Hey, you are okay. With your present appearance and your current job profession, they would not allow you to be a member!
3 years of study, Just found out!
by impala63rag 137 Replies latest jw friends
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rebel8
now I am to believe we are in the last days, and not to associate with anyone who doesn't think so?
Absolutely. This is a fundamental doctrine of theirs.
never heard that phrase (faithful and discreet slave), the governing body, or dis-fellowshipping...JW couple did not watch movies that were not rated G, and didnt watch the news, but I thought that was a personal choice...never mentioned anything about being politically nuetral...never told about spiritism...
Wow. Either these are the most inept jw recruiters ever, or they have created this strategy specifically for you. Usually they introduce this stuff after studying for a while.If you're thinking, oh, maybe these dubs don't believe that, stop right there. They teach their religion is universal, exactly the same across the globe.
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Faithful Witness
I'm still curious how they reacted to your visit. Did you wear a suit and tie?
To all you JW's out there, how did you feel when your congregation was visited by such a "worldly" appearing person?
We did our best to "dress the part," with our babies in tow... They love-bombed us incessantly. We were like a shiny new toy to them. The congregation here had a few young families in it, and we all enjoyed coffee and cookies in the coat room after the meetings.
It was a great way to get the kids to sit and behave... "If you want a cookie at the end, you'd better be quiet!"
impala63rag, I am so glad you visited this site! Thanks for posting your questions and sharing your experience. It's great to see you stop by!
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blondie
*** km 10/88 p. 8 par. 5 Conduct Progressive Bible Studies ***
When locating people in the territory who have studied before, it is wise to find out how long they studied and with whom. Why did they stop? If the one who previously conducted the study is known, it would be good to discuss the matter with him and the service overseer before resuming the study. Likely there are factors about which you are not aware. Some persons have studied with many different publishers over the years without ever making any real progress. We need to spend time with those who show a genuine interest in the truth.
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impala63rag
I'm still curious how they reacted to your visit. Did you wear a suit and tie?
I wore a hoodie sweatshirt, jeans and boots. I was introduced to people but would not refer to it as being "love bombed".
Either these are the most inept jw recruiters ever, or they have created this strategy specifically for you. Usually they introduce this stuff after studying for a while.
I am a very opinion-ated and vocal person, so I'm sure they knew what my response would have been. After reading all this it makes me wonder if they ever had any intentions of me becoming a member or just racking up service hours. Last week when I told them I was considering addressing myself as a JW and attending meetings weekly, they really didnt have much to say about it.
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citymouse
I've been disfellowshipped for 30 years now. No contact with my family. But one of the things I remember about studying with newcomers was that you did not bring up some of the more outrageous beliefs until they start attending meetings regularly and/or are baptized. This is one of the marks of a high-control, destructive cult. They are secretive and purposely misleading to outsiders. Many Jehovah's Witnesses are lovely, caring people, but the religion itself? Not so much.
It's rather unusual in my experience (although my frame of reference is from the early 80's) that a bible study would continue for three years without "making progress" = attending meetings, field service, baptism. Although it's much more pleasant to count your field service hours on a bible study than knocking on strangers doors!
I would recommend JWFacts and Steve Hassan's website, Freedomofmind.com
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Faithful Witness
rebel8: Our teachers NEVER once mentioned the slave to us in our home Bible study. Not once, and we actually had a few different sets of people guiding us through the "Teach" book. We heard people make comments about it at the meetings, and I was always baffled. I thought to myself, "What are they TALKING about? What is this faithful and discreet slave?"
It is code language, JW lingo... it piqued my curiosity, and made me realize that I was not really a JW. Cult-speak is only used at meetings. It actually made something in my mind want to learn more and yes, draw closer to "Jehovah." At the same time, it was unsettling and weird. I never directly asked anyone about it, because I guess I was embarassed to confess that I did not know what it meant. I was barely able to keep up with studying the weekly Watchtower lesson, let alone do any extra credit.
We did attend the Ministry School twice, but it was just ridiculous, and too late in the evening to be taking our little ones out to a meeting.
Impala63rag: I'm sure that they realized you were not likely to ever submit to the rules of the organization. It's no wonder they didn't offer much encouraged or enthusiasm about your statement. It's possible that they were just "racking up hours," as you said. I know that our family was a jackpot for their time cards. Our weekly Bible study sessions would regularly last 2 or more hours.
