Unlike the watchtowers website that has been set up to give a false impression of their history and beliefs. The term opposers makes me chuckle ex church goers just get on with life they don't usually feel the need to oppose the faith they followed. Bad regimes have opposers, as does bad religion so by drawing attention to opposition they are highlighting that some people feel so negatively about their religion they feel the need to warn others. In witness world opposition equals proof of gods favour anywhere else it rings warning bells.
Posts by nugget
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41Clueless Attempt at Information Control In New Brochure
by LostGeneration inon page 28 of the "who are doing the watchtower's will today" brochure they outline their website, and how great and grand it is.
then down in the lower right corner they print this:.
a note of caution:.
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18
I attended a friend's birthday party, and no one was beheaded!
by keyser soze init turns out that this isn't a common occurrence at these things.
don't get me wrong, i still had a good time.
but i was so looking forward to seeing my first decapitation..
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nugget
I love birthdays and will happily keep attending in the hopes of some exciting entertainment. The problem probably is that because jws generally refuse to attend there is a shortage of annoying people deserving a beheading at the event.
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43
If you were raised in a home with a JW parent and a non-JW parent: a few questions
by Lady Lee inif you were raised in a home with a jw parent and a non-jw parent: 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.
the third group consists of people people who grew up in homes where one parent was a jw and the other wasn't.
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nugget
Lady Lee in fairness the JW parent is often out manouvered by the cult very early on in the process. They cannot win if they are opposed and try to make the spouse see sense and offer ultimatums and threats then the watchtower has it covered with expect opposition from those close to you. If the parent is supportive they are quickly pushed to the background as a non JW they have no authority in their own homes since their spouse is taught to defer to the elders and the society in all matters. The cult is clever and prepared the spouse is caught off guard and unprepared.
The society is good at wars of attrition and that is what child rearing becomes. As the cult becomes part of everyday life and appears less threatening the spouse is introduced to normal seeming brothers and sisters and there seems little reason to object. It is only when things go pear shaped and the full cult machine of JCs and cover ups occurs or when the children have no ambitions that the parent realises how little influence they have. Not all spouses even realise it is a cult.
My dad thought that the cult would at least teach us good morals but was powerless against the rule of the elders. The cult did not prevent sexual abuse occurring nor did it help with the mental recovery. It merely told us that punnishment and guilt were part of life even if we were victims.
It is when you exit that the non JW parent comes into their own. I became allies with my father and he provided a buffer between me and the JW relatives who shun. He became a valuable link and a neutral party able to celebrate with us and appreciate the implications of what we had done. I think he secretly loves being able to stick two fingers up to elders. Of 4 daughters 3 are free. I appreciate that there is danger generalising and that my experience may not be common but felt I should add it. I feel that unbelieving spouses are also victims in this, they are struggling to come to terms with the issues in the family just like the children.
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nugget
At the end of the day when you are out what they think, feel or know is irrelevant. Every year I am out and resolved not to return is my victory it is a battle they cannot win. I will not conform to their stereotype I am too busy making something of my life.
JWs are lazy and by the time I shake off this mortal coil I will be long forgotten and there will be a blue envelope gathering dust. I doubt any of them will be able to read by then either and the simplified Dfing form will merely say JW yes or no.
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21
Does the GB actually believe it all?
by schnare indo you guys think that the gb actually believes the garbage that they print?
how could they actually believe their new "overlapping generation" doctrine?
wouldn't they have access to anything ever printed and have knowledge of all the false prophecy?
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nugget
I think one of the problems is that the gb live in a very enclosed world. Everyone shows them deference and their contact with others is never spontaneous or free from context. Even if they were skeptical in the beginning they are surrounded by people confirming their status and authority. Soon the world becomes self fulfilling they feel they have the right to behave as they do because everyone tells them they have. It is similar to pop stars who come from poor backgrounds but who suddenly have to have an entourage everywhere they go and need someone to pick out the green m&ms.
In the back of their mind they must know that it is all politics, that god seems to talk to people differently, that their history is a travesty. However over time this becomes irrelevant what is more important is maintaining authority and this becomes the preoccupation and the search for truth is cast aside. How much new truth and explanation of scripture have we seen in recent years in contrast to articles about obeying the GB and keeping away from anything or anyone that may make you question your faith.
