Posts by TallTexan

99

Many Questions

by urstruly in

hi i'm new to this forum.

i've looked at other websites to and i see all this about the jw's, now i'm not one, i was raised a jw but made my own decision and my parents respected that.

i've read so many horror stories, but my life wasn't like that at all, as a matter of fact, when they first knocked on our door and my mother accepted a study our life changed for ever, it was for the best in many ways.

TallTexan

Welcome to the forum. I know some of these points have been addressed, but I can't keep my mouth shut either. As a 30-year JW (ex), let me give you my $0.02.

I just don't know what could have happened with a mother in to drugs an alcoholic dad and many many other things going on.

Glad you had a good experience. However, JW's want to act like they are the only way people can change their life. AA has caused many hundreds of times the number of people to clean up their lives than the WT ever will. Similarly, I know people who have been 'saved' into mainstream churches that have likewise made wholesale changes in their lives. Good for your family, but you don't have to join a destructive cult to make positive changes in your life.

but it sounds like some of you are just upset for being "punished", if you knew the consequences why get into it in the first place? And if you weren't happy being there either in anyhow, why be upset now because you were DF and even appealing?

Number one, it is not a religions place to 'punish' anyone - that's God's place. Df'ing is supposed to be a method to keep the cong clean, but it is used for exactly what you stated - unbiblical punishment. Many, like me, were too young to understand the realities of life when we were baptized. I didn't choose this life - it was chosen for me. By the time I was old enough to make an 'informed' decision, I had been so indoctrinated that I thought it was the only way to salvation. Most people that study are NOT informed about the df'ing policy until it's too late. People don't want to be df'd, not because they think it's the truth, but because they don't want to be cut off from their family. BTW, 'shunning' is a classic 'cult' technique.

Also, I see many harsh comments about JW's themselves and some JW's responding rudely, but how do you really know that it is one of them and not someone else passing as one just making them look worse?

Why would the be any different on the boards then they are in real life? Most JW's are rudely defensive of their beliefs and tactless beyond belief.

All religions have there skeletons and all have there rules to abide by so what makes the JW's so special?

JW's present themselves as infallible to the point of not even believing it's possible for the GB to be deceptive or have interest counter-productive to the average member. Remember, absolute power corrupts absolutely. When called on a 'lie', such as the UN, they continue to lie. If they would admit their mistakes, then perhaps I would not be so angry. But they don't. They make life-changing decisions cloaked in 'new light' without disclosing the real reasons behind the change.

Besides who are we to judge?

Who are JW's to judge? Yet they do. By their unbiblical df'ing policy they judge and publicly humiliate their members who don't have a clue as to the true 'judicial' nature of the committee meetings, which are a joke. They judge everyone around them as unworthy of life if they don't accept a crappy 30-second magazine presentation. Please!

What does being free to you all mean? Being able to swear and live inmoral life? Like I mentioned before, I don't agree with many of their beliefs I do however admire the high moral standards which SOME of them really do try to live by, and even though I'm not one of them I live by those morals thought to me and I can assure you I believe I've "saved" myself from so much hardship. Believe me I should know, I work at gynecology clinic where you see 13yr old girls getting pregnant, I've seen a 14yr old girl who turned out to be positive with HIV, 20yr old who already has had 5 abortions, boys and girls with gonorrhea and chlamydia. Is that what being free is all about?

Please, please tell me you're joking. There is no proof that the JW community is any less immoral than the rest of the world. It's just all done in secret. Growing up as a JW, I saw all the hypocrisy and the double lives led by 90% of JW youths. There is rampant wrongdoing by many members of the congregation that is swept under the rug because of who they are. I know - I've seen it on countless occasions. JW's get AIDs, get pregnant, get abortions, use drugs, swear, smoke - you name it. Please get off your high-horse and look at the reality of the situation. And why do JW's perpetuate the myth that people only leave to lead wicked immoral lives? That is simply propaganda, reminiscent of the Communist propaganda about the West during the Cold War. It's a bald-faced lie meant to discredit the thoughts of ANYONE who pulls away from the org.

but there are some people in there that are honest and true to their beliefs regardless of what they are based on.

True, but that's not good enough for JW's. They don't allow others to be happy with their beliefs regardless of their sincerity. They believe that all 'sincere' persons of Christendom will perish just as the wicked.

About child mollestation in the org. I don't think there's any org. that's free of these cases.

True. The problem with the JW's is not simply that things occur within the org that doesn't occur elsewhere. It's that they act like it doesn't happen, that they are perfect, while they rail against other religions and organizations in their magazines for these things going on. They talk about the Catholic church and the rampant pedophila, act like it doesn't happen in their ranks, and df those who try to bring about a change in policy to protect the victims. They talk about other organizations being in bed with the UN, when they were also.

