yes.. always a pleasant surprise. But then you had a lot of overconcerned friends that were offering you the time of another congregation where you can make up the missed meeting. Yeah right!
independent_tre
JoinedPosts by independent_tre
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34
Were You Joyful When A Meeting Had To Be Canceled?
by minimus ini was never thrilled to have a meeting during inclement weather.
if it was seriously snowing and the weatherman suggested to stay in because of the conditions, i rarely went to the meeting.
why take a chance, right?
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How I feel about this site
by RickyCisco in(... with a few slight edits of my own, from the movie "fight club").
"i see in this forum the strongest and smartest men who have ever lived.
all this greatness, all this potential-- how is it squandered?
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independent_tre
"What if two people who are not married to each other unexpectedly find themselves alone together because others who would normally be present are momentarily absent?"
holy frack! are you serious? Sooo 2 unmarried people can't be around each other if only for a MOMENT?...off to find a scan of that mag, I'm dying to know the answer.
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CUT AND PASTE CUTOFF NEW DEVELOPMENT
by blondie ineven coming from notepad, i can put only so much data on each screen.
it gets cutoff.
i noticed that others are having this problem..
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independent_tre
noticed this as well. wasn't trying to be long winded, but just wanted to post some info. Notepad trick didn't work either
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Volunteer work and preaching - It's a lie
by Iwonder17 init hit me the other day, when a jw goes to a door and says, we are doing a volunteer work today.... .
no they arent.
they have to go in service every month as a requirement to stay in the club, if not, they become inactive or irregular.
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independent_tre
Good observation..it's totally not volunteering. How could it be when it becomes a way to categorize ones as spiritually weak or strong?
, c'mon...yes they are doing volunteer work. No one forces them to do it and the ones who don't want to always find a way of getting out of it.
Sorry but I'm going to have to disagree with that. As a child, I was forced. As a teen, I was forced. As an adult, I cringed everytime I was asked and did so reluctantly due to guilt tripping and hounding from the elders that I wasn't doing enough and needed to set a proper example for my children. Yeah, it certainly felt forced to me.
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Introducing myself
by Aeiouy inand a third continuation........meh.
however, breaking up with her had a very good affect on me.
an unexpected one.
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independent_tre
Reading experiences such as yours is always wonderful. To know that every day people wake up from the lies and regain their freedom truly gives so many hope. Thanks for taking the time and sharing all of your story with us.
Your situation is why so many of us resort to 'fading'. There really is no easy answer to your relationship with your mom. For me, I felt like if I came clean about what I really believe, then the org wins, and I lose my family. I refuse to give them that victory. However, fading for me has been virtually painless because I'm married to a non - JW, live on my own - not near most of my family. It would be awful if I still lived at home and had to attend meetings and go out in service. Yuck.
Anyway, I wish you much success in your future, but it seems like you've gained the ultimate rewards already - freedom and happiness.
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do you really know what a cult is?
by redjeep ina cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many cults follow a living human leader,not jesus or god.and they live a part from the rest of human society.their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
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independent_tre
Since they dropped the book study group in homes, some JWs I know decided to get together on that night to do their own study. All hell broke loose! The elders of their congregation went mental! Anyone would have thought they were getting together for a satanic ritual! They were told that they were not to take it upon themselves to form their own group as this was dangerous and erroneous thinking would creep in.
What is insane is how many of the 'friends' simply accept this and keep going along. Whatever rule is made, they blindly follow.
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How I feel about this site
by RickyCisco in(... with a few slight edits of my own, from the movie "fight club").
"i see in this forum the strongest and smartest men who have ever lived.
all this greatness, all this potential-- how is it squandered?
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independent_tre
very nice
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23
do you really know what a cult is?
by redjeep ina cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many cults follow a living human leader,not jesus or god.and they live a part from the rest of human society.their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
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independent_tre
the last one was cut off:
No way out. In a destructive cult, there is never a legitimate reason to leave. According to Hassan, "Unlike non-cult organizations that recognize a person's inherent right to choose to move on, mind control groups make it very clear that there is no legitimate reason to leave." As a witness, there is NEVER a valid reason to leave. Not changing your mind, illness, boredom, disagreement, moving...nothing. You can't leave, you have to be expelled and suffer those consequences. Former members are a direct threat to any cult.
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do you really know what a cult is?
by redjeep ina cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many cults follow a living human leader,not jesus or god.and they live a part from the rest of human society.their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
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independent_tre
According to Steven Hassan, a specialist regarding destructive cults, cults tend to have the following major themes:
• The doctrine is reality and not to be questioned. Acceptance is paramount to ones devotion as a witness, no matter how inconsistent or not understood. Is a devoted JW allowed to question the blood policy, or perhaps develop a different understanding of the 144K? Is it acceptable to hold a different viewpoint as a dub and still remain in good standing? Why do you think witness lingo calls their doctrine the ‘truth’?
• Reality is black or white, good vs evil. The doctrine allows no outside group or religion to be recognized as good or godly. We all know that you’re either worldly or a dub. There’s no in between and all churches, no matter how benevolent, are part of evil Christendom.
• Elitist mentality. Dubs know that they are better than everyone else as they will be the only people saved at Armageddon. I also know countless JWs that thought they were better than their neighbors, co-workers, educated persons, etc. Holier than thou is an understatement when you go door-to-door basically telling people that they’re going to die unless they listen to your ‘truth’.
• Group Will versus Individual Will. JW admonish individualism and vilify having and independent spirit.
• Strict obedience: Following the leader. Following the ‘slave’ is paramount. As a supposedly Christian religion, they’re constantly asking member to “follow the slave (GB)”, and Christ comes in as a second runner up. As a result, much of the rank and file end up subconsciously ‘merging’ the governing body and God (or Christ) himself. To disobey the governing body is to disobey Jehovah.• Happiness through good performance. Does the bible ever mention time reports?
• Manipulation through fear and guilt. As a child, I was told that if I didn’t get baptized I would die a horrible death. I can still remember all the child-friendly artwork in the publications that had people running for their lives being burned in sulfur and hellfire. But even if you no longer believe the crap the WTS dishes out, you can’t just up and leave. Thousands are manipulated to stay against their will by the DF policy, and the fear then becomes losing one’s friends and family. If that isn’t manipulation, I don’t know what is.
• Emotional highs and lows. For the WTS to be the only organization on earth that is ‘right’, they certainly have a lot of depressed and overburdened members. Not only that, many continually experience burnout and depression as a result of the rigorous schedule imposed on them by the WTS, and made to feel guilty if they cannot keep up.
• Changes in time orientation. Many cults teach the apocalypse is just around the corner. Over the last several decades, many witnesses have put off marriage, having children, furthering their education, and as one poster put it “buying green bananas” because ‘we’re so close to the end’.
•No way out. In -
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do you really know what a cult is?
by redjeep ina cult is a religion that is said to be unorthodox or that emphasizes devotion according to prescribed ritual.many cults follow a living human leader,not jesus or god.and they live a part from the rest of human society.their meetings are in hiding, not just anyone can attend.you have to be a member.
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