Srecko Sostar

Thank you for your truly great compassion. Please don't feel like that anymore, because, well, we survived and it's "as if nothing happened". I have three siblings and a mother. Two brothers and mother decided not to contact. The oldest brother makes a phone call from time to time. Wife is JW.
Stay well!

Thank you, @Srecko Sostar, my brother! Jehovah has a way of turning what others might think of as a "curse" into a blessing for us. 🙂 Someday the others will wake up too (the ones like your mother and two brothers...and the others that shun us). Thank you for your courage and endurance!💖 I have been encouraged by your comments and your example. Thank you!🌈🥰

The reason people “twist scripture”, as Fausto pointed out is AWAYS to consolidate power over other people, almost always to get their money.
The easiest way to do this to make people afraid to talk to each other.
The easiest way to do that, is to threaten families as well as the “miscreant”.
 

I agree with the general idea of disfellowshipping …. beats being burned at the stake … but the whole of Matthew Chapter 18 tells how to do it.
It’s not Rocket Science.
It’s a cookbook operation with clear, simple, and specific instructions written down in the Bible. 

Very simple, unambiguous, easy to follow instructions. directly from the “Master Chef”.
Are we doing disfellowshipping as SPECIFIED IN DETAIL in Matthew 18?
NO
NOT EVEN CLOSE!
It’s as simple as that.
HOW to handle these things is so important that the founding fathers of the United States of America drew from Matthew 18 to put in the U.S. Constitution as an inalienable human right, protected by law the right someone had to face his accuser, face to face … drawn from Matthew 18:15.
You will know the True Religion of Almighty God, because it is Just, makes good common sense, and does not offend the natural conscience of righteously inclined people.
It’s not Rocket Science.
 

Jesus ate with them because he loved them first - before they started to love him. Whether or not they turned around, he loved them, because he is like his Father, Our Father Jehovah. That's why Jesus came here, because he loves us just like Jehovah loves us. If we respond to that love, great. If we don't, it doesn't change his love. He loved us first.
 
"When the attendant of the man of the true God rose early and went outside, he saw that an army with horses and war chariots was surrounding the city. At once the attendant said to him: “Alas, my master! What are we to do?”...But he said: “You must not strike them down. Do you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Give them bread and water so they may eat and drink and return to their lord.”  So he spread a great feast for them, and they ate and drank, after which he sent them away to return to their lord."
 
(2 Kings 6:15,22,23)
 
"For if you love those loving you, what reward do you have? Are not also the tax collectors doing the same thing?  And if you greet your brothers only, what extraordinary thing are you doing? Are not also the people of the nations doing the same thing?  You must accordingly be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
 
(Matthew 5:46-48)
 
"We love, because he first loved us."
 
(1 John 4:19)
 
"I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet strong enough. In fact, neither are you strong enough now,  for you are still fleshly."
 
(1 Corinthians 3:2,3)
 
"Look! The farmer keeps waiting for the precious fruit of the earth, exercising patience over it until the early rain and the late rain arrive."
 
(James 5:7)
 
You are the precious fruit of the earth. Jehovah is waiting patiently to reward you. He loves you. He is waiting for you.

Thank you for your truly great compassion. Please don't feel like that anymore, because, well, we survived and it's "as if nothing happened". I have three siblings and a mother. Two brothers and mother decided not to contact. The oldest brother makes a phone call from time to time. Wife is JW.
Stay well!

Jehovah knows who His witnesses are - no counsel of man dictates to Jehovah who "is one of Jehovah's witnesses" and "who is no longer one of Jehovah's witnesses." 
 
"We must obey God as ruler rather than men." (Acts 5:29)
 
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts fear out, because fear restrains us. Indeed, the one who is fearful has not been made perfect in love.   We love, because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For the one who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.  And we have this commandment from him, that whoever loves God must also love his brother." (1 John 4:18-21)
 
I'm not anybody important, @Srecko Sostar, but I am one of Jehovah's witnesses, even if the org mislabels me a leprous mentally-diseased satanic disfellowshipped apostate worthy of everlasting death. I love you, @Srecko Sostar, and I will talk to you if I meet you on the street or the forum. I spent too much of my life following those dumb religious rules that Jesus hates. I don't want to do that anymore. You are right. The Bible is clear how Jesus treated people. I want to follow Jesus and not a bunch of guys who just make stuff up that ends up hurting people and reproaching Jehovah's name.

