Posts by Eiben Scrood

60

What Do You Say or Is It Better to Saying Nothing?

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

i miss some of my old watchtower friendships.

usually i can just put the people out of my mind but when a big event comes up like me expecting my first child, i did reach out a bit.

this one friend in particular was kind of like an older brother to me.

Eiben Scrood

I did a successful fade. I really doubt they would come after me at this point no matter what I said but I suppose it's possible.

I have found that it is possible to have nominal friendships with active Watchtowerites. I work with two, one of whom is an elder, and they both still talk to me in a reasonably friendly way. We'll even talk about people who are still in it. We just don't discuss religion. It's true that if they knew my true thoughts about it, it might be a different story. I was hoping to have a similar type of relationship with this other friend. I suppose that it's even less likely after this latest barrage against former members.

I appreciate the input.

60

What Do You Say or Is It Better to Saying Nothing?

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

i miss some of my old watchtower friendships.

usually i can just put the people out of my mind but when a big event comes up like me expecting my first child, i did reach out a bit.

this one friend in particular was kind of like an older brother to me.

Eiben Scrood

Post fixed..

60

What Do You Say or Is It Better to Saying Nothing?

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

i miss some of my old watchtower friendships.

usually i can just put the people out of my mind but when a big event comes up like me expecting my first child, i did reach out a bit.

this one friend in particular was kind of like an older brother to me.

Eiben Scrood

I miss some of my old Watchtower friendships. Usually I can just put the people out of my mind but when a big event comes up like me expecting my first child, I did reach out a bit. This one friend in particular was kind of like an older brother to me. We did lots of sports together and just clicked pretty well. I've haven't been in contact since I exited the cult about 6 years ago but I did email him to tell him about my good news. I was hoping the religion wouldn't come up but on the second reply he felt it necessary to ask about my involvement.

Some of the conversation (spelling mistakes are his):

Him: Unfortunately I haven't keep up much as to what has been going on. Are you still going to the meeting and is [your new wife] in the truth, if not what is her take on it?

Me: No, I don't go anymore. I just couldn't live it and felt like I was going through the motions. There were things that bothered me like your being marked just for deciding to go to college. [My wife] has never been that religious but we talk about it sometimes. I also think this new "overlap" generation thing they came up with last year is completely over-the-top.

Him: Years ago they did do the stupid marking but that whole idea has been done away with. I was marked but I always realized it wasn't Jehovah's view but just the issue with imperfect ideas. Didn't stop me from going to the meetings and serving Jehovah. All thru the ages Jehovah has been dealing with imperfect folks; Moses, Arron, David, Peter, Paul ... and the list goes on. Their imperfections, the stupid things they said and did, didn't mean that Jehovah wasn't using them or that they weren't part of his organization. He works with those willing to advance his purposes. Over time things get corrected as I knew they would with the view of higher education. Now it is pretty balanced. Going to college and seeing what goes on there I certainly understand the concerns.

There will always be little things in the truth, as I said imperfect humans. A few things over the year I may not have though the understanding was correct or what was written was total correct but it doesn't really matter. Those things don't effect our worshipping of Jehovah. The small things gets corrected over time when it is time to fit and make sense. The understanding of the King of the North, or this Generation doesn't really matter. This is Jehovah's organization and it is the Truth, compare it to any other organization in the world, hands down no one is following and doing or has the understanding of the truth. One has to look at the whole. Imagine if someone looked at King David's or Solomon's faults and concluded that the nation of Israel wasn't Jehovahs people. It would be missing the big picture and all of the evidence that it was. The reality is Jehovah has a people that he uses to accomplish his purpose. It moves forward and the details get reveled when they are important, we just need to hang on for the ride. The alternatives doesn't offer much long term, and the alternatives don't offer any Truths. As a new father to be, you will be faced with what truths will you tell your son. Educate your son on the info given by the Catholics, the Baptists, the Evangelicals, the Lutherans, the Mormons, the Buddhists, the Hindus, or anything else we make up, or the Truth. To me the truths are clear and I know Jehovah has an organization, true it's earthly form isn't perfect but neither am I. Having children is a true gift Jehovah has given us. I think we can express our appreciation by making sure we raise our sons and daughter to know the truths about Jehovah, and hopefully they will decide to do the right thing. Jehovah has certainly made it clear that it is our responsibility.

What do you even say to that? I'm not one to usually back down from presenting a counter viewpoint but I realize if I do, it will mostly likely go nowhere and might end any further communication. But then I wonder if that would be a good thing. My wife thinks I need to just try to cut off all remaining contact with those inside it. Maybe the best thing to do would be to ignore most of it and just wish him well. I guess what gets me a bit more is the guilt trip he’s trying to throw on me about my son.

Thoughts?

33

DO THE MATH: The Jehovah's Witness PREMISE doesn't add up

by Terry in

jw
friends

there are approximately 216,000 babies born every day in the whole entire world.

if every woman every place on earth suddenly stopped conceiving at the same time, it would take 9 months for all the babies in wombs to be born.. .

how many babies would that be by the end of that 9 months?.

Eiben Scrood

They do have an answer for this. I think it was first published in the Greatest Man book where it talks about Jesus saying that the circuit of the cities would not be completed before the end comes. They came right out and said this means the preaching work would not be fully accomplished. Of course, this directly contradicts other Bible citations but that's never bothered them before.

They've always relied on throwing a lot of bullshit out there and hoping most of the brain-numbed culties won't notice it.

