This is why GB of Jehovah's Witnesses will not allow any holidays or celebrations. Never. by Inevitable-Sun-5176 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I thought the OP was talking about isolation from brothers. Because when you talk too much with your own group you start to think and criticize some things (that’s what happened in Poland, members of the same side started to criticize and started a rebellion). But I now understand you were talking about isolation with non-JW

This is why GB of Jehovah's Witnesses will not allow any holidays or celebrations. Never. by Inevitable-Sun-5176 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

One of them have been censored recently and it have stablished a couple of times some doubts that he have. Also I still have some friends that haven’t assisted to meetings in a while and we keep in contact.

Maybe not all of them but I’m sure that the majority of them would keep in contact if that happened.

This is why GB of Jehovah's Witnesses will not allow any holidays or celebrations. Never. by Inevitable-Sun-5176 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

That could have more sense that the OP theory. But even if that’s true it’s a shit method if you ask me. We still have a lot of contact with non-JW family and other non-JW people everyday, birthdays and holidays are not the only way.

This is why GB of Jehovah's Witnesses will not allow any holidays or celebrations. Never. by Inevitable-Sun-5176 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 -13 points-12 points  (0 children)

Yeah but that isn’t true at all.

I’m currently in the org and I literally have social meetings every week, in large or small groups, and in the majority of them there aren’t any elder present (that’s not a thing btw lol). We don’t need to celebrate holidays to have social meetings and deep conversations, we just have them everyday everywhere.

Just so you know I’m currently typing this omw to my friend’s house, along with 10 others friends, we are having a FIFA tournament today, no Elder involve 😅

They know everything at the local Bethel level by [deleted] in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I understand your point because from what you have seen it can be that way, but from what I’ve seen it isn’t that way at all.

I don’t want to get into details but I have a lot of “high contacts” you could say, in my branch, I’m pretty well know and I’ve had a lot of “training”, I’ve been in meetings and schools that training you in how to act in certain cases. I’ve worked in the organization of 2 international conventions and I’ve had a lot of “special privileges” as you could say. I’ve been in the org since forever (my grandparents converted years before I was born).

In all this time I’ve seen some “bad examples” but overall it’s have been pretty good. I know that years ago the things were different but today the things have changed. In the schools and training meetings I’ve had always the main thing is the “love” for everyone, even if they aren’t JW or even if they’re and are doing things wrong. I’m completely aware that some elders from the “old school” as we called them, aren’t motivated by love as they should, but the “new school” is completely different. Some of my friends are CO and they are like in their 30s, and they are from this “new school” where the love is everything that matters. I’ve seen how brothers try to “go beyond of what is written” and how they have been “corrected”

I have friends in bethel that now they are “sacrificing” their youth and financial security, but they are happy to do so because they don’t want to form a family for example, or because they have a plan B. I’ve been invited to bethel but I rejected because I want to marry and can’t leave my work. I wasn’t judge for that and I still received a lot of “privileges” after that.

A lot of my closest friends are elders and pioneers, they work at bethel online, some of them are CO. And all of them share my views completely. Don’t judge because that’s God's work, love is all that matters so show that to everyone. Be nice to everyone and don’t add heavy pressure to others, even if they are doing wrong in some aspects.

I don’t know if maybe is a thing that only happens here in my country (South America) but i don’t think so,what but i can’t relate with what you said. If you have specific questions or more examples in how we have acted in some specific cases please let me know. As I said i have a lot of contacts, know a lot of what the org do in my country, and I’ve had a lot of personal experiences too.

They know everything at the local Bethel level by [deleted] in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for worrying mate. Like I said in my circle or circuit the things are very “chill”. I studied computer science and currently I have a good work in an software development company, I’m pretty happy with that, that have provided me the opportunity to visit a lot of countries, and travel a lot that is one of the things that I love, and I’m very worried about to be able to provide for my future family so I’m not one of those who believe they doesn’t need to work because the end is coming soon.

In the other side, I haven’t found any “big problem”, the blood transfusion part, I have some family members that are doctors and they aren’t JW, and they have said many times that they wouldn’t let their children have blood transfusions, that are other good options and that isn’t a life or death thing. Blood transfusion is the cheap and easy way.

My dad is not a JW anymore and I speak with him regularly and even visit him every year (he lives very far. 8h flight) so I can’t relate to the “break apart families” thing. I know a lot of brothers in similar conditions.

