Posts by AudeSapere

24

Conditioned to fail

by Jordandemm in

jw
friends

just want to say hi and a big thank you to all that post in this site.

it has been extremely tough waking up as a born.

but in slowly removing any doubts about leaving this man made religion.

AudeSapere

Londo wrote: This is likely the number #1 problem for former JWs.

I could not agree more! This is a tough one, but not insurmountable.

Five things that helped me (re-)build my little social circles:

#1. I took classes at local community college. Some of the classes required working in small groups. We would meet at local coffee shops and chat before and during our prep work.

#2. I moved out of territory. This kept me a little out-of-mind for my congregation and also a few neighbors were kind to me. I checked back with those people and 28 years later, I'm still friends with a couple of them.

#3. I met up with other ex-JWs in a 100+-mile radius of my home. This was GREAT benefit to me and was serious priority for about 3 years. If they were meeting, I did whatever I could to be there. I even planned a few meet-ups myself. It got me comfortable with talking about 'normal' things with semi-normal (haha!) people. That way I didn't bristle when subjects came up in conversation that NEVER came up when I was JW or with JWs.

#4. I joined co-workers for lunch and other social activities. Sometimes even just asking if I could join them (like if I heard people planning on going out for drink after work or when I heard a group planning to go skydiving~!!).

#5. I took up a new hobby and joined a local club to support my development of that hobby. For me, it was learning to ride a motorcycle at age 45. I met many new people and had such interesting new experiences. I think it made me more interesting and gave me something current - and FUN~! - to talk about when I met new people, too.

My #1 mistake...?? Feeling like I had to divulge my JW connection. Sometimes I used this as an explanation as to why I felt out-of-place. People tend to care, but not for the reasons we ex-JWs might think they care. You really don't have to explain yourself. Honest. You don't. Tell your sad tale to new friends AFTER they get to know you a bit. Like maybe weeks or months later, if at all. I said too much, too soon, too often and it killed an otherwise good vibe with new acquaintances.

*IF* you feel comfortable enough, maybe share with us your general age & situation (ie: teenager, unemployed, living at home) and your general location (ie: Northeast United States; Southern California; etc.). You might responses (and invites!) more-tailored to your needs.

All the best~! And welcome to JWN! It's nice to have you join us and introduce yourself with a GREAT first post. Extremely important topic that needs to be discussed much more often.

-Aude Sapere (meaning: Dare to Know; Dare to Have Wisdom/Understanding; Dare to Think for Yourself)

8

looking for a thread about 1006= elders knew=.......

by carla in

i have been searching the better part of this morning to find the thread in which somebody commented on 1006 known pedophiles which equals 3 elders at each jc and the totals on how many elders did not report to police (3000?

) and also how many known victims in australia.

i think they also broke it down to how many victims that would average each week/month for the last 60 + years.

AudeSapere

Mad Irishman wrote: To set things a little clearer. The national average in the U.S. for children who are molested is 26%. This comes from the CDC.
Using the commission's numbers of 1,006 reported cases of kids who were molested that comes out to 0.6 percent. So let's say we triple that for all the cases not reported and you would come out to 1.8 percent of Witness kids who were molested.

.

I am not convinced that you are comparing like-for-like.

You state that the National Average for *US* children who are molested is 26%. [That would be about 1 in every 4 children. But the year(s) referenced is not provided. And this statistic is for The United States.]

.

The commissions number of 1006 reported cases of kids who were molested that comes out to 0.6 percent...

My question is: .06 percent of WHAT? All Australian children?? Or just the number of children within the JW community. Whichever answer, what is the total # of children being referenced? That will help give us the proper percentage number. And again, the time references for the # of children should align with the time reference for the documented-yet-unreported-to-government-authorities claims that now been disclosed.

Please clarify.

