Some have gotten gungho elders off of their backs by answering truthfully but ambiguously. For example, one of the main questions elders ask is: "Do you believe that God is using this organization?" To this some have answered: "Its very possible since God can use anyone to accomplish his will." Answers such as this combined with fading can lead elders to think that you are just one of the many people with doubts that need to 'shown mercy' according to the book of James.
truthsetsonefree
JoinedPosts by truthsetsonefree
-
17
How to leave Jehovah's Witnesses (fairly) painlessly...
by DubBeachBabe inposted this as a response on another thread, but i know there are people who want this as a new discussion.
i'm sure there are many good people watching these discussions who know you want to leave, but also know that this is what may await you - family alienation and pain.
if you haven't already overtly left, my advice to you is this: don't succumb to the disfellowshipping process.
-
-
-
16
Spiritual Meaning of Watchtower Legal Defeats
by metatron inover 60 years ago, the watchtower society assembled a remarkable record of hard fought legal victories that had the .
long term effect of carving out a protected niche for themselves.
they were enabled to create many decades of .
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Most JWs have no idea about these cases. But that will end once these small victories culminate in a big victory. One that makes all of the mainstream media.
-
16
Spiritual Meaning of Watchtower Legal Defeats
by metatron inover 60 years ago, the watchtower society assembled a remarkable record of hard fought legal victories that had the .
long term effect of carving out a protected niche for themselves.
they were enabled to create many decades of .
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Or maybe their much vaunted 'holy spirit' has finally left them. I have a good feeling these defeats are one reason why they are proclaiming 'deliverance is at hand.' They need one badly. And Armageddon must be very close if they are getting attacked so much.
-
156
Thirdwitness -- An Agent of the Governing Body?
by AlanF inthirdwitness -- an agent of the governing body?
this evening i was talking with an old friend about recent postings on this forum by jw defenders.
we concluded that something unusual is going on.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
If this were the case it would actually make sense. (Of course WT doesn't make sense a lot of the time.) Consider that any operation should have some kind of way of learning about and dealing with the opposing side. On the other hand there are many elders who DO surf these sites and who have no qualms with saying things like "our policy" since their egos have been pumped up, leading them to believe that they are an integral part of "Jehovah's organization."
-
12
Disassociate Ones Are Apostates.Watchtower Quote
by ThomasCovenant indidn't realize the actual link before.
watchtower '85 15th july page 31 questions from readers.
aid to bible understanding shows that the word apostasy comes from a greek word that literally means a standing away from but has the sense of desertion, abandonment or rebellion.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
In the Watchtower world, all who leave the org, including those who are df'd are apostates. Though they do make a distinction between the garden variety df'd/da'd person and those whoooo actively 'cause divisions.'
-
15
Lets go to the church but stand outside
by Wordly Andre ini am so sick of this!
i have a split family, some non-jw and some jw, and ever since i was a young kid, ive noticed this silly fear of entering a church, i remember i must have been about 9 years old when my uncle died and my family went to the funeral, but we stood outside, and even at that young age i remember it felt wrong, like we were disrespecting my dead uncle and his family.
like ive wrote on this board before, i told my parents when at 15 i didnt want to go to meetings anymore and was never baptized, when i was 18 my great uncle died and at the funeral i went into the church for mass, when it was over i walked outside all the rest of my family were outside waiting, they all gave me dirty looks like i was just caught with a prostitute.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
For elders its grounds for removal. Of course if people don't know.....
-
16
Had dinner with some worldly friends, WTBTS is full of it
by thecarpenter injust had dinner with some worldly friends and relatives and what a great time i had.
it was sobering to think that i cut them out for so long and yet they are such nice people.
we were conditioned to believe that they were bad influences and were demon possessed but actually are quite decent and church going people with real strengths and weaknesses like everyone else.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
The upshot of this, is that I blame much of my introverted personality on this. It definately stunted my ability to be easliy open to everyone, especially when discussing controversial subjects. Fortunately, during my adult life, college and my work have allowed me to overcome much of this, but it can still be a stuggle to this day. Very ironic, consdiering so much of what we were supposed to do as jws requires us to be extroverted. Funny, I was telling my wife this just yesterday. We were discussing my personality and this occured to me. When I am around people, JWs or not, who have common interests and can have intelligent conversations, I have few problems interacting.
-
23
Children and school assembly
by dobbie inmy little child in the uk starts school soon.
i wasn't brought up a jw and am inactive but there are lots of other jw children going and apparently are'nt allowed to go to school assemblies.
i can't remember anything wrong with school assemblies and i think it's daft to keep my child in a separate room while its going on.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
As a JW-kid, my Mom was fanatical. I was not allowed to go to ANY assemblies. I treat my kid so differently because of that. Though a semi-active JW, my kid goes to ALL assemblies. That includes holiday oriented ones. Interestingly, because there are so many diverse cultures in our area, school events are not named after any holidays. They are designed to celebrate seasons like winter or spring.
-
16
Had dinner with some worldly friends, WTBTS is full of it
by thecarpenter injust had dinner with some worldly friends and relatives and what a great time i had.
it was sobering to think that i cut them out for so long and yet they are such nice people.
we were conditioned to believe that they were bad influences and were demon possessed but actually are quite decent and church going people with real strengths and weaknesses like everyone else.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
I have been having similar experiences. When I read Ray Franz's book I finally decided to do what he wrote about. Namely, not judging people by their religious affiliation, but rather by who they are. I had wanted to do that for so long, but had held back because of the WTs influence. It is amazing how they take the few unsavory things done by a few, magnify it and project it on every non-Witness. Further we were taught to think that these people were about to die. I was actually afraid to make friends for fear they would soon die. Sounds a little crazy perhaps but its true. I have also been astonished by the fact that some of my fellow elders are not of good character. In fact, in the average congregation it seems that the people considered 'weak' are often the most fun to be around, loving and likely to be loyal friends. Many an elder is more interested in organizational 'cleanness' and his title than anything else.
-
120
September KM - 70 alterations in Revelation Climax Book
by dozy ini can't find a thread on this subject yet - if there is one , please delete this one.. the september kingdom ministry has a 4 page insert detailing the 70 alterations in the revelation climax book which is due to be studied at the book study shortly.
i'll provide scans if anyone is interested.. i will leave it up to more experienced analysts to examine the reasons for specific changes , but just a few brief observations for now:.
p32 box - "they were completely exonerated" changed to "charges against them were dropped" - interesting change of terminology for the 1918 watchtower eight.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
They'd better make the changes in pencil. For sure they will have to change them again later.