independent_tre

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Posts by independent_tre

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  53

  The Friends Ain't So Friendly

  by StAnn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been thinking.

  a lot of posts i read here say things about how the jws are all victims; how people feel so sorry for them; how people believe that the jws they know are really good people who are trapped in a lie.

  then i read a lot of other posts about the cruel things the jws do, like shunning, ignoring df'd people on the side of the road with a flat tire, refusing to be charitable to their fellow humans, delighting at the impending deaths of millions of people, and blaming all of their coldness and heartlessness on the fact that they're just following orders from the gb.

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  independent_tre

  Most if not all on this thread were involved to some extent with JW's. Everyone's hindsight is 20/20.

  It's not fair to broadly categorize many of the people still involved as heartless nazi's with a superiority complex. In fact I'd say the majority aren't mean spirited or even blind to the problems in the org. Even though I'm fading, and may one day be completely out, I'd have a hard time looking back, pointing the finger and saying, "HA!, I've left and therefore I am way more morally upright than anyone who's still in! How blind and by extension, evil, you are".

  Who would have the superiority complex then?
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  12

  looking for information on material

  by bite me in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i had a discussion the other day.

  the swore up and down that they are or have never been told that they could not read material outside the wts.

  i said prove it, look at this (it was a bible study book that i had, nothing for or against any religion just questions to help) well they put their hand up in a defensive way and said no.

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  independent_tre

  Independent thinking is difficult, unpopular and even suspect. Thought conformity is the order of our day. To seek solitude for meditation is frowned upon as antisocial and neurotic

  you've got to be kidding me...... If that is not the most cultish statement I've ever seen in print....... "Thought Conformity?".....are you serious?

  "Independent thinking is difficult"

  Maybe i's keep lettin dat dere watchtewer do's the thanking fo' me....duh....
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  26

  Witness work at 2 a.m.?

  by Fatfreek in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  a non-jw friend in a southern state has close ties to a jw with a late teen-aged son.

  this son is pioneering during late hours, meaning 11 pm to 2 am.

  i'm told his car group calls on, among others, convenience store workers where they apparently have much idle time on their hands.

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  independent_tre

  Can you imagine coming out of the restroom and being approached by some religious nut? It's a good way of getting punched if you ask me!! Not very safe!!

  lol, picturing some guy exiting the john, zipping up and yelling "WTF!?!!" after being startled by someone shoving a watchtower in his face at 3am
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  41

  Did you enjoy being a JW meetings,field service ect??

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. experiences
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  independent_tre

  Field Service - I used to think something was wrong with me. Why didn't I enjoy this wonderful 'privilege' bestowed upon me? And when I would hear others say that they found this activity upbuilding and refreshing, I was wondering what they were smoking, because I definitely needed a hit of that to enjoy one excrutiating minute of field service. I seriously cringed everytime I ever thought about participating, and therefore I barely put any time in. Like avi8tor, I also thought we were bothering people with normal lives and I wished I could be at home or doing just about anything else.

  Book Study - My least favorite meeting. As a child they were boring and it seemed we always had to come in from playing to get ready and it was a real drag in summer. As an adult, I didn't like it either. One book study in particular was at a sister's house who despised me for no particular reason. She was petty & wouldn't speak to me and would speak to everyone else. She made me feel terribly uncomfortable, so this was hardly motivation to keep going. I got sick of her and stopped going just for that reason.

  The public talks were really the only part I enjoyed. This is what drew me back as an adult, because I had a lot of life problems and it felt better to chill out and listen to something about the bible, something I found uplifting. I also enjoyed assemblies because I have tons of relatives in and when we would all go, it was like a large family reunion and everyone shared food.
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  32

  I cant afford to eat anymore : Grocery Store Horror stories :)

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  first... i am in no immediate danger of starving damn groceries are getting expensive .

  as an example... i love breyer's all natural ice cream... .

  first...the story of the incredible shrinking ice cream box.... for years and year the box was one half gallon (us)...2 full quarts...then somewhere a couple years back, it shrunk to 1.75 quarts...but in the same size box..... today, i was at the grocery, and seen the stuff was on sale..... hmmmmm...something fishy.... yep... it is now 1.5 quarts.... and i carefully compared the 1.75 box in my freezer with my new 1.5 box.

