I had the Paradise book before I could read. The Great Teacher Book and My Book of Bible Stories were childhood books. The Youth book and Live Forever book are what my father studied with me prior to baptism.
truth_b_known
JoinedPosts by truth_b_known
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30
What WT Children's Book Were You Studied With As A Child?
by Sea Breeze inmy mom studied with me in the paradise book before i went to kindergarten.
i remember the book vividly.
it creeped me out as a kid.
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What Do You Think About Home Schooling?
by minimus ini knew a few witnesses who were very proud of the fact that their kids were homeschooled.
years ago, i would raise my eyebrows wondering why these families couldn’t simply integrate their kids with other “worldly” kids.
at this point in time, with so many theories being pushed on kids and their parents, i can see why parents, if they are qualified, could instruct their kids themselves.
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truth_b_known
Where I grew up there was -
Government run school (aka "Public School")
Charter Schools (funded by taxpayers as an alternative to the government run school)
Independent studies (You are enrolled in a government run school. Work is done at home. Tests taken on campus once a week.)
Home Schooling (this is where mom, dad, or both are teaching their children)
My next door neighbors home school their kids up to high school. Then they send their kids to government run school. Mom holds a degree in education and is certified to teach in government run school. I see how that would work well.
With my own children I saw indoctrination at an early age - kindergarten. Starting in kindergarten the students are indoctrinated by the teachers and faculty that all students attend a University. Each grade had to learn a different University fight song and sing those songs at schoolwide assemblies.
My middle son would tell me that he was going to attend a prestigious University. I head this every year. Finally, when he was in the 5th grade I asked him: "Who is going to pay the $200,000.00 so you can attend that college?" My son was stunned speechless. I asked my son to ask his teachers if they would pay the tuition. My son never again brought up going to that college.
That is just one example of indoctrination that government run education imposes on our children. Fortunately my wife and I encourage critical thinking with our children. Our children usually see the truth of things.
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David Splane's apostate warning convention talk
by neat blue dog ini know this recent video has been talked about already but i just watched it and here are a few things that got me annoyed as usual:.
splane says that if a bible student says he saw some negative information from apostates and asks us to explain it, we shouldn't look at it or address anything specifically, but instead we should tell them to go to meetings and hear what we have to say about ourselves and also tell them to befriend people at the hall.
for any person with integrity and/or intelligence, this is not a satisfactory answer.
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truth_b_known
Splane says that if a Bible Student says he saw some negative information from apostates and asks us to explain it, we shouldn't look at it or address anything specifically, but instead we should tell them to go to meetings and hear what we have to say about ourselves and also tell them to befriend people at the Hall.
My dear old dad has a saying: "Everyone inmate in the county jail is innocent. Just go ask them."
I grew up as a Witness in the late 70s, the 80s, and early 90's. I didn't get out until about 2010 when I was in my mid-30s. During that whole time I do not recall so much times, energy, and resources being used by the Watchtower to address apostates.
Let me try this in Watchtower JW Broadcasting voice:
"Imagine your co-worker made the allegation that your employer was lying to you. Your co-worker claims to have evidence to support this allegation. Conversely, your employer states that your co-worker is the liar and not to listen to anything he has to say, but rather only listen to what he has to say. As Jehovah stands for truth and Satan is the father of the lie, do we not owe it to our God Jehovah to examine the facts of these allegations and take a stand for truth? Wouldn't our failure to examine these allegations further only be seen as supporting Satan and his system of things?"
What Splane fails to mention is, if we do go to Jehovah's Witnesses with questions, if we do go to the Kingdom Hall and ask, we would just be shown the door. The mere asking of a question involving an allegation of wrongdoing by the Watchtower always results in a figurative wall being erected between you and the Watchtower. All loyalists immediately stick their index fingers into their ears and gleefully pray that Jehovah sends fire from heaven to consume you.
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Did You Feel Special Because You Were An Elder or Friend or Family Of?
by minimus infor many families, they received the golden ticket once a family member became an elder.
the glory and admiration of being an elder seeped right thru to all the elder’s connections.
if you got into some trouble, having an elder friend or relative could give you the stay out of jail card.
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truth_b_known
My father told me about a decade later that he new it was going to happen sooner-than-later. My father told me that just before we moved out of state a Circuit Overseer was assigned to our Circuit that had a reputation for going after those who professed to be of the Annointed. About a decade after we moved we got a District Overseer assigned to us we had in the prior state. That District Overseer made trouble for my father.
