Posts by under the radar

18

Moral indignation against "faders" shows JW apologists are morally bankrupt

by slimboyfat in

i came across this weird blog that castigates fading jws for their "cowardice" and "hypocrisy" for not making themselves vulnerable to shunning.

apparently in the view of this blogger jws who discover it's not the truth are morally obliged to play by the watchtower rules and face the consequences of shunning.. http://jwresearchblog.blogspot.co.uk/2015/06/fading-faking-and-lying-as-unbelieving.html#comment-form.

what is absent from the blog post is any discussion of the statement in the july 2009 awake!, that no one should be made to choose between their beliefs and their family.

under the radar

I don't always agree with everything slimboyfat posts, but I'm with him 100% on this one.

After my mom passed away and my dad was grieving himself to death, on top of his other illnesses, my sister and other family began distancing themselves from me more and more. They wanted my dad to tell me not to call and visit so often, but he never did. Once, when my dad and sister and I were driving home from a doctor's appointment, this (then recent) Awake! article came up. I quoted it verbatim. My dad sat there in thoughtful silence, but my sister angrily shouted, "That doesn't apply to us! We have the Truth™!" I calmly replied that either it meant what it said, or it was blatant institutional hypocrisy. (Looking back, I wish I had used the word "brazen," but that wasn't an official Society buzz word back then.) Anyway, her jaws locked tighter than a vice!

We had to stop along the way to get Dad something to eat. My sister made a point of making sure I understood that this was an emergency and should not be construed as "sharing a meal." My dad just remained silent, with a rather sad look on his face.

About that same time, I gave Dad a copy of that Awake!, specifically asking him to read and reflect on that particular article. The next time I came to visit, I saw that magazine lying open on his coffee table and noticed that he had highlighted that very passage. "No one...should be made to choose between his beliefs and his family." I didn't comment and let him know I had seen it. Some things are better left unsaid.

On the following visit, that magazine was nowhere in sight. I strongly suspect that my sister took it. To my surprise, out of the blue my dad asked me if I had seen it. He had been looking for it! I helped him search for it, to no avail. I promised I'd bring him another on my next visit, which I did. I think he kept it out of sight, so my sister wouldn't take it again. Regardless, it was still among his possessions when he passed away about a year later.

23

Guess who is getting announced as no longer being a JW

by atacrossroads in

jw
friends

not me surprisingly.

i thought i would be the one to go first.

this coming week my hubby is being announced as no longer being a jw.

under the radar

Your husband did the right thing in nipping the JW indoctrination of his child in the bud. You and your child and he will all be much better off in the long run.

I hope you will show him how much you appreciate his taking a stand to protect your little family. He rocks!

All that aside, congratulations on your new little one. The next 21 years or so of your lives are gonna be great! There is nothing like the love between a parent and child.

Without the undue influence of religious superstition, it's hard to believe anyone could shun their child for any reason. We may not approve of all their adult decisions, and sometimes they have to suffer the harsh consequences of their actions, but shunning them is another thing altogether. Although we live far apart, my adult son knows I am there for him 24/7, as he is for me. He knows I would never shun him, under any circumstances. That is unconditional love, and I think it's the most important thing a parent can give a child.

20

Don't believe anyone is up there listening - said a prayer anyway out of sense of obligation

by Zoos in

i've read many statements on this forum from people who have expressed the sentiment that you don't shove ttatt down the throat of an older person.

it would be too traumatic and its best to let some people, in some situations, simply pass on in the delusion.. its humane.

merciful.. in the initial roar of my awakening, i was unable to cuddle up to that sentiment; preferring, instead, to shove the blood curdling shock of truth down the throat of anyone i could get my grip on... age be dammed.

under the radar

You did a good thing, comforting an old man. No deities were offended, because there are no deities.

Occasionally, I am asked to "say grace" when visiting non-JW family. (Obviously, the occasion never arises with JW family.) I just smile and thank them for the courtesy and say something like, "Actually, I'd prefer to give Uncle Joe the honor." If pressed, however, I'd probably do the same thing you did. There's no point in "taking a stand" and ruining someone's day over ancient myths and superstitions.

