by sd-7 17 Replies latest jw friends
Well said, SD-7. It is sad that they don't use their powerful resources in more humanitarian ways. They always like to draw attention to the one roof they put on for a neighbor that wasn't a witness, etc. in a disaster, but doing such kind acts are rare, rather than the norm. I haven't seen the new calendar yet, but their demonstration of love shown, as you describe it, is not very personal as was that of Jesus'.
L4P
I truly hate the calendars and haven't had one for years. The pictures all seem to fall within the same generic JW framework and have little to do with the theme.
I agree with Blondie that the old Bible story calendars were so much better.
Undercover, that's an interesting point. I have been attending meetings for these past couple of weeks (with the exception of last night, 'cause wife was sick). I have not been interacting with the 'friends' because I do not trust them and do not know them anyway, even assuming I did trust them. Haven't commented, though wife has commented a few times. Behavior control means that not commenting is a red flag--half the people didn't even think I was a Witness because I didn't comment. It's insulting when I know they're trying to 'love bomb' me and it's only because they think I'm not one of them--if I were a long-standing member in this particular congregation, they'd have ignored me.
She has been riding me about not 'showing love to the friends'. This, after that WT on Friendships--it was so tempting to lay into her about the sometimey idea of friendship that was presented in that article. Strangely enough, she put her hand up for the paragraph about a 'friend's' reaction to her 'friend' being DF'ed (my wife was DF'ed herself for years!). (She thought it was loving discipline.) I always found it weird when people raised their hands to comment on paragraphs that directly applied to negative things that they'd done or had happened to them.
Having studied thought reform/mind control extensively, reading a quarter of Lifton's book, I see that my wife is utilizing thought reform techniques on me. Putting up the calendar does seem a rather subtle, unnecessary way of expressing that, though. I did wonder why she didn't do it herself, though. If I hadn't experienced how the 'brothers' regarded her, even my own family slandering her, I might actually feel guilty. But I know the love is just a facade. So...I only go to the meetings so that she won't feel, as she said, that 'she's that sister going to the Kingdom Hall alone'.
She doesn't seem to grasp that I'm a full-fledged 'apostate' yet. She just thinks I'm 'weak' or 'bitter' about personal issues. Or that it's my depression. Her knowledge of doctrine (ie. organization history, anything beyond 'Bible Teach' book) is very limited. So...even though I need more patience and humility, it's still Advantage: SD-7. For now.
But it's just a calendar. No biggie. I've got bigger fish to fry.
SD-7
"I always found it weird when people raised their hands to comment on paragraphs that directly applied to negative things that they'd done or had happened to them."
Have you read '1984'? That sounds like a thought from the book. The programed individual wanting the interogator to be pleased by the expression. "See, I believe. Big Brother will be pleased"
Well, this is not exactly what you guys have been discussing, but I find it awful that you guys had to plan your YEAR according to the organization's wishes. I know we talk about "mind control", but we should also include "time control". With this one, in one single day I have already found two big reasons to never join the organization. Not that I want to do that, anyways.
We all know how the "brothers" love playing with [brackets] in order to 'more clearly define the thought being expressed'. So I'll have some fun of my own...
Judging by your description of the pictures, the sub-text of the year text is: "Love endures all [the silly] things [JWs are required to do], love never fails [to reamin busy in serving WT Inc.]"
Or, one must wonder what happened to all the "Salvation is near!" "God's Day Is At Hand!" & "They're All Gonna Die - Soon!" year texts? Getting a little gunshy with your doom and gloom predictions, eh Govening Body?
So, one could also interpret this year year text to be: "Love endures [and ignores] all [the] things [JW leadership have predicted in the past], love never fails [to continue serving with blind, unquestioning ignorance]. [Oh, and the end is near.] [Unless it isn't.]"
Yay! Brackets are fun!
P.S.: [RANT]Oh, and on a side note, what always annoyed me about the JW calender was their total and complete failure to even acknoweledge the existence of worldly holidays, yet they saw fit to lable every Saturday as "Magazine Day". Really? Was that necessary? We got the fukin point after FEBRUARY!
We always had to have a "worldy" calender handy so we would know what days the holidays were on! Kinda defeats the point, really. They should face it, it's necessary information. Do they think Jehovah is soooo petty that they can't even provide a little asterisk with a tiny note at the back of the calender that says " *W orldly Holiday ". Would that really cause God's righteous anger to boil over? Depends on if we're talking about the OT God or NT God I guess.
But, seriously, what's the harm??? They're already using the names of the months and weekdays which are all named after pagan gods and rulers. Why is it ok to use those names, but GOD FORBID they do something satanic like mention Arbor Day?!?! But that actually goes hand in hand with their basic philosophy of pretending that if they ignore things they don't like (like say, the scientific evidence for evolution), then it must not exist.[/RANT]
Ben S.
Regarding worldy Holidays on the JW calendar.
I knew a JW sister who would take the calander and write in all the pertinant dates. (Holidays, school days off, conventions etc....)
One JW brother cut out the date section of a 'worldly calendar' and pasted it under the JW calendar picture.
Also, Holidays do differ from one country to the next, so for printing cost purposes, they had to make a generic one, no?
But I have to wonder if that JW sister will be judged for putting "unclean thingy's" on the calendar? And if the WTS Inc knew that brother had altered the calendar, would he have recieved a cease and decease letter from WTs Inc legal?
The calendars are so cheap and little. Most businesses give nicer freebies.
The theme text should be, "Love is the expected the slaughter of billions of innocent non-JWs"
