Posts by problemaddict 2

110

Just had a former elder friend tell me, “This Overlapping generation is crap.

by John Aquila in

last night i ran into a former elder friend, he is in his late 70s.

he asked how i was doing and i asked how he was doing.

then out of the blue he tells me; .

problemaddict 2

JW's greatest asset as a religion is its surface culture. Nice smiling people that are generally inclusive, and that will welcome you any place in the world. We know its abit of an illusion, but "the brotherhood" is its greatest asset.

Part of that is by creating an us vs them mentality.

Doctrine......has been watered down so much, that no 25-30 year old JW currently serving or a member of the congregation could have a proper discussion with anyone that thoroughly knows their doctrine. they just dont know. I would argue.....they just don't care.

That generation just wants JW.org tweets, a nice little group of friends, and to feel more special that everyone else. They represent the new push to just "listen, obey, and be blessed".

they can't explain and don't care about doctrine. This is fortuitous for the society in my opinion.

61

Today's Special Day Assembly Expenses and the $10,499 Deficit. Silent Majority?

by Tenacious in

today i attended a one-day assembly in my hometown.

i knew when it came time to read the afternoon expenses that it would be an incredibly high and ridiculous amount that was nowhere near the real expenses for that day.

sure enough, after lunch came the announcement.

problemaddict 2

Good grief. Its like a silent ticket scam. this is one of the things that bothered me when I was a JW apologist.

Lets be fair, bought and paid for there is probably still some property tax, cost of utilities, and some other minor things such as insurance etc... But not 19K for a day.

14

Talk with a witness, my " Final Showdown"

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

yesterday a witness friend asks why i don't attend the k.h anymore.. me:- " i don't say this often but your j.ws opinion is wrong" .

the end.. my reasons for this simple reply were:-.

a) i have grown tied of reading j.w crap.

problemaddict 2

Let me suggest an alternative if you wish to be direct, but not just creep people out.

You - "I just don't go for matters of conscience."

their response will be to ask more.

You - "I just can't follow teachings i don't think are supported in scripture, but I wouldn't feel comfortable discussing them with you, because I wouldn't want to affect anyones faith negatively. But that combined with brother Jacksons testimony before the Australian royal commission.....I......I just......I don't know"

(Now they really are going to want to be nosey) Wait....what?

You - "Ive said too much. Anyways, how are you?"

36

I'm sick of...

by freemindfade in

jw
friends

i'm sick of.... ...having an elder i barely know invite himself over to my house, and bring another asshole elder with him, you know, to "see how i'm doing" f-ck them.

...having same elder with all insincerity approach me at the beeting and before inviting himself over, ask, "how are you doing?

" then when i say everything is great, go ahead and invite them selves over anyway.

problemaddict 2

FMF,

I'm not on the disassociating wagon as some here are. That is a very personal decision. But as a result of not doing that, i have been able to wake up a couple people (they are still working their way out), and my wife it gone with me. I KNOW if I would have DA'd, they would have entrenched themselves and i would not have been able to speak to them. Of course, on the other hand, it is a slow pain. Some friends have "broken up with me" over the course of a couple years. Family doesn't know what to do or has hope. But we communicate. As long as I don't take that away, there in my mind is hope in the opposite direction.

I do however see the appeal of just shaking the etch a sketch and starting over though. I really do.

That being said, something that helped me be able to speak openly with my wife, was her seeing how the brothers treated me (we had a kangaroo court remove me as a servant, question my character, and try to trump up charges......it fell flat, but accelerated my fade).

Just kindly refuse their offer to come by. You can do so very kindly and matter of fact. it will be hard because of how irritating it is. Someone offered to come by the other day and here is my word for word response.

"If its for a beer and to watch the game, you are more than welcome to come by. If you are asking for aformal sheperding call, I think I will pass. But consider my invitation on the other thing ok?" **pats on shoulder....changes subject.

Works like a charm!

32

Washington Post in US: Jehovah's Witnesses Face Child Sex Abuse Investigation in Australia

by cultBgone in

it's finally hit mainstream media in the us!

let's hope some savvy investigative journalists see a pulitzer for opening up this story to cover the us and worldwide cases.. jehovahs-witnesses-face-child-sex-abuse-investigation-in-australia/2015/08/14/.

everyone who is able should hurry up and post comments on their website as the pro-jw forces have rallied and are trying to squash this as libel.

problemaddict 2

i think this may end with a whimper. they will have to hold some money in reserve to help victims, and there will be a law passed that bails them out of responsibility (satans world leading on protecting children ironically), by making all reporting mandatory.

But the most damning part of this is the most simple and indisputable fact.

Over 1000 cases of sexual molestation with minors in 50 plus years. Not ONE of them reported to authorities.

Not one....

Anyone with a soul would bristle at that very sad truth.

17

Current blood doctrine

by Warren Wilson in

i am new to this site.

i was a jw from age 8 to 28. i am now 48 and leaving the organisation is the best decision i ever made in my life.

anyway,could somebody please tell me the current jw mis-stance on blood.

problemaddict 2

Lee Elder is the expert on this, but if you ask the random JW, they will say they do not take hwole blood or bloods "main components" like red blood cells, plasma, white cells, and whatever the 4th is. Whole blood can leave the body and come back as long as it is part of a "current therapy" which has various definitions.

