many are not sure or deny that wts is a dangerous mind-control cult.
here is some food for thought on the "dangerous mind-control" part of that.
(cut and pasted from http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=122936768817 jehovah's disfellowshipped witnesses/facebook).
I just read this a few minutes ago in an article in an article on mind programming. I thought it was very appropriate for this topic.
"It is important to protect your assets and everyone gets that.
Unfortunately, many fail to recognize the importance of one of their most important assets--their own mind." - Eldon Taylor PhD
Hopscotch
i thought it best i stay a lurker.
it's just right now, i'm going through some doubts and just plain discouraged.
sometimes, trying to do everything just wears me out, and i feel like i'm suffocating.
EmptyInside - I can feel the pain coming through your words and am sending you a big hug.
I was a JW for 40 years and left about 3 ½ years ago. In that time I saw many sisters in a similar situation as yourself, always being told wait until the new system. But the years went by and many of them are now elderly and still single. But just as the problem wasn't that there was something wrong with them, the same is true for you. It is not you. While I was reading your post it reminded me of an article I read very recently (it could have actually been on this site) about emotional blackmail byLauren LaBate, a crisis volunteer. I found these points in the article very interesting.
EMOTIONS FELT BY VICTIMS OF EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL
They feel insecure, unimportant, unworthy and generally bad about themselves
They doubt their ideas and needs
They feel isolated
They may have consistent physical ailments as a result of the stress
They always feel as if they in a FOG unable to think clearly as a result of being manipulated to feel Fear, Obligation and Guilt
WHAT IS NECESSARY TO STOP EMOTIONAL BLACKMAILThe victim must begin to look at the situation in a new way.
They must detach from their emotions.
They must realize that they are being blackmailed and that it is not appropriate for the blackmailer to be treating them in that manner.
They must make a commitment to themselves that they will take care of themselves and no longer allow this abusive treatment.
They need to see that a demand is being made on them and that it makes them uncomfortable.
They must determine why the demand feels uncomfortable.
They must not give into the pressure for an immediate decision.
They must set boundaries to be able to take time to consider the situation and to look at all of the alternatives to make the decision.
Finally, they must consider their own needs first for a change, in this process.
You see EmptyInside I believe that as Jehovah's Witnesses we are emotionally blackmailed all the time with fear and guilt, to the extent that it's easy to end up feeling unworthy, unlovable and that there is something wrong with us, especially if we start to have doubts about what we have been taught all our life as JWs. It's amazing when you actually start to think about it, how much of our lives as JWs are shaped by fear.
My suggestion to you is to take some quiet time and listen to your inner voice, the one that is speaking from the real you, not the JW you. I'm sure that deep down you know what to do. You deserve, and have the right, to be happy and if your desire and longing is to be married and have a family then you deserve that also.
Wishing you all the best.
Hopscotch
the mind control in this latest oct.15th is amazing.
our lurking jw friend sent us this and it basically tellls witnesses that their opinions don't matter and only god is good .
it belittles independent thinking and explains that each rank and file jw is owned by the alleged " faithful and discreet slave " .
Flipper - you're welcome
By the way did anyone notice this in para 15 under the heading Fellow Feeling.
"Read Romans 12:15. Paul's counsel in this verse can be summed up in two words: Show empathy. We need to learn to understand and even share another persons feelings, whether joy or sadness. If we are aglow with the spirit, our feelings of shared joy or compassion will be evident."
Romas 12: 15 says
15 Rejoice with people who rejoice; weep with people who weep. (NWT)
Isn't this another evidence of the WTS's blatant hypocrisy. That scripture does not say Rejoice with fellow JWs ........., it says people, in other words fellow human beings. Those of us who have walked away from the JW religion (cult) are still people but what compassion or fellow feeling is shown towards us. We are cut off by our families and told we are dead in their eyes.
And what compassion has been shown by the WTS to the thousands of children who have been molested by JW pedophiles over the years. In many cases the children and their parents were treated as wrongdoers for even making an accusation against these evil ones. The pedophiles were the ones given the protection while the children suffered, and in many cases these children tragically ended their own life.
