jws are not alone:.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8435275.stm.
A lot of similarities, equally disturbing and sad. Particularly this quote, you can hear the same almost word by word from thousands of JWs …
"Maybe to people outside it looks like a cult, maybe a little primitive," he says, but he believes it can be "a happy community" and a "very beautiful place". "But if you don't have the faith inside, it's like a jail."
No wonder many are walking out of their churches and renouncing their religion.
what songs or movies, helped, inspired or uplifted you in your journey out of the wt?
this is my anthem...helps me feel better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgt1aidzrwm.
Dude...you have me rollin'...
there was a time when a witness would proudly tell others that they were jehovah's witnesses.
now, more jws skirt away from expressing what they are and who they represent.
in the old days, you could comment at a meeting and express the research you did on a subject.
minimus
This is a very interesting topic. Maybe the ‘new’ new ones will not be able to notice the difference. But I do remember when I got in, (in the 90’s) that the comments and some parts used to be better researched, more thoughtful and personals. I know that it sounds contradictory, but at least within the WT’s intellectual confinements, some where able to display pride and conviction in their conversations and comments. Now, that spirit is dwindling, the majority are in the meetings physically, but not mentally. Almost 95% of the comments are nothing but a mere parroting of what was written in the paragraph. As a matter of fact, when an insightful comment comes along, there is hardly a word of encouragement or acknowledgment.
I’ve noticed how the young-ones, in order to cope with the door-to-door ministry pair up with buddies and avoid as much as possible getting assigned a house to knock at.
Funny…..
I watched the documentary “FOOD INC” the other day. While looking at it, for some reason…I couldn’t help but to find a lot of comparison (similarities) between the Food Industry and the Watchtower Corp. In essence, the “spiritual food” dispensed by the WT is highly processed, with not real nutritional value, appealing to the eyes but detrimental to your mental, emotional and intellectual health. Pack of empty spiritual calories, an apparent variety but in essence homogeneous. Only good to fill you up for a while; but lacking lasting satisfaction. In the highly streamlined food industry, a worker is of no value because it could easily be replaced, in the WT’s world, individual witnesses are of no value if they are not generating profit to the WT. McDonalds = KHs, Caned Goods = Watchtower Publications, Slaughterhouse = Convention (assembly) Halls, unscrupulous Cattle Raisers = Org. Man elders, Cos, etc…. Monsanto board of directors = Governing Body of JW.
what songs or movies, helped, inspired or uplifted you in your journey out of the wt?
this is my anthem...helps me feel better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgt1aidzrwm.
What songs or movies, helped, inspired or uplifted you in your journey out of the WT?
This is my anthem…helps me feel better.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgT1AidzRWM
What is yours?
is it true that there is a now policy that if you are inactive and not attending meetings that after three years you will be d/f'd?
i have a friend who is very concerned that this is now policy.
can any shed some light?.
no such thing.
i could write a good bit on this topic, but thought i would simply open this up for discussion.
here are a few things to think about:.
- the watchtower has no fundamental writing that it turns to as its foundational text.
There are so many things to consider. For example, most of the time, the “latest” WT’s “pronouncement” on a subject overrides the oldest. If the “latest” is not in your favor, then the “older” can be used to prove a point to someone not inclined to do research.
imoa…At the end of the, the factor that’ll determined if a rule or set of rules will be enforced is be the clout, pecking-order place, opinion, etc. of the “assigned” decision maker i.e, BOECO, JC- presiding overseer, CO, etc.
quotes from other sources will headed by quotes.
w = watchtower.
3:16, 17) of course, the bible.
All I can say is.....since I have been reading the Bible on my own, I feel so much closer to God and I think THEY are totally misrepresenting Him.
I second that!
Blondie
Thank you for your comments. I benefited from your observation that there was not a single prayer from the NT in this “study article”, not even one of Jesus prayer.
I’m looking forward to your comments for the next article. It’ll be fun.
i first began my misadventures with jehovah's witnesses in 1972 as a youth(18 years old) and was baptised in that same year.
i was young inexperienced and they caught me at a low point when i was weak and looking for god to solve problems.
being raised as a catholic and going to all the religious indoctrination up to the point of confirmation, i guess you could say i was indoctrinated from birth to believe a certain way which left me vulnerable to the jw propaganda.. fast foreword to the time of my departure in 2001 february.. for a couple of years (late 90s) before i left i started noticing out right lies in the wt publications about their history and the luster that these magazines used to have started to fade rapidly also around that time i really began to notice the gobs and gobs of praise they were bestowing on the organization and the representative members of the so called faithful & discrete slave(gb).
You know…I’m glad that the GB is polluting almost all aspect of the JW programs and activities with their repeated call for obedience. Also, that the conventions (assemblies) and meetings are becoming more dull and lifeless.
I’ve developed a mental taste aversion towards the words “faithful slave”, “the mother organization”, “GB”, “the truth”. A brother was giving a part in the service meeting about two or three weeks ago, he repeatedly used the words “the slave says”, “the slave has instructs us”, and then “we should keep following the guidance of the FDS”....I know this bro very well, so I know that he was not doing this on purpose, it was just a reflection of how deep the indoctrination sinks in a person’s mind. The disgust I was feeling was so evident that my wife asked me “honey, are you ok?” after the meeting some well intended bro and sis approached me asking if I was ok. I’m convinced that one of the major contributing factors to my disillusion with this religion is the GB constant emphasis and outright demand for worship.
