A very good book discussing this subject is "When Prophecy Fails: A social and psychological study of a modern group that predicted the destruction of the world" by Leon Festinger and others. It is a study of an actual group (not JWs) that predicted the end of the world on a certain day and when it didn't come, were more committed than ever. I read it when I first left the WT years ago and was amazed by it.
Mrs. Fiorini
JoinedPosts by Mrs. Fiorini
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42
1914 coverup has begun
by hamsterbait ini spoke to an elderly sister, 94, who is deteriorating rapidly.
she honestly believed she would never die.. obviously she is desperate to deny to herself that the cult she allowed to steal her one and only life a second at a time is still true.. "the generation change is just like 1975 - we were sifted.
we were being tested as to who was serving jehovah for a date and those with unbreakable trust in the organisation he has appointed.".
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Demons
by Amha·aret ini've been corresponding with a dub via email, talking about mostly evolution but now the subject has changed.
she reckons there is proof for poltergeists and other demonic happenings.
many dubs, including my parents-in-law and local elders, have similar tales.
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Mrs. Fiorini
When I was still a JW, I had a Witness roommate who accidentally brought a coffee cup home that had an astrological sign on it. Of course, with all the talk about anything astrological connected with demons, we were on edge. She said she would return it to her friend's house where she got it, but after a few days hadn't had the opportunity. One evening during this time, a cupboard door that had a spring closure sprung open by itself. We looked at each other and wondered about that cup. She insisted she would return it, but again, hadn't found a convenient time. Later that day or the next, I thought I had closed my bedroom door, but it was opened. I started getting very nervous. When she came home I mentioned it to her and she said she had thought she noticed shadows on the wall that moved. At that point we were both convinced that demons had entered our home through that cup. We were scared to spend another night in our home with that cup in it. Finally, we had her boyfriend take the cup outside and smash it with a hammer and threw it away.
Looking back, I see two young women who were conditioned through thier religion to be paranoid of anything that their religion told them was demonic. When put in the position of being around such an object, anything that happened, as well as our own imagination, was interpreted through that filter. I even felt obligated to tell the CO about my experience. Of course he took it very seriously and gave me good advice to "not play with it" and said we had done the right thing to destroy the cup.
I laugh at it now, but at the time I was convinced we had escaped a possible disaster. I think the WT benefits by keeping followers paranoid and fearful.
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Awake article about youths who died for refusing blood transfusions
by Mrs. Fiorini indoes anyone know how i can get a copy, or several copies, of the awake magazine (i don't know the date) with the cover article featuring the jw kids that died refusing blood?
i would also be interested in any other w's or a's that had information regarding the blood issue, especially as it relates to children.. thanks.. .
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Mrs. Fiorini
Does anyone know how I can get a copy, or several copies, of the Awake magazine (I don't know the date) with the cover article featuring the JW kids that died refusing blood? I would also be interested in any other W's or A's that had information regarding the blood issue, especially as it relates to children.
Thanks.
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Do you feel unnerved by the "Global Financial Crisis"?
by Elsewhere inever have a moment where something stressed you out, then something else, then another thing, and then you remembered the "global financial crisis" and before you knew it your nerves were shot to hell???
i have found myself doing that over the last few weeks.
i end up having to spend a few hours talking myself down.. what is odd is that i know, statisically, we all have a very low chance of loosing our jobs.
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Mrs. Fiorini
Yes, it has rattled my nerves, too. But I just try to remind myself that this is not, and likely won't be, as bad as the Great Depression, and we got through that (not me personally, but my grandparents did). And hopefully, economists know more now than they did then.
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Adventist lawyers bully small Jewish sect over name
by kurtbethel init looks like watchtower lawyers are not alone in protecting their business interests even if it means bullying someone's religious faith.. http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/12/21/news/sandiego/z5f313b68926a1807882575210081e64b.txt.
jewish group sued over 'adventist' namevalley center ---- what's the first thing that pops to mind upon hearing the word "adventist"?.
the seventh-day adventist church, probably.. .
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Mrs. Fiorini
Amazing. If I trademark the word "Christian" can I prevent all other churches from using it in their names?
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Some questions for the board from a lurker
by purplesofa inwelll, he is waiting to sign up.
hi leslie!
just wondering if you could do a post for me?
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Mrs. Fiorini
Others could give better advice addressing your friends situation, but it seems to me that the only way she will avoid a DFing is to do a fast fade (especially if it involves moving away) or turn herself into the elders and beg for mercy (although this usually doesn't work after having been DF'd once).
My best wishes to her. This should be a happy time in her life, not one full of dread and fear of losing her family.
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VonRay
by coffee_black inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvm3slitqig&feature=related.
my daughter is having lunch with vaughan tomorrow to talk about helping with my grandson's project to help homeless children.. my grandson's website will be up and running soon.
there will be lots to share in the weeks to come... coffee .
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Mrs. Fiorini
Glad to hear your daughter and grandson are trying to help out. We need people who care about their communities like that, now more than ever.
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New BOE letter re: parents permitting fornication
by sir82 inunfortunately i have no scanner.
but i thought y'all might like a glance into the latest mind of "mother".. i won't type out the whole thing, but just select pertinent parts to quote:.
"to all bodies of elders.
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Mrs. Fiorini
I think Yknot may have identified the source of the "issue." If non-JW adult children have to move back in with parents due to losing their job, etc. they better get married or don't bring the boyfriend/girlfriend with them.
This will be a real problem for some families as many cohabitating couples have kids these days and parents will not only have to kick out their children, but young grandchildren too. This could be difficult if they have nowhere else to go.
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Floods in the north-fires in the south
by smiddy inthought you might like to know the situation in aussie land.
bushfires raging in victoria have claimed the lives of at least 35 people so far and the toll is expected to rise in the 40`s.yesterdays temp.rose to 46.4 cent.
(115 f ) more than 85 towns were under threat and dozens of homes lost with a terrible loss of livestock and wildlife.. in the northern part of the country qld.
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Mrs. Fiorini
I've been following this in the news recently. So sorry to hear the death toll is now over 100. Please be careful.
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Urgent!! Anyone in WA state--remember Dennis Lindberg?
by Tatiana ini received this email and i don't live in wa, but promised i would forward this here.
for those who didn't hear about this case..... http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/medical/153452/1/another-newspaper-article-on-the-blood-issue.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/medical/168839/1/blood-petition-signatures-appreciated.
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Mrs. Fiorini
Tatiana,
You have a PM.