This goes UP! Great thread!
Black Man
JoinedPosts by Black Man
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41
Are there any instances of "GOD" order and/or condoning the rape of women in the bible?
by Black Man inthis came up recently with my dyed-in-the-wool jw pioneer mother, who swears up and down that there are no scriptural instances of this happening.
i seem to remember a couple passages, but can't remember where they were..
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Leah Remini: Scientology & the Aftermath TV Show.
by Black Man inhave started watching this show and wow!
so many similarities and parallels with jw's.
this is the model to follow in articulating and exposing the jw experience.
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Black Man
Have started watching this show and WOW! So many similarities and parallels with JW's. THIS is the model to follow in articulating AND exposing the JW experience. Someone needs to do this on JW's!! It's all there. This show can be a model for patterning something similar on JW's. How do we make this happen?
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Lowering the standards: The sign of a cult struggling for survival
by Hidden-Window inmany of the recent changes in the jehovah's witness organization are a clear sign of a cult that is struggling for survival.
the internet has change the scenario in a very dramatic way.
many of us who for years struggled alone with doubts and cognitive dissonance thinking that we were the only ones, that we, as individuals were the issue, now know that there is a large community of individuals who see the organization as what it is, a mind controlling cult that is not only false, but also dangerous.. the governing body clearly understands the consequences of this awakening.
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Black Man
Great thread!
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Report from Japan
by wifibandit inanon in japan says:.
i served in the third circuit of shikoku japan.
a few years ago, a well-known theocratic family disassociated.
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Black Man
This is GREAT! And what I LOVE about this is the report that WHOLE FAMILIES are leaving the cult together in Japan. They have a support system in place by leaving together and can rely on each other in picking up the pieces of their lives and transitioning into doing something else with their lives. Totally takes the power and the rug away from the JW cult as they don't have to worry about being on an island isolated from family (as do those in the U.S. or some of these underdeveloped countries where the JW-cult influence is strong).
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Invisible Rulership - one of the dumbest things I ever believed in
by Black Man inhaving now been out of the cult for a few years, it really shocks me about some of the nonsense i used to believe in.
like for instance, christ ruling in the midst of his enemies, but doing so invisibly.. let's let that one sink in for a minute.
you've supposedly got a king who is ruling for a kingdom, but it is an invisible rule.
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Black Man
Bttt!
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JW Acumen & Education = NO VALUE IN THE REAL WORLD
by Black Man inhaving been out of the cult for a few years now, i can finally sit back and accurately access the good, bad and the ugly, especially as it relates to education and having a sense of self-worth and realizing your potential.
in my opinion, religion is a total crock, but at least in some religions there is at least some value that you can translate your experiences and education gained in such into the real world.
for example, the mormons have their own accredited university where you can obtain a degree and you can actually put that down on your resume and use it in the real world.
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Black Man
Up!
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How HIGH did you climb the ranks as a JW? Did you like the STATUS?
by unshackled inso what were your biggest jw accomplishments as a rank & file?
curious as to what level you climbed the r&f ladder while in the org, or if you still are in.. did you regular pioneer, or auxiliary pioneer?
bethel?
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Black Man
Regular pioneer, MS, MTS (Ministerial Training School as it was then called) Grad, Bethelite, Elder, Secretary, Service Overseer, Watchtower Conductor, Public Talk Coordinator, Appeal Committee member. And it was ALL a colossal waste of time. ALL OF IT………...
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Latest rumor - all WT construction "suspended", except for Warwick
by sir82 inheard 4th-hand, but from a full-on believer, so not likely to be an "apostate lie":.
apparently, at bethel's morning worship this morning, it was announced that all worldwide wts construction is "suspended" for an indefinite time, except for the new world headquarters at warwick.. also, the "relocation" of remote translating teams is also suspended.. finally, there will be a "worldwide" reduction in bethel personnel.. all this came to me in a non-english language, and,as noted, 4th-hand.
so it is possible something may have been lost in translation and/or in the multiple steps between bethel morning worship & me.. but if true, it would be quite stunning.
