Posts by Doubting Bro

25

For Those of You Who Still Serve... How Do You Do It?

by Kingdom Evader in

jw
friends

new here... been lurking for some time now.... i still serve... but with each passing day, it gets harder and harder.

i'm slowly... slowly working on my wife (i call her mrs. hardcore) and even my m-i-l (who taught my wife how to be hardcore).

making some amazing progress... they are still hardcore... but unrecognizable from a couple years ago!.

Doubting Bro

While I still attend I have no responsibilities anymore, don't comment, sing or say amen at prayers. I will say that while an elder, it got increasingly harder to find ways to handle parts without feeling like a hypocrite. None of the halls I was associated with did shepherding calls so that was easy.

Over the space of a year or two, I began cutting back and finally was able to step down for "family reasons". What a relief!!!

Actually, having to deal with JCs was what really got to me. I could fake the other stuff but I couldn't live with having a part in deciding whether someone would get cut off from their family and friends.

If it really bothers you, devise a plan to step down.

9

People Magazine: Who Was Vester Lee Flanagan, the Man Who Allegedly Shot 3 People on Live TV?

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://www.people.com/article/vester-lee-flanagan-bryce-willams-the-man-who-allegedly-shot-3-people-live-tv.

people magazine: who was vester lee flanagan, the man who allegedly shot 3 people on live tv?.

born in 1973 in oakland, california, to vester and betty flanagan, he was raised as a strict jehovah's witness.

Doubting Bro

WC - I totally agree. And the reason why they mention his religion is because it's a non-mainstream cult which makes it interesting. If he were a regular Baptist, Catholic or whatever then its not interesting. But, a JW, LDS, really strict Evangelical or Muslim, that makes for interesting reading.

He didn't flip out because he was raised a JW and I'll bet this guy would have snapped regardless of his religious affiliation. However, its bad publicity for the WTS so I'm glad they casually mention it.

39

2016 SPECIAL TALK---ARE YOU ON THE ROAD TO EVERLASTING LIFE?

by suavojr in

jw
friends

are you on the road to everlasting life?.

note to the speaker: help bible students and interested ones to understand why and how to make further spiritual progress..

emphasize the many sources of help available, and warmly encourage them to act without delay.

Doubting Bro

Like the apostle Paul, be willing to change your beliefs when presented with evidence (Ac 26:9-20)

This is exactly why I don't believe in the WTS any longer! Yet, if I told people, everyone I know would shun me and my wife would be encouraged to leave me. Stupid cult

26

My 67 Year Old Elder Brother Is Depressed Because The Younger Elders Are Taking Over

by minimus in

jw
friends

he was the school overseer but they relieved him of that to allow younger elders the privilege of the job.

now he is depressed and actually shed tears, believing his worth has diminished.

Doubting Bro

So he actually WANTED the School? Most guys view that as a second tier job and want to get rid of it.

It is crazy how tied up in positions elders get. But, I do understand and I'd likely be insulted too. Maybe he'll step down?

49

Phone call straight after the Royal Commission

by umbertoecho in

straight after the commission ended today within minutes, the phone rang.

it was one of the people who are working on it.

firstly she established if i was alright and did i want to talk.. i said i was too tired and unhappy that geoffrey jackson managed to do some preaching....she said they were aware of that.

Doubting Bro

Thanks for the update. Nice to know they can see through the BS

19

Is Jackson embarrassed to be a JW?

by Doubting Bro in

jw
friends

i listened to the majority of jackson's part one testimony and it seems apparent to me that he either:1) is embarrassed to be a jw or 2) doesn't really believe.

i've heard countless times from the platform and in print that we should be proud to be jws and take every opportunity to defend our beliefs.

yet, it seems jackson didn't even want to admit that he believed he was being directly used by jehovah to lead the congregation as his spokesman.