Them fools are becoming bolder and bolder.
Hey, this is funny from the Daily Show with John Stewart….
Look at min 2:25 reference to the 144k & JW… LOL
it's very interesting comparing things that are removed.
for one, new world order and new world, new order, all being eliminated from everything.
just research nwo, "new world order", etc, to see.
I got a feeling that they are expecting a big drop by 2014. Or that there is a power struggle among the WT’s business managers and the ones with a little Christian conscience left. Obviously, something is going on that will affect the GB’s clout.
They laid off or reassigned a lot of Bethelites from Wallkill and Brklyn…but they are accepting a lot of “new temporary” and short term (1 to 4 yrs) bethelites to fill in some of the spots they cleared.
i have expressed in this forum that sometimes im confused as to what will be my ultimate decision.
at this point in my life there is too much at stake.
first, my own emotional estate, ill hate to bitterly regret the years expend taking unnecessary emotional abuse and theocratic bulling.
Pat1060
You are welcome. I felt that sharing part of my JW life story would help others in the same way that experiences from other posters have helped me. We need to create awareness to the ones leaving or planning to get into this religion.
Yesidid
Thanks for the book recommendation. Ever since I finished reading Ray. Franz In Search of CF my interest in reading non WT publications has grown. I’ll put this book on my “whish list”.
r.a.m
Thanks for the advice. Believe me when I say than some days are better than others. I have entertained the thought of just walking out and face the consequences. Friends come and go, I know that for every JW friend I’ll loose, there might be twice as many potential non-JW friends willing to give me unconditional friendship, perhaps even more sincere. But how could I replace the person I love? It will be unfair if she leaves me if I decide to D.A or get DF’s. But on the other hand, she married me in part because I’m a JW in “good standing”, wouldn’t it also be unfair to her for me to leave on my own accord and ask her to follow me? To drastically change her perception of reality? I’m learning that I need to take my time before making any drastic decision. She is showing me signs that she understands why I’m feeling the way I do; she even encouraged me to step aside as an elder. Titles and positions mean nothing to her. I recently discovered that she is not a die-hard JW as I once thought she was. But she is thankful to the brotherhood because she went through a horrible family tragedy and the JW’s where there for her and her family. The JW went as far as to paying for her rent, cooking and cleaning for her for months. So, I’m realizing that she is attached to her friends and family in the JW religion, not so much to the theology. This past weekend I almost lost one of my parents, I experienced something I never experienced before with the JWs…they showed solidarity and empathy towards me. I suppose I was getting back some of what I have given. Of course, I’m well aware that some of the so called “JW friends” are not real friends after all, but some are, they are just misguided but good people after all.
My quarrel is not with the JW as a religion or people; my issues are with the Watchtower Corporation and its Governing Body. There is no such thing as a “true religion”, therefore, the same difficulties I have in accepting some of the JW’s doctrines I will have in another Christian denomination. I’m well aware that I don’t need to be affiliated to a church in order to be part of the “Body of Christ”. But as I’m exercising more patience with my self, I’m discovering that I can be of great service to the sheep in the cong.
As for getting to know Christ better, I’m working on that. I have to be fair to my self and take it one step at a time. It’s been way too many years of relegating Jesus to a secondary role, it’s difficult to view and worship him as God. He himself expressed this idea when on earth in the form of a man he said to Satan: "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” I have no interest in discussing theology related to Jesus relationship to God, the history of Christianity shows that this contentious topic goes as far back as the second century c.e. I just want to live my life by Christian principles and conduct my self as much as I can in the same way that Jesus did (I will fall short miserably, but at least I’ll try). He challenged the establishment and exposed the Pharisees and teachers of the Law for what they really were, hypocrites. But he was the Son of God, that was part of his mission, I can do the same (and I’m) but in different ways.
Staying in will be a big challenge, of that I’m well aware. It won’t be easy to act apart for long, but I should not precipitate into a drastic curse of action. If I was single, leaving would have been a lot easier, but then again…granted that my circumstances are others…should I not at least TRY to be part of the solution and try to improve the JW environment? I can spend endless amount of time and energy fighting and criticizing the WT and its GB for their oppressive, deceitful and hypocrite ways; or for their lack of compassion and understanding, or for their unloving, prideful and un-scriptural leadership…but if I at least don’t try to be a little different than them (IN the JW religion), would that not be the same as “looking at the speck of sawdust in my brother's eye and paying no attention to the plank in my own eye?”If I say that they are bad shepherds, will I be any better if I just turn my back on the flock and leave them alone among the wolves? I don’t want to be a hero or a savior, I’m just learning to work with what I have, I realized that I need to take it slow and wait a little longer for the end of my service in the JW religion.
OTWO
I know what you mean. I can’t no longer support the blood policy, the GB’s demands for unchallenged obedience, the stance on higher education and the two Christian class doctrine, among other things. I try to dodge getting parts dealing with some of these subjects, when I’m unsuccessful at avoiding them…I give them a twist. It kills me, but I say to my self ….this is a “theocratic war”. LOL!
I understand where you’re coming from. I’m aware of the danger that some face by staying in the JW religion. But we all know that challenging a JW’s perception of reality (in most cases) only triggers a defense mechanism. They’ll defend their mind in the same way they’ll defend their bodies. I noticed that the majority of us came to our discoveries on our own accord at first, then with the support of others…but that we all took the first step. I feel that each person is responsible for their curse of action and believes. We can only show the way to the ones that are willing, able and ready to redraw their maps.
