Who is that guy speaking, and how do these recordings get on the Net, anyway? You know, he speaks in a tone--quiet, sing-songy, lulling tone--like what hypnotherapists use to move their patients through guided imagery, even for falling asleep. Interesting.
Posts by J-ex-W
-
155MAT 24:14 HAS BEEN FULLFILLED MP3 FROM BETHEL HEAVY
by What-A-Coincidence inwarning: the wtbts is becoming more cultish as evidenced in this mp3.
listener take heed.
turn on all your cult warning alarms on.. .
-
-
-
41
In the WT's Defence
by shadowofbathory inhi electronic cyber pixels.
occasionally these days i will log onto this forum to scan for interesting topics.
even though this is my first posting under this moniker, i am a reincarnate of a previous beast.
-
-
J-ex-W
It's not cognitive dissonance that keeps people here because they're afraid to maybe worry that the JWs are right. We know they aren't right. Most people here would welcome respectful defenders of the WT faith, if they would just come.
The whole reason the CD thing was brought up was to show why a dissenting view on this board is not appreciated and will never be heard much here.
Dissenting views of other kinds are brought up all the time. Some people are atheists, some believe in a God. Some believe in Jesus, others challenge believers to prove his existence. There are dissenting views on politics as well.
It's just that when it comes to the subject of JWs, what the board is about, most here are in agreement that JWs are not the one true religion. It can't be helped that the leaders of the religion have pretty much forbidden their followers to share in an debating the issues of the religion or an exchanging of ideas.
I think 'undercover' covered it pretty well....
-
41
In the WT's Defence
by shadowofbathory inhi electronic cyber pixels.
occasionally these days i will log onto this forum to scan for interesting topics.
even though this is my first posting under this moniker, i am a reincarnate of a previous beast.
-
-
J-ex-W
Just some things I found online. Put more simply, if a guys thinks it's wrong to have sex outside of marriage then proceeds to do so, the next day he'll probably start questioning the validity of his belief that fornication is wrong. Once he has convinced himself that his previously held belief was wrong or baseless then the mental conflict is reduced or eliminated. No more cognitive dissonance. The same can happen with JW's. If I have a wrong desire or have acted on one that creates conglict or dissonance. The mind can't accept that. So what is it that tells me that the desire or action is wrong? God? The Bible? The WTS? Then the subconscience starts looking for holes in your belief in God, The Bible or the WTS latching onto whatever will support this idea. Eventually after the value of those things is reduced no more dissonance.
Surfrusty-------- This explanation of cognitive dissonance is in the ballpark but misses some nuances. For instance, some define it as the 'pinch' you feel between two conflicting thoughts, just before making a move to change one or the other or both thoughts. However, some never do feel that pinch; i.e., rather than address the pinch (pain of recognition of the conflict), many go another route entirely: Deny, deny deny the conflict to others and to themselves.
And it is not necessarily a conflict brought on by bad behavior (as your post seems to imply?). Cognitive dissonance does not have to arise from a guilty conscience (although it can). For example, as a JW, I experienced cognition dissonance regarding so-called Christian headship. I have never believed women were in any way inferior in worth, capability, or position relative to men. Yet, the JW's expect that regardless of what superior qualities or knowledge a certain female may have, in a given situation, a man (or a baptized boy!) will be given the preference in decision-making and task-handling--simply for his having that proverbially envied penis.
I operated at this (unexamined) level of cognitive dissonance for quite some time--as a coping tool, really, given my environment--until I could do so no longer and had to say, 'Enough! My judgment in these matters IS more relevant than yours [certain males'] and I must listen to ME.' Poof!! Cognitive dissonance gone, and no wrongdoing on my part precipitated it. (Well...depending on who you ask. My ex would see it entirely differently...but then, he wasn't exactly invested in looking out for my welfare, either. --To him saying NO was wrondoing.)
Many times because of this very unresolved dissonance, I went against my own gut and followed the dictates of either my husband or some other male authority in the WT. Since leaving that situation, MY situation has improved dramatically. I would never go back to operating that way again. Dissonance gone. Poof!!
