Posts by Legacy

35

Earthly Organization Reset - What Would You Do?

by committeechairman in

i've been reading and posting comments on this site for a while now (about a year) and the comments i see indicate that many who are here have good ideas about what would be required if either (1) jehovah's witnesses were completely reset and the whole framework of belief and organization were started over or (2) if a completely new organization were built.

this assumes, of course, that you believe god exists and that he is interested in human affairs (i know some of you don't).

it also assumes that you do not believe that the "heritage" of jehovah's witnesses has such great weight and importance that it precludes putting all beliefs and procedures on the table to examine them and change them if necessary.. given all this, what do you believe should be the beliefs and organization of true worship today?

Legacy

@ Now what...Excellent...

"admit all past mistakes and reboot! more emphasis on love and christ and charitable works"....that's on the top list...has anyone ever heard of the witnesses helping others that are not their brothers ?

Legacy

35

Have you put on the "New Personality" ?

by Phizzy in

when we were in we were often read that scripture and told we should work hard at putting on the new personality, which in wt speak meant their cult personality, nothing like the person of christ.. since leaving it has become necessary for us to make deep internal changes, to our worldview, to our emotions, and to our actions.. we have had to change from being controlled in all these areas by the wt cult, to forming our own new personality.. for born-ins like me this is really quite a task, we do not have a "pre-cult" personality to "recover".

but even for converts, there is stilll this work to do, before you joined you may have been racist, homophobic, or perhaps a thief, or immoral in some other way, surely you do not wish to "recover" those aspects of your original personality ?so you too have to "put on" a new one.. how are we all doing with this ?

i know that for me i feel it is still a work in progress, i need to work on certain things that are the result of my being in the jw/wt scam for all those decades, and some things that are a part of my natural personality which are not desireable as traits, laziness for example, and i am the arch-procrastinator, not good.. how do you guys feel you are doing since leaving ?.

Legacy

HI,

Most witnesses put on the new personality while in the hall, & then drap it around their shoulders when they leave, but when they come back, it's still draped so that anytime they want to come out of character, they can snatch that bad boy new personality off & let you have it...

I have a good natured personality...so most of my congregation can't figure out how they fixed me...& they didn't...God did...Witnesses can't help folks who are a little crooked, you got to be really messed up...

Legacy

52

I gave up my job to pioneer, did you? Matt 6.33 did Jehovah provide?

by KateWild in

i was a chemical analyst.

i loved my job, and love chemistry.

i worked in a variety of fields such a pharmaceutical and industrial.

Legacy

Hi Kate,

Only the catholic nuns have put God first & they are well taken care of. God will provide, that is if you loose your job fall & on hard times, stuff that is unforseen, but to quit your job & full time ministry, not sure if he agrees with that. God will make a way out of no way, but what's the heart condition. Reminds me of woman who have children & don't know how they are going to take care of them, so they rely on their Mothers, not thinking, Mom has just raised kids, now grandkids. My buddy once told me she was angry with me because I didn't have any kids, & that I knew my Mom would help me if I didn't have a husband or mate. But I told her that was not fair to depend on my Mom. It's my choice to have kids, not my Mom's. So you see the connection here. We are told to use soundness of mind. So, when we go to the assemblies, conventions & meetings, we are told these things but we must consider what this means to us & our families. We have read many stories in our Yr. Books, about how this friend didn't have this or that & that God provided, but most of the stories the friend or family is on their last leg, how come their congregation won't help them ? The Society tries to stick to the Bible as much as possible, & most folks think that it is God's mouthpiece, but is it really ? To me that's the main thing for a witness, this is God's ORG. & supposed it's not ?

So, if you know some who want to pioneer advise them to count the cost first...that would be good advice, & they will thank you.

Legacy

35

Earthly Organization Reset - What Would You Do?

by committeechairman in

i've been reading and posting comments on this site for a while now (about a year) and the comments i see indicate that many who are here have good ideas about what would be required if either (1) jehovah's witnesses were completely reset and the whole framework of belief and organization were started over or (2) if a completely new organization were built.

this assumes, of course, that you believe god exists and that he is interested in human affairs (i know some of you don't).

it also assumes that you do not believe that the "heritage" of jehovah's witnesses has such great weight and importance that it precludes putting all beliefs and procedures on the table to examine them and change them if necessary.. given all this, what do you believe should be the beliefs and organization of true worship today?

