Posts by OneEyedJoe

17

"Religion gives us the Why"

by Phizzy in

i have heard this nonsense said by many believers, especially when science conflicts with their belief, they say:.

" well, science may tell us how we got here, religion tells us why we are here".

does religion tell us that ?

I watched a show a while back (I believe it was an episode of "Through the Wormhole") where it showed psychological studies that attempted to find the source of religion. One study was done with children, asking questions like "why does grass exist" or "why are there sunsets." (I don't remember the exact questions, but these get the point across) children of a young age overwhelmingly preferred purpose-based explanations. Grass exists so that cows can graze. Sunsets are there for us to enjoy. In some people, these purpose-based explanations for things never seem to get weeded out and that is a big contributing factor in becoming religious.

I forget who this quote is from, but I've seen it here a few times and I think it sums things up nicely. I'd rather have questions I can't answer than answers I can't question. In some ways it's feels good to think you have all the answers and have the self-assurance that comes with that, but to me it's vastly more freeing and exciting to admit that you don't have all the answers, but at least the one answer you do have is that there's not some lunatic in the sky watching your every move just waiting to punish you for living your life.

On netflix, there's a 2 or 3 part miniseries on the meaning of by stephen hawking. If you're not into quantum mechanics or sciency stuff in general it might be a little much, but in it he uses our current understanding of physics and math to come to a rather satisfying conclusion (at least for me) as to what the meaning of life is. It's worth a watch if you're interested in that sort of thing.

17

Jehovah Witness promotion of JW.org as the place to get answers to all of lifes important question is the height of arrogance

by Brokeback Watchtower in

we are hearing reports of this promotion of the website by the jw and it seems to be a resource for them to dodge questions of their faith, when they don't have or want to give an answer to a question they direct the house holder to the organization/corporation's website to get the answer as if it really existed.there.. i think soon they are going to drop the door to door work all together as completely unprofitable, i mean their donation arrangement is a complete flop and has cost them i'm sure so they are in the process of shipping as many as they can into building up real estate for the corporation, because that is where the money is right now.. the whole jw.org is just a complete failure as a source of good information and only scare away people except the most vulnerable/gullible.. .

.

OneEyedJoe

Viviane - If the website didn't answer all of your questions, then you clearly don't have the right heart condition and you aren't worth her time.

21

Giving comments at meetings that cause cognitive dissonance while keeping yourself below elder radar for apostasy

by Brokeback Watchtower in

well i'm sure we can come up with clever comments that make people feel uncomfortable by serving to decompartmentalize things that have been compartmentalized in the thinking of the average jw.

or comments that make the cognitive dissonance stand out plainly, these have to be said in innocent manner and with an apparent obliviousness to the contradiction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/compartmentalization_%28psychology%29.

OneEyedJoe

There's two different ways that I've come up with to do this, though I can't say I've gotten any results to speak of.

The first method is to give a comment as if you're a complete hardliner. An example of this is a comment I wanted to give during the book study a few weeks ago. The paragraph said something about his God cleverly had the Bible written in such a way that it exposed those with a"critical heart" my comment was "many people take issue with the fact that the good of the Bible on several occasions ordered the Israelites to kill every man, woman, and child of other nations, not even giving them the chance to accept God. But it is clear that anyone raising such objections simply have a critical heart." Basically the point is to apply the point of the paragraph in such a way that it becomes obvious to anyone with half a brain that it's wrong.

Thee other method is to introduced information that the average jw does not have, then explain it away on an obviously flawed manner. Maybe something like mentioning a doomsday predictor like Harold camping in a negative way, then saying something like "of course the Bible students expected the end to come in 1914 and again in 1925, but we know that they were mearly driven by their zeal in expectation of the great day of Jehovah."

65

The Fear mongering of this weeks WT study!

by stuckinarut2 in

have you all read this weeks study article?.

oh my word it is full of fear inducing tactics....doom and gloom outlooks.... anxiety inducing methods to develop absolute control over witnesses and cripple them in any attempt to think for themselves!.

(notice i am saying "themselves" rather than "ourselves"?!

OneEyedJoe

Good to know that even hunkered down in a basement the white men will still find time, razors and shaving cream to stay clean shaven. Also, it appears that the soul-patch exemption is still in place for black men.

17

Biology professor speaks out about Watchtower misquoting him

by EndofMysteries in

http://www.inquisitr.com/1766536/biology-professor-creationist-magazine/.

a biology professor is speaking out, demanding an apology and calling for an end to attempts to perpetuate lies against evolution after a statement from him was taken out of context in a creationist article in awake!, a jehovahs witness publication.

he says that a portion of his statement was picked from the whole, leaving a completely different impression from his actual statement.. .

OneEyedJoe

I really wish that the article (and Singh himself) hadn't mentioned exjws. That makes all this pretty much worthless to people like me trying to use the misquotes to wake someone up.

That said, it's great that this cult it getting even a fraction of the negative press that it deserves.

5

I just went to a "wordly" funeral/memorial service.

by William Penwell in

as my topic stated, i just came back from a co-worker memorial service that was not a witness.

the minister did get into the religious stuff a bit but that was expected.

i just respectfully listened.

OneEyedJoe

"god had called this person to heaven" and "that he only takes the best"

So where are all the immortal assholes?

21

Need help compiling a list of the latest changes in doctrine and practices

by jwfacts in

i have former jws looking at jwfacts.com in order to update themselves with what is happening with the religion, so that they can better understand their jw family.

it thought it would help if there was a page devoted to what has changed since 2000. .

