Posts by Check_Your

18

Are there any former dubs who were petrified by the demons?

by Check_Your_Premises in

how did you get over these phobias?.

was there a christian or bibilical based explanation that helped you to get over these phobias?.

cyp

Check_Your_Premises

If a person is a hard-core bible believer, I think they'd have every reason to be concerned about demons and possession.

I was afraid of that...

18

Are there any former dubs who were petrified by the demons?

by Check_Your_Premises in

how did you get over these phobias?.

was there a christian or bibilical based explanation that helped you to get over these phobias?.

cyp

Check_Your_Premises

How did you get over these phobias?

Was there a Christian or bibilical based explanation that helped you to get over these phobias?

CYP

51

tions about hello everyone, i'm new here,,,

by telltruth in

jw
friends

hello everyone.

have recently met someone, amazing person!

however have many questions about jw's and wt.

Check_Your_Premises

TellTruth,

As I told you before, and you appear to be heeding this advice, don't "try anything" to open your loved ones eyes until you study that book.

In the mean time, by all means gather any information or ask any questions you want. The key is not to ask a question, whose answer is "jw are bad". Rhetorical questions are also probably not a good idea.

You need to start doing something, and now is as good a time as any. You have to cultivate a persona or a character. Kind of like an actor. You are some one who is "open to the truth" (that is lingo for beleiving the dub version of truth). Seeking truth is your highest motivation. What that means is you are willing to look at facts or information that could cause you to reasonably conclude that the jw are the one true religion.

Now the way to keep this persona and not have it be phony, is to actually mean it. Let me explain. You are operating in an open paradigm. The jw will like this at first because you are open to their gibberish. They will eventually be irritated by it though, because that also means you are willing to look at facts and info that might lead you to the conclusion they ARE NOT the right religion. They will be annoyed by this, but they can't defend their position that you shouldn't look at such things in any rational way. They will mumble something about apostates. This is just for future reference mind you. Don't go causing any trouble yet.

Just work on your persona. You are interested and open. And start thinking of these folks as victims, not hostiles. It will make you more believable, and it is actually what they are.

10

The Truth Book... by Joy Castro

by Bryan in

jw
friends

i just finished reading this book.

i was really great... and sad.

joy has a great command of the english language and writes beautifully!

Check_Your_Premises

I read some of the reviews on Amazon. I noticed that there aren't any of the obligatory dub posts that give it zero stars and accuse the author of lies, and bad motives.

Has anyone read this book? Would it be helpful to read it, if for no other reason, than to find articulation of the things we experience dealing with the jw?

Anyone?

CYP

20

Rutherford's Psychological Profile - A survey of opinion

by VM44 in

what can be said about the psychological profile and personality makeup of rutherford?

.

would like to get a survey of opinions from the people who post here.

Check_Your_Premises

In some of his photos

I would like to see some of those photos!

51

tions about hello everyone, i'm new here,,,

by telltruth in

jw
friends

hello everyone.

have recently met someone, amazing person!

however have many questions about jw's and wt.

Check_Your_Premises

WHy are you so sure you won't join? Are you familiar with mind control methods? Do you have strong doctrinal disagreements?

Why are you wanting to go? Just to check it out for yourself? Are you going with this "friend" or by yourself?

In general, "keep your friends close, your enemies closer". Also your, um, friend will be ecstatic if you attend (without her because you are probably a dirty little secret)

CYP

47

The most EERIE passage in a Watchtower Publication leads to atheisim

by Terry in

the most eerie and fascinating passage i ever read in any of the jw literature (literature??

) was in the red book, life everlasting in freedom of the sons of god.

i wish i had written the quote down.

Check_Your_Premises

"who is to say that there is not existence outside of our own perception" which almost sounds like it means something! But, frankly, it cannot.

So are you saying that unless we are able to perceive something it cannot exist? You lost me here. I see man as hoplessly limited in his ability to perceive and understand. I think you are saying rather that unless we can prove or validate something, we are better off not putting alot of stock in it. I can't say I disagree. I am simply saying that I don't think we can dismiss the possibility. I have a feeling we are talking past eachother a bit. More of a distinction than a difference.

