i am sure that this has already been discussed, so maybe someone could direct me to the correct link.
i just haven't been able to access this site as often as i would like.
at the meeting tonight (i wasn't there but was told about it), the brothers were told to pack up a "survival kit" with enough provisions to last for six months - water, medications etc.
If you are in a disaster area then there is logic to having a go bag.
However the day you have to replace expired items in your go bag is the day you need to question why the end hasn't come. I wonder how many times they replace items before they realise how long the end is in coming it is certainly a way to reinforce the passage of time. I suspect the bags themselves will wear out and people still won't see the light.
nelson mandela has passed on.
he was a symbol of hope and peace to many.
has his life and achievements meant anything personal to members of jwn?.
I remember the protest songs demanding freedom for Nelsaon Mandela, I remember not buying South African apples and bananas as a protest and the shock when some English sportsman went to play in the country. My parents believed Nelson Mandela was a terrorist but his story and the songs didn't fit with the image.
I went to see Cry freedom at the cinema and found the story shocking.
I greatly admired him and that he could convert his passion for equality into positive reform. He was able to use his past to improve the future rather than punnish his enemies. He recognised the need to make peace with the past to move forward rather than constantly look backwards. I have found this a very useful strategy for my life.
thedog1 said.............. hi sam.
i just listened to your jc hearing for re-instatement.
without knowing the details of what happened it is difficult to make a comment on it but here goes.
I listened to the recording of the JC and although the elders were calm they were also extremely condescending. They frequently talked over Kate and were only interested in pursuing their own agenda whilst failing to answer any questions put to them. It is an unjust process which is open to corruption. Since a single sister can be questioned on any and all topics without any support or protection it is easy for some to fall into a hectoring style and any questioning of their judgement or authority results in a patronising and hostile response.
I agree that although there are many in the congrgations who try to act as christians there are others who are sinning in both small ways and great. Not least are appointed men who are so self satisfied with their position that they treat the flock of god as their own fiefdom. There is much casual cruelty in the congregation and judging of one another so that it becomes a part of the culture so that those still in become adept at navigating the minefield and stop noticing it.
Disfellowshipping is an inhumane and corrupt practice and the debate is not whether they followed the watchtower rules but rather by what right they practice it at all. To try to metaphorically kill people and render them cut off from friends and family however temporary is a disgusting way to treat another human being. They turn people into bullies and create a level of hardship that they have no right to impose on another person. Every time a JW treats someone as invisible or not present, every time they allow these petty humiliations they become less humane.
There is so much good happening outside the congregation that puts the organisation to shame.
i observed how they were always "helping others" by applying god's word and helping people to make adjustments, but who helps the local elders to see things more clearly?
his answer?
circuit overseers, of course!
Our body was told by the CO that we should be a "self healing" body, whereby we should not hesitate to counsel each other. Great in principle, except all elders are equal, but some are more equal than others. - cantleave on nuggets iPad.
i had an idea for coming up with a standard(ish) set of interview questions which members of the ex-jw community could use to provide insights into their lives as a kind of series (yeah, i was thinking of "interview with a vampire", lol).. anyway, this is the result to show the sort of thing i'm thinking of (applied to myself) and i'd like feedback on the format and the questions as well as who you'd also like to see "interviewed".. feel free to provide your own life story as a separate topic or ask any additional questions that i've missed.
it's not meant to be rigid so questions / themes can be adapted as needed and split / joined as appropriate.
the common questions will hopefully apply to everyone for some consistency and to guide the writing process with additional questions asked that make sense to each subject.. well, here goes .... tell us a little about yourself and your family.. im an independent software developer who grew up in manchester (uk) but now lives in calgary (canada) with my wife angharad and two boys, liam and dylan.
Thank you for posting it was really interesting.
excellent material can be found within the reasoning book, page 328, para.2, 3. occasionally, i see posters make presumptuous comments like, "all you need is the bible", or, "i'm born-again, so there's no need for spiritual assistance from another christian", or,"i'm saved", or my favorite, "jesus talks to me directly.