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  independent_tre

  Is it no wonder that poor people in this country have the worst eating habits? The only food they can afford is full of crap. And that is if they are educated enough to look. I knew alot of this...but taking a nutrition class...OMG....... I am scared of how much I don't know...Sometimes ignorance is bliss...

  Exactly, it costs a grip to eat healthy. I try to eag sugar free, whole foods, and you really have to search high and low to find groceries that don't have some form of sugar in them. The cheap stuff is full of sugar and chemicals you should never eat.
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  283

  News from Mother ship

  by jefferywhat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  1. bethel in ny suspect high level apostate, cant identify it but know its there.

  2. major organizational changes about to start rolling out, one is changes to the "service committee" and titles, po to be done away with, thats all i know for now.

  was told that if you are the sort of person that cant handle changes, you wont stay in the org for long.

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  independent_tre

  BOOKMARKED!!
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  39

  Wow-I didn't know.

  by QuestioningEverything in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am shocked and saddened by the things that i have learned from this website and a few others i've seen.

  my grandma was a witness and my mom started to study seriously when i was 8 yrs.

  i was baptised at 13-way too young.

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  independent_tre

  Answering feenx.. I think she's referring to the change in 1981- it used to be okay to be cordial to a disfellowshipped person and you could still speak to your DF'd relatives. The September 15, 1981 WT changed all of that. If this were really from the Bible, you would think it wouldn't take over 1,900 years for this 'new light' to be understood, but that's how the WTS operates.

  Questioning... Welcome! I feel like I'm in your same situation as I have always had doubts, but once I came to this board, I was blown away. I'm about a quarter of the way through "Crisis", and between that and this website, I continually am suffering from headaches and have been feeling really depressed and upset, but I can't stop researching and reading because this is very important to me.

  I agree with the poster that suggested reading Ecclisiates (sp.), one of my favorite books of the Bible. It really helps to adjust my thinking and helps me to relax. Just remember that because you're questioning what the WT taught, by no means are you rejecting the Bible or God, as they have trained so many to believe. Daily Bible reading (no longer reading the NWT) still encourages me.

  Again Welcome, and I look forward to reading more of your posts.
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  31

  Gone full circle...time to say bye

  by digderidoo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i feel at the moment to keep posting on this site is doing me no good.

  i used to post here many years ago and came across many things jw related that made me feel angry towards the way i was brought up.

  in particular the 607 issue and the generation change.

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  independent_tre

  There's a saying, I think it goes something like, 'Remaining bitter is like swallowing poison, and expecting the other person to die.' Simply meaning that holding on to anger only hurts you far more than it hurts anyone else. It sounds like you're ready to move on and be successful in life and that certainly cannot be done while hanging on to anger, bitterness, or hatred.

  Your post is very inspiring and I wish you all the best.
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  16

  JWDers Congratulate Raindog !!!

  by yknot in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  raindog is in school right now and has been an excellent student....unfortunately his dad is an elder who is currently 'borgwashed'.. (story) http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/160240/1.ashx.

  he was made the dean's list (again) and has been invited to join the honor society !.

  so let's encourge this young man to keep moving forward in the face of this co outline!......

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  independent_tre

  Awesome! Congrats!!
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  95

  State Truthful Facts About JWs That Make Them Look Bad, Weird, Foolish

  by minimus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  you don't need to exaggerate the foibles of jws to get the point across that they are not "the truth".

  can you state some facts that show that jehovah's witnesses are not "normal' and that their religion is weird and simply abnormal?.

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  independent_tre

  JW's cannot explain adequately why birthdays are not celibrated by members.

  Even my 9 year old saw through this 'explanation' and knew that there was nothing in the bible condemming birthday celebrations.

  1. Fact that until recently there were 5 meetings on 3 days of the week and if that weren't enough there are also assemblies and 3 day long conventions. Then, whenever you are not at the meeting or at work, you probably should be hard at work in the ministry. And don't forget the time involved preparing self and children for all these obligations. Every day involves some sort of witness activity. And you also need to have read all of the publications in order to get full on spiritual food.

  2. You cannot accept or read any other religious pamphlets, yet you should convince others to accept and read yours.

  3. How many hours you spend in field service is a measure of being spiritual strong/weak.