blacksheep

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Posts by blacksheep

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  28

  Are Jehovah's Witnesses A Force For Good In The Community?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the march km has 7 reasons why jehovah's witnesses are "a force for good in the community".

  can you guess any of them??

  ?

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  blacksheep

  1 We teach people to live by Bible standards of morality “

  We are a closed society who meets several times a week for repeated indoctrination sessions to teach JW members only. If the community at large wants to be taught those high standards, they can sign up for an in-home Bible study.

  2 We teach honesty and respect for authority

  Except where that authority conflicts with our cultic beliefs. Then we teach deception. We teach people who have been sexually violated to not go to legal authorities. We harbor criminals.

  3 We teach harmony between races, nationalities and social groups

  Right, Jehovah doesn’t care what nationality you are when he kicks ass at Armageddon. As long as you’re a JW, your safe regardless of your nationality

  4 We help others to improve their family life by encouraging them to apply Bible principles

  We i mprove family life as long as each and every person in the family fully accepts the WT doctrine. If not, we teaching shunning, disrespect, deceit, and to always put family far below dedication to the JWs

  5 We have taught thousands how to read and write

  The reason? For the sole purpose of their understanding and accepting JW doctrine.

  6 We extend ourselves to help others in times of disaster

  Of course, that extension of help is limited to JWs facing disaster. Then, we go out of our way to publicize our good works. And imply WE are the only people who come to others' aid.

  7 We have been instrumental in securing religious freedoms that are enjoyed by all.

  Except that we are the only ones with the truth; all others are lies and damned before Jehovah. We are only concerned with OUR religions freedom, but we'll exploit our hard won battles to make it look as though it's benefitting other religions.
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  32

  What does this WT Study Article mean to you???????

  by plmkrzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  below is the entire wt study article from the february 15th wt.

  can anyone find any new light or old light renewed?

  what does this study article mean to you?

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  blacksheep

  Well, I couldn't make it through the whole thing. But what struck me was the half-baked explanation on "how long are you to keep doing this?" The answer? Until Jesus arrives. Well, we all know he arrived (in heaven) on 1914. So what gives? Oh, those with the heavenly calling will meet up with him *when they die.* So they partake until their death, at which time...Jesus "arrives."

  Yep, makes sense to ME. Still wondering where the 99% of dubs with the "earthly calling" fit in. Seems to me they should just stay home.
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  5

  Getting Them To Question

  by mackey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone have a suggestion as to raising questions in the mind of a witness without actually mentioning their beliefs?

  i spoke to my jw friend about some concerns i had and got nowhere.

  any conversation about her beliefs is seen as an effort to undermine her beliefs.

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  blacksheep

  Didn't care whether his religion was wrong? Yep, my mom basically said the same thing a few years ago. She said "it's still the best way to live." Right, living in a cult that requires you to shun non-believing family members, celebrates no holidays (except that big memorial bash, where nowadays *no one* even gets to have a drink), doesn't get involved in the community, avoids higher education and material trappings, goes to 5 hours of boring repetitive meetings where nothing really knew has been, go out in service to hear people say to stuff your mags where the sun don't shine....

  Yep. That's it. That's the best way to live!
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  41

  Got this letter

  by Yesterdays Child in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  throughout the years after having come to know through your marriage to my daughter you have been a very kind and thoughtful person, sometimes more than my own son.

  i don't think that a mother-in-law could want a finer person for a son than you.

  however, it is very unfortunate that i will have to change the way that i will relate to you now and in the future.

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  blacksheep

  She'll show you respect when she's in your home? How thoughtful of her. The obvious implication is that she is not going to show you respect outside of it. Which in a nutshell is what shunning is. Incredibly DISRESPECT.

  I'd be mad beyond belief. And I would make it clear that hope she took a good look at your home the last time she was here, because she's not going to see it again with that attitude.

  I know some people take a very open minded view of wacko JWs who put "jehovah" before their families. And btw, who want to have their cake and eat it to. Who expect it's perfectly normal for them to shun you and basically treat you with disrespect, while YOU let them do what they darn well please. Take whatever shred of a relationship you can get on THEIR terms. Sorry, mom. You've got plenty of loving "family" members, including children, in your "loving" organization.
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  11

  Comments at the hall

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  when you were an active dub, did you comment at the hall because you believed what you were saying, or because you wanted to repeat what was said in the article and look spiritual?.

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  blacksheep

  I commented at the hall because it was expected. I remember my mom/others saying after the meeting "so and so commented." Even though all people could basically do was repeat the words written in the pub, commenting at least once at the meeting was some show of confirmation of belief that all good dubs did. I always kind of got stressed about it because I had a generally reserved personality (not any more, after escaping from the JW box), it really seemed stupid to just repeat what was written in the publication, and I labored about how to put it into my own unique words, while not stepping out of bounds of the intention of the pub.

