Posts by cyber-sista

113

Say Something Only A Jehovah's Witness Would Say

by minimus in

jw
friends

i'll start.

"at least i know god's name is jehovah!

".......any others?

cyber-sista

Aloha Red shoe...Yes, I remember those ones "taking the lead" "those gifts in men"

bikerchic...Thanks for reminding me about Stoops manufacturing (cring). I admit I bought one of their industrial book bags once. It was very ugly and weighed a ton, but it fit all the JW literature perfectly. I always felt a little strange about Stoops making a profit selling stuff for JW use, but I guess that was the name of the game. That new worldwide donation purse (pictured) in your link is really going a bit far I think--I feel sorry for anyone who would subject themselves to carrying that thing around...

here's the link again--if you want to cring

http://www.stoopsmfg.com/

113

Say Something Only A Jehovah's Witness Would Say

by minimus in

jw
friends

i'll start.

"at least i know god's name is jehovah!

".......any others?

cyber-sista

Buy out the oportune time for yourselves because the days are wicked!

translation: Don't ever do anything fun or not WT related....the only worthwhile pursuits are WT related: meetings, field service, study, personal study and more study...

THE society, THE organization, THE brothers, THE worldwide brotherhood, THE friends, THE worldwide association of JWs, etc, etc.... now it sounds rather like THE mob or a cult to me

41

Incense Burning - Geez, These Guys Have a Rule For Everything!

by worldlygirl in

there seems to be a problem with incense burning now!

this is from the watchtower website: http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2003/6/1/article_01.htm.

a) they are running out of crap to publish.

cyber-sista

gitasat...I agree.

I have just recently left after 20 +years and it really seemed to me that they were pushing so many over the edge with more and more extreme views and what seemed like senile reasoning on everything--everything was seeming to be more and more out of wack. The summer before last was the last assembly I attended with my daughter (she is out now too) She looked at me half way through the assembly and said something along the lines of "you know if you didn't have any background in this it would make no sense at all." There was a lot of ranting and raving going on--it really felt like the GB was tighting the belt on everything. The young people were especially attacked for absolutely everything that any normal young person might want to do. There was a major push for pioneers and bethel workers--anything else in life was viewed as a waste of time. I felt upset and unsettled during the whole program. I think it was suffering from some major spiritual indigestion. Maybe it would help if I go burn some incense to calm me......

41

Incense Burning - Geez, These Guys Have a Rule For Everything!

by worldlygirl in

there seems to be a problem with incense burning now!

this is from the watchtower website: http://www.watchtower.org/library/w/2003/6/1/article_01.htm.

a) they are running out of crap to publish.

cyber-sista

Does the fact that incense is used in religious ceremonies and in spiritism mean that all incense-burning is wrong? Not necessarily. Perhaps a person wishes to burn incense as a fragrance in his home simply to enjoy its pleasant aroma. (Proverbs 27:9) Even so, in deciding whether to burn incense, a Christian should consider certain factors. Would others in the area where you live associate the use of incense with a false religious practice? In your community, is incense often associated with spiritistic rituals? Or is it commonly used for nonreligious purposes?

If an individual chooses to burn incense, his decision should take into consideration both his own conscience and the feelings of others. (1 Corinthians 10:29)

This stuff always really bothered me that we were constantly being told that our little things like burning incense or owning a wind chime could "stumble" some.

This is the ultimate guilt trip because if you stumble someone it is death to you. In our area it is wind chimes, because some may use them for religious purposes. This whole stumbling thing was constantly emphasized by the GB. I see it now as another area they gained control over us. I am sure most are never stumbled by these minute little picky details.

Were you ever stumbled by these things? How many people do you know JWs and non JWs who have ever been stumbled by these minute picky details? NONE Was I ever stumbled? Most certainly, but never by such a thing as incense and wind chimes, but by abusive elders, lack of love, backbiting, judgmental and controlling people and the list goes on and on?

