i found this documentary that was previously sent on german television.
description:.
"expelled from paradise.
Welcome Stephan,
what you have done will help many people to understand what JW children have to go through. It may also make some have the same courage as you and leave.
I have sent you a pm. click on the small envelope in the top right hand corner. The email message will have an error when you first click on it, so you must click back (zuruck) and try for a second time it will work.
MMXIV
if the society put out theocratic warfare videos, it would really help jw youths stick around, imho.
in place of commercial videos that are violent and suggestive, wt-sanctioned videos would supply a viable, healthy alternative.
accordingly, concerned and thoughtful witness parents could participate with their little warriors in theocratic warfare videos as virtual ot prophets wipe out the dread canaanites, zimri and cozbi take love to new heights and the beasts of revelation devour their quarry .... and the parents count their time.. any other thoughts regarding family worship night and related meeting parts?
So we're all about peace with a history of violence?
Back to the thread - I could see the WTS producing video games in a 100 years time - something along the theme of "developing a christian personality" and you'd work through hypothetical situations like peer pressure to attend a birthday party. You'd pick up points for knowing scriptures, turning it into an opportunity to place literature and start a study with a school mate.
Would this keep kids in the truth? Yeah they'd never leave just so they could have the latest WTS game that no-one else at school had
MMXIV
well then, i suppose as we are facing the 100th anniversay of jesus return in 1914, there sure must be the usual rumors going on in the cong.. for those in touch with jw: what have you heard so far?
is it a bit like pre-1975 with high expectations?.
I heard a number of people say over the years that if it didn't come by 2014 then christ's coming would be history. I think as we draw closer to the date all those JW's will selectively forget they ever mentioned it.
MMXIV
if the society put out theocratic warfare videos, it would really help jw youths stick around, imho.
in place of commercial videos that are violent and suggestive, wt-sanctioned videos would supply a viable, healthy alternative.
accordingly, concerned and thoughtful witness parents could participate with their little warriors in theocratic warfare videos as virtual ot prophets wipe out the dread canaanites, zimri and cozbi take love to new heights and the beasts of revelation devour their quarry .... and the parents count their time.. any other thoughts regarding family worship night and related meeting parts?
Since we are all about peace
I was subjected to some pretty gruesome and violent themes as a child from the WTS literature. You're definately not a witness Debator and never were.
MMXIV
i was raised by a wonderful and close family.
i loved my congregation growing up.
when i would go to the meetings, i felt i could go to school the next day and deal with the pressures of that day.
Thanks Green Jade - what you have said about social groups getting children involved when they're young is really interesting. I've seen it done at football (soccer) clubs which actually has a similar membership requirement - hate all other teams, never leave to support another team. That's probably where the similarity stops as there are no rules outside the stadium about spending time with people from other teams especially if they are family. The rivalry is what makes being part of teams so special (Liverpool & Everton would be an example some might relate to).
Well you sound very together. My only thoughts about your children are what benefits will they get from growing up as JW's (spending time in like activities with their family, getting their approval, being part of that social group etc) and what potential risks might there be (looked down on at the KH for making their own choices about education, getting council for attending celebrations, risk of being shunned as adults).
I think you're right to consider what is important for your children ahead of what may suit you. Going back to meetings would clearly be tough for you but if you think it's the best thing for your kids then the fact you're willing to consider doing that is good. Personally I chose to leave primarily because I didn't want to bring up children in the truth - not that I even had children at the time. There isn't a day goes by that I've regretted it despite knowing if I returned I know I'd be welcomed back with open arms. When I left it was a breath of fresh air that remains till today because I know I'm not going back.
I hope you find the right social group for your children that they can choose to be a part of for however long they like.
You'll always get a range of opinions to any questions you have so feel free
regards
MMXIV
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Nothing wrong with 500 a day - whatever works for you. You sound like you are being realistic about this project knowing when finished you may be shelving huge chunks and re-writing. You'll be learning the whole way and getting better at it so keep the faith!
Don't feel you need to stick to something that is authentically JW - way more important for it to be good than accurate i.e. Zadie Smith white teeth.
Wishing you every success.
MMXIV
i thought it would be an interesting exercise to ask everybody on here what their 'top 10 reasons why jws don't have the truth' actually were.
maybe we can see some correlating views/patterns/ideas that may help us de-programme the newbies that come on this site.
if eventually most people have an outstanding gripe/concern it'll help everybody understand the ex-jw mindset a little better.
Maybe the WTS will soon explain the trinity as... God is from one generation. Jesus is from another generation. Their generations overlap so evidently they are the same generation. Therefore they are the same being too.
