Vidiot - I know. Everyone I have told thinks it is crazy too.
LL - I've never heard of anyone reprooved for discouraging pioneering either. I'm sure that is not in the "flock" book.
it was six hours long.
at the beginning of the week i had four accusers and by the time i went (half way throught the week) i was up to twelve.
i was charged with apostasy, malicous slander, lying, revileing.
Vidiot - I know. Everyone I have told thinks it is crazy too.
LL - I've never heard of anyone reprooved for discouraging pioneering either. I'm sure that is not in the "flock" book.
i know there are not many peterists out there but for the sake of argument all you bible believers, a question for you.
its looking more and more like the book of revelation was written for john's time and not ours.
the number mentioned 666 is more likely 616 for the emperor caligula who put a statue of himself in the temple at jerusalem, and the first verses in the book and the last chapter all say that these thing will happen quickly.
The book of Revelation was basically the last one to be put in the "accepted writings". Around 198 AD they were still debating between that and the Apocalypse of Peter which is a little darker ( if you can believe it ). They picked "John's" apocalypse because it fit better with the deity of Christ nonsense they were selling in the third century.
Anyone ever look up the mushrooms that grow on Patmos - seems like they were pretty good.
Crazy : Peterist - Did you mean preterist? Need a prophecy before they can be fulfilled. Not a bunch of "Nostadamus" style ramblings. Anybody can interpret them however they want and it is just as dumb.
it was six hours long.
at the beginning of the week i had four accusers and by the time i went (half way throught the week) i was up to twelve.
i was charged with apostasy, malicous slander, lying, revileing.
LL - Wow - As an elder for many years I can't imagine treating someone the way you both were treated. Disgusting. I have pretty much put myself in your type of situation so I could stay in contact with my family that is all "in".
For me - I had a jc for apostasy - no witnesses or accusers. Just the questions I had asked of the elders in that room. I told them almost everything I thought, but when they asked "the question" ("do you believe Jesus is using the governing body to direct his organization" I answered with a "sure" and then moved right along making my own very opposite points. Even though everything else I said in the meeting showed I had no respect for the GB and their authority my "sure" was enough for them. No difellowshipping - I was privately reproved.
That's right - I was found Guilty of Apostasy, but I was determined to be repentent (I never said sorry or admitted to being an apostate so that seems impossible.) AND not a danger to the congregation - so my reproof could be private. I tell people this any chance I get and everyone thinks it is the most ass backward thing they've ever heard. I was planning on being DF'd so I could appeal or let off the hook because there were no witnesses or evidence. No I was put in "Limbo". No commenting for me - so no more fun going to meetings, saying questionable things or quoting from WT's 30 years old. Oh well at least my kids still talk to me.
It would be nice to hear your committee, but I understand the ramifications of releasing it. Maybe your DF'd husband could steal it and post it? Then if ever asked about it you could say how sorry you are that it happened and you are not resposible and he can say you had nothing to do with it. Just a selfish thought since I want to hear it.
Thanks again for sharing your experience.
as the "truth about the truth' (delusional thinking bible interpetations) becomes more wide spread and the rate of jws leaving the clutches of the wt corporation increases a war/battle results, it is true some are just happy to get out with no need to inflict any retaliatorial injury to the corporation that held them hostage through deciet.
many on the other hand want to get their families out of this cult and a restoration of their good name from the cruel slander of an organization that has made a fortune off of their free labor and now forbids it members to have anything to do with them causing a great loss in former friends and family members.
is retailiation in order for these offenses?
This is very interesting to me. I still have family "in" and am hoping for their escape. What are the odds of an organized campaign of information - in the pattern of JW's Memorial invitation campaign - where we all contact JW's we know simultaneously with the same info. This would be discussed at some level and could not be ignored.
I'm not in favor of "picketing", but what about a flyer on every car at the kingdom hall? A few basic questions might be enough to turn many away. If we could get the momentum going it could be amazing.
i am durden.. a teenager that is an unbaptized publisher and is trying to leave this damn cult !!!.
i have been lurking here for some time and i decided to start posting with this intro.. im from europe, both my parents are jw's, my parents are both teachers (math teachers).. my parents are "softcore" jw's, they accept all my questions and try to answer them.. i am trying to "convert" my dad (an elder which might complicate things), me and my dad recently had various discussions about the org ("discussions" on the good sense of the word).. we talked about jehovah in the nt, 1975, 1914, gb in 1st century, the cross, "new lights" ..., you know the usual stuff.. and all is going well i think, i think i can "convert" him until the end of summer.. i mean is a logical man, what can go wrong ?
man, when i found jwfacts it was like my world had collapsed, all thoses lies .... but its good now to have found the truth.
Welcome.
Whatever you do - Don't get baptized. If nothing else you can just go on with your life and still have contact with your family even if you can't "rescue" them.
Find the questions to keep asking and maybe it will work. I was an elder for 6 years. Studying the 587/607 issue finally opened my eyes to the dishonesty of the JW's. You never know what is going to hit a particular person.
a lot of the rank and file at the meetings seem to think some of the changes make more sense but what is the most damning of the changes that may help to wake to some up.
some thing the rank and file will not first see or understand as a big deal?.
Old Hippie - I think the massive indifference has already begun. Not sure where it goes from here, but it will be insane no matter what they do.
awake!
"if you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.
because all the evidence in fulfillment of bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years... therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers.
Ditto to most of these statements. I was assured throughout my life that i would not graduate HS, not have to worry about a career and finances, certainly never need to think about retirement - even using that word is taboo for a JW. Article after article tells people not to even consider it. Now I'm almost 40 my wife is older than me and would like to retire soon..... Trusted prophets of god do not mislead people like this. Just one more proof of "false prophecy".....
a lot of the rank and file at the meetings seem to think some of the changes make more sense but what is the most damning of the changes that may help to wake to some up.
some thing the rank and file will not first see or understand as a big deal?.
Long term the idea that the appointment over "all his belongings" will be the undoing of the glue that held this thing together. The logical understanding of this scripture has always allowed for a harsh judgement of these bros as an "evil slave". They dodged that with the statement that their judgement had already taken place and they were approved and appointed over all his belongings. This crutch is now gone and they will have to face the truth - their judgement is coming, even by their own interpretation.
My wife suggested they might be moving away from 1914 and moving toward 1935 - which would allow the 586 date for Jerusalem's fall. 1935 will be the date the name change happens and Jesus truly "took charge" of the congregation and cleansed it. Dropping Russell as an FDS allows this. Just an idea.... but keep your ears listening.
Zimmerman was an idiot and he "might" have committed a crime in the killing of TM. However the whole "reasonable doubt" issue is the foundation of our legal system - there was clearly reasonable doubt that he was acting in self defense. No one knows exactly what happened for sure except Zimmerman. No thinking person would have convicted him - however I believe he will lose a civil suit against him (just requires a perponderance of the evidence). Does everybody realize the difference? Listening to the media reports it seems like they have no idea what "guilty" means in a criminal case.
a few months ago, the jws came knocking on my door (see thread).. this discussion continued and the next time she brought a man along with her.
i told them that i'd study with them if they could prove to me god exists and the bible was his book.
for our next visit, only the man showed up.
You may have done a lot more good than you realize. For me it was one CO that mentioned the "586 Apostasy" (refuting the silly 607 idea). It took me 3 years of research after that to even nthink about leaving. Faded out after that. Keep up the good work.