Posts by Alive!

29

"The purpose of reporting field service time is for encouragement"

by HereIgo in

i was told this when i was an aspiring jw, aka unbaptized publisher.

the above explanation didn't make sense to me then and it never did make sense throughout my jw career.

over time, it appeared to me the real purpose of field service time reporting was to gauge one's spirituality and for the ceo *cough* co to make sure the elders were on top of things during his visit..

Alive!

Keeping time, announcing Aux and Reg Pioneers created unneccessary 'ranks' within the ranks....I myself succumbed to the temptation to be one of the 'extra-spiritual' ranks by aux pioneering occassionally. I did do it out if a desire to please God, but I can't help admitting that the external pressure of being 'seen' to be acceptably spiritual was part of the whole thing. We had no choice, it's set up that way.

I came to see this as unhealthy way to be seen as 'spiritual'.

Calling brothers 'pioneers', 'Aux pioneers'...who needs this in an already stressful and competitive world?

23

last psychology session tomorrow

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

so tomorrow is my last appointment with my psychologist.

we are going to commemorate it by giving each other a letter.. sept 2016 i sat, a quivering wreck, in her waiting room.

i was terrified.

Alive!

Look at you ! 💐💐💐

From another 60 odd year old who is also growing anew after many years living an unhealthy mix of low self evaluation coupled with high level anxiety to be 'loved' and accepted 🙂

5

Lott video and " Vanity" of modern JW women

by Diogenesister in

one thing i picked up from the " remember the wife of lott" video was the amount of time the jw women gave over to improving their looks.. in days of old i doubt a jw wife would have been portrayed in a salon having a lot of beauty treatments .. that's not to say it would be looked down on, per sa, i just doubt it would have been portrayed on official propaganda videos as an acceptable way for jw women to spend time that could be otherwise given over to promoting " kingdom interests".

given the way the org uses anything to belittle women i'm surprised they let those scenes fly without negative comment.. just a minor point ....i know the vids have been done to death by now!!

!.

Alive!

The percentage of JW women who are obsessed or over preoccupied with wardrobes, cosmetic (plastic etc) enhancements is an eye opener.

I know a few who had extra bedrooms converted into wardrobe rooms, with bags and shoes and everything itemised, categorised and arranged like one gorgeous, luxurious shop.

What makes this so particularly 'odd' is how it fits in with their full time Christian life.....they belong to a religion that condemns their female counterparts in other Christian faiths (perhaps women who work tirelessly in charities or services to provide for the poor, abused and needy)...and yet cherishes these Botox filled and thoroughly preened from top to toe 'women of God'.

I don't think they really get how the 'world' sees them. Sure, their grooming is admired, but non-witnesses DO NOT see such physical sharpness as a truly Christian quality or sign that this person is a humble Christian.

I remember an extended non-witness family member once laughed out loud at a convention...she said it looked like a day at Ascot rather than a Christian meeting.

i thought it was sour grapes at the time - but on reflection, she just said what she 'saw' and how it looked.

And I honestly don't mean to be sour grapes myself - but it's since withdrawing that I can see how 'silly' it all was...and witnesses love it, it elevates the group, it 'looks' good.

Yet only in a worldly way....People will be attracted for an askewed reason, it seems to me.

Again, I'm not being bitter or snarky - it's just I see the oddness of it all now.

44

Why Do People Become JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

?.

Alive!

By the way.....back in the 80s it was different.

Full and comprehensive answers were welcomed from the brothers and sisters.....not the pared down sentences lifted up from the publications.

Again....impressive.

44

Why Do People Become JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

?.

Alive!

It's worth pointing out that this....

My initial intro to a JW was an intelligent, articulate and kind woman, successful in business, creative and a knock out sense of humour. She then introduced me to a small group of her friends....it would be hard not to like them.

Our studies were interesting....we talked for hours. When I went along to my first meeting I was impressed by the articulate and meaningful answers given at the Watchtower study, and the 'talk' would have been excellent. (Can't remember the title, but I know I was absolutely intrigued)

The congregation was mixed race, very well groomed and I was introduced to brothers and sisters who were clearly smart, successful and yet earnest and eager about the Bible.

My own 'worldly' friends and extended family were also entirely comfortable with meeting and mixing with my JW friends and had nothing bad to say about them.

Believe me, it's a powerful mix.

Think of the many forum members here who write with sincerity, who capture our attention....who are respected - well imagine such characters being JWs....imagine being taught 'what the bible really teaches' by some of the clearly fine folk here.....such 'teaching' in such hands is highly persuasive....and impressive.

Dont underestimate how 'good' it looks and feels from a non-witness perspective.

There are some darn good people who were/are teaching God in the JW way - Some of those people are here in this forum.

I know many, many JWs who would really impress.....and by their very manner and apparent way of life would disarm immediate suspicion.

