Posts by konceptual99

70

Someone anonymously tipped the elders?

by raven in

so here an update on my current situation, in a nutshell i've been trying to quietly fade for the past 5 months.. well, my mom somehow found out that i am currently fading and that i live with my boyfriend (for more info on this check my previous posts) i told her yes i live with him and yes i no longer want to be a jw.

anyways, yesterday she met my boyfriend.. awkward.

and after lunch she pulled me aside to tell me that the po came up to her (he was part of my jc when i was reproved) he said to her "someone came to me and said - i cannot say who so they will remain anonymous- but that your daughter is living with someone" my mom confirmed and apparently he told her that i have one week to confess this, and if i don't my parents are obligated to tell them everything.. what kind of nonsense is that?

konceptual99

This is typical behaviour. Someone repeats a rumour to an elder and then they go asking questions of others to try and verify the rumour. By JWs own interpretation of the bible it's not scriptural.

The scriptural (if you really want to call it that) process is that the person who first comes up with the information should approach the person and only go to the elders if the person does not listen to them.

The elders should then approach the person and find out the facts.

In cases like this the original person who comes up with the info either does not exist or the elders know it's all just a rumour. Instead of telling the person to go and approach the one supposedly doing wrong, they try and find out more using sneaky techniques or by pressing others (e.g. your mum).

Your mum could just have easily said it's not of her business and the elders should approach you directly. She could have asked them why they are only interested in you now, she's not heard them asking after you or trying to go and encourage you as lost sheep for the past months. She could have accused them of listening to baseless gossip and not following scriptural processes.

Instead she did what most sheeples do in this circumstance and fessed up, thereby making the job of the elders a doddle.

So now they have you where they want you. If you accept the JW process then you meet for a JC and unless you change things you will be disfellowshipped. If you don't bother then you will be disfellowshipped anyway.

I know some, but not all, have avoided the actual formality of disfellowshipping after threatening legal action but the result is very likely to be the same. Unless your lawyer is very, very good the elders will make it known what your situation is and people will shun you.

Rather than worrying about it I would try to be positive. By moving in with your boyfriend you must have considered what would happen when the elders found out so I would just lance the boil as quickly as possible. Do the legal thing if you really want to but either way get it over and done with quickly and move on.

17

New Bible, In Spanish.... Why taking so long?!

by Doubtfully Yours in

is it possible it's not like they initially said, that it was just having god's name added in places where it had been deleted, and that perhaps they're making more adjustments to it in order to fit our doctrine?.

come out with the freakin' new bible in spanish already!!!.

dy .

konceptual99

Maybe they've got the same people as are on getting Crisis of Conscience back out there. :whistle:

16

Faithful Slave is not appointed yet - only in the future

by TheWonderofYou in

did you read this study articel in which the slave says it is not appointed yet?.

excerpt from study articel 13 7/15 p 8. so there is good reason for us to understand matthew 24:46, 47 to mean that jesus will arrive to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings at that time in the future during the great tribulation.

* (see endnote.

konceptual99

The article explains that the FDS gets two appointments. The first is over "the domestics" - everyone else other than the GB. This is understood to have happened 1919. The second appointment is over the belongings.

Check paragraphs 11 onwards to get "clarity" ;-)

12

JW said they are unique

by StephaneLaliberte in

looking at a news article, i read the following:.

“that’s one thing that’s unique about jehovah’s people,” said marty mettler, a spokesman for the green bay convention.

“they even tell the hotels when they book they’re coming because some people book and don’t show.

konceptual99

If Witnesses are so unselfish, thoughtful and different why is it that EVERY year the WTS has to remind people not to behave like arseholes at hotels and the convention site?

Why is it they now have a made a "monkey see, monkey do" video to show the gormless hordes?

Why is it they have had to allow the elderly and infirm in 15 minutes earlier to prevent the dangerous and unseemly rush to grab seats?

18

Do JWs ever doubt that the end is really coming?

by dogon in

as a former dubber i had many occasions to doubt that the end was coming.

i was told it was ok to doubt but not to think about it too much and wait on jehovah.

that bull shit lasted until they changed the meaning of generation in 95 and that was the end of that bull shit for me.

konceptual99

There are three consistent messages that are being sent out time and time again by the organisation:

1 - "the end is really, really, really close. Look at this video showing people just like you hiding out in basements. Look at this video of someone dressed just like you are greeting their resurrected family member"

2 - "Don't try and put a time scale to the time of the end. Look at all the elderly who still are faithful. Make sure your faith is strong for the long term."

3 - "Jehovah already knows when the end will be. It's scheduled. It's not late because it's always been scheduled for the future."

Most Witnesses placate themselves by picking one of these in rotation to block the cognitive dissonance.

146

Maybe I'm Just Ignorant About the New "Anti-Gay" Video

by turtleturtle in

jw
friends

homophobia (m-w.com):.

