Posts by Cadellin

6

Elders Wives

by xelder in

i am sure that we individually are responsible for decisions and actions we take.

we reap what we sow, and ultimately must face the personal responsibility.

however, other factors do contribute.. i am a 5th generation jw, and my wife is a 4th generation jw.

Xelder, thank you for sharing that. You see, I, too, am an elder's wife. As I type this, he is out in FS, bless his well-meaning heart. I've woken up, he hasn't. Or, at least, he's in denial. He knows certain things are simply untrue, yet, as you describe, so much of his self-image and self-esteem are bound up in the position and, honestly, in the warm fuzzies he gets from being "self-sacrificing." (I make it sound like he's insincere and he's not). He's a great guy and our marriage is strong, so I'm not complaining. He doesn't bug me about my decision to become inactive. And, in return, I go to Sunday meetings with him so we're not completely divided.

It's interesting that your wife started noticing problems with the "truth" before you. What got her thinking and how did she share it with you?

18

Watchtower's Official Policy Concerning College

by VM44 in

is it official watchtower policy that an elder cannot remain an elder if he allows his children to go to college?.

also, is it official policy that a person cannot have "privileges" or even pioneer if they are attending college?.

if it is, can someone post scans of the official boe letters stating the watchtower policy concerning college?.

Cadellin

These are not the policies. I have a close relation who is an elder and his daughter recently graduated with a B.A. from a 4 year school. I wonder if you are thinking about a letter to the BOE a while back that warned elders against actively/verbally "encouraging" college(?) in the face of the Society's rhetoric against it? I think the rationale (weak, admittedly) is that quietly letting your child go is one thing (your own business) but actively promoting it is another...

Sort of "don't ask, don't tell."

15

Daily Mail UK Newspaper article The knock at the door that turned my parents into brainwashed fanatics - and nearly cost my life

by Latte in

jw
friends

thursday, feb 11 2010 daily mail uk.

the knock at the door that turned my parents into brainwashed fanatics - and nearly cost my life.

read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1250078/the-knock-door-turned-parents-brainwashed-fanatics--nearly-cost-life.html#ixzz0feux4vdf.

Cadellin

I agree with AnnoMaly--some of the statements were clearly over the top. When ex-JWs make public statements that are simply wrong/exaggerated, it damages the credibility of even the accurate observations, and the response of Witnesses who read it will be, "Of course apostates are all a bunch of liars..."

Besides, how dumb is it to imply that JWs have to dress like conservative Mennonites when there's a pic of a JW bride in a non-too-demure strapless gown? (Admittedly, she likely had no control over the pics the paper chose to use. Still...)

54

C.O. Talked about the fact that we may die in this system

by life is to short in

jw
friends

being that my husband is still going to most of the meetings, i tied into the meeting sunday to see what the co had to say on his last day at the hall.

one thing i found interesting is that we may die in this system.

he said when he first learned the "truth" he just knew for sure that the system would end before he was baptized and he was so stressed out from it.

Cadellin

now, 37 years after the WT imprint on my brain, and with a new wife considerably younger than my 47 years

Aussie: Is that her in your picture? Cute!!! Both of you, actually...

64

Did You Know A Lot Of "Very Intelligent" JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

in my lifetime of knowing jehovah's witnesses, i recognized very few as being extremely intelligent.

most seemed to just go along with the program.. i noticed we have a number of "very intelligent" exjws here..

Cadellin

Interesting posts. I think the intelligence level has no correlation with being a Witness. In fact, highly intelligent people are more likely to rationalize baseless beliefs through sophisticated mental gymnastics. I know, I was raised by one. The other tactic used by intelligent JWs is a "don't ask, don't tell" policy. They sense something is amiss but won't address it, preferring to focus on other things.

I think someone made a great point about the combination of intelligence and integrity being necessary to force action in some JWs. It's a "theocratically deadly" mixture.

