Comments You Will Not Hear at the 8-7-05 WT Study (Good News)

by blondie 27 Replies latest watchtower bible

• 

  Blueblades

  History has proven that in the past, life was much worst than today. No nearer to the Kingdom then or now . Life goes on and on no matter how bad they try to make it.

  I remember Bro. SIDLIK, I think that is how you spell his name its late and I'm tired but I had to respond before I GO TO BED.!

  He said," Sure there is famine in the world, but there is a lot of eating, plenty too!

  "Sure there is dying in the world, but there is a lot of living too!

  Sure there is war in the world, but there is a lot of peace too!

  Sure there is sickness in the world , but there is a lot health too!

  On and on and on, no mention from him that that these things meant the end was near or the kingdom was coming soon because of it.

  The Watchtower can put a spin on anything as the need is for the moment.

  Right now they need to put a fire under the rank and file to get out there and keep preaching and preaching and preaching and preaching things are sooo baddd, not to worry Jehovah's Kingdom is coming, yeah baby, that's what we are announcing, don't you get it, huh! huh! huh! huh!Hey where is the nearest coffee shop?

  Blondie, in the words of Ralph to Alice, " Baby your the greatest" the honey mooners. Now that was reality.

  Blueblades, YAWN, going to bed, goodnight.
• 

  blondie

  Thanks, xjwms. I am amazed how much we know on JWD before the average rank and file JW.

  HB,

  I understand. I know not everyone on JWD reads my reviews, some find it stirs up bad, old thoughts, others have no need for the information. Pick and choose. Love, Blondie

  Carla,

  thanks. Your encouragement is appreciated.

  If JWs really felt this way, you couldn't keep them away from the doors. But they have been drilled weekly that non-JWs are bad association, profligate sinners, who are doomed, only a few who will every listen; that even if not a single person becomes a JW because of their "preaching," they will still get life everlasting on a paradise earth.

  Never thought about it that way, Blondie, but you are right on. This explains why there's such a disconnect between the admonition from the platform and writings and the field service attitude/behavior of the average dub.

  One suspects the WTS writers know that, which means their real motivation is to portray dubs as "witnesses" when in fact they are largely bystanders. Perhaps thats why they can say, with a straight face, that JWs are "known" for bringing the good news of God's kingdom to people's doors when, in fact, the average householder knows nothing of the sort. The WT study is nothing more than cognitive dissonance on display.

  Willyloman, I have thought this for years as I went door to door with many JWs wondering why they were doing it if they thought no one would listen, a self-fulfilling prophecy; hearing them say after a lackluster morning, "well, even if they don’t listen, I will still get everlasting life. No one listened to Jeremiah." The average person does not connect the good news of the kingdom with the JWs coming to his door, only pesty people selling magazines.

  Thanks, u/d

  (of the can't believe I swallowed that crap for so long class)

  ditto

  Thanks, stevenyc

  http://www.tvsurveys.com/billofrites/balance.htm

  Having Too Much Negative Is Frightening & Depressing to Watch — " We begin to feel frightened, and it really isn't as bad as they make it out to be ...It's too much violence...It's nice to hear something good, like an achievement. Or, because they've always done these stories on the bad part of welfare, report stories on people who've pulled themselves up out of it...Most of it is accidents or homicides...Have some stuff that isn't all crime related...After you get done watching news, you're thoroughly depressed...You almost don't wanna turn the news on, because it's all negative...If all we see is negative, it's gonna start our day off wrong, and we're gonna feel bad...We all need encouragement, and it's very depressing to watch nothing but negative news...We had a shooting on this street, then they tell you about a rape, and then a woman was carjacked, and they threw her out of the car, and the baby was in the car with the kidnappers, etc. You hear all that, and say `My God, I'm afraid to go outside!'...Probably the reason I don't watch the news on a regular basis is because I know the entire half-hour or hour I'm gonna be watching is just all bad news, bad news, bad news. It's all necessary to know, but it's little overwhelming."

  Good point; not sure about a quote from a fiction book though.

  The WTS is notorious for not telling the whole story as shown above.

