hello all, i'm 'researching', a jw who is in the first steps of taking a look at their beliefs.. i've semi-recently (about a couple weeks ago) heard about the sexual abuse cases (pennsylvania attorney general’s investigation request) and then the arc in 2015. this lead to a deep investigation, which lead to many questions arising.
a jw friend of mine suggested i be careful (due to apostates) and ask the brothers.
so i typed up my questions + concerns and emailed an elder my mother has known for a long time.
Some JWs have asked heartfelt questions of COs or elders only to be told, "We aren't here to answer your questions."
Instead of the help they were looking for, they find themselves in an inquisition which centers on the question of whether they still believe the WT is God's organization and the GB the faithful and discreet slave.
I hope you are treated better, but I'm not optimistic.
Please realize that the organization has no good answers for the questions you are asking.
It's amazing to me how JWs can still consider their religion to be "the truth" when so many key teachings they were taught have now been abandoned and replaced -- what the "1914 generation" is, who the faithful and discreet slave is, etc.
aren't they tiring out from saying this now?.
a jobo pimi-lite i know has a terminal illness (no names, no pack drill), was told, 'hold on, the end is so close.
the pimi-lite said they will need to hold on to their 'go bags(tm), then!.
It's one thing to be hoodwinked into believing the end is just around the corner.
It's quite another to allow yourself to be hoodwinked half a dozen times.
i haven’t posted in awhile.
my wife asked me after the year 2000 came and went without fanfare(because the wt organization said all the “new world” would be here within this 20th century would end), “ what would it take for you to leave the truth?”.
my reply was “ if i turn 60 in this “system of things”.
It's too bad you didn't have access to old WT literature back in the day.
Pastor Russell published that the end of the old system would come in 1914.
i was told by several elders to not get a dog when i was looking for one in the 80s.
the end was close and we needed to focus on the preaching work.
i know some have pets but a lot don't.
The WT thinks nothing should interfere with meeting attendance and field service...
my beloved grandmother has passed away and her funeral is next week at a kingdom hall.
she was a loyal jw, and unfortunately i am not understanding of the funeral procedures.
please could you kindly explain what what will happen in the funeral?
I don't have anything to add about what to expect.
I just want to extend my condolences on your loss.
in 1976 when i was a young lad of 6, fred franz came to glasgow and gave a talk in govan a suburb on the south side of the city (for those of you who dont know).
our congregation hired a bus to ferry us all to the hall and it was standing room only.
being only 6, i have only the vaguest of memories other than an old man shouting and bawling from the stage.
And the WT claims JWs aren't following men...
are you aware of any double standards promoted by the organization of jehovah's witnesses?
here a a few i am aware of:.
1. the wts equated joining the ymca with apostasy but felt free to join the un for 10 years (1991-2001).
JWs aren't following men... just the faithful and discreet slave.
JWs don't have leaders... just men who take the lead.
JWs don't go beyond what is written in the Bible... except when they do, such as with 1914 and other dates.
during gerrit loesch's talk just released, he goes on a long list of the false end times predictions throughout the millennia.
i didn't expect it, but then he goes into the precursors to the bible students who, when their dates failed, changed christ's presence to have happened 'invisibly'.
then it goes right into the jws, and he reads the quote from millions now living will never die about how we can 'confidently expect' the resurrection in 1925, and then the life everlasting book that predicted 1975. of course, he doesn't say how it's still going on, namely with the overlapping generation and its' accompanying convoluted chart, but still, this is more than they've ever said on the subject, especially recently.. it almost sounds like a forced statement, to address any backlash from people reading 'apostate lies' online, because he also says how the gb 'humbly' admitted mistakes, referencing the non-apology after 1975 that disturbed raymond franz.
Where is this video? Do you have the url?
fader here - last meeting was in autumn 2005. lurker on this site and others.
not one to get all controversial.. typical situation, pretty much a born in and left the church at age 38 and never looked back.. i'm 53 now, parents getting older - late 70s but very active, dad is still an elder.. parents, in laws, brother and brother-in-law still uber active jws.. my family (wife and 2 adult children) out since 2005.. we have stayed close to our parents - we have treaded religion lightly and have had a pretty good relationship and have kept our personal lives and beliefs/opinions separated from them.
this was intentional - as we love them and do not want anything to cause shunning since they are getting older and want to be there for them and we respect their beliefs.. got this letter today.
I agree with Vanderhoven7's advice.
