Let's help our friends and familys

[Jah-son]

The more I learn from my new perspective of the scriptures after reading RKs book, articles, videos and many of the discussions on this forum, the more I feel a need to help others to understand these things before or during the fall of the WT. Especially those closest to me, those who are still able to reason and use common sense.

Please share your thoughts, strategies and experience in reasoning with others. Just as we were trained to use the scriptures to reason with people on the outside, we will need to do the same with people on the inside. If not now, in the near future.

I would like to possibly use family worship time to try and gently lift the veil if possible. The approach has to be subtle (I.e. "read this scripture and tell me who or what its describing...") Something subtle that won't arouse suspicion while getting them to think and question.

 

[Watchman]

This is an important topic. I wish more active JWs would think this way. Unfortunately, it is not easy to wake JWs up. From my own personal experience in mailing Kingdom Bulletins to elders, they are not receptive at all. In fact, over the years I have contacted literally thousands of elders and not one of them has expressed the slightest interest. The only responses have been to demand that I never email them again. And as for my tens of thousands of snail mail letters, the WT has responded by quietly recommending the removal of mail receptacles from Kingdom Halls.

But I don't think the subtle route will have any better response. I think you really have to sit people down and tell them the bad news and let them either accept it or reject it.

 

[Watchman]

I am doing a series of articles on e-watchman discussing the July Watchtower. Maybe you could use some talking points to share with family and friends when they discuss the study articles in September.

 

[יהוה_saves]

what about reaching out to non-JWs? My sister and her husband consider themselves born again evangelicals, on the political right; however, the term “second coming of Christ” has captured their interest. They are bible believers but hold fast to the pagan teachings that infiltrated Christianity in the second century like trinity, immortality of soul, etc. Still, i don’t give up sharing what i’ve learned from e-watchman namely the bible prophesies on Christ’s second coming. It’s a very interesting subject to a wide range of religiously inclined.

Another thing i do is leave comments on various XJW forums and youtube channels directing other commenters/readers to certain bible books and scriptures, ideas and concepts, and further directing them to e-watchman and this forum and hope they at least read (lurk). There are many guests at any given time that read this forum- you never know where a seed will fall and take hold. if it can happen to me it can happen to anybody. (-:

 

[PJ54]

This is an important topic. I wish more active JWs would think this way. Unfortunately, it is not easy to wake JWs up. From my own personal experience in mailing Kingdom Bulletins to elders, they are not receptive at all. In fact, over the years I have contacted literally thousands of elders and not one of them has expressed the slightest interest. The only responses have been to demand that I never email them again. And as for my tens of thousands of snail mail letters, the WT has responded by quietly recommending the removal of mail receptacles from Kingdom Halls.

But I don't think the subtle route will have any better response. I think you really have to sit people down and tell them the bad news and let them either accept it or reject it.

Might have to do a picket with the big signs like the evangelicals.

 

[יהוה_saves]

Might have to do a picket with the big signs like the evangelicals.
View attachment 1122

Lol

 

[BARNABY THE DOG.]

This is an important topic. I wish more active JWs would think this way. Unfortunately, it is not easy to wake JWs up. From my own personal experience in mailing Kingdom Bulletins to elders, they are not receptive at all. In fact, over the years I have contacted literally thousands of elders and not one of them has expressed the slightest interest. The only responses have been to demand that I never email them again. And as for my tens of thousands of snail mail letters, the WT has responded by quietly recommending the removal of mail receptacles from Kingdom Halls.

But I don't think the subtle route will have any better response. I think you really have to sit people down and tell them the bad news and let them either accept it or reject it.

You are most likely right that people need an emphatic approach. I am reminded of the lengths Jehovah proposes to go to in waking people to his Word. I still remember the stubborn blindness I had as a witness, as any contradiction to watchtower I would ignore without even questioning it’s validity. In fact, that was what many ‘experiences‘ were about - how brothers had dealt with ‘opposition’ as any question was described.

 

[יהוה_saves]

You are most likely right that people need an emphatic approach. I am reminded of the lengths Jehovah proposes to go to in waking people to his Word. I still remember the stubborn blindness I had as a witness, as any contradiction to watchtower I would ignore without even questioning it’s validity. In fact, that was what many ‘experiences‘ were about - how brothers had dealt with ‘opposition’ as any question was described.

the term opposition is/was a blanket term that they exploited to create and us v them mentality- to stamp out any hint of question or even a concern. I recall a single instance when i questioned what i was being taught from the Live Forever Book- the reaction of my teacher was unforgiving. So, I learned quickly never to question anything that came out of any of the WT publications. This cooperation would not be a problem for me until Feb of 2021.