  I wonder why they can’t give the source; what are they afraid of?

  Thanks, Rex. Detailed, thorough, don’t I wish; just the "highlights."

  Good point, jgnat.

  The constant, grinding message on the terrible state of the world is one of my major pet peeves about the Witnesses. Evangelicals are guilty of this too. It is as if they think they can hurry along Armageddon by eagerly seeking out evidence that the world is worse. I think it has a detrimental effect on the JW's psyche. I see little energy or motivation to improve their lives. After all, they can wait for Paradise.

  It is surprising since they are told they will have to work hard to improve their lives in the "new system," that it won’t be handed to them on a silver platter. They do it now at the KH, letting a few individual JWs do all the work. The Henny Penny effect.

  Glad to be of help, kazar.

  I need information such as this to prevent my mind from becoming confused and wanting to go back to the Witnesses. I have to keep the information that I am finding out now on this forum close to me to stop myself from doing something as stupid as that.

  We were and some still are being abused spiritually by the WTS. We see some women go back to their abusers and the same phenomenon occurs with ex-JWs. Some of the same reasons they do, apply to people who go back to the WTS. Convince yourself that they are not the only true religion and do not speak for God and that they do not have the right to judge who will live or die.

  Books to try

  Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse

  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1556611609/102-3871540-7022500?v=glance

  Combatting Mind Control

  http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0892813113/102-3871540-7022500?v=glance

  Hi, Gopher (is that baby running yet?)

  Secondly, how can they prove that EVERY Christian is supposed to be a preacher, teacher and evangelizer? They can try to use Matthew 24:14 and Matthew 28:19, but an impartial reading shows that those are prophecies that would apply to a group rather than commands that would apply to individuals. Didn't the apostle Paul write that among Christians there would be "SOME who are teachers, SOME who are evangelizers," etc.?

  Good point. Weren’t some supposed to be apostles and prophets? I wonder who the apostles are? The LDS has apostles.

  Thanks GGG,

  This is only the second week I've read your "Comments"..... but I'm thoroughly impressed !! Your post had me laughing, and shaking my head in disgust... So many of your conclusions are the same types of things that would go through my head every time I was at a meeting or read any JW literature.... YUCK!!! I haven't read a WT in a year, I had forgotton how horrible they make me feel..... It's like nails on a chalkboard...

  Yes, I do tend to appeal to many who are just leaving the WTS. It makes you wonder how many other JWs are out in the audience thinking the same things. My reviews started out when I was still attending meetings but not yet on JWD. When I started reading posts on JWD, I realized that these comments I wrote down could resonate with other posters. It was my way to maintain some sanity while I was still going, before I realized that I could stop going and it didn’t mean I had "left God."

  Welcome to JWD.

  Thanks, Zeke, for your support and "highlighting."

  I "get more out of the WT study" from your study then any highlighter I ever used.

  Me too, though I still highlight but I highlight different things than when I "studied" the WT.

  Hey, Blueblades

  Right now they need to put a fire under the rank and file to get out there and keep preaching and preaching and preaching and preaching things are sooo baddd, not to worry Jehovah's Kingdom is coming, yeah baby, that's what we are announcing, don't you get it, huh! huh! huh! huh!Hey where is the nearest coffee shop?

  Good summary of day "in service."

  Sydlik, I met that man too. He tends to be a "rebel" behind the scenes but when push comes to shove, he reverts back to a company man. He doesn’t want to be the second "Ray Franz."

  Great comments, everyone, Blondie
• 

  BluesBrother

  Textbook fallacious reasoning.

  p1 "Today people the world over feel they are drowning in bad news", Do they? then prove it. Show some estimate or an opinion poll - but their is none. Classic appeal to the "herd instinct" of the audience , an appeal to common practice. BTW , this will always go down well with the miserable so and so's that want to see everything negative.Also p.3 "In such a gloomy world" , where ? I have not noticed much gloom among my "worldly colleagues" .

  p2 "One person who was quoted..." one person?out of hundeds of millions, what does that prove?

  p9 " we perform our ministry not only out of a sense of duty,but also out of compassion" , an appeal to guilt - if you are slacking you are lacking compassion. Or even an appeal to flattery if you pioneer.

