Posts by inbetween

21

Song- "we're Jehovah's Witnesses" in honor of this weeks WT study

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

this was the last song of the service meeting this week.

the new version sounds like a death march anthem.

the melody has changed and i think the words have also.. i truly used to like that song and it was one of the first song's i could sing as a kid.

inbetween

I used to actually like this song too, but its true, it is completely lifeless now...

5

seing what a great success my last thread in this series was, http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/206501/1/the-cargo-cult-arguments-and-how-to-deal-with-them, i couldnt help doing another :-).. .

imagine alice and bob both each has a sack of potatoes, but they cant agree which is the heavier, and are having and argument about it.. suddenly alice get an idea.

she produce the content of her bag, 3 irregularily medium-sized potatoes, and say to bob: "i know how we can solve this once and for all!".

inbetween

wow, thanks, I love those kind of posts....

however, the problem is, that for most witnesses , their three potatoes are still bigger than the whole bag of potatoes of other opinions.

so I agree, it is important to show, that even this 3 potatoes are already rotten and worth nothing...

80

What is it with all the men waking up but the wives stay in? Why is it the opposite for me?

by Cadellin in

this is something i've thought about for a while now.

it seems like the same story on this board over and over--the husband, who also might be an elder, ms, etc.--starts having doubts and researching, aka miseryloveselders and franklin massey and others.

he starts to smell the coffee and realizes that this organization isn't what it claims to be.

inbetween

Since I`ve been married I learned a lot about how woman function, and I´m still learning and it amazes me often.

Trying to help my wife to wake up is like a rollercoaster, and somehow I can grasp a bit why. Challenging your lifelong hold belief system was even for me as a man quite tough on the emotional level, and still is to some extent.

However, often after some discussions, where I try to help open her eyes, and even if she disagrees on the spot, later on she admits, thinking about it and its bugging her, that the org says this or does that.

and sometimes she even surprises me with "independant" thoughts, that even I did not think about. I commend her for that, and we openly discuss doctrine and other things.

However, I totally agree with the observation, that as an elder it seperates you from the flock and to some extend isolates you. I have no close friends in our hall (I know too much about people there and hate the knowledge), my friends are from other halls.

For my wife, she is a bit more connected, however, as she is my best friend, and I am hers, also this is not the real problem.

I think, for most situations like that, patience and love are the keys on the long run...

11

Misapplication of Philippians 3:7-8?

by dontplaceliterature in

philippians 3:7-8 is often quoted from the platform, and in watchtower literature as applied to material possessions and "worldly" gain.

i distinctly remember it being quoted in the young people ask video where the young boy's grandmother was trying to discourage him from being a track star.. however, when reading the scripture last night, i got the impression that paul wasn't talking about those things at all.

he was of course talking to jew's here.

inbetween

very good point, yes reading the context often disproves the special WTS interpretation of scriptures...

kind of wierd, since the society always encourages to read the context.....

19

wife seen part of "dateline" online, about pedophile in JW land

by inbetween in

a short update on my situation.. i am still in, trying to help my family to see the light.

my wife is open to critisize certain aspects of the wts, reads wt articles with a critical mind, but she still views them as gods org, and at times can get quit defensive about it.. last night though, she seemed devastated about a program she watched, reagrding pedophiles (dateline i guess).

she was very disturbed, even to the point of being depressed.

inbetween

ambersun: her background contributes to it as well, she seen hypocrisy and mistakes, but also how really bad people, that hurt her as well, became dfd, so she agrees with it in a way...

newchapter: she was home and just fooling around on the internet (instead of going in field circus, bad girl ) and she typed in Jehovah witness, just out of curiosity...

Blacksheep: while its true what you say, it is something working maybe for you and me, but she never was too deep into doctrine, I bet, she is not even aware of the 1919 choice of Jesus. She never could explain how to come to 1914, but for her important is the classical no trinity, no soul, no hellfire, but paradise earth, which makes total sense to her. and of course, seeing her grandparents there, kept her going, despite mistreatement in the org.

19

wife seen part of "dateline" online, about pedophile in JW land

by inbetween in

a short update on my situation.. i am still in, trying to help my family to see the light.

my wife is open to critisize certain aspects of the wts, reads wt articles with a critical mind, but she still views them as gods org, and at times can get quit defensive about it.. last night though, she seemed devastated about a program she watched, reagrding pedophiles (dateline i guess).

she was very disturbed, even to the point of being depressed.

inbetween

a short update on my situation.

