freddo

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Posts by freddo

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  6

  Victoria Derbyshire TV show on shunning - video link

  by Isambard Crater in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzbjz8x9y4.

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  freddo

  I read the BBC news website as a news item (I guess to promote the show) and thought it rather poorly researched and somewhat inaccurate.

  However, having watched the programme I think it is excellent, showing sensible honest decent folk; not bitter rabid apostates. (though certainly very sad at the deluded actions of their jw family and friends at the behest of Tomo and co.)

  Very good indeed. The emails read by Victoria Derbyshire afterwards largely gave support to what was being said.

  I believe it will ensure less people get caught up in the stupidity and delusion of jw-ism.

  BRAVO!
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  29

  Do You Ever Think Of ALL The Wasted Time Because You Were a JW?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the longer you are out the more you see how a cult steals all your time, resources and energy.

  we wasted so much because we were witnesses!

  👎.

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  freddo

  A little.

  But I truly see no point in looking back with regret even though I am in my mid fifties and made some unwise financial decisions (mostly inaction toward retirement planning rather than stupid moves with any spare money) which over the last five to ten years I have slowly tried to rectify.

  I love the extra time that being a "name only" semi-active jw allows me to enjoy.

  I especially love shrugging my shoulders and smiling at elders who try - less and less now - to get me to reconsider "reaching out" to what I "once was". (To them a busy elder - to me a busy fool.)

  I also have a little group of like minded "brothers" around the circuit that I can vent with and socialise with even to the extent of laughing with each other about Stephen Lett, winking at the CO's "spin" on meeting attendance and ministry, shaking our heads at the mental cases that have become a significant number in our kingdom halls and rolling our eyes at Regional Convention crappery!
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  16

  Have you ever looked back at your early posts on here?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  no doubt we are all overjoyed at how we have progressed since breaking the shackles of the society!.

  for those that have been here on this forum for some time, have you ever looked back at the version of "you" that first started posting here, and compared yourself with where you are at now?.

  i am overjoyed at how much i have grown as a person!.

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  freddo

  I was less sure that the basic tenets of JW'ism were wrong and I agonised about the consequences of resigning as an elder. Now I am much more settled in my mind and outlook.

  I was a bit of a wanker back then. No change there.

  
  
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  13

  A review of the WT study, "Do not let your love grow cold."

  by doubtfull1799 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a while ago someone (i forget who) was doing a series, a regular analysis, of wt studies from the current week.

  i have't seen any for a while so i thought i'd contribute one.

  have a bit of fun picking out all the unsubstantiated assertions and logical fallacies etc... so here goes: (if you enjoy it let me know and i might try doing another.

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  freddo

  I also noted the "evidently" single sister aged about 50 who was obviously supporting herself and studying hard and using her DiY skills to help the older sister.

  I could not help but feel sad for her even though she is a Watchtower construct. I imagined her as a young woman, pioneering in the 1980's assuredly telling folk that this system wouldn't last beyond the generation that saw 1914.

  I imagined her in her 30's doubling down when the generation definition started to change in 1995 and she put off having children and marriage because she could do those things in paradise.

  Then her 40's when thoughts of "where else would I go" might be suppressed. And now in her 50's making the best of a menial job and plodding round houses on the ministry studying with mental cases to parade her deluded beliefs as a cure-all.

  But maybe that is just my construct?
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  38

  Dunkirk.

  by zeb in

  1. social
  2. current

  i have just seen the film "dunkirk".

  do yourselves a big favour and go see it.

  (not for kids).

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  freddo

  I disagree Steel.

  As Waton lived through - any pro German feeling had dwindled by the late spring of 1940 and having smashed through the low countries and northern France they were not wanting to let the British escape.

  Stretched German supply lines after six weeks of blitzkrieg met determined resistance at the coast from all the British could throw at them.

  Remember the Royal Navy had scores of ships which were vital in the success of the operation and had guns that could fire fifteen miles inland and the RAF brought the Spitfire in to the front line in numbers and so could match the Me 109's and let the Hurricanes take on the Stukas, Heinkels and Me 110's.

  England was only just over 20 miles away and so civilians were able to muster the flotilla of small ships which enabled the rescue.

  I am not painting Dunkirk as anything but a defeat - but it wasn't a defeat in which the Germans could have walked in and taken 400,000 men and materiel prisoner.
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  33

  Hi from England

  by victimofdeceit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  recently quit being a jw because i realised that beyond armageddon i was going to be ruled by people who cover up child abuse, not telling the congregations by their letter where the money they donated in the box is going towards paying compensation for legal battles which they caused, and also i was bullied by elders and discriminated against for being homosexual, even though i am not practicing it.

  it wasn't until i threatened legal action for a breach of confidence that the elders were deleted.

  so through the media and my own personal experience, i realised that they were no different to corrupt businesses in the world.

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  freddo

  You "threatened them (elders) with legal action for a breach of confidence" and then "they were deleted".

  Way to go! Tell us more.
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  10

  Brainwashing Runs Deep in my Family

  by Freesoul in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have successfully faded but my dad can't help but witness to me, so i have decided to do my research and answer him from the bible when he tries to get his point across.. so on my last visit to my parents house, he was trying to tell me that the jw's have the right religion because they go house to house, and got me to read luke chapter 10, so as he is reading it i said, isn't this interesting because in verse 7 says says don't from from house to house.. he couldn't cope with it and started saying i am taking it out of context, i replied this is what the scripture says.

  even when it is written in black and white and they are the ones quoting the scriptures they still can see it.. he then said that i am unwilling to see the truth and could not talk any longer, go figure..

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  freddo

  When he goes on about Armageddon being really really close quote Luke 21 v 8 ...
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  18

  Meeting attendance for elders

  by dkztcequ in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what is the minimum meeting attendace for someone, who is of good health, has not children doesn't work in a job that requires travel and lives about 3 miles from the kh?

  is 50% for clam and 75% for watchtower acceptable?.

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  freddo

  Depends upon what area you are in. If in "The West" then general meeting attendance has degraded markedly from 90% to about 70%. Many "listen in" with phantom illnesses that wouldn't stop them from e.g. going to work, shopping or eating out.

  Also depends upon the body of elders world view as a group.

  Usual rules apply - if the brother wishes to qualify as an elder he is unlikely to be allowed. If he already is an elder then one or two on the body will have a quiet word with him.

  But if he is otherwise liked and used and especially if there is a need in the hall for elders then he will probably be allowed to continue with much tut-tutting and eye rolling from those in the cong that have their antenna up for inconsistency and hypocrisy.
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  24

  Convention Introductions 2017 "Don't Give Up!"

  by accesible in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  convention introductions.

  2017 “don’t give up!” convention.

  https://drive.google.com/open?id=0bywm0b0qtwlsbzffazazotvfyxc.

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  freddo

  Well - any encouraging experiences from YOUR convention to share with the board as we are half way through the Don't Give Up season?
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  38

  Dunkirk.

  by zeb in

  1. social
  2. current

  i have just seen the film "dunkirk".

  do yourselves a big favour and go see it.

  (not for kids).

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  freddo

  Apologies for the "cheese eating surrender monkeys" line. Poor taste in the circumstances.

  It is a line from the Simpsons when the Scottish groundsman has to stand in for a teacher and take a French language class. Built upon by Jeremy Clarkson in Top Gear when referring to manufacturers of French cars.

  It is a favourite banter-line among not so subtle Brits like me.