What really gets me going

ballistic

I have gone through various emotions including anger at the WTBTS for all that I went through while growing up only to be disfellowshipped at 22.
My net result is a dead father due to the blood issue and a split family and, of course, years of wasted time.
I would like to say, however, that I am not angry with ALL witnesses and I am not a conspiracist who believes the leaders have a hidden agenda.
I believe that informed persons should be able to join the witnesses if they believe it is right for them.
What I hate though is the fact that thousands of children, like I was, are still indoctrinated from birth. They are told "we don't baptise babies because they are too young to choose it for themselves." But in reality, what choice are you really giving a child who by the age of 13 would have experienced: 3380 hours of meetings, 832 hours of larger assemblies, possibly 1560 hours of field service, at least 2028 hours of personal study (watchtower, book study and personal study) and more importantly, what choice does a child have who is told they have an open mind but who is never allowed examine religions or persons with opposing views?

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hillary_step

Ballistic,

This is an important post. I agree with the sentiments of your note in totality.

I have no time to comment at present but I am bringing it back to the top as it deserves commentary.

HS

openminded

I still do not like it when well intentioned witnesses approach me after 10 years and say the are "worried" about me. They really believe that I am gonna get zapped any day because I dont go to meetings and "I dont love Jehovah". I have very little patience for idiots. -OM

peaceloveharmony

hey ballistic, great post and i agree with you too. it really gets to me too that these poor kids with no say are forced to accept the jw bs. the sad thing is these parents (most who made an adult decision to join a cult) think they are doing the best thing for their kids. how wrong they are. my big question is what can i do?? i have two brothers still living at home w/jw parents. i so want them to realize life has a lot more to offer than just jws but i also don't want to risk my parents deciding i'm a bad influence and cut me off from them. so far my solution has been to just love them and hope for the best. but what about the other thousands of kids that are all alone, stuck in a cult that will undoubtedly screw up their lives?? who knows....

ballistic, great post

love
harmony

Most people think, Great God will come from the skies, Take away everything And make everybody feel high. But if you know what life is worth, You will look for yours on earth: And now you see the light, You stand up for your rights.~~Bob Marley

ballistic

harmony...
I agree it is a delicate situation approaching family members who are still jws. I face a similar situation with my mother who recently re-joined.
I try to remember how I felt when people approached me with opposing views. Those blinkers would go up and even if what they were saying made sense, I would automatically discredit it or find some flaw in their statement or simply let it go in one ear and out the other (a kind of sub-conscious mind-set protection mechanism).
I too have the problem that we talk and I do not wish to loose that. But at least she has made her decision in later years and not through brain washing going back to my original post.
With regard to children, I am one of 7 and all of us left or were disfellowshipped apart from one sister who is still in. I feel that you have the right approach as none of us were helped to make the choice through outside information (a.k.a. apostate literature) and simply showing that people can lead normal happy lives out side of the "truth" would be a good start.
My only advise would be to take every opportunity to encourage a good education and pursuing a carrer, something the organisation will not do for them but which you can't be slated for.

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safe4kids

Hey Ballistic,

Good thread. I can relate to what you and Harmony are going through. I have a neice and nephew who are not only being raised JW but have the double whammy of having a seriously sick, twisted father (my evil older brother). I am not allowed any contact whatsoever with them; in fact, about two or three years ago, my nephew with whom I had always been very close, wrote me a letter in which he stated that I was no longer his aunt. All I can do is hope for the time when he will start to put two and two together and hopefully, remember the bond we once had. It is still there in my heart (always will be). He is 17 or 18 now and I live for the day when I or my sister will get the opportunity to show him life from a different perspective than what he's always known. But I don't hold my breath and there is a deep sadness in me whenever I think of him. But hope springs eternal....

Dana

"...I'd walk with my people if I could find them..."

Third Eye Blind, Deep Inside of You

think41self

Great post Ballistic,

I agree with your sentiments. Once I got past the initial anger and hurt of being shunned by my family, the anger is pretty much gone. After all, I was once a loyal dub who faithfully shunned my own dear family members! So how can I remain angry with them when I understand exactly where they're coming from? I can't.

That doesn't mean that I don't get incredibly angry with the old men in Crooklyn though...who are making decisions that cost people their lives, such as your father( I am so sorry about that Ballistic ) and I'm sorry, but I FIRMLY believe that they recognize the error of their ways in regards to some of this, but the fear of LOSS OF POWER keeps them from changing it or admitting to it. Just my opinion. And to me, that makes them contemptible human beings.

think41self

"Not believing is not the same as not knowing."

hillary_step

Think41Self,

but I FIRMLY believe that they recognize the error of their ways in regards to some of this, but the fear of LOSS OF POWER keeps them from changing it or admitting to it. Just my opinion. And to me, that makes them contemptible human beings.

A more accurate summation of the reality of this problem I have yet to read.

Rest assured however, while the GB are running the 'unity at all costs' slogan inherited from their forefathers, dissidents are becoming bolder by the hour.

The WTS is presently deeply concerned about the 'persecution' that has erupted in the post internet days. It has to be mentioned that the more problems seen to be heaped at the doors of the WTS the more many become affirmed that the end is nigh. TJ of course is highly excited by governmental and social resistance thinking that the Big 'A' is on the doorstep and that they were correct in their theology after all, but many have a much more realistic grasp of the situation.

Waging a battle of insults against the JW's has imho no point when their leaders who direct and confine their thoughts are the true culprits. Individual JW's become the 'soft target' but not neccessarily the important ones. The UN/NGO fiasco is clear evidence that people power reaches deep into the corridors of power in Brooklyn and perhaps point to the true avenue for change. As time goes on more of this type of issue, which is frankly the tip of the iceberg will follow.

Best regards - HS

battman

Ballistic said

This must be the reason that Jesus did not get baptized until
he was 30 years old!! He did not have today's newest light
from God's one and only FDS and GB. hahahahahahahahah

battman

Amazing

Hi Ballastic: Excellent post. I raised my children as JWs, and when they were in their late teens and early 20s, I chose to leave the religion. In the last year I was a JW, I opened up my family study in a way that allowed them to think for themselves, and get information in as unbiased way as possible. They all chose to leave with me.

You made another point I wish to expand on: "... and I am not a conspiracist who believes the leaders have a hidden agenda.
I believe that informed persons should be able to join the witnesses if they believe it is right for them."

I agree with you the the HW leadership likely has no 'hidden agenda' in a conspiracy setting. But, they do conceal information for the sake of preserving the image and interests of the organization and their hold on power. In doing this, the person newly introduced does not have the objective and total historical information they need to be fully informed. The only way to get informed is to read literature critical of the JWs that is largely produced by ex-JWs, like Ray Franz, Jim Penton, Ron Frye, and others.

The seige mentality developing in the early 1990s against those labeled 'Apostates' was becoming clear to me that concern for position and authority were strongly exceeding concern for people and for truth. I tried to walk away quietly in May 1992, but was later DA'd forcibly in July 1995. It was in large part this seige mentality the led them to chase me down for 3 years.

The issue for the Society is that they need to get rid of the 'cultish' mentality. To do this is to change their position that they are so exclusively the only organization God uses. They then need to eliminate the concept that it takes an 'Organization' to do God's will. And then return to the original Christian concept that it faith is all about the individual person and God and Christ alone. That Christian cmmunity is not about an institutional organization, but about people who fellowship because of common interests to serve one another and the reat of the human race.

Amazing

What really gets me going

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