does this program mention any specific cults by name? Would you say that most any JW watching it would have a breakthrough and recognize the similarity?
Posts by tula
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14My JW roommate and I were watching a program on cults the other night
by oppgirl63 inthey were talking about how when you are in a cult, you are not allowed to think outside their 'box'.
i didn't say anything and she says "that sounds just like the jw's doesn't it?".
i just smiled and said yes...i was thinking that very thought but wasn't going to say anything.
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The Good, The Bad and The Troll
by outofthebox inthe good.
thanks everybody for your warm welcome days ago (http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/141779/1.ashx).
we really enjoyed all your comments.
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tula
Hi. I am glad you came back. I wasn't sure that you would because of the comments and folks being suspicious of you. Your topic was very interesting...but so unusual and I guess thats why many find it hard to believe. Your clarification has helped, though.
Can you tell us what part of the world you are in and what language your congregation speaks?
From the posts I have read...and I have read pages and pages from times past before I came here...I think most people are just tying to figure out what really is the truth because they have found lies and deception in this organization which parades as a "religion" but is in fact, a "non-profit" publishing company.
I think wtbs has manipulated their thinking and used intimidation tactics to control their behavior and thoughts, and something has happened to each one of us to cause a break through. Call it "intuition" if you will, or conscience, but each has had some experience where inner self finally said "This is not right." So where do you go?
Here. And we help each other to hash out our thoughts and feelings. There is acceptance here...of questions, biblical discussion, family issues, etc. without fear of a judicial committee being called to action. I think this board is a learning process for seekers and a support group for others who are weighing the consequences of their decisions.
It takes all kinds. If someone gives comments you don't like...just go to next one...maybe the next poster will be helpful or give the answer you are looking for.
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15
Rethinking Cain & Able, Favoritism, Parenting
by TMS injehovah never had a father.
he never knew the feeling of being slighted, less loved than one of his favored siblings.
based on the above, was the first incident of sibling rivalry mishandled by jehovah?
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tula
"Turning to Genesis, we find that Jehovah was pleased with Abel's blood sacrifice, while he rejected the fruit offering of Cain, "a tiller of
the ground." Genesis, Ch. 4."That has always puzzled me, especially since my mother always taught me that even when you receive a gift you don't much like, to at least smile and say "thank you" and be gracious about it. It's called manners! When someone at least makes an effort, you don't deliberatelty hurt their feelings.
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Armish vs. JW
by Princess Daisy Boo ini watched an episode of greys anatomy last night, which featured a 23 year old girl, who had come from an armish family, and was dying of cancer.
she and a friend had left home at 16 and now that she was dying she wanted to go home to her family.
she could still talk to her family because she had not been baptised and therefore not shunned and her friend was shunned because she left after she was baptised.. now, as a non american, i don't know a whole lot about the armish, except what i have seen on movies and tv, but the similarity between the jws and the armish or puritans struck me last night.
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tula
No matter how bad you think you have it, there is always someone else who is worse off. These poor amish kids have no opportunity to try to make a "worldly friend" because their whole community is kept isolated from the world and they all have to live next door to each other. They have no television, radio, or internet. No access to public libraries and sometimes no opportunity to go to school. They have even less contact with outside world than the JW children. Who will reach out to them?? They are not even allowed in a door-to-door prostelitizing because of the fear of influence of others. Where is their chance of escape? How do they get out? And we think 3rd world countries are oppressed? Look what is going on right here in this country! Land of the free? Who will free them to be able to make their own choices in life?