Lol...well some of the "actions and decisions of people from the past" are recorded in the Bible so that we Don't copy them, so of course those ones wouldn't end well if somebody copied them! That's exactly what we're seeing with the org right now. The ancient nation of Israel wasn't supposed to set up kings over themselves. They had Jehovah. But they rejected Jehovah and wanted kings. It's the same today. The Christian congregation isn't supposed to have kings. But we do. They will be removed, just like the other ones were. Jehovah had them removed. Jehovah hasn't changed.
 
"I well know, O Jehovah, that man’s way does not belong to him. It does not belong to man who is walking even to direct his step." (Jeremiah 10:23)

I generally agree with your position. The difference between an old car and the Bible is that the condition of the car does not have such a big influence on our decisions, as does a religion that waves the Bible in front of the noses of believers.
Copying the actions and decisions of people from the past does not always end well. On the other hand, the repurposing of their experiences in order to be adapted to the ideology of today's Church Administration and the circumstances of life is also a dangerous precedent.
In general, we all know what is right and what is wrong. How to achieve that the wolf is fed and the donkey alive? For that, you don't need religious leaders who will tell a believer not to vote in state elections, but at the same time the WTJWorg Administration will participate in political conferences to promote religious activity and sue states that restrict WTJWorg "freedom".

One representative of WTJWorg, I think it was for the needs of a court case, openly admitted that the JW Corporation is structured the same as the Catholic Church, that is Hierarchical.
Agree! Collecting money is acceptable to help the poor and the afflicted, not for the needs of the Administration.
Tons and tons of paper, and now digital content of questionable value. Well, WTJWorg himself is destroying his old spiritual food and rejecting their value. Can we trust the current instructions that will end up in the spiritual graveyard in the future.

Additionally, I read that someone removed the pyramid from Russell's cemetery. WTJWorg owns Russell's grave right? Why was it important to do this? Because it reveals their spiritual origin.
 

How do you show respect to a person who left the Church or was excluded from it?
Is it so that you don't greet her on the street?
Who is the God you worship?
Jesus spoke not only to tax collectors and adulterers but also to religious opponents.
Everyone who talks to me and others like me on this forum is violating religious rules and beliefs if they are JW members. They should also be excommunicated...immediately ..... hahaha

I generally agree with your position. The difference between an old car and the Bible is that the condition of the car does not have such a big influence on our decisions, as does a religion that waves the Bible in front of the noses of believers.
Copying the actions and decisions of people from the past does not always end well. On the other hand, the repurposing of their experiences in order to be adapted to the ideology of today's Church Administration and the circumstances of life is also a dangerous precedent.
In general, we all know what is right and what is wrong. How to achieve that the wolf is fed and the donkey alive? For that, you don't need religious leaders who will tell a believer not to vote in state elections, but at the same time the WTJWorg Administration will participate in political conferences to promote religious activity and sue states that restrict WTJWorg "freedom".

How do you show respect to a person who left the Church or was excluded from it?
Is it so that you don't greet her on the street?
Who is the God you worship?
Jesus spoke not only to tax collectors and adulterers but also to religious opponents.
Everyone who talks to me and others like me on this forum is violating religious rules and beliefs if they are JW members. They should also be excommunicated...immediately ..... hahaha

I agree with you - Christian values and Bible study amongst family members isn't false, but it is a disfellowshipping offense according to the organization.
 
(That's what I got "disfellowshipped" for. When, motivated by Christian values, I protected my family by reporting abuse, and when I shared the scriptural reasons for doing so with my spiritual family, I was falsely labeled a reviler causing divisions and "disfellowshipped".)
 
Here are screenshots of some of the emails with the local elders. The branch was also sent copies of the information, as well as the GB, the legal department and the service department. They did not follow Bible principles. They protected the abusers and used the disfellowshipping doctrine to remove one of the victims in hopes that their racket of lording it over the flock wouldn't be disturbed.
 
I wrote and wrote to GB to help because they always say "we love you very much." They don't love us. They didn't reply until after my disfellowshipping was announced locally. One of the elders here has a son at Bethel, Jeffrey Fletcher, who is one of Mark Sanderson's secretaries. Interestingly, after my disfellowshipping was announced, my letters from Mark Sanderson came back with a big red "REJECTED" stamped on them.
 

