I've had similar thoughts myself, Simon. There have been studies and observations regarding depression and mental illness amongst JW's by highly qualified people that have come to the same conclusions. I remember even as a JW looking around the KH and wondering these things. My thought is that mentally ill people are extremely susceptible to manipulation by cultic thinking. In the KH I went to there were many mentally ill people, my ex was studying with a schizophrenic guy for awhile. And, because of their mental instability, of course, there are insane situations that develop from time to time. I studied with a woman whos husband was mentally ill and one night the elders were called to deal with a situation where he attacked her and began beating her. She ended up in a Prudence Crandall house with her two little kids. It was very very stressful and saddening. Of course, when I look at my own situation, I know that one of the reasons my mom got involved was also because of the dysfunction in our home. So, these are just a few examples that bear out what you are thinking............
My theory about the behavior and obsession of some ex-JWs
by Simon 135 Replies latest jw friends
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ibme
Hillary-step let me just say, off the topic, that your vile USAGE OF WORDS in dealing with Gerard is not becoming.
Me expects better from you.
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Sunnygal41
also wanted to say that in my case i have family members still in, so, i do try to keep current on whatever is going on in the cult so i know what is going on in their minds at least to a small degree.
terri
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TopHat
All I can say is I agree with Simon....I admit I was confused by some postings in the first few months after I discovered JWD...but with time I soon figured it all out.
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hillary_step
ibme,
Hillary-step let me just say, off the topic, that your vile USAGE OF WORDS in dealing with Gerard is not becoming.
As it was Gerard who first insulted me with 'vile USAGE OF WORDS', and as you have nothing to say regarding that, your words fall on deaf ears.
I would note in passing, that being 'becoming' to idiots is rather like a fat, ugly, hairy man dressing in drag expecting free drinks outside of Happy Hour.
HS
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Gerard
My God but you are dumb!
While you were washing toilets at your Kingdumb Hall I was figuring UV DNA lesions and repair mechanisms. While you were washing windows, I worked on a software for polipeptide synthesis and protein conformation. While you were driving to your meetings, I isolated a novel pathogenic organism from human tissue. And while you were peddling Washtowers and disecting words in a forum, I isolated DNA from an organism that scence believed was not actually alive.
You and Simon state that all DF'd members deserved it because of XYZ, I don't give a damn for your XYZ as it is a stupid blanket statement, as your reasons to justify it. If you saved more than one neuron from your indoctrination, wipe your drool, and MAYBE consider the possibility that some publishers were born into it, never had choices, and have been peged to the floor by the elders and repeatedly raped with regulations.Or at least beguin to realize that JW sexual abuse victims and relatives do have a grievance, regardless of your faulted silogisms on complying to assumed voluntarily chosen rules.
You have the intellect of a hammer and that much usefullnes. Good bye.
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Finally-Free
I joined the JW cult as an adult. While I was unaware of the methods of some elders, I did understand the rules I was expected to live by, and I knew what would happen if I broke them. By getting baptized, I demonstrated my agreement with those rules. Things changed and I left. I knew I would be shunned. That was one of the rules I knowingly agreed to twenty years earlier.
There are rules and consequences everywhere - in the workplace, religions, clubs, discussion boards, contracts, etc. It's up to us to 'read the fine print' and consider all possibilities before agreeing to terms.
That being said, I have always maintained that JWs should not baptize minors. I even felt that way when I was a JW.
W
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Gerard
Following Simon's lown logic, he "deserved" the threats against him and his family, as his activities go against the current WT rules.
One thing I'll never get over is seeing so many JWs and ex-JWs operating under a black or white premise.
Then again, why should I care for Simon's perception and categorization of ex-JWs.....
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Gerard
Gerard,
What you said came across as extreme, but I must say I agree that DFing is NOT acceptable even if "the rules are in place" in the cult. As you said, someone could be born into JWs and baptised at a young age, then have to suffer just because they are attempting to live a normal life.
Reading an outrageous conclusion on the moral character of all ex-JWs, from the owner of this forum, makes me upset and does not help me verbalize my reproval. I meant no offense at any ex-JW, only at Simon and Hillary.
It is true that this forum ownership has come to its useful life.
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hillary_step
Gerard,
I am honestly stunned at your lack of comprehension. STILL you do not see the point.
You and Simon state that all DF'd members deserved it because of XYZ,
Where do you get the notion that iether one of us said that members DESERVED their treatment at the hands of the WTS. Let me try yet again. This is NOTHING to do with whether a person DESERVED the treatment they received at the hands of the WTS. This has ALL to do with the WTS having a set of rules and those rules being broken. As I have said, now numerous times, whether those rules were FAIR, JUST or MORAL is NOT the point. At the moment of baptism JW's AGREE TO PLAY BY THE RULES.
I presume you work. What if your pizza company in the interview for the job decides that you must wear a pink glove on your right hand and a blue one on your left hand and you agree to these terms. Then when you start work you decide that you do not want to work within these rules and throw away your gloves. Does that make you evil? No. Are the rules of your company absurd? Yes, of course they are. Did you break them? YES.
Get it NOW?
HS