The purpose? Now that their arrogance has has gotten the better of them and they mistakingly feel theyre better than anyone else to sit in front of the camera and pontificate, we see how bad they are. The Supreme Court of Canada will rule this year in a case involving shunning and discrimination, and if Watch Tower loses this case, the repercussions will be felt worldwide. No immaterial soul. "I would be sick. Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves. None of these religions are the true religion. In South Africa, over 1400 congregations struggle to file their government mandated tax returns required of each congregation. (source: Detroit Free Press: https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/03/18/jehovahs-witnesses-murder-suicide-keego-harbor/409695002/). The graph below shoes how the 18-29 crowd have aged up, but new young adults are not replenishing the numbers. Ironically, they cant do that, because the organization has already been identified and branded as a spiritual banquet where nothing is lacking. When a religion starts telling you what to wear, what you can and cant do, whether you can vote, join the military, play sports, read literature from other religions and whether or not you can do certain things within marriage is a religion that is a pure cult. Why so many raised as Witnesses leave A few weeks later, the Jehovah's Witnesses closed on a $200 million sale of that building to the private equity firm Kayne Anderson Real Estate Advisors, which plans to turn the property into . They may think they do, but we have seen, we have seen the proof that our God is real. I had panic attacks. The Jehovahs Witnesses originated as a branch of the Bible Student movement, which was founded by Charles Taz Russell, a Christian Restorationist minister. The Internet is what is really hurting the Watchtower organization bigtime because in the past, information could be controlled and managed. Should you Disassociate and Sample Letters, The Hardship of being a Gay Jehovah's Witness. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? Believers honor Jehovah, the God and Creator of all things. Jehovah's Witnesses, a millenarian denomination of Christrianity, follow strict guidelines regarding the use of blood in medical practices. Andrea sat down. I began a life where I could decide what to believe for myself, and I wasnt afraid of someone telling me I couldnt. Truly the Watchtower organization has absolutely nothing good to say about any other religion because theyre too busy puffing themselves up over them. Andrea embraced its teachings and followed all of JWs beliefs to a T. She didnt celebrate Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any other holidays, and she avoided birthday celebrations. And now with other countries finding out the harshness of their rules and their inhumane practices of shunning, and not turning child sex abuse cases over to the police is really causing a huge problem for Watchtower. Its a great field service vehicle with four doors and plenty of ankle length dress room in the back! The mountain of bullshit has finally gotten high enough that it's starting to collapse on itself. In 2015, the court hit Watchtower with a $13.5 million verdict after the organization failed to turn over documents and provide witnesses in a lawsuit filed by Jos Lopez. 100 years is a pretty long time to wait. Jehovah's Witnesses can now be found in Birmingham city centre. People are finally not afraid to talk, and the very massive Ex-JW community is really having a huge affect on Watchtower and on those still inside of it. This does not sit well with many elders, particularly those is less than affluent areas. With the recent crack-downs on college education, the Watchtower is looking less and less like a spiritual paradise, and is looking more like North Korea. Imagine if Ford was blaming the consumers - saying that consumers had poor judgment for not wanting to buy the Pinto anymore. And instead of just forgiving you of your sin, this evil shunning practice is what they do to you until youre reproved and brought back into good standing which by the way can take a very very long time. One factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization. . Many of us here paid that price, only to wake up to it years later. Only ten years ago, every single member, that is 28 members were Jehovah's Witnesses. The. Is the Book of Daniel Prophetic or Historical? The lawsuits are piling up, the fines are compounding, the public awareness of Watch Towers dangerous and controlling cult influence on followers will become a spectacle in 2018. Drunk driver smashed into family car on M6 - while sipping cider, Jehovah's Witnesses denies telling abuse victims not to call the police, BBC Breakfast star Charlie Stayt halts show to warn Lenny Henry 'you shouldn't say that', Charlie was hosting BBC Breakfast on Thursday - but warned Lenny: "You really shouldn't say that. (Photo by Jeff Gritchen, Orange County Register/SCNG) The pandemic may leave a. I can never forgive them for betrayal. Sitting through hours upon hours of talks and Watchtower studies is not going to help them with many of the emotional and social challenges theyre grappling with. In most cases of child sexual assault, the pedophile commits the heinous acts when alone with the . When you factor how many people are baptized vs. the number of publishers the year before you realize that they . Does this sound familiar? By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. As many of you know, the cutbacks were significant. For years, members have gone door-to-door to spread the word about the faith. Young Korean Witnesses languish in prison for