Posts by cyber-sista

24

On Shunning

by Sunspot in

the command of men to practice shunning is cruel and heartless, as we all know.

it tears people up from the heart and hurts everyone involved.. the rigidity and "uptightness" of believing that only you have the "right way" to god, and that being warm and cordial to someone who has left your religion, or attending another church service is going to "cost you" (god will getcha for that---or the elders will) in some way....is so self-limiting.. we all have the right to the pursuit of happiness and to find a faith that renews and motivates us to be our best.

being humans and experiencing growth all the while we are "here", what may be just the "ticket" for us personally at one stage in our life---may not fulfill the same needs a number of years later.. it is not fair that a belief system ( or religious leaders) rather than being a comfort or a teacher any longer, should have the right to keep a "hold" on any person because they choose to move on to another form of worship to the same god.. this flies in the face of what we hold dear in this country and in most others, being forever captive to men who believe that they have the right or the power to penalize ones for the rest of their lives for walking away from their religion.

cyber-sista

(((((((((Annie)))))))))))

The whole shunning thing is so creepy. It is harmful on both sides. My sister is shunning her 2 sons who left the Org after having some bad experiences in there (they were only human and could only take so much). I know how much it hurts her too as she has had to shut down a part of herself that is human. It hurts to see her in this state of being. I remember what a loving mom she was. One of the strongest natural human emotions is a mother's love. The WT Org is inhuman to require its members to do things of this sort. I hate the WT Org for hurting people like this. (another very human emotion)

20

I miss my friends

by seattleniceguy in

jw
friends

i saw a movie tonight and came home thinking about a couple old friends who are still witnesses.

i miss them something awful.

i needed to write, so i wrote in my journal for a while, but i really felt the need to write them directly.

cyber-sista

SNG...

I hear you. I had 20 years of friendships go down the tubes in the past year. It is a grieving process for sure. It seems surreal sometimes to think that people who professed to be my best friends in the whole world have turned their backs on me in the blink of an eye. The JW religion does not practice nor promote the true meaning of friendship. The only thing we can do is to seek out those who do. There are some incredible people out there and those who are capable of being loyal friends.

Your friend,

cybs

35

Strange Exodus - Twelfth & Final Installment

by Frannie Banannie in

summer, 2004. here i am.

it?s 14 years since those first two dream/visions that got the "ball rolling" in this adventure.

the end result?.

cyber-sista

OR.....that finding a pile of manure fertilizing a tree doesn?t necessarily mean someone has given you a pony to ride.

Frannie you are too funny. Yes, not all is that it appears to be, but sometimes there is still a deeper meaning to it all, even though at first it may just appear as manure on the ground. Then again, manure helps plantlife to grow up strong and to bear fruit in its proper season. (Now you've got me thinking in "Frannie speak!")

20

Official - There are 6 million Bible Studies - but where are they?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

this was mentioned at the service meeting.. but, it should be worrying to the society, not as wonderful as it may sound.

the number getting baptized each year is shrinking rapidly.. at one time, they boasted of baptizing 1000 dubs a day which equals to 365,000 dubs.

this was back in 1997.. at the dc this year, it was 5,000 a week.

cyber-sista

elsewhere....I thought someone should at least comment on your squirrel. I did notice something fishy about him, though...

I remember our CO giving everyone shit for not offering a bible study at every single door while out in Service. He then said that if we stand there with the Knowledge Book, and read a couple of paragraphs, "you've just had a study with them and the person doesn't even realize it!" Isn't that lovely? We're now so desperate for studies that you have to con people. He then went on to say "....and then you TELL them (forget asking), that you'll be back next week to discuss another few paragraphs.........and there you go brothers, you've got yourself a regular bible study!

