I do not believe websites like this create doubt in lurkers, but I do think it definitely helps people who already have doubts get out. Having doubts and beginning to realize what the truth about the watchtower is a very lonely place to be. Forums like this give much needed support that help you sort out the real truth and then eventually leave.
Wild_Thing
JoinedPosts by Wild_Thing
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39
Does What We Say Here Or In Person Really Help JWs To Get Out Of The Religion?
by minimus inif we are in the congregation, do you think our comments or questions actually reach elders or others in the congregation?
do our comments on this board affect witnesses to the point of questioning their faith?
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God answers prayer of paralyzed little boy
by Simon inthe answer was "no".
http://www.theonion.com/article/god-answers-prayers-of-paralyzed-little-boy-475.
obviously it's the onion so it's satirical but it got me thinking how the religious view prayer and god.
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Wild_Thing
What always bothered me the most is that when zealots claim that God answered their prayers, it is always at the expense of someone else.
If God "answered your prayers" and you won a game or award, it implies you are God's special chosen one over the other contenders.
If God "answered your prayers" and saved your child from cancer, it implies God had the ability to save other children from cancer, also, but chose not to.
I don't really think people understand what they are saying when they use that phrase. I think it's just become cliche` and something people say without thinking.
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Stephen Lett: Crazy Old Kook or Just Really Bad Actor?
by Wild_Thing inso, i am reposting this video from wifibandit's thread since it is a bit off topic.
i watched this video and i have to say that this guy really creeps me out.
his slow and methodical gestures coupled with with his over-annuciation of every word makes him appear absolutely crazy!.
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Wild_Thing
So, I am reposting this video from wifibandit's thread since it is a bit off topic.
I watched this video and I have to say that this guy really creeps me out. His slow and methodical gestures coupled with with his over-annuciation of EVERY word makes him appear ABSOLUTELY CRAZY!
Either that, or he is just a really bad actor, over-acting everything. Maybe both?
He reminds me of Marshall Applewhite, that crazy cult leader of Heaven's Gate (the cult where everyone killed themselves while sporting terrible boy haircuts and new black tennis shoes). I have posted the Applewhite video below the Lett video for comparison.
Maybe they just both went to the same "So You Want To Be a Cult Leader" seminar. The similarities in style are uncanny.
Lett Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3JvWvJdkxg
Applewhite video:
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2015 Convention Releases
by wifibandit inhttp://www.jw.org/en/publications/jw-convention-releases-2015/.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gc7cyswlvwg.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfmuamqiv4k.
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Wild_Thing
When you click on the link, it asks if you have attended the convention yet. I clicked on yes so I could see the new releases. It was like the disclaimer you see when visiting liquor websites that say "Click to verify that you are over 21."
So, what happens when you click on "No"? Anyone?
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More Young Indoctrination
by freemindfade innot sure how wide spread this is, but from my social media land i saw 2 separate videos, from two halls in completely different towns featuring their kids having a demonstration on the service meeting (i am guessing last night as i didn't go).
these kids are really young!
maybe this was just a coincidence at first i thought it was the same video then realized theses people live hundreds of miles apart.
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Wild_Thing
Of all the world's religions, the JWs have the lowest retention of members when it comes to "born-ins". It would make sense for them to kick it up a notch with the indoctrination of young ones. I have also noticed they are pushing for child baptism in a way that I have never seen before. I am guessing they think the threat of being disfellowshipped and disowned will keep them in the fold. -
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What triggered your doubts / awakening?
by Tornintwo ini am sort of new here, used a different username for a while but things got 'difficult' at home so i've since been lurking.... what i would be really interested to know, if you don't mind sharing, is what it was that triggered your doubts and initial research which led to awakening, was it a bad experience, injustice, changed doctrine?
for me, it was seeing mistreatment of young ones in the congregation, they're under so much pressure and as soon as they go even slightly astray they are shunned, either informally (as bad associations which pushes them further into the 'world') or formally - with elders dying to throw the book at them so they even lose their family.... ...then reading about child abuse issues in the press.... ...which led me to silentlambs.
...then jw facts, this forum and coc, wham!
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Wild_Thing
What woke me up ...
My mother was married to my abusive father for 30 years. He was also an elder for most of those years. "Jehovah" didn't help us. The other elders didn't help us. Nobody helped us.
When things got so bad that we were in crisis mode, it was only outside agencies and "worldly" people that helped us. Then, I woke up. I was sixteen.
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17 year old son is blaming me for ruining his life from the Cult. He's complaining "I could have been a high school sports star!"
by PhilsWager2 inyou know about my not-so-ugly divorce and how me and my wife found out the religion is false.
she still attends while my 17 year old has been raging on me about all the wasted time he suffered from by being in this religion.
he think's his life is ruined, very angry we did not learn this was a cult earlier(he was 14 when he stopped attending after reading the revelation book, he said "in all time and history, how could a trumpet blown in revelation have anything to do with a jw bible student convention statement"?.
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Wild_Thing
Even though the witnesses say that you should prove the truth to yourself, or whatever, many people don't because they don't feel the need to prove it to themselves. The indoctrination is so cemented into their minds already that it is the "truth", that many people do not even begin to question anything until they see bad conduct that directly contradicts with what should be in "Jehovah's organization". I think this is especially true if you grew up a JW.
Also, it sounds like your son has very black and white thinking right now, which is carry-over from the JWs. That's the only way they think. Hopefully, with some time and distance from the borg, he will see that not ALL of the JWs are bad, and not everything is either good or evil. I would tell him that if he really wants to distance himself from what the JWs have taught him, he will have to let go of the black and white thinking.
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17 year old son is blaming me for ruining his life from the Cult. He's complaining "I could have been a high school sports star!"
by PhilsWager2 inyou know about my not-so-ugly divorce and how me and my wife found out the religion is false.
she still attends while my 17 year old has been raging on me about all the wasted time he suffered from by being in this religion.
he think's his life is ruined, very angry we did not learn this was a cult earlier(he was 14 when he stopped attending after reading the revelation book, he said "in all time and history, how could a trumpet blown in revelation have anything to do with a jw bible student convention statement"?.
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Wild_Thing
One of my favorite sayings is:
"When you know better, you do better." - Maya Angelou
Your son is too young and immature to understand this, but I hope one day he will.
It is normal for teenagers (and even young adults) to blame their parents for _________ (insert blank here). We could all blame our parents for something.
One day he will grow up and realize everybody has a screwed up childhood of some sort ... his was just much more "interesting"! All of us have to realize eventually that the past is the past, and ultimately we are responsible for our choices going forward. That is a life lesson to learn no matter how old you are.
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Catch phrases used by the GB
by stuckinarut2 ini read a comment on another thread that made me think of this topic.. how many catchphrases are used by the gb and organisation in an attempt to control or gain power or prevent questioning?
feel free to list as many as you can think of!.
i'll start:.
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Wild_Thing
"Listen, obey, and be blessed."
This one came years after I left. I don't know how new it is. I just know it gives me chills when I hear it. A very cultish expression, if you ask me.
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Catch phrases used by the GB
by stuckinarut2 ini read a comment on another thread that made me think of this topic.. how many catchphrases are used by the gb and organisation in an attempt to control or gain power or prevent questioning?
feel free to list as many as you can think of!.
i'll start:.
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Wild_Thing
theocratic warfare
Jehovah's happy people
this system of things or this wicked system of things