It is their deception and hypocrisy regarding issues that destroy lives and family that open them up to the efforts we put at getting people out. Everyone in a cult thinks they're happy until they are outside and realize how destructive that kind of control truly is.

5

Are you going to quit smoking in order to keep your jobs?

by prophecor in

jw
friends

a very intersting discussion on the world news, tonite.

scotts the manufacturer of lawn and garden products has given thier workers opportunities to stay healthy while in thier employ.

in an effort to cut down on the cost of health care they pay to cover thier employees, they enlisted sweeping policy changes and guidelines towards the betterment of thier workers.

TallTexan

It's all to do with company costs, they see smoking as a cause of lost time (due to physical illness) at work and productivity, and a factor that contributes to work stress because it poisons the body.

Obesity also causes lost time due to physical ailments, lost productivity. My point is not that one is worse than the other, but why pick on one unhealthy lifestyle and not all?

58

Osama: How You Like Me Now?

by prophecor in

osama bin laden says he's willing to call a truce.

bush administration says, " in a pigs eye, kiss @$$ !!!

is he manipulating the situation to his advantage, or does america have him on the run?

TallTexan

Two morons running the place. More worried about what everyone is Googling instead of actually catching a terrorist.

Ahhh...all you Bush haters just look for anything to pin on him....he's doing ten times more to deal with terrorists than his predecessor OR either of the two liberal idiots he beat out on election day would have done. They would have been too worried about international opinion and hurting someone's feelings to deal with OBL. It's hard to hug a tree when you're destroying it with a Tomahawk.

If the great liberal leader/Democrat Daddy Bill Clinton had taken care of business when he should have instead of selling all our defense secrets to China for a few $$, OBL wouldn't even BE a problem. Daddy Bill was too busy molesting interns, selling defense secrets, killing Whitewater witnesses, lying to Congress, slashing the military, pushing communist healthcare, and playing the sax on Jay Leno to deal with the Middle East....

14

Did you attend KH meetings under difficult conditions?

by greendawn in

as jws were you willing to attend meetings even in cases of difficulty such as bad weather, if it was really cold, rainy, snowy, or if you didn't feel really well, or if you had to spend a lot of time to get there by car or public transport?

.

any interesting experiences?

TallTexan

My grandfather was violently opposed to my grandmother and her children going to meetings in the beginning. He mellowed out by the time I came around, but it was very hard for her. She is still a stalwart JW.

When I was growing up, my parents would drive 30 minutes out of town to pick up a study, or an older sister, then 30 minutes back into town, go to the meeting, then take this person home.

That's not really hardship, just annoying...

17

New light for the Catholic Church

by TallTexan in

this may have been covered already, but i missed it if it was.. a lady i work with who is catholic told me that not too long ago the new pope changed the catholic doctrine on purgatory - in that now it no longer exists.

of course i couldn't help but think "hmmmm....new light....".

my question to her was "well, do all the people that paid to get their loved ones out of purgatory get a refund?".

TallTexan

This may have been covered already, but I missed it if it was.

A lady I work with who is Catholic told me that not too long ago the new Pope changed the Catholic doctrine on Purgatory - in that now it no longer exists. Of course I couldn't help but think "Hmmmm....new light...."

My question to her was "Well, do all the people that paid to get their loved ones out of Purgatory get a refund?"

What bothers me is that in spite of this, in spite of the rampant pedophilia, Catholicism remains a strong religion. It makes me think that all of our efforts to expose the WTS are a waste - they'll still believe what they want and we'll still be the 'lying apostates'. It's frustrating.....

58

Osama: How You Like Me Now?

by prophecor in

osama bin laden says he's willing to call a truce.

bush administration says, " in a pigs eye, kiss @$$ !!!

is he manipulating the situation to his advantage, or does america have him on the run?

TallTexan

"His name is Osama bin Laden, sir" Ollie replied.

Skyman,

Good memory. Not many people remember this about Ollie. Osama was THE reason that Ollie was so concerned about a high-dollar security system. Osama was threatening Ollie for the government's action (or rather, inaction) in the waning years of the Afghan/Russia conflict. Funny how people don't realize that Osama's been a problem for nearly two decades.....

5

Are you going to quit smoking in order to keep your jobs?

by prophecor in

jw
friends

a very intersting discussion on the world news, tonite.

scotts the manufacturer of lawn and garden products has given thier workers opportunities to stay healthy while in thier employ.

in an effort to cut down on the cost of health care they pay to cover thier employees, they enlisted sweeping policy changes and guidelines towards the betterment of thier workers.

