Posts by Disillusioned JW

39

Who says the Pandemic didn't wake up a lot of people!

by pistolpete in

there are actually tons of these experiences.

i wanted to post this one because it involved all the family of born in jws.. post;.

all my freakn dreams came true.

Disillusioned JW

I think the reason why some people officially leave the JW religion by means of committing fornication instead of officially disassociating is because of the following two reasons.

(1) Apparently (based upon what I have online) is that JWs in general (including elders) consider being a fornicator (especially if one only commits one act of fornication) as being fare less bad than submitting a letter of dissociation (especially if the letter says one disagrees with a number of WT teachings). It has been reported on this site that the elders and the WT especially is worried that a JW (or recent ex-JW) may be what the WT labels as an apostate. it is said that is because they fear that the apostate might share their beliefs and knowledge with believing JWs and thereby cause them to have doubts and maybe even leave the religion.
(2) I have read that if a person later decides they want to officially become a JW again (for example, perhaps in order to again have social contact with their JW family), they can more easily do so (and it might take less time to do) if they had been disfellowshipped for committing fornication, than if the means of them officially having left was by disassociation (especially if it involved what the WT considers to be apostacy).
For example, at https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5719308305956864/who-partaking-upcoming-memorial-april-15-2022 bola said the following (the bold face is added by me for emphasis). "I am just partaking for the sake of it. I cannot be reinstated after I have disassociated for 5 years and not partake. I am actually aware of the FOG in Watchtower." I am not aware that the WT has that specific policy, but maybe it does. Is it mentioned in the book for elders?

People don't need to do something potentially very dangerous (and what many consider immoral and which will [or might] very adversely effect them for the rest of their lives) in order to quit. For example, they do not need to quit by means of committing fornication, theft, acts of violence, illicit drug use, etc.. Furthermore for most JWs who want to quit, it is probably best to not officially quit. In other words, probably the best way (for most people) to quit is not by getting disfellowshipped or by disassociating. Well then what other way is there to quit, other than doing so officially?

For most people the best way to quit would be to quit informally (instead of officially). How? It would be by simply becoming inactive in field service and by ceasing to attend all JW meetings (including the Memorial), whether one does so gradually (probably safer, if one wants to continue to have social contact with JW family members) or suddenly.

42

Were JWs Right That There Would Be A Time When Governments Would Go After All Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

they have predicted this for years.

religions of the world would become attacked by the governments.

the only difference is when they go after jehovah’s witnesses, then jehovah god will step in and destroy the governments..

Disillusioned JW

I am very certain that within the next 20 years democratic-republic and socialized countries (of which the people have the right to vote for who will rule them) which have elections run in a democratic way, will not try to destroy all religion or even some religions. I don't even believe Islamic countries will try that. I have told my JW mom and JW sister those views. They disagree with me but I have them.

There are simply too many people in countries which are in some sense democracies for the governments to try to destroy all religions. It is even hard for me to imagine that in 30 years from now such types of countries will try to do such, despite the rapidly rising percentage of people in the USA who claim to have no religion.

I certainly can't believe that an international coalition of all countries of the world (or even of all countries comprising the UN) would attempt to do destroy all religions (or even replace it with a government created religion) within 40 years. I have told my mom and sister that also.

33

UPDATE: Wife Pretty Much Knows That I Don't Believe

by JW_Rogue in

we had a nice long talk and i brought up some things that make me think that this isn't the "truth" and she somewhat agreed with me.

i stuck with things i personally experienced or had knowledge of plus all the changes in recent years.

she agreed on a lot of the points but still believes in god and the bible.

Disillusioned JW

Billzfan23, the http://www.godisimaginary.com/ website you posted a link to is amazing!!!

15

Pandemic as part of Bible prophecy?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i was thinking that since russell started the movement in 1879 which became jehovah's witnesses in 1931 never has there been a period in time when all their activities just - stopped.

especially the preaching work.. do you think they will find some obscure verse in daniel that talks about this period of time and try to make a greater fulfillment?

like the 70 weeks of years or the 42 months?