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Facing the elders - The right way to do it?
by mrbunyrabit inso now you have it in your mind, that the wts are not what they say they are, they lie and what have you.. nowwwww, next time you dont go out in fieldservice, and the next time, and the next time people start to wonder.. well, time comes and you have to explain yourself to who ever.
your mom, your dad, an elder, who ever.
now you cant just go about saying, "well, one of the things is that new light is a bunch of crap, because russel predicted this in 1914 and that in 1918 and that in.....".
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nugget
It is tempting to want to wake up family members but be careful how you approach them. If someone is not mentally ready to hear what you are saying you could push them further away. Jws apostate radar is extremely sensitive. I would work on healing yourself first and dodge the bullets. If elders ask why your service has slipped then you are going through some stressful things at present and admit that you are finding things a little overwhelming. You need space to recover spiritually and will contact them if you need their help.
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29
Who or what are you most angry at, when it comes to your situation in relation to JW Org?
by BreathoftheIndianNose ini've been receiving very bitter messages from jws i know, mostly my mother, but also others that know how to contact me electronically.
sometimes i find myself mad at her, though not displaying it.
but i know it's really not her or my fathers fault.
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nugget
I was angry with the GB they have freedom to research, freedom to make decisions and freedom to shape belief. No other jws have this freedom. I accept that whilst my mother is partly in thrall to the cult and therefore is influenced by it she also has freedom of choice. She can chose to follow blindly or take the trouble to test what she is learning. I am disappointed that she trusted souly to her emotional response and road to Damascus moment and did not do the research before sucking us all in.
I am more disappointed with my sister for her choices and her harsh unloving spirit. I know if our roles had been reversed I would have behaved differently. I would have reassured her I loved her and would be there if she wanted to reach out. My sister was judgemental, unloving and cold. She chose to be that way and has diminished responsibility for that choice. I still love her and forgive her and would put this behind me in a heartbeat if she contacted me.
I am cross with myself for not listening more closely to my inner voice sooner. I had choices too.
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Scriptural v legal divorce
by Inisc inhi everyone, this is sort of a long story but i'll try to keep it short.. mrs inisc was previously married, and before our wedding the elders were giving us a bit of a hard time as her divorce was nigh on complete but just wasn't officially finished, however what they were really concerned about was they weren't sure her ex husband had had "relations" as they like to say,as there wasn't enough satisfactory evidence in their opinion.
this of course made me almost catatonic with rage, especially since we hadn't been to a meeting in about 6 f'ing months and this was what they were worried about.
and i might add the wedding was entirely booked!.
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nugget
It's all about the elders concerned and whether they need to feel the power. The experiences cited are outrageous and since no sin had been commited the sanctions were unnecessary. However it is hoped that these experiences help some to question why they allow these petty men to intrude into their lives.
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nugget
New chapter you do hold a strong opinion that JWs are not God's organisation and you are right.
You can stand your ground in a debate after all if you can be wrong so can someone else, it is only by debating something with vigor that we challenge what we know. What is great is that you put your ideas out there without fear. Arguments are not won by the number of words or by the passion with which they are expressed but by how they withstand scrutiny by others. What is refreshing is the grace to consider someone elses point of view and accept that you may be wrong on occasion.
Truth is a dangerous concept accepting that the word should be treated with caution is a form of intellectual maturity not a sign of weakness.
Your contribution is a valued and respected one never doubt your voice .
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43
If you were raised in a home with a JW parent and a non-JW parent: a few questions
by Lady Lee inif you were raised in a home with a jw parent and a non-jw parent: 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.
the third group consists of people people who grew up in homes where one parent was a jw and the other wasn't.
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nugget
In a devided home armageddon is always present and is used as a threat and leverage. You carry the responsibility of being good enough to win over the unbelieving parent and the worry that you won't be good enough.
I think the problem is also that the unbelieving mate has to make all the compromises since JWs do not budge an inch so their influence is constantly undermined. As children we constantly saw my mother always getting her own way so in the end what was the point of resisting.
There is also an element of deceit in a devided home the children may have restrictions placed on the level of their involvement but witnesses will try to bypass these restrictions and get the child to collude with them. They may go on the service during holidays even if the father objects because the father isn't at home to see them do it. They may receive instruction against the father's wishes and be told to keep it quiet.
Your life is filled with hopes and fears and Bible examples such as Timothy are used to drive a wedge between the natural unbelieving parent and others in the congregation who share your JW parent's beliefs. You never have a united family.