At one congregation, they had (unwritten) rules about how to count your field service time- these went way beyond the organization rules. They seemed to forget that these were unpaid volunteers- why make it hard for them to keep the title of "Pioneer" if that's all they get? At another congregation, they did not allow sisters to have braids, until a few Africans with braids moved in to the area, and they were afraid to say anything to them, so the braids were now allowed. They tell us not to always sit in the same place at the kingdom hall. Women can never wear pants at the meetings or in field service, unless it's really cold out and the long skirt or coat completely hides the pants. At another hall, one elder told sisters that they must always wear stockings/nylons. I told my wife that if he said anything about her lack of nylons, send him to me. Men need to be careful about watching violent sports (football, hockey, boxing), we must all be careful about gossip. If you start to be below average, they want you to increase your service. If you start to be a good publisher, they push you to be a great one.
OnTheWayOut
JoinedPosts by OnTheWayOut
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34
"Are the rules that hard to follow?"
by rebel8 inoften i hear jws claim that people leave the borg because they cannot follow the rules, implying that anyone who leaves lacks character, self control, and/or moral values.. often i hear jwd posters--me included--say the myriad of rules in the borg is one of (not the only) reason they would not follow the org.
virgochick said it well in the "how do you feel about the name j----?
" thread:.
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"Are the rules that hard to follow?"
by rebel8 inoften i hear jws claim that people leave the borg because they cannot follow the rules, implying that anyone who leaves lacks character, self control, and/or moral values.. often i hear jwd posters--me included--say the myriad of rules in the borg is one of (not the only) reason they would not follow the org.
virgochick said it well in the "how do you feel about the name j----?
" thread:.
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OnTheWayOut
For a married witness (no need to go out searching for a mate in clubs, bars, shopping malls, no need to be dating, avoiding sex) who doesn't really care for violent movies or other entertainment that uses up all of his free time on weekends, and realizes the commercial drive of all the holidays, the rules are not terribly hard to follow. But for a person other than that to give up free time and overtime at work, give up weekends and 2 weeknights, travel a few times a year to sit all day for 2 or 3 days at a convention or circuit assembly, to do all that- you have to be firmly convinced that it is necessary for your everlasting future. As soon as there is doubt, you ask why you are doing this.
There is great stuff to do on weekends, or else relax. There are wonderful potential mates to meet at a club or laundrymat or wherever you like. If you get in a golf foursome or go out to lunch with the girls at work, you might find great friends (a good JW would never do that). Even weak JWs rarely do "worldly" things. They just slack off. The WTBTS has a firm grip on you. Yes, the rules are that hard to follow.
We all have rules at work- How many of us actually never slack off at work, don't shop on the internet during work-hours, don't allow personal calls to last more than a minute or two, etc. The boss understands and forgives these small violations if we are good workers. The WTBTS doesn't truly forgive missing meetings, low field service hours, staying home from an assembly, on-and-on.
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Hello! I'm new here
by exwitless ini'm new to posting to this forum.
my husband and i have been reading it for a few months.
we have finally written, sealed, and stamped our da letter, and it's ready to go directly to the post office.
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OnTheWayOut
Hey, I'm new also. I started answering forums last week, been reading them a few months. I'm OnTheWayOut because I am still an "active" witness. I recently resigned as an elder (August), saying I had some doubts about the GB (understatement) changing doctrines and I am going slow about it so I can avoid disfellowshipping and talk to family. I will stop turning in preaching time in a month or so (after the CO and DO visit me to knock some sense into my head) and hopefully just become inactive.
I have been trying to convince my wife that the organization has many problems, but she doesn't tune in to me, she just tunes it out. This means that I will have to continue avoiding worldly activity (holidays, politics, drunkeness) that she could turn me in for. I know you people will be a pillar of support for me.
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11
Why cant J-Dubs provide more help to their sick?
by JimWood intwo contrasting examples recently crossed through our lives which showed the pathetic ?love?
that is in the kh towards sick members.
1) a brother in his early 50?s developed cancer, within two years he died.
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OnTheWayOut
JWs will give some financial assistance for disasters when encouraged to do so. I find them very giving in that aspect. They will give limited help to someone in their congregation, also. But posters are right. Organizational giving (contribution boxes and preaching) is the priority. It is sad that a visiting Circuit Overseer whose expenses are cared for (until they get rid of him) will receive envelopes and hand-outs, but a struggling publisher will receive encouragement only.
To be fair, we were all convinced that giving the organizational way is the best way. I was a Hurricane Hugo victim in 1989, and the JWs gave cars, food, clothing, etc. This was wonderful. Since then, the organization says to just give money to the Worldwide Work so they can distribute what everyone needs after a disaster. While there is some benefit to that, it is mainly a way to control the money. Let people give what the want to from the heart. We were also taught that a financially poor person could get sustenance and covering from government aid, and should learn to "keep their eye simple," while a travelling overseer only gets what we give him.
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Do the Governing Body have a priviliged life style or not?
by Gill inhaving heard that ted jaracz is being flown out of state to consult a heart specialist, i started wondering what other luxuries the governing body of the wtbts enjoy!
any one any idea how they really live and if their vow of poverty is fake?.
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OnTheWayOut
From the original posted question, Has anyone ever heard of an ordinary Bethelite getting flown to a medical specialist with the bill paid by the organization? I would imagine they see that person as unproductive, and allow the local doctor to dope him up until he dies. Anyone?
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Do the Governing Body have a priviliged life style or not?
by Gill inhaving heard that ted jaracz is being flown out of state to consult a heart specialist, i started wondering what other luxuries the governing body of the wtbts enjoy!
any one any idea how they really live and if their vow of poverty is fake?.
