Posts by startingovernow

48

Satan- Perfect Scapegoat for Witnesses Ignoring Real Causes of Situations

by flipper in

jw
friends

in a recent thread i started on music i couldn't help noticing how many had to throw their alleged " worldly music " out because parents, or elders told them their music brought them " under the influence of demons ", or listening to music was how " the demons got inside us ".

this superstitious belief that " satan " is to blame for each witnesses demise is really a passing of the buck of responsibility so it sidesteps real issues involved.. for example : check these familiar expressions out we all heard while we were jehovah's witnesses .. .

1. if a person was stumbled and said, " i don't want to go to meetings anymore.

startingovernow

Verystupid77,

Not sure how you got your name, but this experience shows that you are far from being stupid. I would love to have been there to see the C.O.'s face. What you did is called being assertive - something JWs are not supposed to be. Submissive JWs are passive and those that think they know everything are aggressive. So way to go. I am confused as to why he would have said that, and would love to know what scripture he used. If you hadn't been to meetings for 5 mths and said you were depressed, I don't doubt he would have said Satan is behind your depression preventing you from going to meetings. Boy, wish someone would have told me while I was still in that I could actually be happier if I got out. I'm really surprised that it was not your happiness he questioned, and not the cause behind it...that would seem to make more sense.

6

How Much Advice Do You Really Want? Or Need?

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

one of the more intriguing aspects of the jw forums i have been on is having a (mostly) anonymous poster(s) give advice to you.

i know that on many threads started, this advice is solicited.. on other threads, it isn't, but it still comes in.

thats cool as far as i am concerned, if you put stuff out about yourself, then different people will react differently, and have different takes on it.. at the same time, i have tons of advice to give, and my experience as a former elder is to rarely give it.

startingovernow

Well, if I had gone to you when you were an elder, it would have only been because that is what I was told would help me. You were "spirit-appointed" after all. Would I have done what you told me just because you were an elder? Possibly not, I'd like to hope I wasn't that much of a drone. Actually I would have been surprised if you had any advice to give other than to trust in Jehovah, since that's about all I ever heard from elders besides, "let me find you an article about that."

As far as what you call advice given here - I think it's important to hear differing points of view. I probably would never have known I had been in acult if I hadn't posted here and someone bluntly made that statement, which prompted me to do research on the matter. It might be a matter of semantics, but I don't think of what is written on this board as advice. I view it as peoples' opinions. Advice to me is something you choose to take or not, opinions are just thoughts people have on a matter. Personally I wouldn't mind hearing more of your opinions on matters, since you have had quite a life. But I wouldn't do something just because you said you thought I should. So, to answer your question, no, posters are not responsible for what they've said in a post not working in someone else's life.

45

"He was really smart. Smart people leave all the time" <- Unwitting Witness Tells The Truth

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

how many of you have heard this one, or words to that effect?.

startingovernow

Wow, Donny, I can just feel the love that was behind this e-mail. I just wonder how this person will cope if they ever wise up and realize the truth.

11

Did you ever make the wrong career choices?

by Quirky1 in

jw
friends

i know i have had several opportunities to transfer with a prominent position intact and turned them down to family logistics and such.

now that i am older i regret the decisions i made.

i may not have been on easy street but it would have made things a whole lot better.

startingovernow

My wrong career choice was pioneering.

24

Kingdom Ministry ANNOUNCEMENTS September 2009

by RR in

for the month of.

november: what does the bible really teach?

if householders already have the book, publishers may offer any 192-page book published prior to 1992. translation: "we have too many old books, help us get rid of them".

startingovernow

What, is it only 192 paged books that don't show that JW teaching is constantly changing, and could therefore arouse suspicion in the householder?

45

"He was really smart. Smart people leave all the time" <- Unwitting Witness Tells The Truth

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

how many of you have heard this one, or words to that effect?.

startingovernow

No, I haven't heard that. The only "smart" people I heard about while a JW were all the ones that were top in their HS class, could have gone to college, could have done anything they wanted in the "world," but instead decided to pioneer, go to Bethel, etc. Guess they weren't so smart after all.

33

Brenda Lee's new video

by isaacaustin in

jw
friends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eh8t7xybl04.

startingovernow

I have to admit that I laughed throughout this video. The "JW woman" could have been my Bible study conductor. Only with I had had someone like Brenda to help me get out from under the fear that gripped me so much that I did not see the truth behind "the Truth."

11

Does my friend need help leaving JW?

by marysue123 in

i am not sure if i should be writing this but i'll give it a try because i could use some advice from people who know better this religion.. about 6-7 years ago, when i was in highschool, a new classmate arrived and she was jehovah's witness.

untill that time i had very few knowledge about these people.

she was a kind girl but she wouldn't hang out with us a lot.

startingovernow

I have the opposite view of many here. I wish anyone of my friends/associates on the "outside" would have pointed out to me the untruth of my religion. I'm a bit angry that they didn't. I truly believed what JWs told me, no questions asked. I would give my friends and workmates our study books in the hopes that if there was something wrong with what they taught, they would show me. Instead, they never talked about it - this reinforced to me that I in fact must have the true religion, since no one was willing or able to disprove otherwise.

You do not have to be her friend on FB to send her a message, so I would suggest sending a message with the names of the 2 most important books for any JW - "Crisis of Conscience" and "Combatting Cult Mind Control." You are right, she is still young enough to change her life for the better. Please keep us posted.

66

As a JW Did other Witnesses Annoy you by Condemning " Worldly Music" ?

by flipper in

jw
friends

i know i got bothered by all the self righteous music police who would condemn me or others for our awesome record collections from early years as a teenager .

several experiences were really quite odd .

one brother came up to me saying i was wrong to listen to the moody blues " nights in white satin "!

startingovernow

Condemning worldly music!My study conductor went through my CD collection and made a pile of what I had to get rid of! And being a good girl- I did!Trying to remember what I got rid of so I can get it all back Bloomin x

Bloomin, sounds like you might have the same study conductor I had, or at least someone I used to know

2

What is theocratic/spiritual warfare?

by startingovernow in

what exactly is theocratic/spiritual warfare?.

startingovernow

What exactly is theocratic/spiritual warfare?