by ScoobySnax 36 Replies latest jw friends
Hi Pettygrudger,
My point was that if the Watchtower had been more Christlike and loving, places like this would be non-existent or at least very small.
It's the Watchtower's hypocrisy and meaness that has produced such a swell of opposition as is found here and on other exJW sites.
IW
Bradley,
Thanks for your reply, I agree with much of what you say, and yes I did see your post on the new convention release and saw how you tried to keep a balance.
Its a shame your balance isn't sustainable, for instance you say that I don't engage in any intellectual conversation here,(maybe I'm thick as shit!!) and tell me to get real or leave...... ("coz its a fuckin discussion board!!") thats fine, but I don't want to get into any of that here. Does that make my viewpoint invalid? No I don't think so, I know its not a religion, but my participation in it isn't the point, I was originally asking why so many on here have such a constant negative agenda all the time . I think it's un-helpful and degenerates genuine discussion.
Scott
I have gotten more love and acceptance on this board than I EVER did as a JW....
Rosemarie
BB (Rose) Thats good to hear. I'm glad for you truly. Keep your chin up too girl !!
Hey Scoobz.
Well, you know, we can see what we want to see, and focus on a particular aspect of the forum and disregard the rest.
Now, I'm not going to drop a cracker down your shorts, but....hmm...how do I put this? Oh heck, you'll know I mean no ill will (as a moth lands on my computer screen...hold on, while I put him/her back outside). It's a sign .
You've been on this forum for awhile. You know that it is an apostate site. I would label you, for lack of a better term: a Witness Apologist (not mean spirited writing here Scoobz...really).
Now, I have to turn the watch hands back a million times and scroll back my calendars. When I was newly out of the JWs, I had an attitude, somewhat similar to yours. You're your own individual, and well, when the WTBTS and living the life as a Jehovah's Witness has impacted your life, it's not something you can necessarily shake overnight, even if at all.
The stories that have been expressed here have been unbridled nor sensored for the most part.
People have had some unpleasantries as a result of having been a Jehovah's Witness. You know the schpiel, I'm sure you've seen it a hundred times already. It kinda sounds 'blah-blah-blah' after awhile I'm sure.
But I think it's important to focus on what draws YOU here.
What draws you here? And what kinds of posts grab your attention? I am asking this question, not just to you Scoobz, but to me, and other members of this forum.
I've been here a little over half a year, and I have a good feel, generally speaking of what types of posts are going to garner some sparks and fury; others, innocuous and others, supportive, good natured, kind and helpful.
I don't doubt that many practicing Jehovah's Witnesses are sincere and believe whole-heartedly in what they do. What grabs me is the puppeteer (WTBTS) that pulls the strings, and the puppets, move accordingly without voice or dissention.
Many of us have family, friends and spouses/partners that are active JWs, and with regards to WTBTS policy and scriptural interpretations: there has been some rather cruel and unusual actions taken against questioning members (current/past).
Scoobz, when you focus on negative posts or ones that are heated: where do you think that comes from? I've had to look into myself and ask myself that same question.
These days after many years away and apart of the Jehovah's Witnesses, and a wealth of information now available via the internet, I have found great resolve.
I could focus on negativity, but I have wasted so much time and my life on it, that it has no value nor room in my life.
With this forum and all things beyond it (when I turn off the computer at night), I focus on what draws out positive aspects of my personality. Doesn't necessarily mean my posts here, but beyond the computer an in my day-to-day life, I draw from the good. That remains.
Scoobz, I don't know you personally, and sometimes I do like to place whoopie cushions, rubber snakes, and blown up condoms in your midst, but trust me, it's merely playful and I can sense for the most part, you are fun-loving and can take it on the chin pretty good.
Focus on what you like: it's here.
If we focus on what we don't like, that tells us more about our current focus as humans and where we are on the human continuem.
Wishing you well there Scoobz. I hope I made some sense here.
And by the way....where the hell is your picture? You're like the snufflelupogus (Sesame Street).
To watch this site sometime is painful, it isn't pleasant, infact sometimes it's a hateful place to see.
Painful to read it-- for some, even more painful to live it. As for some posts that appear to be designed to do nothing except wound the reader. Take these with a grain of salt. Then read them again and ask yourself why the blow found it's mark in you.
Take care
I would imagine that perhaps in some cases the WTS is in a damned if they do damned if they don't kind of situation here. People got hurt, people still are being hurt, by an organization that makes some pretty amazing claims about itself. So yes, I expect that some folks may not be very charitable to it when they refer to it. But seeing how they were treated (basically, many were damned either way too) it serves them right.
The jw org never apologizes, makes bold claims, and treats everyone who differs with it as a 'gross' sinner. So some people aren't going to be all nicey-nice in return.
Of course, accuracy in presenting facts in very important. And also, balance is welcome. But people here are going to take their best shots and frankly I don't blame them.
Scooby
An observation...... Recently someone asked "Are we the most prolific exjw site on the net?" From looking about and trawling around, I don't dispute that this site is the biggest, if not the most prolific. (type in JW on a search and this site will appear)
Finding this web site on a search engine just shows the search engine is doing its job. It is not an indication of how many people come here or how often
From an inactive point of view, I reckon despite the fact that there are some genuine people "hurting" here from past experiences, the majority of posts seem like some crusade against the WT and JWs at whatever expense.