I have a car. It's not perfect, but it gets me where I need to go. Even though it's got issues, I don't throw it out, because it's all I've got to go in, unless I want to walk everywhere.
 
Until we can read Hebrew and Aramaic and Greek and find the original manuscripts (which are no longer in existence) we're going to have to do the best we can with what we've got - imperfectly copied and translated manuscripts and translations. We do have Jehovah's holy spirit to help us apply the Bible counsel; His holy spirit which doesn't corrode or get lost. When we prayerfully follow the Bible direction to the best of our abilities in harmony with holy spirit, we will get through better than if we didn't have Bible principles. 
 
When Jesus gets here, he will tell us directly what to do. He's not here yet. The Bible is the temporary means to get through this mess of a world. It's the best book we've got to direct us. Some people want to throw it out, but I don't recommend it. I've tried three different ways: (1) No Bible direction (2) Bible direction mixed with poisoned publications (3) Bible direction. It's no contest - hands down in my experience following God's Word is the only way to fly.

Here are some screenshots from the articles you cited🙂...
 

 
Jesus' illustration about a faithful slave was part of a set of illustrations talking about keeping on the watch. All Christians are commanded to keep on the watch. Jesus was NOT using that expression as a title or a label or a prophecy about a certain group of leaders. Jesus said "all you are brothers" and "call no one Rabbi or Leader for One is your Leader, God". When someone called Jesus "Good Teacher" he did not accept such a label. Why would Jesus have given such a title as "His Eminence, Most Holy Pope" or "Benevolent Leader" or "Faithful and Discreet Slave" to a man or a group of imperfect men who he told to stamp themselves down and behave as lowly ones? Here's the answer: Jesus didn't give them that title. They took it upon themselves. Shame on them. And shame on them for poisoning the publications with that teaching mixed in with God's Word.
 

 
Jesus didn't set up special schools. The Pharisees had special schools. Jesus didn't set up special publications. The Pharisees had special publications. The arrangement for a commune funded by "voluntary" donations is not scripturally based. The first century Christians were commanded to work for what they ate and not to live off of others. "If he doesn't work, let him not eat." Those who disobeyed such direction were to be marked and avoided. According to Paul's counsel, the Bethelites and the GB and the COs should all be marked and avoided. Certainly most of them are just ignorant to what the Bible teaches, but if they were to reread that chapter where Paul is talking about marking in context they would see it is completely misapplied by the organization. It is their behavior that should be shunned and avoided.
 

 
Jehovah's Word says to take care of your family first. "For if anyone doesn't take care of his family, he is worse than one who disowns the faith." The organization says to work less and volunteer more for their assets, more recently in the building work for projects that they own and can sell. Jesus said such "corban" like arrangements actually negate the sacrifice in God's eyes.
 

 
Jesus taught without movies or books or magazines. He is the one we should follow. (It's not wrong to use such tools, but it shouldn't be put on a level that comes at the cost of sacrificing obedience to the more important things.) Jesus drove out the money-makers from the temple. He said they were making his Father's house a cave of robbers. That's what these guys at Watchtower are doing. They are robbers pretending to use the money for good things. If they were really using the funds well, then they would provide an accounts report, just like the local congregations do. "The righteous one is not afraid of coming to the light, but the wicked one does not come to the light, that his works may not be exposed."
 

 
The Watchtower begs for money from poor people and then says they're not begging. Do you know any other publication that so blatantly asks for funds in this way? At least they could be honest about it and say, please give us your money. Instead they attempt to guilt the friends by putting a bunch of scriptures first and at the ends saying it's like giving to God. Giving to them is not giving to God, it's paying for room and board and healthcare and lawsuits for a bunch of guys that are pulling the wool over the eyes of about 9 million or so people. "Give us your coconuts!!!"
 

 
Here is a link to another thread that has some information on some financial holdings of the organization...
 
 
 
And interestingly enough, if you want to talk to anybody at Bethel over the phone about anything of importance it is almost impossible. I've tried. But chances are you can get through every time if you want to call the number to give money.
 

The organization is asking the friends to give something that Jesus doesn't require. The GB are money lovers. They are cultivating their business in those articles. It's the same thing the Pharisees did.
 