 

[Jah-son]

This is an important topic. I wish more active JWs would think this way. Unfortunately, it is not easy to wake JWs up. From my own personal experience in mailing Kingdom Bulletins to elders, they are not receptive at all. In fact, over the years I have contacted literally thousands of elders and not one of them has expressed the slightest interest. The only responses have been to demand that I never email them again. And as for my tens of thousands of snail mail letters, the WT has responded by quietly recommending the removal of mail receptacles from Kingdom Halls.

But I don't think the subtle route will have any better response. I think you really have to sit people down and tell them the bad news and let them either accept it or reject it.

Yes, you may be correct about the subtle route, especially with active elders but there must have been a big enough pushback to the injection endorsement for the WT to feel the need to threaten them with the letter. So I feel like the more the evidence grows (adverse reactions and deaths), the more people should be able to see if they are truly keeping on the watch.

The biggest problem is that we've been conditioned to rely on the WT org to do the thinking for us. We've relegated our personal responsibility (to be vigilant) to them. That's one of the biggest lessons I've learned in the past few months. Each Christian has a personal responsibility to validate what is being fed to them spiritually. We've become lazy gluttons in a spiritual sense, gorging on spiritual junkfood.

I do know several people in my personal circle of friends who were shocked and disappointed with the injection endorsement by the GB. I'm hoping that they (my wife included) will at some point begin to question other things. When I try to open the subject, she just thinks I'm complaining against those "poor old GB brothers who are doing their best....blah blah blah" and that I'm being influenced by my inactive friend. Ugh!

I realize that its a long shot but I feel like I need to try to get through somehow to some. But what I've come to realize through is that its not my responsibility to wake anyone up. Its their responsibility to remain vigilant and sensitive, aleart to oppressive wolves and lying schemes. The warnings in the scriptures couldnt be more numerous and clear once you replace "Christendom" with "WT". Each dedicated Christian should be weighing everything they hear against Jehovah's written record. We are all individually accoutable.

 

[Watchman]

the term opposition is/was a blanket term that they exploited to create and us v them mentality- to stamp out any hint of question or even a concern. I recall a single instance when i questioned what i was being taught from the Live Forever Book- the reaction of my teacher was unforgiving. So, I learned quickly never to question anything that came out of any of the WT publications. This cooperation would not be a problem for me until Feb of 2021.

Back in 1998, I was a ministerial servant. I had already been busted as an elder in another congregation for no reason whatsoever, except I was viewed as a competitor by the established body of elders. Anyway, I was answering a question during the WT study and I prefaced my answer with: "The Watchtower seems to think..." Anyway, the elders never said anything but when we moved from there a few months later I was not even recommended as an MS. And as it turned out, the Watchtower flipped on the issue I had originally questioned. Turned out I was right. But that doesn't matter. Glory must be given to the All-Knowing Idol.

 

[SusanB]

Here is a nice way to calm down a controversial topic. I got it from Brother King’s article: “A Conversation Regarding 1914”,

he said “Okay. Fair enough. I won’t press you on the point. But it is something to think about.”

When talking to others, all we really can do is encourage them to think logically and critically.

 

[יהוה_saves]

Turned out I was right. But that doesn't matter. Glory must be given to the All-Knowing Idol.

exactly. Being right about any given issue, even something biblical or prophetic, means nothing- Are you a company man? That’s how one moves up the Watchtower corporate ladder, just as with any corporation.

 

[SusanB]

I had set today as the day when I would return to “in person” meetings, but I just cannot do it. In my eyes, they are complicit in murder, lies and idolatry. Just mentally preparing for it sent me into an emotional tailspin. I cannot do it. My brain cannot bend that far so as to sit silently with all of the friends around me in masks and praising the GB, which I know they do constantly because I’ve been listening off and on on Zoom. Not one meeting has passed without worshipping their idol (the GB). Plus I honestly do feel that I have at least “caught sight” of the disgusting thing whether or not it is in place. And, the warning is to not even enter into Jerusalem. We are to get out and if already outside, do not enter. So, I am going to accept that I cannot attend in person. I just cannot go through the immense emotional turmoil.

 

[יהוה_saves]

I had set today as the day when I would return to “in person” meetings, but I just cannot do it. In my eyes, they are complicit in murder, lies and idolatry. Just mentally preparing for it sent me into an emotional tailspin. I cannot do it. My brain cannot bend that far so as to sit silently with all of the friends around me in masks and praising the GB, which I know they do constantly because I’ve been listening off and on on Zoom. Not one meeting has passed without worshipping their idol (the GB). Plus I honestly do feel that I have at least “caught sight” of the disgusting thing whether or not it is in place. And, the warning is to not even enter into Jerusalem. We are to get out and if already outside, do not enter. So, I am going to accept that I cannot attend in person. I just cannot go through the immense emotional turmoil.

i support you. i’m right there with you. This is the way i feel too.

part of me wanted to go back too, but it’s just not realistic anymore.

