Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/26 14:40Hi genlado,
Check your PM's.
Yes, as JWs we believed we knew the 'truth'. But as we progress toward the truth we realize how much our perception changes what we understand as truth.
When I first found out about the NGO thing and realized 1914 was a crock, I zealously made it my business to tell as many as would listen the 'truth' as I saw it - believing it to be the 'truth'. This led to my being DFd for apostasy. Now I wish I had just 'drifted away' - then my friends would still smile and say hello and it would be easier on my wife and kids.
Now I see things differently, and I accept and trust that each of us understands the truth as we percieve it until we percieve it differently.
My point is, this is your discovery - and IMO there is no need to freak out your family and freinds. IMO, DFing or DAing is an unnecessary seperation. One thing that hasn't changed even though my perception has, is the thought of LOVE; love of God and brother. Keep that as your guide in your relationships.
Ah well, thats my 2 cents anyway.
Peace
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polemotheos
User Platinum Boarder
Posts: 530
Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/26 15:35genlado, If you are or were a witness tell me who the king of the north is;
Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/27 05:22Dear Genlado
I believe you are a JW, and thankyou for sharing the knowledge you have about the property of the society and how its acquired.
You are truly in an odd position, like between a rock and a hard place, is it your mission to bring these sins to the light of who will listen?
I can imagine how hard it is to have this knowledge
Many red flags woke me up about the WTBTS, not just one thing but add them all up, but the one thing is how they dishonor the Christ and give the F&DS more honor, this is what really woke me up!
Take care
Sandra
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genlando
User Senior Boarder
Posts: 10
Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/27 05:44If you are or were a witness tell me who the king of the north is...
Cute, Mars. As you know, the Society's discussion of the King of the North petered out sometime in 1993. They said that "only time would reveal" who the heck the K/N is supposed to be. Even though "good Witnesses" aren't supposed to speculate on stuff like this, I personally felt that the title would go to China (while I still believed in the Bible).
Oh, as an update: I went to my county's GIS site, and looked up who's listed as the owner of our Kingdom Hall's property. It lists it as belonging to the "Jehovah's Witness Trustees". Tonight when I'm @ the meeting, I'll look at the congregation files, and see what the paperwork says.
If the deed says that the property is fully owned by the WTS (even though it's been paid off for over 10 years), our Service Meeting in a couple of weeks is going to be interesting: after all, I'm scheduled to handle this month's Local Needs...
One other thing: I just noticed that I fat-fingered the spelling of my ID on this forum. Therefore, following this post, I will be changing my username to what it should've been: Genlando. You'll probably be able to figure out why when you look at my avatar.
The General
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genlando
User Senior Boarder
Posts: 10
Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/27 06:48 Dear Genlado
I believe you are a JW
Actually, Flowerchild, it's probably more accurate to say that I'm a "semi-former JW". I still go to the meetings, and I'm still a BookStudy Overseer, and TMSO. I still go through the motions, but as time goes on, it's getting harder and harder to toe the WTS line on a number of small issues.
I was in a real pickle a month or so ago: One of the sisters in our congregation died (she had cancer, but she suddenly died due to a heart condition). Prior to her death, she requested that I deliver the funeral discourse for her at the Hall. She did this before my doubts had come to the fore.
Anyway, I struggled with the talk outline for a long while--after all, I disagreed so much with what it said. About 20 minutes before I had to go to the Hall for the memorial service, I finished my final draft. I glossed over a couple of scriptures about why humans die, and how the Bible holds out a hope for a resurrection (without spending a whole lot of time on what I REALLY believe about the fate of the dead).
And then, I spent the majority of my alotted time talking to everyone about the lessons learned by this sister's death. You see, even though she had cancer, she suddenly died of massive heart failure. Nobody anticipated this. I therefore said, "we should always keep in mind that we're not guaranteed anything whatsoever in our lives. Death suddenly befell Sister ________--and it can happen to any of us--suddenly and unexpectedly. Therefore, all of us should strive to make peace with one another right now--because we may not have the time to do so tomorrow." Stuff like that. I absolutely refused to use any of the high-pressure tactics that the talk outline mentioned--like telling the non-believing family that the deceased's last wish was that her family would all come into the "Truth" and become JWs. I also didn't talk about how if they didn't wise up, they'd get their butts fried in Armageddon.
Following this discourse, I told the Presiding Overseer that I wold prefer not to give anymore funeral talks until further notice.
That's why I realize that before too long, I'm going to have to break ties with the JWs.
As far as bringing to "light the sins" of the WTS, what good would that do? Anyone who utters a negative word is booted out of the organization, and all of the Witnesses are told to NEVER, EVER listen to "apostates." However, as many of you are now becoming aware, I love to write & chat. I'll figure out what I'm going to do with myself as time goes on...
The General
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Flowerchild
User Platinum Boarder
Posts: 55
Re:Where I am today... - 2005/05/27 12:48dear genlando
You mentioned you do not think the bible is inspired, you sound like my brother who was soon to become an elder, last I talked to him , he says he is an aetheist, are you having a spiritual melt down because of the WTBTS sins or just something that had nothing to do with that?
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