Posts by Frenchy

13

i am dissassociated

by zev in

jw
friends

my letter, a one page 4 line d.a.

letter was mailed sunday.. it simply stated, i was dissassociating myself.. i received an email, tuesday, that they had received it.. my guess is it will be announced next tuesday.. i will and am, finally free.. .

unseen apostate directorate of north america.

Frenchy

Zev: I can imagine how difficult this was for you. I hope that you finally have closure to this thing and that you can go on with your life.

It's truly amazing just how much 'the truth' (which, in fact, was not) affected our lives. I marvel at just how much anguish and pain it has caused for those who finally see that it's not what they thought it was.

I've never been a mormon or a member of another high control group so I cannot compare it with those...but being a Witness has truly been a unique experience to me.

I've said this many times already but here goes anyway: You don't know how much I wish that it would have been what it said it was.

7

Ex-Brothers Only. Ex-Sisters Can Judge?

by YYHWH in

jw
friends

if you had five minutes to state your case concerning the wbts on stage at an assembly what would you cover and how would you go about it.. (serious responses only please).

the women here on the board can weigh in on who they think has the best five minute talk.. the winner will receive a all expense paid trip to the one and only watchtower bible tract society in new york.. lets go get-em.

Frenchy

Do you realize how long of a post a five minute manuscript would be?

5

the true religion

by forgetmenot in

jw
friends

i have heard this comment from a few jw's in the past, "i became a jehovah's witness because you'll never find anything better.

let's propose that (for a second :)) they are the closest thing to the "true religion".

didn't the bible say something like don't listen to any false profits not "find the false profit that is the closest to the truth and follow him/her"?

Frenchy

There are many witnesses (percentage wise I could not guess) that know there are things that are wrong but yet feel that this is ‘the closest thing’ there is to being ‘the truth’. Being close to the truth is, of course, being wrong but not everyone wants to see it that way. It is a compromise and life is about compromises for the most part. The WTBS exploits this considerably.

I choose to take someone at their word. If you say that you’re only human and subject to error and then I find out later that some of your advice was not correct, then I cannot condemn you because you already qualified yourself. If, however, you contend that you are the voice of God…well, that’s another matter. YOU HAD BETTER NOT BE WRONG…or I will see you for what you are…and call you names to boot!

24

If you were to start a religion....

by KJV in

jw
friends

if you could start a religion what would it be?

how would you go about setting it up?

what agenda would you have?

Frenchy

Okay, King James. Seriously, if I had the energy and drive to start a religion it would not be to ‘get back’ at the society or even attempt to so much as even make trouble for it. I would do it as an honest attempt to help others in their quest for a reconciliation with their spiritual side.

It would have to have rules in order for there to be order. I think every reasonable person would agree with that. BUT that is where the rules would stop. It would be a forum where orderly discussion could be carried on, where ideas could be expressed and where no one would have to accept a doctrine in order to meet with the group or to have their fellowship. I enjoy talking to people who believe in the trinity although I do not. I could listen to a discourse about hellfire even if I don't believe in it myself.

What I could not tolerate is one faction forcing upon others their own viewpoint and herein is the crux of the matter. Doctrines are just that, viewpoints. Jesus associated with harlots and thieves without condoning their conduct. Why should I try to set a higher standard for myself? I find it interesting that he never once even suggested to the Samaritan woman that she should marry the man she was living with. He spoke to her regardless and although he certainly was in a position to be able to make judgments, he did not condemn her but rather gave her the opportunity to accept his message.

24

If you were to start a religion....

by KJV in

jw
friends

if you could start a religion what would it be?

how would you go about setting it up?

what agenda would you have?

Frenchy

OOPS!, I thought this was a serious question at first!

Hey, TR, how about a 'special day' at least in Daytona during Bikers' week and maybe one at Sturgis as well????

After all, if you're gonna ride...RIDE!

