more Jan 15 Study WT: I caught you looking at porn! You better tell the elders!

by baltar447 21 Replies latest jw friends

  • baltar447
    baltar447

    So we've seen flipper's thread discussing the Jan 15th WT. Well in the article following the one discussed in that thread, you have discussion about turning in your friends. apparently now they aren't content to turn in for "gross sin".

    10 Some young ones might face a dilemma if they learn that a friend has engaged in unscriptural conduct. They may feel that seeking spiritual help for their friendwould violate an unwritten code of silence; therefore, they refuse to speak about the matter because of a misguided sense of loyalty. A wrongdoer may even pressure his friends to keep his sin hidden. Of course, this kind of problem is not unique to young people. Some adults toomay find it difficult to approach congregation elders concerning the wrongdoing of a friend or a family member. But how should true Christians react to such pressure? 11 Imagine this situation. Suppose that Alex, a young brother, learned that Steve, his friend in the congregation, was in the habit of viewing pornography. Alex tells Steve that he is deeply concerned about what his friend is doing. However, Steve shrugs off his words. When Alex urges him to talk to the elders about it, Steve responds that if the two really are friends, then Alex will not tell on him. Should Alex be afraid of losing his friend? He might wonder whom the elders would believe if Steve denied everything. Still, the situation is not going to improve if Alex keeps quiet about it. Indeed, it could lead to Steve’s losing his relationship with Jehovah. Alex would do well to recall that “trembling at men is what lays a snare, but he that is trusting in Jehovah will be protected.” (Prov. 29:25) What else could Alex do? He might lovingly approach Steve again and lay bare his fault. That will take courage. It may well be, though, that this time Steve will welcome the opportunity to talk about his problem. Alex should again encourage Steve to speak to the elders and tell him that if he does not do so within a reasonable period of time, then Alex will alert them.—Lev. 5:1.

  • flipper
    flipper

    BALTAR- Good thread. It really shows how the WT society TRAINS and teaches JW's to be ratfinks on each other. Making THEM feel guilty for not turning in friends for alleged , perceived " sins ". In the question " What else could Alex do ? " How about minding his own damned business for starters. Or else he could just ask " Steve " what kind of porn he's looking at and say " it's nice to share bro. " Peace out, Mr. Flipper

  • DarioKehl
    DarioKehl

    Unbelievable! ugh...

    I remember being "in" and paragraphs like that taking control of my behavior. I was such a snitch in those days. So superfluous now...the excuse..."Indeed, it could lead to Steve's losing his relationship with Jehovah." LOL!!! Once you come to realize that GOD DOES NOT EXIST and that we are all electrically charged meat, walking bags of phospholipid bilayers, thermodynamic disasters none of this MATTERS. It's mind control! And it totally screws up a boy's mental, sexual and emotional development. TRUST me... it DOES.

    I will have children some day and they will whack it freely, without any fear or guilt and it won't be one of those "what-if" taboo subjects in the house...no, no...they will KNOW it's 100% AOK and that mom and dad are totally on board. Ridiculous.

  • MrFreeze
    MrFreeze

    How would a someone know their friend is looking at porn unless they were open about it in the first place?

  • leavingwt
  • NewChapter
    NewChapter

    I read quite a bit about Jonestown, and one way that Jim Jones kept his flock in order was by mandating that they tell on each other. He even sent moles out to say "wrong" things to test if people would turn them in.

    The thing is, young people do have a code of silence. And that can be dangerous. I remember as a teen, keeping secrets when I should have told an adult. I'm not talking about porn, I'm talking about suicide, drugs, violence, you know, things that actually matter. The problem with these hyperbolic warnings by the WT is it desensitizes young people to actual REAL dangers.

