The POWER of the PIVOT: MASTERING THE ART OF THE REVERSE SHUN

by Terry 17 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • Terry
    Terry

    Who owns the power to control outcome?
    The answer is: Authority.

    Who automatically has the right answers?
    The answer is: Experts.

    Who can force automatic reactions of compliance?
    The answer is: the ones displaying authority, power and control.

    Who can be expected to automatically obey, comply and submit?
    The answer is: those under the Authority of others.

    All Authority is really composed of the principle of "this for that." (Reciprocity.)
    Authority wants something and offers something in return.

    Example:
    Government demands taxes, but offers highways, military protection and regulations for health and safety.
    No authority exists without reciprocity. (Give to get.)
    (Note: Even God wants love, praise, worship and obedience in exchange for everlasting life, forgiveness and happiness.)

    *** *** *** *** ***

    Now that we have reviewed the dynamic of a power structure we are better able to understand
    how to reverse-engineer the entire process to our own benefit.

    Introducing the PIVOT or "turning the tables" on power.

    One of the earliest known uses of the power of the pivot is found in 411 B.C.E.

    The Greek playwright, Aristophenes, in his play Lysistrata tells about the women of Greece deciding to end the Peloponnesian War by witholding sexual relations from their husbands and lovers as a means of forcing the men to negotiate peace.

    In a male-dominated society, the weakest members of society created a means of reversing the power structure demonstrating who needed who the most.

    The strongest desire among the men was used as emotional leverage and a pivot was created.

    In the above case, negotiation was used as a platform for redress of grievances.

    *** *** ***

    In Japan, heavily armored and handily armed warriors terrorized any person or group that got in their way until the gentle art of JU-JITSU.

    Ju-Jitsu allows an unarmed practitioner to use the power and motion of a fearsome opponent against them by pivoting and leveraging their motion.

    The weak could reverse-dominate the strong through mastery of the principle of creating a pivot of imbalance. Thus, the phrase was introduced:

    THE BIGGER THEY ARE THE HARDER THEY FALL.

    *** *** ***

    King George the III dominated the Amercian colonies until a reversal was sprung by colonists refusing to pay taxes.

    When armies were sent, the colonists refused to form battle lines and march into direct confrontations. Instead, they employed revolutionary tactics

    of sniping, hit-and-run and sappers. The superior armaments proved disadvantageous as the rules of engagement were undermined.

    In all the above examples, the status quo was shattered by a refusal to observe the RECIPROCITY principle.

    Changing the rules toppled POWER.

    *** *** ***

    Using the above as a template for exploring and understanding the power dynamic among Jehovah's Witnesses, we turn to history.

    1. Between the time of the American Civil War and World War I, religious dominance by mainstream churches was severely weakened. Confidence in the moral AUTHORITY of preachers who took sides had been undermined.

    2. Confused and restless true believers turned away to find more trustworthy experts and authorities.

    3. Anybody who could pass themselves off as a genuine expert on the Bible was given a careful listen and consideration.

    4. Since nobody really had any expertise to judge, the story that seemed most reasonable and desirable was substituted as the "best."

    5. Among certain true believers, End of the World preachers gained prominence mainly by citing prophecies which pointed to 2nd coming predictions.

    6. William Miller, a Baptist lay preacher, came up with a rip-snortin' chronology predicting the End using simple arithmetic and a lot of gullibility.

    7.Even though his predictions failed, those who broke away from mainstream church to follow him refused to go back. These "assumed" it was only a matter of tweaking and adjustment to get the End Date right.

    8.Those people have been held in thrall by AUTHORITY of self-claims and aggrandisement ever since.

    9.Among the most self-aggrandizing are Watch Tower "experts" claiming special expertise and AUTHORITY bestowed by anointing: the FDS.

    The power structure of the Watch Tower Organization arrogates authority by means of SPECIAL PLEADING.
    "Jehovah selected us to be in charge."

    The reciprocal agreement

    There is a tacit reciprocal agreement in situations of ceded authority that happens in two ways. In a coercive sense, a suppressed threat to use force leads us to give control. In the nurturing sense, we're promised the rewards of love. Either way, obedience is gained through a promise of future action.

    Where is the GIVE and TAKE?

    Under Watch Tower Authority the immediate threat of annhilation at Armageddon is a big stick and the promise of everlasting Paradise is the carrot.

    In exchange, 8 million Jehovah's Witnesses must do EXACTLY AS THEY ARE INSTRUCTED unquestioningly.

    In a practical sense, the Watch Tower leaders have proved time and time again (false prediction) they cannot make Armageddon come.

    The only threat left in their arsenal is SHUNNING.

    *** *** *** ***

    1.The Governing Body claim special authority which has been repeatedly falsified by failed predictions proving they CANNOT AUTHENTICALLY make those claims.

    2. Elders in the Congregations act as conduits of arrogated authority over "troublemakers" (i.e. anybody pointing out weakness). These Elders are called "servants" which implies compliance with the requests of others. They possess no EXPERTISE because they continually fail to follow the simplest directions set forth in scripture--instead, substituting phony orders and policies from the GB.

