The Searcher

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Posts by The Searcher

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  14

  Today I Dropped In To Field Service Meeting

  by pale.emperor in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just dropped my daughter off to her mum at her parents house.

  it was 12pm and i knew they meet for feild service there but my ex and i assumed they would still be out knocking on doors.

  i pull up in the street and there's quite a few cars parked up and the house was backed with jdubs from my old congregation.

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  The Searcher

  Well done for acting like a normal human being!

  All J.W.'s should be forced to face the brutal effects and reality of what their anti-Christian behaviour is all about - fear and control by their self-appointed hierarchy.
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  1

  Surviving

  by New day in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have recently read 1984 by george orwell and also read a reference on the beroean pickets site to a post on freeminds.org on "1984 and big mother".

  the freeminds article is quite old now but nonetheless holds true about how witnesses like myself have to resort to extremely elastic thinking to make sense of everything we read and hear these days at the meetings.

  we have to "gain a series of victories over our memories" as we know we were taught certain things that we must now "unlearn" like the absolute certainty about what the generation of matt.

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  The Searcher

  Hang in there New Day. It will get easier. Always remember that you are now in the light and out of the darkness.

  Even a faithful elderly sister who is still a very dear friend (in our last congregation) regularly told me, "Just keep your mouth shut and act dumb, because that's how the org wants you to be!"

  The wisdom of grey-headedness!
  
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  4

  Life after Armageddon in the new world A Paradise ? You be the Judge.

  by smiddy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  most , if not all of jw`s expect it to be paradise ,immediately.. how wrong can they be.. 8 billion + corpses lying around , oh thats right jehovah the magician will fix that with a wave of his wing.. their will not be education above 4th grade as higher education is frowned upon.. women will be restricted to sewing weaving and looking after their husbands needs , and looking after all the children being born to her husband and being in subjection to him.. how many women are in high profile positions in the world today ,including leaders of countries ,and other positions of power and influence ,even in male dominated fields of bygone years .. that will all be gone in the new system ,where women will be put in their place.. children will be forbidden from compettitive sports as thats not permitted anymore , no more tv games ,no more video games , no more just about anything that normal teenagers engage in today.. and no more tv except jw.org tv worldwide with no other channells.

  with higher education off the table society is going to slowly sink back to the dark ages and even the stone age.. think about it .

  no research in anything , not medical , scientific ,the arts music ,literature ,paintings space ,astronomy etc.etc.,simply because its not necessary now , why ?

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  The Searcher

  As pointed out here a couple of months ago - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5160198486360064/millenium-going-fun-according-fds-g-b and just last week to an elder at a trolley - people are going to be allowed to "practice vile things" by the 144,001 king/priests - according to the org's perverted interpretation of John 5:29.

  Ask a J.W. why they don't preach this aspect of the 1000 year reign - and then wait for their denials and their reasoning to exceed your expectations of cognitive dissonance! It truly is a depressing sight to behold.
  
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  27

  Dinner plans canceled because "I need to talk to the elders". Huh?

  by Darkknight757 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so this past week the wife and i have received several phone calls and text messages from our old hall.

  we were also invited out to dinner to catch up with some old friends.

  an hour before dinner this guys wife messaged my wife and said that she "can't wait for tonight!!

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  The Searcher

  Tell your "friends" that there's no need for elders at the moment.
  

  Ask them to consider Matthew 5:23,24, Pro. 20:19; & 1 Tim. 5:13, and to explain why they are judging you on what is clearly slanderous and malicious gossip.

  They claim to be living their lives according to scriptures - use the scriptures and let them prove it to you!
  
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  24

  Been witnessing today - first time in over 2 years!!

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  and it felt wonderful!!.

  i went into the city to where i knew there was a "cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because i wanted to ask a simple bible-based question.

  the trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife.

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  The Searcher

  HALF BANANA - I think the trolley personnel themselves realised very quickly that they were going to be sitting ducks. I told my wife that she would never be standing at a trolley - because of the potential risks of abuse or even violence. The average J.W. standing out in the open is now cannon fodder for the org.

  At least on the d2d work the J.W.'s can walk away if they don't like the tone of a person. On trolley duty they've put themselves in direct firing line for any/all sorts of situation.
  
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  24

  Been witnessing today - first time in over 2 years!!

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  and it felt wonderful!!.

  i went into the city to where i knew there was a "cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because i wanted to ask a simple bible-based question.

  the trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife.

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  The Searcher

  I did my best to avoid raising his suspicions, and avoided using any J.W. "trigger-words." I actually referred to the Bible book of John as "St. John's gospel" in order to kick start his "member of Christendom" mindset.

  Despite my cautious approach, I fully expected to be asked if I was/had been a witness, but it never happened. My reply would simply have been, "Are you trying to suggest that only a J.W. would be able to understand & explain scriptures?"
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  33

  Introduction

  by robrog8999 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all.... i am new here so i figured i'd make a quick post introducing myself and giving a brief intro as to who i am and what i'm here for... as well as to hopefully meet others.. so, i made a profile and in it i gave a pretty detailed explanation as to my intent here and exactly why i decided to participate in the boards.

  in case you don't read it, i'll give a brief summary.

  the name is robert.