no reason. Within ten years, a JWs are leaving in droves, all because of the internet. A big part of the JW organization's power comes from keeping dissenters isolated until they give in due to loneliness. They began publishing what they learned in books, newspapers, and the journal that is now called The Watchtower Announcing Jehovahs Kingdom. I went to university, where I made even more friends who showed me that being in the world is completely fine, and that debate and discussion is also OK. Jehovah's Witnesses detained in inhumane conditions June 4, 2021 Number of Jehovah's Witnesses on trial in Lipetsk grows June 2, 2021 Christian attorney gives advice for staying on good side of law June 1, 2021 Crimean Pentecostals fined for violating Russia's anti-evangelism law May 31, 2021 American prayer breakfast figure feted by Ukrainian . But why have they stopped knocking on our doors? She learned she couldnt get that from being a Jehovahs Witness. There is a question regarding the longevity of JW.org given the events of the past few years. And you have no promise. And 67% of the Buddhists surveyed indicate that they were raised in a . Examining the total number of people entering and leaving each religion provides the most complete picture of the dynamism of the American religious landscape. This is human nature. Clearly, these eight men will lie just to protect their money because thats their first love. They believe that salvation is impossible outside of the Watchtower. Attending My Father's Funeral Updated at 12:25 p.m. I remember that first year after Id left the Jehovahs Witness faith. "The minister who was teaching my Bible lessons (in the Church Of Christ) mentioned the "Let God Be True" book in my studies, and he asked me if I knew that the doctrines of the Jehovah's Witnesses had changed over the years. When curious JWs find communities like this one, they realize they're not alone and there's hope/life for them outside the borg. I knew the Bible back and forth. In March 1997, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, the nonprofit organization that oversees the Jehovah's Witnesses, sent a letter to each of its . Am I an Apostate? You know what its like to not have the spiritual substance that you can grab on to. Press J to jump to the feed. He grew up in a Strong JW family in the USA but now thinks most of it is BS and Nonsense, By the way he does love Sweden and I need to go visit him. I expect this is partly due to many young ones being DF or DA due to "misconduct" because children and teens are held to the same rigorous standard as fully realized adults. We have far more than they realize we have, and there is nothing they can do to stop the flow of information outside of headquarters. They use Office 365 now and embed data into PDF files in an attempt to track where the leaks are coming from. I have observed that children in families like this most often never thrive, and are swiftly on their way out by the time they reach teenage years. Meanwhile, Jehovahs Witnesses in Russia have been imprisoned for following Governing Body directives. Instead, all of the nations human capital is invested in one thing: warfare. Watch Tower must pay these benefits. She converted a lot of people to that religion.. If they act up and dont sit still; spankings are usually soon to follow. The rest will live forever in a paradise on Earth, never meeting the person who died for them - Jesus Christ. Andrea grew up in a family of devout Jehovahs Witnesses. 2010 Elder's Book Well, the reason for the recent increase is simply due to a change in tactics, according to our sister title the Chronicle. 726 Followers. I remember I was getting ready to leave [for worship service in the Church Of Christ], it was early in the morning and it was on a Saturday. What we see from regimes like North Korea is a disregard for many of the societal endeavors that make a nation stronger, such as infrastructure, good universities, economic freedoms, and democratic processes. Many churches offer separate classes, services, or groups for children that are compatible with their maturity level and that get them acclimated to going to church. The gathering was a Bible study. ", BBC Beyond Paradise star Jamie Bamber is married to Eastenders actress. Watch Tower is in the process of implementing a new records management program along with a destruction of documents procedure which is designed to ensure that no documents exist which would tie Watch Tower to any legal responsibility or repercussions. Everyone has a different "wtf" trigger and access to that information is just a curious click away. Are Watchtower reasons for being the only true religion valid? Jehovah's Witness pervert who got sexual kicks from strangling children jailed despite cover-up by congregation. It was these friends who became my support network and showed me that people from the world are just the same as people from the faith there were as many lovely people as there were horrible people, as many happy people as there were sad. This is another religion. The fact that the [Church Of Christ minister] can go to the Bible and prove when, where, and how the Church was established in these last days is the reason I am a member of the Church Of Christ! Other churches give single parents some relief by offering activities and programs for their children to get involved in and bond with other young people. Jehovah's Witnesses, a Christian denomination with an estimated 175,000 followers in Russia. Find some websites which you believe are honest and accurate and share them. My father and i have discussed this. How many schools do you know of, that stick preschoolers, high school students, and graduate students all into the same classroom together? A man who pleaded guilty to raping two underage girls he met through the Jehovah's Witness congregation they all belonged to has been sentenced to . Show your compassion for those still trapped. This is where the Watchtower is at. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. Other programs that would make for a much stronger, robust, and enthusiastic membership are pushed aside and dismissed due their possibly interfering with proselytizing. The faith discourages more than the bare minimum education, advising that higher education is a waste of time that could be better dedicated to ministry (a practice that is deemed so important every individual is required to submit a report card of the amount of hours theyve spent preaching each month), and that it fosters a materialistic and selfishly ambitious attitude. Most importantly, these endeavors just might diminish time and resources that are used for going door-to-door. The Holy Spirit is the name of God's active force in the world. They dont bring salvation to your door when they come but instead, they talk about a paradise Earth and so on. "Overseers of Jehovah's People", an article in the group's publication called the Watchtower . Many teenagers in the organization have issues that require a little more remedy than sitting with a notepad at the assembly and counting with tally marks the number of times the speaker says Jehovah. Followers famously wont accept blood donations - nor do they celebrate birthdays, claiming such celebrations displease God. Its the reason they emphasise the dangers and repercussions of searching for answers to faith-related questions in any place except their own literature, calling anything outside this apostasy. This article provides basic information on leaving this faith. When you stand in the public square and represent a religion, its just a matter of time before the public connects the dots, and the carts are sent to the junkyard, one at a time. Is it any wonder that the turnover among the young people is so high? The important thing for us is to show them that there is a great life to be lived after leaving the Watchtower. Since then, four Ukrainians from occupied Crimea have been sentenced to six or more years' imprisonment: Serhiy Filatov; Artem Gerasimov; Viktor Stashevsky and Igor Schmidt. It there is a large turn-over in the congregation, it must mean that Satan is working overtime; not that that anything could ever be wrong with the organization itself. She didnt party, she didnt drink, and she stayed out of politics. I have several observations to add to this. AND I'm going to do the most non-Jehovah's Witness-y thing ever and, instead of just making up any shit I please, I will actually supply sources for my data so you can look it up for yourself: - 52% of Jehovah's Witnesses are 50 years of age or older, - Only 29% of Jehovah's Witnesses are parents to children under 18 - a decrease of 8% over the past 7 years. In many countries, such meetings would be nothing unusual. According to the organisation, there are currently more than 70,000 Witnesses in Australia. We shared everything our whole lives, and I felt like I had to give her that opportunity to the point where, if this was the wrong path, at least I would have a chance to change her mind. With multiple documentaries being filmed, protests being organized, news reports being written and lawsuits being filed, Jehovahs Witnesses can choose to buckle up and attempt to survive the crash or they can release that belt and get the hell out of the vehicle which is about to catch fire. Its this picture of the world the word they use to refer to anything outside the faith that was painted for me as a child, and I was warned away from cultivating any close friendships with non-Jehovahs Witnesses for this reason. They tell you that you need to follow these rules in order to receive salvation and so on. Id been treated badly by as many people who were Witnesses as I had non-Witnesses. I dont remember feelling that way 30yrs ago, but perhaps I am starting to get back to normal? This religion is indeed a cult and a terrible one at that. I believe this is a huge factor in the turnover of young people leaving the organization. There simply isnt anything designed or built into the programs that work with the attention spans of young children. It is truly a heavily works based religion. - 63% of current Jehovah's Witnesses are a high school education or less. In more recent news concerning the Watchtower organization, Steven Lett made a really shocking and quite frankly damning statement concerning babies. Besides meetings and literature, what is the Watchtower doing, or even attempting to do to truly refresh, uplift, and inspire their young people? Im astonished at the totally creepy nature of the GB Videos I have seen lately. Boom Boom Boom! You know I couldnt see my life any other way. Beliefs. Furthermore, followers of the sect are three times more likely to be diagnosed as suffering . Jehovah's Witnesses in Newcastle City Centre. Much like Kim Jong walking out and clapping his hands, the Watchtowers idea of motivating its people is to deliver talks denouncing college, Watchtower articles ridiculing those who disagree with them, and the repetitive promise that the end is just around the corner. Sparlock Warrior Wizard So when Cynthia invited her to meet George and his family at a gathering, she felt obliged to go. Once that happens, shunning will have very little power over JWs. It is all about how much you can do in the organization that earns you status and salvation. A moment that changed me: dropping out of university | Anne T