Posts by sparrowdown

36

Brother & Sister-in-Law Return to Kingdom Hall After Two Decades, Quickly Get Stumbled

by TMS in

it was a mild surprise, learning that a brother and sister-in-law had began re-associating with jehovah's witnesses after at least 25 years of being away.

the couple, of hispanic ethnicity, are in their early 60's, with their five children all grown and independent.

the family had been considered nominal jws, infrequently attending meetings, rarely in field service, but using the annual convention as their family vacation.

sparrowdown

Call shovelling shit a "privilege" and everyone will be fighting over the job.

God, the GB must get a good laugh out of watching the R&F get all thingy about who's gonna clean the toilets and mow the lawns.

8

Conventions that are out of touch with reality

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

watching the news from the past few nights, i have come to the conclusion that the only convention that's crazier and more out of touch with reality than a jw convention is a us political convention.the strange-o show that is going on right now in cleveland, oh makes watching a bunker video look more sober and realistic by comparison.i have made the effort to do my civic duties as a voter, but these conventions require a devotion that is fanatical..

sparrowdown

I gotta say though, those Trump-ettes are a force to be reckoned with.

12

My 1st Unwitness

by HappyGal in

i have seen the witnessing carts pop up around our city.

there were no such carts when i left the jw's in the 1980's.

since leaving the organization i have survived (and thrived) by: .

sparrowdown

She left the kids in the van!! WTF!!

51

Why are anniversaries allowed but not birthdays?

by hyperpen in

the scripture quotes aside, i was always told that we don't celebrate birthdays because that is a celebration of the self, which has no place in jehovah's organization.

then why celebrate anniversaries?

anniversary celebrations are about the joining of two selves, isn't that twice as selfish?.

sparrowdown

I know witness couples who have had very large, very expensive anniversary parties complete with giant photos of the couple, speeches about the couples wonderfulness, dancing, gifts, the whole shebang. Mostly they are older couples the husband a much adored elder, the wife would win the stepford wife of the year award, children (if any) are at bethel or pioneering.... you know the type.

But birthdays? Noooo that's glorifying the individual, whereas anniversaries glorify Team Jehovah!

60

Are they either leaving or going full on 'cult mode'? No quarter.

by punkofnice in

it might just be me imagining things.. i hear things from my jw spies.. from all that's being said, it seems to me that the rank and file(tm), are either waking up to the scam and fading/leaving.

they are going full on 'cult mode' and acting like 'spiritual police'.. is it just me and my imagination?

have others noticed this?.

sparrowdown

I think this kind of polarization is not only happening but inevitable. Witnesses have always spouted a kind of "go hard or go home" rhetoric, but it was always just tough talk by most who had no intention of going hard or going home.

Now, with the relentless hard sell on the GT and loyalty to the GB it will become harder and harder to be a "luke warm" witness. I suspect.

8

Conventions that are out of touch with reality

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

watching the news from the past few nights, i have come to the conclusion that the only convention that's crazier and more out of touch with reality than a jw convention is a us political convention.the strange-o show that is going on right now in cleveland, oh makes watching a bunker video look more sober and realistic by comparison.i have made the effort to do my civic duties as a voter, but these conventions require a devotion that is fanatical..

sparrowdown

"...these conventions require a devotion that is fanatical."

The JW conventions are intended to whip up fanatical devotion to the borg also, the difference is that whilst at the convention JWs show their fanaticism on the inside then go home and shun the crap out of any who are not as fanatical as them. I'd guess that most that go these political conventions are fanatical whilst there, then, go home and are normal people again.

Either way aren't all conventions intended to do the same thing - whip people into a frenzy of blind devotion however they go about it?

24

Jehovah's Witnesses and racial prejudice by Werner Cohn

by slimboyfat in

race is asserting itself as a problematic issue united states once more.

i always thought jws had a relatively good track record on race.

they preach a world without prejudice after all.

sparrowdown

Wow. Interesting read. Many JWs I know are extremely and insultingly condascending towards non-white people.

For instance, in a neighbouring territory there were many african refugees that were targeted by the JWs and studies were started. At the CAs the sisters would take the children and "look after them" for the day and actually refer to the babies as chocolate babies! Not kidding, it was painful to witness the level of patronizing white condascension that occurred.

In my cong there was a Japanese sister that moved in who didn't speak much english and the Japanese/geisha girl stereotyping language that came from the brothers was just embarrassing for them and her.

Yeah, there are different types of racism, and JWs qualify.

75

I came here three years ago for support and to make friends

by KateWild in

jw
friends

this site is such a great and valuable resource and simon is to be commended for running it for so long.

when i first came i was in such a bad state and really needed support and friendship.

so many posters commented on my threads and showed genuine care some are real life friends, some are facebook friends, some i talk to on the phone and some are forum friends.. i have just realised though that everyone online is not your friend.

sparrowdown

Ahh Kate, how is it possible you do not see just how well liked and popular you have been on this forum?

Don't be blind to what you achieved here, all in a relatively short space of time.

For many posters here you "had them at hello."

And with all the challenges and limitations internet communication comes with you did make internet "friends" and you did get internet "support" - probably more than most get on here. There are posters of the male variety that have actually been way more gentle with you than they are to other posters -just my observation.

Oh, and BTW I'm pretty sure this place is a business not a charity.

To quote John Mayer "there's no such thing as the real world, just some lie you've got to rise above."

30

What would you like to have known about JWs before deciding whether to get baptised?

by slimboyfat in

if you could go back in time and tell yourself one thing about jws would you do it?

and what would you choose to say to yourself?

do you think you could have convinced yourself not to get baptised if you chose the right thing to say?

sparrowdown

I used to think that if I could go back in time and bitch-slap some sense into myself before getting baptised.

Now I think I would bitch-slap the bitch that sucked me into it instead.

19

JWs Demonstrating against the Demonstrators

by Listener in

the organization never ceases to amaze.you've got to see this video for yourself so i won't say much about it.

i wonder if this practice has been endorsed and sanctioned by the governing body and if we will see more of it in the future.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbuxbx1ktci.