I love this post. It really touches a nerve with some, because there are so many people out there who wonder, "How did I end up here?" I think that everyone here has provided comments that could go into the "All of the above" column. I think it's a little bit of everything.
I think about my JW friend who is now my ex-teacher. When she talks about the Org, she speaks so well and with such enthusiasm and knowledge. But when we move to other topics outside of her religious beliefs, she is painfully dim. She was not a born-in, but was raised a JW. I've found that what keeps her rooted so solidly in that group is that fact that she lacks what I call a "natural curiosity" about the world around her. What's more, I have often heard her refer to herself as "a little slow." I think that her poor viewpoint about her intelligence, coupled with the fact that the Org fosters a no-thinking policy towards its members seems to work out well for them both. I think that asking the hard questions really is too hard for her. As long as the WTS is doing the thinking for her and can seemingly back up what they say (with ease because she won't refute them), then she feels good about herself and her faith. They have a member for life.
almostbitten
JoinedPosts by almostbitten
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Ever wonder how seemingly smart people can be duped?
by fern indoes anyone ever wonder how their seemingly intelligent family members can be so totally taken in by this religion?
i look at my parents and just wonder how in the world do you fall for this jw crap?
neither of my parents are college educated but by no means are they stupid and have good judgement and sense when it comes to a lot of things, but not this religion.
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almostbitten
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Misquotes from the "Reasoning Book" re: Cross (scans included)
by AlphaOmega inthe "reasoning book" claims that the 1874 edition of the imperial bible dictionary verifies the idea that jesus was crucified on a stake.
however, when you check the reference with the imperial bible dictionary, you see that it acutally is not as clear cut as that.. as usual, the infamous "..." of the watchtower has been used to edit out any opposing ideas in the source that they cite.. i know that this may have been mentioned before, but the scans of the imperial bible dictionary that are floating around the internet are from later editions, hence the page numbers are not those cited in the reasoning book.. .
http://i36.tinypic.com/2ilc9cx.jpg.
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almostbitten
Isn't this yet another case of the WTS just trying to come up with a way to diffrientiate themselves from mainstream Christianity? In other words, if everyone is going down path A, let's deliberately go down path B just to say we're different, not because we're convienced that it's the right way. And because we're different, then we must be God's true organization.
At least that's the way it looks to me. -
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11-yr old wants to get baptized, father objects, elders interfere
by Bonnie_Clyde inthe mother went to the elders when the dad objected to the girl getting baptized.
this prompted a visit from the elders who counselled him for wanting to hold his child back from baptism.
this girl is immature even for an 11-year old.
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almostbitten
JWs need to take a page from the Baptists--child baptisms are frowned upon and often discouraged, even though some allow it. Try walking up to most Baptist ministers with a toddler and mention baptism. You would probably get looked at like you've lost your mind.
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Goofy idea, please play along
by heybaby inwhat should this year's district convention have been called?
"shut up and go with it" district convention "fall in soldiers!
" district convention "thinking - the unforgivable sin" district convention
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almostbitten
"Why Higher Education Will Not Allow You To Graduate Into The New World."
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Just got my copy of "Crisis of Conscience"
by JimmyPage inafter finishing "combatting cult mind control" i decided to move on to the next logical book.
i've read the first 100 pages of "crisis of conscience" and it's gone by really fast.
now i know why this book is so important.
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almostbitten
May I suggest a book for non-JWs to read that will give outsiders some insight into the JW/WTS mindset and history? It's called "Apocalypse Delayed: The Story of Jehovah's Witnesses" by M. James Penton (easily available at Amazon.com). It was published in the 80's but when I read it earlier this year, I was freaked out because some of the stuff he mentioned confirmed some suspicions I had about things my JW teacher was telling me. This information is two decades old, yet the WTS has changed very little!
According to the inside of the dust cover, Mr. Penton, a Canadian, was disfellowshipped in 1981 and was a fourth generation JW. At the time his book came out, he was a Professor of History and Religious Studies at the University of Lethbridge ( I know they must have hated him for that). What's more, this man wrote a book before this one that defended JW beliefs and doctrines, but they crawled him for that! -
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almostbitten
I agree, Baba. These days, I make it a purpose in life to not say "never." If I had a dollar for everytime I said "I would never do such-and-such," then I would make Oprah look like a welfare queen!
Take one breath at a time, one step at a time, one day at a time--see where the path will take you. -
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Weed Anyone??
by Quirky1 inagain my previous thread was about mowing.
so, what about trimming your yard or garden?
do you you use a wed eater to trim?
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almostbitten
Dayuuuuummm, Quirky!
Judging by your new avitar, you kinda fine! I like a man with a nice boo-tay. I even like the lips tattoo LOL!
btw, I'm female, in case you were gettin' kinda nervous. -
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Weed Anyone??
by Quirky1 inagain my previous thread was about mowing.
so, what about trimming your yard or garden?
do you you use a wed eater to trim?
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Counselled for nodding at a df'd person
by keyser soze ini remember this happening to my dad, when i was just a kid.
there was a disfellowshipped brother in the cong, whom my dad had been friends with.
before the meeting, my dad just nodded hello to him, didn't even say the word.
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almostbitten
No, SirNose586, DFed people are a special affront to a cold-blooded Organization.
They just need to keep God out of that non-sense and call it what it is--foolishness. -
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almostbitten
Sorry, didn't mean to catagorize per se. For example, St. Francis of Assissi was considered a mystic, but most associate him with Christianity, specifically the RC Church.
Let me share something that I read a few years ago in a religion textbook I own. I think it's really something.
The...[holy man] wants to be by himself. he wants to be away from the crowd, from everyday matters. He likes to meditate, leaning against a tree or rock, feeling the earth move benearth him, feeling the weight of the big, flaming sky upon him. That way he can figure things out. Closing his eyes, he sees many things clearly. What you see with your eyes shut is what counts.
[He] loves the silence, wrapping it around himself like a blanket--a loud silence with a voice like thunder which tells him of many things. Such a man likes to be in a place where there is no sound but the humming of insects. He sits facing the west, asking for help. He talks to the plants and they answer him. He listens to the voices of the wama kaskanall those who move upon the earth, the animals. He is as one with them. From all living beings something flows into him all the time, and something flows from him. --- Lame Deer