Donaghue, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, Leaving the faith at 18 changed my life completely., remember that first year after Id left the, Former Jehovah's Witness elders call for mandatory reporting of child sexual abuse, MPsdemand action over Jehovahs Witness abuse allegations, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of silencing victims of child abuse, Child sexual abuse inquiry considers Jehovah's Witnesses UK investigation, Jehovahs Witnesses criticised over handling of child abuse case, Jehovah's Witnesses charity drops attempts to block abuse inquiry, Jehovah's Witnesses did not protect children from abuse, inquiry finds, Jehovah's Witnesses under pressure over handling of sexual abuse claims, Jehovah's Witnesses accused of damaging Otomi religious site in Mexico. They compared the doctrines taught by the churches with what the Bible really teaches. A typical Jehovahs Witnesss life is basically consisting of work or school and field service along with several weekly meetings and Bible studies, or should I say, Watchtower studies. What would you expect to see if that was a news headline within the coming year? Sections: politics business autos jobs career education romance computers phones travel sports fashion health You dont need to mourn me, I told her once. I myself was born and raised in the organization. Moriah Hughes, 24, filed her lawsuit last month in. At that time, a small group of Bible students who lived near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States, began a systematic analysis of the Bible. Internal rules and philosophies among the Jehovah's Witnesses seem to allow abuse to easily be covered up. Its what we dont post. 10. Should you Disassociate and Sample Letters 2020-06-14 - NATALIE O'BRIEN. Theres absolutely no evidence of that at all. interesting topics> It made them revered. Included with this the commissioning of the Last Messenger! Brummies happily shopping and going about their day to day business have seen them in their droves, Never miss breaking news by signing up to our free email updates. Meanwhile, Watch Tower purchased four $8,000.00 scanners. Most Jehovah's Witnesses - roughly two-thirds (65%) - are . The present study of 50 Jehovah's Witnesses admitted to the Mental Health Service facilities of Western Australia suggests that members of this section of the community are more likely to be admitted to a psychiatric hospital than the general population. Are you inspired? When there has been no specific date set . And he [my dad] told me that, If you go to that Church, dont come back. Nearly all WT published material does not hold up to even a freshman's college essay in terms of sources cited, strawman arguments, and avoidance of logical fallacies. Photo courtesy of Jehovah's Witnesses Public Information Desk Mandee Reid and her son, Charles Reid, of Kansas City, Mo., like Jehovah's . Much of their growth from these nations is from people being born into the religion. I have seen many really good kids in the organization totally get neglected because they didnt have a father who was a Witness. Nothing is added, subtracted, or changed to conform to societys standards because, in the Church Of Christ, the Bible is the basis of their faith. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Less than 24 hours later, the manual was leaked and seemingly non-stop analysis and comparison to previous versions began. But fortunately, after having been out for a number of years, many of us are getting to know who we really are and what gives our lives meaning. The rules just keep right on getting tighter and tighter due to the fact that theyre in full damage control, and they want to keep as many people in the organization as they possibly can. She has never found a discrepancy between what is written in the Bible and the teachings taught in the Church Of Christ. Already, members of the Watchtower are already being asked to donate money. it is one to really be avoided at all costs and it is really dangerous. The new Toyota Drove! While I tried to maintain the utmost respect for their beliefs and not attempt to preach my own, they refused to extend me the same courtesy, and many assumed Id left so I could experience more freedom for worldly things. ITV Coronation Street star announces full-time return to soap - leaving fans delighted. Jehovah does not mislead us. This raises the question: Who is an. Jehovah's Witnesses said in a statement it did not join because it does not have the institutional settings that result in children being separated from their parents, such as youth groups, choirs . On February 4, 2019, rumors of the release of a new Elders manual, meant only for the eyes of the top leaders in each congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses (JW), began to surface on ex-JW forums across the Internet. Contrast this to the July 2009 issue of Awake! But in another respect, its quite sad, when considering the young people in the organization who desperately need and yearn for something more. It isnt about the children. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. He focused on his defense, like a narcissist who believes they are the center of the universe, unable to empathize with real people with real problems. I've never showered as much in my life. And, it doesnt help the organization at all when governing body members like Jeffery Jackson get onto the stand in court and lie about their organization saying that it would be presumptuous to say that theyre the only spoakspeople for God when in fact, it says just that very thing in their literature. Change in teachings? Like all enthusiastic followers, they owned a copy of the Let God Be True, which was written, printed, and distributed by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The origins of the Jehovah's Witnesses go back to 1879, when a Pittsburgh businessman named Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916) began publishing the magazine Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence. Raymond Victor Franz (May 8, 1922 - June 2, 2010) was a member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses from October 20, 1971, until his removal on May 22, 1980, and served at the organization's world headquarters for fifteen years, from 1965 until 1980. They still teach that everybody else is doomed except for them. Witnesses are being approached and asked hard-hitting questions about child abuse, shunning, and other matters. Right away, Andrea recognized that there was nothing Biblical about her grandmothers answer. They affirm that GodJehovahis the most high. There's a limit on how long you can tell people that the world is about to end for so long before they get sceptical. So if Jesus said that, then that means all of these cultic religions are not the truth as they claim that they are. In fact, the July 1st, 1984 issue of Watchtower magazine goes so far as to say that anyone who leaves their religion has decided "to leave the way of truth".. All monies were directed at finishing Warwick, then selling off their cranes and millions of dollars worth of vehicles and other high prices tools, right down to a 5 dollar screwdriver. Its hard to say. I have just loaded my spiritual cannon, and I am about to fire away! Instead, Andrea spent her time attending meetings at Kingdom Hall, sharing her faith, and being with her family. Reportedly, one of the rules is that unless a perpetrator confesses to committing a sin, two people must witness the commission of the sin. all because thats THE NEW FOUR DOOR SEDAN BY TOYOTA! Growth is pretty much stagnet in America and other countries like Great Brittan, Austrialia and other English speaking nations. Branches around the world are struggling to keep up with their own accounting procedures. My parents chose my brother, my abuser, over me. This is an area where I believe the Watchtower leadership shows an astounding lack of insight. With all of the publically displayed lies and deceptions that this organization has dished out over the years, people are finally waking up to the real truth about the Watchtower organization and its agenda. Moving to Warwick eliminated these costly payments. There is dissent in South Africa right now because of the fixed per capita amount assigned to each publisher who attends a circuit assembly. 2. If the Jehovahs Witnesses were the true religion, sanctioned by God, there would be no room for error and no mistakes!. A life of meaningless sex, drugs and alcohol is often woven into this picture. It is just too much even for them to handle. Coronation Street favourite Julia Goulding has confirmed she's back on the cobbles. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. I believe this with my whole heart. A key factor to the growth in number of Jehovah's Witnesses is the promise that this system will end at any moment. It should be noted that the Soviets used the same methods of argumentation and reasoning claiming that nothing was lacking in Mother Russia. The Internet's most comprehensive resource for ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, a community for support, recovery and a few laughs along the way. Watch Tower has taken over responsibility of all kingdom halls worldwide, but many sit in disrepair awaiting renovations in excess of what congregations can afford. What are you doing? Jehovah's Witness 'ordered to renounce faith and join Russian army' Europe. Strangely, their newspapers only had good news to publish about the Soviet government, and only had bad news to report about Western democracies. No more than four-in-ten members of the group belong to any one racial and ethnic background: 36% are white, 32% are Hispanic, 27% are black and 6% are another race or mixed race. Sylviane is a relationship coach for women . There are now 11 of us that are no longer Jehovah's Witnesses, and that is in ten years. Besides me, at least 75% of the kids I grew up with in the congregation are out for good. The verdict has since been overturned, but the case is still being litigated. Biblically, however, the word "soul" is multifaceted. Sherrie and Naomi were Jehovah's Witnesses. - The number of young Jehovah's Witnesses (aged 18-24) has dropped by 6% over the past 7 years. We grew up together. Additionally, it has been noted by many of us that when there is a family in which the father does not hold some kind of office, the family is often left out on the periphery without much social support. However, the Seventh day Adventists say that theyre the only true religion, the Mormons say it and so do the Catholics and so on. This is not to say that there are no enthusiastic young people in the Watchtower organization, because there truly are. By Elizabeth Chuck. young ones leaving. 37:2337-Minute Listen. But now members are heading into the city to try and reach out to more people. However, the rate of growth has almost certainly also been dependent on child baptism for several years and, with the average age of the membership growing older and decades of discouragement from current members having children, there are also simply fewer children to indoctrinate. Instead of adjusting the menu, or admitting that the chef isnt as good as he thinks he is, the owner simply blames the customers, and claims that the patrons taste buds must not be working properly.

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