vivalavida

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Posts by vivalavida

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  40

  Mind Control

  by brotherdan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i've been reading stephen hassan's book on mind control and he made an interesting point that made me think about myself.

  he asks the question, "what makes some people just walk out of cults on their own, while others require much harsher measures from others to get them out?".

  most of you know that i was thoroughly indoctrinated as a jw.

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  vivalavida

  Great video, very clarifying!
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  40

  Mind Control

  by brotherdan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i've been reading stephen hassan's book on mind control and he made an interesting point that made me think about myself.

  he asks the question, "what makes some people just walk out of cults on their own, while others require much harsher measures from others to get them out?".

  most of you know that i was thoroughly indoctrinated as a jw.

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  vivalavida

  I do believe it all starts with how CURIOUS you are. At least that is what happened in my case.

  Yes, I believed it all, I wanted to do everything they ask for BUT, I was highly curious about other things. Then this curiousity impelled me to listen to external sources, for example, I did go ahead and bought the Personal Power II tapes from Tony Robbins and listening to him, a lot of stuff came up that made me stop and think. He talks about having a purpose in life and how he and lots others have that purpose and it works for them and they are happy.

  When I heard that, I knew for a fact that expresions like: " Our close relationship with Jehovah makes us the happiest people on earth. " are not necessarily true. There are people out there that use other methods to achieve the same that JWs achieve. I remember saying that if the bible was the user's manual for the human, Tony's ideas were like a service manual for humans. Then I thouhgt, but he's not inspired.

  However, it required years before I allowed my curiosity to get the best of me and go onto 'apostate' websites. After the child abuse debacle and the article in the "Our Kingdom Ministry" from Sept. 2007 (I think) where the GB stated that they didn't condone people investigating and that one should NOT check on their translation work, a huge WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE thought popped up in my mind. My curiosity won overhand and in a couple of months I was DA'd myself.

  So, I do believe that external influences help, but I also think that one has to have a level of curiosity that pushes one to want to know more.

  Vivalavida
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  85

  Im finally leaving my jw husband.

  by littlebird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some of you know i have struggled with this for awhile.

  i really do believe in marriage and the committment, however, sometimes enough is enough.. his endless preaching at me and calling me and my (adult) children satan has me realizing that this situation is not going to get better.

  the other day he kicked my son out of the house for wearing a cap, in his car, with a skull on it.

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  vivalavida

  I understand you littlebird, I went to something similar after 20 years of marriage. My soon to be ex-wife got to the point of telling me: "If you're going to think that way and are going to go to birthdays from friends and so forth, you'd better leave." - After a while, I packed my things and moved out. It was hard, I too had never lived alone and having moved to this country just 7 years ago, I actually didn't have any friends outside the JW world.

  Fast forward 1 and a half years, I'm happy, have a new girlfriend that really loves me for ME and not for being 'spiritual' (going to the meetings, field service, commenting in meetings and so forth). Who accepts that, sometimes, I"ll have totally different ways of thinking and beliefs but doesn't see that as a reason to shun you or ostracize you. I must admit, life is good now. It wasn't easy, but it gets better.

  Vivalavida
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  32

  What do you wrap Corn Tortillas with?

  by asilentone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i would like to see variety of suggestions.

  thank you!.

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  vivalavida

  In central america and mexico, everything is wrappep with them. Let's say you're eating rice and beans, you just put your hands like an U, put the tortilla in it, also forming a U, like the prefried taco wrappers that they sell, and put a couple of spoonfulls in there, a little bit of chilli sauce is added, you finish the wrap and.... enjoy.

  Works with shredded chicken, minced meat, fried plaintains (platanos) and a bit of sour cream, I don't know... in central america we just used to throw anything and everything in a wrapped tortilla....experiment...

  vivalavida
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  21

  The text for the day is SUREAL!!!!!

  by elderelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  dig the text for today... beyond sureal... cognitive dissonance at its worst!!!!!!.

  textforthursday,august12,2010.

  notbelieveeveryinspiredexpression,buttesttheinspiredexpressionstoseewhethertheyoriginatewithgod.1 john4:1.. .

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  vivalavida

  Lol, that IS really going overboard. Who the hell they think they are???

  The sad thing is that they really believe it..