TallTexan

I remember not too long ago some airline employees lost their job for refusing to stop smoking.

It's an interesting paradox. While it's true you should have say-so over your life and what you do, it's becoming more common for the state and corporations to try and manage your health for you. We have seat belt laws, motorcycle helmet laws and more and more corporations telling smokers 'you can't work here'.

I see both sides of it. As a proponent of liberty and personal freedoms, it chafes me to see people be told what to do on their off time. However, who pays for people who refuse to take care of themselves? You and I. Our tax dollars (via Medicare) pay the substantial health-care costs of long-term smokers. Our insurance rates are higher, as smokers tend to take more sick days and have poorer general health. (not all, so those of you who are smokers and are the model employee please hold on). There is conflict because, as the previous poster mentioned, smokers taking breaks irritate non-smokers who feel that they don't receive the same number of breaks.

Here's the problem I have. Obesity is as dangerous to one's health as smoking. But if you try to tell someone they can't work for you because they are obese, you'll have a discrimination suit on your hands. Are they going to tell these people that they can't go to the snack machine 10 times a shift? Can they not bring their two grocery bags full of food (I'm not kidding) to eat on their shift? Will the organization set an ideal body weight and not allow employees to vary beyond a certain percentage of that?

I work in a hospital that recently went to a smoke-free campus. However, we have a number of obese employees. These people are physically less able to perform their jobs as their co-workers. In some instances, they have become so obese that the hospital has found alternate job positions for them because they can no longer do patient care. Yet there is no mention made of the unprofessional appearance, the altered job performance, or the health dangers to these individuals. If they want to infringe on someone's rights by telling them they cannot smoke on their two 15-minute unpaid breaks, or their 30-minute unpaid lunch break due to health concerns, then they need to take the same steps across the baord with unhealthful behavior.

37

Help! My parents want to take my daughter to meetings!

by montana96 in

jw
friends

i have a problem that im hoping you can all help me with.. my daughter who is now 11 was devastated when we left.

she loved it, our fault we did everything by th book.

she wants to go to the meetings with my parents.

TallTexan

I do not envy you your position at all. I understand your situation all too well.

My only suggestion is to show her maybe by using a few scriptures that a personal relationship with Jesus Christ is what is required for salvation, and that an organization is not needed as a mediator between her and God or Jesus. If that's too deep for her understanding, maybe just explain that sometimes adults make mistakes and that you have learned that being a JW is not necessary to see paradise.

You're in a very hard spot. My daughter is 16 and still gives me a hard time about raising her as a JW and now not believing - not that she necessarily does either. As difficult as it may be, you may have to tell your mother to please allow you to raise your child as you see fit, just as she raised you in a religion that she found to be the truth, even if other members of her family did not agree.

Good luck.

6

What IS Apostasy

by Krystal in

we tend to throw around the term apostasy quite loosely here... i was thinking the other day, what exactly (according to the wtbs) constitutes "apostasy" .

"definition: apostasy is abandoning or deserting the worship and service of god, actually a rebellion against jehovah god.

some apostates profess to know and serve god but reject teachings or requirements set out in his word.

TallTexan

They seek to make others their followers, thus causing sectarian divisions

Hmm...don't really see many 'postates starting their own religion. Alerting people to factual evidence is not trying to garner followers.

They may profess to believe in Christ, but treat lightly the preaching and teaching work he assigned to his followers

Notice how they minimize the person's belief in Christ if they don't follow the organization's idea about preaching. "They may profess", thus stating that if one does not agree with the Society's version of the preaching work, they are then only 'professing', not that they really believe. Additionally, one may believe in Christ and do plenty of 'informal' preaching or discussing of beliefs, but if that person does not follow the 'formal' preaching work and offer lots of literature, then they are not preaching correctly. Any Biblical basis for that claim???

They may claim to serve God but reject his representatives, his visible organization

Again, they minimize the service to God if one does not accept the visible organization. Show me in the Bible where it says "You must acccept Christ AND his visible organization"...oh wait - it doesn't say that.

Not only do they abandon the true faith but they then "beat" their former associates, using public criticism and other methods to hinder their work; the efforts of such apostates are devoted to tearing down not building up

When an organization does not change from within, public pressure is the only way to achieve change. Additionally, since the WTS does not inform it's membership when it lies or practices deceit, the public forum is the only way to get that information disseminated. "Apostate" effort is devoted to something positive - getting people out of a high-control organization.

40

JW Pedophile Refuses DNA Test

by Saoirse in

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http://www.wdam.com/global/story.asp?s=4386114

.

TallTexan

Ummmm...why is a professed JW a city councilman?