29

How Did You Get Rid of Your Bound Volumes?

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

my town will no longer collect old books like that as trash and they're pretty hard to burn.

my solution has been to include one in every bag of used cat litter when i clean the cat boxes.

i've gotten rid of around 30 that way and i'm about halfway there.

Eiben Scrood

My town will no longer collect old books like that as trash and they're pretty hard to burn. My solution has been to include one in every bag of used cat litter when I clean the cat boxes. I've gotten rid of around 30 that way and I'm about halfway there. I thought of dumping them in a used book bin outside a local church but realized I couldn't really count them as placements so went back to my original plan.

81

What Actually Made You Leave The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many of us needed time to get away from this religion.

i took the course of fading and it's worked pretty well for me.

after i saw sooooo many silly rules being enforced, i needed to get out!.

Eiben Scrood

I found the more I studied, the less I truly believed. There are just so many contradictions both in the Bible itself and in the organization's beliefs.

I think deep analysis of the teachings will lead most thinking people to conclude it's mostly bullshit.

243

Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovah's witnesses hierarchy charged.

immediate press release: 26 july 2011. link to this press release: http://wp.me/p1g1hc-4o.

worldwide church hierarchy charged with child abuse.

Eiben Scrood

independEnt

41

"Overlapping Generations"... one year later...

by Alfred in

wow, it's hard to believe it's already been about a year since this subject was covered in the wt study at kindgom halls around the globe... let's read it just one more time, so we don't forget just how ridiculous this sounded when we first read it.... watchtower (study edition), april 15th, 2010 issue, pages 27-29:.

"this magazine has long been used by the faithful and discreet slave as the primary channel for dispensing increased light.

... what does this explanation mean to us?

Eiben Scrood

I will say it again. If I had not been out of the cult already, this overlapping generation bullshit would have sent me running. It is incredible that people can stay after this came out.

10

Seeking Advice Please

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

some background: i am an only child, a born-in, my parents were considered superstars of the watchtower having been missionaries and "exemplary" for their entire lives.

shortly after they died in 2002, i started a very slow fade and finally stopped all meeting attendance in 2005.. both sides of the family are, with a very few exceptions, also hardcore watchtowerites as in 'if the watchtower says my green bible is purple, then it must be purple.

' i have lost touch with one side of the family almost completely but the other side has always been close to me and in particular, i miss two cousins who were like brothers to me.

Eiben Scrood

Thanks for your responses everyone. I have a lot to think about before contacting them and I really appreciate the input.

10

Seeking Advice Please

by Eiben Scrood in

jw
friends

some background: i am an only child, a born-in, my parents were considered superstars of the watchtower having been missionaries and "exemplary" for their entire lives.

shortly after they died in 2002, i started a very slow fade and finally stopped all meeting attendance in 2005.. both sides of the family are, with a very few exceptions, also hardcore watchtowerites as in 'if the watchtower says my green bible is purple, then it must be purple.

' i have lost touch with one side of the family almost completely but the other side has always been close to me and in particular, i miss two cousins who were like brothers to me.

Eiben Scrood

Some background: I am an only child, a born-in, my parents were considered superstars of the Watchtower having been missionaries and "exemplary" for their entire lives. Shortly after they died in 2002, I started a very slow fade and finally stopped all meeting attendance in 2005.

Both sides of the family are, with a very few exceptions, also hardcore Watchtowerites as in 'if the Watchtower says my green Bible is purple, then it must be purple.' I have lost touch with one side of the family almost completely but the other side has always been close to me and in particular, I miss two cousins who were like brothers to me.

In hindsight, I wish I had just played it cool and gone with the strategy of just appearing to be weak in 'the truth' and not wholesale against the cult. I'm a very open individual though, and it was hard for me to not speak my mind. I have tried to maintain some communication but even a huge event like getting married produced a very tepid response with no congratulations offered. This angered me even more and when I finally got one cousin on the phone, I let him have it for an hour. This was about 10 months ago.

I wish I could just cut the cord so to speak and let the culties be culties and move on with my life and only focus on people that will be supportive of me. I confess, though, that I miss at least having some interaction. My wife and I are due to have a baby in about six months and I wish to share that joy. I would like my child to also have some kind of contact with my blood relatives. My wife has yet to meet a single member of my family.

Particularly with this July 15, 2011 Watchtower pouring the koolaid stronger than ever about family relationships, I have to wonder if it's too late. I am not disfellowshiped and this is a fact I did make clear in my last conversation with one of my cousins. I would hope that would serve to my advantage but it seems the Watchtower is targeting faders will almost the same zeal.

I plan on sending an email to the family soon with the announcement that my wife is pregnant. I was thinking of trying to mend things by coming right out and saying that we NEVER have to talk about religion again. I'd even be willing to apologize for my remarks about the organization that I made to them. I would NOT recant what I said but rather just acknowledge that this isn't information they wanted to listen to. I'm just confused as to what the best strategy would be. Part of me thinks it might be better to just announce the coming birth and express my love for my family and nothing more. Would even mentioning that I won't talk about religion again raise their hackles? Or would it, in fact, put their minds somewhat more at ease knowing that I won't be trying to tell them things they don't want to hear? What about the apology part?

It's truly awful what this cult does and I admit to letting my anger get the best of me in my dealings with family. It's not like it's come up in all my communication with them but it's probably come up enough that they have talked among themselves and agreed to shun me.

I know many here have gone through similar circumstances and I'd appreciate some input.

Thank you,

Eiben Scrood