Jourles init's been a while since this topic has been brought up.
use it as a chance to see if there is someone you might know from years past.
1973-1976 --- lakeside, ca??
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TheListener
BTT for all the newbies that have shown up recently. Maybe some old friends can reconnect.
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I think I just need to tell the story to someone who will get it?
by aimless inhi everyone, im new.
i've been feeling a burden on myself for the years that i have been out and i just don't know how to ease it.
i can't talk about the organization or the people in it to anyone... if i try i immediately feel sick and want to close up and just disappear.
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TheListener
Welcome Aimless.
What you posted took a lot of courage. I hope you enjoy the board and appreciate the variety of answers you received to your posts.
As I was reading your story I was rooting for your parents to stand up and demand the elders leave their house immediately. When they didn't I felt a let down. I can only imagine how you must have felt at the time. I'm really sorry you went through that.
You've found a place where your healing can begin.
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How to make love & marriage work w/a JW
by StillinLove inplease dont comment saying to "run" or "get out while i can" thank you im not new to this, so i can handel it.
i have been with my boyfriend for 3 years, we started dating in high school and now i am going to college and he is working.
i am 20 and he is 21, i was raised catholic but my mom and i are too open minded for the church so we left.
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TheListener
I don't know if you've picked up the term "worldly" from your boyfriend and his friends or from this board. If I were you I simply wouldn't use it. Don't allow yourself to be negatively categorized by anyone. It isn't fair.
I'm no psychologist, but I am going to take a guess here and say that you have Boundary issues. If so, this probably isn't the only example in your life where boundaries have become an issue. I recommend the following book. You can probably get it at the local library and it's a fairly quick read:
Boundaries - Where You End And I Begin: How To Recognize And Set Healty Boundaries by MA, Anne Katherine
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How to make love & marriage work w/a JW
by StillinLove inplease dont comment saying to "run" or "get out while i can" thank you im not new to this, so i can handel it.
i have been with my boyfriend for 3 years, we started dating in high school and now i am going to college and he is working.
i am 20 and he is 21, i was raised catholic but my mom and i are too open minded for the church so we left.
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TheListener
You've received a ton of responses and I haven't had the time to read them all yet.
I'm a faded witness but my wife and family are currently active.
My 2 cents:
If he leaves the religion for you then he'll probably return to it one day. The witnesses have a strong psychological attachment to their religion. Guessing by your college major you probably figured that out already. Proof of that attachment is the fact that you've not been introduced to everyone in his life and that he is purportedly still a witness while doing many many things that go against his religious creeds. Living 2 lives must cause a fair amount of stress. In his mind he's playing both worlds. That does not mean his love for you isn't real - from how you described him it probably is very real.
The caution is that at some point later in life something may happen, be it old age, severe medical trauma, having childen or whatever he is probably going to return to the witnesses. If he becomes an active witness in good standing then unfortunately your relationship will change.
You need help him realize that the witness religion isn't "the truth" and that being a witness isn't an automatic ticket into a new system. Until you (or someone else) does that you will always run the risk of him returning.
I wish you the best of luck. Sounds like you know what you want in life and are going for it. Great job.