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OnTheWayOut
Let's be fair. The GB and any Bethelites/Branch members who travel do get to do it for free. Simply by giving a talk or 3, they can visit anyplace on the globe. The local JW will pay all their expenses for the privilege and will give them green handshakes. They don't usually have to deduct restaurants/ lodging because the locals (who paid the taxes already) will foot those bills individually.
These practices are legal and normal in religion and in some business. There's nothing wrong with it. The GB get those great apartments because they have been slaving for the organization longer than others by the time they get appointed. These guys DO LEAD A GREAT LIFESTYLE, I'm sure, but it ain't worth everything it took to get there. I suppose the part that's best for them is everyone fawning over them on their visits, that's what many politicians love about their jobs- power and envy.
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Jehovah's Witnesses are not False Prophets- Proof
by Gilberto ina couple of years ago after talking about 1975 and the generation change with 2 elders i asked them what we would call another religion if they were wrong with dates and had to change prophecies.
no answer was forthcoming so i offered "false prophets?".
one elder agreed we probably would, the other was deadly silent.. anyway i thought i would look up false prophets and found this... *** g93 3/22 pp.
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OnTheWayOut
That 1993 reference makes me wonder how I was so stupid. (I will change that word to "ignorant.") The very "technically accuracy" of the WTBTS statements shows how they expect us just to accept what they say. All they have to do is say anything they want, and avoid saying it's "in the name of God" that they are speaking. They know good and well that their statements have been in "the name of Jehovah" for years without a reminder in every sentence. The JW's are expected to believe everything is in the name of God, without a reminder in every sentence.
I am so happy to be AWOKE.
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21
JEHOVAHS HOLY SPIRIT!
by daydream1900 inhello darlings.
well one thing that i don't feel stupid for is the statement- owww did you feel jehovah's holy spirit!
i don't know about you but i have never felt jehovah's spirit while i was in the org, .
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OnTheWayOut
Also, as far as knowing the scriptures so well before and now it's not so- it's a matter of usage. I was in the military 20 yrs ago and talked the jargon of that group of people, but immediately started forgetting it when I was discharged. Same with any profession /way of life.
You probably knew the NWT fairly well, and were great at picking out the "proof" scriptures, and now you cannot do that. That is normal. Right now, I can tear apart "proof" scriptures in my mind, because I have been preparing for discussing them with the elders, but this will go away from my mind later.
Fill your mind with important things in your life, don't worry about unimportant things.
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JEHOVAHS HOLY SPIRIT!
by daydream1900 inhello darlings.
well one thing that i don't feel stupid for is the statement- owww did you feel jehovah's holy spirit!
i don't know about you but i have never felt jehovah's spirit while i was in the org, .
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OnTheWayOut
I think it is probably the Emperor's New Clothes effect - nobody wants to admit that they don't feel anything. I knew the right things to say (Pioneering has brought me closer to Jah!) so I said them. People hear what they are expecting to hear. Everyone's happy.
I have to agree. People assume beacause they are pioneering or studying hard and preaching, reading the Bible regularly, then they ought to feel Jehovah's guidance in their lives. It's not just the anointed who are taught that. Many think they feel God's spirit because they are so busy in the organization that "Satan isn't getting to them." If someone doesn't feel the spirit, they feel guilty about some personal lack of faith and keep quiet or say they DO feel it. They don't want counsel on their lack of faith. But only the severely depressed seem to be able to admit that they do what Jehovah (really the GB) asks of them, and they don't feel anything. It may be that the medicated ones have been taught to face the real truth of their feelings, and the rest of the rank and file are still trying to live in denial. Of course, I don't say any of us are severely depressed, we are just finally able to admit that JW's preaching and meetings don't provide Holy Spirit.
I accepted responsibility in the cong. to get the Holy Spirit's influence. I studied better to get it. I pioneered to get it. I joined a foreign language congregation to get it. Never got it, but was afraid to admit it, until recently. I am in a mess in my cong. right now because I resigned as an elder in August, admitting I have doubts and don't feel God's Spirit in my life. The C.O. and D.O want to talk to me. The average JW would not want all that hassle (same as me) and keeps his mouth shut. Even I know that I won't be saying much to these men. Pardon me, you all, for my rambling.
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PO said automation and declining contributions reason for Bethel layoffs
by truthseeker inlast week at the meeting, the po, who has very close connections to bethel, said that he never thought he would see the day that bethelites were being sent home.
he said that the biggest two reasons he thought bethel were cutting back, was automation and a massive decline in contributions.
looks like you're right metatron about the contribution aspect being their achilles heel.
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OnTheWayOut
FROM OLD GOAT- "...why pay for the care of our elderly brothers and sisters when we can dump them now and let individual congregations worry about them or neglect them as they choose?
It's a good thing to take care of the elderly governing body members, I suppose. Or, maybe they should be "sent home" too, so our contributions don't go to unnecessary health-care expenses.
Poor planing is no excuse for trashing the lives of those who've given decades to Bethel service. This is wrong."
I have been reading these posts for awhile w/o joining the forum, but finally had to comment when I read this one from Old Goat. Amen.
How can you ask young people to give their entire life to service (instead of learning a trade or going to school), give them sustenance and covering with little else (so they cannot save for retirement), then change the deal just before their ailing health starts? Many in the U.S. probably don't even have their Social Security in order because they never thought they would need it. My name is OnTheWayOut because that's what I am. I'm going slow to try to keep a relationship with family, but stuff like this pushes me faster and faster.