LongHairGal

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Posts by LongHairGal

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  25

  The Dangers of Independent Thinking

  by daystar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "the dangers of independent thinking".

  reading mary's thread regarding the july 15th wt, i began to really consider what the wbts' problem is with "independent thinking".. what exactly is "independent thinking" and what about its opposite, "dependent thinking"?

  i think the following excerpt from an article here does a good job of defining them.

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  LongHairGal

  TONUS OH:

  In the beginning of my awakening after my disillusionment in the Jehovah’s Witnesses and learning the Truth about the Truth, I read mountains of information. I was particularly struck by that bit about how ‘unity was more important than accuracy’ and that any ‘change had to come from the top’ or words to that effect.

  I was very angry when I learned this. These egotistical men were and are all about getting a following and keeping it. I realize so many people gave up so much and made this all-consuming false religion their whole life. Many were born into it. I am grateful I wasn’t and that it was just a wrong stop on my journey and a life lesson learned.. I’m Glad that I worked at a job in the so-called ‘world’ and that I am long Out of the JWs.
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  8

  YouTube advice on “Types of People to Avoid”

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was doing some heavy duty binge watching on youtube.. there are lots of helpful topics including ‘how to declutter your home’, ‘things you shouldn’t tell people’ and several videos on ‘types of people you shouldn’t have in your life as well as types of behavior you shouldn’t tolerate’ (especially after a certain age).. what i got out of it (most i already knew but was nice to see it mentioned):.. first, you should live life authentically, especially at an older age.

  you should be free of other people’s opinions, judgments and expectations of you.

  you should be free of this as you have accumulated enough wisdom in life to know what serves you and that other people’s opinions do not define you; you should not be guilt tripped into doing favors or being exploited (financially or time wise) by anybody manipulative or irresponsible, etc… walking away is not ‘selfishness’ but ‘self care’.. it was mentioned in all of them to remove people from your life who are critical and fall into these negative categories whether they be family or other.. (the name of jehovah’s witnesses was nowhere mentioned - but i was struck by the fact that all these negative things appear in spades in the jw religion (and probably in some other religions as well).. watching all of this just reinforced what i knew for many years: ..the best thing i did was to ‘fade’ from the religion and get out of that environment!.

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  LongHairGal

  I QUIT:

  Most definitely you have to learn how to say No. This is essential and a person’s first line of defense. Of course, it can also pertain to things you do or don’t believe in any longer.

  But when people can’t say No, any boundaries they have will be gone. This is why cults and high control groups try to wear people down.. In the Witnesses, people who can’t say No are pushovers who end up exploited in every way and end up doing things they don’t want to do.

  Part of this trap of not saying ‘No’ has to do with wanting to be ‘viewed favorably’ by judgmental Users in the congregation👎.. I could not afford to concern myself with what these people thought because I had to work. So, I said ‘No’, and I did so with other nervy requests!

  People should practice saying ‘No’ in front of a mirror and then use it in real life.
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  17

  Footage from Recently Converted Kingdom Hall to a Mosque

  by raymond frantz in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  https://youtu.be/kjqwfeuhpji?si=6ahbituygdyiq3za.

  when jehovah’s witnesses dedicate their kingdom halls, they often refer to the example of solomon dedicating the temple in jerusalem.

  it’s a solemn moment.

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  LongHairGal

  NATHAN NATAS:

  Yes, that is a sad and brutal fact that gullible Witnesses paid for these buildings that now got sold - and they didn’t get any of the money back.

  It might hurt less if Jehovah’s Witnesses had social programs to help their poor people but they don’t. And, I agree with you that people who donated might have imagined they were getting ‘everlasting life’.

  The Catholic Church had the selling of indulgences. But, I am not implying that today’s Catholic Church is anywhere near as bad as the JW religion.. I am not religious anymore but I was raised Catholic and at least I didn’t have a bullseye target painted on me like when I got involved with the JWs!! 👎 The JWs were and are heavy duty into exploitation and maybe my Catholic upbringing saved me from falling for it. Who knows?
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  85

  Reddit thread - ‘Organization Finally Suggesting to Plan for Retirement’

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this information is supposed to be in the upcoming march wt.

