i've had a bit of a semantic tousle with a member of this board on whether the coercive techniques used by the wtbts to obtain and retain members is "brainwashing".
i say "brainwashing" is not a good description of what goes on, i prefer "mind control", or coercive and deceptive techniques.
he argued to call it something less than "brainwashing" is to water down the destructive effects of the wts on it's members and former members.
I'm gonna go with you on this jignat because I tend to think of brainwashing in terms of prisoners of war and physical torture and such like. Whereas mind control inmho more accurately describes WTBTS tactics.
As to the damaging effects - soft tissue damage is also an insightful analogy as it draws attention to how the damage done can be seen as very extensive, prolonged and painful.
this thread was going to be about the true church.
but i simply changed the title.
okay ... so my experience thread set the stage for what seems to be a need to debate catholicism ... maybe because in the minds of many, there is a comparison to the watchtower ... a comparison which i believe is false.
When I was a member of the RC or the JW's and I knew that what was being taught WAS indeed based on God's word, the teachings of Christ or that of the Apostles, then I DID follow it. But IF they taught things that I believed were not based on God's word, the teachings of Christ or the foundation laid by the Apostles, then I DID NOT follow it. Of course we need some type of arrangment within the body, but it is up to individual Christians to check what they are taught to the Word of God to make sure it is indeed "God inspired". (1Timothy 4:1).
I like that point lovlylil
hi hempy, how are you doing?
pop in and let us know.. happy birthday to you.
happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday hemplover
so simon, how are you?
have you launched into a mid life crisis or are you celebrating in style?.
hope you have a great day and ..... happy birthday to you.
Happy birthday Simon and may there be many more
thanks for keeping jwd going.
bernadette
was it,math?..was it,a new way of looking at things?..was it,you were not alone?..was it,patience?..was it,a way to deal with pain?..what have you "learned from jwd"?...outlaw
JWD is like a non judgmental therapist.
Also the internet helps sort out whats real and whats not real. Metaphorically when I post on jwd it goes off into space and is gone when the thread goes, what's left behind ie me, is real, my thoughts are not me in other words. - So I find posting very sympolic and therapeutic.
bernadette
okay, go ahead and make my day: ask me anything!.
.
The WTS is just one of a great many lies we choose to believe because it makes us feel good (until it makes us feel bad)
sounds like a positive reason - death before birth, ?
(excuse me for being so serious- reflects where I am at present)
Also
have you read most of the books in your bookstore?
sometimes you wonder if the wtbts will ever come to a dead end.
but, it is always encouraging when you hear of the gradual awakening of individuals who have been trapped in the cult their whole lives.. walking home from school yesterday i felt a tap on my shoulder and turned round to see a jw i have known since he was a little boy.
he has been a window cleaner since leaving school and is married with three children.. straight away he said to me: ' my wife has gone to university!
A jw guy I'm very proud of, is at present, working fulltime, doing a degree and juggling his ministerial servant activities.
He has at last realised he needs his education. Mybe he'll drop the ms bit soon - here's hoping
thanks for sharing that exp
okay, go ahead and make my day: ask me anything!.
.
thanks Terry for your succinct answeer to my question - I have another
Do u think that in the not too distant future we xjws may come to see a positive reason for the existance of the WTS - after they are long gone that is?
okay, go ahead and make my day: ask me anything!.
.
How long on average does it take you to formulate/write your posts?
Also
What is spirituality?
my story is sub-titled so you can skip ahead to parts that interest you most.. by way of reminder, my posting on "faith in god and the church" is not meant to convert anyone, because i have been out of the preaching business now for 14-years.
i am sharing my views given the questions i get when i do post about belief in god or my association with the catholic church.. why the catholic church?
protestants, especially fundamentalists and evangelicals have a hard spot with the roman catholic church.
lovelylil
While this topic was not set up to address your specific Q. The answer is God has a plan for everyone in this world. The NT says he is currently taking out a people for his son's name; Christians - and then Christ will come to restore all things. I believe every person in the world will eventually have the opportunity to be reconciled back to God. Lilly
I understood that Amazing was describing his spiritual journey back to Catholicism, and from what I've been reading Catholicism itself is experiencing an ongoing journey particularly with respect to intersprirtuality. They are exploring Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism to name but a few. It seems that their desire is to integrate eastern insights with catholicism.
Amazing
I was wondering how you feel about this sort of interspirituality in your journey.
(excuse me if you have already addressed this issue - I don't have the time at present to read what everyone has said on this thread. Hope to this evening)
