Posts by richgirl

22

It's My Turn

by OneFingerSalute in

well i finally got the, "we would like to stop by with the circus oversneer and have an encouraging visit.

would ---------day be good, at say -----------?".

it'll probably be a pretty dull visit with the entire conversation being only one way.

richgirl

I was once asked if I would like a visit from the CO. I said, "No thanks. He can't tell me anything beyond what 's in the publications, and I can read those for myself".

12

The New 2015 Insight Book

by FusionTheism in

what changes and new light have you found so far in the new 2015 insight book?.

here's a short list so far of the articles i noticed which have been changed:.

* generation.

They have changed (and shortened) the entry under "Faithful and Discreet slave". It omits what "commentators" have said about the parable at Mt 24:45-47. I suspect they removed it because, since the new light about the FDS in 2012, it undermines the whole basis for the GB claiming that the "slave" is a composite one (ie. a basis for organisation) rather than just referring to individuals.

71

A big hello and thank you

by iwasblind in

i just wanted to introduce myself and say a big hello to all of my mentally diseased friends.. i say friends because i have been lurking for some time so it feels like home (us lurkers are a bit scared and cautious so it takes a while).

i won't bore you with too many details, but i am a born in, currently serving as the cobe of a congregation.

my wife and i have pioneered for the last 10 years and were shaken awake by that ridiculous 15th july 2013 wt about the generation and 1914.. my wife who is much smarter than me has questioned for years.

richgirl

Welcome iwasblind!! I am new to this forum too. also from down under....New Zealand in fact. (I posted as rupunzelsawake at jwstruggle) Boy, you really have your work cut out for you...It must be very difficult to maintain the facade and at the same time be true to yourself. However, who knows how you might be able to help thinking ones in the congregation before you inevitably leave. I will look forward to updates from you on the forum. Blessings to you brother, and to your wife!

36

"Be Kind to the Fornicators in the Congregation!" -- New August Watchtower

by FusionTheism in

have you noticed the article entitled "watch your associations in these last days" in the new august 2015 study watchtower?.

unless i'm reading it wrong, or somehow misinterpreting it, it is saying that we should be kind to intentional breakers of god's laws inside and outside the congregation, including fornicators, but that we must not be close associates with them.. are they already preparing for a shift in their disfellowshipping practices?.

here are the relevant paragraphs:.

richgirl

Maybe the GB don't want members to report fellow witnesses to elders because they would be tied up with JC meetings every night of the week. How discouragaing that would be. Congregation numbers would drop....and that wouldn't look good. Has everyone seen the movie "The Prodigal Returns"? The worst "associate" in that was Al, an active JW in the congregation. What made me laugh was in the movie the "goody-good JW" brother of the main character described the corporate world as a "shark infested ocean" he wouldn't want to swim in. My thought was that the movie really depicted the congregation as a shark infested ocean.......and the motto....get out of it. Well, probably going overboard here!

13

Jehovah’s Witnesses Recognize That People Have the Right to Change Religions, Just Not Their Religion

by Watchtower-Free in

by alexandra james.

http://jwvictims.org/2015/05/17/jehovahs-witnesses-recognize-that-people-have-the-right-to-change-religions-just-not-their-religion/.

jehovahs witnesses say that people have the right to change religions and that they deserve respect when it comes to that right, but this is not something that they offer to those who leave their religion.

richgirl

Great article Alexandra! The FAQ article also mentioned that when some of Jesus' disciples left off following him, he let them leave, and he did not coerce them into staying. I wonder how WT would define "coerce". As one of my "inquisitors" said to me, "We are not in the arm twisting business", as in forcing me to stay. At my JC meeting the same elder explained that we have free will, that they had "no trouble" with me doing things my way, and that they did not "judge me for that"!!! (Strange when clearly they were judging me. I was at a judicial meeting after all.) He said that everything I had presented to them "made a lot of sense". I explained that prior to the 1980s I would have been able to just walk away from the organisation without repercussions, but now they had the power to "hurt" me, to punish me. That is not "respect". I had to spell it out for them how I would be hurt, how I would now be treated and viewed by my friends, what lies my friends would now have to believe about me. I read a few quotes from WT magazines. They were clearly uncomfortable but went ahead and followed GB directives anyway, as I knew they would.

24

New Light! People CAN now be saved AFTER the Tribulation begins!

by FusionTheism in

for decades, i remember the society, publications, and elders saying that once the great tribulation begins, it is too late to repent or be saved.

they said the "door of the ark will have been closed.".

now, however, look at the brand-new clarified understanding / new light on this from jw.org, below.. they are still saying that the majority of worldly people will not be saved, but they are now saying it is possible.. the simplified july study watchtower says this:.

richgirl

Wow! The language in the simplified version suggests the possiblity of not many (in other words "few") members of Christendom switching to JW. The non-simplified edition seems to be saying there will not be a mass conversion to "true Chrisitanity" post gt trib (as articles in previous years have stated, eg July 15th 2013, pg 7, par 13, states "Before the great trib begins, people still have time to change their thinking....") It certainly is ambiguous though. Is it intentional ambiguity or just plain bad writing.