20

Why is my Uncle (JW PO-COBE) and Aunt Cruella suing my parents and grandparents?

by ReligionOfHatred in

i heard this is a website where you can ask fellow jehovah's witnesses questions that websites like jw friends will not allow you to post because they don't allow you to speak ill of any elder.

my aunt cruella de ville and uncle jaundice sent my grandpa (he's got dementia and grandma has cancer) a letter saying their going to force grandma and gramps in to selling the land my grandmother located back in the late 1970s, grandma is very smart and saw the potential for their land, she was very gifted seeing things others did not see.

in the 1980s my grandparents went to oregon to check on their daughter who was pregnant, they were appalled by the living conditions cruella was living and she was having to work even though she was heavy with child.. all of this started when my dad ran in to a elder at the grocery store and this elder told my dad that "the reason cruella and jaundice are shunning your inlaws is because their apostates and therefore have the right to shun them.

AudeSapere

RoH wrote: One area that use to bug me was my friends were getting 1099'ed by JW Contractors because the JWs did not want to pay Social Security payroll tax or Worker's Compensation so they paid these employees $10.00 telling them "I am paying you $1.00 above Minimum Wage, so you cover your WC and payroll tax!"

If in California, you can call EDD (Employment Development Department) and report this illegal practice. You do not have to be the one who was employed. If you know of this practice, you can report the offending 'employer'.

I think the same may be true in other states as well.

20

Why is my Uncle (JW PO-COBE) and Aunt Cruella suing my parents and grandparents?

by ReligionOfHatred in

i heard this is a website where you can ask fellow jehovah's witnesses questions that websites like jw friends will not allow you to post because they don't allow you to speak ill of any elder.

my aunt cruella de ville and uncle jaundice sent my grandpa (he's got dementia and grandma has cancer) a letter saying their going to force grandma and gramps in to selling the land my grandmother located back in the late 1970s, grandma is very smart and saw the potential for their land, she was very gifted seeing things others did not see.

in the 1980s my grandparents went to oregon to check on their daughter who was pregnant, they were appalled by the living conditions cruella was living and she was having to work even though she was heavy with child.. all of this started when my dad ran in to a elder at the grocery store and this elder told my dad that "the reason cruella and jaundice are shunning your inlaws is because their apostates and therefore have the right to shun them.

AudeSapere

Religion of Hatred wrote: Jehovah's Organization will punish people who lie to the Government, right?

I have never, EVER known this to happen. The org usually looks the other way or denies having right to get involved.

96

Ray Franz was an Idiot

by vinman in

ray franz who gave us insight into the gb due to a crisis of conscience was an absolute moron, with absolutely no critical thinking skills whatsoever like all of us have.

i mean, to have a conscience based on some magic man in the sky.. how stupid can you be?

in search of christian freedom?

AudeSapere

The OP is a major fail, based on when he later tells us he was trying to convey.

Trying to be clever, you failed in basic communication.

52

Helen Keller is not a hero

by StopTheTears in

jw
friends

few realize just how wicked some of the most revered people in history were.

helen keeler (1880 to 1968) was a wolf in sheep's clothing, no hero.

keller was a communist.

AudeSapere

The OP has seems to have the same writing flair as Six Screens. Just with a different object of derision.

112

Geoffrey Jackson's Golden Apple watch INVESTIGATED

by C0ntr013r in

i went through the original footage to get a good look at the watch.. from these pictures we can probably say that it is a apple watch and that it has a golden color.

the color on the pin is black, and the band is white, grey, silvery or beige.. .

the pin is in the exact place for it to be a apple watch.. only apple watch edition have the gold color.

AudeSapere

Here are the full lyrics...

.

WOULD JESUS WEAR A ROLEX

(Margaret Archer / Chet Atkins)

.

Performed by Ray Stevens - 1987

.

Woke up this mornin' turned on my TV set

There in livin' color was somethin' I can't forget

This man was preachin' at me.. yeah.. layin' on the charm

Asking me for 20 with 10,000 on his arm

.

He wore designer clothing and a big smile on his face

Selling me salvation while they sang Amazing Grace

Asking me for money when he had all the signs of weath

Almost wrote a check out.. yeah.. but then I asked myself…

.

Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a fancy car

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressing room have a star

If he came back tomorrow there's something I'd like to know

Would Jesus wear a rolex on His television show

.

Would Jesus be political if he came back to earth

Have his second home in Palm Springs.. yeah.. but try to hide his worth

Take money from those poor folks when He comes back again

And admit He's talked to all those preachers who said they'd been-a talking to Him

.

Would He wear a pinky ring, would He drive a fancy car

Would His wife wear furs and diamonds, would His dressing room have a star

If he came back tomorrow there's something I'd like to know

Could ya tell me -

Would Jesus wear a rolex

Would Jesus wear a rolex on His television show

[http://lyricsplayground.com/alpha/songs/w/wouldjesusweararolex.shtml]

68

My thoughts on Geoffrey Jackson

by thedepressedsoul in

first off, i don't think that dude is going to show face.

he's most likely on a plane already.

if he shows it's bad pr and if he doesn't show it's bad pr.

AudeSapere

I've lost track of which thread the ill-health of Geoffrey Jackson's father was mentioned and discussed. But it's been weighing on my mind many times a day for the past several weeks - Since I first heard he was in Australia and may be called to testify.

I, too, have an aged, ailing father. And as someone who supports herself thru gainful employment, I find even *thinking* of using an ailing father to get out of having to answer for policies which *I* may have assisted in establishing and that I currently support ... Well, the thought is beyond comprehension.

I am certain that GJ has many friends he can call on to assist his dad during absence. GJ has a lifelong 'career' and is a chief official of the JW/WT org. His father, according to their doctrine, will be resurrected soon. Very soon.

GJ has an obligation to deliver testimony. I am very glad that he fulfilled this obligation, even with the generous accommodation that was afforded him to present his testimony via video conference and with attendants to fetch water and turn pages for him. I was less impressed with his preparation for the RC and the actual content of his testimony, but at least he testified.

I just have a 'job' - and an fairly lowly one at that. I am grossly under-employed, in part, due to needing/wanting to be available to help my ailing father. How DARE this man, supported most of his adult life by the rank & file JWs (me included during my tenure with the organization), try to weasel out of explaining his practices to a Royal Commission.

How DARE he even thought to do so.

112

Geoffrey Jackson's Golden Apple watch INVESTIGATED

by C0ntr013r in

i went through the original footage to get a good look at the watch.. from these pictures we can probably say that it is a apple watch and that it has a golden color.

the color on the pin is black, and the band is white, grey, silvery or beige.. .

the pin is in the exact place for it to be a apple watch.. only apple watch edition have the gold color.

AudeSapere

dozy wrote: *** w90 2/1 p. 25 par. 19 Exposing “the Man of Lawlessness” ***
The worldliness of some clergy has even been exposed in the media in recent times, as for example the licentious and luxurious life-styles of some TV clergymen. One modern songwriter composed a song with the title: “Would Jesus Wear a [$10,000] Rolex [watch] on His Television Show?” The song goes on to say: “Would Jesus be political if He came back to earth, have His second home in [luxurious] Palm Springs and try to hide His worth?” In addition, more and more clergymen condone or practice homosexuality. Even now the Catholic Church in the United States is paying millions of dollars in damages to compensate for priests guilty of sexual abuse of children.

.

I would love to see a video montage of Jackson's RC testimony set to this song. With lyrics to the song displayed as the music plays. Then a clip to quote this particular Watchtower article - especially THIS paragraph.

So fitting. So timely.

Thanks for the reminder, Dozy!

10

JW Business Cards

by Funchback in

hello from fortaleza, ceara, brazil!.

i am a coordinator at an english language course here in fortaleza.

i have been both living in brazil and working at this course for (4) years.

AudeSapere

oh!! Forgot to say... Hi Funchback! I remember you from years ago. So nice to see you pop in here and even nicer to know that you are happy and well.