I had to conduct my Book Study almost all the time because the conductor was going to the local prison to conduct their meeting. I was told by him that the District Overseer told our body of elders not to use my father for anything. Not even to read at the Book Study. No explanation was given to the body of elders.
How I ever stayed in as a Witness as long as I did still blows my mind.
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Did You Feel Special Because You Were An Elder or Friend or Family Of?
by minimus infor many families, they received the golden ticket once a family member became an elder.
the glory and admiration of being an elder seeped right thru to all the elder’s connections.
if you got into some trouble, having an elder friend or relative could give you the stay out of jail card.
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truth_b_known
Growing up my father was both an elder and the presiding overseer. I can't begin the list of normal activities that were alright for other Witness kids, but not for me because of my "father's position in the congregation." My father also professes to be of the Annointed. I didn't even know until I was almost through elementary school and my friends told me. That would present my father and our whole family with problems down the road.
Just before I started high school my father moved the family to another state. The presiding overseer of our future congregation saw my father as a threat. This man went around warning certain families in our future congregation and advised them not to associate with us.
My father was appointed an elder in the new congregation. That lasted about 2 years. Then my father stepped down as an elder. He was told he was going against the rest of the body, who are loyal to the presiding overseer. My father saw the writing on the wall. He new he would be removed sooner than later if he didn't step down.
This caused my father to move us to the other congregation in town. Same Hall, same problems, different faces. About 2 years later that congregation had 3 elders who had it out for my father. My father was disfellowshipped, which they never told him what the reason was for, but would tell other "for apostasy." My mother was told to expect no help from the elders other than taking we children out in field service on Saturday mornings.
All through this time and after high school I noticed many people would only associate with my family and I. As a young adult I noticed no single sisters would entertain the thought of being in a relationship with me. When my sister's future husband purposed marriage to her, his parents went through the roof. "What are you thinking marrying into that family!"
So, no. I never once experienced any sort of preferential treatment due to my father being an elder.
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USA House Bill calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws, passed overwhelmingly!
by Disillusioned JW inon december 7, 2020 usa congressman jamie raskin's (md-08) bipartisan house resolution 512, calling for the global repeal of blasphemy, heresy, and apostasy laws, passed the house of representatives by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of 386-3; see https://raskin.house.gov/2020/12/house-passes-raskin-resolution-calling-global-repeal-blasphemy-heresy-apostasy .
a description of the bill says "the resolution also calls for the immediate release of religious prisoners of conscience worldwide.
as more than 80 countries use blasphemy laws to persecute and imprison religious minorities and dissenters, the house asserted the essential importance of freedom of religion and liberty of conscience globally.".
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truth_b_known
Anony Mouse:
I get it. We have people who are homeless, without healthcare, and starving. Meanwhile congress decides to virtue signal over religious persecution in other countries.
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The Light Actually IS Getting Brighter
by Magnum inthe light really is getting brighter, but what kind?
i can think of three types of figurative light in this context:.
1) that which jws refer to and they base on pr 4:18. light on a path... light that gets brighter.
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truth_b_known
Magnum is correct! Proverbs 4:18 is not about a doctrine that changes, but rather that truth illuminates and darkness conceals.
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Are Exjws Now More or Less Politically Involved In Your Opinion?
by minimus inpersonally, i have always enjoyed political banter.
i obviously was very careful about not getting involved in politics with fellow witnesses.
still, i always was interested in it.
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truth_b_known
I believe more. I know my family became politically active beyond voting. I noticed my brother has, too.
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truth_b_known
Do you live in the Great Pyramid of Giza? If you did you would have both a lesser and a greater prophetic fulfilment.
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Why the Watchtower has changed. They actually had no choice.
by pistolpete indid anyone ever check the doctors who claimed something that backed up the wt society.. .
jw / ex-jw tales.
i remember the watchtower and awake magazines used to have tons of articles on every subject you could think off.. history, medical, science, masturbation, dating, homosexuality, etc.. this was before the internet.
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truth_b_known
I took the creation book to one of my instructors at college in the science department. Got it back to weeks later filled with red ink. Lot misquoted incomplete information and one sided thought. Than at the end the instructor wrote that the writer's of this crap will more and likely get into legal trouble for the scientist they misquoted.
Does anyone remember the predecessor to the Creation book? I remember studying it around 1999 in the Book Study. It actually attacked critical thinking...by name.
crit·i·cal think·ing
Learn to pronounce
noun
the objective analysis and evaluation of an issue in order to form a judgment.