ok iv not been on for so long.
ok what are some of the strangest prayers you said amen to.
not the hole preyer but some stuff you thought at the time.
To me it was always strange when some elders quoted scriptures to Jehovah in their lengthy prayers at the meetings, it often sounded like giving a sermon to God. At times the collective Amen after some prayers was significantly more silent and not as heartfelt -but we all said Amen so as not to stumble visitors I guess.
Freetosee
because i grew up in the truth i missed out on a whole lot of kids at school that i could have been great friends with.
also a couple of girls that i could have had a first relationship with.
i missed out on family moments each year exchanging gifts with relatives that i could have enjoyed (or not enjoyed) seeing during holidays.
We were told we missed out on AIDS and other terrible things –but actually we were rubbed valuable years in life!
Freetosee
i left the witness religion in 1997, and when i left i never turned back and do not even own or read any of their publications.
i know it is wrong, beyond all doubt, so why waste my time at their meetings, conventions or assemblies.
why read information that is known to be bias, hurtful and not very well thought out?
I have been out for about ten years now and I went through different phases. One of them was to trash the WT literature (which I regret now) and not even think about my JW life. I think I needed this time to be certain life is possible outside the organisation and no Satan will take control of me. In that phase reading WT literature made me angry and upset. After understanding the mechanisms used to manipulate us and seeing the human side of WT operations healed much hurt and motivates to help those still in or on their way out. The years we spent inside the organisation give us insider’s knowledge and expertise to educate, alert and expose the WT tactics and dangers. Those with greater inside and knowledge of the Society, due to their functions within it at the time of association, can and are giving very valuable exposures to the moves and cover-ups of the WTS. I think we have all conducted an anti-study of WT material to some extend and each individual has to find his balance in this. I think your call for balance, in not letting the WT occupy the rest of our lives, is good to meditate on as we go on reaching a helping hand to those breaking through the WT control.
Freetosee
i asked a jw fiend of mine, an elder in a spanish congregation in the usa (ohio), how many of those attending were illegal immigrants.
i was a little surprised by his answer that nearly all of them were!
i suspect this is true of most of the jw spanish congregations in the usa.
i have been trying reading crisis of conscience and i found a very interesting point that i thought i would share with you.
on page 234 of the book it is talking about the after effects of 1925 coming and going with the failed prediction that the faithful men of old would be resurected that year and they would be princes of the earth.
of course in the watchtowers famous "way" they put all the blame on the readers instead of on those who wrote the material.
The thing is it’s working well for them. They are successful in blaming the brotherhood for wrong expectations and later when individuals fall away the full blame is pointed to the fallen apostates who are said to have initiated these wrong expectations and motives. Over and over again the WT prophecies failed and again and again the JWs take and accept it in eager anticipation of further new light. The WTS wants full control and gets it. The leadership demands obedience and takes liberty to contradict or zickzack their interpretations to whatever advances the society’s interests.
Freetosee
having been in a few congregations, i have observed that those with nothing to prove are often the most genuine people.
that is, brothers who aren't apointed seem to have more to say and are more interesting to talk to.. those who have position seem to have little to say other than repeat wt mantra.. with regular publishers, particualrly those who didn't reach out, i often found that they were just themselves, with no pretences.. is this something you have noticed?.
my friend asked me last week, do weal publishers attract weak publishers?
Yes in general this can be said or my observation was the same. Pioneers and appointed servants are less considerate to others as they are busy in the Lord’s work. Especially those reaching out for the ‘office of overseer’ are inconsiderate of others even their own families. I believe many of those enjoying the ‘double honour’ are not true believer of the teachings they demand other to follow.
Freetosee
i am not gay and never have been one, but do you think that your local society treats gays with respect or that it has no tolerence for such a sexually different and in the thought of many deviant minority?
.
i personally don't approve of their activities but i can understand that they are genetically predisposed in that way and can't change.
Jwfacts, that’s absolutely true, good point.
As education on this issue becomes more available in school and media the understanding and tolerance grows.
Speaking of myself, as a JW I was against gays and continued sometime after. Today I feel stupid about my past views. Most gays I know are nice people.
If I have a son one day and he tells me he is gay, I’m sure I’ll feel disturbed and disappointed about this. But I want to tell him that it is not him that has done any wrong, but it is me alone that has the problem.
Freetosee
the witnesses understanding of this scripture was one of the things that i could never grasp.
"28 do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life, those who practiced vile things to a resurrection of judgment.
they believe that the resurrection is the upcoming resurrection, but because death cleansed the resurrected ones of sin, it would be pointless to judge them on their past deeds, so "did good things" actually refers to what they did after their resurrection, and the judgement comes at the end of the 1000 years.
I agree with you, stapler. As I remember the WT explanation, those resurrected on earth are recreated with perfect human bodies and have the 1000 years to become spiritually perfect as many did not know Jehovah in their previous life. Men of faith and princes will be resurrected at the beginning of the 1000 year reign and then those who most recently died before Armageddon. Those dead for long are resurrected later into the 1000 years as they were closer to Adam and perfection. So during the gradual resurrection of mankind the preaching and teaching work of JWs will continue in the new system and will be organised by Jah’s earthy organisation directed by Jesus and is 144000 co-rulers, just like it is today.
It is amazing how much speculation is put into the scriptures and we swallowed it all.
I believe the bible originates and was written by men, the actual collection of the cannon of Holy Scripture was conducted by men, so also its interpretation. Though the WTS goes very far to fit in its history and teaching.
Freetose
here are a few organizational booklets you might want for your records.
click on the link below the booklet title and another page will open with the words, (click here to download file).
just click on those words and start downloading the booklet.
Thank you
years ago when i was attending my old kh there was an elder that was very stern.
bro glen(not his real name) used to be very firm in telling students about their talks not being good, or where they needed to improve.
i know i was "terrified" of bro glen.
At an assembly to come a brother in our congregation couldn’t get of work to attend it. So he quit his job putting Jehovah first, so he said (?). As word spread and reached the DO, he interviewed that brother during a program part and praised him for his exemplary action. Shortly after the next COs visit the brother was appointed as elder. The brother also found a new job as a bus driver for the public transportation services. This meant he had to miss many meetings and was very irregular at attending, he came mainly when he had a part and everyone knew that. Sometimes he delivered his talks in his driver’s uniform. When some complained about this he swooped his jacket and tie with other brothers before going on the platform.
This same person was also known by the elders to be heavy drinking and beating his wife. He was an active elder a couple of years until he disappeared. He left he wife and children and no one knew where he was living. There were many rumors about him, yet his removal as elder or his DFshipping was never announced.
One day after my father came home from an elders meeting he mentioned wife beating is a problem in our congregation –so I believe there were more cases.
Freetosee
