by ArtfulDodger 58 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Sometimes its just nice to talk.
I remember an old man out on field service once telling me "you lot should all be doin' summat useful with your time like mekking summat in a factory insted o' wasting time knocking folk's doors".
I thought how easy it was for people who do bugger all to tell other people who are doing something that they should be doing something more useful.
I suppose ultimately we should all be building schools in Africa, but then who would run our countries?
AD-
I can tell you that this Board has done a lot to help me emotionally. My husband cannot talk to me about my spiritual/emotional conflict because WTS rules said he couldn't ("too apostate-like"). Elders listened to some of my questions but never did come for the answers they said they would research and come back to me for. Just a couple of months ago, I thought I was alone and did not have anybody I could talk to. It was getting so frustrating, sometimes-driving me out of my mind! My only other option would have been to pay somebody (psychiatrist) just to talk to me. Now, I don't have to do that. Through this Board, I found the people to whom I could interact, express all my frustrations and validate my concerns without being told I was just crazy or spiritually dead. AND I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE HELPED BY THIS BOARD.
By the measure you judge people, would you be judged yourself. What are you doing whining about the "Whiners"??? Do something AD! STAY AWAY!
I've learned more from this site than 30 years of WTS teachings..
I think most charities are corrupt. So can't do that!
Also, it is a generalization to assume that people are coming here to whine. People are on the internet all the time, posting on boards and chatting in rooms. They are not told to leave, to do something, just because they post there. Why do people post, and where, depends a great deal on interest in the boards topic. This board topic draws people of like interest, and that is why people feel comfortable coming here and speaking about it. As many threads as you may claim to read that are negative, are eclipsed by ones that have nothing to do with complaining or even to do with religion at all. So, you suggestion to "do something" is acting like we are some rare bread of people who get on the internet and do something millions of others are not. Which is not the case, and people should feel free to come to place like this, all they want, and not feel like they are not doing something others are not doing as well. Often though, from a psychological standpoint, we often speak out in situation like this. Where we make a general statement to a board we hardly know, or have read enough, and say things like "do something." Because that is our personal conclusion on the subject and our own inner desire, that we decided on or perhaps are weighing in on. So my advice to you, "do something." As that seems to be your message to yourself, not us.
Perhaps some ex JWs on the forum can get in groups share the whole WTS issue into sections and each group can study it's section and then all groups pool their accumulated understanding together to plan a grand strategy against the WTS.
With the internet it will not be a problem to exchange assets, I mean ideas. And some team work won't do any harm, it's useful when an issue is too big for one person to deal with.
Seeing how many people took offence to this post, it stinks of universal condemnation from most of you. I'd just ignore the dude who posted it, but y'all feel the need to justify yourselves and others here. Who cares?. I'm a JW right now, I don't think I'm in cult, but I do have problem with some of the things done/said by the WTS. I reserve the right to visit the sites that I wish to visit and talk to anyone I want to talk to. I have been disfellowshipped in the past and was re-instated. My opinion is that most of you have a point in airing your grievances against the WTS. But I kinda agree with the question: isn't there better way to bring about change in the WTS? On the other side I do agree that it's hard to go on as nothing happened when you're out of the org. when all your social contact has been cut off and a site like this is absolutely necessary for some. The worldly friends that I acquired when I left Jehovah's Witnesses just could not relate to what I was going through. I don't believe everything that is said here, I believe when people are angry they will say a lot of things and will exaggerate a lot. Some of you are doing exactly that, Jehovah's Witnesses for the most part are wonderful people, but are imperfect like everyone else. Of course the org will be imperfect just like the Witnesses. Whether this is a good enough explanation/validation/justification is up to everyone to decide for themselves. Sites like these help us to look @ ourselves with a critical eye, but there's too much hysteria and propaganda here too. Many ex-jw's accuse JW's a seeing the world as "black and white", "good and evil". But some here still think along exactly the same lines: "WatchTower is evil, everybody else is good", "JW's are brainwashed, everybody else if freethinker". C'mon, some of you are as indoctrinated in your views as you accuse JW's of being, eh?
good insight...
Many here do many charitable things. With that said. Everyone who leaves the organization or is trying to leave must go through the the process of recovery. Once recovered they stay to support those who are in the process they successfully finished. This model works with many organizations. I know alcohalic who haven't had a drink in decades but return to the meetings week after week to support those who are in the process they have already gotten through.
Welcome dimitri!
Hi Dimitri & welcome
Artful Dodger, we are doing something. We 'incite one another to love and fine works.'
