Posts by LongHairGal

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

LongHairGal

VIDIOT:

Yes, the realization that something was wrong with the JW religion came slowly and was cumulative.

What tipped the scales (for me anyway) was the 1995 Generation teaching. I remember sitting in the hall during the study and it hit me:.. they were playing everybody and I knew my time in the Witness religion was Over.. Yes, the thought came to me just like that.

There was no emotion in me. I just knew what I had to do. I planned my ‘Fade’. Now, I was not raised a Witness so maybe it was easier for me. Luckily, I had no family there. As for everybody else there who knows? JWs make all kinds of excuses inside their heads. Some end up medicated because of cognitive dissonance. They can have it.

28

Do we blame the Governing Body too much?

by no-zombie in

i'd like to start this post with a part from the movie 'v for vendetta'.

here in a dystopian state, the main character named v, explains why things have gone so bad ....

those who do not want us to speak.

LongHairGal

JOEY JOJO:

You are absolutely right about the JW organization acting like a totalitarian government!

When I read the book ‘Crisis of Conscience’ by Ray Franz, I was struck by all the similarities to what I read about what happened in Cuba. In the JWs they had secret witnesses snitching on people and the accused who were interrogated were never told by who, etc. In totalitarian governments we saw the same thing happen.

MAGNUM:

I agree with you and blame the rank & file Witnesses as well. When I was a young working woman, it was these older hypocrites (collecting pensions, no less) who criticized me and made sure I was hardly invited anywhere! I’m just thankful I never listened to them.

34

Hailstones?

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

when i was interested in things jw two decades or so ago, i never came across these mentions of hailstones.

it crops up so often now that it's almost a meme!

when did it become a thing in jw speak, and what does it refer to?.

LongHairGal

Yes, I have seen several threads on this upcoming hard-hitting ‘Hailstone’ message on Reddit.

So, the Witness religion is now at this point, eh? I guess it means that I should go running back to the religion in fear, right?🤮 (sarcasm). I would be a real masochist if I did that.. All my mental healing and peace would be undone. I would have to have my head examined.

Most of us are Out because of abusive treatment of one kind or another.

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

Yes, that is my point exactly about the JW religion.

We can never know, nor would we want to, just how bad it could be. We only know what we have seen. And it isn’t good.

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

LongHairGal

NO-ZOMBIE:

No, I don’t doubt you at all and I know something about the history of that region of the world. More than you might think. I’m a bit of a history buff myself.

Also, I had a relative who worked in Iran and know somebody else who was in Saudi Arabia for a while! They had some horror stories to tell. So, I certainly do appreciate the structure of Arabic theocratic governments!

I see you are big-picturing it with your comparisons.

I know the WTBS is not the center of the world and that worse things happened in the past. We all know the history of the world and religion is bad with the Inquisition and other atrocities throughout history up until the present time. Unfortunately, we cannot do anything about the atrocities and lack of human rights (especially for women) in the places you mentioned.. Obviously, they don’t care what the rest of the world thinks about them.

But, as far as religions go now (that are operating inside of other relatively free countries). I still think JWs is high control group with potential to be a lot worse if it had the upper hand - which I’m glad it does not. You can feel free to disagree.

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

LongHairGal

NO-ZOMBIE:

Yes, I do. As I said in my previous post answering your post: ..If the Witness religion was geographically isolated and its OWN sovereign country the potential is definitely there for this to happen!…Iran is its own country. This is what you are ignoring.

JWs are bullying enough now (operating inside of relatively free countries) with their shunning routine, the stand against beards and issues about women’s dress, etc..

Again, JWs are only kept in check (for the most part) because they are NOT a sovereign country but are subject to the laws of the countries they live in (thank God)!!

Otherwise they would very quickly degenerate and resemble these other oppressive countries you mentioned.

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

LongHairGal

NO-ZOMBIE:

Good points! But I wouldn’t think of comparing the Witness religion to totalitarian regimes or countries that are religious theocracies.

So, as far as I’m concerned, they should not be in the equation here as to whether the JWs are a cult or not.

I am referring to the JW religion operating mostly in relatively free Western countries (even though I am aware they are in some non-Western countries as well.). The complaints against it are in comparison to how people fare in it as opposed to other religions. Just one example: people in other religions not discouraged from higher education.