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Black Man
So what's been the status on this? Just following up.....
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QUESTION: So who is the leader of the GB these days?
by Black Man injust wondering who is the de facto leader of the gb these days?
when i was in, it seemed jaracz was the leader even though he was never officially the president of the wtbs.
who is the leader of the gb 2.0?.
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Black Man
Just wondering who is the de facto leader of the GB these days? When I was in, it seemed Jaracz was the leader even though he was never officially the President of the WTBS. Who is the leader of the GB 2.0?
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JW Acumen & Education = NO VALUE IN THE REAL WORLD
by Black Man inhaving been out of the cult for a few years now, i can finally sit back and accurately access the good, bad and the ugly, especially as it relates to education and having a sense of self-worth and realizing your potential.
in my opinion, religion is a total crock, but at least in some religions there is at least some value that you can translate your experiences and education gained in such into the real world.
for example, the mormons have their own accredited university where you can obtain a degree and you can actually put that down on your resume and use it in the real world.
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Black Man
Having been out of the cult for a few years now, I can finally sit back and accurately access the good, bad and the ugly, especially as it relates to education and having a sense of self-worth and realizing your potential. In my opinion, religion is a total crock, BUT at least in some religions there is at least some value that you can translate your experiences and education gained in such into the real world.
For example, the Mormons have their own accredited university where you can obtain a degree and you can actually put that down on your resume and use it in the real world. Even with their missionary work, you put in a couple years with that and they help to place you in the business world or you can take advantage of even more university education.
In other religions, there is a charitable aspect and built-in social causes that you can participate in that at least have some type of direct impact on the community. Again, some type of value that can translate into the real world.
The JWS??!! Nothing. When I was an active JW, I went through their pioneer school, MTS school, spent years at Bethel, and you know what?? I could not translate ANY of that to the real world. Remember there were talks and perhaps an article going around years ago, that being on the Theocratic Ministry was like being enrolled in a college course?? Or that reading the Watchtower and Awake magazines was akin to getting a university education?? I do and it was all B*LLS*IT!! What a joke!
One of the main problems with the JW religion, especially for generation-X aged persons like myself is that it was so insular and self-centered, that they never had the foresight to realize they could create at least some kind of value to justify all the wasted time spent by ACCREDITING their OWN schools and educational programs (since they discouraged going to college for so many years), actually doing REAL charity like having soup kitchens, activity centers for their youth (especially since they didn't allow them to engage in after school activities like playing organized sports), housing for their seniors, giving material supplies to the needy, etc. Everything was always centered on THEM, and not promoting the personal development, aptitudes, philanthropy and potential of their members or the community at large.
True happiness involves REALIZING YOUR OWN POTENTIAL, because its then that you can be of help to your families, community, and yes, even your religion. But JWs missed the memo on all of that.
When I reflect on how many of my former associates who I knew at Bethel or in missionary work have been unceremoniously laid off or "sent back to the field" to start all over again (most of them with no skills or education and in their mid-40's, 50's or early 60's), it becomes an even more cruel realization at the LACK OF VALUE experience fooling around with that cult really was.
I consider myself lucky in that I woke up in time (at almost age 40) a few years ago and was young enough to somewhat landed on my feet, but I have my days where I get indignant at the thought of how much time I wasted in that organization, from infancy to age 40.
That's why when I see JW's who want to ask me why I left and if I'm an apostate or not, I say - "no, I'm not an apostate, I'm simply RETIRED." My time wasted in that cult has EARNED ME THE RIGHT to leave on my own terms (which I did), without being branded or demonized. It has given me the right to refuse any label that they try to put on me now that I've left.
The JW experience is one that stunts personal growth and development and by extension your POTENTIAL, and that's what I tell people if they really want to delve into why I left. And that's the true travesty behind it. ALL RELIGIONS (at least in my book) sell pipe dreams and are a crock, but at least you can get some kind of miniscule tangible value to it. The JWS?? Not so much!