Posts by Doubting Bro

40

How Are Ex Elders Treated In The Congregation?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are they pretty much left alone?

are they respected for their having been elders at one time?

are they treated like crap?.

Doubting Bro

My experience:

The other elders definitely didn't want to have much to do with me. A few of the younger ones or ones that were appointed after I stepped down still chat with me and make occasional jokes about me being an elder again.

COs - I haven't spoken to a CO since I stepped down about 10 years or so ago. LOL - they literally don't even say hello and just walk right by!

Congregation - The folks that I used to be friendly with still speak with me. The biggest difference is the lack of social invitations. We maybe get invited to 1 or 2 things a year when I know there are folks getting together quite often. But, in their defense, often those impromptu plans are made at meetings and service which we really aren't at. So, out of sight out of mind. And once that pattern emerges, they don't even think about us anymore.

By the way, I haven't commented in years, don't sing, etc. I'm sure everyone notices and silence is the best result at this point. At some point, I will quit going altogether but there are some reasons why that doesn't work to my benefit at the moment.

33

JW's are S.O.B's

by James Mixon in

jw
friends

i didn't say it, it was the president....

Doubting Bro

I've been to lots of sporting events with JWs. Basically, the strategy is to time your arrival at the seat so that you are standing in the hall outside. Whether you get to the seat and go to the bathroom, go to concessions or whatever just make sure you aren't there when they get ready to do it. I've actually seen the color guard on the side and quickly excused myself so that I'm on the steps when they come out. The rule is that if you are already standing, then you can stay standing but you should NOT take the action of rising for the anthem. Believe me, it's an odd JW that wants to call attention to themselves in this way. Maybe the old school ones, but the ones I grew up with would do anything not to make a scene. Born-ins learn to fit in even if we don't.

33

JW's are S.O.B's

by James Mixon in

jw
friends

i didn't say it, it was the president....

Doubting Bro

I was thinking about this Sunday. So many years of going to the bathroom just prior to the national anthem or making sure I didn't get to my seat for it. I always felt it a bit disrespectful to not stand but honestly thought I was doing the right thing. Now, of course, I remove my cap and stand as does my son. I am usually moved when hearing it and think of what a great place I have the privilege to live.

I don't necessarily see the players taking a knee as being disrespectful. I think that if they turned their backs, that would be disrespectful. I have a bigger issue with the President getting involved as no law is being violated. And certainly calling individual private citizens SOBs for taking part in a peaceful protest is way over the line. We really have much bigger worries than whether a handful of professional athletes participate in a patriotic ceremony or if a basketball player comes to a photo op at the White House. To me, these are trivial distractions which is probably why the media loves them. How about we have a national discussion on what to do with North Korea or fix any of the real problems we as a society have to face?

8

Malloy v Watchtower

by John Davis in

a woman asked the federal court in michigan for a restraining order as well as she has sued watchtower.

the restraining order was denied.

the following is from the court's decision not to grant the restraining order.

Doubting Bro

Wow - I just got my dose of crazy for the day!

27

2018 Annual Meeting

by EyesOpenHeartBroken in

does anybody have any word on the 2018 annual meeting?

i assume something new will be rolled out, since they are having all the congregations do special weekend streaming.. my guess is that there will be some major "new light" concerning the memorial, partaking, anointed, etc.

i would guess that they will say all baptized believers should partake.

Doubting Bro

a waste of 3 hours. The only positive is maybe ToMo or Herd will say something outrageous and everyone there is spared the horrible local speaker for one weekend.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

Doubting Bro

Pimojw - Just wanted to add my welcome! Really looking forward to your contributions.

39

JWs Among the Least Educated in the US

by jp1692 in

september 6th, 2017: a just released research survey shows once again that jehovah's witnesses are among the least educated people in the united states: .

america’s changing religious identity.

it is also interesting to note how jws rank in the categories of: income, insurance coverage and homeownership.

Doubting Bro

That's really interesting and not surprising at all!

39

How Do You Feel About Trump's Tuff Talk To Korea To Make Korea Behave?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

i know or think i know that trump is bluffing and acting very bully like with threats of unleashing his power as commander and chief a military with super weapons.

but why bluff with such boyish stupidity?

i think mr trumps barginings skills are at an all time low and so the threats of violence and retaliation for misbehaving according to the whims of a narcissist.. my confidence in him is at an all time low, talk about cave man club you over the head approach to problems this guy takes the cake.

Doubting Bro

High stakes poker for sure. Sanctions haven't worked, appeasing the regime hasn't worked over the last 20 years either. N. Korea basically has Seoul as a hostage. Such a large city so close to the DMZ that just their conventional weapons have the ability to take potentially millions of lives.

China is the only country that can influence N. Korea. They know Un is a whack job. They don't want a power vacuum there since they already have issues with N. Koreans escaping to China. The only solution I see is somehow convincing China that they need to back a coup and take control of N. Korea. Un has purged a bunch of folks already, including relatives, who he thinks may not be 100% loyal.

I think Un sees having a nuke as a way to insure that no one attempts a regime change. He's probably correct in his assessment.

22

More Brooklyn properties sold

by recovering in

and the money keeps rolling in.

http://nypost.com/2017/08/16/jehovahs-witnesses-sale-of-brooklyn-buildings-nets-millions/.

Doubting Bro

ShirleyW - looks like the hotel is at 60 Furman St so a few blocks from the old WT property although I thought that 360 was being turned into condos.

Fisherman - Seriously? To suggest that NYC was going to take over the WT buildings because it hindered growth in Brooklyn is a real stretch. Brooklyn is full of development right now and while Brooklyn Heights has always been nice, those buildings were not critical to the growth of Brooklyn. Plus, I would love to see an example of eminent domain being used against a religious organization to hand over several non-connected buildings to commercial interests.

The reality is that the WT is cashing out. Why is the question. Maybe because they think they can get maximum value now. Maybe because they are facing a cash flow issue and those buildings are too expensive to maintain. Or they need the cash for balance sheet purposes. I'm not of the opinion that some shadowy "real" owners of the WT want to cash out their investment since that seems just as ridiculous as the big bad Brooklyn government looking to seize their property via eminent domain.

Plus, you do realize that when the government goes through that process in the US, they have to provide "just" compensation right? So even if what you are saying is true, they would be compensated but at fair market value.

29

What would happen to a JW who respectfully refused to fill out a no blood DPA?

by Island Man in

i know you'll be involuntarily disassociated if you unrepentantly accepted a blood transfusion; and i know you'll be disfellowshipped for apostasy if you openly disagreed with watchtower teaching.

what if you have done none of the above but simply respectfully refused to fill out the dpa without giving any reason for your refusal - so they can't accuse you of openly disagreeing with the no-blood doctrine and df you for apostasy.

they don't know why you're refusing and you're not giving them the reason - and you're being very respectful.. what can they do?.

Doubting Bro

Even when I was a true believer and the secretary, I never provided a copy for the congregation. When asked, I always say that I've handled with my doctor and lawyer who also handled my will and that I'm not comfortable providing anyone else with the document since it's a "legal" document.

No push back. And for the record, I tore mine up several years ago. There may be things that are worth dying for, the WTS isn't one of them.