whyizit

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Posts by whyizit

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  38

  The Underbelly is exposed...........

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what proactive things have you done [or intend to do] to warn others about the cult you have escaped?

  the unfortunate fact of life is that we tend to look only at our own personal benefits from leaving the cult if not careful.

  or we give up after a failed attempt.

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  whyizit

  Hello, Jeff!

  As an outsider, looking in, I would have to say that educating people who are NOT involved with the WTS is a must. Many people assume they are just another branch of Christianity. Many others believe they are a cult, but don't really know the specifics as to why they are called a cult.

  On my end, I am trying to put together a cult awareness program that doesn't mention specific group names, but that gives good questions to ask before joining ANY group. Maybe then they will see the red flags...

  "You may be getting recruited into a mind control cult, if...." : Perhaps then, lonely people looking for a new church, etc... will see the warning signs BEFORE they become indoctrinated.

  Mind control groups are very sly, but if we can educate people about their tactics, then maybe they will recognize the methods, and perhaps their questions will make them think about their own involvement along the way.

  You have been there with and for me in my attempt to reach my friend. You see how frustrating it can be, yet knowing in advance not to expect too much too soon, and keeping the relationship pleasant first and foremost has kept the doors open. When you helped me to show her that she really didn't know much about the history of her OWN WTS religion, that made some big waves!

  Then, in her attempt to educate me on WTS history, she got a bit of an education herself, didn't she? ;0)

  That was the most effective conversation I ever had with her. And, as you know, she didn't know (nor did her guru's know) how to answer any of it! Her silence spoke volumes. The true beauty of it all, is that not only was she finding out about the cover-ups and mistakes, so were her JW leaders. You never know how many people will be released from mental bondage, if you can tactfully and kindly ask just one person the right questions.

  Preparing others and arming them with the right questions (with the right attitude) at their doors, could make a huge impact. Most of those who are willing to find out more, are going to be those who know someone who is in the WTS. I think MANY people are in those shoes. They just need to learn how to ask effective questions, rather than attack the belief.
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  37

  Never a JW, what makes you post here?

  by Mrs Smith in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in some of the post i read, people say that they have never been a jw.

  what makes them post on this forum?

  my only guess would be because they have family or friends that are.. .

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  whyizit

  Just like you said, those of us with friends and family who are involved in the WTS would like to learn how to reach our loved ones.

  We have to learn how to get around the thought-stopping cliches and figure out how to ask the right questions with the right attitude.

  It's a process to learn how to ask the right questions without being labeled an opposer. Learning how to go around the mind control is a key to successfully re-starting the thinking process that can free people. There's a method to it.

  Learning from people who have been there, and who have managed to become free, is very helpful. It gives us hope and shows us that just because someone is still "in", doesn't mean they are still under mind control. They may be staying in to get their family out with them. It is inspiring to be here and to see the every-day heroes. I love this forum.
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  16

  How do I get a Witness to do some deep research on Russell? Any Pointers?

  by NotaNess in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i feel most witnesses don't know of the history behind russell and the beginnings of the society.

  they're bent on "origins" of things, but we know that the wts keeps material and knowledge to a minimal on the origins of the society, and specifically russell.

  to a co-worker, i hinted at the pyramid memorial about russell, and he said he didn't know what i was talking about (a 20 year jw veteran).. any pointers on how i can ease the subject into "forbidden" conversation around the witnesses at work?

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  whyizit

  This recently happened with me. My JW friend kept hapring on how "if I only knew the history behind most Christian religions". So I asked her to give me some info. on the history of the WTS. Are they a branch of Advetists, Christadelphians, ??? How did they get their start?

  She sends me the entire Chapter 5 of the Proclaimer's book!

  Page 43- Ahhhh! So Russell was an Adventist!

  Pg. 45- Russell didn't like Adventists teaching everyone else is burned up. Don't JWs teach something similar? Everyone else is destroyed?

  Then you can go into the whole "he taught Christ came back in 1874 as "the LORD's TRUTH"????

  You get the idea.
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  24

  "Born-Again Christian" co-worker's Anti-Semetic comment distirbs me.

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was having a very interesting conversation with a co-worker that is a "born-again christian" and is a very nice guy.

  he is very hard-working and everybody loves him to death.

  one reason i like him so much is because he lives the role of a christian and not just "announce" every 5 minutes that he is born-again like alot of christians i know.

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  whyizit

  Perhaps your self-proclaimed "born-again" friend does not understand what it is to be a born-again Christian.

  The reason I say this, is because a true born-again Christian most likely would not say such a thing.

  It kind of goes along the lines of that old saying: Just because someone goes to church and says they are a Christian does not make them one, any more than standing in a garage proclaiming to be a car makes them an automobile.
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  41

  Is this petty? An argument with the neighbours

  by needproof in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'd like to ask you all whether or not you think that we are being petty here.

  the house next door to us has been empty for a while now.

  the last person to use it was a chinese doctor who used to house illegal immigrants which looked after his little cannabis factory.

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  whyizit

  I can see that this would be an irritating situation. However, is it really worth an escalating war with the neighbors?

  I took a class in basic Russian a few years ago, and my teacher and I became friendly. They are very social people and they are not accustomed to the boundaries that we take for granted here.

  It is probably a cultural difference more than down-right "ornery" behavior.

  Perhaps you could make an effort to be friendly and meet up with them on a more personal level. You may find that they are not trying to antagonize anyone, but are just doing as they would in Russia. Keep in mind that they may not fully understand your language either, but they will understand your kindness.

