Cold steel I think you need to examine your own belief system with an open mind before trying to win converts here. It was examining the flaws in the Mormon faith and the early leaders that I was able to see the flaws in my own. I would never think of becoming a Mormon and certainly have no intention of being controlled by another group of men on a power trip they validate with their own brand of made up scripture.
Posts by nugget
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73Bitter apostates
by Laika inwitnesses often go on about apostates being spiteful and bitter.
when you get cut off, shunned, or threatened with shunning just for the audacity of thinking differently, it's not surprising that getting angry at the witnesses is the reaction - it's like a self fulfilling prophecy.. but also, i recently posted an email from a 'friend' on this board who told me that everyone he'd spoken to about me said i had changed, become like another person.
it didn't occur to him that the day before i told my parents i'd quit the religion just 3 weeks ago, i met him for lunch, we had a good time and he didn't know anything was up.
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62
This is my first time. Please be patient.
by Miss.Fit ini have never posted before.
i have been lurking for a few days and have decided to give it a try.
the subject of child abuse caught my eye.
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nugget
to the OP, I have taken a while to reply as I have thought a great deal about your experience.
You have siad that as a witness it gave you the courage to speak out despite the enormous pressure you and your sisters were under to remain silent. However have you considered what is the value of a religion that encourages confession but then does nothing to help the victims either legally or emotionally? Their focus is on keeping the reputation of the congregation clean and bringing a wrongdoer to their senses. To handle a matter such as this internally is totally inappropriate and not to warn other parents in the congregation leads to opportunities for reoffending. Your foster dad's feelings were put a head of you and your sisters.
If this had not happened within the confines of a religious group and you did not need a 2 witness rule, it seems to me that your instincts to protect your sisters would have led you to reach out to a teacher or adult who could help much sooner. If you had done this your Foster father would have been prosecuted, you and your sisters would have received counselling and victim support. Your step mother would not have been able to force your sister to accept cuddles from a child molester because not to do so would hurt his feelings.
I understand your fears of going into an institution and of being split up but what you experienced within your foster home was far worse. When we are in a bad situation we fear going into somewhere worse. However there is also the possibility of somewhere better. You have been let down by those who should have protected you whilst your own mother was suffering her own issues. I include the religion in this since your foster parents used their religion to paint your mother as wicked. The religion also failed to look after you not because they are wicked but because their own rules prevent them from offering real assistance to victims since to protect their reputation they have to deny access to legal and psychological services. Elders receive no training in how to deal with sex offenders, counselling, victim support or investigative techniques. They are taught how to determine repentance and the process for dealing with sin.
You have shown tremendous courage through your life but damage has been done and the religion is not blameless.
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56
Another non-JW reacts to Sparlock video
by cedars inhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-ssv2nh0rc.
and two weeks ago i highlighted another video where sparlock helped an ex-mormon.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmesmlhydru.
though it still depresses me to think of all the young ones (including my own relatives) falling under the influence of this dangerous piece of propaganda, it's at least some small comfort that the sparlock video is backfiring so dramatically among thinking non-jws.. .
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nugget
great analysis even though she doesn't seem to be aware that witnesses hate Santa too.
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147
Your views and ideas on forum areas and organization?
by Simon inthis may come as a shock to some people, but the current forum structure was kind of thrown together without much real thought and then evolved a bit over time.
there are a few things that particularly grate on me and areas where i don't think the subjects work particularly well.
'friends' is a bit vague and becomes a dumping ground, news & world events vs politics & current affairs is hard to decide sometimes, child abuse is a scandal but isn't contained withing 'scandals & coverups' etc.... with a new forum platform imminent, it's a good time to solicit ideas to improve things.
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nugget
When you access your mail and posts it should list the most recent first rather than the order you posted in. That would be a real help.
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21
Two teenage boys rescue girl from kidnapper
by designs inwe need some good news about our young people and this shows what community caring is and can be about.
article is in freakoutnation and on cnn.
temar boggs and his buddy saw a man grab young 5 year old jocelyn rojas and speed off.
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nugget
Truly awesome. Their parents will be so proud of them, I was proud of them and I'm not even related to them.
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21
Literature Display Stands... Turning JWs into stationary targets...
by Calebs Airplane inbecause of the membership retention issues that seem to continue getting worse, the watchtower corporation appears to be running out of ideas.
in the past, when the numbers have dropped (membership, fs hours, rag placements, money, etc.
) they always came up with a "hook" that would give them a boost until the next drop in numbers (i.e.
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nugget
The GB in its aim to cut costs has ended up producing literature with no substance to it. There is little for the public to take offence at since the literature designed for them is bland and inoffensive to draw people in.
The blood and fire, offensive doctrines on apostates, shunning, how worldly people are so corrupt is reserved for the faithful and settings where only the conditioned usually sit and listen. If anyone objects to the immoderate and offensive language used then witnesses cry persecution and how their courage to speak out is making them victims of Satan's world. The fact that they are the ones instigating the problem seems to pass them by. It would be laughable if it wasn't so sad.
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44
Website with known apostates listed
by besty inhilarious - made my day.
who could forget senior pu?.
https://sites.google.com/site/silence1492/facebook-youtube.
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nugget
Hubby will be pleased he made the list.
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29
Anyone busted on apostate site. JCs how are they handled.
by joe134cd ini'm just wondering has any body ever been busted on an apostate site because someone was able to identify them because of something they wrote.
why i ask this question is because how would this be explained at a jc.
because the person who reported it to the jc was reading something that they shouldn't of.
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nugget
Yes we were. However this was because Cantleave revealled his JWN identity to someone on facebook. He assumed his high privacy settings and the "closed" nature of the group he was posting in would mean it was safe but if someone wants to find information badly enough npthing is secure. I would say that when this happened we were ready to walk away from the organisation. We knew it was the right thing to do and were happy to make the break. I have never regretted it or think it happened too soon so only reveal things of a personal nature if you have a similar point of view.
We were presented with printouts of Cantleaves facebook posts and JWN posts and invited to a JC even though they knew my husband was away in Scotland and would be unable to attend. I refused to go and refused to answer their calls. They drove over late at night and posted letters through the door which we never opened.
Be aware any public forum is open to anyone and not everyone is sympathetic to your struggle. Be discreet what you choose to reveal especially about what you post about third parties who may also be fading, once your position is compromised so is theirs.
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95
Introduction and a note on several posts here
by LizO inhey people,.
as for myself, after extensive study i have concluded that it's not possible for me to trust the bible and so i am not active anymore.
however, let me please add something to the discussions here:.
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nugget
People are individuals and experience varies. I am happy that your experience has been a positive one but any organisation that practices shunning and will not allow members to honestly question their beliefs will be critercised by those who have sought answers and been penalised for it.
Many people are angry at the intolerance and cruelty they have suffered by people who they have respected and loved. Sometimes this may lead to immoderate expressions but this does not make their opinions invalid.
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17
Talking to a JW extremist
by Kool Jo inso i had a conversation with a jw whom i communicate with via skype...the conversation went like this:.
kool jo: hey there, how have you been keeping?.
they're imperfect, but we need to obey them regardless.. kool jo: ok, i see.
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nugget
JW apostate radar up and working.