Amazing

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Posts by Amazing

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  49

  Do you recall your "point of no return"?

  by JH in

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  was there something special that happened, an event or maybe a deception, that triggered your point of no return as a jw.. .

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  Amazing

  JH,

  Yes, it was November 1991, right after KM School for Elders and MSs. I had just finished reading Franz's second book, "In Search ..." and made my decision, given the weight of all the evidence, to no longer view myself as one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I resigned my position in April 1992, and started the fade process in May 1992. But, it was November 1991 that I reached the point of no return. It was then all about getting my family out of the organization, which took about seven or eight more months ... it was worth every damn minute and effort and skillful planning to make it happen.

  Good topic ... good thread ...

  Jim Whitney
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  4

  Online Faith debate between Sam Harris and Andrew Sullivan

  by GetBusyLiving in

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  has anyone else been following this online debate?

  its incredibly good.. http://www.beliefnet.com/story/209/story_20904_1.html.

  gbl.

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  Amazing

  GBL,

  Yes, it looks like a good debate. Harris, like many athiests or anti-religionists, make the same old tired, worn-out argument that all religion is bad because some Islamic nutcases, or some Christian nutcases, do evil things in the name of God. None of this really has anything to do with faith, especially on a case-by-case basis for each individual. I could make the same old tired argument about athiests and the irreligious by noting how Nazism and Communism (both basically athiestic systems) caused even worse carnage and wickedness, and thus anything and anyone not espousing belief in God is harmful to humanity. We could use these arguments to blast any ideology or movement. These arguments are an extension of ad hominem and guilt by association. The underlying problems are really about how nutcases misuse any belief system to do wicked things. When we take out the nutcases, then what is left really need not result in a debate anyway.

  Jim Whitney
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  17

  Do you know what your last name means and where it comes from . . .?

  by Justahuman24 in

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  i have always been interested in what last names mean and where they come from and if someone famous in the past is related to us because of the same last name.

  my last name comes from greek but my family is not greek.

  it dates back to the year 700ce and it was around the time in europe when people were starting to get last names - i'm talking about the general people not monarchs.

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  Amazing

  Yes,

  "Whitney" means "White Island." We gave my oldest daughter a beautiful last name by accident, Jennifer Lynn Whitney, meaning "A white wave cascading against a white island."

  Jim Whitney
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  5

  Eldership Apprentice Program

  by Verona in

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  our visiting co mentioned that this is a new arrangement that the society is implementing shortly.

  it was apparently brought out at the last elders school.

  does anyone know what this consists of?.

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  Amazing

  Verona,

  Without details it is hard to say exactly what they intend. If it is a program to train Ministerial Servants toward serving as Elders, then this is simply a new name for what has been an on-again, off-again type of program. Likewise, if it is something related to training less experienced Elders by more experienced Elders, then once again, it is another name for an ongoing program of continued training for Elders.

  Nothing the Watchtower does exictes me anymore ... about the only interesting thing would be for them to sell off all their assets, give the money to the poor, and victims of child abuse, and close shop forever.

  Jim Whitney
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  13

  Cold Reading and the supernatural

  by Dogpatch in

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  i just finished doing a consultation with a woman who is still struggling with guilt and manipulation left over from the watchtower, and i introduced her to the concept of cold reading.

  i think its good for people to understand this subject, something very important in exit-counseling, when people feel that a group or leader is right because they know so much that seems otherwise unknowable.

  i thought i would share this article for some of you who aren't familiar with the subject.randy.

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  Amazing

  Randy,

  Excellent material. Thanks. Also, another good expositor is James Randy, who has debunked various mystics, including Nostra Damus. He shows how these charletons mislead people. I think it is essential for ex-JWs, and JWs thinking about leaving the organization to read some of these sources, and then observe how the Watchtower has employed many of these methods in their literature. I always love the phrase found in the magazines, "Thinking persons will believe, ... realize ... underetand ... " and then they make their point. Who in the world does not want to be a "thinking person" ... and thus through this subtle means, manipulate the readers of their literature.

  Jim Whitney
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  56

  CONFIRMATION new watchtower mag arrangement

  by yesidid in

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  it was announced at the service meeting.

  so it's definately a goer.

  starting jan 2008. .

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  Amazing

  Another way to look at this, is that the GB know that WT study articles are boring, stupid, and do not appeal to the public. So, they would rather issue one that presents their marketing image, and then one that they use to inculacate (indoctrinate) the JWs with their nonsense. Kind of like the Pied Piper who enticed children with his candy and charm, and then once inside the walls of Candyland, the slavery and abuse begin. (Believe me, those study articles are mental abuse ... as they are unfounded, boring, nonsense that numbs the mind and reduces the reader to a mind-numbed robot.)

  Jim Whitney
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  56

  CONFIRMATION new watchtower mag arrangement

  by yesidid in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it was announced at the service meeting.

  so it's definately a goer.

  starting jan 2008. .

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  Amazing

  AudeSapere,

  They are trying to keep ahead of the Apostate Grapevine of Truth.

  Spot on! But, they will never be able to stay ahead of us ... because we will blog them do death with analysis and critical thinking so that by the time JWs see the change, many will see it for what it is, that is, as Freetobeme said, "Seems like a lame change to me." Jim Whitney
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  8

  By their fruits

  by Bobhere in

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  i am not saying that all elders are heartless but i do believe the wt rules lead them in that direction.. after i was df i continued to go to all the meetings.

  at one of the meetings an elder who was on the commitee that gave me the boot was giving my 10year old son counsel on his student talk.

  he said that his talk was good and that if he needs any help with his next talk he would be happy to help him.

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  Amazing

  Hi Bobhere,

  I am not saying that all Elders are heartless but I do believe the WT rules lead them in that direction.

  Exactly. When I became a JW in the late 1960s, it was different ... not what we would still want, but better than it is now. And, judging from what I have observed since I left nearly 15-years ago, it is only going to get worse. Your son and you and your wife and any other children deserve much better than putting up with the JWs.

  Welcome to the board ... hang in there ... we are all here if you need us.

  Jim Whitney
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  21

  What a woman REALLY means!!

  by crazyblondeb in

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  i will be very honest and say, "i currently do all of these things"!!

  ) fine: this is the word women use to end an argument when they are.

  right and you need to shut up.. .

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  Amazing

  No wonder we men feel like we are screwed no matter what we do!

  Ladies, here is one for you to chew on were we to put it all in writing:

  A woman at work once told me: "The smallest book in the world is what men know about women." True, you women do a great job of keeping us confused.

  I responded to her: "The largest book in the world is what women think they know about men." Women often presume a lot about men that is simply not fact.

  Jim Whitney
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  17

  Do you feel as if you have to justify why you aren't JW anymore?

  by JH in

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  are we playing there game, by having to justify ourselves, why we don't go to meetings anymore, or why we left the org?.

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  Amazing

  JH,

  No, we justify nothing. We post to air our specific concerns, share information, help opne another and new ex-JWs ... and to stay in the face of the Watchtower ... we are not going away as exJWs did in the 1940s through the 1970s. Instead, we are going to continue as we help more leave, and help bring about civil or even criminal justice on behalf of victims of abuse. When the Society finally grows up, and becomes a good social citizen, then they will one day be left alone to belief in the less harmful views, like a paradise earth.

  Jim Whitney