I am still in, trying to help my family to see the light. My wife is open to critisize certain aspects of the WTS, reads WT articles with a critical mind, but she still views them as Gods org, and at times can get quit defensive about it.

Last night though, she seemed devastated about a program she watched, reagrding pedophiles (dateline I guess)

she was very disturbed, even to the point of being depressed. I listend to her complaints, thinking, how can I really help her. I could just let out everything I know, but this would just add to her feeling miserable, and it would probably cause her to become find excuses for the procedure of the WTS. And I think, she didnt quit get the whole point, since she tended to blame individuals rather then the org.

additionally she must have come across some "apostates" that acted strange, trying to encourage every one to partake at the memorial and so on. Unfortunately, I have to say, actions like that do not help people to wake up, it rather confirms the demonizing of apostates, that the WTS always tries to convey.

Anyway, I get the impression, her mind is slowly opening up towards information outside the WTS literature, otherwise she would have such a program just clicked off.

However, she still clings to the idea, JW are Gods org, and Jehovah will weed out all bad ones (e.g. pedophiles)

So my big question, how should I proceed ? I dont think, I can guide her to real apostate sites yet, it is still too early...

and also, to confront her with what is clear to us, that there is no truth, or gods org, might be tooo devastating for her..I fear really for her emotional stability...!!

84

Being honest with yourself, could you have reasonably adjusted your attitude and continued on as a JW?

by miseryloveselders in

jw
friends

i ask this question in harmony with deedub's swan song thread which i linked below.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/205902/1/time-to-say-good-bye.

to some degree, i think i understand where she's coming from.

just speaking from my own experiences since stepping into the world of anonymous apostacy, i went through a few different phases of personal outlooks.

inbetween

MLE: I hear you, really...

our congo seems very similar to yours, we also have a lot of fun, and, besides some selfrighteous dicks, mostly laid back, easy going people, some even borderline free thinkers (that means something in JW world)

atm, yes, I have to continue as a JW, and hidden apostate, if I walk away now, I would damage my family no doubt.

Basically all my freinds are JW, and even if their are billions of people in this world, with a certain age, you just dont make new friends that easy anymore...

on the other hand, it tortures me to listen to nonsense, to submit to theocratic order (oh I "love" that phrase), to go in service etc..

For me right now, going and staying, both has no happy end, its a loose/loose situation actually..

While those who leave cold turkey are to be respected, I also think, every situation is different. In the end, we all choose a path, that seems to be best for us anyway...

43

Hypocrisy 101 - Watchtower has Payed for College/College Courses for Bethelites!

by Crisis of Conscience in

no you did not read the title wrong.

i was out to eat this weekend with two bethelites.

one gave a talk in my hall and i was invited out to dinner with them by another family in my hall.. as the conversation always turns to "spiritual" things, the subject of education was brought up.

inbetween

coule of years ago, I was introduced to a young sister. She was a pioneer, and she calimed, she studies Law for the society. It was not clear whether the society paid for it or not (she comes from a wealthy family), but it was clear, that it was approved, even desired.

However, later on it was too much for her, so she quit studying, but still is pioneering.

49

A rhetorical analysis of the Sept. KM Question Box

by Leolaia in

some have pursued an independent group study of biblical hebrew and greek so as to analyze the accuracy of the new world translation.

they have also held conferences and produced publications to present their findings and to supplement what is provided at our christian meetings and through our literature.. throughout the earth, jehovah's people are receiving ample spiritual instruction and encouragement at congregation meetings, assemblies, and conventions, as well as through the publications of jehovah's organization.

rather, the claim is implicit.

inbetween

First thanks to leolaia to this brilliant analysis.

i remember, when it came out, I still was mentally in, but this Km shocked me. I felt, something is wrong here, what has truth to fear from research ?

For me, this km was one of the steps that led me to question them more and more, and finally ending up on the internet.....

I think, artcles like that will backfire on the society in the long run...

29

Another Armageddon Thread...This Time May be for REAL?!?

by Yan Bibiyan in

with the ensuing unrest in north africa and the middle east, i wonder if some "zealous" brothers and sisters are saying: "this is it!!!"..

didn't armageddon suppose to start in the mideast?

isn't the unrest moving closer and closer to israel?

inbetween

talk about its getting close ? Oh yes, JW here see it as sign (as well as 9/11, Iraq wars, Haiti earthquake etc)

any bad news are good news for the big slaughter feast someing up, and then pet lions and smiling faces all over the world....