    Also, I'm concerned that the article doesn't tell the kids to go to parents, NO, go to the ELDERS! Just bypass the parents all together. It's all so screwed up. If anyone has a right to be concerned about such things, it's the parents. That's it. Just the parents. If they are worried about it at all--their choice, and many don't care about such things anymore. Maybe that is because kids have been sneaking looks at porn for as long as it has been available. They seem to grow up just fine. I think it is a way for the GB to inject themselves into the most private moments and thoughts of adherents. So that, even in secrecy, they feel the presence of the GB. Mind Control.

    I used to DREAD finding about "wrong doing" and having to choose to have that on my conscience, or turning in a friend. I would actually stop friends midsentence if I sensed a confession. I'd tell them PLEASE don't give me anything to plaue my conscience. They had me convinced that keeping sins secret was the same as committing the sin myself.

    I remember turning a corner and bumping into a sister that was smoking. NO! I practically begged her to go to the elders so that I didn't have to stay up at night obsessing on it. She did, and was disfellowshipped. She didn't seem too upset about that though. From my conversation with her, I got the impression that she had already "left" anyway.

    There were so many times that I chose not to do things, not because I thought they were wrong, but because I worried about how they would be perceived. I'm so glad I am free of this bullsh*t. I really am. How can you argue that the friendships within the congregation are TRUER than any other friendships when you are always 2 breaths from losing all of them? Freaking ridiculous. Teens have enough STRONG emotion to deal with not to ladel them out an extra heaping helping of guilt.

  • Mary
    Mary
    Some young ones might face a dilemma if they learn that a friend has engaged in unscriptural conduct. They may feel that seeking spiritual help for their friend would violate an unwritten code of silence; therefore, they refuse to speak about the matter because of a misguided sense of loyalty.......But how should true Christians react to such pressure?........He might lovingly approach Steve again and lay bare his fault. That will take courage. It may well be, though, that this time Steve will welcome the opportunity to talk about his problem. Alex should again encourage Steve to speak to the elders and tell him that if he does not do so within a reasonable period of time, then Alex will alert them.—

    Wow! Did the WTS applaud Ray Franz when he exposed the fact that his 'friends': the Governing Body members themselves were responsible for the brutal torture, rape and murder of thousands of Witnesses in Malawi? Were they glad when Barbara Anderson spoke out publically about the "unscriptural" child molestation that the Organization had been covering up for decades, or was it viewed that they 'violated an unwritten code of silence'---namely, never, ever expose the wrongdoing of your leaders no matter how serious it is? The fact that both Ray and Barbara were disfellowshipped on the flimsiest of charges proves that Big Brother doesn't like it when you tell on them-----they only like it when you tell on your friend for looking at pictures of naked women on the internet.

    Typical double-standard crapola. Then again, what else can you expect from the Craptower articles?

  • No Apologies
    No Apologies

    This is nothing new in Watchtower land. This kind of article could have been printed anytime over the last 20-30 years.

    No Apologies

  • gubberningbody
    gubberningbody

    When will this organization just go away?

    We had two suicides in my hall because of this.

  • Listener
    Listener
    W99 10:15
    Under the Law, some sins called for more than forgiveness from an offended person. Blasphemy, apostasy, idolatry, and the sexual sins of fornication, adultery, and homosexuality were to be reported to and handled by elders (or priests). That is true also in the Christian congregation. (Leviticus 5:1
    w97 8:15

    Guidelines are found in the Law that Jehovah gave to the nation of Israel. The Law stated that if a person was a witness to apostate acts, sedition, murder, or certain other serious crimes, it was his responsibility to report it and to testify to what he knew. Leviticus 5:1
    w94 7:15

    Other sins cannot be settled simply between two Christians. Under the Mosaic Law, serious sins were to be reported. Lev 5:1

    So now looking at porn is considered to be a serious sin.

    Articles such as this really uncover what the organisation is all about. Christians are no longer under the mosaic law, Jesus brought with him a new arrangement and to be going beyond that is a misdeamour against him.

    You make a very important point New Chapter, they could be encouraged to go to their parents. How disgusting that they promote even more disharmony within the family structure.

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