  (i don’t go on jw dot org).

  it would sound like they are hinting at a change in thinking.. in my opinion, any such change would be yet another slap in the face to faithful pimis along with those other recent changes.. there are so many heartfelt responses on that thread and a lot of justified anger.. don’t know what to say except that i’m so glad i never listened to the religion all those years ago.

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  LongHairGal

  DAGNEY:

  You said: “He quit that job to appease the congregation”.

  This is the terrible trap that almost all Jehovah’s Witnesses fell into: trying to appease the congregation (Brother and Sister Jealous)... I’ll get down on my knees thankful to God I never did that.

  Even though I didn’t like being shunned and excluded from invitations, my fear of having no $$ trumped anything any of those idiots thought about me. Meanwhile, many of those older affluent JWs pushing poverty for some young person had already earned their living!! These older JWs are gone today in 2025 and not even around to help anybody they misled all those years ago!

  So, there is no justice here.

  I’m sorry I never had the chance to tell those Witnesses off but will content myself with the fact I never paid attention to anything the religion said… I do take particular pleasure now in telling this to some older JWs I might run into.. I get mixed reactions: some commend me for doing the right thing and others are a tad resentful because either they are sorry they didn’t and also because they cannot admit the religion was wrong! ..That is their problem.
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  85

  Reddit thread - ‘Organization Finally Suggesting to Plan for Retirement’

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this information is supposed to be in the upcoming march wt.

  (i don’t go on jw dot org).

  it would sound like they are hinting at a change in thinking.. in my opinion, any such change would be yet another slap in the face to faithful pimis along with those other recent changes.. there are so many heartfelt responses on that thread and a lot of justified anger.. don’t know what to say except that i’m so glad i never listened to the religion all those years ago.

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  LongHairGal

  HOSER:

  ’Treated badly in the congregation’, can be an understatement. It also varied, I think, if you were a man. You got less grief over that full-time job than I did.

  But, it happened and it was worth every penny in the end that I got ‘shunned’ and not invited to those special dinners! No regrets (any more than all those older JWs had who were collecting their pensions).

  Now, all those people who knocked me years ago can deal with the consequences of listening to fools and hypocrites. I’m not interested and don’t have any pity.
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  85

  Reddit thread - ‘Organization Finally Suggesting to Plan for Retirement’

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this information is supposed to be in the upcoming march wt.

  (i don’t go on jw dot org).

  it would sound like they are hinting at a change in thinking.. in my opinion, any such change would be yet another slap in the face to faithful pimis along with those other recent changes.. there are so many heartfelt responses on that thread and a lot of justified anger.. don’t know what to say except that i’m so glad i never listened to the religion all those years ago.

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  LongHairGal

  ELDERBERRY:

  Yes, those old-time Witnesses should be turning in their graves because of all these changes.

  I was just watching a YouTube by some ex-JW about the ‘Great Disappointment’. I wonder if things are going to start unraveling among some of those disappointed older JWs there?.. One thing I am Glad of is that I got out ages ago. I am grateful for each day and happy with simple things and the few nice people I know.. I am sure many older JWs are broke (because of no career) and ailing.. I would find it unbearable to be around any of these people so anxious for the End to come!
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  8

  YouTube advice on “Types of People to Avoid”

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was doing some heavy duty binge watching on youtube.. there are lots of helpful topics including ‘how to declutter your home’, ‘things you shouldn’t tell people’ and several videos on ‘types of people you shouldn’t have in your life as well as types of behavior you shouldn’t tolerate’ (especially after a certain age).. what i got out of it (most i already knew but was nice to see it mentioned):.. first, you should live life authentically, especially at an older age.

  you should be free of other people’s opinions, judgments and expectations of you.

  you should be free of this as you have accumulated enough wisdom in life to know what serves you and that other people’s opinions do not define you; you should not be guilt tripped into doing favors or being exploited (financially or time wise) by anybody manipulative or irresponsible, etc… walking away is not ‘selfishness’ but ‘self care’.. it was mentioned in all of them to remove people from your life who are critical and fall into these negative categories whether they be family or other.. (the name of jehovah’s witnesses was nowhere mentioned - but i was struck by the fact that all these negative things appear in spades in the jw religion (and probably in some other religions as well).. watching all of this just reinforced what i knew for many years: ..the best thing i did was to ‘fade’ from the religion and get out of that environment!.

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  LongHairGal

  Thank you for your comments.

