Posts by LongHairGal

18

Does Jehovah have a visible organization?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do jehovah’s witnesses say they are god’s organization so matter of factly as though such an audacious claim is an undisputable fact?

here is how one person sees this claim.. "the entire jehovah’s witness religion is founded on unsubstantiated hubristic claims which are continually repeated until they are assumed by adherents to be a proven fact.. never is this more evident than when the beliefs of a jehovah’s witness are successfully challenged.

the more compelling the evidence against them, the more they resort to repeating their convictions with a sense of insistence, as if they are chanting a mantra.. confirmation bias is prevalent in all religious ideologies, but particularly with jehovah’s witnesses.

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

Thanks. I read your bio and am also ‘Out’ of this religious organization because of the 1995 Generation teaching.

It wasn’t even because of job criticism that I left. The 1995 thing is what really did it. The fact that everything is coming ‘home to roost there’ - is why I’m super Glad I’m Out. I realized this years after I left.

As you said, because I followed my gut and held onto that job ‘I wouldn’t be invited anywhere’. That’s exactly what happened and I was on the fringes until I ‘Faded’. I accepted that they didn’t like me. (I worked and had a pre-JW life).

They don’t get to come up to me now and ask for money!.. Sorry, but It doesn’t work that way.. If they were anybody else I would wish them luck.. But they don’t deserve anything.

18

Does Jehovah have a visible organization?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do jehovah’s witnesses say they are god’s organization so matter of factly as though such an audacious claim is an undisputable fact?

here is how one person sees this claim.. "the entire jehovah’s witness religion is founded on unsubstantiated hubristic claims which are continually repeated until they are assumed by adherents to be a proven fact.. never is this more evident than when the beliefs of a jehovah’s witness are successfully challenged.

the more compelling the evidence against them, the more they resort to repeating their convictions with a sense of insistence, as if they are chanting a mantra.. confirmation bias is prevalent in all religious ideologies, but particularly with jehovah’s witnesses.

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

Yes it’s true. These people now reaching or already in retirement age (Baby Boomers like myself) were young at a time the economy was booming (the 1970s). Now the economy is garbage.

They could have gotten a decent job without a college degree! (Not so today.). And all they would have had to do was work until retirement age and get SS plus whatever 401K, etc.

But, no. These Witnesses threw it away with both hands. They wouldn’t be caught dead in a full-time job like I had. Instead they preferred to be in the ministry and got invited everywhere and were told how ‘blessed’ they were - and I was told I wasn’t ‘spiritual’. Meanwhile the older generation in the hall were all collecting their pensions. How’s that for hypocrisy?

While it may sound callous to say ‘they are reaping what they sow’, I hope nobody expects pity from somebody like me. I would be up the creek without a paddle if I hadn’t trusted my own instincts!

18

Does Jehovah have a visible organization?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do jehovah’s witnesses say they are god’s organization so matter of factly as though such an audacious claim is an undisputable fact?

here is how one person sees this claim.. "the entire jehovah’s witness religion is founded on unsubstantiated hubristic claims which are continually repeated until they are assumed by adherents to be a proven fact.. never is this more evident than when the beliefs of a jehovah’s witness are successfully challenged.

the more compelling the evidence against them, the more they resort to repeating their convictions with a sense of insistence, as if they are chanting a mantra.. confirmation bias is prevalent in all religious ideologies, but particularly with jehovah’s witnesses.

LongHairGal

THOMAS MORE:

Yes, the disproportionate amount of ‘needy’ people in the Witness religion is directly attributable to the knocking of education/ careers and if you analyze it - any gainful employment - and pushing full-time ministry.

The disciples were unlettered and ordinary but they had their trades they worked at. Even though we cannot compare the modern world to Jesus’s time, he had a trade as a carpenter and must’ve done jobs here and there.. The point is: the needy situation in the JW congregations is a perfect storm caused by policies against careers with members coming into retirement age with no preparation - plus an awful economy.

Responsible people there will be cornered to give money - time and again. And this isn’t like the old days where you were buying an unemployed person a bag of groceries until they ‘got on their feet’! Nope!

Glad I’m long out of it. This would be yet another way the religion will lose maybe more people because they won’t stand being preyed upon by panhandlers.

18

Does Jehovah have a visible organization?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do jehovah’s witnesses say they are god’s organization so matter of factly as though such an audacious claim is an undisputable fact?

here is how one person sees this claim.. "the entire jehovah’s witness religion is founded on unsubstantiated hubristic claims which are continually repeated until they are assumed by adherents to be a proven fact.. never is this more evident than when the beliefs of a jehovah’s witness are successfully challenged.

the more compelling the evidence against them, the more they resort to repeating their convictions with a sense of insistence, as if they are chanting a mantra.. confirmation bias is prevalent in all religious ideologies, but particularly with jehovah’s witnesses.

LongHairGal

VANDERHOVEN7:

I read that thing on Reddit about the ‘Resources for Distressed Households’.

What I take from this (besides the utter hypocrisy of telling Witnesses to go to other sources for help - namely ‘wicked worldly organizations’) - is that there are far too many needy people in the JW religion!

There are more needy people than there should be. Peer pressure was put on them not to get careers but to work at part-time crappy jobs while they were ‘pioneers’ in the ministry.. I was directly targeted to do this years ago!!! Thankfully, I refused! My contemporaries (who knocked me) chose to be in the full-time ministry and wouldn’t be caught dead in a full time job!! .. They all now would be well into retirement age - one they didn’t prepare for.