  I would probably try that, before completely dismissing them as a Pain In The Butt. After you get to know them better, you could kind of fill them in on how things are done here. That some of the neighbors view it as inconsiderate when someone is too loud after certain hours. Etc..... I would guess that they really don't understand the problem.
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  10

  My latest JW experience.

  by Abandoned in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was assigned the dining room this morning at work and i had a jw at the first booth.

  i recognized her by her bible made larger because of the included reasoning book.

  i got a kick out of recognizing her in this way.

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  whyizit

  Everytime I see those magazines in a public area, I collect them up. I'm planning to put them to good use. :0) (Cult awareness project.)

  I went in the hospital to visit someone early on a Sunday, and the waiting room had those magazines fanned out on every table. I bet people thought I was crazy! I asked if anyone was interested in any of them and the two people there said, "NO!" So, I waltzed out of the hospital with an armload of them! I took every last one, and I bet I had at least 40 of them! Those people in the waiting area probably thought I was going to jump head long in to the WTS.

  I have collected them up at my Vet's office too. I asked if I could have them, and he wanted to know why. Apparently he did not give permission for them to be left in his office in the first place, and he was not thrilled that anyone would be reading them. After I told him what I wanted them for, he was more than happy to send them home with me.
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  27

  Ever notice how interested worldly friends were to hear you'd left...zzzzzz

  by Gregor in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the first few years after i got my head out of my jw ass i assumed that worldly associates would be fascinated to hear of my escape....wrong.

  most of them looked at me like "what the f--- are you talking about?"...

  "who cares?

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  whyizit

  That is because they don't "get" it. They simply do not realize the magnificence of it all, UNLESS they have a family member that they are hoping will one day leave.

  For one thing, most people would see it as leaving a church denomination. When we left the Baptist church to join a non-denominational church, no one thought much about it. Including us. We still visit our Baptist friends, etc... No biggie!

  If people understood more about the WTS, THEN they would be more interested. But most people have no idea. They just think it is another denomination of Christianity. If you decide to leave, the you'll find some place else. They don't see it as the true accomplishment it is, because they don't know anything about it.

  I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW YOUR STORY!!!!!!

  And I know others who would too. But we are the ones who have loved ones that are in the WTS, and we want to know everything about coming out of it.
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  71

  Do Jehovah's Witnesses Have The "Right" To Practice Their Religion???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  whether we agree with them or disagree---i think they have a right to practice their religion----although i disagree with their beliefs.

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  whyizit

  I only had time to read the question, so I'm sure my answer is probably a re-peat of what others have said. But, just in case it's not, here goes:

  Yes. Absolutely. They DO have the right to practice their religion.

  HOWEVER, I think it should be mandatory that any group that is actively trying to recruit others into their group, no matter what that group is (religious or not), should have to provide a written TRUTHFUL statement that covers EXACTLY what they believe, and EXACTLY what they expect from people who join their group.
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  9

  I've been asked to explain the Trinity...............

  by whyizit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a jw friend of mine asked me what the trinity means to me and how i can use the bible to explain it.

  why others think it is so important.. i understand that this could be a baiting technique to try to pull me into a debate, but in another aspect, i think she really could be wondering about it.

  lately she has appeared a little disgruntled with the wts.

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  whyizit

  A JW friend of mine asked me what the Trinity means to me and how I can use the Bible to explain it. Why others think it is so important.

  I understand that this could be a baiting technique to try to pull me into a debate, but in another aspect, I think she really could be wondering about it. Lately she has appeared a little disgruntled with the WTS. (She is not yet baptised.)

  For the sake of argument, let's assume that she is asking, NOT because she wants to debate, but because she really is curious. Should I give her a long winded version of it, or should I try to keep it as short and to the point as I can? Do you have any good suggestions on what NOT to say, or perhaps what would be BEST to say about it?

  I don't mind getting in to a back and forth discussion about it with her, but I really would like to keep from offending her. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

  (BTW: I don't mind that some folks do not believe God is tri-une. I know the concept is hard to grasp. But I really would like advice from those who DO believe it.) Thanks.
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  10

  When the "honeymoon" is over....will previous doubts be revisited later?

  by whyizit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been studying a lot about mind control.

  i understand that while someone is in the "honeymoon" phase of being recruited in to a group, it is very unlikely that they will leave.

  my jw friend is still in that stage.

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  whyizit

  I have been studying a lot about mind control. I understand that while someone is in the "honeymoon" phase of being recruited in to a group, it is very unlikely that they will leave.

  My JW friend is still in that stage. She has not yet been baptised, so the love-bombing is still very intoxicating to her. We recently discussed how the 607 BC date doesn't add up, and she actually agreed that she thought they were a couple of years off, but dismissed it as "close enough". The point I am getting at, is she did the math and found the error herself. Yet, she is still enamoured with the group and is jumping in deeper all the time.

  If she goes ahead with her indoctrinazation process and becomes baptized, with my understanding being that it is shortly after baptism that the "honeymoon" is over, then how long do you think it will take before she starts to become disillusioned with the WTS? Do you think the points that have been made previous to her commitment to the group will start to weigh on her mind? That she may want to revisit them with me when disillusion starts to take hold?

  I am trying to figure out how to recognize when the disillusionment starts to occur. I have sensed it in the past, but it was more toward a person in the group, rather than with the WTS as a whole. Any ideas on how to tell when this is happening? What reaction should I have? Just a listening ear, or more food for thought? I don't want to drive her away.

  Thanks for advice!