28

Jehovah witnesses DESTROY happy families!

by D wiltshire in

jw
friends

jehovah witnesses destroy many otherwise happy families by their cruel and inhumane shunning.. the bryant families(ca.& or) are a very real example of how shunning as enforced by elders and the watchtower really messes up what could otherwise be happy families.. will those fat heads on the governing body ever stop and think about how their sad and tragic misuse of shunning has led to untold suffering for so so many people,.. people who they owe,... no, people who they should feel love and compassion for because they have trusted them with their lives.. there is all kinds of wickedness in this world and i think the governing body is right up there close the the most wicked by their use of manipulation though lies and guilt.

one day i'm sure they will be held accountable.. oh god please bring their own wickedness crashing back on their own heads, because they keep tearing your people to pieces with their lies and the shunning of innocent people, please bring their own form of wickedness crashing back on their own heads.. .

join the watchtower or you will die.. only jehovah's witnesses have the truth all other religions evil and from the devil.. you must beleive the watchtower or you're going to die a painful death forever, isn't that really good news?.

Frenchy

Which leads me to my next point that a vow taken between God and an individual is between those two people/individuals. lol can't we leave the punishment of a broken promise to God up to God? Seems like he/she/it would be the one in the best position to "judge", wouldn't you think? –Xena

Those are my sentiments exactly, Xena. As a matter of fact I wrote something very similar to what you have here but I decided that I would no longer respond to Friday.

The girl that got baptized was barely twelve at the time of her baptism. She had neither the emotional maturity nor the desire to live the life her parents prescribed for her. She made no vow. She went through the motions of getting baptized and that’s all.

To illustrate that it has nothing to do with vows, if a person who has been baptized were to go to the elders and tell them that they made no such vow and that their baptism should be voided, what do you think would happen? Would they then be viewed merely as an ‘interested person’, an unbaptized publisher? I hardly think so.

[quote}Guess my bottom line is your relationship with God should be just that YOUR relationship with God..[/quote]

Amen, sister.

11

Society leaves elders wide open...

by dmouse in

jw
friends

an elder came to visit last night, i had hoped that he came to wish me a happy birthday (im 41 today!

) but no such luck.. he actually came to invite me to the memorial, the first official visit by an elder i have had for many, many years.. we talked about general issues at first, how i felt very angry at the way the society lied and continues to lie to protect its butt.. then happened one of those wonderful moments when you see someone do a double take, the issue of deception and hypocrisy came up and of course i had to mention the un.

at this point i assumed that the elder had heard all about the un debacle.. me: so, tell me honestly, how did you feel when you first found out that the society were a registered supporter on the united nations?.

Frenchy

The WTBS has done a marvelous (for them) job of managing to throw suspicion on everthing that is not sacntioned by them. This thread illustrates this very well.

Witnesses are generally not very well read people. As exemplified by this particular elder, they simply do not trust anything that is not in one of the Society's publications. Even if they were to see an official document of the UN, they would assume that it's some sort of trick. They only way for them to accept would be admission by the Society itself, through one of its representatives or publications.

6

How do you like them apples??

by Introspection in

jw
friends

read this little story in a meditation book:.

a friend's son was in the first grade of school, and his teacher asked the class, "what is the color of apples?

" most of the children answered red.

Frenchy

True story. This guy is sitting at restaurant with his family. He looks at his four year old son and, showing very poor judgment, he asks him: "Who do you love more, Mommy or me?" The son, far wiser than his father, even at his innocent age, replies that he loves them both the same. The mother smiles but the father is adamant about finding out which parent the child loves more. He tells the little boy, "Suppose a man gave you a gun and told you to shoot either me or mommy, who would you shoot?" Again, the guy is showing very poor judgment. The child responds without a moment's hesitation: "I would shoot him, daddy." The father's mouth falls open. He stopped questioning the boy at that time.