The most notable change that is really under the radar, is that rarely are people disfellowshipped for this anymore. Basically they were told to lay off people. All you have to do is be under duress when you took the blood, and you are free and clear. Even if you aren't, it would take quite a bit for them to make a major issue of it. Why? Good question. I am not certain.

My theory is that if it hit the news, it would appear JW's are forbidding their member certain types of medical treatment, which would continue to flame the fires of reconsidering them a legitimate religion in most civilized countries.

It is the golden nail in their coffin......and they are stuck with it. Even if they reversed it, the deaths of many memebers and poorly written and conceived previous articles martyring others, would bite them. Their acceptance of fractions in their mind did away with 99% of their problem.

I call this the life insurance doctrine. Its something you never think about until you need to. It seems so far off, and not a big deal, until its your family. Until its you. Until it becomes real that it is quite literally life and death. Its easy for people to say "well they are alive in Jehovahs memory as faithful servants", until you are looking at your child figting every natural instinct you have. And in reasoning with others from that place, you can come off as fanatical, because its so emotional. i have found this out the hard way.

Its a difficult subject to breach, even though it is EASY to disprove.

27

Psychology: Sick of Elder Low tone slow paced talk

by Aprostate Exam in

now after 21 years in professional psychology/humanities, i love talking to brothers that adopt a slow pace in speech, and low tone of voice when they deal with the rank and cold un-associated ones.

my mirroring their present state in personality seems to psych them out for a bit.

i then tap into my fast injection of logical sense, that throws them off.

problemaddict 2

Repeating things to elders in an even more slow and low tone than they are coming at me, especially when what I am saying is no doubt, infuriating......is one of my great joys in life.

But they don't come to my house anymore.

38

Thinking about taking my fiance to a meeting.. going as a "worldly person"

by OneStepOut93 in

i may take my fiance to a meeting.

give them fake names and just see how my fiance reacts.

he's been curious about seeing what i hated so much about the whole thing (not that he'll really understand everything, i mean of course he never will to my extent but)... i'd like to see what an outsiders view on the whole thing would be as well.

problemaddict 2

Oh man....I haven't been reading the WT much. You have to love that they still write stuff like this.

How appropriate that all false religion is likened to a prostitute! The clergy have prostituted themselves with the leaders of this wicked world. Instead of loyally supporting Jesus and his Kingdom, they have given their support to human rulers and have compromised godly principles just to gain political influence. They stand in stark contrast with the clean, virginlike anointed ones of God.

Lol @ virginlike in the wake of the Royal commision exposing the fragile and weak personas of these men. And never compromised godly principles just to gain influence? UN anyone?

Wow.....just wow.

Here are some other gems

Just think! At that time, we will be the only ones following the example of the ancient prophet Daniel by continuing to worship our God no matter what.

What will happen when Jesus comes “with power and great glory”? This will be a time for rewarding those who are faithful and for punishing those who are not.

4

Friends of All Sorts....

by wisdomfrombelow in

when i hear people say that you can't keep your jw friends when you leave i can understand why they say that.

however, i can also see how that is a generalization.

i remember my life growing up as a jw and having good friends who were jewish and catholic and protestant and buddhist and hindu and muslim and atheists.

problemaddict 2

It is rare to keep friends when you leave. But it has a lot to do with the quality of the individual, and their own markers for "spirituality". I have three tiers of people.

1) Friends, even long term friends, that just decided they could not "associate" with me anymore, or for any reason, due to m rejection of their faith.

2) People I wasn't really close with, that just fell of the planet.....not really friends to begin with.

3) A couple of close ones that hang in their, and have directly told me they love me and while they don't feel the way I do, short of me being some sort of crazy person or loosing it, they would continue to do so and never even thought about cutting off the friendship.

32

My parents sent the elders after me

by atacrossroads in

jw
friends

i stopped regulary attending meetings and going in field service in january.

the elders have left me alone for the most part i think because of my jw husband.

last week my parents came over and told me i needed to come back to meetings.

problemaddict 2

Good job. really focus on your husband. His comment you "associate with apostates" is a bit concerning. Help him see you are just trying to be true to how you feel. To live with integrity is what you have been taught your entire life, and that is what you are exercising your right to do.

I have a few great responses here that just shut it down, but stop anything from going further.

I tell people, "I don't want to affect anyone elses faith negatively, even in error. So I keep my questions to myself. However for matters of conscience, I no longer attend meetings of Jehovahs Witnesses. that is all i am really willing to share without being in violation of my first rule."

This in my opinion is the perfect FADER statement. In essence....you are doing the right thing, telling them what they would like to hear. Elders think it won't apply to them, and you just repeat it to them as well and act like it does. :)

Your parents lost it, but it get heated. Give them a break. Speak to them, be vague. I told my mother the following just last week when she offered my the return to Jehovah brochure.....and she accepted it. Wasn't happy, but accepted it, and she visited me and her grandkids this week. :)

"Mom I remember when I was young, you told me we follow God, not men. And if anything God was saying was different from what that WT taught, then you would choose God. You gave me a sense of integrity and loyalty to god over men from a young age. Because of things I know to be true that you probably don't know, and because of the evolution of the religious structure and dogma in particular over the last 10 years, I feel like I have to do exactly what you taught me to do. Follow my conscience over men. That is all I am doing. (I left my agnostic leanings and rejection of the bible as authentic out of it.....its too much at this stage).