Think about it.

44

Why Do People Become JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

?.

Alive!

stillin28 minutes agoOnly speaking for myself, I saw value. Principles that weren't really honored in the churches, like honesty, and pacifism, and loyalty. I really felt that these people were taking a solid stand against the "darkness" do the world. Like the ones who stood up to Hitler. This seemed like just the thing. The Bible seemed to be the key, the people were friendly, etc, etc ad nauseum.
So I joined, let myself be separated from my friends, I had new friends now. And I toughed out the details for more than 30 years until my bullshit meter started howling, "too much invisible shit! Too much invisible shit!" And I realized that knowing the "party line" to answer any questions is not true wisdom. Knowing when to say "I don't know" is the beginning of wisdom.

My experience practically to a T.

Like you my 'bullshit' meter was screeching.

Since fading away, the madness seems to have intensified in the whole 'production'.

And after I had 'faded' I followed the Australia RC, watching each video.

I felt sick. I felt justified in walking away....I coukd not uphold this kind of behaviour, manipulative language and ducking and diving and 'recruit' hopeful seekers into this organisation.

Clearly something as terribly wrong.

44

Why Do People Become JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

?.

Alive!

I was close friends with several 'converts' and then myself....about five...two in particular were my closest friends.

Each of these close friends were above average intelligence (successful careers, management roles etc)

I'd say each of them was kindness itself, but looking for answers.

'Born-ins' flocked around them and became their encouragers, inviting them to every social function...and back in the 80s and early 90s, it seemed like indeed the JWs had a special insight into scripture.

i hated churches and religion.

JWs said 'religion is a snare and a racket'

I could read the signs from a world perspective that our planet and society was heading for big trouble.

JWs said read Mathew 24 and 1Timothy 3....and try Revelation 'He will bring to ruin those ruining the earth'

It's all heady stuff......and of course there was so much more that 'struck a ring of truth'

Sadly, it revealed to be something else, but at the time, giddy with the pressing 'love' of everyone (born-ins) and overwhelmed with the prophetic evidence.....we wanted to do what seemed to be right.

We had no idea what lay in store behind the smiles and the out stretched hands.

We didn't realise what folk were hiding.

I'm still the half way decent person I've always been - I don't consider myself a 'sucker' for trusting such a extraordinary performance by a global crowd.

And I can tell you that my 'worldly' friends and extended family members (again, successful and socially adjusted folk) were mightily impressed by our witness friends and said they really were special people.

So there you go.

26

My Introduction

by Ray Frankz in

this is my first post and i'm feeling like i'm doing something bad big time!

i know on my mind it isn't, but the feelings are less manageable.. well, since i'm still a jw it's better not to give too much info, but i'm from brazil.. i've grown-up in the religion and practicly all my family, my closest friends and my girlfriend are loyal jws.

i used to be a regular pioneer but i still have a service privilege on my congregation.. i've had questions about the teachings of the wt since i was 10, but naturally i always pushed it away as it were "questioning the holy organization".. i started a friendship with some people in a course i took and we talked about a lot of subjects.

Alive!

Welcome.

Quoted the above .....spot on.

26

My Introduction

by Ray Frankz in

this is my first post and i'm feeling like i'm doing something bad big time!

i know on my mind it isn't, but the feelings are less manageable.. well, since i'm still a jw it's better not to give too much info, but i'm from brazil.. i've grown-up in the religion and practicly all my family, my closest friends and my girlfriend are loyal jws.

i used to be a regular pioneer but i still have a service privilege on my congregation.. i've had questions about the teachings of the wt since i was 10, but naturally i always pushed it away as it were "questioning the holy organization".. i started a friendship with some people in a course i took and we talked about a lot of subjects.

Alive!

- The organization fosters a kind of Darwinian spirituality, so-to-speak, as a survival of the fittest

47

Are JWs "mind trained" to be habitual liars?

by nonjwspouse in

i don't mean overly obvious, or otherwise meaning to cause harm, but taught to lie for the purpose of avoidance.

this type of lying can be pervasive in areas of life that are not just to avoid discussions with people who have questions about the jw, etc.

my husband will lie/be deceitful about the silliest, simple things.

Alive!

This trait of deceit is such a strange thing to find amongst 'the most honest people' in the world....

I do think there is a critical honesty regarding things like stolen goods, finding money etc, being given too much change! most JWs I know would be very honest over these things, avoiding being caught up with anything that smacked of taking something etc.

But when it comes to communication, it's like the JW culture overall fails to act in a truly generous nature of respect where other human beings are deserving of respectful treatment....if that makes sense...in that there are smoke screens, things held back....

And then you see this permeating into the JW population. It's really noticeable.

But then, individuals and groups behave like this everywhere......its just particularly weird amongst people who spend hours studying words and scriptures on being truthful!