Posts by freemindfade

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

freemindfade

Where can a Christian go

What's Jesus up to?

20

How did all these civilizations survive the flood?

by losthobbit in

flood 2304 bc (http://creation.com/the-date-of-noahs-flood).

neolithic 8500-1500 bc (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_neolithic_cultures_of_china).

egyption dynasty 4 2613 to 2494 bc, dynasty 5: 2494 to 2345 bc, dynasty 6: 2345 - 2181 bc (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_ancient_egyptian_dynasties).

freemindfade

They didn't get the memo that they all drowned at the hand of the desert god

31

Why JW's Rave So Much About Conventions

by freemindfade in

"it was so beautiful, we are truly blessed!

now, they also plaster these affirmations all over social media, "this is the best life", “so blessed”, “best convention”.. why the gushing?

have you ever heard anyone say, “mmmm it was ok”?

I was once told I didn't post enough "spiritual" stuff by a family member because I never put a single picture up at a convention or out in recruiting work. Witnesses constantly having to prove to each other they aren't "falling out of the truth"...

31

Why JW's Rave So Much About Conventions

by freemindfade in

"it was so beautiful, we are truly blessed!

now, they also plaster these affirmations all over social media, "this is the best life", “so blessed”, “best convention”.. why the gushing?

have you ever heard anyone say, “mmmm it was ok”?

freemindfade

"The best convention yet!" (Said every year). "It was so beautiful, we are truly blessed!" Each year when you speak to an active member that attended, they predictably spout off accolades about the convention in near hyperbole. Now, they also plaster these affirmations all over social media, "this is the best life", “so blessed”, “best convention”.

Why the gushing? Have you ever heard ANYONE say, “mmmm it was ok”? Or “last years was better”. Maybe ask them about last year's program, the way they raved about it, it must have had a profound impact on their life, what was the theme? What was the best part? Likely they have long since forgotten the entire thing and what it was about, probably on the drive home.

Something interesting happens when you invest through a great deal of difficulty into something. Think about some of things must a witness do to be at this precious convention?

Request and take time off work
Often travel and spend money staying in a hotel
Spend tedious hours sitting on their ass after waking up early, listening to the same theme pounded over and over again for 3 days straight at near kindergarten level of delivery
You may have to work as well, attending, cleaning assignment, etc, this may mean getting their earlier and staying later.

The investment to attend is pretty big when it comes to personal time, energy, and finances. Your human brain will not let you make that sort of investment and then call it ‘worthless’. Even if you do think in the back of your mind it was a waste, your brain is going to repackage it as worthwhile. You need to show everyone you feel this way, especially others in the “group”. We call this Effort Justification. This is why I called this on someone else’s post, “cognitive masturbation”. Why do you feel the need to have these “best convention” affirmations with other people who attended as well, maybe even at the same one?

Effort justification is people's tendency to attribute a greater value (greater than the objective value) to an outcome they had to put effort into acquiring or achieving. There you have in a nutshell the psychology behind this common JWism. It’s all dove tailed in to their cognitive dissonance. Of course, once you wake up, you no longer rely on impressing the group and reaffirming, you just see it as a worthless waste of time precious time and energy.

Don’t you love psychology?

47

here i am

by notalone in

i was a 4th gen born in.my adult children were the 5th.

my mother was one of the newly'anointed' we have all left.

i have been lurking since october.i was really too terrified someone would find out who i was and what would happen.well we are out now so here is a part of my story.

freemindfade

Sorry to hear about this and welcome.

60

New Here ... Just woke up

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

this is my first post.

i haven't been out in service or to a meeting in over a month.. i realize now that i've been having serious questions for years and many articles and talks have greatly disturbed me over the years.

freemindfade

Welcome

51

Dallas Texas 5 Police Officers dead & 6 wounded ?

by smiddy in

and it is still ongoing ?.

obviously sparked off by the 2 afro american citizens gunned down by police officers these past few days.?.

when is this sort of violence going to end ?.

freemindfade

From everything I read on here and see on TV news I also get the impression that the standard of professionalism and education that is required to be a cop in the USA is not what it should be. Would that be fair comment?

Cofty in america we have an expression, people become cops because they can't do anything else. There are a lot of bozo's in american police ranks. Not all, but a lot. If you have every had to deal with them here they are usually total flunkies. I have loads of stories. They are not professionals typically, they are really just chip on their shoulder people who want to do their time, earn their money, and get their pension. Again.. there are good hearted and professional police, but the majority are the same people working for the city garbage pick up.

51

Dallas Texas 5 Police Officers dead & 6 wounded ?

by smiddy in

and it is still ongoing ?.

obviously sparked off by the 2 afro american citizens gunned down by police officers these past few days.?.

when is this sort of violence going to end ?.

freemindfade

Even thier training in shooting people and thier weapons bullets are to kill not to injure.

This is actually NOT a true statement. Police are trained to use "deadly force", that is actually different than saying they are trained to kill. The real meaning of this is if they use "deadly force" to STOP someone, if they die in the process it is a consequence of using "deadly force" not because they were trying to take their life. Sometime death means stopped, sometimes not.

As usual people with no law enforcement or firearm training whatsoever are making false statements in the emotional heat of these situations.

Watching TV does not make you a criminal or firearms expert.

51

Dallas Texas 5 Police Officers dead & 6 wounded ?

by smiddy in

and it is still ongoing ?.

obviously sparked off by the 2 afro american citizens gunned down by police officers these past few days.?.

when is this sort of violence going to end ?.

freemindfade

I don't like cops, there are good cops, criminal cops (if you ever lived in nyc you know what I am talking about, racist cops, and A TON of asshole cops. Its unfortunate, but there are lots of bad apples in there. There is not a damn thing i can do about it, they don't represent my views, and I don't think its right to kill police.

The authorities should make a clear example of those that have acted improperly. swiftly and publicly, otherwise this just goes on and on.

51

Dallas Texas 5 Police Officers dead & 6 wounded ?

by smiddy in

and it is still ongoing ?.

obviously sparked off by the 2 afro american citizens gunned down by police officers these past few days.?.

when is this sort of violence going to end ?.

freemindfade

The violence in this country is the same or less than before, their are more cameras now though.

And the media is feeding a fire. There is no easy solution.