Reefton Jack

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Posts by Reefton Jack

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  49

  Has the exodus begun now?

  by toby888 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone have any real information if the great exodus has begun?

  tickle my ears-

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  Reefton Jack

  There has nearly always been an exodus - proven by a simple count.

  Take the previous year's total average publishers and add the current year's total number baptised:

  - Compare this Grand Total with the actual average number of publishers for the current year.

  - The current year's average is nearly always a lot less than the number of baptisms added to the previous year's average.

  In fact, it always used to be roughly on the scale of for every two persons "coming in", there was one who "went out."

  This ratio applied even in countries where there had been a noticeable increase in publishers.

  The only time there was an exception to this was during the mid-1980s , when the WTS mounted a campaign to re-activate those who once might have "active publishers" ect.

  I haven't seen the latest statistics (better things to do with my time!), but by all reports, these would look bad!

  Jack.
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  23

  Subliminal messages and the "nodding off" mind

  by Lady Lee in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ok i know there are all kinds of educational tapes you can get to help you learn better and faster.

  many of them are tapes you put on and then go to sleep.

  the rationale is that it is easier to learn while you are sleeping.

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  Reefton Jack

  Thank you, Ingenuous, for those inputs.

  After finally waking up to the fact that JW doctrine was all BS, I went through a period of intense self-disgust that I had fallen for it for so long.

  However, after learning of these facts about the JW indoctrination process, I got over that.

  Given the subtle, low level hypnotic effects brought about by the WTS teaching processes, how much "freedom of choice" did we really have?

  Some writers on this board claim that we were, in effect, "all JWs by choice."

  When defending my faith (usually at the doors), I can recall more than once asserting "If I thought there was anything wrong with my religion, I would leave it!" However, we may not have had the freedom of choice that we thought we did.

  More like, as my late father used to say, we had " The freedom to do as you are told."

  Jack
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  24

  While preaching, did you realize that you were also screwing up their lives

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  when you were going door to door, although you had the pure intention of teaching people what you taught was god's will, did you realize back then, that if they listened to you and accepted a bible study that you were also screwing up their lives and that they would suffer greatly by this?.

  it was always in back of my mind.....

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  Reefton Jack

  No - I honestly thought that I was doing the right thing.

  I believed that their reaction to the preaching work was a life and death matter.

  Yes, I had swallowed the WTS crap hook, line and sinker!

  Jack.
• 
  37

  What religions did you seek since leaving? Or not?

  by dezpbem in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm curious how many people on the board have looked into other religions or spirituality groups since they've left the jw.. what have you looked into?

  did you join anything else?

  read up on any others?

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  Reefton Jack

  Very definitely none at all!

  Some writers on this board have claimed that "people need religion."

  All I can say is - I sure as anything you like don't (A conclusion that I have formed after both my own experiences while a JW, and my own observations of those in other religions).

  Jack
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  22

  IT'S OFFICIAL!!! Fewer wars and less deadly

  by steve2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here's a thought-provoking news report that you won't see quoted any time soon in any watchtower publication:

  (source: the age, an australian newspaper, re-published in the dominion-post, wellington, new zealand.

  october 19 2005):

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  Reefton Jack

  Steve2,

  I thought that your last post on this subject was right on the button.

  You also handled very well those that were trying to change the subject (Talk about a mouth full of razor blades!)

  It was just fortuitous for the WTS (and only for the WTS, mind - for those that might be trying to quote only part of what I am saying) that WWI broke out when it did:

  - They were able to then successfully camouflage the failure of their prediction of 1914 being the date for Armeggedon.

  - Instead, they were able to twist the facts around - and present it like they always predicted 1914 would see the beginning of the "last days."

  While dubious about much of the content of the book "Thirty Years a Watchtower Slave", it was certainly correct about one thing - i.e. the WTS capitalised on the upheaval that WWI caused in Europe.

  Jack.

  PS: The JWs always have an answer to everything. Unfortunately, it is usually the wrong one!
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  13

  Anyone here from New Zealand?

  by bledback2life in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hey everybody!!

  *feins a nick riviera (a la the simpsons) accent* .

  i'm new to these forums.

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  Reefton Jack

  Welcome Bledback2life.

  I'm from NZ, also - however, my alias is not quite a geographical pointer!

  Jack.
• 
  48

  so what are the "anointed" you know/knew like?

  by nowisee in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  there were two quite old females in my congregation.

  sweet.

  but then they died.. i met several members of gb.

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  Reefton Jack

  I only ever knew two who made this claim;

  - one was a nice old lady.

  - the other was notable only for his arrogance.

  Jack.
• 
  39

  Did You Regularly Read The Watchtower & Awake?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  elders were supposed to set the lead so that the rank and file would follow suit.

  i generally read the watchtower thoroughly but seldom did i read the awake.

  were you faithful readers of those rags?

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  Reefton Jack

  I was an avid reader of both, from the age of 11 to the age of 39:

  - No doubt the main reason why much of my life has been so <^&^>ed up!

  Some are on record as having heard that "reading the Watchtower and Awake magazines gives you the equivalent of a University Degree."

  If so, all the reading I did of those two rags ought to have gained me at least half a dozen college degrees. - Instead, about all I got from reading that nonsense was a Diploma in Stupidity!

  Jack.
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  27

  You had BETTER pioneer when you get out of high school

  by Bonnie_Clyde in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we weren't at the circuit assembly this weekend but a friend told us the circuit overseer made this very strong comment.

  didn't even say anything about learning a trade.

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  Reefton Jack

  "We have passed that corner - now Armegeddon is so close that we can see it!"

  I can recall an elder make a very similar statement in a public talk back in 1991, just after the outbreak of the First Gulf War.

  Shall we award him a Bachelor of Stupidity - together with that Circuit Overseer under discussion?

  Jack.
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  45

  So, are you, by nature, and introvert or extrovert?

  by onacruse in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mulan's thread, and simon's post thereto, got me to thinking about this, especially in terms of what i might be today, minus the influence of the wts.. by nature, i was always an introvert.

  early on (age 10 or so), i immersed myself in mathematics, physics, chemistry...the "pure" sciences, devoid of "worldly" meaning...just the plain and simple facts, thank you ma'am.

  i'd stay in my room and study stuff until my mom had to literally grab me by the ear and say "craig, go outside and blow off the stink!.

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  Reefton Jack

  Onacruse: I don't know that I would agree with you on that one.

  Some animals are very social - for example, horses (an animal that I had a lot to do with between the ages of 10 and 18, while growing up around farms).

  Horses always seek the company of other horses, and get restive when separated and put on their own. What is that but extroverted behaviour?

  Jack.