The things you mentioned like the torture rack and beatings, etc. wouldn’t even be tolerated in Western countries (although I have no doubt that some extremist mentalities might like to do these things!).. As it is, it’s bad enough we all know that child molestation exists. Also, the JW religion is relatively young as compared to other religions. Given time who knows how bad they could get?

In my opinion, the JWs are a high-control group with some cult-like traits. They have the potential to be worse. What stops them? They are not geographically isolated and cannot carry out the horrors that other groups have!.. That’s why the people in Jonestown sealed their doom as soon as they left the continental US and followed what’s-his-name into the jungle with his guards!👎

4

Interesting experience with my PIMI Father

by joe134cd in

this highlights just how flawed the jw thinking is.

recently, it had been arranged for another jw to take my father to the convention in a couple of weeks time.

a few days ago my father is informed that his ride has refused to drive him due to his underlying health conditions.

LongHairGal

JOE134CD:

Sorry about the experience with your father’s friend. But, it’s nice of you to step in and help.

Witness thinking is screwed up. But let me say this: (and I know you repeated it to make a point)..I, for one, never believed/expected anybody to ‘lay down their life for me during the Great Tribulation’.. I consider this to be one of the fallacies or urban legends that floated around through the Witness religion, especially in the old days… I think it also went along with that other fallacy that ‘you would be taken care of if you were needy’.. I never believed this for one minute and made sure I kept my job.

One time I had a conversation with another working woman in the hall. We both agreed that since people were generally not too friendly towards us in so-called ‘good’ times, how in the world would they care about us if it were difficult times - let alone any ‘Great Tribulation’?.. We’d be up a creek ! I’m sure in the end we could only count on ourselves.

63

Did you have any Elders CO's/DO's that were "Hung up" on certain things????

by karter in

jw
friends

we had an elder that was hung up on mens haircuts he had a real thing about how short mens hair should be and even told one bro off for parting his hair down the middle.. even told one bro to shave off his sideburns.. a c.o who was paronoid about sound always telling the bro in charge off.. .

a d.o who orded the attendants to remove crying babys from assemblys on more than a few occations...hans hubler for those that know him..

LongHairGal

It seemed to me that the elders and COs in general ‘went beyond what was written’.

These men injected their personal opinions, preferences and biases into everything.. I would have to say that is what the Jehovah’s Witness religion is all about.. Never mind that you may not have been interested in anybody’s opinion about anything but they were determined to give it to you.. Maybe young single people got it the most?

The ‘hangups’ back when I was in? ‘Modesty’ in dress - where attractive/stylish women were hounded from time to time because ‘somebody’ (with an unattractive figure no doubt) had an issue about somebody’s appearance.

The other ‘hangup’ was them being busybodies about somebody’s secular work - trying to get gullible younger people to ‘pioneer’.. I was there and experienced it. Never mind that these older hypocrites collecting pensions weren’t supporting me or anybody!.. Nor would they be around when these other young people (being groomed for poverty) hit retirement age. We are seeing this today.

I am so grateful Now that I resisted all the foolish talk back in the religion when I was younger!

32

Sagely advice of a CO

by Vidqun in

“a circuit overseer started out by saying that on this last round of the circuit, the one thing he noticed the most...is that everyone is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained...and that cuts across all barriers and demographics within the truth.

he then said that the one common thread that ran among nearly everyone was this: we feel guilty for feeling bad.

he said because we are told to endure with joy, our minds can cause us to feel enormous guilt over feeling this way...and then, my dear brothers and sisters...he proceeded to blow our collective minds.. he asked us to turn to daniel 8:27….

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM & NEW DAY:

Wow, this never ends!

Even though I’m long Out, it kills me to hear about moronic elders and circuit overseers STILL knocking secular work!!! This brings back bad memories of what was said to me years ago. Thankfully I never listened.

Here we are at a time when there are the hugest amounts of needy Witnesses in congregations since so many reached retirement age with NO preparation since they hardly worked - yet some idiots are still telling people not to work. “It’s a test of your faith, brother.”..They don’t care about anybody’s welfare. Maybe some day HE will be tested.

They could starve for all I care.

Even though I’m Out because of 1995, I would not tolerate being around needy Witnesses who never worked looking for handout$. 👎