Knowing what I know, I would never want to be in any congregation now. It sounds like a disaster.. It’s not just because I no longer believe in the Witness religion - but I’m not tolerating anybody who chose not to get a career or decent job coming up to me asking for money!

12

things shelved, not looked into because of group think

by enoughisenough in

here are some things i never really believed the jw taught...i just didn't really examine it closely.

i shelved it, so to speak, thinking no one is perfect and they know more than me...if i ever thought about it at all.. i never believed that only jws would be spared at armageddon.

i never believed the where in james, you went to the elders to confess being spiritually sick-always thought that referred to a real illness.

LongHairGal

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:

I agree with all the things you posted and think that ‘group think’ and lack of real concern caused these things to be shelved.

I had questions about some of these things when I was new in the JW religion and got answers like “that will be revealed in time..” I’m sure they had no answers and this was to get me to stop thinking about it.

I didn’t think much more about these things but was more bothered by the everyday issues in the religion.. I certainly did not agree that everybody be spending all the time they did in the ministry. I truly think this was ‘group think’. It seemed unsustainable for the younger JWs there to think they didn’t have to worry about work or planning for the future. I’m Glad I never paid attention to this nonsensical ‘group think’.

I wonder what they think now since they have reached the retirement age they were all told they’d ‘never see’?

61

Why are so many Jehovah’s Witnesses Angry and Rude?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do you think many jws are hostile and rude?

or is that just my imagination?.

mark jones writes: the vast majority of jehovah’s witnesses are nice people.

LongHairGal

RATTIGAN350:

Can you try showing us just how ex-JWs supposedly ‘lie and misrepresent’ the religion??

I don’t believe all these people are lying.. I believe they are all telling the truth about what happened to them. I’m certainly telling the truth about what happened to me and I would swear it on the bible,

28

Bait and Switch "Bible studies"

by Vanderhoven7 in

mark jones, a witness for over 30 years describes what jws call bible studies offered to the public.. .

"they (jehovah's witnesses) offer you a free home “bible” study - which turns out to be a study of a watchtower publication with the bible brought out as an afterthought to try and prop up whatever current idea the governing body are claiming is “the truth” this week.. i think it’s underhanded.. when my parents became jehovah’s witnesses and they offered people a free home “bible” study, this is what they brought to study with them:.

what, did you think they were going to study the bible with you?.

LongHairGal

JW GONEBAD:

Yes, I remember studying this blue Truth book in the late 1970s.

But, I’m proud to say that I am a 22+ year ‘Fader’ from the JW religion and won’t be spending my senior years in that place!

28

Bait and Switch "Bible studies"

by Vanderhoven7 in

mark jones, a witness for over 30 years describes what jws call bible studies offered to the public.. .

"they (jehovah's witnesses) offer you a free home “bible” study - which turns out to be a study of a watchtower publication with the bible brought out as an afterthought to try and prop up whatever current idea the governing body are claiming is “the truth” this week.. i think it’s underhanded.. when my parents became jehovah’s witnesses and they offered people a free home “bible” study, this is what they brought to study with them:.

what, did you think they were going to study the bible with you?.

LongHairGal

VANDERHOVEN7:

Of course it’s bait n switch. I felt I certainly was a victim. And, it certainly is not a bible study but instead their literature study!

I was told everybody was equal (🤣). They aren’t. I was told they had no clergy class. Umm, they have a plain-clothes clergy and enough titles to rival any church. They even use ‘ecclesiastical privilege’ to keep their mouths shut about criminal behavior there. So, that’s an admission right there.

Maybe there’s more because I can’t think of everything. But, I certainly would never have gotten involved with the Witnesses if I knew. I suppose if they laid all their cards on the table and were honest - nobody would ever join.

61

Why are so many Jehovah’s Witnesses Angry and Rude?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do you think many jws are hostile and rude?

or is that just my imagination?.

mark jones writes: the vast majority of jehovah’s witnesses are nice people.

LongHairGal

PEACEFUL PETE:

You have a point…Maybe if a JW finds this place thinking it’s proJW they couldn’t help being offended because it’s disagreeing or criticizing their religion.

However, if they are questioning and have doubts and come looking for this place, it’s not going to matter. They already know in their hearts that something is wrong there.

61

Why are so many Jehovah’s Witnesses Angry and Rude?

by Vanderhoven7 in

why do you think many jws are hostile and rude?

or is that just my imagination?.

mark jones writes: the vast majority of jehovah’s witnesses are nice people.

LongHairGal

CARLA:

I will address your last point first. Many JWs have piss poor education.

Some are homeschooled and others may not have finished high school. They are unaware of grammar and basic English and writing rules. This is why you see no paragraphs or some posting in all caps. I have seen some who don’t even capitalize words that should be. While this trend of poor grammatical skills can be seen everywhere and even in college grads, it is very pronounced among the JWs.

As far as JWs being rude, I think it has gotten worse in recent years. The women there are certainly awful.. The religion is getting more extreme and secretive and they see apostates everywhere, even under their beds. I also am of the opinion that the pandemic has made a lot of the older JWs cranky and disappointed because they expected to be in the ‘new world’ by now.