When we begin excusing the ridiculous by resorting to the fallacious "argument from ignorance" (we base a belief on what we DON'T know) it is a sure sign we crave the fix that comes from the hypdermic syringe of the imaginary!

That is always a danger. We always have to mindful of the extent our own desires, and cravings come into play in what we end up believing. I certainly don't exclude myself. I must say that my choice to believe in God is not, in my opinion, a blind one. What I mean to say is that it is based on things I perceive in my existence.

We have chatted a bit. You know my biases and cravings. What are yours? Maybe I have missed it, and you have discussed them. I hope I am not getting to personal, and I hope I am not coming off in a condescending Christian sort of way. I frankly admit that you are much more knowledgeable on the subject, and probably a brighter bulb (well, who you going to brag to about that?). But I have to think that someone who lost so many precious years to a reliance on faith, would have to be awfully hateful towards the portion of their mind that would allow such a fateful mistep.

I am not saying certain unproveable things have to be true, rather I refuse to reject what is possible based on the fact that it isn't proveable. I guess it is a slippery slope when we swim out into the deep water of putting our trust in that which we can't validate. I myself only tread out far enough into the possible where I can still keep the shore of what I can validate in site. The funny part for me, is that what I thought was such deep water actually has alot of things to stand on. I have experienced things that seem to defy explanations apart from the ones I have put my trust in. But those are my experiences, I can't expect them to mean anything to you.

All I am saying is that if you open yourself up to the idea, I think God gives you what you need to have faith in him. Of course, maybe I am crazy and need my fix. Approximately,

Our belief = what we want to be true + facts*our reasoning

All this sure would be alot easier without that doggone offset.

Thanks for all your posts here. You probably do get me thinking more than most.

I promise you that once I don't need my faith as strategic cover, I will let all you agonstic/athiest types take your best shots. Right now, I just don't have the time.

CYP

51

tions about hello everyone, i'm new here,,,

by telltruth in

jw
friends

hello everyone.

have recently met someone, amazing person!

however have many questions about jw's and wt.

Check_Your_Premises

One thing about Hassan's book's is they are very general. You will need to see how they apply to the jw in particular. IThinkIsee did some summaries awhile back on some of the chapters. Go through his history and you can find them. THey are pretty good.

CYP

38

Does anyone know of a good church I could go to?

by Andrea Wideman in

after being a catholic and a jw i am really gun shy about organized religions.

i identify myself simply as a christian.

i am looking for a church to go to for fellowship.

Check_Your_Premises

I found a Bible Church.

What I did was write up a list of questions that I had, and I sent them around to all the local congregations and cults. It was a dual purpose effort. First I was genuinely curious about the churches in the area. Secondly, I got responses from other cults that were remarkeably similar to the jw. It helped lance the misconception that the jw doctrine is so unique that we simply have to ask, "where else could we go?!".

There are alot of places that teach the same stuff! Ironically most of them are legalistic and cultish also!

CYP

69

I've been debating on whether or not to share this...but here goes

by findingmyway in

for those of you who will be disgusted that i even attended the meeting, let alone allow my son to give his first public talk tonight, please, spare me the shouting messages.

i take full responsibility for what i experienced this evening.

yet, i feel the need to share this experience that has me enraged.

Check_Your_Premises

Nobody giving you a hard time here. Don't beat yourself up. The jw mentality forces us into so many awkward situations. We are normal people who understand the concepts of parity and fairness and meeting people half way. In the dub world though there is no compromise. That is why we always come out on the short end of the exchanges.

Just one thought though on your son. They are trying to weasel around you. They always do. They can be places you can't. They can say things about you behind your back to your son.

Never take him in a KH sure. But be sure to give your rationale.

Being a dub has nothing to do with status with the org or baptism. Being a dub simply means you believe it. Make sure he understands why he shouldn't believe it.

CYP

Check_Your_Premises

Posts by Check_Your_Premises