  Vivalavida
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  21

  The text for the day is SUREAL!!!!!

  by elderelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  dig the text for today... beyond sureal... cognitive dissonance at its worst!!!!!!.

  textforthursday,august12,2010.

  notbelieveeveryinspiredexpression,buttesttheinspiredexpressionstoseewhethertheyoriginatewithgod.1 john4:1.. .

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  vivalavida

  Sorry for the weird formatting!
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  21

  The text for the day is SUREAL!!!!!

  by elderelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  dig the text for today... beyond sureal... cognitive dissonance at its worst!!!!!!.

  textforthursday,august12,2010.

  notbelieveeveryinspiredexpression,buttesttheinspiredexpressionstoseewhethertheyoriginatewithgod.1 john4:1.. .

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  vivalavida

  I've always hated how they blatantly go beyond what is written. The Bible text is very clear and was written in the first century:

  A sound rule is found in the words of the apostle Paul: “Do not go beyond the things that are written.” (1 Cor. 4:6) Yes, we should not go beyond the things that are

  written in the Bible or, by extension, beyond the Bible-based counsel written in the publications of the faithful and discreet slave. w08 4/15 1:18, 19

  So, basically anything TODAY that explains or clears up or, in anyway or form, twists, stretches or shrinks the meaning of something written in the first century, is going beyond what was written. Paul didn't say, do not go beyond the things that are going to be written in 2000 years. He said, do not go beyond the things that ARE written. Even in his time, they were already written.

  They always try to include their OWN interpretations in the things that ARE written and don't want the rank and file to go beyond that. But they ALREADY did it. By writing whatever they write in the first place.

  And I can prove how they themselves go beyond what is written. For example, Genesis 3:4,5 reads:

  4 At this the serpent said to the woman: “YOU positively will not die. 5 For God knows that in the very day of YOUR eating from it YOUR eyes are bound to be opened and YOU are bound to be like God, KNOWING good and bad.”

  Read what God said to this:

  22 And Jehovah God went on to say: “Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad, and now in order that he may not put his hand out and

  actually take [fruit] also from the tree of life and eat and live to time indefinite,—”

  But here is what the Watchtower from Sept. 1, 2010 on page 11

  Satan began deceiving mankind at the very start of human history. For example, he deceived Eve into believing that she was not subject to the laws of her Creator

  and that she could “be like God, knowing good and bad,” that is, deciding for herself what was good and what was bad. (Genesis 3:1-5) That was the first great

  deception, for even though humans were given the freedom to choose what they would do, they were not created with the ability to determine for themselves

  what is right and what is wrong.

  So, I wonder, If God did not accused the Devil of having lied in this particular case. Why reinterpret the whole thing? And go beyond the things written there?

  Just ranting!

  BTW, I do find the article very very good. I used it to talk with my still in 17 year old son. I could ask him to read that article and he did. I could then use the information there, like the statement that ALL can be deceived, to point to him that even the GB could be deceived. And that they want him to use his mind to not just accept everything they say, but to investigate, with the purpose of making sure. At least it gave us an opportunity to talk, without him shutting down immediately, which is the standard behavior.

  Vivalavida
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  32

  Typical email exchange I just had with a JW

  by jwfacts in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  most of the emails that i receive from jws are short and to the point - i am wrong and jehovah will soon exact vengeance on me.

  they never identify where i am wrong.

  here is a typical one.

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  vivalavida

  Mary, that article you mentioned, one could really think that it was written by somebody wanting to open the eyes of the rank and file... it they would only apply that information across the board, including their own already held beliefs...

  vivalavida
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  23

  As a JW kid, did you wish you could join the girl guides/scouts?

  by highdose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  also known as cubs and brownies i belive.

  i always wanted to join them when i was a child.

  i had freinds at school who were in and loved hearing the tales of what they got up to.

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  vivalavida

  I did!
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  113

  Favorite MOVIE SCENE - any genre - your pick!

  by AWAKE&WATCHING in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i realized i was hi-jacking another thread so i thought i would start my own topic.. one of my favorite movie scenes is the "to tip or not to tip" scene in reservoir dogs.

  i don't care for all the blood in tarantino movies but he is, without a doubt, a genius.. .

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  vivalavida

  Definitely

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V63txiofBm4&feature=related

  In my opinion one of the best scenes of all time...

  Vivalavida