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  The Searcher

  ROBROG - as a "J.W" who has devoted the past 5 years to researching the religion I was brought up in, all I can say is that I wish you well in your search.

  Advice? If you start studying with J.W.'s, ask them pointed questions about some of their doctrines - and see how their attitude toward you changes! Do some serious market research before you "buy the product," otherwise you will simply become another subject to be controlled and dictated to.

  I give you my word, J.W.'s themselves cannot seriously question doctrines or directives without facing very unpleasant consequences. They call such people "independent thinkers."

  If you think that such a religion meets the "gold standard" of John 13:35, then join them.
  
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  24

  Been witnessing today - first time in over 2 years!!

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  and it felt wonderful!!.

  i went into the city to where i knew there was a "cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because i wanted to ask a simple bible-based question.

  the trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife.

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  The Searcher

  SBF - I didn't leave Christianity when I left the cult. Also, my honest reason for asking the questions was to plant seeds by showing him that J.W.'s do not teach that the org's "144,001 rulers" will be allowing people to practice vile things. I know - Jesus said some seeds would fall on stony ground and never grow, but I had a couple of seeds planted 5 years ago, and I benefitted from it. I wholeheartedly agree with everything else you say - and the elder's reactionary responses proved it 100%. However, who knows if something will click in his mind one day, and he joins other ex-elders here? :)

  STEVE2 - I wouldn't approach the same cart twice, because they'd probably assume I had an agenda, rather than wanting to learn their "truth." (and they'd be right! :)
  

  FREDDO - References to John 5:29 in the Watchtower Library CD ROM:

  it-2 p. 789 Resurrection - "They are judged, not on what they did before hearing his voice, but on what they do after hearing it. namely,.... a position at the end of the period of judgment,.... Only at the end of the judgment period would it be demonstrated who had done good or bad.

  re chap. 41 p. 300 par. 16 - "Here "life" and "judgment" contrast with each other, showing that those resurrected ones who "practiced vile things" after being instructed in the inspired Scriptures and scrolls are judged to be unworthy of life.

  rs p. 338 par. 1 Resurrection - "Both those who formerly did good things and those who formerly practiced bad things will be "judged individually according to their deeds." What deeds?......... So, at John 5:28,　29a, Jesus was pointing ahead to the resurrection; then, in the remainder of verse 29, he was expressing the outcome after they had been uplifted to human perfection and been put on judgment."

  bh p. 214 par. 3 - "No, the judgment will not focus on what people did before they died. How do we know that? The Bible says: "The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin." (Romans 6:7) ...........Thus, individuals will be judged on the basis of what they do during Judgment Day."

  Sincere thanks for correcting my fading vocabulary Freddo. I really need to keep pace with the chariot!
  
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  23

  Hey everyone

  by coffee_black in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  popping in to say hi.... been away from the forum for a long time.... had some serious health issues starting at the beginning of this year.

  on the mend now, and getting back into the swing of things.... great to be alive!.

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  The Searcher

  Nice to hear good news from our friends. Hope your joy of life keeps increasing!
  
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  24

  Been witnessing today - first time in over 2 years!!

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  and it felt wonderful!!.

  i went into the city to where i knew there was a "cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because i wanted to ask a simple bible-based question.

  the trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife.

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  The Searcher

  And it felt wonderful!!

  I went into the city to where I knew there was a "Cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because I wanted to ask a simple Bible-based question. The trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife. (Her elder husband was standing idly by leaning against a wall, about 20 feet away)

  I was immediately offered literature by the elder - but I politely declined. I asked if he would answer a question for me, and he said that that was what he was there for.

  Question: Your organization teaches that Christ will reign over the earth for 1000 years - how different will life be on earth?

  Answer: Very different. No more crime, violence, or wars.

  I then said that his organization's literature said differently - that people would be practicing vile things during Christ's reign.

  He said that was nonsense, and that he'd never read anything like that in the publications! (in 40 years) I informed him that numerous WTBTS references regarding John 5:29 clearly stated that fact, and asked him to look at his WT Library. Sadly, he only had the online library on his gadget. I told him to check it on his CD ROM library at home.

  After a lengthy discussion (going in circles) about the org's interpretation of John 5:29, he agreed that some people would practice vile deeds during the 1000 years. 1st U-turn!

  The female J.W. tossed in Romans 6:7 and said that dead people were acquitted of their sins. I thanked her for quoting that verse, and said that if she read verses 2,4,6,8, & 11, she'd see the context showed that Paul was speaking about a figurative death - dying to a former sinful way of life!

  I eventually got the elder to read verse 2 of Romans 6. After he read it, I asked him if he could now see that the "death" referred to in verse 7 was figurative, and he said "Yes, I can see it in the context." 2nd U-turn!
  

  As the discussion was drawing to a close, his voice changed and he said, "Searcher, the tone of the conversation has changed, and you're having a go at our organization. You are free to write to our organization and ask them any of your questions."

  Putting the spotlight on the Brooklyn golden calf was starting to get to him, so I thanked him for his time and walked away.

  For my own benefit, I used a concealed voice recorder for the discussion.

  Bottom line - He thought he understood 2 of his org's dogmas which I asked about, and tried his best to defend the org.

  Witnessing for the org was never this good!