"Crossing Euphrates"

Welcome!

I just wanted to say, we are very happy to have you here with us again, as a registered member. I am certain there will be many fine bible topics that we can explore together for our spiritual upbuilding.

...Looking forward to it...and nice to have you back with us.

Madmary1

Hello Jeshurun!

Great to have you back with us again.

I used to live in the Connecticutt area, back in 1969. The weather was very similar to New York's weather, where I understand you presently reside. We used to run over to NY all the time, since it was so close to us (about 60 miles from Bridgeport, Conn. if memory serves).

Anyway, looking forward to many indepth bible discussions with you.

Great to have you back.

Don

I've been enjoying your essays Don, and thanks to you and Mary for the warm welcome.

In summary, I came into the "truth" at the age of 8 and was baptized at 12. It was the summer of '73, you know, only 2 years until the "Big A".

What a way to have to grow up. From there I fell victim to Watchtower mind control which becomes counterproductive to success and happiness itself.

I fell away in my late teens, made lots of mistakes in rebellion against the false shepherds, only hurting myself, blah blah, you know the story. I tried to return 16 years later. It wasn't quite the Prodigal Son reception. My experience over those 9 months attending that congregation convinced me that something was seriously wrong within the organization. People were being stumbled left and right. The Presiding Overseer was a tyrant and a bully, treating souls like pawns in his little chess game. After he stumbled one of the "lowliest of my brothers", I had seen enough and took him to the mat (scripturally) in the back room, knowing full well that I would be disfellowshipped.

It only took a week for him to build a fabricated case, based on nothing more than sins long past which I freely admitted when I didn't have to. So you "trust" the "loving shepherd" with all your confessions, only to have him turn around and show his true colors by using that information to expel you out of his little empire.

I appealed, and it was pointless. The new Committee had already made up their minds about me before we even sat down, and I just didn't have enough faith left in the organization to put up any more of a fight.

I felt truly defeated and demolished by Satan, for a period of 10 years. My relationship with my own mother was cut off. But from what I knew of the scriptures, in spite of the whitewashed wall at Bethel, I believed in my heart that Jehovah would reconcile all things before this system went into its' conclusion period. And that certainly turns out to be the case. Now that I've enlightened my mother to the apostasy, we finally have the first good relationship we've ever had. So I've seen firsthand what false shepherds can do to families.

How helpful it is to finally see that most of the little "kingdoms" reflect the "mother kingdom" over in Brooklyn! I say most because there are still a few holdouts where there is still love and compassion. My old congregation where I grew up, where my mother still attends, is one. But once you see that wall collapse you realize that you never really had a chance to know Jehovah and Jesus at all, until it was gone.

I look forward to enlightening discussions on many topics. I think we all have something to bring to the table. I do believe it is this place in the "wilderness", on the internet, where Jehovah's people will be regathered, and his sacred secrets will be revealed. It sure is a lot more efficient and effective than personal visits and telephone calls, isn't it?

Agape
Lou

Hi Lou,

I am glad you are enjoying what you are reading! Mostly because this is just a start...a "drop in the bucket," so to speak, lol. CE [Crossing Euphrates] has much spiritual food but when you get to LWF [Living Waters] then you will need scuba gear as the "Living Waters" run very deep! As there is a large amount of spiritual food there waiting for you, Lou. Some of the information is quite 'off the wall' as far as what you were taught by the WTS. But as you are seeing for yourself, all of it is Bible based and back with many scriptures.

Me...I was raised Catholic. Someone knocked on my door in 1986 and I was baptised within months. As soon as a heard these people carried God's own name I knew that this was what I was looking for. But just as the bible says, 'they have a frame-work of the truth'. Little did I know it was just the start of my journey.

You said above:

I do believe it is this place in the "wilderness", on the internet, where Jehovah's people will be regathered, and his sacred secrets will be revealed.

Well, you are in the right place! I am looking forward to many more biblical discussions with you.

Again, WELCOME!

Agape,
Mary

Jeshurun wrote:I've been enjoying your essays Don, and thanks to you and Mary for the warm welcome.

Glad you are enjoying them!

And thanks for sharing your personal experience with us. It was an eye-opener for sure. I can personally relate to it since I was, as they say, raised-in-the-truth like yourself from a young age and have seen so many distressing things as you have mentioned in your experience above.

I look forward to enlightening discussions on many topics. I think we all have something to bring to the table. I do believe it is this place in the "wilderness", on the internet, where Jehovah's people will be regathered, and his sacred secrets will be revealed. It sure is a lot more efficient and effective than personal visits and telephone calls, isn't it?

So do I. (I've read many fine, most informative posts by yourself at Watchman's and Paradise Cafe. So we are really glad to have you here with.)

agape,

Don

HI Jeshurun,

I would like to know what you think about something, if you would be so kind as to give me your thoughts.

I have added a new feature to the YORWW Bible Commentary. When you click upon the 'day' in the little calendar on the left of this web page, you get today's bible reading. But if you click upon the bible reading it's self, you then get those chapters of commentary to match it. There is a little printer button in the upper right-hand side that allows you to print it out also.

Your thoughts would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,
Mary