Posts by garyneal

17

Here we go again on "false prophecies"

by booker-t in

hi ex-jws on this board.

i have a question that needs answering.

for years i have read on this board ex-jws, born-agains, and other anti-jw group condemn jws for "false prophecies".

Watchtower's New "Toy Story" - What Parents Need To Know

by cedars in

i've uploaded a new blog article that addresses the latest dvd release at the current district convention, namely "become jehovah's friend!

" - the tale of young caleb and his brush with divine wrath over a plastic toy wizard.

a link to the article, which includes the youtube samples of the production, is below:.

garyneal

Finding parallels in children's movies and the Watchtower is quite fun sometimes.

Take Tangled for instance. The TOWER, and MOTHER, then you have a teen who leaves the TOWER and finds herself at war with herself. She later learns that everything MOTHER was telling her about the big bad world is a lie.

166

Watchtower's New "Toy Story" - What Parents Need To Know

by cedars in

i've uploaded a new blog article that addresses the latest dvd release at the current district convention, namely "become jehovah's friend!

" - the tale of young caleb and his brush with divine wrath over a plastic toy wizard.

a link to the article, which includes the youtube samples of the production, is below:.

garyneal

OMG, not that crap again. My daughter just got over that irrational fear of Super Why no thanks to our JW babysitter. Then my wife practically bans our family from watching The Princess and the Frog because she does not like the shadow man. Yet, she loves Tinkerbell and sees nothing wrong with watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I made no bones about pointing out the level of hypocrisy this shows, a level I had not seen since the days when I was attending an Independent Fundamental Baptist church.

But hey, I like Toy Story, especially Toy Story 3. In that movie, I can picture Sunnyside Daycare being the Watchtower Society, Lotso the Bear is Judge Rutherford, Big Baby is Pastor Russell. The clown who was with big baby and lotso but later left the daycare is Raymond Franz.

25

Do you now have a customized religion?

by losthobbit in

i was never a jw.

i was a member of the church of christ.

i didn't jump from christian to non-believer, but rather went through a transition period, and i'd guess that all of you did the same,... changing beliefs bit by bit until you believe what you do now.. when i first realized that there were logic problems in the bible i started to find excuses for those problems.

garyneal

The preacher then asked me, "If you don't believe in hell, what is Jesus saving you from?" My answer was "Nothing." He explained that since I don't believe that Jesus is my saviour, I am not a Christian.

Hmm, I think I would've just answered that question with 'sin and death,' or probably simply 'sin.' Of course that leads to all kinds of questions.

25

Do you now have a customized religion?

by losthobbit in

i was never a jw.

i was a member of the church of christ.

i didn't jump from christian to non-believer, but rather went through a transition period, and i'd guess that all of you did the same,... changing beliefs bit by bit until you believe what you do now.. when i first realized that there were logic problems in the bible i started to find excuses for those problems.

garyneal

I get what you are saying, and if I may ask, what thing did the preacher say you must believe in to be Christian?

I guess for me, Christianity is now an experience as it took me a while to realize that so much that is found in the Bible can be easily disproven. I can see using the Bible to inspire people (when you pluck out the humanist parts) but it is also far too easy to use it to control people. I am finding the WT to be a fine example on how they make scripture say whatever they want it to say. As I have seen pointed out on this board, when something can mean anything it means nothing.

I think anyone who calls themself a believer has a customized religion. How else do we end up with over 40,000 Protestant sects and new churches forming all the time even in the midst of already highly churched towns and cities. This is in addition to the fact that even within the church you have various people who do not always agree in regards to what they believe.

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-27-2012 WT Review (BEHIND)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 05-27-2012 wt study (march 15, 2012, pages 25-29 )(behind).

review comments will be headed by comments.

jehovahs organization = where is jesus in the picture?.

garyneal

I must admit, the timing of this article really shows that they are up to something.

