Hello, I am new and sighed up last night! Please, would anyone like to tell me, what this magazine is trying to say? What about the men and women in the Halls that have mental illness? If the generalizaton made by the magazine is correct, paraphrased "all apostates are mentally ill." "blogging on the internet is evil." does that mean the huge amount of JWs attending meetings, going out in service, who suffer from mental illness are apostates? There is no logic to the statment made in the magazine. "If you disagree with the Society, you must be sick, if you are sick, your diagnosis is insanity." I thought the magazine was wrong, using ad hominen attacks is so junior high!
I Don't Understand The November Watchtower About Apostates Being Insane And The Evils Of Blogging.
by AvocadoJake 14 Replies latest jw friends
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Aussie Oz
The JWs would be shocked if they new the number of 'apostates' inside the congregations, and those who are evil by use of the internet...
welcome, please tell us about yourself a bit too...
Oz
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punkofnice
Welcome to the forum AJake.
In a nutshell.
The 'Study Edition' of the watchtower is the version that they use to study with on a Sunday. It isn't generally available to the public so the organization uses it to print their more 'cultish' commands to the rank and file JWs.
JWs are taught that so called 'apostates' (ones that leave the watchtower business like I did), are an evil enemy that is an opposing force to JWs. Sort of a fictitious enemy that the watchtower has invented to make JWs close ranks and obey their leaders. Hence they put a negative label on those who leave by calling them 'mentally diseased'. Once the label is applied the JWs can stop thinking about it, turning their mind off to actually listening or asking WHY they left. The watchtower uses the label as a way to stop JWs finding out damning information about the organization. Such information, as available on the internet and blogs is dangerous to the watchtower's power base and cash flow.
Blogs will wake a JW up from the evils of the watchtower so the WTBTS must do all in it's power to stop the rank and file leaving. When a JW leaves they take away the power the governing body has and they take away the incoming 'contributions' or cash that the governing body want.
EDIT to add: Whenever a JW comments on a blog their comments often appear irrational and weird. More often than not I've seen stuff ranting and raving about how the WTBTS is 'the truth' and only the 'truth' is found in the watchtower. I believe the leaders know that their members look like raving fanatics and this isn't a good advert for potential new members.
The 'mentally diseased' label is to frighten JWs away from 'apostates' who are labelled as evil and of the Devil. They claim 'apostates' only exist to get JWs to leave the corporation. Actually, this is not the case as the ones that leave the watchtower business mostly simply just disagree with the watchtower and are not trying to hurt the rank and file in any way.
'Apostates' like myself just want to be left alone to get on with my life. Sadly, I'm hounded (well, not so much now I'm DA'd), and the watchtower is shoved in my face. I react to THEIR provocation but they think it's because I'm 'mentally diseased' and of the Devil.
The latest rumour about me at the kingdom halls is that I'm a 'false prophet'! Wow. A badge of honour.....I still don't recall making any prophecies though?!?!?
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Think About It
Welcome AJake. Can't tell if you have a JW background or not. What does the WT Governing Body think of apostates? Think how 60's Communist leaders thought of freedom loving Capitalists, only these are religious cult leaders.
Think About It
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JRK
AJ,
Welcome to JWN!
I understand your dilemma juxtaposing the smear that they label "apostates" as "metally diseased," with the high numbers of people with true mental illness among their ranks. The religion appeals to people with mental disorders, and also makes members crazy with their teachings that make no sense. Many are suffering from "cognative dissonance" trying to reconcile conflicting statements from the organization.
You are in the right place, keep looking and sharing your story.
JK
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ProdigalSon
Hey, they get this crap right out of the Bible. There's your problem. When you use an iron-age book full of mind-control propaganda channeled by demons to decide every single issue in life this is what you get: Judgemental Pharisee Insanity and Holier Than Thou Zealot Maniacs.
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punkofnice
The watchtower enjoys it's 'ad hominems' and 'hasty overgeneralizations' relating to some form of sickness being invilved.
1 Dec '06 WT -
HOW would you protect yourself if you knew that a deadly epidemic was raging in your area? You would likely build up your immune system and stay away from people who are contagious. We must do the same in a spiritual sense. The Scriptures tell us that the antichrist “is already in the world.” ( 1 John 4:3 ) If we want to escape “infection,” we must identify the “carriers” and avoid them. Thankfully, the Bible sheds considerable light on the subject.
...and their definition of 'antichrist' including loaded language:-
A DECEIVER WITH MANY FACES
The word “antichrist” applies to all who deny what the Bible says about Jesus Christ, all who oppose his Kingdom, and all who mistreat his followers. It also includes individuals, organizations, and nations that falsely claim to represent Christ or that improperly ascribe to themselves the role of Messiah by presumptuously promising to achieve that which only Christ can do—bring about true peace and security.
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blond-moment
Basically is Mind Control mentality. You cannot fully understand their crazy talk untill you are fully indoctrinated. That's why the crazy issue is the study issue, and the calmer issue is for the public, until they get indoctrinated.
Like any good Mind Control group, they must demonize former members. We now know the truth they are hiding.
I suggest learning about Mind Control. So much of it makes sense when you understand the tactics they are using. A very good website with a brief, but complete breakdown of how mind control groups work is the BITE Model by Steven Hassan. http://freedomofmind.com/bite/
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Found Sheep
Welcome Ajake!!! What's your story???