: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.

can someone tell me, specifically, was homophobic about the new "anti-gay" wt video.

konceptual99

The trend should be for more tolerance simply because younger people are presented that view by society in general. I read my daughter's answer to a questionnaire on this very subject that was presented in her citizenship class at school - it was 100% what you would expect any tolerant person to put down.

What is clever about the video and Awake article however, is that they present an argument for limiting that tolerance that resonates perfectly with Witnesses and allows them to feel safe and happy in demonstrating a relative tolerance. At the same time, the experiences of gay people, especially young ones born into the religion, are completely hidden from view so no one gets the other side of the story unless they look for it.

The WTS does not need gay people. Witnesses have a position that prevents no one from being gay or getting a marriage - they just can't be Witnesses - but how many people does that actually affect?

Witnesses have proven time and time again at how capable they are at instantly shunning family members and former friends. What makes gay rights any more likely to provoke change from the ground up?

The GB only act when they have no choice and there are several larger issues that will 99% never provoke the mass walk out that it would take to force change. Gay rights is several slots down IMHO on that list.

4

The silent crises. Why people are leaving the Mormon church.

by joe134cd in

i was just watching this on you tube.

https://youtu.be/zaoqrb6r6gi.

and although talking about the mormon church i think in principle it well describes thejws.

konceptual99

You could just as easily substitute JW for Mormon and it would resonate in exactly the same way.

One of the links is to this blog:

http://johnpavlovitz.com/2014/08/15/church-heres-why-people-are-leaving-you-part-1/

Interestingly it talks about the glitzy church, something which JWs have not really followed but the move to more multi-media and streamed content does reflect a slicker and more emotive method of capturing attention.

Item 5 - Your love does not look like love is a superb observation.

146

Maybe I'm Just Ignorant About the New "Anti-Gay" Video

by turtleturtle in

jw
friends

homophobia (m-w.com):.

: irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.

can someone tell me, specifically, was homophobic about the new "anti-gay" wt video.

konceptual99

There are plenty of sensible Christians who do interpret the Bible that way. Why shouldn't JWs join them?
If the pressure becomes great enough they probably will.

Very, very doubtful this would ever happen. Whilst there is a very slim chance they could sell something to Western Witnesses at some point in the future, don't forget that there are large contingents of Witnesses in countries where homosexuality is still fighting be be legal let alone tolerated or accepted. They would never risk the schism.

Jehovah's Witnesses have stuck to their guns for years on things like a global flood, 607 maths, only 6000 years of human presence on the earth, anti evolution, literal acceptance of things like Lot's wife becoming a pillar of salt and Jonah living in the belly of a fish for three days.

They have never even shown the slightest of signs that they would move to accepting heterosexual activity outside of marriage let alone accepting something like gay marriage. They can't even face up to trying to present some loving encouragement to young Witnesses who may be gay, it's still basically pray for it to go away.

Don't forget as well that the Witnesses don't care what the world says if the membership are happy with the status quo. Right now 99% of Witnesses think the latest video and Awake are the most moderate and reasonable pronouncements on the subject ever. The GB only promote change when it suits commercial interests and this subject does not touch them commercially at all.

5

Potential Life and Death Issue for Faders?

by M*A*S*H in

please excuse if this topic is duplicated elsewhere.

however i had not thought of the issue highlighted in the article from the point of those potentially fading before.. https://www.the-newshub.com/general/life-or-death-for-former-jehovahs-witnesses.

so what happens when a medical emergency arises?in the event you face a medical emergency in which you are incapacitated, jw elders and family show up to produce legal documents that will allow them to take over your medical care including withholding blood to cause your death.

konceptual99

All the more reason never to lodge anything with the congregation and to ensure that your current views are formally documented with your doctor and any other medical institution that may be contacted in the event of an emergency. Don't carry a card, even a blank one. If at all possible tell your husband or wife that you will accept blood and get them to agree to respect your wishes.

As far as I know, at least in the UK, the HLC have no formal powers but they will attempt to influence family. Even then, if the doctors have a clear statement of your wishes there is nothing anyone can do - your word trumps everything else.

55

Here's a view on homosexuality for you...

by konceptual99 in

...right from a pro-jw site in response to a post about the relative seriousness of homosexuality.

all you can do is reason from the scriptures, which you appear to have done.

homosexuality is as serious as bestiality, or adultery and fornication.

konceptual99

DY...

A lot of horrid things happen in some people's private life; the thing with the LGBTQ gang is that they are sooooo 'in your face' and we all just better grin and bear it.
Yes, the behavior should be kept very private.

Some homosexuals have been very loud and proud but this is understandable. After years of legal oppression they have had to confront society to push through a change in attitudes. It's been the same with race. When black people were far more assertive about their legal rights and challenging the white status quo was that any different? Simply enshrining equal rights in law does not automatically change peoples' attitudes and culture.

The more society is nonplussed about the sexual preferences of consenting adults then the less noisy the LGBT "community" needs to be.