  A couple of first hand experiences that mean nothing. An old girl in her nineties who sufferred depression & was reached by a childrens book . and a terminally ill woman and clutched at straws in her dying days. Two sad people who may have followed anyone who took an interest and promised them hope. - however flimsy the argument.

  And notice they put a positive spin on a message of horrible death for the better part of 6 billion of us , truly "Good News"
• 

  heathen

  Great job again blondie . Just found your review . I notice how the WTBTS always makes it sound like they alone have a peaceful and happy organization . They clearly forgot to mention the facts that it's the j-dubs themselves that talk about depression alot not just an occassional dubby . I'm willing to bet these people they find on their last leg of health are easily sold on the idea that they may never have to die and the system is that close so they just jump on the band wagon . It just doesn't look ballanced at all when they print articles with their one sided slant of there's only bad news in the world and we can shut our eyes to the bad news in the organization such as the pedophile issue , immorality , and just plain hateful people that aren't worth the time I spent writing this comment .
• 

  willyloman

  I'm willing to bet these people they find on their last leg of health are easily sold on the idea that they may never have to die and the system is that close so they just jump on the band wagon .

  It's true that the dubs target -- or at least enjoy greater success with -- the weaker members of the herd, because they have so much to gain if the "truth" turns out to be true.

  It was my observation that a large percentage of dubs, often referred to as the "walking wounded," had some serious physical or emotional ailment. They came in looking for "magic" and suffered gut-wrenching disappointment when the magic did not appear within a few short years as promised. But they were so heavily invested by then, in the promise of better health, a new body, or a reunion with a dearly departed loved one, that they just couldn't quit.

  Even though they weren't contributing much to the congregation (by the standards imposed by the GB), these people hung in there. They tend to be needy, which which really pisses off the other dubs -- who are mostly in for the social and familial benefits. These uber-dubs like to say, "half the brothers are here to test the other half." That's the half they mean.
• 

  heathen

  Yah I bet they weren't too fussy over the petty issues when dealing with most dubbies . They probly handle those types with kid gloves . Of course the article doesn't mention whether or not this person refused blood transfussion or therapy because of WTBTS doctrine and thus died . I am healthy and I know one of the things that appealed to me about the belief structure was that God was soon to intervene and solve all my problems . That was one of the key points in the new testament . It's sad tho that they have all those people convinced they have to sell magazines in order to please God and that poor girl spent her last time on earth believing that.
• 

  Pistoff

  
  And once more the WT kills a few more depressed members of the rank and file.

  
  The routine is this:

  
  Pretend to be aware, and sympathetic, with depression issues. This is accomplished by articles in the Awake about depression that include seeing a health professional.

  With Jehovah's
  
  
  help, many who are overwhelmed by depression gradually develop the strength
  
  
  needed to cope and in some cases are even enabled to overcome that illness.
  
  
  (Psalm 40:1, 2) Indeed, by means of the power supplied through his Word,
  
  
  Jehovah is right now "raising up all who are bowed down."

  The real answer though is found in the Watchtower lessons. Right in black and white, depression is addressed twice in the same paragraph, NOT by seeing a professional, but by relying on Jehovah. Yes, we need a higher power to rely on; CLINICALLY DEPRESSED PEOPLE NEED HELP AND/OR MEDICATION. The WT is killing off it's clinically depressed members; I know of THREE who killed themselves due to depression, and they were textbook cases of guilty, depressed, perfectionist witnesses.

  PLEASE, WT, stop treating depression as a spiritually curable illness. It is a HEALTH ISSUE.
• 

  heathen

  I think depression can be a spiritual illness as well as a physical one but no one can tell unless they see a qualified doctor and run some blood tests or psychiatric tests . Of course the WTBTS won't help with any DR. bills . I also believe in the power of prayer and the healing of being around people that care of course everything in WT land is so conditional and foney that people would tend to see through it . I don't think just pumping somebody full of anti depresants is the answer either .