u/Behindsniffer

Recently they posted an article regarding how to identify the Anti-Christ and they stated that anyone who doesn't preach the "Good News" of God's Kingdom can be considered part and parcel of the Anti-Christ.

They've often said that some, throughout history, can be considered Jehovah's Witnesses such as William Tyndale and other's who have had a share in the Bible's history.

But consider...when the Apostle John is said to have been martyred sometime in 99 C.E. I would guess that soon after the preaching work quickly died out, right? So it wasn't started again in earnest until 'ol Judge Rutherford announced the "Great Crowd" in, what, 1931 at Ceder Point, right? "Advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and His Kingdom?"

I mean...wouldn't that mean that for somewhere in the vicinity of 1,800 years everyone on earth was the Anti-Christ? And Jesus and "Jehovah" were just fine with that?

Even people like Tyndale who was martyred as well! I don't recall that he was a "Preacher of Righteousness" or "God's Kingdom," essentially meaning that even notable Bible translators and such would be considered the Anti-Christ and therefore not be eligible for a resurrection, right? Even today...that means that everyone who is not a Jehovah's Witness is the Anti-Christ?

Seriously, I don't believe a word that the Governing Body or their little little real estate empire says, but don't you think that they should get people who can think about what they write...if it fits with what they've stated in the past and put a few sordid statements together that co-relate and make sense, or when you consider what was said and how it would play out when you consider the big picture in history?

Even the major change in the blood policy regarding storing your blood and analogous transfusions. A thinking person would have put together a plan and had new blood cards printed up stating the new policy, I would think. Or even have taken a moment to give more information about the change, maybe a part on the mid-week meeting, at the least. Instead they get crickets. This is not a little thing like clinking glasses to celebrate something, this is life and death for their adherents, even though the vast majority have no access to storing their blood for a future surgery or accident.

But I suppose it's me, isn't it? I guess I'm just an "Independent Thinker," not to mention a "Mentally Diseased Apostate" and an "Anti-Christ!"

All in a days' work, I suppose.

I've gotta tell ya, I find this Social Media presence absolutely delicious! I mean, the unmitigated hubris of these people is off the charts!!! "Oh, stay off of Social Media, it's a time waster!!! You would be much better served studying, or being out in the Field Misery, or attending meetings!"

The lack of self awareness is astounding!!! "Don't you do that, it will hurt your spirituality!" Stay away from Social Media, it's infested with Satanic propaganda!" "Danger, danger, stay away, don't go near it!!!"

"But it's okay when we do it!"

But I suppose it just goes along with everything else, lately. I know I sound like a broken record but, "Don't grow a beard, because you can't be a spiritual man if you have one...not to mention, it's a sure sign that you're rebellious!!! Okay, grow a beard, because they're now fashionable and most of us want to grow one, so, yeah, it's okay now."

"We as Jehovah's Witnesses want to dress to impress! But since it seems that society is okay with a more leisurely look, you don't have to wear a dress shirt and tie...and khakis are just fine with us...unless you're on the stage, then dress to impress!"

"Oh, don't go to college, you might wake up! But we're running out of money and are trying to hood-wink a much younger generation now, so yeah, get a higher education, it's fine...but don't live on campus, live at home and go to a local college so Mom and Dad can keep a close eye on you and you can still make all the meetings and be out in the Misery!!!"

I had to have an announcement made at my wedding reception that guests are not to clink their glasses or say a toast because it makes our delicate little God sad and demons or something. It was so embarrassing to have to field questions from our unbelieving relatives regarding that nonsense...but now it's just fine, because reasons.

I served on a committee once and we disfellowshipped a 17 year old girl. After we told her we thought it would be best for her and the congregation that we do that, she broke down. I've never seen anybody break to that degree before and it cut me to the heart. But that's what the elder book said we should do and it couldn't be rescinded. Years later after watching the broadcast that stated that, "Oh, just have them come back the next day, or the next week, or hold it in abeyance for a month or so." I stood up and screamed at the Television, "No...you can't do that!!!" My wife thought I went crazy! That poor girl was thrown out of her house and into the street because of that decision that I was told to make. If we could have had another committee meeting with her after watching her break down like that we never would have followed through with her disfellowshipping!!! But that was then, now it's different. Why? What changed? O' losing too many people who aren't coming back, are you? Gee...I wonder why.

