Make Lemonade

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Posts by Make Lemonade

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  26

  Why isn't the world a frazzle?

  by punkofnice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  when i was a jw i had a lot of silly ideas that seemingly explained things i wondered about.

  arguments from ignorance or special pleading i suppose.

  actually, my conclusions were daft.. one thing i have wondered about and i don't know if anyone else has, is why man hasn't either rendered the earth to a cinder or why there haven't been more nukes go off against nations.

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  Make Lemonade

  I remember M. A. D.. I also remember the Cuban missile crisis and duck and cover drills in school. When the "Russians backed down" many regarded Kennedy as the hero. After investigating the matter further I think Kruschev's actions are what stopped an almost certain nuclear exchange. Remember that America did remove their missiles from Turkey as part of a Diplomatic solution.

  Practicle reasons do form a basis for policy as Humbled said. More is involved in the thinking process. As ex witnesses we can find many examples of people wakeing up because of an emotional reason as opposed to doctrine.

  Perhaps learning how to help people trapped in a cult, will translate into how to improve the dangerous world we live in.
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  4

  Ancient and classical beliefs with similarities found in the Bible

  by RetroTherapy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ancient and classical beliefs with similarities found in the bible.

  ive been studying religions and beliefs lately and ive been noting all the similarities they have with the bible.

  i havent even scratched the surface with my notes and im nowhere even near learning all of them but i think some of you might find what ive found so far interesting.

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  Make Lemonade

  "A Hero of a Thousand Faces" is a source for a great deal of information about religion past and present. The opinions of Freud and Jung are used to interpret the meanings of the myths discussed. Those you can take with a grain of salt and just stick to the past stories told by different religions in different periods of history.

  A follow up book you could read is "the integral vision" by Ken Wilber. You could argue that Ken Wilber believes he is the next step people shoud take. To me it is the most disturbing book and philosophy I have read since leaving J.W.s. It pushes all the wrong buttons. I will not be following Ken Wilber's discipline.

  What I did gain was insights into the big picture of religions. This can be useful in reasoning with people stuck in cults.
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  46

  my first post! (long read sorry in advance)

  by Letts Party in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  long time lurker, first time poster here finally looking to get some things off my chest.

  i've always been a very curious person with tons of questions about everything, and i also care deeply particularly about societal issues like social injustice, racism, and homophobia.

  that, coupled with how boneheaded all the elders in my congregation are (except for one), led me to ask even more questions that led me to find ttatt.. .

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  Make Lemonade

  Great Post. Thanks for sharing
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  2

  What do you know about "Personal Mythology?"

  by Make Lemonade in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  our group has been introduced to the term "personal mythology".

  so far we think this area of study has potential to explain the actions of the governing body and all in the "organization".

  perhaps not a substitute for the term "cognitive disonance", but an additional term that adds insight into the thinking of jehovah's witnesses.

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  Make Lemonade

  "There is nothing outside the organization." "Apostates only tear down, they have nothing to offer." Those myths are far behind my wife and I at this point. She just left for work saying, "I love this new job."

  Last night I finished "The Hero With A Thousand Faces." So many reasons for needing to read that book for myself. It benefited me in surprizing ways. One reason relates to choosing courses in a junior college or from a university. Both offer degrees related to drug and alcohol abuse counseling.

  So much to learn and so much to choose from.
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  83

  Blown away-- where to go from here

  by All for show in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i stumbled upon this website a few weeks ago due to the jw.org ridiculousness, since then i haven't been able to pull myself away.

  the thoughts, feelings, and concerns i have had the past few years aren't just mine.

  it's global.

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  Make Lemonade

  Welcome:

  It was very painful to realize that Jehovah's Witnesses do not have the "truth". Then you could go thru a period of making apologies to friends and family for teaching them something that proved false. Perhaps you could also start to think that you wasted your life serving men and not God. Hopefully you will reach a point were you are happy to have a new life. Part of your new life includes the realization that you did not waste anytime as a witness. What you experienced will be of great help to many people. Part of enjoying your new life is finding ways to benefit others with your unique experiences.

  Sounds like you will do just fine. Thanks for sharing your feelings.
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  20

  Is sex abuse in the Wt that big of a problem

  by joe134cd in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  before i start, i'm not a wt apologist and i am certainly not trying to minimise sex abuse.

  i was looking at the amount of sex abuse cases in light of witness population.

  just say wt ended up on paying out on 30,000 individual abuse cases.

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  Make Lemonade

  marked
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  2

  What do you know about "Personal Mythology?"

  by Make Lemonade in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  our group has been introduced to the term "personal mythology".

  so far we think this area of study has potential to explain the actions of the governing body and all in the "organization".

  perhaps not a substitute for the term "cognitive disonance", but an additional term that adds insight into the thinking of jehovah's witnesses.

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  Make Lemonade

  Our group has been introduced to the term "personal Mythology".

  It is new to most of us. So far we think this area of study has potential to explain the actions of the Governing Body and all in the "organization". Perhaps not a substitute for the term "cognitive disonance", but an additional term that adds insight into the thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even if it can only be applied to individuals that is helpful.

  Wikipedia has an article with references.

  What we would like is someone who knows this subject and can point us in a direction that will save us time and energy. Specific ways that the Governing Body can be explained as is in this catagory. Then how individual witnesses are not really in the "truth", but are actually in what can be more accuratley described as the "compromise."

  Thanks
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  126

  This is my first post

  by Make Lemonade in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i wanted to express appreciation to the members of this forum.

  there are resources here that are deep.

  like we heard from the stage, "what is your depth and breadth of bible knowledge?

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  Make Lemonade

  I have to make a correction. Jim McCabe did not use the word "slip". He used the word "Sneak"
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  48

  The Apostasy Within

  by Ultimate Axiom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the latest watchtower (july 15, 2014, page 14, paragraph 10) it says; today, jehovahs people are not often confronted with apostasy within the congregation.

  still, when exposed to unscriptural teachings, regardless of the source, we must decisively reject them.. so, not often, but occasionally jws are exposed to apostasy within the congregation, and they are instructed to decisively reject it.

  as we all know, the vast majority of the apostasy they are exposed to comes from the governing body.. i am meeting up soon with an old friend from the 1970s who i havent seen for decades, who is still an active jw, and who would really like to hear what i think about things.

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  Make Lemonade

  Very interesting details about your friend. Your experience highlights your friendship. We heard that people would listen to us if we showed we cared for them. Your friend is listening and discussing issues with you. That is not the mold the GB try to force their followers into. You have overcome that programming with your friend. You have shared a positive and practicle experience.

  I have to agree that many Jehovah's Witnesses fit your statements: "His position is somewhat unusual, and not one that would have GB approval................if this isn't the Truth, then who has it?............a great part of it is also a lifetime of friends and all his family are Witnesses."

  Many long time Witnesses are having to create "Compromise" rather than having the "Truth".

  Looking forward to what he says regarding the "false prohet" subject.
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  10

  What happened to member "Amazing"?

  by EdenOne in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have read last night the personal story of forum member "amazing", which he posted in 19 installments about 12 years ago.

  there are so many things about his experience that i can relate with.

  he seems to have vanished from this forum, for his last post as "amazing" was about 3 years ago.

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  Make Lemonade

  Thank you for this valueable information.