Designer Stubble

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Posts by Designer Stubble

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  20

  Slowly Awakening at the DC 2013

  by breakfast of champions in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so after the district convention was over, i asked my wife what her overall impression was.

  she said, "maybe something has changed, or maybe it's your influence that i see things differently now, but a lot of those talks sounded more threatening than anything.

  not loving, not really hopeful, just threatening.

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  Designer Stubble

  Great news - keep us posted. Ask her if she can remember a part on "the fruitage of the spirit" or whether there was an article on "the compassion and fellow feeling of Jesus and how to develop such Christlike qualities". This was paramount for me - I still keep track of the literature and it still is void of such articles
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  23

  At what point in the story did WT get it wrong, went off at a tangent?

  by prologos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  looking at the bible narrative now, with open mind, the talking snake and all, it is a poorly contrived story.

  all these clever people picking up and adding to the thread, the fabric its intriguing, certainly a valued literary work.

  fiction.. using this story wt has woven another, parallel account that you would expect to harmonize with it, and hopefully attempt to connect with reality.. in your thinking, where did wt become unhinged, drifted off into total detachment?.

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  Designer Stubble

  As an Atheist now, I would have to say they were never right. But as let's say a community trying to make the most out of life - togetherness, Christlike, Fruits of the spirit - I would say there are two points were they really went off track.

  The first was the hostile takeover by Rutherford - when it became a faith focussed on WORKS.

  Second was the witch-hunt in the late 70's early 80's - when the few persons in for the right reasons were cast out and a loveless pharisee organization left.
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  62

  Should I just DA or get DFD?

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my never-a-jw dad told me today that mongrel jws who turn on me were never truly my friends and i'm better off without them, so why worry if i get disfellowshiped?.

  i fear being disfellowshiped because my name will be dragged through the mud.

  i also think it might be a good idea to da or get dfd because then the link is broken and the fade is over.

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  Designer Stubble

  Have a DA letter for should they pursue the issue - write it and make it good. Keep in as an ace up your sleeve. Try to continue to fade for now, if that does not work you can hand the DA letter - not while emotional state. Good Luck!
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  62

  Should I just DA or get DFD?

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my never-a-jw dad told me today that mongrel jws who turn on me were never truly my friends and i'm better off without them, so why worry if i get disfellowshiped?.

  i fear being disfellowshiped because my name will be dragged through the mud.

  i also think it might be a good idea to da or get dfd because then the link is broken and the fade is over.

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  Designer Stubble

  DA - "You can't fire me, I quit!" Huge number of examples available that allow you one last opportunity to show them where they are wrong, but even if it doesn't hit them - it contributes to closure.
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  85

  From Pioneer to Professor: My Story

  by laverite in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wanted to say hello.

  i knew i was gay.

  i wanted to study and learn about everything i could.

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  Designer Stubble

  Amazing and inspiring story - thank you for sharing. Impressed with what you have accomplished.
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  14

  Brothers who were held back from being elder for stupid reasons?

  by toto555 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  do you know of any cases where brothers didn't get to be elder for a stupid/bogus reason even though they otherwise qualified?

  do you think some/most appointments are politicially motivated?

  how much do you think politics plays in the appointment process versus merit?

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  Designer Stubble

  I handed on average 8 hours each month in. The elders encouraged me to increase this to 10 and suggested that I could count 4 hours a month for studying with my kids. I said that I viewed that as a responsibility as a parent and would therefore not count this time. (According to their rules I was actually making 12 hours)

  Well they commented that if I continued to refuse to count my children's time and remained short of 10 hours, they would never appoint me as elder.

  I refused to go against my principles and did not make it beyond MS.

  On hindsite they did me a big favor.
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  64

  Julia gets hit with the Shun Gun for the first time...and it really hurts.

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my jw friend of 20 years, the first one i ever met, the one who got me into jwism in the first place, unfriended me from facebook without explanation.

  other jws who have unfriended me at least called me names (apostate) and told me they were unfriending me, but they were no loss.

  but someone who's been your friend since you were 13...and no explanation...i'd think 20 years- 20 years!

