Posts by Billy the Ex-Bethelite

75

If You Were Wrong About The JWs, Maybe Your Current Beliefs Aren't True

by serotonin_wraith in

if you're here, it's likely you were once fooled by what the jws believe.. back then, i expect you thought you were smart.

you thought you could tell if you were being lied to.

yet, they got past your mental defenses and sucked you in.. knowing this, how can you be sure your current religious beliefs are true?.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Sorry, I didn't bother to read every line posted so far. I just thought I'd throw in my opinion on the subject. I'm still stuck 'in'. I've read the Bible lid-to-lid several times. Too many contradictions and lack of clarity in what is in the scriptures. CT Russell tried to make sense of it, but with or without the pyramids, a hundred years later and the JWs are still clueless. Now, while not accepting JW beliefs, I guess my JW programming has taught me that every other religion is wrong, and that atheism is wrong.

I have two current beliefs:

I believe in a higher power and am awaiting further instruction.
I believe I'll have a drink and call it a night.

On my first current belief, maybe I'm wrong. On my second current belief, I'm right on the money !

Billy... glug, glug, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

39

I am new here, need a bit of help

by Velvetann in

jw
friends

hi everyone, i was recommended to this place by "bigmouth" at least i think thats her handle.

grace from canada.

she is a sweetie.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Welcome Velvetann !!

A few of us are still 'in' and I'm still an elder. I'd like to never set foot in a KH again and certainly never go door-to-door again (which I almost never do anymore). Unfortunately, almost all my family is in and my friends are in. However, I'm opening some eyes around here. Just this week after the WT study about "Vindicating Jehovah's Universal Sovereignty", I mentioned to my dad a mistake the conductor made and that "vindicate" doesn't appear in the NWT. "Universal" and "sovereignty" only appear in footnotes. Any reference to "sanctifying" Jehovah's "name" is where he says he will do it himself. Dad was like, "Yeah, some things are speculative, poorly written, and beyond what's in the Bible."

So, sometimes I may express myself like a JW, but I don't believe it anymore. I really don't know what to believe. But I do believe that JWD is a great place to talk about these things.

28

Were YOU Personally Disappointed That The End Didn't Come Yet?

by minimus in

jw
friends

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

I guess I'm kinda in the same league with Maddie and Jaguarbass. I felt bad that billions would die without fair warning, but I didn't want to see my family grow old, get sick, and die in this system. The answers worked well enough to keep me in and working hard trying to please Jah.

For years I was disappointed that the end hadn't come as the bOrg had promised. Now, I'm not disappointed that the end didn't come, I'm disappointed, disillusioned, and angry that I wasted so much of my life following false prophets.

17

Thomas Jefferson quote I wish JW's would read...

by avishai in

jw
friends

question with boldness even the existence of a god; because if there be one he must approve of the homage of reason more than that of blindfolded fear.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Thanks avi, mincan, and Tom Jefferson !

Y'all have given me something to think about tonight... way better than the Daily Text.

It's past Billy's bedtime. Ciao for now.

33

1000 asked to leave bethel complexes

by atpeace in

i just heard this - anyone else?

i was curious as to the reason people were given for this.

and i can't help but think of those that will be trying to get a job in this economy, with few skills and probably no college education.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Not sure, but I'm assuming the 1000 figure has been reductions over the last 2-3 years. But more reductions will probably follow.

I was in Beth-hell for over a decade and saw a lot come and go. Several times they tried the 'reduce through attrition', simply that as people left, don't replace them. The problem was that they lost the very people that were vitally skilled and could easily go out and get a good job. Others were given the option of going directly to Gilead or MTS.This left Bethel with the unskilled, poorly motivated, and under-performers.

Another circumstance that brought about my departure was the decision to reduce the people in a vital department by letting other departments pick out the people they wanted. Some of the best got grabbed out to other departments, the skilled that were left were burnt out and many left, the rest were either incapable of their jobs or did the best they could. Me, I burnt out and left. Lots of others left or were asked to leave around the same time. Shortly thereafter, Bethel started pushing more out to 'special pioneering' assignments.

WTBTS is losing a lot of dead weight with these reductions, but they're also losing brains and talent. I think it's all about reducing expenses and faking prosperity while their false prophecies and imaginary kingdom crumbles.

