TheListener, I have a question. Why did the Society stop using placards?
The New and Hidden Class Consciousness of Jehovah's Witnesses
by truthseeker 45 Replies latest jw friends
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love2Bworldly
This is an interesting thread, really makes one stop and think. I really think the Borg is going to keep decreasing in numbers as other countries become more involved in the Internet.
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Fatfreek
Excellent recap of your feelings, TheListener. Thanks for sharing.
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dorayakii
Yay, you were decribing me. It was my first meeting today for almost a year having moved back from Paris to my parents home so i'm once again in the "class" of people you describe.
They can do much good, and perhaps drop tiny seeds without other JWs really noticing, but I fear for them because you are right that such a double life must be a strain.
The amount of "tiny seeds" i dropped today at the book study particularly to do with the erroneous 618 BCE date for the siege of Jerusalem and the unreasonableness of Daniel being in his 100s when most scholars say he died at the age of 85. I'm not sure if anyone takes any notice though, because they all think i'm soooo faithful being the son of an elder and a pioneer and they view these seeds as part of the "extra research" which i've always done... they seem to ignore anything negative... and i suppose, as well, that everyone at the book-group today was more caught up with me being back home after a year than specific points i was making.
All in all i think its useless to try and "reform" the Society as a whole. I may be able to get through to some logical individual close friends of mine, but i have to be cautious because the risk that they might turn against me and disrupt my fade is too great...
Yep, it can be a hellova strain (especially trying to convince my parents that i was going to meetings in Paris) but i think i'm able to deal with it for the time being. My immediate plans are to get myself financially independant and try and fade. A quiet fade will be difficult though because of whats expected of me... my family has a high profile in the congregation and in the circuit... and all those silly promises i made on the platform when i was a child (about going to Bethel and making a career out of Regular Pioneering) are coming back to haunt me.
Well i've been posting regularly on JWD for about two weeks, (mainly out of coming-home anxiety), and i'm sooo happy to havefound a group of people that have similar views to me and i hope to actually meet a few people maybe at an assembly or nearby congregation that are in a similar situation. Although the internet has been wonderful in destroying any little remnants of faith i had in the bOrg, and in putting me in contact with like-minded people, it would be such a catharsis to actually be able to TALK instead of just type...
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Martini
Hi,
Interesting comments. I'm not an authority on this subject,however if I may ,I could tell you that your words are an echo of what was already known back in the mid to late nineties, perhaps earlier. You are correct, the advent of online discussion boards broght to the surface an entire 'class' if you will of sincere doubters or better identified as witnesses experiencing "cognitive dissonance ". Individuals who could sense something was seriously wrong with theocratic (Watchtower) teachings,rules and regulations but could not pin point what was wrong. In my opinion many of the "bold ones" who dared visit "apostate" websites 5-7 years back, like myself probaly numbered 5 to 10,000 . These I believe have moved out of the WTS and have moved on with normal life. I say this because I have noticed a gradual fade of these early participants from these sites. I could be wrong.
How many are there today who are experiencing "cognitive dissonance"?Judging from the fact that several of these websites like JWD continue online tells me there are yet 100's of thousands experiencing the same feelings regarding this Religious/Cult. In my opinion like a stream of water as opposed to a torrential rain this exodus will continue until wide spread reform occurs. My belief is that JW will be as fun a religion to belong to as any other fun one. I imagine this will occur in several decades from now, but one day going to a Kingdom Hall will be all about meeting good friends, short sermons and lots of singing.At that time there will actually be a reversal in membership.If I'm still alive, I may actually return to the fold!! (choke)
Martini
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truthseeker
Interesting comments Martini. Discussion boards like H20 and WOL proliferated back in the mid 90s.
A few of the pro-JW boards went apostate, some of the founding members became inactive.
The kids of witness parents today are the "lost" generation - lost before it's even realized. A quick Google on Jehovah's Witnesses and all the Society's skeletons come tumbling out the virutal proverbial closet.
I think there are 100,000s of doubting witnesses - probably not a few would like to leave but are tied to the cult by their family.
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Tristram
Martini,
Nice thoughts about potential changes (its what I would ideally hope for to save my sanity) but I don't see it happening. If anything things are becoming more strict, stern and legalistic.
Speaking of the old H20, does anyone remember a poster named Nicodemus? I think he was an elder at the time that always had some good insights. Nicodemus, if you are out there, pm me.
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ljwtiamb
I personally know of several other 'double-lifers' like myself.
Often I wonder how many there are like us at each assembly and convention.
There's always a fear in the back of my mind that one of us may someday feel some twinge of JW guilt and out the rest of us.
That fear has dissipated over time.
What if we came up with a secret handshake or phrase to identify each other. Eventually, the elders would learn about this and use it to filter us out.
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prophecor
There surely is no way of telling how many thousands are here who are viewing this material. The only barometer to determine the degree of this activity, and that's not even a good one, is to look at how many new ones come in on the boards every month. Some may be sincere in their searching, others are plainly here to stir up contention ( The Bloody Trolls), but there is an invisible line of those who lurk in the darkness. Some of them probably even recognise you from history. They don't say anything, they just sit on the sidelines and prefer to watch the game as opposed to being participants. You'll never truly be able to fully comprehend how many are watching, paying explicit attention.
Remember how we were told in the Kingdom Hall how there were those not in " The Truth " who secretly and quietly supported the Kingdom Work, with finances and moral support? The inverse opposite is probably the reality, that of witnesses armed with computers, with unlimited access to the internet. With PC's quickly becoming as common place as color TV's and our Cell Phones, the likelihood that there is an unknown army of witnesses, ( in good standing and priveleged positions ) with the information that we've been blessed with here, should not be taken lightly. We can no longer assume that this board and others like it are just another quiet place in cyber space, where we as ex-witnesses alone share, but one that is speaking with a strong and loud voice where those on the inside can not ignore.
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hopetofade
I am of this class and totally agree with your analogy. I have one person in the congregation who is more or less like me also. We spend a great deal of time criticizing what's going on. She's a little more ingrained than me as she has been at it all her life. But even she can see what's going on. I directed her to the UN site. She felt it was disturbing, but I'm not sure that she believed it. I've been thinking about giving her this site so she can get some more food for thought. I am most definitely living that double life you speak of - frustrating!