30

The lure of paradise earth?

by little witch in

jw
friends

can someone explain to me what the excititment is concerning paradise earth, as the dubs see it?

paradise seems to be the carrot on a stick for witnesses, but little information seems to be offered.

from what little discription they do give it seems to me to be a boring place to be.

cyber-sista

Of couse I wanted it. I don't think most JWs would have hung around for the abuse and boredom if it wasn't for that paradise promise (carrot). In the end, though, when I looked around I realized that according to WT teachings all the people I loved the most would be killed and I would have to spend the rest of my days--an eternity with a bunch of people who I didn't care a whole lot for and they didn't care a whole lot for me either. It also bothered me about the ones who would be ruling over us in the new world "the princes" who the WT translated for us as being the "elders." So the thought of being ruled over by the elders was another thing that made paradise seem a not so paradisical in my book. Also when I looked at the paradise pictures as pictured in the WT the people in them still looked at bit stiff as they were still wearing their casual dress clothes and the women a lot of time were prancing about in a field,but still wearing high heels--very weird...

31

Emotional Blackmail and JWs

by Lady Lee in

emotional blackmail is a form of controlling one person to gets ones needs met.

a blackmailer may use direct or indirect threats against us to get what they want regardless of our opinions or feelings.

the one great threat is: if you dont behave the way i want you to, i will make your life miserable.

cyber-sista

great post...thank you. Just recently exiting the WT. I do realize while I am now physically and mentally out of the WT (would have to gag and tie me up to get me back in there now) I am still on some levels responding to their emotional blackmail... It is just that the triggers are still there. I am working on it. Information like this helps to sort it out. Thanks again

10

Why I wasn't such a good witness.......

by Dawn in

jw
friends

i was thinking about my past as a jw today and realized that i never did fit the mold quite right.

i studied, went to the meetings, out in service, and all those things so i appeared to be a great example.

and i really did love god and wanted to do the right thing.

cyber-sista

If we had been in the same congregation we would've been friends.

43

Does it ever get easier?

by Surfacing in

my heart is palpitating even as i write this.

it was only recently that i was introduced to this site.

i had long had doubts but could never bring myself to peer over the wall built in my head about the evils of apostates.

cyber-sista

Wow, your post made me cry...

I have just recently exited the JWs and have been going through much of the same feelings. I think that most of us can relate to the pain and frustration you are going through. Like you I was hesitant to reach out, feeling very alone in my situation, but then found out there are thousands of us out here. There's a lot of support with sites like these to help you get through this uncomfortable transition time. This has all helped me greatly, along with some professional help of a phycologist trained in dealing with those who are leaving the cult experience. It does get better-- just keep reaching out for help..If you read a lot of the posts here you will soon know you are not alone in your thinking . You sound like a good person who sincerely wants to do what is right. Remember always that real love is unconditional...WT love is conditional based on your performance in the Org...Take care and be in touch..Love to you...

24

Michael Jackson an the jws.

by badboy in

jw
friends

.

i hope i won't b deleted from this board.. michael jackson says when he was young that men slept in the same bed as him.. was this when he was a jw?.

some folk in jws thought he was the archangel michael.

cyber-sista

I knew some witnesses who came from the Southern CA area where Jacksons congregation was. They said that he did have a following of JWs who had splintered off--they called themselves Jacksonites. They believed that Michael in the bible was referring to Michael Jackson--that is what I heard anyway...seems like a lot of people in the Southern Calif. area knew about this...but you know how the JW rumour mill goes, so who knows--could be an urban legend.

33

Are you more intelligent since you left?

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

ever since leaving the jws, i believe i've become much more intelligent.

i now have to learn from my past mistakes rather than viewing my mistakes as a result of satan's influence.

i now know how to prevent myself from making the same mistakes rather than repeating them due to ignoring the facts.

cyber-sista

Yes...I had to shut off the criticial thinking part of my brain while I was in the Org. I feel like part of my brain had been shut down or that I was not allowed to use it. I could not express who I truly was. Denying self is a mind numbing experience.

I am still greatly disturbed by how this happened to me. I truly feel as if I was in a trance, which I have just recently awakened from. Floods of memories and realizations have come in upon me. It's a lot to handle sometimes. What in the world was happening to me in there? Talk about brainwashing--the WT cult are experts in the field. I am here as a witness to that...