2012 oct release of jw.org - jws encouraged to download their own publications and use ipads at meetings and field service.

OneEyedJoe

According to the Nov 14 WT we cab drink before meetings. This is a reversal from an article from about a decade prior.

Supposedly no more types/antitypes, but they're making an exception for the 1914 doctrine. (March QFR)

Bible reading reduced to 3 minutes during the midweek meetings. Bible highlights now only allows the brother giving the talk to make one point in 2 minutes. Demonstrations for brother on the TMS. (As of 2015)

All assemblies are 1 day (but mysteriously cost the same). No book study during the CO visit. (As of September '14)

Resurected ones are allowed to get married in the new system (apparently Jesus was talking about the anointed when he said they would be like angels . I think this was in a QFR from summer 2014.

New KHs to have a more commercial storefront like appearance (presumably for better resale)

Jw.org signs on KHs (a reversal on the previous insistence that they not use the WT logos on KHs)

50

Hello

by Garrett in

jw
friends

hello forum,.

i'm new here and not sure where to post.

so, i'm 21 years old and currently a baptized witness, however, i'm slowly making my mind up to leave and here's why.. first, there are certain things that make no sense to me in the organization.

OneEyedJoe

It sounds like you're already well on your way to an effective fade. you've made your depression known so you have an "excuse" (in your case it's actually a valid reason, most of us have to have to settle for an excuse to miss meetings) not to be at the meetings. If the elders start to bug you too much, you can always go back a little more for a while, then say you're moving. Go to another congregation just long enough to get your publisher card moved (sunday's only so they don't get too used to seeing you there) and if you talk to anyone mention in passing that you might have to move again soon. Once the publisher card is moved, never go back.

I haven't done it myself (yet) but this is roughly the procedure I've seen laid out a number of times. It leaves you as just a footnote in a congregation where they have no personal interest in you.

You're lucky to be waking up to the realities of life as a JW as early as you are. I wish I'd realized something was wrong before I was married and stuck in for the sake of my wife.

In the meantime, if you ever need to talk feel free to PM me. I'm no psychologist, but I know for me sometimes just writing things out with the knowledge someone else will read it is helpful.

Edit: Also, I'll just say - you're not alone in this by any means. There's nothing wrong with you that you don't fit in there. The things you've observed are universal throughout all JWs, and definitely represents a systemic problem. The organization is at fault, not your average JW who's usually genuinely trying their best to do what they think (or, more accurately what they've been told) is right.

92

GB says, "Our way of worship will soon be altered."

by Separation of Powers in

my mom called me yesterday to ask how i was doing.

i hadn't seen her in a while, so it was nice to hear her voice.

we went through the motions of jw small talk and then she started telling me about her co visit from last week.

OneEyedJoe

The GB will release 'new light'. "Recently new light has revealed that the governing body alone are the faithful slave, and were we not appreciate for the governing body having shared this new light? The trumpets of truth have shone more new light! Evidently, since the faithful slave is entrusted with all his master belongings, the faithful slave is actually the representation of the master, and as such, the faithful slave is to be worshiped as the master would be, because in worshiping the faithful slave, one is in actuality worshiping the master. From here on, all talks will be televised from the GB directly worldwide. All chairs will be removed from the kingdomhalls and replaced with prayer rugs. Everyone will bow low in worship as they take in the divine teachings from the master himself through the faithful slave, the governing body.

I think it's more likely to go something like this: Since the master will appoint the FDS as the master of all his belongings, how much more so should you do the same? The GB is proud to announce that they are willing to help you oversee all your worldly possessions. They'll provide legal services for you to sign over any property to them, as well as have your paychecks be auto-deposited in their accounts. They will provide you with an allowance that will cover your living expenses.

What a loving provision it is that they are willing to take responsibility for these unrighteous riches and material possessions to allow us to better focus on spiritual things and store up treasures in heaven.

72

Last nights meeting...

by DATA-DOG in

i know dubs are delusional.

i know dubs don't reason well.

i know dubs are a bit off, like many groups.

OneEyedJoe

Its been interesting reading everyones ideas of how old the the kid in the video is. I think it was planned that way. For people who WILL go very young with baptism - here is their role model.
For people who caution it shouldnt be a "child" well.......hes really "12-13 dontcha know" wink wink
I am basing my idea on the fact that we know they have always elaborately staged their illustrated work in publications and then encouraged people to derive meaning and comment on them at meetings.
They are finding that things they have put in to words have come back to bite them. Its very hard to be held accountable for things you put in to a picture.

Yep, the kid is sorta an ink-blot test. No matter what an individual JW thinks is the perfect age for baptism, they'll think the kid is that age.

The "what can we glean from the picture on page 12" questions at the meetings are always so irritating to me. From people's comments it's like they think because someone can stage a scene or, better yet, draw a picture that's proof that it's an accurate portrayal of reality. It's almost like the joke I've seen on TV shows a couple times - where the stupid character says something that rhymes as if the very fact that it rhymes makes it a true statement.

In any event, the kid is young but certainly not 6-7 years old and I've seen kids that young getting dunked. Even being older than that, what does every kid want? to be older. If they see a cartoon of an older kid getting dunked, they'll want to do it as a sign of their maturity. If they see a younger kid getting dunked, they'll feel guilty or inadequate. It's win/win for them.