Posts by OnTheWayOut

80

In a nutshell, what is the wackiest jw thing?

by stuckinarut2 in

what is the wackiest...strangest....most unusual jw teaching or practice?

OnTheWayOut

I would like to say the blood issue or shunning or their non-action/non-reporting of crimes because of the two-witness rule. I would like to say one of those because they have done so much harm to so many victims.

But the greatest harm has come from their ever-changing "generation." All JW's and those who care about JW's are held victim to a group that thinks the end is so ever imminent because of the "generation." For so many Witnesses, the end was coming when "generation" meant one thing. They string those members along now because they don't want to be faithful for so long and then lose faith right as "generation" changes but still may indicate the end is near.

You could also skip using any official definition of "generation" or any doctrine and just say the wackiest JW thing is that they have been and still are a Doomsday Cult.

15

I've decided to officially disassociate myself

by Garrett in

jw
friends

hey guys, .

i just wanted to thank you all for all of your input, support and help over the past few months.

i've decided to officially disassociate myself from the organization and move on with my life.

OnTheWayOut

Congratulations are in order.

We may all differ in what we would do, but I think most of us agree that moving forward is of utmost importance, so your decisions will definitely do that for you. You are still young, so go ahead and put this JW stuff in your rear-view mirror. Good luck.

4

Newspaper article headings for 2016 April fools day??

by Fernando in

from a comment i made on another thread:.

if a newspaper could print anything they liked and disown it a day later.... what if we all got to work on a worldwide "01 apr 2016" media campaign today?.

what watchtower related headings/stories would you like to run with?.

OnTheWayOut

I would hate to diss the Watchtower and have to "disown it a day later." In other words, I wouldn't want to retract something awful said about them. It would seem to feed their persecution complex. So such a thing would have to be really clever and highlight something they actually are part of.

Something like this:

"Watchtower Bankrupt Due to So Many Lawsuits over Handling of Pedophiles Within the Ranks."

Next day: "Oops, sorry. Watchtower still has plenty of money after paying settlements to 'so many lawsuits over handling of pedophiles within their ranks. April Fools to you ex-JW's.'"

67

How do you feel about religion as a whole?

by FatherFirst in

it just seems to me religion in general primarily makes truly bad people worse, not genuinly good people better; and in many cases has even made good people do bad things in the name of their religion.

just curious, a personal poll if you will.

what are you guys' current views on religion as a whole?

OnTheWayOut

There are bunches of people within religion who are good people and the religion helps them to focus on humanitarian things. So I don't lump it all into making bad people worse. It sometimes gathers good people together to do greater things as a group. But within their groups, it's a shame that they cannot see that they could do the greater good without the religion and their assets would go further toward the humanitarian acts were they not drained by the pomp and circumstance.

And yes, there is always a danger, even within such groups, for the religion and/or it's leaders to make good people do bad things in the name of their religion. If they joined the Red Cross or Green Peace or some other groups, they could still do greater things as a group.

96

21 Years as an Elder, 5 as an MS, I will never be that guy again.

by James Jack in

i was deleted as the cobe after i let my adult child move back home and he admitted that he fornicated under my roof while my wife and i where away on a rbc project.

of course the elder mode in me kicked him out of the house.. the elders moved quickly to remove me because i was too involved in "theocractic activities", i had neglected my adult son.. i accepted this primarily because i didn't want to serve with a boe that did not want me.

i was devastated however because it was the only life i knew.

OnTheWayOut

Recently while out in Service, this Super Over Zealous Elder starting spouting out have bad the game Football is and that no True Christian should watch it. I said: "Can I be Disfellowshipped if I watch it? This pissed him off.
The next meeting I was called to the back room with 2 Elders and counseled never to question an Elder in front of others.

I might have pushed the envelope and said again, "Can I be disfellowshipped for doing that?"

Hey, thanks for the update on you and your son. If it were me, I wouldn't pressure the wife but I would also not wait for her. I would do as you are and pursue that closeness with my son. We kick ourselves later in life when it's too late for not reaching out to family and loved ones. I doubt your son will ever get reinstated.

26

Watchtower has a Philosophy of Totalism

by OnTheWayOut in

cults tend to have a total explanation for everything- everything that ever happened, everything that is happening now, and everything that ever will happen.

that certainly fits watchtower.

they have a black-and-white perception of everything, they are never wrong, there are no gray areas.

OnTheWayOut

Thanks for bumping and quoting, roosttylor. Please feel free to post again with your thoughts.

43

Atheism

by Jonathan Drake in

jw
friends

recent events and book reads (one suggested by cofty i believe- thank you) have lead me to the only logical and acceptable conclusion:.

there is no god.. simple logical reasoning: matter can neither me created or destroyed.

so the amount of mass in the universe is constant.

OnTheWayOut

J.D., that's great. When people ask you to prove the negative, that there is no god, tell them you cannot do such a thing to their level of acceptance but you have proved completely that their god does not exist.

36

Has This Site Ever Hurt You In Your Journey Out Of The JW Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

this site has gone through many metamorphosis over the years.

i believe it is a kinder, less edgy place tan it was a few years ago.

i wonder how many people were helped versus turned off by this place.

OnTheWayOut

Personally, I have a thick skin. It does seem that many were hurt because of something that happened here. Not me.

20

I admit it, I believe in evolution.

by Louise in

jw
friends

after leaving the dub religion behind, i read everything that i could get my hands on, be it about other religions, beliefs, gods, occult, evolution - you name it - i read it.

i did this to 'catch up' and to educate myself, so that when i can to a decision it would be an intellectual / educational one.

not just because some book or person told me to believe it.. i have over time and with reading aids come to totally believe and accept evolution.

OnTheWayOut

You have taken a wise big first step. I also read many different things about religion and beliefs and I included science in my readings. Evolution is a fact, it is only the fine details that makes it a theory.

But you probably do learn it just as well by sticking to different readings on different god-beliefs. The most damning book about the errors of the Bible is the Bible itself.

22

I Should Have Just Kept Avoiding Their Videos

by OnTheWayOut in

i have a 2011 new year resolution to avoid reading jw literature or watch their videos.i am not "religious" about it, and will watch/read excerpts, but pretty much stick with that resolution as it only angers me when i read the stuff.. well, someone posted their video of philippines disaster relief due to a 2013 typhoon as a response to a news article to demonstrate that they are not really helping and that it is just propaganda.

i watched the video and was immediately able to see what the hell is wrong with jw's and their leadership and, as i figured- i was angered.. so i will post this link, but then go back to not watching/reading.

it just isn't worth it.. in the video, when they knew the storm was coming, the pre-planned disaster relief people texted elders to warn them to evacuate.

OnTheWayOut

CrazyGuy, I re-watched the early part of their video and they did mention 22 being swept away when the KH walls gave out. So they did admit it, but moved on to more positive results so that even someone who doesn't like them remembers how people survived rather than focusing on the ones that Jehovah's protection failed.

If there is a more damning video out there, I didn't find it.