Welcome. Take your time to determine what you believe. Assuming you're still married, I hope your awakening will have a positive impact on your marriage. Life is so much better without the burden of the WT religion.
DNCall
JoinedPosts by DNCall
-
45
Hello
by GoUnion inhello everyone it's nice to finally be able to post i had trouble getting emails last month and was never able to sign up.
this has been a very informative site which has really helped me grow and to think for myself.
please allow me to introduce myself.. i was born into a witness family and was baptized at a young age an was part of a small kingdom hall.
-
-
-
28
PRINCE: The Jehovah's Witness Hypocrisy
by Perversion of a truth injust saw this... definately worth a few laughs.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmd_twvvvgq.
-
-
DNCall
As of a couple of years ago, Prince was attending the Beverly Hills Congregation where he is referred to as Brother Nelson. I attended that congregation for over 40 years. The elders there are quite vocal about "upholding Jehovah's standards." So for me personally, the double standard afforded Prince really stands out.
-
14
Faders- if I can do it, you can do it too!
by dissonance_resolved inhi all- haven't posted much lately but i wanted to check in and give an update on my fade.
all of the advice i've received here has been spot on so far!
phase i is complete- i'm completely inactive, no service or meetings in a few months.
-
-
DNCall
Wanted to check and see how you were doing. I'm glad things are going as they are. Sounds like you are proceeding in a sensible manner. Best of success going forward!
F.
-
62
Marriage Consummation - emailed question has me stumped
by jwfacts ini received an email from a jw that got married, but the wife never had sex with him.
they were together for a period of years.
he told the elders, but they said there was nothing that could be done.
-
-
DNCall
Do you know that he was disfellowhipped for adultery? He may have been disfellowshipped for abandonment, which it sounds like this was.
-
40
Purged songs of the Watchtower
by LogCon inmy memory of singing the kingdom songs go back to when i was a child in the 1950's.
they still hold a place in my memory and my heart.
how can something that is so much a part of your childhood not stay embedded in your heart.?.
-
-
DNCall
ShirleyW: You'll be interested to know that the dedication song you liked (and I did too) was a favorite of David Splane's. He asked us to write a similar song for the current songbook. I left before attempting one, but maybe one of the others gave it a go.
-
40
Purged songs of the Watchtower
by LogCon inmy memory of singing the kingdom songs go back to when i was a child in the 1950's.
they still hold a place in my memory and my heart.
how can something that is so much a part of your childhood not stay embedded in your heart.?.
-
-
DNCall
The songs that were purged were either from the classics (there were melodies from Beethoven, Chopin, Von Weber and Brahms) or hymns from other religions. One of my favorites from the green songbook was the last one. I think it was called "Blessed Zion."
After being out for about eight years, the songs from the green song book are the ones that stick. For me, it was some of the first music I ever heard. Later in life I came to appreciate that the four-part harmony arrangements were well-written and the melodies were easily sung.
Emma: If I'm the composer you're talking about, not only were my songs not expunged from the latest songbook, but three or more were added.
-
20
Why do the Governing Body do it ??
by Phizzy inwhen i was an active jw the constant demands for loyalty and obedience to the gb used to really annoy me, and mrs phizzy.. why on earth do they do it in such a shrill, screaming and obvious way ?.
they sound like spoilt kids, "you must play the game our way".. it was partly that constant harping that really helped me to wake up, i came to see just how much they had usurped the place of jesus.. surely it is counter-productive to do the demands as they do, loud and blatant.
they could get the same results with a seemingly humble attitude, after all, the new pope is the vicar of christ by title, but he comes over as humble..
-
-
DNCall
I certainly agree with everything that has been stated so far. Unless I have missed it, there is another element to consider.
These men worked very hard and sacrificed quite a lot to get where they are. This, combined with the ambition it takes to get where they are, can lead to a judgmental attitude toward those who are less-motivated. In times past, there were GB members who were less amibitious, but who rose through the ranks due to natural ability, experience and the quality of their work. These tended to be less judgmental and more moderate. They are all gone.
What we now have are ambitious, hard-working men who were promoted by GB members of like temperament. As they admit, they are imperfect humans and the human tendency for such like is demanding the same ambition and hard work from others. Anything less than that is judged harshly. After all, everyone's life is on the line.
Simply stated, self righteousness is part of the reason the GB behaves as it does.
-
82
Who are the real WT puppet masters ?
by cookiemaster ina few days ago i posted my estimations about how much the wt actually makes a year.
you guys were all really helpful and provided a lot of useful info.
a good estimate would be 2-3 billion dollars a year.
-
-
DNCall
Apognophos:
The blood teaching was branding, supporting the idea that JWs are unique and thus the only true religion. "Only Jehovah's Witnesses use the name Jehovah, don't celebrate birthdays, refuse blood transfusions . . . "
-
82
Who are the real WT puppet masters ?
by cookiemaster ina few days ago i posted my estimations about how much the wt actually makes a year.
you guys were all really helpful and provided a lot of useful info.
a good estimate would be 2-3 billion dollars a year.
-
-
DNCall
I believe this to be a very important thread.
From what I have observed (from over 50 years as a Witness) the comments of jgnat (overview) and Apognophos (detailed) are, to me, the most accurate. Since the time that I had seen the Organization up close (through personal acquaintance with higher-ups in the Rutherford and Knorr administrations as well as members of the GB, Writing and Service Departments during the Jaracz period), it has morphed and adapted. Since the days of Russell, doctrinal changes and policy changes have always been in reaction to something human. I know of no exeception to this.
The checks and balances alluded to by jgnat, have evolved out of necessity and have contributed to the Oganization's survival in recent years. In theory, the Organization will continue to make any changes it sees as necessary for survival, regardless of which corporation, branch, body, department or committee comes up with the idea. But in practice, so long as it holds to its tradition, changes prohibited by that tradition may be the very changes it needs to make, in order to survive.
-
43
Disciplinary Actions
by Cold Steel induring a disciplinary procedure, what would the response be if you wanted representation?
an advocate?.
why don't they have a group of unbiased men, a prosecutor to present the case against you and an advocate that would represent the accused?
-
-
DNCall
Advocacy is not allowed. If you want to quash a judicial meeting just inform the elders that you will be bringing your attorney.
The answers to your other questions depend on the elders involved and, at times, the degree of the service department's involvement.
Every appeal committee on which I served reversed the original decision and the service department honored our finding. In one instance though, and this involved a special committee attempting to resolve a business dispute, it became clear that the service department had already passed judgment. When our committee came to a different conclusion, we were fired and replaced with another special committee who, while agreeing with our findings, were off the hook when one of the parties confessed to sexual immorality. The new committee took disfellowshipping action and in this way, the matter was resolved.
I have seen compassion, reasonableness, mercy and wisdom at times; but at other times, politics, ego, faovitism, Simony and dishonesty.