Shawn10538

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Posts by Shawn10538

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  56

  WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?

  by V in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  just another interesting comment i have received on the watchtower comments youtube channel.

  feel free to deconstruct.... .

  what is wrong with you?

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  Shawn10538

  Can you give us a link so we can see the video in question?
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  27

  The Rapidly Emerging "NEW BREED" of Jehovah's Witnesses

  by kool aid man06 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the "ever-changing doctrine" of the watchtower org.

  is now creating an "incubator of doubts" that seems to be "hatching" this so-called "new breed" of witnesses.

  watchtower publications written with purposeful ambiguous articles seems to be allowing many witnesses to become extremely liberal in their way of thinking.the watchtower org's view, as of late, in making more things a conscience matter, blood issues, voting, alternative service, organ transplants, attending weddings and funerals in churches, celebrating holidays, etc.

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  Shawn10538

  None of those links worked for me.
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  297

  BETHELITES - Whatever Became of?

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i often times wonder what happened to certain bethelites that i ran around with during my 1990s tenure there.

  while there are still a few left there, the greater majority of them aren't there for various reasons (marriage, disillusionment, left the borg, etc).

  a couple of cats i wonder about - there was one brother who i believe was from kansas, who got his fingers cut off in a printing press.

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  Shawn10538

  I think about my old friends very often, daily probably. I still miss many of them even though its been over ten years since I've been gone. And I only visited once in all that time, and I didn't even make it to the farm that visit. So much is changed. I'm fat and bald now, and most importantly not a Witness anymore, so the chance of seeing them again is very slim. You out there Chris Doro? I miss you man. Phil Hernandez. How's the kids? I never saw your son. Jessica Menschel, the only woman I ever told "I love you" and really felt it and meant it. Sheri Brainard, leave that knucklehead husband of yours and run away with me. We'll spin the globe and just go and never come back. What'ya say? Remember when we used to sing complete Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd songs while sacking out? Remember when we cleaned the pro-wrap machine one day, and we decided to clean opposite sides of the same end of the machine so we could talk all day? Remember when I left the department to go into construction? I left because of you. I was in love with you. But of course I couldn't act on it. So, it got to be too much to come into work every morning, and work side by side with you all day, with my feelings the way they were, so I asked for a transfer for personal reasons. I was happy my last day at Bethel to see you and Butch so happy and getting along. I still have a special place in my heart for you, I always will.
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  145

  Why Do Atheists Return to Theism?

  by B_Deserter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from my new blog at pundidiot.baywords.com.

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  Shawn10538

  One word: WEAKNESS.
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  6

  Did anyone watch BOSTON LEGAL last night?

  by journey-on in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was particularly interested in the part where the woman sues the catholic church to become a priest, citing sex discrimination.. she wins the right to a trial and the judge says, in essence, that if a religion chooses to practice policies that are directly against.

  constitutional rights such as "equality", fine....but they should have to forfeit their tax exempt status.

  there were other points made.

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  Shawn10538

  Yes! Great episode. Now if life follows art, we should be headed for some interesting changes in our laws. It reminds me of my favorite JW teaching, that all religion will be outlawed. Of course many writers throughout history have predicted the end of faith. I am praying that this prophecy will come true!
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  23

  How long did it take...

  by Honesty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for you to get rid of that 'new personality' and get back to normal when you left the jw's?

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  Shawn10538

  Funny. I have been thinking about this for a long time. My story is this:
  When I first started to come out (not in terms of sexual orientation) I began, as early as when I was still at Bethel, a low level rumbling. It was anger, and eventually became rage. I started telling people off about this and that. It earned me the reputation, immediately following the release of the movie "Mystery Men," of "Angry Man."
  
  I couldn't explain it, but as doubts about the organization began to rise, so did my temperature. I started blowing up at people for minor offences. Not every day, mind you. More like every month at first. Then a couple times a month. Then every week. Especially when I started to go to college and began finding out about cults, then I really was walking around angry all the time, and not really knowing why.
  