Mary and undercover--these were the exact words that the last CO used in my X-congo. Guess these were written orders from the top. What a bunch of puppets they are (God, I hate the fact that I used to be one too)

19

Placed an ad today

by seattleniceguy in

a few days ago someone posted an article in the ny times, i believe, that talked about fundamentalist christianity and how its rhetoric about the gruesome destruction of non-believers (as depicted, for example, in the left behind series) was eerily similar to the attitudes in extremist islam.

since leaving the witnesses, i have been angered at their hateful rhetoric, and especially at how they masquerade as a benign, loving religion when they really treat non-believers with contempt when it comes to actual interactions.

it's passive-agressive, especially since they claim that it is not them, but god, who will do the destruction.

cyber-sista

SNG, I hope your ad gets posted--it could make some people think and question. We need more thinking people in this world. I hate to see the WT continuing to perpetuate their hate filled ideals. I have family in there with young children being brainwashed into believing this garbage. As of late I am wondering how far this relgion will go in their insanity and need to control, especially the young ones--they are dying in there. I think your ad may be one way to reach someone out there.

10

Watchtower illustrations.... Are they "God inspired" also?

by hubert in

the nwt bible at john 20, verse 25, clearly states "unless i see in his hands, the print of the nails, (plural) and stick my finger into the print of the nails, (plural) and stick my hand into his side.

is the plural nails a typo?

so, if this be the case, then why on page 66 of the knowledge book show the "god inspired" illustration of jesus on a stake with "one nail" (singular) through his wrists?

cyber-sista

In the book "Pay Attention to Daniel's Prophecy" there is a picture of a Roman sitting on a horse with stirrups.

How funny...Guess it shows how much indepth research they have put into the articles!

Ride em Roman cowboys!

35

Strange Exodus - Twelfth & Final Installment

by Frannie Banannie in

summer, 2004. here i am.

it?s 14 years since those first two dream/visions that got the "ball rolling" in this adventure.

the end result?.

cyber-sista

Don't feel that your main point was lost, it isn't at all. It is just complex I think. And of course, if you ask 50 people for an opinion, you will get 50 different answers,

I agree, so here is one of my attempts to process your story. I have many more ideas on it which I could write a report on, but here's just one.

Frannie I think you have a seeking and intelligent mind and a sensitivity that made you especially susceptible to the leadings of the WT cult thinking.

When I was a young child I saw a science fiction movie, which effected me for years. Every night I checked under my beds and in my closet and even said a prayer in my mind in regard to the things I had seen in this movie in order to protect myself from the visions I had experienced while watching the movie. I dreamed about it and thought about it a lot and always before bed. I had reviewed it so many times in my mind that it became a reality to me.

Many I knew in the Org were convinced of many strange things. One brother could feel the demons and would leave a restaurant in a sweat if he suspected they were hanging out in that particular building (and he was an elder). Many JWs claimed that they could feel God's spirit working in their lives (sometimes in rather bizarre ways). Some of this was brought on by power of suggestion--some by the constant programming done by the religion--some of it exasberated by overly active imaginations or some form of mental, emotional, or character weakness or inbalance. Whatever it was the relgion of the JWs is so wacko it like a brain virus that can cause even a "normal" person to have some degree of delusional thinking. The whole religion is delusional, so just being a part of it is bound to have an impact to one degree or another.

I am glad you are out of it Frannie. The human mind is a wonder. Sometimes it processes information that we feed into it in bizarre ways, especially if this information is disturbing to us. We have dreams at night which are at time symbolic of what we are thinking and feeling and speak to us in ways that can at times be interpretated. I have had several dreams, which I have shared with a psycologist who has studied dreams and their interpretation. Since leaving the Org I have had many bizarre dreams pertaining to the Org. It is my brain trying to process the information and make some sense out of it. Some of these dreams have been profound interpretations of things that have happened to me and understanding them has given me further insights into my true feelings about things that have happened. If a person is deeply disturbed over things that have happened to them they can have waking dreams too--visions of things that their minds are trying to sort through and interpret in the light of day.