Disillusioned JW

Correction: I the quote of Luke 21:8 (1984 NWT) instead of saying "The due time is near" I should have said "The due time has approached". The former rendering is of the 2013 edition instead of the 1984 edition.

15

Pandemic as part of Bible prophecy?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i was thinking that since russell started the movement in 1879 which became jehovah's witnesses in 1931 never has there been a period in time when all their activities just - stopped.

especially the preaching work.. do you think they will find some obscure verse in daniel that talks about this period of time and try to make a greater fulfillment?

like the 70 weeks of years or the 42 months?

Disillusioned JW

Newspaper exegesis? OK. But what if some bible prophecies came partly true in the past and might be now coming partly true, and might partly come in the future, as is the case with many old secular naturalistic predictions?

For example Luke 21:10 - 11 mentioned food shortages in the context of wars and pestilences. The news has been telling us that Covid-19 (and the associated shutdowns) brought food shortages. The current news of Russia's attack on Ukraine is telling us it is bringing food shortages. These are thus partial fulfillments of Luke 21: 10 -11 even if notindicating the great tribulation is near.

Luke 21:8 (1984 NWT) says the following. 'He said: “Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time is near.’ Do not go after them." The WT and the JW's governing body are partially fulfilling that verse. That is because of two things.

(1) The WT and its past Presidents for over 100 years and its governing body has been announcing 'The due time has approached'! in the 1973 they even published a book called God's Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached! In the 1880s through the early early 20th century they even published a book by Russell called The Time is at Hand and for a period of time the WT said Charles Russel is "that faithful and wise servant"!

(2) Though the The WT and the JW's governing body don't claim to be Jesus Christ they are trying to take much of the authority of Jesus Christ. Furthermore now the governing body say regarding themselves 'that we and only we are the faithful and discreet slave" and they stress that the 'faithful and discreet slave" mentioned in the gospel of Matthew is in the singular, thus in effect the governing body as a group is say "I am he"!

(3) Many of us ex-JWs using this site (and other people also) are warming people not to be misled by them and to "not go after them". We ex-JWs using this site (and other people also) are partially fulfilling that verse!

25

Zoroaster spoke thus

by Doug Mason in

the following is from: cosmos, chaos and the world to come (pp.

222-224), norman cohn.

yale university press.

Disillusioned JW

Great posts were made by Cofty and others in this forum topic.

24

Why remove John 8:1-11 in the NWT if these verses speak highly of Jesus

by I_love_Jeff in

i understand these verses were removed in the nwt as well as some other bibles because they were added later & considered uninspired.

jesus protected an adultress so why remove it?

it fits in nicely with his teachings, does it not?

Disillusioned JW

Thanks Earnest, so in the online version of the Study Edition it is there as a footnote to John 7:52 (much like it is as a footnote to John 7:52 in the printed edition of the 1984 NWT), though it is not there in the non-Study edition of the 2013 online version nor in the printed non-Study edition of the 2013 Edition.

35

What are your thoughts about Mormons?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

any takers?

Disillusioned JW

The individual members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints whom I have meant all seemed nice to me. But I don't agree with their religion.

Recently the church announced to their members that they should not refer to themselves as Mormons and that when people call them Mormons, they should tell the people that their name (personal name) is not Mormon and that the name of their church is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. When I called one a Mormon he told me those very things.

25

Resistace to going back to meetings

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

lot going on.

i had a covid divorce last year over zoom.

not pretty but i got a good deal.. anyway,.

Disillusioned JW

If they do include ones who attended physically, will ones who attended virtually also be included in the count?

42

Were JWs Right That There Would Be A Time When Governments Would Go After All Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

they have predicted this for years.

religions of the world would become attacked by the governments.

the only difference is when they go after jehovah’s witnesses, then jehovah god will step in and destroy the governments..

Disillusioned JW

cofty I agree with you in the idea that is very bad that the Chinese government is sending millions of Uighur Muslims to concentration camps. Not all Muslims are bad, just as not all Christians are bad.