Association: Am i being lied to? (page 5)

dgp

Roxannesophia, stick around and read more. You're not in yet, but you're not out, either. And you should definitely stay OUT.

You've gone a longer way than I did. That gives me the goosebumps.

steve2

Just a word of caution. What she said isn't a lie, but that doesn't mean she is being honest.

I agree with Black Sheep. I don't believe a JW purposely tells a lie; they're just really good at "impression management".

So, here's a test: Are you thin-skinned, easily hurt and upset? Yes? When you're baptized you'll feel "got at" by all the messages from the platform and magazines about avoiding "bad associations". You'll feel guilty about maintaining non-JW friendships and resentful that you feel you have to give them up.

Are you more thick-skinned and better able to ignore people's frowns and mutterings? Yes? You'll continue your non-JW associations and actually believe there's nothing wrong in doing so.

ABibleStudent

Paralipomenon - I'm surprised that this sister outright lied like that. Usually most witnesses stretch the truth or try to change the topic, but that one is a boldfaced lie.

Hi roxanesophia, I would be suspicious of anything that JWs say to a Bible Study. When I studied with an elder, he said that it was ok to maintain relationships with close friends and family of Df'ed JWs. If you read page 30-32 in the 15th July 2011 Watchtower Study guide, the WTBTS paints a totally different perspective. Either the elder I was studying with did not know WTBTS doctrine, new light occurred in the last year about shunning Df'ed JWs, or he was following WTBTS "Theocratic Strategy" (i.e., decieving/lying) by downplaying how JWs shun each other. By the way I questioned the elder very thoroughly on this subject to make sure that he was trying to decieve me. Just for fun ask your BS conductor how the WTBTS's defines "Worldly" people and how does it compare to how Jesus Christ views people in John 15:18 - 16:4, especially John 15:19 and John 15:22.

John 15:18 - 16:4 (NIV 2008) - 18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ [b] If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21 They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. 23 He who hates me hates my Father as well. 24 If I had not done among them what no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin. But now they have seen these miracles, and yet they have hated both me and my Father. 25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’ [c]
26 “When the Counselor comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me. 27 And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.
Chapter 16
1 “All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. 2 They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. 3 They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me. 4 I have told you this, so that when the time comes you will remember that I warned you. I did not tell you this at first because I was with you.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

Black Sheep

Then i asked "So you'd be friends with people at work?"

Nice question.

Sometimes the way you ask a question leaves them a loophole they can jump through .... not lie .... but not have to come right out and admit to a belief, rule, or behaviour that you might find offensive or over the top cultish.

I have no idea why they aren't inviting you to functions. That's just stupid on their part. Maybe they don't live up to their professed high standards when they let their hair down.

Chris

NewChapter

That's strange that they don't invite you to social functions. They started inviting me and my husband immediately. I wonder if they are changing their view on that.

NC

roxanesophia

- You're not in yet, but you're not out, either.

So I'm told constantly! I've heard different things like "You're not with us yet" and "You're practically one of us already." I also often hear "Everyone already thinks you're a witness." Maybe they just don't like me and i wont get that association regardless. That was my thought until my study teacher said "You don't have anything to worry about, everyone likes you." That's why i don't understand why I get 'tempted' with these social outings but then I'm not invited. It's not like i call them either, though... but that's only because even though they apparently like me, i still don't feel like I'm "one of them" yet. But how do i know if I'll ever be! "You're not one of us yet" could be a convenient excuse. Will it change once I am? I dunno. I do know I'm being told now to start answering up at meetings. I want to reply with "But I'm not one of you yet!"

- I have no idea why they aren't inviting you to functions. That's just stupid on their part. Maybe they don't live up to their professed high standards when they let their hair down.

The ones i have been to were just awkward. These are people who have known each other 10 or more years and have their inside jokes and stories. I also find it slightly hypocritical that girls can't even sit with a guy in the hall and i was under the impression it was all very strict, until i went to parties and they'd hug me hello and goodbye. Then back at the hall, barely even a hello. IT'S JUST SO WEIRD. And it's not just that that i find hypocritical: it's the dress when they're being "god's people" compared to party dress (worldly dress, in other words.) Then seeing these sisters lying down on the couch with brothers they're not dating or married to. OK, they aren't fooling around, and there's other people there, but still! I can't imagine elders would be pleased. It's not weird in the world, but it is in their cult, so am i to be blamed for feeling confused? It's that double lives situation that kinda irritates me.

So that last point rings true. I am going crazy making my own assumptions now, like "Maybe I'm kept away from parties where there's spiritually weak people" and other parties where there's "spiritually strong" ones. In the former group, something could corrupt me, or i could further corrupt them, and in the latter group, they don't want to hang with worldly people at all and they don't want me influencing them in any way. Am I warm here? lol

Black Sheep

LOL

It sounds like a congregation of closet apostates, all going through the motions so that they won't find out about each other.

roxanesophia

More like hypocrites. I've tested the apostate card, saying "I can follow Jesus without an organization" and the response was "No, you can't. There's a reason it's called spiritual food, because without you'd starve."

Pams girl

HI! I too suffer with panic attacks (11 years), and was a study for 6 years. I joined this forum when it was obvious to the JW that they had no further use for me (couldnt go out on feild service due to agoraphobia). They dumped me. But not before successfully isolating me from most of my worldly friends.

One of my friends was a practicing pagan you see, and while they didnt say "You are NOT allowed" they are very subtle in their use of language, and leave it with you to drop your mates. I did it because I was fearful of God.

I lost so much because of them.

The look on my little boys face when I told him daddy wouldnt be with us after armaggedon as he didnt believe in Jehovah....he cried for hours. They are a bunch of lying hypocrites. RUN dont walk away from this destructive cult that TEARS FAMILIES APART, PROTECTS PEODOPHILES, AND ITS ROTTEN FROM THE ROOTS UP! My panics did increase for a while, but with lots of support on this forum, 6 monthes on my life is so much better and Im finding that YES THERE IS LIFE AFTER THEM, AND FRIENDS, GOOD FRIENDS WHO LOVE ME UNCONDITIONALLY!!! Wish you love and luck xxxx

Paula x

cantleave

This is going to be the topic of my next You-Tube Video.

Association: Am i being lied to?

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