The JW's don't have the truth because:
1) the generation. I mean seriously, that's not new light - it's a power cut and the generator's dodgy too.
2) literature & meetings are not logical, based on fact or accurate. it's the same tired propaganda
3) they lie to recruit people, apply lots of pressure on them and then once you're dipped - you can never leave. There are rules about selling insurance that should apply to joining a cult.
4) they don't protect their flock from paedofiles. If God was running that organisation it wouldn't have had such poor policies that were only changed to stop lawsuits. It is an organisation that attracts and harbours such people. Parents - never let your kids out of your sight. Ever. Do not trust anyone in the KH, at the DC or at Bethel no matter what their rank.
5) the preaching work is such an ineffective, time wasting campaign. There is no way that the majority of the world gets any kind of understanding of what the Good News is. It's an organised failure.
6) women are treated like second class citizens. Sorry sisters, male JW's do think they're more important than you.
7) Way too many are dishonest, unloving, selfish, bullying, manipulative liars. One could understand one or two waiting to be weeded out - but so many??!! JW's don't have a good reputation - just the decent, honest sincere ones do.
8) They cannot predict anything for toffee, they're making it all up as they go along.
9) $$$$$$$$$$. would Jesus, who spent his time preaching really approve of an organisation that spends so much time and money on creating a real estate empire? would he?
10) fear. So many of the people in it today are born-in without any choice and their whole social world will be cut off if they left.
11) blood. I give blood transfusions that may save a JW's life (assuming it's taken in their new justified format) but they won't do the same for me. thanks.
MMXIV
i seem to have a bit of confusion concerning the purpose of this website and the people in it.
perhaps i am not computer savvy and do not understand some of the expressions used.
could someone comment and help clarify.. .
Welcome Green Jade,
Making an effort to go to meetings only to listen to inaccurate information and get a load of tough questions from people who don't care should ring some alarm bells.
I used to call on a "sister" who hadn't gone to meetings in decades because she had ME or chronic fatigue syndrome. She'd also been treated pretty badly by people so probably could have attended sometimes but didn't want to face the barrage of questions if she did step in the KH.
The thing was that she loved Jehovah, did informal witnessing whenever she could, put in a report and kept up to date on all the literature. She was happy. She started to go to some meetings when her health improved a bit and the meeting times had changed. She found the questions people asked her related to establishing what kind of position she was in so she could be judged accordingly. The congregation were not understanding and that was the best bunch of JW's I'd ever known. She stopped attending and I never encouraged her to go again although I still visited her.
When you're born-in (grown up as a JW) and been used to a certain way of worship for decades and being surrounded by people as part of a community it seems odd / wrong / lonely if it's no longer there. Part of how the truth works is to make you dependent on the social aspect of the organisation so that it is difficult to leave. You won't have worldly friends so will be lonely if you leave.
That sister I mentioned earlier was far happier not attending. You don't feel love when you attend. Does that seem right to you?
MMXIV
PS.
Some take pictures to send to their buddies. Guess who I saw here?
Sure you're not a celebrity
the last 15 days have been hard.. 10 days without a computer is hell.. i said this on another thread but want to say it again.. thank you so much to those of you who have contributed to getting me a computer and back on line.
this new baby of mine is awesome.
it would have taken me months to save up enough money to either fix the old (which i think would have needed to be rebuilt) or buy another.
Hi LL,
I'm not sure what you found worse - being bruised and battered or having no computer.
I watched one of your clips the other day about the 8 things that cults use and it clarified some things for me in a way that 8 months here hadn't done. Thank you.
One thing still puzzles me - why did you leave those cases by your chair - hope you weren't planning to leave us in a hurry were you??!! You know Outlaw would always track you down (ok it may take him a while getting past his pet bear)
MMXIV
i was raised by a wonderful and close family.
i loved my congregation growing up.
when i would go to the meetings, i felt i could go to school the next day and deal with the pressures of that day.
Green Jade,
thank you for sharing your experiences. It struck me that above all you have a family that does care so much. That and you've got yourself a great husband. Having good people around you is so important.
I have also experienced good times in congregations, met some fantastic people, however this was for a brief time. The reality is many congregations fall far short. I was never treated particularly badly compared to many stories I've read on JWN although I have observed a few shocking examples. Being treated poorly by people can have a deep effect and I'm sorry this has happened to you.
You mention your need to bring your children up as JW's. Is that because you felt you had a good childhood and want the same for them or because you want to please your family or because you still believe it is the truth?
MMXIV