54

C.O. Talked about the fact that we may die in this system

by life is to short in

jw
friends

being that my husband is still going to most of the meetings, i tied into the meeting sunday to see what the co had to say on his last day at the hall.

one thing i found interesting is that we may die in this system.

he said when he first learned the "truth" he just knew for sure that the system would end before he was baptized and he was so stressed out from it.

Cadellin

The CO said does this mean that Jehovah's Witnesses were wrong? NO!!! Jehovah is not slow with what he promised (Habakkuk 2:3).

I would raise my hand and ask, "So what would being wrong look like then?"

22

So where do you do the research?

by ConnieD29 in

jw
friends

ok so i'm really trying to figure out what i believe about the bible, god, religion, etc... where do you research or find something to study that isn't tainted with someone else's beliefs or opinions?

this might be a dumb question, but i seriously don't even know where to start.. .

thanks,.

Cadellin

Connie, I've found that it helps to be very picky about the author's background and credentials. Generally, a scholar recognized as an authority in his/her field, who has published repeatedly in peer-reviewed, scholarly journals, is likely to be as helpful/reliable a source as any. Subjecting research to the scrutiny of peers helps minimize--though not eliminate--unfounded biases. As others have said, you can't get rid of them entirely.

This is where your own thinking skills come in, as well as the willingness to read from both ends of the spectrum, from those established scholars with a more secular, revisionist perspective as well as those who are conservative. You'll eventually come to your own conclusion, one that accords with your own world view. But it's not a quick or easy journey.

Try Richard Friedman--he's a solid scholar who lays out the evidence for his perspective clearly and methodically, though more toward the liberal/secular end of things. I also like Mark Smith for the socio-cultural history of Israel and the fascinating development of Israelite monotheism, though he's not especially easy to get through.

7

Another Scientist Life Story

by Bangalore in

another scientist life story.. .

science.

wasmyreligion.

Cadellin

Further reinforcement of the scientific soundness of the Bible came through my scrupulous examination of various publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses, including the books Life—HowDidItGetHere?ByEvolutionorbyCreation?

OMG, how can he say that? I've subjected this horrible JW publication to "scrupulous examination" and was forced to admit that it was a complete canard! That was while I was still active and really really really wanted to believe in creation.

He's either in unbelieveable denial or he's an idiot. I have trouble believing the latter, given his credentials. Is there any way of finding out if he's still in the religion? I suppose I could just email him...

4

JWs and the Arts: The Muse Executed at Armageddon?

by truman in

the recent thread about some jw's reaction to the movie avatar made me flash back to some of my own misgivings when i was a jw about the wts's relationship to the arts.. .

jws are always ready to denounce any work of the human imagination that hints at ideas outside their narrow dogma.

movies whose titles have hindu etymology and which feature alien blue pagans are only the most recent.

Cadellin

True art pushes boundaries; it makes us look at familiar things in unfamiliar ways. Accordingly, as you have pointed out, JWs are VERY uncomfortable with artistic expression beyond Thomas Kinkadian sentimentality. It's like they're into realism with a vengeance, only a realism that conforms to the "Christian TV Guide:" "Whatever things are chaste, whatever things are well-spoken of, what virtue there is..." etc. (I forget the scrip). Anything that might not exist outside of "reality" (like blue-skinned avatars and vampires that sparkle) are demonistic.

OK, OK, those 2 examples admittedly don't fit the definition of "art." But I've wondered the same thing, long ago--what art would exist in the JW paradise?

27

I'm Out

by Cthulhu in

jw
friends

wednesday night i recieved a call from both the coeb and the kingdom hall.

i didn't answer.

yesterday i called him back and i was informed that unless i wanted to talk to the brothers they had determined that my actions spoke for themselves and that i had by those actions disassociated myself.

Cadellin

Do you realize what that would do to their worldwide numbers?

Fatfreak: I'm not sure it would do anything to their numbers, simply b/c the most important number is that of publishers and faders have (at some point) stopped turning in time, so are no longer counted as pubs anyway.