" on one hand, i can't be overly critical of such ones because they do attempt to read and understand the bible on their own.
(acts 17:11) not to mention they're generally peaceable folks, just self-misguided when erroneously believing that they can go it alone.
I am sorry to inform you that the reasoning booh is now old light with many out of date doctrines. I do not think it is prudent to direct anyone to this publication since so much is now apostate thinking.
This in itself is a valuable insight into the organisation since there is no guarantee that what you are led to believe today is in fact correct or will stand the test of time.
red john is sheriff thomas mcallister, which was a big surprise for me and also a bit dissapointing.
i was expecting a more complicated reveal of red john.
also the scene when jane kills him is just not that much epic as one would expect that it should be after 5 season of chasing.. however i look forward to see the way lisbon an the others get out of this mess.
I suspect there will be more twists to come.
increasingly, jw.org and its print publications show lots of pictures of witnesses preaching one-to-one to "interested" passersby in public venues in contrast with fewer pictures depicting the door-to-door work.
sure, d-t-d is still the organizatrion's mainstay activity - but clearly it pushes at every opportunity the need for the rank and file to "go" public.. this push could be a two-edge sword: there is obviously a hard core of witnesses whose dispositions draw them to this type of social outreach: they almost rush out to do this public-venue work, prefering it to d-t-d. but i'd hazard a guess that for the bulk of those in local congregations, the public-venue witnessing would be a total turn off.. to date, in new zealand, i have seen no evidence of jws doing this public venue witnessing - despite the huge push on jw.org and in the publications.
kiwis just don't seem inclined to put themselves out in public places - or if they do, it is in a kind of very muted way (i.e., almost out of sight and unobtrusive).. this site has shown that in a few places, including mexico, at least a few of the more publicly zealous witnesses are doing the public work big time.. is the public venue preaching happening elsewhere, such as asia?
I saw one of their stands in Fareham yesterday. The sisters behind the stand were talking to one another and paying no attention to anyone around them. It was early and there were relatively few passersby but they made no effort to engage with anyone. My daughter offered to go and get some literature but since I have recently purged the house of all books and magazines I was adamant I did not want any, plus I didn't want her wasting any time with this cult.
I don't know whether it is deliberate but those things blend into their surroundings they are not in the least eye catching I nearly missed it. The person selling the "big Issue" was much more effective couldn't miss her.
"however, it would be appreciated if such donations are made without restrictions as to where and how the funds may be used.
" additionally, at this time, there is no need for donations of food, clothing, or other items.
if such needs arise in the future, you will be notified accordingly.
I can appreciate that it may be sensible to discourage brothers and sisters from donating clothes and food. Whilst these may be needed it is better to buy supplies than deal with sorting and moving items that may be inappropriate for the needs of those people in the disaster area. However to request that no one can specify what their donations are for is problematic. Often the society downplays a situation based on the number of witness affected. Donations for the worldwide work are used to further preaching so there is no requirement to divert these funds for relief, in fact it goes against the stated purpose for this money to be used in this way. The society would have to set up a separate fund and have the congregation vote on it to be able to use money for aid. There can be no expectation that any money will be sent to those in need.
What will happen is a few will donate time and resources and then these individual efforts will be packaged up as a response from the society. It is sad that any religion can be so deceptive and inhumane.
this is a very strange thing for me to do.
i have been an active witness for over 25 years.
i currently serve as an elder and i conduct the watchtower study.
I used to have skill at making sense of the nonsense but when I saw the issues behind the doctrine I was unable to do so any more. It requires mental gymnastics that are truly unbelievable.
If you are struggling it may be worth getting a pass for that specific meeting citing illness that prevents you attending the meeting that day. In the meantime carry on with your research, information is everything in this situation.