And what compassion is being shown by the WTS towards all those loyal WTS followers who had to bury their child or spouse because of the flip flop on the organ transplant policy.
And where is the compassion of the WTS towards the millions of its members who followed the advice (command) given in the Awake of 1969 that "If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.", and then the article then went on tell the young ones of 1969 that there is no need to go to college or pursue a career as the system may well be finished within four to six years. 40 years later those young ones and their families have mostly been condemned to a life of struggle because of not getting a good education. And what about all those elderly JWs who are facing the reality that they have grown old and are dying when all their lilfe they were told by the WTS that they would never grow old or die.
Hopscotch
the mind control in this latest oct.15th is amazing.
our lurking jw friend sent us this and it basically tellls witnesses that their opinions don't matter and only god is good .
it belittles independent thinking and explains that each rank and file jw is owned by the alleged " faithful and discreet slave " .
If anybody has a scanner and can scan this article and post on this thread- I'd highly appreciate it !
Flipper - your wish is my command! Here is a scan of the article.
Hopscotch
i just sent off my resume for a job.. i have a pretty good recommendation already .
and know three people that work there.. but these young ones just out of college .
are getting the work now.. .
Purps
I'm so glad this worked out for you. I'll always remember the kindness you showed me in January.
All the best
Hopscotch
as someone who is still wading my way through fading/leaving.....im looking for thoughts on 'signs of the times'.
example, 'earthquakes in one place after another'......things like that.
world powers etc......peace and security....basically anything that has been taken from the bible to signify living in the last days.. i have to admit, when i hear about all the earthquakes around the place, especially in recent years being so many, i get a shiver of fear.
Hi wantsto
About the GB thing - have you read Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz (the GB member who was df'd)? If not it is definitely worth reading as it is a real eye opener into the goings on within the GB and he tells how they reach a lot of their decisions. I got a copy from our local library and then went and bought it.
The Steve Pinker video is worth watching all the way through. I saw it some time ago and found it really does help clear things in your mind about the so called 'critical times' we are supposedly living in. I downloaded it and watched it when I had the time (easy with download helper on firefox).
And I know this is not really answering your question but I found what really helped give me time to clear my head of all this end time fear that had been programmed into me was to stop watching the news and reading the papers. Takes a bit to do it if you're like we were and watched the news religiously but after a few weeks you find you don't miss it at all. I've watched it twice in the last 12 months and wished I hadn't. I find if there is something that you really need to know about you will find out about it anyway. But getting right out of the news loop really helped calm my fears and put things in perspective.
All the best
Hopscotch
hi, a little background.
i've been out for 20 years or so.
my partner and i got together about 3 years ago.
Hi Beachwalker - I have sent you a PM. (Click on the envelope in the top right of the screen)
Hopscotch
dear friends,.
one of my greatest enjoyments is a daily walk.
i see things in far greater detail than when i am driving by.
Leolaia
I see what you mean about the resemblance between these scenes and the ones of Taman Negara. I don't think I would be brave enough to walk on the Taman Negara canopy walk though. It is much higher off the ground than the one here!
Hopscotch
hi posters.
something has really been bothering me a lot lately.
in a nutshell i faded about 4 years ago.
wcs my husband and I found the same thing happening to us when we started fading 4 years ago after 40 years of being JWs. Dropped like hot potatoes by even our so-called best friends. It has nothing to do with how 'nice' you are as a person. My husband and I whilst JWs were constantly told how kind, generous and hospitable we were but that counts for nothing. On top of that my entire JW family has been shunning us since January this year - even after my father admitted that my husband and I had done more to help him out over the years than any others in the family. Again what you are as a person doesn't count for anything. The only thing that counts is having an active JW label.
Having your entire social network and family support system ripped out from under you can really shatter your confidence in yourself as a person. It takes time to slowly get out there and try and find new friends but it can be done.
All the best
Hopscotch