    3. The real "power" in the Organization is in the mind of compliant members who set the Elders and GB on a pedestal and defer to their every command.

    4. The only "power" in shunning is demonstrated by the fact it is those very rank and file members who wield it! Meaning? If only the Elders refused to speak to a DF'd person---who the hell would care?

    *** *** *** ***

    A leader is only a leader if people follow.

    An expert is only an expert if expertise is demonstrable.

    Authority is granted by reciprocity and only by reciprocity.

    WHAT IS THE PIVOT POINT in the Watch Tower religion?

    1. A "Faithful" person says something is going to occur and it does occur. If it does not occur, logically, that person was UNFAITHFUL.

    2. A "Discreet" person is defined how? ". . . careful and circumspect in one's speech or actions, esp. in order to avoid causing offense or to gain an advantage. " The false dates proclaimed worldwide brought shame and embarassment upon JW's and especially "Jehovah".

    3. Authority finds its source in the ability to DELIVER its end of the reciprocity agreement. The GB has neither delivered promised Armageddon dates nor everlasting life nor trustworthy teachings (always changes and modifications.) In fact, all it has ever actually delivered is THREATS.

    The POWER of the PIVOT

    Who wants to listen to an arrogant idiot tell you how to live your life?

    If you reply, "I do!" you deserve your bondage.

    Who wants to be judged by imposters claiming power and authority they've never been able to demonstrate?

    If you reply, "Me--bring it on!" you deserve your life of grovel and ass-kiss rewards.

    Who wants to be threatened with having a group of "Christians" withold love, forgiveness and prayers from you?

    If you reply, "That sounds great--give me some!" then you belong with the phony baloney self-rightous morons who desecrate the meaning of brotherhood.

    If you prefer to be loved by people who KNOW HOW to love and who can GIVE emotionally from a heart filled with values that last, it is time to PIVOT

    away from false teachers, wolves in sheep's clothing and arrogant self-aggrandizing bullies whose only accomplishment in 100 years is THREATS.

    Master the art of the REVERSE SHUN.

    Withold YOUR affection, respect, compliance, unquestioning obedience and admiration FROM THEM!

    Why?

    THEY ARE POWERLESS WITHOUT IT!

    Did you know you can Disfellowship THEM?

    Yes, you have that power, that human right and that duty to do so.

    Once you realize you have been serving a false God under phony authority, enforced by lackeys with slack-jawed nincompoopery--march into the Kingdom Hall and corner the so-called "leaders" and inform them in no uncertain terms:

    "Listen up--I'm only going to say this once. I'm not bending over for you petty criminals any longer. I'm serving notice on all of you.

    I'M DISFELLOWSHIPPING you for malfeasance, incompetence, bullying, braying and bullshitting without a license.

    You're amateur jackasses pretending to be little gods and failing to live up to even the lowest standards set for grade school dropouts.

    Instead of banging on your neighbor's doors and waving donkey drool at them--you need to go get your G.E.D. so can learn how to add and subtract

    so you can see the moronic laughingstock you've been for buying into the Watch Tower explanation for a 1914 invisible Jesus!

    Don't bother apologizing--if I wanted to hear another vapid mind fart out of you I'd be arrested for public stupidity.

    As of this very minute--YOU ARE BEING SHUNNED BY ME!

    Now, turn around and go get a life to replace this miserable excuse for a cartoon on steroids you've been playacting."

    (SLAM!)

  • ohnightdivine
    ohnightdivine

    Whew. That was a delicious read. I wish I could do that tomorrow!

    But I'll just fade and shun them. Slowly and quietly.

  • KariOtt
    KariOtt

    That was awsome. I have never been a witness but hubby us. When hubby and my self run into a member when we're out I shun them. I wont look at, talk to, or acknoledge theirpresence. Even though they try to ingage conversation with me. The exception was about 2 weeks ago when elder and pioneer wife show up on my door srep for a study I asked for way back in January. Pioneer wife texted me all day. She had agreed to meet with me alone to discuss several items I brought up to her then all of a sudden she called it off. I think elder told her NO after she told him what I wanted to discuss

  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    Terry,

    Thanks for sharing. I think it's one of your better posts.

    The only flaw is that, while the REVERSE SHUN works for an individual in relation to the religion in toto, it does not help that same individual maintain contact with family members and other loved ones not yet ready to join them in turning the tables on the GB & the elders.

    Oubliette

  • Jim_TX
    Jim_TX

    Ummm... sounds good. Go and do just what you've said... and then come back and let us know how it went.

  • Terry
    Terry

    . . . it does not help that same individual maintain contact with family members and other loved ones not yet ready to join them in turning the tables on the GB & the elders.

    Let's reframe. Pretend that you once belonged to a group of murderers, thieves and liars somewhat like a gang.

    Now pretend you became convinced that kind of life was a terrible waste of your life.

    Now I have to ask, once you decide to leave that gang--would you REALLY want continued contact with the other gang members BEFORE they change their wicked ways?

