Posts by TheListener

64

My wife is gonna look at apostate info

by 10p in

i never thought we'd be here.

after a long discussion last night, my wife now wants to know the 'other side of the story'.

what made me leave.

TheListener

10p, this thread gives me a lot of hope. Thank you and I wish you and your wife the best.

25

this thread has probably been 'done' a million times before but as i am fairly new to the forum i would like to ask (quite seriously)......... if you still beleive in god do you also still believe in paradise on earth?.

my friend has realised that it's not the truth.....not sure whether her belief in the above will change though.. thenks bbinkss.

TheListener

My dub years have messed me up on this issue as well. I ask a lot of people this question and I usually get weird stares in return. One person asked me why I care? I am always tryng to find out what other religions teach regarding a paradise earth.

34

After years I visited my Disfellowshiped Sister and "worldly" husband! CRY!

by Witness 007 in

i've been away to visit my sister and her "worldly" husband after many years of not seeing her...i don't even have her phone number as she lives overseas.

we just had a first family get together.

when she met me at the door i was ready for anything!

TheListener

Congratulations Witness007

You've taken a big step for yourself and your sister. Keep up the good work.

Go visit her in London.

I reconnected with a long lost friend after years of shunning and I felt the same way you did. I apologized and the friend let me have it for a minute or so - then we hugged and laughed. It all becomes water under the bridge.

I love this discussion forum.

12

When I "stumbled" a CO.

by Anti-Christ in

i can not remember if i ever mention this before but this happend to me a while back and it was something that contributed to my final exit.. before my final fade i faded for about a year and felt remorse (i was still under the"spell") so i did the necessary to go back.

a few weeks after my return it was our co visit and this co i really liked.

he wanted to go out in service with me because he was curious as to why i left and came back and also he wanted to do his co duty and help this lost sheep.

TheListener

If he does he better bring a copy of the no education outline with him :)

17

Visit from Pioneers

by QuestioningEverything in

jw
friends

so, my husband and i are 'faders/inactive' and have been for some time.

we live in another city about 60 miles from both sides our family.

his parents and my mom are very active in the congregation in their area (they live in the same city).

TheListener

The WTS has said that you can call on a house with a no trespassing sign but it's your responsibility if anything negative happens. Mosts publishers don't go - the ones that do are zealous nuts.

Anyone can encourage an inactive or irregular person. Only the elders can call on a disfellowshipped person.

28

Potential Changes at Bethel...

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i posted this on another thread but it really got me thinking about how the wts could really do this:.

the wts needs to stop spending so much cash.. they have real estate but once sold and the proceeds used it offers no more value.. they need to simplify, simplify, simplify (and isn't that the mantra they recite each time they make an organizational change?).

they could: push more and more printing to the individual publishers in order to cut down on printing costs (this may only apply to developed countries but it still would result in significant savings).

TheListener

Simple insearchof,

passing the plate is greedy

tithing is biblical.

Every witness in the world (minus a small few) would be falling over themselves to tithe (or hide some income).

28

Potential Changes at Bethel...

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i posted this on another thread but it really got me thinking about how the wts could really do this:.

the wts needs to stop spending so much cash.. they have real estate but once sold and the proceeds used it offers no more value.. they need to simplify, simplify, simplify (and isn't that the mantra they recite each time they make an organizational change?).

they could: push more and more printing to the individual publishers in order to cut down on printing costs (this may only apply to developed countries but it still would result in significant savings).

TheListener

TJ,

I am also surprised tithing hasn't been instituted. Perhaps it yet may...

34

The Efficacy of JWs Shunning (Your experiences and analysis)

by JW_Researcher in

im doing a bit of research for an academic paper on shunning and am interested in your response to any or all of these questions.. please think back to when you were a jw (if necessary) or to other jws you knew.. 1) does shunning work?

(for example, does it bring sinners to their senses?

does it keep the congregation clean?

TheListener

I think there are just too many variables to know if shunning changes the course of the one shunned.

I believe shunning and disfellowshipping are used as tools by the majority to peer pressure the minority into not questioning or leaving. Not necessarily sinning, because sometimes human weakness just lets that happen, but questioning, doubting, researching, asking questions and trying to convince others they're crazy are all outwardly minimized by the fear of disfellowshipping.

Instill fear and members won't stray (as much).

71