Legacy

Hi,

I think to re-adjust would be first to grow up to be mature christians & let folks be accountable to themselves. Keeping the congregation clean, NO CAN DO, it has to start at the top, crap usually starts at the top & trickles down. Get rid of the DF'ing, it's ok to talk to someone about some of the choices in their life but in the end that person will have to carry their own load, all an Elder can do is advise, not judge. Get rid of some of the doctrine that they interpreted not what the bible says, literally. If one wants to leave, let them. Get rid of most of the rules & regulations, that are man-made. Stick to the bible, they try but they go off track at times..trying to run folks life & minds. No more demo's, no more reporting hours, if you do, just make it annonymous. Visit other churches to see what's new. The witnesses have changed so maybe other places of worship have changed as well. What I'm seeing in these churches is motivational speaking. No hell & damnation, they appeal to your conscience, we all know the difference between right & wrong, it's just sometimes we do what we want then suffer the outcome. Stop saying The Society is God's Org., that will be good to start off with, because that is the real badge of honor for the witnesses, not the doctrine, that they are God's chosen. The Society could change & believe in the trinity, & them folks wouldn't bat an eye, as long as this is God's channel, that's what drives them.

Legacy

52

I gave up my job to pioneer, did you? Matt 6.33 did Jehovah provide?

by KateWild in

i was a chemical analyst.

i loved my job, and love chemistry.

i worked in a variety of fields such a pharmaceutical and industrial.

Legacy

HI,

I think to become a pioneer, as one brotehr put it not this Sunday but last re: WT re: Pioneers...He said...to count the cost. If one wants to become a pioneer you must count the cost first. Maybe work for a while & try & save some money & then see if it's possible to pioneer. Not too many friends in the congregation has extra, most of us are just trying to get by day to day. At times the friends can help, but to depend on them, not a good idea. I use to think that the society was telling folks don't go to school, but in my congregation, I have many teachers & other professionals. What I'm thinking is that not to get so involved with your job that you forget God. But that can be for anyone, whether in the truth or not. That goes for having a family, to get so involved in your job that you neglect your family & your identity is what you do for a living. You have to have a balanced view of life, that is what the bible teaches, to balance. It's nice to have a good job that pays the bills & give you the comforts of life. I work for a firm where folks make alot of money but now that they make alot of money, they spend most of it in a shrinks office, asking the question or statement...I thought if I made good money, one would be happier..NOT...So all that to say, if you can afford to quit your job & pioneer, than good for you, but if you want to pioneer please please count the cost, see if it's doable....Rely on God, but God helps those who help themselves..& doesn't the bible say, those who don't work, will not eat. I know most folks don't want to work, so for some when they heard the opportunity to quit their jobs & pioneer, those words where music to their ears, because most likely most of them didn't want to work in the first place. I have heard stories of some sisters before they got married they were working, then ran down a brother to marry & the next thing you know the wife quit her job & now does full-time pioneering, so now the load is all on the brother, then she decides to have children. That is alot for a brother or a sister who ever is the breadwinner...maybe the couple should talk & work out a budget & then full time pioneer...I'm just saying...Although some brothers make enough money so his wife can full time pioneer, but most of the sisters work their hubby's to death, yet say, he is never home..I say, ride a cheaper car...

Legacy

53

Jamaican Branch Office Closing

by jw07 in

i'm from jamaica, montego bay to be exact.

if there are other jamaicans here, feel free to let me know.. with that said, it was announced at our last meeting (a letter was read) that the branch office (bethel) in kingston would be closing, and affairs would soon be directed from us hq.

now the branch office here is a large compound built on acres of prime real estate.

Legacy

Hi,

The money is going to the new headquarters...how do you expect them to PAY FOR... "FREE LABOR".

Legacy

53

Jamaican Branch Office Closing

by jw07 in

i'm from jamaica, montego bay to be exact.

if there are other jamaicans here, feel free to let me know.. with that said, it was announced at our last meeting (a letter was read) that the branch office (bethel) in kingston would be closing, and affairs would soon be directed from us hq.

now the branch office here is a large compound built on acres of prime real estate.

Legacy

Hi,

We have several Islanders in my congregation, not one word. I don't want to be unfeeling, but doesn't God, say, put Kingdom Interest first & all else will be added to you. Not to be anxious over tomorrow, these are just a couple of scriptures that are used when times get difficult. This is when you put your money where your mouth is. Do you ever remember saying these words to householders or students when they come across hard times ? Now it's time to pray to God/Jesus, not to the Society. Put your faith in God, not man, man will dissappoint you every time. The world is in a economical depression, not just the US, the entire world. Everybody & everything has to be consolidated to save money. I hope that the society helps & finds places for the volunteers.

I will pray with you...But remember, have faith in God not man or the FDS class..

Legacy

30

Jehovah is King! New Light or muck up in 15/01/14 WT?

by wizzstick in

so the new jan wt article on "100 years of kingdom rulehow does it affect you?

