Posts by SwampThing

12

Just a simple hello...

by maximumflash in

jw
friends

.

for those that do not know me, i was on here a while back.

i've been out of the loop for about a year (give or take) and recently got back online so i thought i would stop in at jwd and say hi.. talk to you later, max.

SwampThing

How did you remember your password after all that time?

ST

34

JWs, ex-JWs and Non-JWs

by CeriseRose in

jw
friends

i'm going to preface these comments with a disclaimer: in no way am i meaning these observations to be inflamatory, exclusionary, or to devalue anyone.

i believe everyone has a right to their opinion, and observations, and to share themwithin the terms of the board.

i also believe that there is learning to be found from a variety of sources.

First, I would like to make my apologies for not contributing to the discussions for some time now. I do continue to read this board on a daily basis, but mostly I just sit quietly over here in my swamp and observe. I continue to gain a great deal of insight from the contributors here, the born-ins, converts, ex-dubs, never-beens, married-to?s, thinking-abouts, and, of course, dating-ones. There, did I cover them all?

This topic struck a special interest in me because it is so typical of human behavior. People seem to have an innate need to stick everyone in box and label them so that our minds can make sense of what they are dealing with. Are you a Republican? No? Then you must be a Democrat. If one can be pigeon-holed, then we can filter what they say through our opinions of that particular group instead of listing to what is being said, analyzing the content, then weighing it against what we currently understand.

In reading this thread two things really stuck out to me;

1) until we listen to the questions and experiences of those who have not walked in our shoes, we will never learn new things, and

2) certain things will never be the same no matter what label we stick on them, i.e., Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. A woman who is raped has not shared the same experience as a soldier in Vietnam, but both can be labeled with PTSD. Get my point?

I have always been treated quite friendly by those on this board who have responded to my posts. As many of you know, I have never been a JW, nor have I dated one, or been married to one. In fact, until I discovered this forum, I knew very little of the cult, and believed the lies I had been told about what I did know regarding Jws. This makes my perspective very unique for those of you who fit into the categories listed in the opening paragraph of this post. I have the ability to share with you what the cult looks like from the outside, not knowing anything about how the WTS controls your minds and manipulates your lives. And, if you care to expand your universe, you will ponder my questions and listen to my experiences, weigh them, and if anything resonates with you, add it to your life. However, if your mind remains closed, then you will continue to stagnate wherever you are in your recovery.

Jdubs, whether born-ins or converts, don?t seem to get the way in which the world views them whenever there is a knock on our door early on a Saturday morning. It has been my experience, both in real life and from reading this forum, that they believe the devil is moving us to slam the door in their collective faces, thus providing them with their self-righteous view that they are indeed doing the Lord?s work. In fact, at least for me, it has everything to do with my privacy, and nothing to do with Satan. If I want to hear their message, I will invite them to come by for a chat. When the UPS guy knocks at the door, it is because I bought something. When a Jdub knocks, it is because they are either trying to fill out their time sheet for the month, or they believe that I am too stupid to have worked out my own salvation, and need to hear their tripe.

For what it?s worth, I believe we all can offer a unique perspective to the conversations on this board. Someone stated that it is only when people [outside of that poster?s own personal experience] start telling her what she should or shouldn?t do that she gets upset. I understand and agree with that statement. However, that thought process works in reverse as well. I am quite thankful that I have not given my mind over to another for the purpose of controlling me. For those who have, there is a lesson in there if you are willing to open your mind and ask questions. You just may learn something about your personality which could help you in the future. A good example of this would be a person who finds themselves in one bad relationship after another, yet continues to wonder why they just can?t find the right partner. Maybe the question they should be asking is "why is it that I keep being drawn to this sort of person, and what can I do to change that aspect of my personality?"

One last observation I would like to make is regarding a 13 or 14 year old who takes the decision to be baptized, and whether or not that decision is an informed one. There is not a teenager alive that I would trust a decision to, regardless of the consequences. The older I get, the more I realize that the age of consent should be moved higher and higher. A 13 year old in that position is doing nothing more than regurgitating whatever their parents want them to say or do. Regardless of their intellect, they do not have the life experiences necessary to help them form cogent opinions at that age. They are performing for their parent, seeking approval and acceptance. I am appalled to think that a religion would foster such a climate where the born-ins would feel superior to the converts. On second thought, no, I?m not surprised at all. This is exactly what I have come to learn with regard to the arrogant and sanctimonious attitude which seems to permeate the Jdub cult. Now, if there are current Jdubs reading this post, there is a lesson in that statement if you would open your mind enough to look for it. Here?s a hint....(is this the way I am perceived by the worldly people?)

Respectfully,

Your friend from the swamp....

Swamp Thing

6

Jdubs and friendships...

by SwampThing in

jw
friends

good evening everyone,.

well, i?m back with another question, if you will be so kind as to indulge my curiosity.

since my last post, i have kept myself busy reading all of the interesting topics you guys discuss here.

SwampThing

Good evening everyone,

Well, I?m back with another question, if you will be so kind as to indulge my curiosity. Since my last post, I have kept myself busy reading all of the interesting topics you guys discuss here. JWism is certainly a world unto itself...

OK, I am interested in your thoughts on what strikes me as a contradiction in opinions regarding Jdubs and friendships. Please take no offense at my question as none is intended.