"No servant can be a slave to two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot be slaves to God and to Riches.” Now the Pharisees, who were money lovers, were listening to all these things, and they began to sneer at him.  So he said to them: “You are those who declare yourselves righteous before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is considered exalted by men is a disgusting thing in God’s sight."
 
(Luke 16:13-15)

Can the biblical text be completely trusted?
The first Bible was created by the Catholic Church.
Then the Protestants made their own Bible.
Afterwards, WTJWorg intervened and made their own Bible/s (few versions).
And to make everything more interesting, theological minds of different religions have created intricate interpretations and are harassing lost human souls with them day and night. Other souls who are not considered lost, but have found meaning for themselves in one of the interpretations will not fare any better than other people..., For time and chance happen to all.

Can the biblical text be completely trusted?
The first Bible was created by the Catholic Church.
Then the Protestants made their own Bible.
Afterwards, WTJWorg intervened and made their own Bible/s (few versions).
And to make everything more interesting, theological minds of different religions have created intricate interpretations and are harassing lost human souls with them day and night. Other souls who are not considered lost, but have found meaning for themselves in one of the interpretations will not fare any better than other people..., For time and chance happen to all.

I really, really, really wish you were right, @Equivocation - I wish it with all my heart, but unfortunately I know better - I know for a fact that most of the people in the organization do replace worship of Jehovah with worship of men. I will explain what I mean...
 
Jehovah said that we need to obey Jesus. Jesus said to show love for our neighbor.
 
The governing body says we need to obey what the GB says ahead of what Jesus says. The governing body says we need to show hate for our neighbor.
 
When people in the organization obey the disfellowshipping doctrine, they are obeying men rather than God. When people in the organization show hate to their fellow man by obeying the disfellowshipping doctrine, they are being anti-Christ.
 
It doesn't matter what the rest of any of those articles say, the point was that all the ones that mention the FDS/GB and "obey" and "be thankful" are weaving in false worship with true worship. It's the oldest trick in the book.
 
"Is it really so that God said you must not eat of every tree of the garden?"
 
(They learned it from their father.)

No … each person has different motivations, which sans telepathy, or you ask them … you will never know.
Besides … it’s impossible to “persecute” someone who has more power than you do.
A stereotypical example is the Polish Resistance did not persecute the Nazi invaders ….. the Nazi invaders DID persecute the Polish people.
To react to an oppressor is not persecution of the oppressor.
It’s self defense.

Man, if that's persecution then I've got it easy, lol!😂
 
(I've been through some forms of persecution...I wouldn't call this persecution - it's playtime, kind of like that Whac-A-Mole game at the fair!)
 
 
 
 

It’s been my observation that Audrey has been completely forthright with everybody, every time, however those with extreme agenda driven reading comprehension problems, who don’t actually completely read what she has written of course will not  think so.
…. that is what agenda driven thinking is.
What you are doing Manny, is persecuting a woman, because you can.

"But reject empty speeches that violate what is holy, for they will lead to more and more ungodliness,  and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·naeʹus and Phi·leʹtus are among them.  These men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred, and they are subverting the faith of some."
 
(2 Timothy 2:16-18)
 
The GB teaching that Russell and Rutherford and Peter and Paul and the others are already in heaven is a false teaching. The resurrection hasn't happened yet. Those dead guys can't fight about anything for now. 
 
"...there is no work nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom in the Grave..."
 
(Ecclesiastes 9:10)
 
Soon Jesus will take the throne and remove the weeds.😃
 
"When the wicked sprout like weeds
And all the wrongdoers flourish,
It is that they may be annihilated forever."
 
(Psalm 92:7)
 

Jesus said the leaven would ferment the whole lump, and that the wheat and the weeds would grow together. While there are some very good and useful parts of the videos, there are also some weeds and leaven that are spread along with them. My family has benefited very much from the jw.org videos, but we have also been hurt by them.
 
Now that our eyes are opened to the fact that not everything in those videos programs are true, it's easier to disregard the false teachings in them and recognize the parts that are Biblically based.
 
(But it makes me sick watching people gulp them down whole as if everything in them was "the gospel truth"! I used to do the same thing, so I understand why it happens. I'll be glad when Jesus comes and removes all the weeds/leaven.)

Now I understand why WTJWorg has an increasingly confusing theology.., and it's only going to get worse if they all of them in heaven keep arguing over interpretations and who is smarter and greater among them.