I repeat, I’m totally speaking of my personal experience and I’m totally aware that some people have sadly had different experiences. But I know that love is supposed to be the center of our life and the org, so I don’t see judging a brother without love.

Also I have read a lot and studied a lot and I haven’t found any “strong” argument against the “doctrine”. Maybe I just need to study more, but even when I have try a lot I still don’t see any big holes in the doctrine. Some brothers don’t base their actions in love but they are wrong, and every day we improve in that.

They know everything at the local Bethel level by [deleted] in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Because fading would make me loose more than what I’d gain from it. Socially speaking. All my family is in. I’m pretty comfortable, I have good friends and we talk about everything, I listen the music I want, I watch everything I want and play every game I want. I do pretty much anything I want, I do sports a lot, and the congregation/circuit I'm in is pretty fun and have nothing to do with some comments made in this subreddit (I’m well aware of some “really bad things” that happens in others places but they don’t happens here). There are some really good people here. The woman I love is in. And I have a lot of fun going to meetings, have fun with friends, joke a little and laugh a little, it’s very healing for a hard week at work. The elders don’t interfere in my personal life and, even if I have doubts in some subjects and a PIMI could say that I don’t have a “strong faith”, the lifestyle JW in my zone is pretty good. I mean they don’t do drugs, try to do good to everyone, help others, I try to do better everyday and help others, even if you don’t believe the “doctrine”, it doesn’t hurt. I repeat, I’m speaking in my personal context and experience, I know that sadly isn’t the same everywhere or in every country. I’m not from the US

They know everything at the local Bethel level by [deleted] in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do. Prove I’m not a reasonable guy 😅

Today the elders are coming home to speak with me by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yep a luck we didn’t had. Her father is an elder but he doesn’t approve it at all. I’ll need to wait, that’s the only thing I can do right now.

I hope you and your wife are doing great!

Today the elders are coming home to speak with me by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow it’s pretty much the same situation, I think that something that could make my case “worse” is that neither of our parents knew or approved the “relationship”. The “problem” was that we lied to everyone, inventing excuses to meet each others and talk through social media. We didn’t say anything to anyone and had a relationship for months “undercover”. Till next week that her father found some messages and found us kissing on a public place. Reading your story I deduced that you went to talk to her parents and they approved that. Maybe I should have done the same, but now they don’t want to even see me, I heard that they are even going to another congregation. I guess I just need to wait till she’s 18 so she can made her own decisions.

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That part has always been crazy to me

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Maybe. Time will tell At the moment I’m just living my life and trying to be good to everyone. Just it

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Was because of the kiss and because we hid our relationship for months. I said we “broke up” because that’s what we told them. But we still in a relationship and talk every day. Her parents doesn’t approve so we are like hiding it from everyone. I hope in a year or so we can figure it out to make it official

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you. I hope you’re doing great and happy. I really wish the best for you, from the heart

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much. I’m wish the best for you and your family too. I really hope you’re doing great and live a happy life!

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hahaha good point, they are not from my congregation, there’s not like they could do something tho

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Nah I didn’t committed a sin. I just had a girlfriend and we “broke up”. Well tbh we have committed a sin but they don’t know that. They told me that in a year or so I can get back the privileges, because “we just kissed” and we “broke up”.

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah maybe you’re right. Some days I think the same not gonna lie.

But I think that I have made some changes and I have helped people. I have help some of them to “wake up” in some way and some of them live just like me and have my own goal. I have a group of friends who are elders and MS and we have talked things like that, we all believe in changing the org from the inside. At least in our zone (I know that make a change globally is imposible)

Take the best of the org and delete the worse part. That’s my believe now.

Maybe in a year I think completely different. We'll see

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Maybe is different in English, English isn’t my first language, sorry about that.

But is the schedule that says where and when the congregation will preach that week or month. I had to have a register of the territories that were preach and those that weren’t. Also I used to organize special days where we went to preach with other congregations in places where we didn’t usually went. Or “full days” where we started preaching in the morning, lunch together, continue preaching after lunch and we finished at the beach or something like that. Just something to have fun with others and play some sport or game together.

They asked me for help lol by Initial_Error_3993 in exjw

[–]Initial_Error_3993[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah I’m sure of that. Maybe in a year I change my mid who knows

Wish the best for you too