Looking at the paragraphs where someone was wondering how his life would turn out had he went to college stuck out in my mind when I read it. Obviously trying to guilt the old ones who really did leave behind college and career only to find themselves struggling.

It is obvious (at least to me) that they are grooming the flock for something big (perhaps some crazy new light). Or they are trying to do damage control over their last new generation light.

15

If you are dating or married to a JW: A few questions

by Lady Lee in

if you are dating or married to a jw: a few questions.

i am going to be addressing the international cultic studies association (icsa) in july at the conference in montreal.

my focus is on 3 groups.

garyneal

I will give it another go but I will try to keep it short.

What have been the biggest surprises or problems you have faced regarding your relationship and the impact the JW beliefs have had on you?

For me I think it was the little things that surprised me. I felt that I too was a Christian trying to do the 'right' thing and was surprised at some of the curious things I encountered with them. Things such as:

My mother-in-law sending me a letter telling me how my wife 'left Jehovah' for me. I mean the way she worded it, it sounded like she had left the Lord for good and went back to the world or worse. Yet she and I was going to church and to her meetings and she was still studying and I was studying with her.

She went to church with me and seemed almost afraid to be there. She looked at the stain glass windows and said that the church was being idolatrous.
How have you dealt with religious issues in the home?

For a while, she and I accepted each other's religion and even attended services at each other's places of worship. But she always had something to say about the church I attended. Their beliefs, practices, etc. she always found something 'wrong' with them. I guess that and how the WT had some facts right made me think that perhaps they were the only true religion.

When I found out the truth about the truth, I was shocked and dismayed. When I tried to present this information to my wife, I was even further surprised at how she would refuse to even look at it. Excusing it and downplaying it. Yet, I listened when she was critical of the churches I attended. I could not understand it until I landed on this site, read Steven Hassan's book, and Randy's blogs. That's when I learned what cults were all about and how their victims are paralized with fear.

It became tulmotuous after that as I became real fearful for my children. It has largely subsided now as I have learned how to handle the cult persona with more skill.
How have you been treated because you never were a JW and refused to become one?

Surprisingly good but I do recall some 'wierdness' from them from time to time. Before my wife was baptized, she was invited to a small get together of witnesses who was around her age. We had fun but when I later asked her if she would participate in more of those get togethers she indicated that she was not really qualified to have those associations regularly. I thought that was wierd as most churches that have get togethers don't get too choosy on who comes over, especially if the person already attends their church.

I suspect that even now my family is excluded from a lot of the 'reindeer games' due to my being a non-witness. My oldest daughter was excluded from a kids slumber party and the lady who organized it made it very obvious that she did it intentionally. My wife tried to understand it but was still miffed by it.
What information would you want therapists to know about your situation?

My wife has a lot of irrational fears even for someone who believes in God and the Bible. Most Christians believe they are saved by grace but my wife is in a high control religion that makes her feel that she is constantly not measuring up. I was in a similar high control group many years ago and know first hand its affects on your psyche. I remember being depressed and suicidal and fearful of many many things for fear of the 'invisible demons.'
Any other thoughts?

I guess that is it.

15

If you are dating or married to a JW: A few questions

by Lady Lee in

if you are dating or married to a jw: a few questions.

i am going to be addressing the international cultic studies association (icsa) in july at the conference in montreal.

my focus is on 3 groups.

garyneal

I had a long comment to the questions but I am not sure if it is something you are looking for.

25

For me, it was when they kicked out Ray Franz and Ed Dunlap

by oppostate in

for me, it was when they kicked out ray franz and ed dunlap.. .

i knew about the reform movement they started through ed's brother - and stupidly believed it could work.. .

the clouds were truly parted and i could see it for what it was when they were ejected for nothing but trying to ask for biblical reform.. .

garyneal

marked

25

An ex-Jehovah's Witness turns Cult Leader

by iamwhoiam in

jw
friends

i can't believe i just now heard of this.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml2oa4oigvo.

.

enjoy!.

garyneal

marked