Kingdom Hall Attenders: Consider Stopping the Use of Loaded Language

by OnTheWayOut 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  OnTheWayOut

  It's been a long time since I attended, but I understand that many of you still go to the Kingdom Hall for your various reasons.

  A huge thing that helped me in my mentally breaking from their beliefs was to stop using their terms that put you, virtually automatically, into their thought mode.

  Using terms like "the Truth," JW's feel special about themselves and this helps them separate themselves from "the world." By incorporating loaded language, JW's learn NOT TO THINK, but merely to memorize words and phrases instead of analyzing a situation.

  The reasons someone misses meetings is because they are "spiritually weak." They might be involved in "worldly thinking."

  New choices of words should not be so obvious that the people around you question you on them. If you lack a new term for something, try just saying it out totally for what it really is- example could be "field service" changed to "magazine distribution work." (Because "recruiting" is over-the-top to say to their faces, but it is my preferred term for that work.) The work of recruiting can be referred to as "door-to-door canvasing."

  One of the biggest ones that helped me was to never address people as "Brother Smith" or "Sister Jones." Instead I said "Tom" or "Sue."

  Instead of "The Faithful and Discreet Slave," I said "Those still alive that partake at the Memorial."

  Instead of "privileges in the congregation," I say "work assignments."
  
  Instead of "Jehovah," you might say "God."
  
  "Worldly" is simply replaced by "Not one of Jehovah's Witnesses."
  
  "The Truth" is one you can have so much fun with, replacing it in various terms like "The beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses" or "Watchtower current teachings" or so many others. But abandoning "the truth" will really help you.
  
  Soon, you will be able to think past such thought-stopping terms like "Wait on Jehovah." You might automatically replace that with "Wait until Watchtower covers the subject in a new video."

  Others are welcome to post on this thread any terms they use or would like to use.
  
  
  
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  prologos

  Instead of "Jehovah," you might say "God." Instead of "God" say " the creator", or "Our father"
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  Island Man

  Elder: "Bro. OnTheWayOut, we called you here in the back room to discuss something that has come to our attention. A number of the friends - including ourselves - have noticed a recent trend in your speech. You seem to shy away from using theocratic terms, preferring instead speak in a somewhat plain - some even say tactless - manner. The scriptures talk about the power of the tongue and using it wisely. As Jehovah's people we have the privilege of speaking the "pure language". Which other organization on the face of the earth today has that great privilege? Why refuse to use the theocratic terms that Jehovah has so lovingly provided for us through the faithful and discreet slave? When you comment at a Watchtower study and refer to the preaching work as "door-to-door canvassing" how do you think that sounds to interested ones attending our meeting for the first time? What kind of impression are they going to get about our work?"
  
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  LevelThePlayingField

  "Trust the brothers" is like saying, "don't think for yourself".
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  Lostwun

  Nice post otwo I concur.

  Island man- you phrased that whole scenario so well I coukd could just picture it automatically in my head lol
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  EyesOpenHeartBroken

  OTWO--great post!

  Another big one for me is not to use the term "faithful and discreet slave" or even "Governing Body"-- I just refer to those guys using their first and last names. Example: "David Splane said ..." or "Anthony Morris this and that..."

  Its funny to watch some asleep JWs get very uncomfortable when you are a still in JW that refuses to use the loaded lingo.
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  elbib

  It was a lot of fun for me hearing them use the phrase "according to our current understanding" and yet "truth" being applied to them exclusively.
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  TD

  Cannot upvote enough. Spot on!
  
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  Pete Zahut

  Faithful and Discreet Slave = Individuals convinced they've been chosen although no evidence of such exists.
  

  Adjustments = What has to be done when former beliefs were absolutely wrong.
  

  Spiritually Weak = Individuals who haven't closed their minds to other possibilities as much as they should have.

  Spiritually Strong = Individuals who've closed their minds and have stopped bothering to look any further.
  

  Witnessing = Using our own errors to show others the error of their ways
  

  Public Talk = Telling like minded people what they already know by saying what someone else has already said.
  

  Wait on Jehovah = We have no idea what to do next....haven't got a clue but saying this takes the responsibility off our shoulders.
  

  A Matter of Prayer = What we say to feel pious about not having an answer.
  

  Brother or Sister Jones = You're actually nothing like a brother or sister, otherwise I'd simply use your first name.

  Pioneer = Individuals who use antiquated means to accomplish an unpleasant task that no one else wants to do.
  
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  Village Idiot

  Prologos: Instead of "God" say " the creator", or "Our father"

  I think "our father" would be more appropriate. "the creator" sounds a bit distant.