29

Calling All Who Were JWs Between 1967 and 1980

by -Crossroads- in

jw
friends

hello jwn,.

to introduce myself, i am still in the jws but learned ttatt some months ago.

i now ask this question to get more info on a past teaching.. between 1967 and 1980 was when the 'current understanding' of the wts was that organ transplants were cannibalism, and thus abhorrent.

under the radar

I was barely a teenager in the late 60's, but I clearly remember reading that Watchtower QFR equating transplants to cannibalism and thinking they were nuts. I never agreed with their ridiculous position. As I remember, accepting a transplant would have been considered the same as accepting a blood transfusion. Unless a person "repented" and had some excuse such as yielding to pressure or fear in the heat of the moment, they would have been disfellowshipped. That said, I don't recall the issue ever actually arising in my small town.

The same with the nonsense they came out with in the 70's about the literal heart being the seat of motivation. Even I, with no medical education or training whatsoever, instinctively knew that was BS. I remember seeing that giant heart light up during talks at the District Convention and thinking how loony they were. I never believed that crap for a minute. I remember talking about it with my elder dad, and him saying that if it was wrong it would be corrected in Jehovah's due time. Otherwise, I just kept my thoughts to myself. I "knew" they were right about so many other things that I pushed this anomaly into the background. I didn't know what cognitive dissonance was, but I sure had it.

Even now, though they have abandoned much of the egregious medical quackery spewed by the Golden Age, they continue to impose their groundless religious interpretations on their followers' most personal medical decisions. They rail against in-vitro fertilization (IVF), egg and sperm donation, surrogacy, etc., equating it with adultery. This completely ignores the principle of brother-in-law marriage, which was not only allowed but sometimes required back in the good ol' "Bible days." It seems they can't understand that adultery is unfaithfulness and disloyalty to one's mate, and has nothing to do with the actual biological material exchanged. There is nothing special or sacred about any individual's sperm or egg cells in and of themselves. When assisted reproduction, whatever the exact method, is used to produce a longed for child, with the knowledge and consent of all involved, it is a gift of love. It has nothing at all to do with adultery. Only narrow-minded religious control freaks would equate the two.

This is just some of the evil that comes from self-appointed religious leaders applying their uneducated and ignorant lay person interpretations to scattered passages in a book of Bronze Age myths and superstitions and demanding their followers accept them as laws of God. This fallacious practice has cost many lives.

38

JWs destroy archaelogical artifacts

by John Doe in

jw
friends

thousands of years old.

this makes my blood boil.. http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/jehovahs-witnesses-destroy-ancient-indigenous-temple-in-mexico-20160628-0009.html.

under the radar

I'm certainly no apologist for the JW's, but I suspect this is either a hoax or a few dim-witted JW's going far beyond anything the Society would endorse. The GODs (Guardians of Doctrine) in New York are arrogant self-serving presumptuous leaders of an insidious mind-control cult, but they are not stupid. Oh, they would destroy all vestiges of "false religion" if they thought they could get away with it, but they know they can't and they sure don't want the bad publicity and the inevitable analogies to Daesh (ISIS) that would ensue.

The "new and improved" Truth™ they are spewing now mainly appeals to be poorly educated, impoverished, and hopeless peoples of mostly third-world countries. Who wouldn't grasp at a fresh steaming pile of pie-in-the-sky that promises everything? A drowning man will clutch at any straw of hope that passes by. It would be easy to get carried away.

25

Just a really messed up situation

by My Name is of No Consequence in

a quick summary of my situation: i have known ttatt since at least 2010. my wife and teenage son are still in.

i only mention that because it is relevant in this situation.

you can see some of my previous posts for additional details.

under the radar

If your wife wants to play by JW rules, and if you want to stay in the marriage, you might consider trying this:

Remind your wife that you are the "head of the house," and that as such, you simply forbid your child to get baptized before he is of legal age. It is far too serious a commitment for a child to make. Don't forget, the Society says it's "the most important promise you'll ever make in your life."