" is up, which i think has its own thread.

but over on jwr poster cg4205 has noticed something that demands a seperate thread i think.. at the top of the article, in the can you answer box, it says:.

Legacy

Hi,

Can't wait to read this one with the congregation & watch their brains go haywire, yet sit there like they understand it. This past weekend was about the Pioneers (WT). When the questions were asked, you could hear a pin drop, well it will be the same thing when we get to this WT. Many of them don't even want to think. That is why they are witnesses, they tell you how to live & think. I became a witness because, why not ? They are no worse than any other type of worship. The Society puts their own spin on the scriptures yet, other types of worship make up stuff that isn't even in the bible. Is man supposed to interpret the bible or should it be read to change us ? Man ends up all the time shooting themselves in the foot. We are too smart for our own good, read more into the scriptures than is actually there. God is the Creator, he don't need no humans to validate him of whether he is king or not. God knows who he is, only we humans don't know who he is...some say he is his own son/Jesus, some say he is God & not his own son, some say, he rolled himself up in human form to come to earth to walk among us & then killed & then go back home to heaven. So much to believe. If it's not in black & white from the bible then it isn't true. We all put too much faith in man, then when man misleads us, we get angry. Nobody can come to know God through Man, man distorts, man is imperfect & has their own agenda. So as far as I'm concerned they can change all day long. It won't matter because they are just man. None of us want to think, we want men to think for us. I have been to many places of worship, ain't no place have the entire truth, so folks get over it...The real truth is in the bible. God will tell you if he is king or not...it's right there in black & white.

Legacy

14

Why the field service reports?

by Syme in

some years ago, we had this difficult bible study with a guy who was unofficially a witness for about 40 years, yet he would never make the step of becoming an unbaptized publisher.

we pushed him at some point to tell us the reason, and the reason was this: he didn't agree with the field reports practice.

he said he did a lot of preaching by himself but didn't see any reason to report it to the congregation.. of course, we told him that the reason we hand in field reports is so that we have statistics, and know how much work is done worldwide and bla-bla-blah.

Legacy

Hi,

Does anyone remember the story where David took a census of counting the people of Israel & Judah ? & Remember God was angry with him. I think it's 2 Samuel 24. Do you think God is angry with the GB's for counting time...a sister at the hall once made a comment, don't worry about making time, but make the time count. I think they do for a number of reasons to boost morale, to brag, they are all about the #'s. The year book keeps track of all #'s across the world, how well we are doing here & there...Does anyone think to bring up this scripture about #'s/ reporting would even affect their thinking ? I agree, if the field sevice slips were annonymous, maybe a good thing. I think many of them would have a fit, because it's all about being validated by man. God never said nutt'in to a publisher or pioneer about how much time only humans. Some keep count just to see what THEY HAVE DONE. Just remember, no matter what, we would still need reminders...we always need reminders....

I give my slip whether I have one hour or several hours....I'm not there to please man. I try to give an average of about 10 hrs. a month. I have a full schedule & I do the best I can....I'm not Jesus, I'm just a imperfect publisher...

Legacy

30

I want to Believe in Something

by James Jackson in

after serving in an appointed position for over 26 years (21 elder, 5 ms,14 pioneer), i have no more dreams of paradise, bored at the meetings, do not enjoy the field ministry.

the desire to do anything is gone.

i want to believe in something!.

Legacy

Hi,

As many here have said, believe in yourself & that God & Jesus love you. You were on a witness treadmill, & when it came to a stop, boom, what now ? Being a witness there is always much to do...that's if you want to. It's the type of worship for busy people, can't stand to be alone. I can imagine it's difficult to find something to do once you have dedicated your life to preaching & teaching. It's a big world out there, take your time & just don't jump into something just to have something to do. When you were a witness or should I say that you still are, what was your attitude towards others ? This may have a ring of truth but it's not the whole truth & nothing but the truth, did you lose family & friends because of it ? Were you a forceful servant of Jehovah, why I ask is because maybe you have some old friends that you use to know that you can contact again & take it from there. But what I'm seeing from most sites about witnesses who leave they are lonely, why because they ran away those who were close to them because of the truth, now that they know TTATT, they have nobody. I am a witness & have witness friends, inactive witness friends & friends (small family) but my non-witness friends and I are still close, they don't care how I worship, they are not interested in being a JW, but we are not judging each other. We respect each others religion. Come to think of it, on the road to being a witness they never go in the way, so they can't make me leave, only me can make me leave. Watch your association, that should be applied to whether you are in the truth or not...My parents told me that one...Anyway. Reach out to your old friends & family, it's never too late.

Legacy