28

Jehovah witnesses DESTROY happy families!

by D wiltshire in

jw
friends

jehovah witnesses destroy many otherwise happy families by their cruel and inhumane shunning.. the bryant families(ca.& or) are a very real example of how shunning as enforced by elders and the watchtower really messes up what could otherwise be happy families.. will those fat heads on the governing body ever stop and think about how their sad and tragic misuse of shunning has led to untold suffering for so so many people,.. people who they owe,... no, people who they should feel love and compassion for because they have trusted them with their lives.. there is all kinds of wickedness in this world and i think the governing body is right up there close the the most wicked by their use of manipulation though lies and guilt.

one day i'm sure they will be held accountable.. oh god please bring their own wickedness crashing back on their own heads, because they keep tearing your people to pieces with their lies and the shunning of innocent people, please bring their own form of wickedness crashing back on their own heads.. .

join the watchtower or you will die.. only jehovah's witnesses have the truth all other religions evil and from the devil.. you must beleive the watchtower or you're going to die a painful death forever, isn't that really good news?.

Frenchy

Bang: What you speak of is individual, elective shunning, not mandated group shunning. I agree with you in that as individuals we NEED to shun certain individuals but that this should remain an INDIVIDUAL choice.

D. wiltshire: I agree with that. I don’t see Jesus advocating a persecuting of others for refusing to accept his teachings.

Pandora: Your feelings are not unique. I have made the argument (in fun) that we (JW’s) are doing people a disservice in giving them the choice for the same reason you stated.

Yardiff: First of all, you are in no position to call me names inasmuch as you know very little about me. Secondly, name calling is very juvenile and is usually the last resort of one who is unable to defend his position intelligently and I’m sure you would not want to fall into that category. Perhaps no one has ever told you that it’s not Christian like to call people names. Let me be the first if that is the case. I do find your responses to be very shallow and one dimensional which is very characteristic of people who call other people names. There is no need for you to address me in the future inasmuch as I will make no replies to you. (end of my comments to Yardiff)

28

Jehovah witnesses DESTROY happy families!

by D wiltshire in

jw
friends

jehovah witnesses destroy many otherwise happy families by their cruel and inhumane shunning.. the bryant families(ca.& or) are a very real example of how shunning as enforced by elders and the watchtower really messes up what could otherwise be happy families.. will those fat heads on the governing body ever stop and think about how their sad and tragic misuse of shunning has led to untold suffering for so so many people,.. people who they owe,... no, people who they should feel love and compassion for because they have trusted them with their lives.. there is all kinds of wickedness in this world and i think the governing body is right up there close the the most wicked by their use of manipulation though lies and guilt.

one day i'm sure they will be held accountable.. oh god please bring their own wickedness crashing back on their own heads, because they keep tearing your people to pieces with their lies and the shunning of innocent people, please bring their own form of wickedness crashing back on their own heads.. .

join the watchtower or you will die.. only jehovah's witnesses have the truth all other religions evil and from the devil.. you must beleive the watchtower or you're going to die a painful death forever, isn't that really good news?.

Frenchy

Witnesses miss the point of disfellowshipping. They are told, and consequently accept without question, that it’s for 1) To keep the congregation clean, and 2) to move the sinner to repentance. The truth of the matter is that it is a ‘big stick’ that is held over the heads of the flock to keep them in submission, not unlike ‘Babylon’s’ hellfire.

Let’s look at the first stated reason. Here is a true case (not hypothetical, these people really do exist) that illustrates my point. Two girls, cousins, grow up in JW homes. Both become notoriously promiscuous. One has the misfortune to have allowed herself to be pressured into baptism, the other was much more shrewd (as were her parents inasmuch as they saw what was happening). One is disfellowshipped while the other one cannot be for obvious reasons. One is not only accepted with open arms in the Kingdom Hall (hell, she’s even invited to come!) while the other one is shunned like a leper. They are both associated with the Witnesses inasmuch as few worldly people are able to make the fine distinction (or understand the significance thereof) of being baptized or not. One is being punished one is being excused. Why is that? Are they not both guilty of the same bad conduct? Are they not both aware of the wrong?

Number 2. If you die while you are disfellowshipped and you have made no effort to indicate some tendency to return, Witnesses will be instructed NOT to conduct your funeral. Now my question is this: How does that fulfill either of the two stated reasons for disfellowshipping? It does not. It’s a punitive action and it’s wrong!