Further, as her husband, your wife owes you certain "marital dues." Since you are willing to continue living with her, she is duty- and Scripture-bound to return to the marital bed and open up the cookie jar. Her precious Bible says married couples are not to be depriving each other of the conjugal goodies. If she refuses to comply, she is willfully disobeying God's Word and giving a "bad witness." This completely undoes all the good she thinks she's doing with her piety and preaching.

14

Old Watchtower publications in improved format

by Watchtower-Free in

the website avoidjw.org has been working to improve all the older documents.

right now, all the zion's watch towers from 1880 - 1908 and the watch towers from 1909 to 1920 have been improved drastically.

i'm currently working on updating pdfs from 1921 to 1949. this updating will include the following features:1. reduced file sizes.2.

under the radar

Thank you so much for passing this information along. And please give the owner of avoidjw.org my personal thanks for all his hard work. It's invaluable.

21

This Thing That Was My Mother

by TimeBandit in

jw
friends

this thing that was my mother.

this thing that was my mother, so withered and blackened now,.

was once so kind and loving, but things have changed somehow.. remember when you'd hold me, and soothe my childhood fears?.

under the radar

TimeBandit, your poem was very moving. I hope your pain is eased a bit by sharing.

61

Did others experience this on the ministry or among JWs generally?

by slimboyfat in

sometimes it's hard to know if our own experience of jws was typical and what features were peculiar to our own area or the individual jws we knew personally.

i was wondering if others experienced this among jws:.

a few times on the ministry, when we were working wealthy areas with large houses, some brothers and sisters would make the comment that they look forward to taking ownership of one of these big houses after armageddon, when the worldly people have vacated them.

under the radar

I haven't been out in service for 25 years, but I do remember the "friends" talking about which property and houses they'd like to take over in the New World™. It must be pretty common. Recent study articles in the Watchtower exhorted JW's to learn unquestioning obedience now so they can be content after Armageddon if their assigned work and accommodations aren't their first preference.

I don't think even the GODs (Guardians of Doctrine) in New York really believe all that Armageddon and New System™ nonsense, but just in case, they're already starting to lower their followers' expectations.

On another note, I too have been "accused" many times of living in my Paradise now, implying that I should give it all up in hopes of the other Paradise after Armageddon. Uh...no. If I seem to be in Paradise now, it's only because of my own hard work and diligence, getting the necessary education and training, and then persistently pursuing the career until I got my foot in the door, starting at the very bottom. That, and several lucky breaks. But even the lucky breaks (like being at the right place at the right time) wouldn't have done any good if I hadn't already acquired the qualifications and experience needed. So yes, I'm enjoying the fruits of my labor immensely. And no, I don't feel the least bit guilty about it.

Besides, I wouldn't even want to live in a world run under any Theocracy. Life in ancient Israel was no picnic. Similar in many ways to ISIS. If "Paradise" were run like the Borg, but with governmental power and authority to physically punish, it would be much the same. No thanks!

45

Printing presses, bye... bye...

by sp74bb in

jw
friends

bye... bye.... no more new printing presses for jw.org... the growth is so tremendous (irony...).. all printing work in europe will be arrange in the next month only in selters (germany), but no renovation or upgrading in printing presses is expected... it will be a full outsourcing :).

a worldly company axel s******* will be used.

this company is known to be printing bild newspaper... the interesting part of it is the logistics will be as well outsourced.

under the radar

Outsourcing all the printing might be a reasonable business decision, but what happens during the Great Tribulation™? Won't Satan's world™ cut off this source of "life-giving spiritual food©"? Oh my, whatever shall we do?

I feel bad for the Bethelites, especially the older ones, who have devoted their lives to this mind-control cult and are now being involuntarily "released to the field." James 2:16 comes to mind. It seems particularly appropriate because their service at Bethel is the very reason most don't have any transferrable skills or work experience. The Society essentially made them destitute and unemployable, and puts them on the street with little notice and no concern for their welfare. No compensation or consideration for decades of faithful service. How heartless!

New Living Translation
and you say, "Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well"--but then you don't give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do?

The only positive thing I can see about all this is that maybe fewer young people will be hoodwinked and deluded into sacrificing their education, careers, and future to serve this legalistic money-grubbing sorry excuse for a religion.