Black Sheep

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Posts by Black Sheep

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  62

  Ok, now I know why you atheists get so spittin' mad at some believers.

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  cuz they feel like they're banging their heads against a wall.. i don't really fall into the category of atheist or believer, but i'll go where the facts lead me.

  that generally leads to atheism, and is why atheists end up getting mad and therefore rude at believers: they will lay out facts, raise questions, play devil's advocate, and reason in an evidence-based, structured way.

  i've seen it many times before on this forum.

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  Black Sheep

  When they complete the circle, use a question to bang their head on the wall.
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  31

  Are some JWs justified in staying in the org?

  by greendawn in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  most of us left the organisation because we could no longer stand one or other aspect of it, perhaps its very dictatorial administration, the disappointment due to the false promises and vain hopes raised by its leadership, disagreement with the blood ban or pedophile and shunning policies, the feel one gets that this is a business and not a religious organisation manipulating its members to its own profit etc etc.

  these are of course valid reasons for rejecting this religion and refusing to identify with it but do the jws who stay in have a valid argument for rejecting leaving the org?

  they will say: "ok our religion, our society has its flaws but what human society doesn't?

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  Black Sheep

  The WT claims that the church hierarchy are God's sole channel of communication.

  Is that true?

  If not .... what is a valid reason for knocking on doors to spread the message that they are?
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  169

  Challenge to Athiests - is Religion a Pox on Mankind?

  by jgnat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've spent the last few years examining my core beliefs to test what still stands.

  i've let go of an inviolate bible, demoted jesus to a failed prophet, and god as unable to act against injustice.

  our universe made itself.

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  Black Sheep

  One of New Zealand's leading theologians, Lloyd Geering, is an athiest, so you are not alone. From what I've read, he seems to think Christianity doesn't need to scrapped, but it does need to be dragged into the 21st century. I see that as being about as futile as trying to 'reform' the WT, but kudos to him for trying.
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  28

  Hello everyone! I could use some advice

  by SnailsPace2 in

  1. social
  2. family

  most of the time i just lurk .

  lots of times throughout the day.

  however, something has come up that i would like some advice on, especially from members who were exiting the jw religion with young children.. .

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  Black Sheep

  Just relying on a distraction tecnique isn't enough. He needs the skills to be able to work out for himself that the cult's teaching are bollocks. If you don't teach him those skills, Paradise, Armageddon, all seeing gods, fear of apostates and worldlies and all that other crap you exposed him to, will remain unchallenged with god knows what consequenses in the future.

  Until he has those skills, he should not have unsupervised contact with any member of any high control group, family, or not.

  http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Your-Child-How-Think/dp/0140238301
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  13

  Is their a table/list comparing what the WT & Awake magazines print that differs from their bound volumes ?

  by smiddy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have seen quotations from time to time that says the wt & awake magazines have been changed when the bound volumes come out , has anybody ever been able to list these changes ?

  and make a comparison .?

  to me this is quite deceptive , like speaking out of both sides of your mouth .if you pick them up on one thing then they quote something different , and have the printed page to prove it.surely they need to be nailed down on this.. smiddy.

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  Black Sheep

  I think it is a list of one
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  167

  this site sucks! its just a buncha athiest on soap boxes.

  by crossquestions6995 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this site is not a healthy forum for discussion or healing.

  its an arena for jaded athiests to bash anything christian or god related.

  yes, i know the jw's lied to us about god and the truth.

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  Black Sheep

  To be anti-something, the person has to believe that the something exists. Your insinuations that athiests are anti-god, or dislike god, or think god should be different, are missing a point. Athiests don't want to reinvent gods, or hate gods, they simply think that gods don't exist. I presume you don't believe the Watchtower's Jehovah doesn't exist, along with Allah, Santa, the Tooth Fairy .... same thing. There is nothing there for you to hate, or love, as they are not real to you.