Perhaps many JWs have expected that the destruction of Bab the Gt would include the slaughter of all it's members......but really that would be impossible for then there would likely be few left to launch an attack on JWs (who are supposedly dwelling peacefully in the centre of the earth!) Even the UN, which JWs believe will attack false religion, is itself religious.....There is even a meditation/prayer room under the main Assembly room at the UN HQ. They protect religious sites, eg, the supposed birthplace of Buddha. The reference number for this site is rev666. I'm not joking!!! It's on their website. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/666

75

Rumor about the Imitate Jesus Convention

by FusionTheism in

i saw a rumor a few weeks ago on reddit that the new imitate jesus convention is supposed to present new light and clarified understandings on the disfellowshipping/disassociation practices.. supposedly, if this rumor has any truth to it, there will be a talk given at the convention about how we should not be strict like the pharisees in how we shun people, loosening up some of the jw rules about this practice.. has anyone here heard anything about this or have more info on it?.

richgirl

I wonder if there's anything to this rumour.

I was just reading a FAQ article on the jw website, "Do Jehovah's Witnesses Force people to change Religions?" There were some interesting points made which made me wonder if the writer is "awake"! Regarding Jesus it said, "When some of his disciples stumbled at what he said, he let them leave rather than coerce them into staying.—John 6:60-62, 66-68" (Added italics) I thought this a strange thing to bring up!

Further into the article it said, "The right to change religions is supported by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which the United Nations has called “the foundation of international human rights law.” That document states that everyone has the “freedom to change his religion or belief” and “to seek, receive and impart information and ideas,” including religious ideas. * Of course, these rights carry with them the obligation to respect the rights of others both to maintain their beliefs and to reject ideas that they disagree with."

Could we possibly see a return to the pre-1980s situation, when a person could disassociate from the org without the threat of being shunned?

I read this in the August 2015 study edition in the article, "Watch Your Association in These Last Days". Paragraph 5 reads, "To avoid spoiling our useful habits, we must not have as close associates those who practice bad things. This applies not only to associating with unbelieving wrongdoers but also to associating with those who claim to worship Jehovah but who deliberately violate his laws. If such professing Christians engage in serious wrongdoing and do not repent, we do not continue to associate with them.—Rom. 16:17, 18."

Paragraph 7 reads in part, "Although we want to be kind even to those who do not follow God’s laws, we should not become their intimate associates or close friends."

I am wondering if this represents the beginning of a shift to a more scriptural approach to the treatment of wrong-doers in the congregation. I am not holding my breath. What do you all think?

70

If They Stopped Shunning Tomorrow?

by cofty in

imagine that the cult decided to stop shunning family members on the proviso that the dfd person was not actively trying to attack the cult.. (please don't debate whether or not this is likely - it's hypothetical).

how would you respond to your family?.

personally i think i would be less than cooperative.

richgirl

I was just reading this in the August 2015 study edition, regarding "association": (Par 5 "Watch Your Association in These Last Days") "To avoid spoiling our useful habits, we must not have as close associates those who practice bad things. This applies not only to associating with unbelieving wrongdoers but also to associating with those who claim to worship Jehovah but who deliberately violate his laws. If such professing Christians engage in serious wrongdoing and do not repent, we do not continue to associate with them.—Rom. 16:17, 18." Then par 7 reads in part: " Although we want to be kind even to those who do not follow God’s laws, we should not become their intimate associates or close friends. " You have to ask why is it that the one who "claims to worship Jehovah but who deliberately violates his laws" is not disfellowshipped and subsequently shunned? Rather, the 'good" JW is enouraged to "be kind" but to avoid close association. Is this possibly a lead up to "new light" regarding shunning? Somehow I doubt it...but.....

42

I asked where is the proof?

by disillusioned 2 in

arguing with my husband again, i asked where is the proof that jesus looked down on earth in 1919 and chose a small group of bible students in america apart from them saying it in their magazines.

also where is the proof that satan and his demons were cast down in 1914 just because first world war started.

neither of these things are in the bible only in their magazines.

richgirl

I wonder what your husband would think of appendix B1 in the revised NWT. Have a look. It appears that the GB are no longer convinced that Satan was cast down to the earth in 1914. It says, "about 1914". It also makes absolutely no mention whatsoever that Jesus was enthroned as King in 1914!!! Are they also unsure about that? Show your husband and ask him why he thinks that is!! I would be interested to know how he responds.

69

Average Age of this Forum?

by Garrett in

jw
friends

heyo!.

i'm quite interested in knowing the average age of those of us who use this forum.

i made a quick strawpoll that you can find at the following link: http://strawpoll.me/4340636 just pick an age and click "vote" if you wish to participate.. admins: if this breaks any rules, i apologize in advance..

richgirl

50 in July