Posts by done4good

39

I left the troof behind in 2006. What have I missed?

by Jehovah lol in

i'm up to date with what the wt taught in 2006 but have no idea what has changed since.. do tell..

done4good

I left early the same year, (actually the very end of 2005, I believe). The organization is unrecognizable to me today. It is more authoritarian today than ever, at the same time with a heavy veneer of commercialism and "mainstreaming".

To summarize:

1. The GB are virtually worshiped, and demand complete adherence to their leadership.

2. JW.ORG is gigantic re-branding effort, and has brought all sorts changes in of itself.

3. A new bible has been released that I would assume is going to be used as the basis for watering down or changing doctrine.

4. Any last bit of critical thinking has been squashed.

d4g

32

I think the WT believed their own "growth" statements - Financial Trouble Thoughts

by thedepressedsoul in

we've all read, heard and have seen in the videos where jw's and their leaders talk about the "huge" growth that is taking place.

they've talked about how many kh they needed, branches etc... .

our co last visit he mentioned how quickly the organization is speeding up and the huge growth they are seeing.

done4good

The trend will only be more of the same. They are already proving it. Probably 20% of the overall message will be about donating now. For whatever the exact reason, they have figured out they do not have a working plan for long term solvency. All they can do is beg and guilt the R&F for more.

d4g

64

What triggered your doubts / awakening?

by Tornintwo in

i am sort of new here, used a different username for a while but things got 'difficult' at home so i've since been lurking.... what i would be really interested to know, if you don't mind sharing, is what it was that triggered your doubts and initial research which led to awakening, was it a bad experience, injustice, changed doctrine?

for me, it was seeing mistreatment of young ones in the congregation, they're under so much pressure and as soon as they go even slightly astray they are shunned, either informally (as bad associations which pushes them further into the 'world') or formally - with elders dying to throw the book at them so they even lose their family.... ...then reading about child abuse issues in the press.... ...which led me to silentlambs.

...then jw facts, this forum and coc, wham!

done4good

Just to add a bit of irony to the above...

The elder that committed the violent act and subsequently not disciplined, was later removed for letting his son come back home to live with them, as the son was DF'd by this time. I believe his wife drew the line over the situation, since their son had some serious issues at the time. No thanks to elder father.

Totally f@cked up cult.

d4g

64

What triggered your doubts / awakening?

by Tornintwo in

i am sort of new here, used a different username for a while but things got 'difficult' at home so i've since been lurking.... what i would be really interested to know, if you don't mind sharing, is what it was that triggered your doubts and initial research which led to awakening, was it a bad experience, injustice, changed doctrine?

for me, it was seeing mistreatment of young ones in the congregation, they're under so much pressure and as soon as they go even slightly astray they are shunned, either informally (as bad associations which pushes them further into the 'world') or formally - with elders dying to throw the book at them so they even lose their family.... ...then reading about child abuse issues in the press.... ...which led me to silentlambs.

...then jw facts, this forum and coc, wham!

done4good

I had lots of cognitive dissonance and squashed lingering doubts, that probably started when a friend of mine was physically attacked with a knife by his abusive elder father, and after going to the PO about it and being told that the matter would be handled, was later told that all was just "a misunderstanding". That was in 1993. I was extremely unhinged over this at the time. My friend was smart and got the hell out shortly after that incident.

12 years later, after several years of a bad marriage, I decided it made no sense to stay in such a marriage. This led me to questioning the entire marriage/divorce relationship as understood by the JWs, and shortly after that the dominoes began to fall. I stopped going to meetings entirely within 6 months of drawing those conclusions.

I healed, and finally starting asking all of those tough questions that were bottled up due to the cognitive dissonance, and they rest was history.

d4g

49

New WT video: Like taking money from a baby!

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

just when you thought may's jw dot org video featuring wide-eyed cult lunatic gb lett guilting the masses into giving every last dime they have couldn't be topped, your children will now be fed a guilt-inducing cartoon in which they are guilted into giving every last cent they have to the wt cult.

the wt entitles this one, "give us your money!

even your children are to be shaken down!

done4good

Just did watch without the audio...trust me, it doesn't need it. I am at a loss for words. I mean, WTF???

d4g

49

New WT video: Like taking money from a baby!

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

just when you thought may's jw dot org video featuring wide-eyed cult lunatic gb lett guilting the masses into giving every last dime they have couldn't be topped, your children will now be fed a guilt-inducing cartoon in which they are guilted into giving every last cent they have to the wt cult.

the wt entitles this one, "give us your money!

even your children are to be shaken down!

done4good

I am at work and not going to watch here, but if this is real they are now in full on self-destruct mode.

d4g

24

Suggestions for Governing Body 2.0

by FusionTheism in

i realize many people on here are very angry at the watchtower society and/or governing body for various reasons, many of which are likely justified, at least to some extent.

i also can totally understand the cynicism and pessimism i see from certain ones regarding the leaders of the society.. i think one thing that's often forgotten or overlooked, however, is the fact that members of the governing body who've been "in the truth" for 30, 40, 50, 60 years, probably truly believe in this organization.

in my opinion, it's more likely that they believe what they teach instead of being liars who are intentionally deceiving everyone.

done4good

Damn thing deleted the middle of my post again...

Yes...they don't consider it "lying" either, since the end always justifies the means.

24

Suggestions for Governing Body 2.0

by FusionTheism in

i realize many people on here are very angry at the watchtower society and/or governing body for various reasons, many of which are likely justified, at least to some extent.

i also can totally understand the cynicism and pessimism i see from certain ones regarding the leaders of the society.. i think one thing that's often forgotten or overlooked, however, is the fact that members of the governing body who've been "in the truth" for 30, 40, 50, 60 years, probably truly believe in this organization.

in my opinion, it's more likely that they believe what they teach instead of being liars who are intentionally deceiving everyone.

done4good

Vidiot - Don't you mean "...they can both believe they have the 'truth', whilst knowing that it's wrong at the same time"

d4g

29

Mark Sanderson Background and Warwick

by TakeOffTheCrown in

mark sanderson - here is some insight on his background taken from this site:.

http://e-watchman.com/congratulations-mark/.

congratulations, mark!.

done4good

Apart for purely academic purposes, does anyone actually collect WT memorabilia? As an ex-member, I could almost understand it, from an academic perspective. As once a believer, I would have been weirded out by it. These guys must really, really drink some heavy kool-aid before they qualify...even worse than I thought.

d4g

24

Suggestions for Governing Body 2.0

by FusionTheism in

i realize many people on here are very angry at the watchtower society and/or governing body for various reasons, many of which are likely justified, at least to some extent.

i also can totally understand the cynicism and pessimism i see from certain ones regarding the leaders of the society.. i think one thing that's often forgotten or overlooked, however, is the fact that members of the governing body who've been "in the truth" for 30, 40, 50, 60 years, probably truly believe in this organization.

in my opinion, it's more likely that they believe what they teach instead of being liars who are intentionally deceiving everyone.

done4good

Cannot happen.

Understand the nature of authoritarianism, cognitive dissonance, existential anxiety, double binds, etc., and you will understand how they can both believe they have the "truth", and lie to your face at the same time.

Hint: It is all about self-preservation and fear, which by the way, proportionally speaking is what keeps all believers in suspended belief, despite evidence. The GB are just deeply invested in all of the dependencies on such belief.

d4g