  You're letting an accident of birth define you. If your Mom was a Muslim or a Jew would you be trashing non-Christians, ex Muslims, Scientologists, athiests, who?
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  12

  How jw parents do their best to make their some feel guilt

  by will-be-apostate in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've got a 6 years old brother who recently expressed his concerns about my spirituality.

  he said that he had a dream about me being dead (i am at college, far away from my parents).

  he also told my parents that he was afraid i would no longer be a jw and in that case he wouldn't hug me again anymore; and that he was crying and felt very sad.. my dad called me today and told me all this and more.

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  Black Sheep

  Give them a hard time for raising you in a religion with a history of prophetic failure, and a history of destroying families who's children leave because of those failures.

  That was their choice and they have to choose whether, or not, to destroy their relationships with their children when they can no longer pretend that the WT's failures are not covered by Deuteronomy 18:20-22. If they want to claim Jehovah hasn't failed, it is up to them explain any literature you bring to the table.

  Start with the likes of typing 'selling homes short' into their WTCD and asking them to explain what it means without changing the subject or treating you llike a knuckle dragging retard.
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  178

  Honest survey question on effectiveness of 'apostacy'

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems like lots of people have big dreams of 'destroying the watchtower'.

  it's usually linked to a story of how they were wronged and want some revenge.

  do these 'in your face' attempts to convince people that the truth isn't the truth really have an effect?.

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  Black Sheep

  'In their face' apostacy doesn't work well. The WT has provided them with coping strategies for it, so you need get cunning if you want to slip one past the goalie.

  It's better to have them wanting to answer a question they don't have an answer for, than dusting off their feet and looking for an 'honest hearted' person.

  A lot here have talked about having their doubts while in. Calmly raising a doubt to deal with has to be more effective than chasing them off chanting "Get behind me Satan!", even if it is just a doubt they have already been trying to bury. If they do have an existing doubt, why bring up a new one or try to send them off to jwfacts or sickscreams? They'll google them up when they are good and ready. Our job is just to get them ready and let them know that we are there to support them when they realise that the wheels have fallen off jehovah's chariot.
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  21

  Gosh, what do you do with people like this?

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok i'm chatting on facebook with a guy who's studying with jws, who isn't yet an unbaptised publisher because he can't kick the cancer sticks.

  now i don't believe in the bible anymore, but i say i do to get a bit of common ground with this guy.

  it's a common attitude among jws.

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  Black Sheep

  You can't do his reasoning for him because the WT has disabled that function. If you can't reactivate the function you might as well just take your kids to the beach.

  Ask him a single question that he would really like to have an answer for, but you know the WT hasn't provided sensible answers for, then keep him honest and on topic, pouncing on double standards and dishonesty, etc. using questions rather than statements. E.g. If he supports the WT by making statements that are contradicted by the WT, do not tell him he is wrong and why, make him promise to find the quotes he thinks exists and deliver them within a time limit so that he has to front up empty handed, slink off knowing he was beaten, or embarrass himself by getting caught attempting to divert you with a distraction technique as if he thinks you are some kind of retard.

  He needs to feel some guilt because he failed when you nailed him to the wall on one topic, not glee because he took you on a merry dance and never properly forced him to confront anything of importance to him.
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  72

  C,O's,D,O's from down under...who remembers??

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  wolford and betty john,nice loveing couple,always loved children.. arther and tinnie roderson, nice couple he passed away some years ago too young from cancer.. wiakato and hine gray couldn't ask for better people.. jack teesie ..single guy would never go to a single sisters place for dinner even if she had children apperantly a bad look.. joe sleighman and wife nice couple were d.o's leaft and joined our side.. sandy pannell and wife...he reminded me of bill clinton always love to look down from the stage and wave his left finger at the congro....never liked him.. han's hubler,nuff said has been a few threads started about him.. there is many more.. karter..

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  Black Sheep

  Found another photo including Ridling a couple of days ago. Lots of other old timers too. Generations now mostly dead. Been too busy to have a close look.