  These rage rants, as some of you know about here on the forum, started to occur way to often. Not only that, the intensity of the rants became more and more significant. I realize that I was mad at the organization for ruining my life but I wasn't taking it out on them I was taking it out on my family, who of course I associated with the cult. I began to alienate close friends and family. Aside from the fact that I was being more open about my doubts, my family began to notice that I just wasn't that nice anymore. I started to feel that I was being my true self. I was being more honest by not holding back when I disagreed with someone. It was clearly a case of, lashing back at the society for coercing into keeping my mouth shut all those years, not being allowed to disagree with the society. This made me very sensitive to anyone exercising authority over me or imposing their beliefs upon me.
  
  Now, it's gotten to the point that I am out of control. It has hurt me professionally because, as a teacher surrounded by children and prudes, any demonstration of anger is taken as a violent threat of harm. I have been told a number of times, mostly by women, that I scare them when I start to rant about something, I have lost jobs because of my behavior, and my job now is in a very precarious position. I've been written up a few times, and the next step is out the door I'm afraid. No more chances.
  But, I don't know how to staop the anger. It creeps up on me so fast. I can be trolliping along minding my own business, and someone can be rude to me, especially if that person also had authority over me, and I tear into them, verbally ripping them apart. It just happens so quick that I don't realize it is hap[pening until it is too late.
  
  I think I have to face the fact that I am a rageaholic. I have tried hypnotherapy. That helped quite a bit, but the effects wear off and eventually I am back to my old self. While I was at Bethel I did experience quite a bit of resentment over this and that, but I mostly kept it in and never talked to anybody about it. Now I am thinking - 12 step program, as much as I am philosophiocally opposed to that philosophy. There are thousands of testimonies out there that 12-steps is effective.
  
  I have alienated so many people in my life that I am down to just a few friends. I just don't know how to stop being angry. I don'tnow how to trust people. I get flashbacks of the society or its members bossing me around and intimidating me. I just don't want to be a victim ever again. I don't want any shenanigans to trick me into buying their miracle tonic, especially if it bears the name "Chritianity."
  I am wondering if anybody else has experience this lingering anger that they can't seem to get over. I would love to hear any advice on this topic.
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  7

  "Socially and Intellectually Incestuous"

  by Bring_the_Light in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well, i've been thinking deep and hard about "what is wrong" with the borg.

  lots of people believe shit that ain't true, thats not it.

  lots of people pick and choose their friends and associates based on who is like them, that's not it.

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  Shawn10538

  Very intriguing thoughts. I'll give it a jab.
  I would characterize that phrase as another way of saying "Masturbatory." In other words, they get off on themselves and one another. They are an insulated society, they literally marry within their social families. They are ego driven, and they cannot conceive of the concept of self-criticism, or even self-analysis. Their ministry is a masturbation, and has nothing to do with actually converting people. Converting people is just a side benefit. Furthermore, their ministry is a reaction to cognitive dissonance. However, I do not feel that JWs are any more unique than any other cult out there, including Mormons.
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  26

  favorite rock band from the 70's/early 80's

  by megaflower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  1. jethro tull.

  2. aerosmith.

  3. van halen.

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  Shawn10538

  Wow, didn't know there were so many Tull fans out there! So why don't I hear them on the radio if they have so many fans?
  
  1. ELO
  2. Queen
  3. Styx
  4. Modern Lovers - Jonathan Richman
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  26

  favorite rock band from the 70's/early 80's

  by megaflower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  1. jethro tull.

  2. aerosmith.

  3. van halen.

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  Shawn10538

  Wow, didn't know there were so many Tull fans out there! So why don't I hear them on the radio if they have so many fans?
  
  1. ELO
  2. Queen
  3. Styx
  4. Modern Lovers - Jonathan Richman
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  239

  I Do Not Understand Why JWs Leave & Become Catholics!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  out of all religions, catholicism, to me, is wrong and clearly could never be the truth.

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  Shawn10538

  I feel the same way about everyone who doesn't believe what I do.