    You see, we tend to excuse the people we love who participate in human rights violations UNDER THE AUSPICES OF RELIGION a whole lot quicker

    than we excuse ordinary lawbreaking.

    But, let's get a grip on the reality of JW lifestyle and values!

    1. Only a bully would banish and shun somebody for making a move toward self-betterment, reality and away from false reporting of facts. JW's make a life choice of embracing lies and yearning for the death of billions.

    2. If you refuse fellowship FOR CAUSE (false beliefs, time wasting, discouraging education in the young, stifling ambition, etc.) you are on moral high ground whereas the JW's refuse fellowship because you've discovered their LIES with exposure.

    3. Getting bad behavior derailed in a person you love requires a moral stand of courageous confrontation and intervention. A fine line exists which is very real between personal affection and ENABLING their behavior. Lending money to a drunk, for example, is not an act of kindness. So too with enabling a person drunk on false religious cultic behavior.

    The chief difference is moral cause.

    Life is very practical.

    What you reward, you get MORE of.

    What you reject, you get LESS of.

    The number one reason to SHUN in REVERSE is so that you can build your life into a WINNING STRATEGY of example for others who see your

    happiness instead of depravity; who see your success instead of your failure; who see your real friends instead of fake friends, etc.

    You give them a reason to leave also!

    You don't "buy in" to the despair of losing fellowship. You see it as your cell door opening and a bright ray of sunlight flooding in to your darkened cell!

    Leaving the Kingdom Hall and all that darkness is a NEW BEGINNING only if you leave it all behind.

    You've been slopping hogs and you need to change your shoes before you go out dancing.

  • Terry
  • Oubliette
    Oubliette

    Terry: Let's reframe. Pretend that you once belonged to a group of murderers, thieves and liars somewhat like a gang.

    I get your analogy, but JWs are NOT a group of murderers or thieves.

    But more importantly--at least in my case--I AM THE ONE THAT TAUGHT MY CHILDREN THIS! I believe it is my DUTY as a parent to now teach them TTATT if I possibly can.

    I once had a conversation with one of my children. I asked him to imagine that HE is a parent. He realizes that he taught his child something that he later learns is not correct. "What should you do?"

    He just got very quiet ...

    I recently realized I was much better at teacing them BELIEFS than I was at teaching them HOW TO LOVE.

    I am trying to rectify that. As for all the other of my former alledged "spiritual brothers and sisters," they can all go to hell for all I care. There is only one other person that I would ever try to reach, but I realize that I have to be very careful even in that case. If someone is not ready to leave the cult, they'll throw anyone else under the bus in a NY minute.

    I have no illusions. Jehovah's Witnesses is a high-control, manipulative mind-control cult.

  • Terry
    Terry

    I get your analogy, but JWs are NOT a group of murderers or thieves.

    I understand your reticence, but JW's ARE.

    1.Rutherford's false and apostate interpretation of Romans 13.1 caused the brutal mistreatment and deaths of JW's and Bible Students who defied

    Nazi bans on public peddling. His false teaching was changed back after 33 years without apology, explanation or acknowledgment.

    2.JW parents who stand by and refuse medical treatment are well-intentiond (monsters) who complicitly murder their own children.

    3.The glee and abandon in which Witnesses yearn for the deaths of their fellow human beings (Armageddon) amounts to killing them in their own heart.

    4.The WTSociety's handling of Malawi directly resulted in rapes, beating, murder.

    5.The GB policy on child-molestation, wives in rape marriages, DF'ing and shunning have led to suicides.

    Moreover. . .

    We only have one chance at youth's opportunities for education,career, development of talent, bonding with lifelong friends.

    The Jehovah's Witnesses as leaders, parents and victims have their YOUTH STOLEN FROM THEM and steal it themselves from others!

    I recognize what you are saying. I just want to emphasize how dealy earnest the harm is and necessary it becomes to call a spade a spade.

    Your mileage may vary.

    8 million wrong-headed malcontents with twisted thinking can do a helluva lot of damage in this world.

    The only thing necessary for evil to exist is for good people to do nothing.

  • DATA-DOG
    DATA-DOG

    Speaking of reciprocity..

    Then:

    WHY TRUST "THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE"

    There are many reasons to have complete trust in the slave class. First and foremost, Jesus has appointed them over all his precious "belongings." This is a clear indication that he has complete trust in them. - OD, p. 18 – [Italics in origina]

    Now:

    WHEN DOES JESUS ARRIVE, OR COME?

    A further consideration of Jesus’ prophecy indicates that an adjustment in our understanding of the timing of certain aspects of Jesus’ prophecy is needed. … So it is reasonable to conclude that Jesus’ arrival to appoint the faithful slave over all his belongings, mentioned at Matthew 24:46, 47, also applies to his future coming, during the great tribulation. 1 -Watchtower, July 15, 2013, p. 8, paragraphs 17 & 18 – [Italics in original]

    So now that the primary reason for me to trust the GB in gone, why should I reciprocate? What do they have to offer as proof of their expertise? What warrants my unquestioning loyalty? NOTHING.

    Awesome post, Terry.

    DD

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