-
41
In the WT's Defence
by shadowofbathory inhi electronic cyber pixels.
occasionally these days i will log onto this forum to scan for interesting topics.
even though this is my first posting under this moniker, i am a reincarnate of a previous beast.
-
-
J-ex-W
JW males have a healthy ego. They get to bully with their bible and babble and bellow bellicose blather when they take us on here at JWD.
But, in reality; it is sad. We are debating ourselves (from long ago) in a kind of echoing timewarp. When we burst their bubble it is our own we hear pop from a distance!
Belief in the absurd is the dizzying dance of the dutifully demented. The music here they'll not find to their liking.
Terry-------- This is very eloquently stated. And sooooooo true....
-
41
In the WT's Defence
by shadowofbathory inhi electronic cyber pixels.
occasionally these days i will log onto this forum to scan for interesting topics.
even though this is my first posting under this moniker, i am a reincarnate of a previous beast.
-
-
J-ex-W
brought up the issue of cognitive dissonance. I believe many on this forum are suffering from it big time and are looking for nothing but validation here.
Of course a lot of posters here have cognitive dissonance. They are coming out of a situation that creates cognitive dissonance, and many are in the process of redefining where their own value/ belief systems lie--without the noise of WTS propoganda overrriding their own abilities to think and decide. Cognitive dissonance does not resolve overnight but over time and with much concerted, conscious effort. Some would be benefitted by a JW vs. JWD exchange, in moving along this process. Others would find it unhelpful and choose to ignore it, depending on how where in the process of redefining they already are.
So...if anyone wants to...let the sparring begin. [Those who prefer quieter healing just won't tune in.]
-
19
*DICTIONARY FOR DECODING WOMEN'S PERSONAL ADS:
by confusedjw in*dictionary for decoding women's personal ads:
* adventurous..........................slept with everyone.
* athletic................................no breasts.
-
-
-
23
World wide ban on the WT
by vitty inwhat would the wt do if it was the governments started banning the organization, along side other "cults" throughout the world.
would this be proof that it was a false religion, by there own words?
would they go underground or would they disappear.. one is allowed to dream .
-
-
-
5
Stories of JWs Suicides
by new boy innot wanting to highjack hoping4change thread..........it might be a good thing to share some of these sad stories in more detail.. i know of 4..............2 at bethel!.
1 richard wheelock pressroom overseer for over 40 years.............it was after his death (jumping out a window at the farm) that the society soften their stand on suicides............they now might have a resurrection hope.......that was kind of god to change his/her mind....yes the light gets brighter!.
2. james olson jumped out of the factory building # 4 oct. 31 1973.............they wouldn't let him leave.
-
-
-
10
"They all loved you more..."
by Confession init's a quote from "legends of the fall," the novel by jim harrison, and the movie, starring anthony hopkins, brad pitt and aidan quinn, and it reminds me (in a way) how i've felt for most of my life--both in the jws and out.. in the story, aidan quinn is the brother who always tries to do the right thing, living up to his responsibilities, treating others well.
but pitt is wild, generally irresponsible and unapologetic.
quinn's character says something like this.... 'i have tried all my years to live by the rules of god and man, while you have lived by none of them, brazenly doing whatever you pleased.
-
-
J-ex-W
Because some people seem able to do things in a manner that provides entertainment value? Or it's been generally known that so-and-so was an (entertaining) independent little cuss since being in diapers? Or because the ramifications of trying to exert pressure on that one to get in line result in more trouble from that one than it would from you (or others)?
It's the ones who can admit wrongdoing with a half-assed, half-sheepish, all bogus smirky smile.... Then say they won't do it anymore...and so find a different way to do it again. Sometimes the 'creativity' is what gets admired.
-
24
Online Dating etiquette
by serendipity ini ran across this info and thought it would be good to share since there are some here who are using online dating sites like match and plentyoffish.
i've been a bit surprised by some of the men emailing me, demonstrating that this info is not common knowledge.
(i'm not suggesting that men alone are guilty.
-
-