by Maat13 87 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
I'm still in the Matrix(The Truth), but 'Morpheus' and his team are valiantly working on a way to get me out.
In the meantime, everyday I am discovering so much about being a JW I never knew, like don't buy Girl Scout Cookies, that I keep asking myself "what have I got myself into".
Maat
Really lame for a first post, but I figure I should start some where. I love those Thin Mints.
Many apologies if this has been discussed in the past..but I'm a newbie...so please forgive me.
Keep digging. You are going to find a lot more about what you are not supposed to do, and much of it is going to be local interpretations. Much of this has to do with the caution that stumbling anyone is grounds for Gehenna. Such "stumbling" is their way of making sure you are not doing many things otherwise not mentioned in their rulebooks.
Buying Girl Scout cookies is just one of these things. Some that could be imposed locally based on one person's interpretation may include proscription of eating certain foods associated with holidays (eggnog and candy canes top this list), listening to any music except the 135 Kingdumb maladies (could stumble someone), going online (this could in fact become an official ban but many congregations still view going online as bad), buying silver or gold (too worldly and not trusting in their god), and preparing for "time and unforseen occurrence" (or, in my case, time and forseen occurrence) (not trusting in their god). Getting nice things could also be viewed as materialism. And there is no structure to these bans--you could be banned from doing something and they come up with a lame excuse why you can't but others can (such as that you are held to a higher standard).
Which they could upgrade from merely hounding you to disfellowshipping. All it takes is for them to hound you once about these items. You buy a good flashlight because yours died last time you got a blackout. So they hound you because "it is materialism and not trusting in their god". You don't get rid of it, and next week they call it "brazen conduct". That can be used to enforce any rule, even if not in the official rulebook. It is often applied capriciously, too--you could be put out for "brazen conduct" for something someone else is doing openly without issue.
A dependable rule of thumb as a jw is to NEVER support any non profit or charitable organization except the World wide preaching work. In the case of natural disasters be careful of helping non witnesses. Screw the worldly scum.
As far as buying your field service/fancy go to meeting clothes, Goodwill is preferred over the demonic Salvation army. Garage and Yard sales must be considered as a minefield of demon posessed goods.
They forgot to cover that topic in the Organized book, like why Thanksgiving turkey is bad on Thanksgiving Day but is A-OK on Black Friday.
What sane religion tells it's members what type of COOKIES to buy or not buy????? That alone should cause any prospective member to run for the hills. A religion should help a person live a good life and seek greater spirituality, not micromanage it's member's private lives. My advice is to drop the Witnesses like a hot potato.
WTWizard, I appreciate the relatively quick response and consultation.
"You are going to find a lot more about what you are not supposed to do, and much of it is going to be local interpretations."
I find this statement to be interesting and counter to what I have come to learn about what it means to be a JW. I studied with them for 3 years before getting baptised and I never knew or realized that there was a disparity between congregations/KH's. I was under the impression that "similarity" from one KH to another was what set us apart from other Christian organizations.
I started digging about two years ago. With each passing day, my level of surprise upon finding new information diminishes, since it is becoming quite apparent that all is not well with the organization.
The day I got baptised a MS told me 'This is a perfect organization ran by imperfect men.' At this point I don't think I can call it a perfect organization. At one point in time I believed it wholeheartedly. Not anymore...
Maat
If your not sure about something just run to the elders. That is what the JW's I know do. .....lol just kidding. You must have a brain in your head. You're here, right ?
I love your humor.
Sherry
Gregor,
"Garage and Yard sales must be considered as a minefield of demon posessed goods."
This is quite curious because when I was a UP, I bought a few items from a garage sale and the elder whom I was out in FS with bought some things for his family as well. In fact many of the folks in that KH would "pause" FS to shop garage sales. Others ended FS early to go grab a truck to pick up furniture or other items.
Makes me wonder who really is setting the ground rules. I am so confused.
Maat
Maat13 Well first of all welcome here & I like the vanilla cookies!
Looks like you are a Newbie ....we love newbies ...so pull up a chair
and make yourself comfortable ......then hang-on, you are in for a
roller coaster ride. The TATT can be a shock.... I mean ...who ever
thought they were being lied to! Well you are and were!
*
Look forward to hearing your story, wishing you freedom from all
those lies!
clarity
I'm a born in and when I was growing up in the 60's JW's were really scared about anything old or used. It may have demons . I can't tell you how many times I heard that. Now days not so much. I was shocked that a JW I knew was shopping at the Salvation Army. ( a few yrs ago) That would never have happened in the congergation I grew up in. She also had her wedding reception at the VFW. That too would not have happened in my old KH.
I also think it depends on where you live. My ex MIL lived in California they seemed much more liberal.
Glad you are here, you will learn a lot.
Sherry