 

[A B]

Back in 1998, I was a ministerial servant. I had already been busted as an elder in another congregation for no reason whatsoever, except I was viewed as a competitor by the established body of elders. Anyway, I was answering a question during the WT study and I prefaced my answer with: "The Watchtower seems to think..." Anyway, the elders never said anything but when we moved from there a few months later I was not even recommended as an MS. And as it turned out, the Watchtower flipped on the issue I had originally questioned. Turned out I was right. But that doesn't matter. Glory must be given to the All-Knowing Idol.

I'm so curious, what was the item they flipped on?

 

[Medi-tator]

I'm so curious, what was the item they flipped on?

My guess (emphasis on "Guess") is the understanding regarding the sheep and goats and their separation timetable. Did I mention this is a guess?

 

[Medi-tator]

i support you. i’m right there with you. This is the way i feel too.

part of me wanted to go back too, but it’s just not realistic anymore.

This was discussed at length between Driven and me this morning as, unbeknownst to her, I too was having issues regarding our return to the hall tonight. Driven had some very strong points of smart scriptural reasoning as per usual, but I personally within myself had to knock down several potential fleshly liabilities such as laziness, complacency, lack of love for the brotherhood, going the route of soft-and-easy etc etc. In the final steps of making my decision for now, the ever-present exposure to a changed brotherhood who are in complete lockstep with a beast worshipping group of 8 men was what served as a tipping point of awareness I cannot get past.

Our congregation is all about the Governing Body being revered as holy and one with Jehovah and I just do not feel good in such an environment. Is it all about me having to feel good all the time and enjoying my worship to our loving Creator Jehovah? At my age and after all I have observed and been through in my tender years of 66, the answer is a resounding HELL YES! I do what I can do presently and I have done what I have done in terms of personal sacrifice for the greater good along the way, but I still hold to the God-given idea that happiness remains an option so long as we choose it as a personal companion (or not). No matter how altruistic and self sacrificing we all think we are, life is a selfish program! I apologize if my innate selfishness offends anyone here on this amazing and encouraging forum. I mean no harm!

If you can stay in your congregation, by all means do as Jesus said and "stay until you leave". God's will be done!

PS: if it were not for the WT Org I would never have used the beautiful word "unbeknownst" in my entire life LOL

 

[PJ54]

Here is a nice way to calm down a controversial topic. I got it from Brother King’s article: “A Conversation Regarding 1914”,

he said “Okay. Fair enough. I won’t press you on the point. But it is something to think about.”

When talking to others, all we really can do is encourage them to think logically and critically.

Plus, it's good to use their intuition/gut instinct.

 

[יהוה_saves]

I just do not feel good in such an environment. Is it all about me having to feel good all the time and enjoying my worship to our loving Creator Jehovah?

Yes absolutely it is. Meetings are supposed to build your confidence, be a source of spiritual enrichment, a place for joy, peace and love and a place to cultivate other fruits of the spirit.

Also, meetings are an opportunity for an interchange of encouragement and fellowship - but that’s all been destroyed by the Gov Body.

This Gov Body beats its fellows slaves to the point that they are so demoralized, many can’t go on.

The emotional reaction you’re having is that of being demoralized and this loss or morale- if you’re not fine-tuned into it, presents as feelings like your described, perhaps, thinking it’s laziness, lack of brotherly love, and complacency. It’s not- it’s demoralization.

My concern is that if you expose yourself to the in-person meetings, your demoralization could worsen. Unfortunately, it’s gotten that bad.

 

[kirmmy]

The more I learn from my new perspective of the scriptures after reading RKs book, articles, videos and many of the discussions on this forum, the more I feel a need to help others to understand these things before or during the fall of the WT. Especially those closest to me, those who are still able to reason and use common sense.

Please share your thoughts, strategies and experience in reasoning with others. Just as we were trained to use the scriptures to reason with people on the outside, we will need to do the same with people on the inside. If not now, in the near future.

I would like to possibly use family worship time to try and gently lift the veil if possible. The approach has to be subtle (I.e. "read this scripture and tell me who or what its describing...") Something subtle that won't arouse suspicion while getting them to think and question.

As much as I commend you for trying, as RK has pointed out from prophecy:

Isa 28:19

"Every time it passes through,it will carry you away; it will pass through every morning—every day and every night. Only terror will cause you to understand the message."

NWT
"As often as it passes through, it will take YOU men away,+ because morning by morning it will pass through, during the day and during the night; and it must become nothing but a reason for quaking+ to make [others] understand what has been heard.”*"

The thing that passes through is the flood that washes away their "covenant with death", if I'm reading the scripture correctly. As in they don't think they will suffer death, they have a deal with it. The WBTS thinks it is in that covenant.

By all means try to reach people, but I think our work will really begin when the terror seizes the Brothers and really all. It will snap them out of their stuper and then we'll be able to talk to them, possibly help them, comfort them with the truth and build up their faith in Jehovah and his Son and leave the idol behind.