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  Designer Stubble

  I faded and had a JW-friend of 30-plus years drop me an email that he could no longer be my friend unless I returned to Jehovah. I sent him a letter back saying that respected his decision, but that I viewed this friendship-cancellation as single-sided, still viewed him as my friend and that my door remained open for him. You could do something similar. Remain yourself, remain human - leave the emotion out and show yourself to stand higher ground. (((hugs to you)))
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  67

  Tech49 on HOURS, TIME, and REPORTS

  by Tech49 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i thought i would share some of my observations on counting field service time, reports, etc.

  and how those reports are viewed, to those that are still so fixated on numbers.. i served as secretary on the service committee for many years, and have seen it all!.

  i was really disheartened when wt changed the requirement for aux pioneering to allow for 30 hrs, instead of the 50 it has been for so long.

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  Designer Stubble

  Tech49 - I so enjoy reading your posts and am glad you joined. The CO visit you described was a true eye opener for me. Your "yes must be yes" is right. I did not realize it was that bad! Thanks
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  5

  Steven Hassan - Freedom of Mind - Book Summary

  by Designer Stubble in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  freedom of mind by steven hassan.

  herewith a few pointers on how to identify a cult.

  i will be adding more information, but due to time constraints, this is it for now.

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  Designer Stubble

  Freedom of Mind by Steven Hassan
  
  Herewith a few pointers on how to identify a CULT. I will be adding more information, but due to time constraints, this is it for now. I have not added my personal comments, up to you to judge and fill in the blanks - and decide for yourself whether the Jehovah's Witnesses are a CULT or not...
  
  CULT: Tightly controlled, high-pressure social environment. Limit access to outside information (Page 3)
  
  Some religious cults have “An elite group that claims to know the real meaning of Scripture” (Page 4)
  
  They rail on about how all the other Churches are dead and unscriptural (Page 7)
  
  Threatening Prophecies (Page 12)
  
  “Love” depends on meeting expectations and goals (Page 13)
  
  Demand for purity: Establishing impossible standards for performance, thereby creating an environment of guilt and shame. No matter how hard a person tries, he always falls short, feels bad and works even harder. (Page 17)
  
  Sacred Science: The belief that the groups dogma is absolutely scientifically and morally true, with no room for questions or alternative viewpoints (Page 17)
  
  Dispensing of existence: The belief that people in group have the right to exist and all ex-members and critics or dissidents do not (Page 17)
  
  Cult control is a social process that encourages obedience and conformity. It discourages autonomy and individuality. The groups dogma becomes the persons only concern (Page 19)
  
  Thought Reform: Create a tightly controlled system with a closed system of logic, wherein dissenters feel their questioning indicates something inherently wrong with them (Page 20)
  
  Behavior Control (Page 22)
  - Dictate with whom the member lives and associates
  - Restrict leisure and entertainment
  - Encourage group-think (not stumbling others)
  - Impose rigid rules & regulations
  
  Information Control (Page 23)
  - Discourage access to non-cult sources of information - Internet, Critical Information, Former Members
  - Keep members busy so the don't think and investigate
  - Outsider versus insider doctrines
  - Encourage spying on other members
  - Extensive use of cult-generated information, including magazines and other media
  - Misquotations, statements from non-cult sources taken out of context
  - Unethical use of confession
  
  Thought Control (Page 24)
  - Members required to internalize the groups doctrine as “the truth”
  - Instill Black and White thinking
  - Good versus Evil; Us versus Them
  - No critical questions about leaders, doctrine or policy allowed
  - Alternative belief systems viewed as evil
  
  Emotional Control (Page 25)
  - Make the person feel that problems are their own fault – never the leader or group
  - Excessive use of guilt – You are not living up to your potential
  - Excessive use of fear
  - Fear of the outside world
  - Fear of losing one’s salvation
  - Fear of leaving the group or being shunned by the group
  
  Phobia indoctrination
  - No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group
  - Terrible consequences if you leave
  - Shunning of those who leave, fear of being rejected by friends and family
  - Never a legitimate reason to leave; Those who leave are weak, unspiritual, worldly or seduced by sex
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  78

  They lied to you Jack......

  by Tech49 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my name is jack harper, tech49.

  new here, been lurking for many months now.

  a brief history:.

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  Designer Stubble

  Welcome and Thanks for sharing your story. Also feel free to free to have a look over at www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com