atypical

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Posts by atypical

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  27

  How Many Came in via Door-toDoor Witnessing?

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  what percentage would you say came into your old or current congregation(s) via the door-to-door witnessing?

  it is understood that your response is a guestimate.

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  atypical

  No problem. I like that you are not afraid to come here and discuss - even though you usually don't agree. That's what it's all about.
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  27

  Telling 'householders' they are going to die at Armageddon

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if i recall correctly, the wts predicted there would come a time when the job of jws in fs would shift towards telling people they were about to die rather than trying to convert them, and the wts would let them know when to start doing that.

  something along the lines of there being a point in time when it was too late to convert and the wicked must be told they were going to die.

  does anyone else remember this teaching?

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  atypical

  Gary - I used to use that method all the time. I would think: "Please don't answer the door, please don't answer the door."

  It usually worked.
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  27

  How Many Came in via Door-toDoor Witnessing?

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  .

  what percentage would you say came into your old or current congregation(s) via the door-to-door witnessing?

  it is understood that your response is a guestimate.

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  atypical

  Defd, your answers are so predictable!! But I like you anyway.

  It seems to me that the only people coming in through door-to-door are in the spanish or other foreign language congregations. My theory on this is that the idea is fresh and new to them as opposed to the aging U.S. english speaking ones who have been exposed for years.
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  45

  To Rebel or not to Rebel? that is the question!

  by freedomlover in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i am truly looking for your honesty on this issue...not that i think any of you have been dishonest - i just don't want the sugar coated version of pollyanna lines.. i have spoken about this subject privately with one of you - ;) - and also with my hubby.

  however, i'm wondering if i'm in the minority here when i bring this subject up.

  being raised a jw i had to be so straight for so long.

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  atypical

  Just to add to what everyone else said, my best advice, and what I am trying very hard to do is this:

  Get away from black and white thinking. Don't do things because you are no longer a witness. Do them or don't do them based on a good reason. Learn to think for yourself. There is nothing wrong with tattoos, piercings, wild hair, whatever, but that doesn't mean you should or shouldn't choose those things. Choose based on your own newfound sense of independent thinking. If something will make you feel good, enrich your life, and won't hurt someone else, then by all means do it if you want.

  I have two very close friends who faded years before me, and one of our favorite sayings is, "Oh well, I'm going to hell anyway!"

  We only say that as a joke, because we know witnesses look at us as though we are going to die. In reality, we go out and have a good time, but we keep it within reason, we pick a sober driver, and we don't even consider cheating on our wives because we know that just because we are not a witness doesn't mean that anything goes. In my opinion, that's thinking that the watchtower promotes: Anyone who is not an active witness is leading a degenerate lifestyle.

  The best revenge is living well.
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  3

  the REAL truth!

  by mellisamouse in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been an-x-forever jw since about 4 1/2 years ago.

  anywhoo, i have found this book that has blown my mind away!

  i really think those watchtower writers must know by now that they do not have the truth!!!!!

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  atypical

  Hey - could this be Brown Boy, EliJah, Eleuse? The verbiage on the website seems very familiar....
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  7

  The Nature of Human Nature

  by Carmel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so many testimonies from those of you that have left the clutches of the witnesses that have dramatically altered your lives, yet there seems to be those among you that feel human nature is an immutable entity locked into sideboards that will not (cannot) be altered.

  history is replete with scroundrulous characters, and contemporary examples could easily be recounted to support the notion that the human condition is a product of thousands of years of genetic inheritance destined to continue unchanged into the distant future.

  hence a pretty pessimistic outlook for humanity.. curious to know if that is the prevailing sentiment..... carmel

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  atypical

  I think human nature doesn't need to be changed, it's just that more people need to use the good side of that human nature. The witness culture is a good example of the cumulative effects of high-control groups. On the other hand, there are people all over the world who are promoting free thinking and good deeds toward others.

  In my opinion, everybody has the capacity to succumb to a greed for power, influence, or control, and if left unchecked, that greed can start to replace any compassion, until that person is willing to hurt others in his/her quest. Now, put a group of such people in control of a large organization, and you have got a terrible, explosive mix.

  On the other hand, I also think everybody has the capacity to love, to help others, and to set healthy priorities in their life. It's like the old kids book: "What if everybody did?"
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  18

  Expecting armageddon...

  by Bryan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what event or events do you think would make every witness think the end really was around the corner?

  peace between isreal and palistine?

  death of the united nations?

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  atypical

  Anything that they can use to say the governments are cracking down on JWs. How many times have I heard about some new "e-mail" that so and so supposedly got from their relative or friend at bethel, which was supposedly attained from some obscure source, about how the UN is just about to completely go after the witnesses. Every time this happens, everyone who hears about it acts like it's absolute proof the end is here.
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  10

  what do you think?

  by nicbic in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm getting the feeling my friend is going more into her jw life and very slowly cutting me out.

  i have been maintaining contact whether or not i get responses so far.

  is this the right action to take?

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  atypical

  I agree that there may be nothing you can do. But I do think it's good that you are showing that you are not changing as a friend. Let it be her who cancels the friendship, not you. That will show the error of the shunning practice and may some day spark some independent thinking in her mind. I have friends who are now avoiding me since I stopped going, but I make a point to act exactly the same and show them that I still want to be friends. I want it to bother them that they are the ones supposedly righteous, but I am the one who is being a true friend.
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  64

  My first time being shunned in public

  by xjwms in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so thats what it feels like.. i am not df'ed or da'ed, ... i have just stopped going to meetings.

  my wife is trying to be as active as she can.. so all morning i am out of my regular routine.

  late getting out of bed and late about everything today.. so i leave the house, and before getting to the office, i decide to stop at the mall for a quick, maybe 15 min, walk.. as soon as i get inside, taking my coat off, here is the elder who did everything he could in his power to get me out...and lied...and added to gossip that ran me outta there.. he and his wife spot me .. and turn there heads away and continue on their walk, .. eyes fixed on some thing away from me.. so thats what it feels like.........now i know.

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  atypical

  I'm curious what the official stance of the gb is towards someone like me who has quit going to meetings and quit going in field service. I too have heard many times that witnesses are not supposed to shun inactive ones. However, I recently found out that my former bookstudy overseer has been telling people I am bad association because I rejected his efforts to to a shepherding call on me (actually, he left one message on my wife's voicemail a couple days before the CO visit. I did not call him back and he did not try again.)
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  66

  Say something here, that you'd say in your JW active days

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'll start:.

  hey brother smith, how about if we go preach the good news tomorrow morning, hey?

  pick you up at 9

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  atypical

  Gag - I hate to admit it, but here was my worst one (said to someone who had quit going to meetings) :

  "Don't blame the organization for the actions of just a few people. Those people are imperfect and Jehovah will deal with them."

  Now that I have quit going to meetings, I have had that same line said to me several times. I would like to reply: "That is great reasoning - For me to poop on! Ah hah hah hah hah!"