Doubting Bro

Certainly theocratic warfare on some of the points but the exchange on corporal punishment just puzzled me. He said he personally didn't believe in it although at his age I would say the majority of the world DID think that was the way to go so that was sort of surprising. He could have said that the WTS doesn't comment on whether its appropriate or not leaving it to parents to decide and I think that would have been a legitimate answer. And for the record, I'm not a fan of it and don't use it on my kids. But I know some with opinions contrary that have compelling points and may decide in certain circumstances to utilize it.

Point is that the WTS doesn't officially condone or condemn corporal punishment in the sense that no discipline will happen from the org either way. Yet he didn't seem to know that. It was really strange to me.

millie210 - He did come across pompous and I love how when he was referring to a scripture, Mr. Stewart beat him to it. A few times during that exchange he gave the page number in the NWT and Stewart was already there. LOL - "worldly" educated people are also familiar with the Bible.

LUHE - you'd expect someone in his position to be a #3. The fact that he's either 1 or 2 just seems odd to me.

Sir82 - Agree, this likely won't make a difference to most but to someone already having doubts, his testimony was not faith strengthening.

19

Is Jackson embarrassed to be a JW?

by Doubting Bro in

jw
friends

i listened to the majority of jackson's part one testimony and it seems apparent to me that he either:1) is embarrassed to be a jw or 2) doesn't really believe.

i've heard countless times from the platform and in print that we should be proud to be jws and take every opportunity to defend our beliefs.

yet, it seems jackson didn't even want to admit that he believed he was being directly used by jehovah to lead the congregation as his spokesman.

Doubting Bro

I listened to the majority of Jackson's part one testimony and it seems apparent to me that he either:1) is embarrassed to be a JW or 2) doesn't really believe.

I've heard countless times from the platform and in print that we should be proud to be JWs and take every opportunity to defend our beliefs. Yet, it seems Jackson didn't even want to admit that he believed he was being directly used by Jehovah to lead the congregation as his spokesman. Clearly the RC knows that printed material shows the official belief of JWs is that the FDS is the spokesman for Jehovah on earth today and that the WTS is the "earthly part of Gods organization".

I realize that he's trying to distance the organization from financial responsibility but Jesus nor Paul or the other apostles hid who they were in the Bible accounts. Why didn't he answer the question Mr. Stewart put to him with "you yourself have said it" when asked if he was Gods spokesman?

He would have been better off telling the truth. I wonder how a rank and file JW would react to his cowardliness? So, I have to tell my workmates or school mates at every opportunity my beliefs but Mr. Jackson can't tell a lawyer what his beliefs are?

I always thought the GB was deluded but true believers. Now I wonder if they know it's all a scam?

5

RC news

by Larrikin in

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/nsw/senior-jehovahs-witness-geoffrey-jackson-says-church-might-offer-compensation-to-alleged-abuse-victims-20150814-giyxuu.html

Doubting Bro

Glad US papers are finally picking this up. Now the network news outlets need to do the same.

26

Depressing chat to my still-in brother about the RC

by Lemonp in

here is a quick breakdown of our conversation (by text message).

me: "have you read about the royal commission?

the org has been covering up child abuse.

Doubting Bro

Yet the problem is that according to the teachings, the org went through a "cleansing" period and entered a spiritual paradise. Either they are the restored true Christian congregation or not. Of course, there are so many holes in their end times teaching that this is simply one more. And most JWs don't even know their own teachings so it's super easy to spin it anyway you want.

77

GEOFFREY JACKSON TO APPEAR BEFORE ROYAL COMMISSION ON FRIDAY 14TH August!!!

by defender of truth in

the royal commissions public hearing into the jehovahs witnesses will recommence in sydney on friday 14 august 2015 at 11:00am.. it is anticipated that the hearing will hear from one witness, mr geoffrey jackson, a member of the governing body of jehovahs witnesses.. .

.

www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2015-08/public-hearing-into-the-jehovah%e2%80%99s-witnesses-to-rec.

Doubting Bro

Wow, this should be pretty interesting. Not sure if the RC will really be able to force them to make positive change but given the fact they have been able to cut through the theocratic warfare leads me to believe there could be some damming testimony that could be used against them in other jurisdictions.

They will probably spin this as Gog of Magog attacking. LOL - idiots.