Posts by Londo111

i know on my mind it isn't, but the feelings are less manageable.. well, since i'm still a jw it's better not to give too much info, but i'm from brazil.. i've grown-up in the religion and practicly all my family, my closest friends and my girlfriend are loyal jws.

i used to be a regular pioneer but i still have a service privilege on my congregation.. i've had questions about the teachings of the wt since i was 10, but naturally i always pushed it away as it were "questioning the holy organization".. i started a friendship with some people in a course i took and we talked about a lot of subjects.

Londo111

Welcome!

14

Comparing 1987 to 2017 --- cart witnessing

by pleaseresearch in

take a ride with me back to 1987. picture yourself in your town, or city centre.

remember the clothes people wore, the hairstyles etc.... now imagine yourself doing your ministry out on the street, engaging with people, speaking with them, striking up conversations.

now, how would you feel, and what would you say, if you noticed two people appear nearby with a cart.

Londo111

Yes, when we did "street work", or bus stops, parking lots, ect we were pressured to proactively talk to people. If we didn't, we could easily find ourselves marginalized.

34

Can the GB be directed by Holy Spirit and at the same time be not inspired ?

by Chook in

yes god directs our writings but they're not inspired, so gods directions are staggered and overlapping , so the genuine innocent believing jw has a wonderful life of overlapping bullshit.

so next time you meet a jw priest ask them what is the difference between being directed and inspired, then i promise you will hear first hand an example of overlapping bull..

Londo111

If those “taking the lead” in the organization are directed by holy spirit, but not inspired--how are they distinguishable from other organizations led by imperfect men who are not directed by holy spirit? It ends up looking very much the same.

In fact, a full examination of JW history will reveal exactly what one would expect from a religious organization led by imperfect men with zero divine guidance.

14

Comparing 1987 to 2017 --- cart witnessing

by pleaseresearch in

take a ride with me back to 1987. picture yourself in your town, or city centre.

remember the clothes people wore, the hairstyles etc.... now imagine yourself doing your ministry out on the street, engaging with people, speaking with them, striking up conversations.

now, how would you feel, and what would you say, if you noticed two people appear nearby with a cart.

Londo111

Of course, if you compare JWland 1987 vs 1957, the 1957 era JWs would’ve thought the 1987 era JWs slackers. And of course, if you could go back to the Rutherford era 1937 JW, they were outright in people’s faces almost Westboro style and sticking their foot in people’s doors, driving soundcars through neighborhood or in front of churches proclaiming religion to be a snare and a racket.

Indeed, I think that is the reason why there is the small Romanian breakoff group from the JWs, who are still in the Rutherford mindset.

47

Are JWs "mind trained" to be habitual liars?

by nonjwspouse in

i don't mean overly obvious, or otherwise meaning to cause harm, but taught to lie for the purpose of avoidance.

this type of lying can be pervasive in areas of life that are not just to avoid discussions with people who have questions about the jw, etc.

my husband will lie/be deceitful about the silliest, simple things.

Londo111

In reading about this man, I do wonder how much is just him as an individual and how much be attributed to him being in the cult. The organization, while a toxic influence, cannot take all the blame for this.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

Londo111

If I’m remembering the Photodrama right, what is ironic is that Russell was okay with “macroevolution”, all but for humans. Of course, he believed in seven 7000-year creative days totaling 49000 years. The thought that all land animals evolved in just 7000 years is just utterly ridiculous.

26

Were You Surprised You Remained a JW As Long As You Did?

by minimus in

jw
friends

we have been told there's no place else to go.

and to some degree mentally speaking, that is true especially if you were raised in the religion.

at 50 i was out of the organization's clutches.

Londo111

Hindsight is 20/20.

Looking back, I can't believed I was deceived all the way up until I was around 40.

Of course, like someone said, I didn't have the internet growing up.

85

Are you a Christian Who Accepts Evolution?

by cofty in

if you identify as a christian but you have accepted that the diversity of life - including humans - resulted from a process of biological evolution could you add your name please?.

just to be clear i am referring to the fact that our physical lineage could literally be traced back all the way to non-human species.. if you like maybe you could comment on why you see not conflict between evolution and your christian faith.. there is a tendency to conflate evolution with atheism.

it would be good to show that this is not the case..

Londo111

I guess I’m more and more in the spiritual not religious camp nowadays, but for three or four years after leaving the JWs, I attended a mainline Christian church. I was even a deacon. And I accepted the overwhelming evidence of evolution.

I found that any who lean in that direction should read The Language of God. While I didn’t agree with all his views (the writer is in the Evangelical camp), he makes an appealing case for evolution and science.

Toward my last years as a JW, I was struggling with Watchtower’s literal interpretation of Genesis, they being rigidly opposed to “macroevolution” just because of the words “according to their kinds”. I was also having a hard time believing in the literal Adam & Eve, Garden of Eden story--or a Global Flood. But I kept hoping that their would be “new light” and the Society would make some adjustments in that regard.

Most mainline Protestants denominations do not find evolution at odds with their central belief in Christ. The Catholic Church as well has affirmed evolution.

Of course, most Evangelicals, fundamentalists, charismatics, Christian-based cults vehemently disagree.