It has been a wild ride Frannie Bananie and I am glad you came through it. I appreciate you sharing your story here. I think it has a lot of meaning. Even if much of it was delusional and somewhat cryptic thinking this is the way your brain was processing it and trying to sort through and make sense of it and you have a very interesting brain! You would make a great writer (you are a great writer). You would also be a great detective or scientific researcher--your mind picks up clues and details that would be overlooked by most.

Love you Frannie,

cybs

20

Official - There are 6 million Bible Studies - but where are they?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

this was mentioned at the service meeting.. but, it should be worrying to the society, not as wonderful as it may sound.

the number getting baptized each year is shrinking rapidly.. at one time, they boasted of baptizing 1000 dubs a day which equals to 365,000 dubs.

this was back in 1997.. at the dc this year, it was 5,000 a week.

cyber-sista

Many of these bible studies are witness parents reading a few paragraphs to their kids from one of the publications and then counting it as a bible study, but you can only count 4 hours a month with your family--more important to get out door to door and sell books. You can count as many hours as you want studying with a stranger, but the suggested time with your family is only 1 hour per week--interesting, huh?

The majority of the bible studies in my area were with older people who were half senile (with all due respect--I did like many of these older ones). Many of them especially older women were lonesome and just wanted someone to talk to and I think this is probably the best service I ever did in service was to visit with these lonesome ones.

There are many doorstep studies--people who don't know they are even counted as a study. During on of the last CO visits, when I was still attending, he carefully instucted us of how to conduct a study without ever calling it a study, so the people were unaware that they were actually studying.

I also recall many who had studies with emotionally/mentally disturbed ones. Some of them just sat in a daze while we rattled on with our agenda. You could tell they weren't all there, but hey it was it was something to write down on the time card, right?

60

TIME TO IMPLEMENT THE GARYBUSS PHILOSOPHY!

by Dansk in

in view of what has recently happened to rozalyn (rebel) i believe anyone who is considering attending a judicial committee should take note:.

i have always tried to love others from my own childhood upbringing.

i have been treated like a traitor.

cyber-sista

I DO NOT RECOGNISE THEIR AUTHORITY!

Dansk, I plan on adopting this as one of my mantras...Thank you for this topic--it generated a lot of insight.
Gary, I feel stronger after reading your writings.
Prisca, very insightful!
Thank you everyone for being there, I have read and considered each and everyone of your writings and they have all been helpful to one degree or another.
Even though I am totally out of the Org physically and mentally, I admit I still live in dread of seeing and being contacted by many of the JWs--actually any and all of them make me feel ill at ease (even the ones I care about the most). I know their agenda--I know their belief system and I don't like it, nor do I agree with it, not do I ever again want to be a part of it.
I do know now for a certainty that I will never allow myself to be subject to elder abuse again or by any others who want to express their JW opinions to me--even if in their own minds they are well meaning-- I know the religion which they are following and practicing in their lives is very toxic to me. When they call on me again I will not recognize their authority by refusing to speak with them or be manipulated into their ridiculous and demeaning religious conversations. I will no longer be recognized as an"inactive spirtually weak JW." My life is something much more than that.

10

Watchtower illustrations.... Are they "God inspired" also?

by hubert in

the nwt bible at john 20, verse 25, clearly states "unless i see in his hands, the print of the nails, (plural) and stick my finger into the print of the nails, (plural) and stick my hand into his side.

is the plural nails a typo?

so, if this be the case, then why on page 66 of the knowledge book show the "god inspired" illustration of jesus on a stake with "one nail" (singular) through his wrists?

cyber-sista

An interesting question in light of the JWs beliefs. As JWs we were taught to obey the WT as if it were God's direction. So if you take this argument to it absurdity--if God did inspire those who wrote the WT would he not also inspire those who illustrated it? You would think that the almighty grand creator of everything in the universe could do a whole lot better in the art department than that.