"I don't know" is my core creed. I call it suspending judgment. Meaning that I suspended judgement on the God issue pending concrete evidence one way or the other. Right now I focus on reality, and helping others.
Isaac
truthsetsonefree
JoinedPosts by truthsetsonefree
-
14
"I Don't Know is my Belief"
by zarco inon another thread, ak-jeff shared an interesting perspective........ "i don't know is my belief.. .
i care.
but typically, i get no answers when i ask.
-
-
-
33
Jehovah's Witnesses and their Elders
by AllTimeJeff ini wonder if the governing body (gb) knows the trouble the whole thing started..... to be sure, when the gb put into effect that all congregations of jehovah's witnesses were to have a body of elders that is in existence today, their goal was to meet their own ends.
under a sub heading "gearing up for explosive growth" in their history book "jehovah's witnesses - proclaimers of god's kingdom" they stated..... ***.
jehovahs servants were determined to continue to yield to divine direction.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
"It's these elders who are more liberal that cause the GB its greatest grief. It is also these same liberal elders who are most likely to resign their eldership due to the stress, strains, and outright contradictory standards they are asked to promote. Thus, since 1994, their is 1/3 less elders worldwide today. Much of the attrition is due to these men burning themselves out playing the GB's version of theological whack-a-mole.
Thus, when you study what JW's believe and do, remember that much depends on the elders of each congregation. They serve as the nerve center, the filter, for what the GB teaches. And while the GB generally controls elders pretty well, there will always be liberal and conservative congregations of Jehovah's Witnesses, as a result of the individual body of elders that inhabit these congregations."
I was one of these elders. And our congregation tended to be liberal with some exceptions. This is one reason why many JWs don't leave. They don't see the same extremism others see.
Isaac
-
14
Something important from the RBC
by startingover ini was around a group of jw's last night, and one mentioned how at their recent kh remodel, done by the rbc, they eliminated their ceiling fans.
the rbc said that the fans were operating at a certain frequency that made it hard to concentrate.
they were not sure what the frequency that was referred to was, electrical or the fan blades.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Of course its also possible that this group of JWs didn't have the story straight too.
Isaac
-
29
Check out whitehouse.gov
by truthsetsonefree inawesome site, with a blog, executive orders, amazing!.
www.whitehouse.gov.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
I think Barack made clear that a nuanced gun policy is best. Folks not in urban areas handle free gun policies quite well. Having free gun policies in crowded urban areas is something else. Both concepts can coexist.
Isaac
-
36
LURKING JW: Thinking of leaving? Learn from my experience.
by SnakesInTheTower in"mental wondering in the wilderness"... uh oh.... it's a long post from snakes.... lol.
yep... i think that is the best way to describe where i am at in life right now.
if you have read my past posts (mostly in the private section) you know some of my history as a life-long (now former) witness.. i have been away from the jw religion, for all intents and purposes, since dec. 06, though it was not until sept 07 that i stopped attending meetings.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
But I was fortunate enough to make some exceptional friends at work, friends that stuck by me and kept me sane through the Post Traumatic Shock that I went through
Same here.
Isaac
-
26
Do You Think Minorities Will Be Treated Better Due To Obama's Presence?
by minimus inespecially afriican americans?.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Some people will treat them, some won't. Probably more people will now that Barack is President. But ignorance and stupidty tends to take a long time to change.
Isaac
-
29
Check out whitehouse.gov
by truthsetsonefree inawesome site, with a blog, executive orders, amazing!.
www.whitehouse.gov.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Awesome site, with a blog, executive orders, amazing!
-
6
Do they still do the Bible Highlights at the meeting?
by passwordprotected inquick question - do they still have a part in the meeting whereby 3 or so chapters of the bible are discussed then there's chance for the jws to give comments based on their study?.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
As far as I know Yes. That is what is covered first now in the TMS.
Isaac
-
36
LURKING JW: Thinking of leaving? Learn from my experience.
by SnakesInTheTower in"mental wondering in the wilderness"... uh oh.... it's a long post from snakes.... lol.
yep... i think that is the best way to describe where i am at in life right now.
if you have read my past posts (mostly in the private section) you know some of my history as a life-long (now former) witness.. i have been away from the jw religion, for all intents and purposes, since dec. 06, though it was not until sept 07 that i stopped attending meetings.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
Have a support systemin place BEFORE you walk away. Make some "worldly" friends at work or somewhere;, find a therapist if you can; get close to non-JW family...people that you may have looked down on before...people you can talk with....you will need all of them and more to get you through the mental anguish that follows you...especially if you were raised as a JW. It's harder to do after you leave. If you don't you end up being in a "no man's land" for a time. The more time you have invested as a JW, the harder it may be.
People who were as involved as I was in the Watchtower Organization do not just get to "walk away" from the Organization.
Snakes, you are ABSOLUTELY and unquestionably correct. I know because I was able to do the above and my transition has been nearly perfect. Further as an elder it was not possible to just walk away. Both in my own mind (as I felt the need to warn my friends, some of whom left) and because uber elders saw me as an "apostate" and felt they needed to protect the congregation. But even if one can walk away, the transition socially is very important to make before one leaves. Let both lives overlap. It is the shrewd and practical thing to do. If you are in a judicial situation, don't let them disfellowship you. Repent, even if you have to fake it. Then fade in such a way that you preserve your emotional health. If you don't believe it anymore, again fake it while planning your exit. It will be well worth the effort later.
Isaac Carmignani
-
5
Transparency
by truthsetsonefree inpresident obama just stated that if he doesn't want something disclosed is not enough.
that determination must be confirmed by a separate authority.
simply because one has the legal power to withhold something does not mean that they always should.
-
-
truthsetsonefree
And what about financial transparency. They require it of accounts servants, but not themselves. They take in millions with little more than a blip in the annual service report saying it went on missionaries, Bethels and such. No breakdown or explanation of any sort. Totally amazing.
Isaac