43

new BS assignment, new threats.

by inkling in

ok, so after about 2 months of straight absence from my bookstudy, the elders shuffled me off.

apparently my current (actually quite kind, if a bit clueless) bs overseer was.

not being enough of a nazi.. my newly assigned bs has a (aforementioned in another post) dimwitted, socially obtuse, and.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Lots of good stuff already here.

Has it been a local issue in the KH about the pedophile lawsuits? You might print a copy of this http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/ (both web pages) and ask the CBSO gestapo that since he's a diligent, knowledgeable brother, there must be a good explanation for this. Share copies with everyone in the new BS group and tell them that your conductor will give a full explanation this week.

12

are the governing body going to heaven

by looloo in

jw
friends

or are they not in the 144000, and do you think the members of gb really think that they are directed by god , or dont want to rock the boat ,and enjoy power , how do they get promoted to gb and do they havet o wait till one snuffs it before getting in the gang just curious

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

The GB members...

think they're going to heaven.
think they're directed by God.
don't want to rock the sinking ship.
they enjoy the power and prestige.

How to get to be a GB:

Act really spiritual, set spiritual goals, intimidate others with your spiritualitude.
Eat crackers and drink wine during the Memorial.
Get chummy with those higher on the WTBTS ladder.
Kiss @$$.

Nobody has to die, they don't stick to a particular number.

Oh, and you'll have to have a penis to get in the group. I don't think they check for circumcision though.

14

Struggling to throw my contact lenses away!

by Trevanian in

jw
friends

when i first started wearing (soft) contact lenses, in around 1986, they were prescribed for wearing for six months, i think, before being replaced.

over the years the technology has become better, they've become cheaper, and wear time has become shorter... three months... one month... .

now i'm wearing two-week (water-wada-wada-oxygen-permeable-completely-inexpensive-state-of-the-art) contact lenses.. but damn, when i have to throw the little critters in the bin or down the drain after two weeks, i feel guilty as heck!

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Hard lenses didn't work well for me. My eyes weren't absorbing enough oxygen. Gas permeable made me very light sensative, and tended to make my eyes tired. I wore soft lenses for several years, but I developed protein deposits rather quickly which shortened their lifespan even with thorough cleaning. For years I wore glasses.

Then I had lasik. This is the greatest! No lenses, no glasses, no muss, no fuss. Perfect vision, should never be near-sighted again for the rest of my life. I may need some assistance from reading glasses in about a decade, but that's way better than bifocals.

17

WT Comments (1/14 JAH'S SOVEREIGNTY) BLONDIE RETURNS!!

by V in

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

Welcome Libertina !!! And excellent points Brother BluesBrother and Watkins !

During the WT at the KH this AM, I nearly barfed twice:

Once when a brother commented, "All those people that pray the Lord's Prayer don't know it but their really praying for their own destruction." Oops, I almost threw up again.
Then on paragraph 10, when the conductor asked the additional question, "Now which is more important, vindicating God's sovereignty or sanctifying his name?" Several wrong answers followed... I wanted to scream, "THE FIRST PHRASE DOESN'T EXIST IN THE BIBLE !!! AND CHECK THE CROSS-REFERENCES JEHOVAH'S SUPPOSED TO SANCTIFY HIS OWN FREAKIN' NAME !!!! WAKE UP !!! The word 'vindicate' isn't in the NWT and both 'universal' and 'sovereignty' are only in footnotes. The scriptures in the paragraph have nothing to do with the lame point their failing to make."

Billy the ex-Barf-alite

36

I thought I would tell everyone here first... I'm going to prison

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

what i did was totally out of character for me.

i had a sharp pare of scissors in my hand and i was just so angry.

before i knew what happened i had thrust them forward... over and over... once i finally stopped i just couldn't believe the mess everywhere.

Billy the Ex-Bethelite

THE CHILDREN !! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD WON'T SOMEONE THINK OF THE CHILDREN ?!?!

THIS IS EXACTLY THE KIND OF INHUMANITY THAT RESULTS FROM BECOMING A POST-JEHOVAH EX-WITLESS APOSTATE !!!

WHAT NEXT ?!?! SERIAL PUPPY KICKING ????

YOU BEAST ! ! ! ! !

We love you anyway, Brother Where. Since you confessed, we'll give you private reproof and pass the hat to collect $12.5 million in hush money. Trust us. Nobody will ever know.