Facts you may not know about the Amish:
The Anabaptist movement believes that only the pure should be involved in religion and that if a member were to fall into sinful actions, he or she should be excommunicated. Meidung, also called shunning, is the practice of the community to avoid associating with members of the community who have been excommunicated 24 . Jacob Amman's interpretation and practice of Meidung was even more strict than that of the Anabaptists. He told his followers to shun all members that leave the Amish church and those who marry an outsider. He also preached that one should not buy from, sell to, or even eat at the same table as the excommunicated individual 25 . Such strict traditions have been passed down generation to generation and have kept the Amish lifestyle stable 26 . The Amish get their instuction for shunning from the Bible in I Corrinthians 5:11, which says "But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother or sister who is sexually immoral or greedy, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or robber. Do not even eat with such a one" 27 . Once a person has been shunned, if they acknowledge their sins and wish to make ammends with the community, they are allowed back into the fellowship, usually after two or three weeks 28 .
The practice of washing feet comes from the scripture of John 13. The Amish follow a strict and literal interpretation of the Bible, and just as Jesus washed the feet of his disciples at the last supper, the Amish wash each others' feet at the observance of communion. They stoop when washing each others' feet as a symbol of humility 29 .
Currently, many of the important differences in the Amish way of life are the customs and moral principles. Such beliefs have become known to the Amish followers as the Amish Charter. This is an unwritten set of rules and beliefs that all Amish people strive to uphold and use as a guide in their daily lives 30 .
Some of the most important beliefs held by the Amish are: separation from the outside world, vow of obedience, and closeness to nature. There are other regulations over societal customs such as dress, use of inventions and no formal education beyond elementary school. The fear of being shunned and excommunicated keeps the Amish from being tempted by the outside world. The moral beliefs of the Amish Church are based on the Bible and most of their views stem from literal translations of the teachings of the Bible. The Amish do not try to recruit members from the outside world because that would be seen as consorting with those that are shunned 35 .
However, while the Amish do see meaning in the functions of government, they also give limitations to the authority of the state. Several issues and controversies have come up between the Amish and the state during the 20th century. Some of the most controversial include; the consolidation of small elementary schools, the requirement of high school attendance, compulsory welfare systems, and conscription 39 .
When attendance was required past the fourth grade, quite a few Amish parents refused to go along with this law. Slowly though, they began to accept the idea of children attending school through the eighth grade. However, serious conflicts came about with the onset of school consolidation 40 .
But with consolidation, Amish parents did not like their children going to large schools away from the farm community where they did not know the teachers or what their children were being taught 42 .
Another issue Amish culture had with the public school system was over the attendance in high school. The Amish feel that the age when a young person should be in highschool is when cultural isolation is most important 43 . Public high school teaches ideas that are not ackowledged by Amish culture, and parents feel it is important that at this time in a young person's life, he/she should only be surrounded by Amish peers. Other objections against high school attendance stem from their religious beliefs on social boundaries. I Corinthians 3:19 is an often quoted passage which says, "The wisdom of the world is foolishness with God" 44 .
After many confrontations in various states, the U.S Supreme Court finally settled the controvercy on May 15, 1972. In Wisconsin v. Yoder , the court ruled in favor of the Amish saying the states could not constitutionally force Amish to send their children to public high schools 45 .
In addition to controversy with the American government, the Amish also struggle with the basic idea of modernity 50 . No matter how hard they try to avoid it, technology is slowly creeping into the Amish way of life. The areas where they have much conflict in are: telephones, motor vehicles, use of tractors, new types of farm equipment, and "luxuries" in the home. While the Amish still don't permit electricity in the home, most do use mechanical or gasoline-powered machines.
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What happens when we die?
by Tatiana inis death an end, a beginning, or just another stage on the path?
i watched a movie last night called the eye 2. it was about the buddhist belief in reincarnation.
in the movie, souls wait for women to give birth in order to reincarnate into the baby.
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tula
I died already. I had what is called a NDE Near Death Experiene. It took me a long time to come to terms with what happened to me. I could hear everything going on around me and I could SEE even though I was unconscious and all the machines read that I was dead. I was in and out between two planes of existence. Later when I tried to research to understand what had happened to me...I found many people talk about being in tunnel. For me, it was not a "tunnel" but completely surrounded by deep darkness that goes on forever. Out on the horizon I saw an undulating ball of yellow light. As I got closer it burst into silverly blue-white rays/beams and was dramatic and fantastic. I did not see Jesus. I did not see my dead grandmother.