I honestly used to be proud to be a Jehovah's Witness. I totally believed it, lock, stock and barrel. Now I'm embarrassed to admit that I ever was. I once worked with the HLC. Can you imagine telling a young pregnant wife who was worried about something going wrong with her pregnancy that, "No!, you can't save your blood in case you hemorrhage?" And then it goes south and she bleeds out! And the day after her Memorial talk, Oops, it's fine now??? Can you imagine how I would have felt? How would you feel if something like that happened to you? Imagine having to tell her husband and her other children you were sorry?

This is totally ridiculous! How does anybody keep up with all these changes? You're playing with peoples lives! People are deeply affected by these ever changing rules, regulations, policies and procedures! I couldn't stand it anymore. And I carry the guilt of being an elder and being taught and convinced that what I was doing was righteous and just by lying to people and supporting what I thought was the truth at the time. I have to live with that. And I read the comments and posts of people that tell their stories of abuse and guilt and shame that was heaped on them by this horrible, ungodly organization and it cuts me to the heart all over again. This was a nightmare...and it never ends. It never ends!

They have to know. They have to! People's lives are ruined and destroyed. Marriages are broken. Hearts are broken. Lives are stolen and broken. And for what?

Money. Billions of dollars in real estate and investment holdings belonging to a corporation! Is it worth it? Is it all worth it? Only they can answer that...and only they would know.

Please forgive me for the tease in the title, but I just saw something that I'm seriously questioning and wanted to share it with everyone.

I just watched the latest Youtube video presented by EXJW Analyzer-"Watchtower Does Damage Control as Bethelites Wake Up." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=\_qkAieO0toA&list=WL&index=49&t=154s)

I'm not a shill for his commentary and I don't know the man, or his wife, so even though the content is certainly food for thought, I'm not endorsing or condemning it, but something else caught my attention.

The video concerns a recent presentation leaked regarding Bethelites being given a talk about listening to Apostates. At the 34:39 point, 2 Sisters are shown giving what I consider instruction from the platform. Now, we all know that Paul condemned women being teachers in the congregation and for some, that has been a sore spot, because, after all, in Christendom, many women are pastors. I know many Sisters who are simply not interested in putting together or presenting assigned talks, but, on the other hand, many feel slighted in not being able to have a more prominent role in the Congregation.

So...my question is: Is this something new that's prefiguring another change in Organizational structure? Is it common for women to give instruction, or comments during morning worship at Bethel? Is this a foreshadow of what is to come? We all are aware that there's a severe shortage of qualified men....so....I mean young men (and I use that term loosely) can be appointed as elders, now.

I mean, sure, Sisters can give demonstrations on the platform and comment during The Watchtower during Assembly parts on the platform, but I've never seen or heard Sisters giving commentary during morning Worship programs, have you? And where was their head coverings?

I'm not trying to condemn or endorse anything here, so please don't flame me for adding to the rumor mill, but it just struck me as odd, that women were featured giving commentary during a morning worship talk at Bethel. What say you?

So, I walk into the kitchen this morning and there's an Auxiliary Pioneer application on the kitchen table. It's certainly not for me, I left well over a year and a half ago. My PIMI wife brought it home and I'm guessing she's gonna fill it out and submit it.

I don't get it. They've admitted that they have no idea when "the end" is coming. You don't have to turn in time anymore. They have no more magazines to hawk and have stated that when people see "Babylon the Great" start to fall they can join the organization. Many people gather together on a Saturday morning for a coffee clatch on Zoom, even though they're fully capable of full mobility, to write a letter, or two, it's ridiculous.

Must be a campaign coming up soon? They usually do that around September, right? I mean, why waste your time promoting an event that may never even come in your lifetime? Do they actually think that they can pile up points with Jehovah, or something? Like He can't read individual hearts and know in advance if someone is truly qualified to be in His "new system," and that He actually needs help to find "right hearted" people...it's an insult!

They rarely do door to door, anymore. The last 11 weeks that I went out in the Field Misery all anybody wanted to do was return visits. Maybe each one in the group had to do one fresh door, but after that it was Micky D's or Starbucks and a return visit on the way back to where you started.

Where is the incentive, anymore? Why do they waste their time? It's a charade!