  The religion was not mentioned by name, but yet as a whole contains all of these undesirable traits of being toxic! A coincidence? ☺️
• 
  8

  YouTube advice on “Types of People to Avoid”

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was doing some heavy duty binge watching on youtube.. there are lots of helpful topics including ‘how to declutter your home’, ‘things you shouldn’t tell people’ and several videos on ‘types of people you shouldn’t have in your life as well as types of behavior you shouldn’t tolerate’ (especially after a certain age).. what i got out of it (most i already knew but was nice to see it mentioned):.. first, you should live life authentically, especially at an older age.

  you should be free of other people’s opinions, judgments and expectations of you.

  you should be free of this as you have accumulated enough wisdom in life to know what serves you and that other people’s opinions do not define you; you should not be guilt tripped into doing favors or being exploited (financially or time wise) by anybody manipulative or irresponsible, etc… walking away is not ‘selfishness’ but ‘self care’.. it was mentioned in all of them to remove people from your life who are critical and fall into these negative categories whether they be family or other.. (the name of jehovah’s witnesses was nowhere mentioned - but i was struck by the fact that all these negative things appear in spades in the jw religion (and probably in some other religions as well).. watching all of this just reinforced what i knew for many years: ..the best thing i did was to ‘fade’ from the religion and get out of that environment!.

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• 

  LongHairGal

  I was doing some heavy duty binge watching on YouTube.

  There are lots of helpful topics including ‘How to Declutter Your Home’, ‘Things You Shouldn’t Tell People’ and several videos on ‘types of people you shouldn’t have in your life as well as types of behavior you shouldn’t tolerate’ (especially after a certain age).

  What I got out of it (most I already knew but was nice to see it mentioned):.. First, you should live life authentically, especially at an older age. You should be free of other people’s opinions, judgments and expectations of you. You should be free of this as you have accumulated enough wisdom in life to know what serves you and that other people’s opinions do NOT define you; you should not be guilt tripped into doing favors or being exploited (financially or time wise) by anybody manipulative or irresponsible, etc… Walking away is not ‘selfishness’ but ‘self care’.

  It was mentioned in all of them to remove people from your life who are critical and fall into these negative categories whether they be family or other.. (The name of Jehovah’s Witnesses was nowhere mentioned - but I was struck by the fact that all these negative things appear in spades in the JW religion (and probably in some other religions as well).

  Watching all of this just reinforced what I knew for many years: ..the best thing I did was to ‘Fade’ from the religion and get out of that environment!
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  31

  What's Wrong with the Watchtower?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  not sure who wrote this list a while back but i think it is worth a repeat....to be added to or subtracted from or modified...whatever.. what's wrong with the watchtower.

  "overlapping generations" - this teaching makes no sense.

  the word used by jesus is in the singular, not plural form.. .

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  LongHairGal

  VANDERHOVEN7:

  That is a very sad story from this anonymous Witness.. Unfortunately, this is the reality of too many born-ins in the Jehovah’s Witnesses. And then in the end the religion changed its teachings and pulled the rug out from under everybody. I took particular note of: “..questioning the promises and intentions of those who claim to speak for the divine”. Indeed.

  I am so grateful that this was not my upbringing.. I came into the JWs years ago as a young working adult.. I wasn’t accepted and that’s just as well because it made it very easy for me to eventually ‘Fade’ when I saw through it all.
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  26

  Age Appropriate Friends

  by Riley in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we have a 25 year guy in our hall who is also a pioneer (which means he lives off his parents money), who likes to spend a lot of time with a 16 year old girl in the hall.

  it is usually in a group setting but he seems to gravitate toward her.

  he even has her auxilary pioneering , which is something i don't think any student trying to make the grades needs.

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  LongHairGal

  RILEY:

  It would seem that those Mormons are more realistic. NO stranger should be around anybody’s minor children. Case closed.

  The JWs are positively backwards about this topic. And is it because they are ‘oblivious’? Who knows? Also, what about when a JW guy is interested in a sister with children from a previous marriage - and one of them is an attractive young girl? And they sometimes all hang around together…(Of course, this happens in the non-Witness world as well).

  Well, I don’t need to go into details of what I observed in my time as a JW decades ago, but any woman in the JWs (or anywhere else for that matter) with a young daughter(s) who has a man show an interest in her - can never be too sure about her man!! Sorry to have to say this.