It was when I realized that all the rules are enforced by social pressure. For example, the first time I heard the new announcement, "So and so is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses". They wouldn't say it from the platform, but everyone calls that person disfellowshipped; you can't talk to him; and you can be disciplined if you don't follow along. It doesn't say anywhere that you can't have a beard, but try wearing one to the hall and see how you get treated. Try doing anything different from the crowd and see how it goes for you. That's what made me realize something was wrong.
atypical
JoinedPosts by atypical
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48
When did you realize that you were part of a cult?
by JH in.
as a jw, i never thought that i was in a cult.
i thought that other religions were a cult, but not us.. what made you realize that the jw's is a cult?
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64
To Those Who Still Go To Meetings, Do You Sense Anything Different?
by minimus inare people excited by anything in the organization?
are they tired?
mostly missing?
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atypical
Yeah, it's true. The good elders are smart, so they figured out that they didn't want to work like dogs, and decide other people's fate by disfellow- whipping. They have learned how to get by their own way. Too bad a lot of them still feel so loyal to the organization.
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64
To Those Who Still Go To Meetings, Do You Sense Anything Different?
by minimus inare people excited by anything in the organization?
are they tired?
mostly missing?
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atypical
From what I know, the attendance is mostly ok. The social aspect is alive and well, but people aren't doing as much of the "witness" activity, except for the ambitious younger men who want to be elder. Almost every single one of the brothers who was a "good" elder, I mean that everyone loved and respected, has stepped down and sits in the back of the hall silent. I have even heard other active witnesses comment on this.
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My Sercuit Overseer is a JERK!
by stillAwitness inwell my sercuit overseer visit was this week and this guy is a real a-hole.
apparently our mic handlers are pretty slow.
they always take forever to give the mic to the hand-raiser and sometimes even forget to turn the stupid things on first.
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atypical
Man, I remember those days. Finally Free, I used to get steamed about the same thing. No matter what happened, everyone would turn around and look at me in the sound booth. One time, when everyone turned around to look at me, I turned around to mimic them and looked at whatever was behind me. Another time, everyone turned around to stare, so I got up and walked over to the drinking fountain.
COs are almost always pricks. One thing I love about my dad: even though he is an elder, I have seen him stand up to COs several times, even getting downright nasty and going over their head to the DO, then the society if he had to. Every single time it was a matter of the CO trying to push one of his pet peeves like it was a law from the society. I always thought that was so cool that my dad wasn't afraid to make the CO hate him. There was one issue that my dad fought so hard he actually got the CO removed. Snap!
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Are you allowed to fall asleep at the meetings now??
by stillAwitness inthe sercuit overseer gave the expierence about an interested one who would come to the meetings every sunday but admitted he would always fall asleep because he worked a double shift at work the night before.
the s.o said: "and sure enough he fell asleep during my talk.
" but he said that it was so encouraging because even though he worked the night before he still tried to get what little he could of the talk and the guy related afterwards: "i would not want to be caught falling asleep anywhere else but at the hall.
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atypical
I went to part of the Circuit assembly last weekend with my wife. I settled in and tried to go to sleep. I figured, hey, now I won't feel guilty about it. But would you believe it, I couldn't! Even though I didn't want to, I paid closer attention than I ever did before. It was because every little thing they said from the platform drove me out of my skull, and I would flip through my bible looking for good answers to what they were saying. Then when they read a letter from the society saying, "what better way to show our appreciation than to make a contribution, using the boxes placed around the assembly hall", I knew there was no chance. I went home before the baptism talk and watched tv.
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Linkin' Park - Numb - hits home
by TheListener ini really love this song and have been meaning to post the lyrics for some time.
everytime i hear this song it hits home for me.
for those of us who have family in the truth but have chosen our own separate path - this is for us.
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atypical
thelistener, I too appreciate the lyrics to that song. When I first heard it, it made me wonder if Chester (the singer) used to be a witness. I searched on the internet and couldn't find any info to that effect, but I did find out he is from my home town of Phoenix.
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Opps
by Star Moore ini was wondering, if jesus appeared today on earth as a man...who would he be like?
resemble?
republican, democrat or independent?
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atypical
Good thoughts, Tetra, I enjoyed your post. I agree with you, and the main point I have always gotten from the gospel books is the fact that Jesus flew in the face of every stupid tradition and rule, be they religious or social. I think if Jesus was on earth today incognito, there would be few, if any, "christian" organizations who would accept him.
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I ran into a sister at Wal-Greens
by lostlantern indon't you just love those days when you are out shopping and right as you turn the corner you are face to face with someone from the hall?
it's really bad when you can't remember their name but they remember you.
i was a walgreen's and ran into a sister from the hall i am supposed to go to.
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atypical
I get those questions all the time, too. I love the one about the badge. Even though I was active and not really questioning the society, I almost always rebelled against the stupid name badge. I started by putting fake names on it, like:
Name: Kenny McCormickCongregation: South Park
It was awesome, I actually had people asking me about the South Park congregation. After the fun of that wore off, I never wore a badge again; probably for about 10 years before I started fading.
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watchtower.virtue.nu
by sammielee24 inhas anyone been in this site?
this is their idea of damage control?
sw
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atypical
I agree, it can't be for real. It basically lays out all the major embarassments of the society and then gives little or no defense.
Two thumbs up!!
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35
What is your rating?
by billyboy inas a bit of a newbie , i'm interested as to the overall viewpoint of site users and spectrum of views.. using a crude gauge , where 1 = completely convinced "stepford"jw ("jhs organisation is wonderful etc") and 10 is a completely rabid "tear down the tower" apostate/ex-witness pathalogically hating the whole jw structure , where do you fit in?
(apolgies to both groups - no offense intended).. i'm about 2.5 - somewhat disillusioned , keen for reforms in certain areas but broadly accepts the teachings and loves the lifestyle.
would never leave.
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atypical
I guess I would be around a 5. I don't believe it at all anymore, but I don't feel a desire to stir up controversy. On the other hand, I would love to help anyone who would listen to learn the whole story. I do believe there are some good parts to the religion, but unfortunately they are the parts that could be found anywhere, ie good morals, love of justice, love of family, doing what is right just because it's what is right, etc.