Actually I suspect this is the other way around
Most people are genuine people "hurting" here from the past experiences, some posts seem like some crusade against the WT and JWs
Before you jump and taunt, understand what I mean. It seems to me that whatever the JWs do or say is wrong wrong wrong by this boards definition.
The board, actually makes no comment. Therefore "the board" does not have a definition. Simon has always said this is an place for open discussion. The above might be true of some posters but certainly not all. Please don't generalize. That is something many of us learned as JWs and are trying to get away from.
I think Validity is lost here so many times by your constant slander.
I would suspect that discussions with the sole purpose of slandering the WTS are very few. In fact I suspect we try really hard to present facts and if some one is going too far there usually is someone around to correct them. Therefore I wouldn't say it is constant nor slanderous
It would not matter what the JWs did to "reform" if they even were to take some heres point of view, I reckon most here would still look for, or invent fault.
For some of us - No it probably wouldn't matter what they did to change. They have hurt and killed people who follow their ever-changing policies. Why would any sane person wnat to go back only to find they change yet again? How could they be trusted?
I think some here love being exJWs, they love exploiting their apparent loss and others who maybe have been genuinely hurt.
Rather be an ex-JW than an active one or worse a dead one. People rarely exploit their losses. This is one of the few places where we can gather to share our pain with people who understand what we have been through. Yup there is a great crowd of us but that would not be true if the WT's policies didn't hurt so many. Our pain is real and our experience is real and we have a right to talk about it. Lord knows the WTS would prefer to shut us all up. The truth really only hurts those who abuse their power. It sets us free
To watch this site sometime is painful, it isn't pleasant, infact sometimes it's a hateful place to see. One Ego fighting another even bigger Ego.
Very true. Sometimes it is painful to see people open their wounds and expose them to the air. it is like burned flesh that needs to be scraped off before it can heal. That is how badly some of us have been hurt. And like the burn patient who screams in pain at the healing so we scream out our pain. And sometimes we wind up screaming at the very people who are best able to help us because those who were supposed to help us and protect us will not listen
I wonder of those, if their real desire is to help those who may be hurting.
Not everyone who posts here comes to help others. Most find their way here with their flesh hanging off. Some help. And some in their anger and pain lash out because as above the real culprits won't listen
Maybe I'm out of order here, but its just my observation. ExJw "brotherhood" seems not all its cracked up to be either..........
What is it cracked up to be? The only thing I ever heard was from the WT. ex-JW were the scum of the earth. If that is all you see here then you are reading the wrong threads. There is awesome caring and support. People welcome strangers into their homes. They call those in pain. They worry about some we haven't heard from in a while. They share recipes . Last xmas we had a gift exchange and people sent gifts to people they didn't know. They welcome new people and answer questions. They offer unconditional love to those who come here. They trust when there is no reason except they have walked the same path. And no one tells them to act nice because the CO is coming or it is the Memorial or this is a public meeting and we have to lok good. They do it out of a real desire to care for others.
And scooby - go back and look at your first post here and see how many people welcomed you. We still welcome you to this place full of apostates
Rayzor......You know, I like you.
Where to start my friend......you had alot to say. I hope I don't just focus on one aspect of the forum and disregard the rest, I was sort of talking of the general direction this forum takes as a whole, and you're right I been here a while now and maybe I am a "Witness apologist". What draws me here? Hmm I wonder that as well.......... I think I like to see what exjws have to say about that what I once held so true (and probably do to a large extent still), you know, like what are they really saying, its almost a morbid curiosity. Occasionally I find a story that is so sad and I feel for that person so much, Bendrr talking about his parents visiting was an example, coz I feel like him.
I guess where I don't feel the same is on most other occasions where people here are so busy (or so I feel) attacking the org or jws that its seems like a nightmare version of the Kingdom hall that I left behind a while back, shunning has caused alot of pain to exjws, but from what of this have they learnt? To me they have now formed another even more exclusive club via this forum, its far more exclusive if you don't fit in, and certainly more vicious. Some should have learnt to move on as well I feel, but after 2000 posts on, I also wonder why. Why are they still here? they will say to help others out, but I see little help here, only a clap on the back if you can slag the WT off to a better extent than the last person.
Of course, thats not true for all. Some like I say are good people. I'm probably not one of them, I'm just a hypocrite, wanna be JW.,...yet something still draws me.
You did make sense. I hope I did too.
All the best Scooby (Scott)
I guess my take on it is that as a reilgion the WTS is a dangerious mind control cult and like any other might do a few decent things and have some good people but that does not redeem the organization in any mannor IMHO.
I think the leaders are evil and currupt and there is nothing good that comes from all their lies. I feel this way about most religions though as well. I think most of the people are good but the means doesn't justify the ends, especially when the 'ends' are a bunch of crap as well, broken dreams and proimises.
I still have most of my family and friends in the cult, I hope someday they will be free.
Ven