The nursing staff brought me back from the "clutches of death" and I slipped into a coma for 2 and a half days. I do remember thoughts or dreams whatever it was just before I awoke. It was the deepest most restful sleep I have ever had in my life. When I woke up, I felt so renewed I could have conquered the world. But then a nurse came in to pull the breathing tube or whatever you call it... and she lifted my arm and spoke to herself saying "oh, you're jaundiced". So as soon as I awoke, seeing my yellow skin...the conquer the world energy left me.
I do not think this life is all there is. I know there is something more.
I am very sorry for your loss. There must be some reason we all have to expeience this deepest of griefs.
Maybe one can only know joy to the depths we have known grief.
Maybe someday we will all know joy to a greater depth. There is just too much grief in this existence. I am sorry for your pain.
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My JW roommate and I were watching a program on cults the other night
by oppgirl63 inthey were talking about how when you are in a cult, you are not allowed to think outside their 'box'.
i didn't say anything and she says "that sounds just like the jw's doesn't it?".
i just smiled and said yes...i was thinking that very thought but wasn't going to say anything.
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tula
please post name of program and channel. at least maybe we could find a transcript ....
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Tortoise
by RR inever hear of this group from chicago?
their latyest album is "millions now living will never die".
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tula
2008 elevator music, August 18, 2006
Tortoise are NEU rip offs. It's your basic i'm sticking my rock sound into something else. Pseudo, dubbed "avant-garde" music for art and super indie kids. The music is lame and boring, your basic elevator musicBy Music Sucks Go Read "Music Sucks Go Read" (California) - See all my reviews Can this be considered as "outside literature" or is it officially endorsed? From the review, it sounds like the KH songbook---the lame and boring part.
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the baptism
by tula inafter a hardy rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys, .
a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddles through .
her kitchen window.
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tula
After a hardy rainstorm filled all the potholes in the streets and alleys,
a young mother watched her two little boys playing in the puddles through
her kitchen window. The older of the two, a five year old lad, grabbed his sibling by the back of his head and shoved his face into one of the water holes. As the boy recovered and stood laughing and dripping, the mother was running towards them in a panic.
"Why on earth did you do that to your little brother?!" she says in anger combined with relief. "But we were just playing 'church' mommy," he said, "and I was just baptizing him.....'in the name of the Father, the Son, and in the hole-he-goes.' " -
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Will the Book Study ever be dropped from the weekly meetings?
by RULES & REGULATIONS inthe book study is one of the most useless meetings.
the same books have been studied 3 or 4 times.the meeting takes only an hour but takes up most of your evening.
and, it is one of the least attended meetings.. why haven't they combined the watchtower study with just question and answer and then follow with the book study with just question and answer?
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tula
I think it is part of the (cult) isolation pattern. "Busy work" to keep you away from TV and current events (you might learn something new) also keeps you from having time to read other material, or associate with worldy friends. Idle hands, devils workshop. Yes, I think its all just "busy work".
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Setting a shopping mall booth for preaching? Is that the newest trend?
by divejunkie ini saw it for the first time.
in a very pricy shopping center in an upscale area, these two witnesses couples had a booth, very similar to those for cellphones, and they were trying to attract people to it and passing out magazines and other literature.
after the shock, i got to thinking: .
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tula
I believe that some on this board have been successful in complaining to the walmarts and mall complexs about the j-dubs 'preaching'. If you demonstrate the negatives and dangers of their cult to the management levels of the walmart store or mall complex, then maybe they will decide to take away the space from the dubs.
People! We have got to be vocal. Or write letters to local management and send copy to corporate. Include info on "What the WBTS Teaches". Isn't there a short print out with that info somewhere?
2008 elevator music, August 18, 2006