You are not an impossible recruit, however. My brother in law, for example, was a self-professed racist. He shaved his head bald, and has multiple tattoos. He was punching a punching bag in his basement, because he was so angry about his life, when the JW's came knocking on his door. One thing led to another, and he is now the most devout JW I know. He and my sister have decided to shun me, because we came to a different conclusion when we examined the scriptures. The JW's convinced him to grow his hair to a conservative business-like length. He quit smoking marijuana, so he would be allowed to go out in field service. He got rid of his beloved pet Pit Bull, after brief rebellion against being "judged" by his "brothers." Needless to say, he is quite the prize in his congregation! He also used my niece to blackmail both my parents into joining the religion. Our family's experience with the JW's is quite the "trip!"
Thanks for this most engaging conversation!
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Newly Enlightened
HI Impala, WELCOME! Mike & I were raised JW's and year before last, we discovered that we had been lied to our entire lives. It was very traumatic for us. So we started asking an elder in our cong. some innocent questions and because of that and showing Mike's Non-JW brother some subliminal images in the WT literature, then Mike's brother showing their mom, we were immediately turned in to the Elders as 'Apostates' and disfellowshipped. Our JW family refuses to talk to us, has called all of our friends and family telling them we are apostates.
Here are a few things that come from the 'Bible Teach' book.
Something that seems to be working quite well with studies in that book is in Chap 8, when they start explaining the 144,000..... We use Rev 7:4-8 -JW's believe that these 12 tribes listed here are the 'SYMBOLIC or figurative Spiritual Jews [144,000] So then we ask them, "If these 12 tribes are supposed to be symbolic then how can you get a literal number of 144,000 out of it?" They can try to explain, but they cannot.
Another one, on page 183 pp 24:
"Remember, too, that you have made a dedication to Jehovah God himself, not to a work, a cause, other humans, or an organization. Your dedication and baptism are the beginning of a very close friendship with God—an intimate relationship with him."
But yet the 2nd question they ask you right before you go to be baptized is this:
"Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?"
Here is another one from that book [ page 59 picture] They had to change that picture:
Can you find the "Smokeless candle?{ JW.org }
Sequel to Evie's 'Smokeless Candle' video [jw.org]Hope this helps....we also have a Youtube channel that has quite a bit of info on JW's:
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Gentledawn
"Love bombed" can take many forms, including complimenting you on your intelligence/grasp of basic JW concepts.
The process of "persuasive coersion" (aka : brainwashing, mind control) is a walk-in-slowly process. You'll be greeted, love bombed, possibly even given "advice" (slight scolding/shaming about how you're dressed if you're at the hall formally) about attire, hear the lingo, hear the lingo, hear the lingo.
- worldly
- end of this system of things
- satan, ruler of this world
- "opposers" (aka friends and family that are concerned about your direct contact/studying with cult members) trying to stop you from studying, obviously because they're all minions of Satan. Obviously.
Take note: ALL "public talks" given at the hall and assemblies/conventions are merely speeches designed to persuade:
Persuasive Speech:
- "Yes" set: get your listeners to agree with you/a concept (grass is green, sky is blue, etc). Can be easy peasy stuff. Doesn't matter. All that matters is that they can fall in line with it. Now they are invested in you and your concepts/ideas.
- Truisms: "facts" that could be debated critically, but audience doesn't stop to think for themselves, trusting you because of their prior "investment" by acquiesing via their initital "yes"/agreement
- Suggestion: Do what you, the speaker, want them to do. They are invested. They (the listeners) trust these people (you, and other stage dwellers). What is said from the podium is "trustworthy", because what you spoke of initially is something they agreed with.
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BluesBrother
The thing that has troubled me most, recently, has been the elevating of the writings of the Watchtower Societyto a position that seems to equal the Holy Scriptures themselves. There have been numerous hints and references that place that in the minds of the J W's so now they seem to believe it.
You learn a lot about attitudes from the comments given at meetings . Today an elder stated that just as the 1st Cent. Christians had the letters of Paul and other Bible writers,from Holy Spirit , so we get regular "letters" from the same Holy Spirit led source - The Faithful and Discreet Slave.
To me , that is blasphemy ! Beware of men who place their writings on a par with the Word of God.......