if it's the truth.. (page 2)

JamesThomas

Swan, here is an article which is often posted here which is entitled: Why Bad Believes Don't Die. It's very good at revealing some psychological reasons behind this phenomena.

j

BlackSwan of Memphis

I think xjws who talk like that have left the org but not the beliefs. They see the wts as having a correct interpretation of the scriptures, but just don't want to live in line with the principles.
I feel a little sorry for them as, in a way, they are still trapped in the watchtower.

Yeah that sounds about right. I hadn't thought about feeling sorry for them. Interesting perspective.

Swan, here is an article which is often posted here which is entitled: Why Bad Believes Don't Die. It's very good at revealing some psychological reasons behind this phenomena.

Thank you James. I'll have to look at it in a little bit, gotta get the kids lunch. Looks very enlightening!!

Rooster

***

w501/1p.16Letter***

Letter

"EACH

MARRIEDCOUPLEMINDITSOWNCONDUCT"

Dear Sister:

Answering yours of September 22 on the matter of sexual intercourse:

Of course, it is best for everyone not to pry into the private affairs of a married couple and even appear to attempt to dictate to them in regard to this subject. The safest thing we can do is to quote the inspired advice of the apostle Paul thereon at 1 Corinthians 7:1-6 (Moffatt’s translation):

"Now for the questions in your letter. It is indeed ‘an excellent thing for a man to have no intercourse with a woman’; but there is so much immorality, that every man had better have a wife of his own and every woman a husband of her own. The husband must give the wife her conjugal dues, and the wife in the same way must give her husband his; a wife cannot do as she pleases with her body—her husband has power, and in the same way a husband cannot do as he pleases with his body—his wife has power. Do not withhold sexual intercourse from one another, unless you agree to do so for a time, in order to devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again. You must not let Satan tempt you through incontinence [through your lack of self-control, AnAmer.Trans.]. But what I have just said is by way of concession, not command."

It is plain here that the apostle is speaking not just of sexual intercourse for the sake of reproducing children, but for the sake of sexual relief. For this reason, he says, it is better for some passionate persons to have a marriage mate of their own to help keep them from indulging in the immorality prevalent in this world. So married couples should not withhold sexual intercourse; otherwise, Satan might tempt one or both of the couple to immorality with persons outside. But, of course, in this matter self-control must be exercised so as not to overindulge to one’s spiritual harm, even to interfering with ‘devoting yourselves to prayer’. In this respect let each couple regulate its own life and not try to dictate to another couple.

Faithfully yours in Kingdom service,

WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY

Sing unto Jehovah, all the earth; show forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvellous works among all the peoples. For great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols: but Jehovah made the heavens. Honor and majesty are before him: strength and gladness are in his place. Ascribe unto Jehovah, ye kindreds of the peoples, ascribe unto Jehovah glory and strength; ascribe unto Jehovah the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him; worship Jehovah in holy array. . . . say among the nations, Jehovah reigneth.—1 Chron. 16:23-29, 31, A.S.V.

BlackSwan of Memphis

rooster: I'm a little confused at the moment with your post. I am missing the point. Help?

Rooster

I can only start one thread a day. So I want to post this letter yet could not satart a new thread so I picked yours. Do you feel special?

BlackSwan of Memphis

yes very special

Lumptard

If your gut tells you that you don't want to be around these people, then listen to it. They sound like hypocrites.

Kudra

I can kind of get where they are coming from-

Like, I know that it is the "truth" that to be as fit and productive as I want to be I should eat less ice cream and junk food, get up earlier, spend more time in the lab, go running more... etc.

But I am totally not living that right now (though I want to...).

I think it's kind of like that for the dubs, but where this analogy falls apart is that what I described as my "truth" is actually beneficial for me whereas the "truth" in a dub's life is bad for them, though they think it is good.

Hope that makes sense.

-K

merfi

Oh this burns my ass, too. My ex is like this. He blathers on about the troof in the cult-speak way they do, using a freaking illustration in every conversation I swear.... He contradicts my happiness with "you aren't *truly* happy" or some such phrase to try to knock down whatever 'wordly' joy I've found since escaping the Borg. He will without exception find something wrong with who I am or what I'm doing... (one of his favorites seems to be to compare me to Anakin of the Star Wars movies. Apparently, like Anakin, he believes that I'll return from the Dark Side. What the dumbf*cker doesn't get is that JW for me WAS the Dark Side). But I digress.... With all the crap he spews in JW speak, he STILL will interject with a few choice cuss words, go visit his new ["but she wants to be a witless"] girlfriend for a weekend or so, rent or go to R-rated movies... and so on. One of the reasons that I left that stupid religion was because I was tired of being the same sort of hypocrite. If it isn't who you are, then leave it behind. So he right now has the best of both worlds, sort of, and it frosts me. My leaving has cut me off from friends of 15+ years. He's breaking 'rules' yet still has the friendships (ok, conditional, so that helps me come to grips with it) of our one-time mutual friends. Whatever.

I think if I was to call him out on it, he'd say the usual crap about "I want to do better" "I want to reach out" "I'm still imperfect" blah blah blah. Idiot.

~merf
(tired of hypocrites today)

BlackSwan of Memphis

acutally Kudra I do see where you are coming from. Interesting analogy.

I think too the final point, that the "truth" jw's have is not good for them is the thing I try to get these people to see. There is one in particular who I absolutely cannot id in any way, that I could swear gets that I'm showing them it's Dangerous for them and their kids.

merfi: <<shakin' head>> While I'm starting to understand the mindset, I am right there with you.

I told them something like what you just said today. I hope they listen.

lumptard, I suppose what keeps me from doing the deed of cuttin' em off is a measure of humility. That the feelings of anger and frustration that well up in me, the label of hypocrite that comes to my mind...are cut off by the realization that I'm being a self righteous bitch and for the same amount that I dish out, it will return to me. It isn't some mystic view, nope, I've had it happen more times then I can count. Be it only my subconscious picking up on cues or some buddhist or taoist energy cycle thingamabob, it has happened. It comes back to haunt me and I sit there and say, oh damn it, what did I say (or do) that for?

So here I sit being thankful for the responses that have gotten me thinking and wondering. All I can do is be honest with these people in a way that is not condemning or self righteous and hope that someday they will wake up.

Oy, I still want to smack em up side the head.

if it's the truth..

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