In some posts on this board I have read where many of you believe that friendships within The Society are about as shallow as a Sahara mud puddle. This, based on what I understand about shunning the DF?ed and DA?ed, gossip in the congregation and so forth. In other words, there can be long friendships established, yet if someone is being shunned, the friendship seems to be tossed out like yesterday?s newspaper. On the other hand, many of you have stayed in The Society in order to not lose the friends you have known for so many years.

My question is this; why would you be concerned with losing a friend who would drop you like a hot potato, ignoring your long history with them if you were to be DF?ed? That, to me, doesn?t seem like much of a friend to begin with. An acquaintance, maybe. But not a friend. Friends, in my book, are people who will support you when the chips are down, and who will come to your aid without question or condition.

There is a second part to this question, that regarding the loss of family members due to shunning, but I will not ask you to comment on that situation. I?ve learned not to put people on the spot when it comes to their family dynamics. We only have the family we have been given, and cannot go out and choose a new mom or dad if the originals decide to ignore us. However, I will say that I cannot imagine anyone telling my mom that she was not allowed to speak with her children. They would fair better starting World War III.

Thank you again for all of the insights you have shared with me. The information I have learned on this forum is priceless.

Most respectfully,

Swamp Thing

7

Captive to a Concept (Anatomy of an Illusion) Don Cameron--Heard of this?

by blondie in

jw
friends

captives of a concept" (anatomy of an illusion) .

by don cameron .

aug 21, 2004 .

SwampThing

Hi Blondie,

Thanks for bringing this book to my attention. I will certainly buy it when it becomes available.

Swamp Thing

80

Daily Breaking JW News Alerts from the www.

by Undaunted Danny in

calling all active and exjw's... get breaking news alerts !

search and browsed through 4,500 news sources updated continuously.

email your own letters to the editors.tell them the truth about the "troof"!.

SwampThing

Thanks, Danny. I just signed up. Please remind me to never piss you off.

You'r e a true inspiration!

Swamp Thing

6

what is jdubs & other questions

by c.dawn in

i'm not a jw but my sister and her kids are.

can you tell me what jdubs means?

i see it referred here often.

SwampThing

Hello C. Dawn,

Like yourself, I am not, nor have I ever been a JW. I am also very new to this site, but have found it to be a great resource for understanding the cult of JWism. There are some truly wonderful people here who are very willing to help us outsiders understand. I will add, however, that sometimes it can feel like the Twilight Zone learning about this cult.

Welcome from another newbie,

Swamp Thing

36

what is the weirdest counsel you ever received?

by nb-dfed in

jw
friends

my husband and i had a committee meeting because of underage drinking.

when he was being counseled, the p.o.

told my husband that he needed to make me wear different clothes to the meeting because it made some of the brothers unable to concentrate.

SwampThing

May I ask, what is a "walker" elder?

Swamp Thing

7

I think I finally figured out the blood doctrine....I think

by undercover in

this whole blood doctrine thing has got me so confused, but i think i've got it narrowed down to this:.

the wts is trying to get away from the blood doctrine or at least make it less of a doctrinal point than it has been over the years.

the wts now allows fractions, which, if i understand correctly, modern medicine uses fractions more than whole blood anyway.

SwampThing

Undercover,

If I may interject, the medical community has not infused whole blood for many years. Once science figured out that many people could benefit from a single unit of blood if you just separate the components, then guess what happened? Yes, the donor does his good deed for the day and Joe gets his red blood cells, Sally gets her white cells, Johnny gets his plasma, Billy gets his platelets, and so on, and so on....

Oh yeah, let?s not forget the monetary part of this equation. If a pint of whole blood brings $500.00, and the components thereof bring $2,000.00, which way do you think the market is going to go?

The question I have always had with regard to the blood issue, and that my ex-JW friend could never answer, was if God says blood is bad, who the hell is man to break it down into its components and decide that the parts of the whole are ok? Pretty arrogant on their part, in my opinion.

Swamp Thing

7

I think I finally figured out the blood doctrine....I think

by undercover in

this whole blood doctrine thing has got me so confused, but i think i've got it narrowed down to this:.

the wts is trying to get away from the blood doctrine or at least make it less of a doctrinal point than it has been over the years.

the wts now allows fractions, which, if i understand correctly, modern medicine uses fractions more than whole blood anyway.

SwampThing

Hi Blondie,

Try this link:

http://www.aabb.org/All_About_Blood/FAQs/aabb_faqs.htm#3

Click on the link for blood products. Te home page is:

www.aabb.org

Wouldn't it just be the coolest thing if I can provide Blondie with a link?...*smile*

Swamp Thing

15

Please help me understand the differences.....

by SwampThing in

jw
friends

i?ve noticed something of a discrepancy and would like some clarification.

as much as it appears that the wts controls the jws through their published, written word, there also appears to be a fair amount of difference in how that word is applied across the various congregations, not to mention in other countries.

some members here say this or that happened in their old congregations, and then others say that it was different where they attended.

SwampThing

Thank you all for your contributions to my education. I see clearly now that there are many shades of grey in JW-land. One would think that as these people meet up at conventions and made comparisons of what they were being told, that the questions to the elders would start to fly. It?s a true wonder that this organization has held together as long as it has. Generally speaking, once the proverbial cat is out of the bag, people can see the truth for what it is. I know that if I were told I could not wear a beard, and then saw others with beards, I would require an answer. Oh well, I guess I?m not one of the 12 million...*smile*

Thanks again for your help, everyone. I truly appreciate each and every one of you.

Swamp Thing