Looking for Healing, Getting Spiritual Amway

metatron

As I survey my extended family and former congregation, a pattern clearly emerges. It's a familiar one , called "bait and switch".

People hurt. They suffer. They want relief and happiness. They are looking for healing.

Then, they get hijacked into following a collection of compulsions and obsessions,
by being told these are the "truth". Go to 5 meetings a week. Go out in service
and sell magazines. Put in your time. Pioneer! Shun your former friends. Obey or
be disfellowshipped.

After that, their search for healing may have to be secret.
They hide their 12 step meetings - or visits to mental health practitioners - or
"ToughLove" gatherings - or anything that might seem to compete with the "truth".

I see Witness families fall apart - the mother pioneers in response.

I see Witness marriages collapse because they can't get along - they attend more
meetings in response.

I see Witness kids drifting into the dangers of a "double life" - being forced into
more study and field service is the response.

Do they ever 'wake up' and see that their "medicine" doesn't work? That it just
makes everything worse because it's a time draining substitute for intelligent
repairs? That the zealous pursuit of a fantasy only creates further damage in
strained human relations?

Problems? Stay tired, drained, isolated, and dumb.
It won't hurt as much.

Another 'drifted away' brother made the same observation as I. Nearly all the Witness
kids in our extended families are "out of the truth" - or not doing well in life.
And some of the kids who reject 'the truth' completely have made stable, healthy
lives for themselves, particularily if they got a good education.

They weep for healing
They are given spiritual Amway to sell

They cry out for bread
The Theocrats give them stones.

The Society says their magazines are valuable
They must be right
Look how much of life is given up to sell them!

metatron

dsgal

Hi metatron,

My entire family drifted away(Me,my son,mother,two sisters and two brothers)and now we all feel healthier and more stable.There's not one person in my family still in it so nobody has to be shunned! It just took me a little longer than the rest to leave.

Nanoprobe

I had some friends whose marriage was in serious trouble. One sister suggested they go talk to the elders. I asked her,"Have you ever seen the elders help save any marriage?" She didn't want to answer. The wife eventually went to talk to the elders and the elders started a witch hunt to try to catch the husband in wrongdoing. They interrogated his friends but he really wasn't sleeping with anyone else and they hated that. They stalked him when he moved out to live with his fleshly sister and her husband. They were willing to find all kinds of crazy activities to engage in, but save the marriage?NO, they never attempted to save the marriage.

metatron

Wow, that's solid! These days even elders have bad marriages/families.

Physician, heal thyself, I guess. I don't know how they can face the futility of it all.

You get called to shepherd someone and already know how it will end.

metatron

LovesDubs

When I disassociated in Jan 97 and started to have marital problems, I found out it was the ELDERS creating the marital problems! They had suggested to my JW husband that he treat me badly to get me to the point of leaving the home and proceeded to invite him to singles weekenders away from me (which he WENT to) and lots and lots of "get togethers". One day I had just finished washing drying and combing out the dog ( a HUGE collie mix with foot long hair) and brought him over to my husband to see. He was washing a boat we had at the time. I said "Doesnt he look great?" His response was to turn the HOSE ON THE DOG! I about croaked! Im like WHAT THE HELL IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?? And he LAUGHED. That was the last straw!I confronted him later and said "I dont know what this crap is all about you are pulling, but if you think for one nannosecond Im going to go ANYWHERE...look again. If anybody is going to leave this house its YOU. So if you want to go shack up with some little JW filly who will make you go to ALL the meetings and out in SERVICE by the way, which you DONT do now...go right the hell ahead because Ive been there and done that and dont need you or your f-ing religion to live my life." Thats when he admitted they were influencing him. Asswipes. MARRIAGE COUNSELORS?? hell no

Navigator

Why should anyone be surprised? Keeping the membership tired, drained, numb, and isolated, are standard techniques practiced by all cults. Why would the elders try to save a marriage where one of the parties was not open to the "truth"? Better to end it and get the Dub in harness with someone that can be controlled. I think some of the policy makers (GB) are going to have a lot to answer for on the "other side" when they have to explain to God why they worked to destroy his real organization, namely the family.

Analysis

Jehovahs Witnesses claim to teach the same thing Worldwide. But, based on the True Life Stories on this board, it is quite clear that this is just not the case.

For example, how many times have you heard that the believing spouse should agree to stay with an unbeliever treating them even better to "Win them over?" They are even proud to give examples in the literature that shows success after 20 plus years.

And yet, here are people who have been told to treat them poorly so the spouse will leave. Sounds to me that some of the Elders can not read or they dont stick to what is written.

og

I see Witness families fall apart - the mother pioneers in response.

Thanks for a great post met; the above is what I'm going through.

Looking for Healing, Getting Spiritual Amway

Share this