  In short, it was a stupid exercise. Still is.
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  7

  let the battle commence..

  by nightwarrior in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well the inevitable has happened... my mother now knows without a shadow of a doubt that i no longer attend the kh, and that the 'close' sister that i had spoken to about the above, is heartbroken (aaahhhh) that i have made such a momentous decision (how dare i) without talking to the family first..... note : i am 42 years old, 4 children, married for 16 years, lived away from my 'home' for 20 years...and the youngest daughter out of four girls, and i am still thought of as being unable to make my own decisions (as homer would say 'doh!)..

  i have with held speaking to my mother for the simple reason that she is very ill, and i did not want to add to her burden, and then be blamed for her death.. she is a strong character, and has raised her family in the 'truth', my dad was not interested in the jw's...but i doubt if i will get any support from him, as he will back my mam, as she is the strong one in the relationship, and heaven help him if he were to disagree with her!!!

  anyway, what would i have done without mr nightwarrior, he has been great beyond words, but sadly my mother has decided that he is the one to blame, and (wait for it).... he is part of the 'sweet talking evil slave class'................ when my mother put this to my yesterday on the telephone i politely put the phone down on her... how dare she!

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  blacksheep

  Yeah, my dad was never interested in the religion and pretty much turned all of the raising of us over to my mom (devout JW). He supported her and backed her up, all the while not really believing it. I really have to say I resent that. We had to go to those lousy meetings and in service every week while he did whatever he pleased. In fact, one time we were on vacation and my mom wanted to go out in service (yeah some vacation), and my dad said I HAD to go with my mom or I couldn't go to the beach.

  Don't know why I'm rambling. Your post just touched a nerve. The WTS ingraines it into people that they cannot make decisions without "seeking guidedance" from the WT propaganda or "mature ones."

  Stand firm. Stay strong. You'll get through this. I hope your mother gets better!
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  22

  How Do You Enjoy Your Life Now???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now that you aren't making 5 meetings per week and going out in field service and doing all that personal study, what occupies your time?

  does your life give you a sense of fulfillment?

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  blacksheep

  Went to college. Traveled around the world. Got married and had two beautiful children. Children I'd never force to go to 5 meetings a week and out in field service on weekends.

  Life's there for the taking. I cannot begin to imagine my life with my children/family in the JW prison.
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  3

  Has anyone seen the hogwash on this issue on the JW site?

  by blacksheep in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  just out of morbid curiosity i was checking out the wts site on the blood issue.

  what particularly stuck out was the "risks" of blood transfusions.

  of course they pointed to the hiv debacle as support.

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  blacksheep

  Just out of morbid curiosity I was checking out the WTS site on the blood issue. What particularly stuck out was the "risks" of blood transfusions. Of course they pointed to the HIV debacle as support. But then they started quoting stats of 1 out of every 5000 transfusions can lead to death!!! Somehow they failed to mention the number of deaths that have been *avoided* by due to people receiving blood transfusions.

  I dunno. I'm FAIRLY confident that in this country at least children are protected from these crackpot witness views via routine court orders. But targeting the adults in this fear factor hysteria which has basically no statistical/medical support is crossing the line. They followed up their fear-fest by suggesting that there are potentially many blood borne diseases (like AIDS) which we aren't even aware of!!!

  Good God. Which is it JW's. Blood is "sacred," or we just feel it's "unhealthy" to administer to others. They don't seem to have a clear picture. It all boils down to faith. And fear.
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  31

  Letter to my dad-----need feedback please!!!!!!!!!!!

  by Jesika in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear father,

  i have written you letters so many times.

  this letter i have to give you.

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  blacksheep

  Unbelievable. I feel so angry for you. This may sound harsh, but it seems to me people who would allow these things to happen place the org above their family, clearly. Maybe it will touch something in your dad, but maybe he'll just rationalize his actions.

  As I said, I would be angry, very angry. I am not sure writing that letter alone would purge the anger. Are you at all in a position to take legal action?? I just read a few similar stories from silent lambs, and I am incredibly sickened by the whole thing. Knowing what I know now about JW's trying to keep things self-contained to avoid "reproach upon the org" I can see this being just the TIP of the iceberg.

  Best of luck to you. I am so sorry your had to endure what you did.
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  20

  Watchtower cancels UK subscriptions...

  by Brummie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sorry if this has been posted already..... the watchtower society cancels of all subscriptions .

  on the outside wrapping of the latest watchtower and awake!

  magazines is this announcement in red capital letters .

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  blacksheep

  I heard the same thing already happened in the US (heard through a reliable source: my JW mom). A family member tried to sign up at Bethel and that was part of the reason for his rejection. Apparently the boys at Bethel won't be responsible for sending out subscriptions.