Posts by ambersun

49

What Turns The Average "Worldly" Person Away From The Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

is it their door-to-door incessant preaching?

is it their view on blood?

is it that the religion itself is simply often misunderstood?.

ambersun

When I was a dub, I found the issues that bothered most worldly people were connected with children, i.e. how we could allow a child to die for want of a blood transfusion, and how cruel it was to prevent a child from celebrating birthdays and Christmas.

I am amazed how many people I speak to have absolutely no idea about the fundamental beliefs of JWs. Despite being contacted by JWs many times over the years, they still think JWs believe the end of the world is coming and they are going to heaven. They have no idea about an earthly hope.

Many of the issues that worldly people had when I was a dub, and still seem to have, were totally inaccurate things such as thinking JWs are not allowed to accept any form of medical treatment. Also, as already mentioned, that JWs don't believe in Jesus (due to not celebrating Christmas).

So much for the world wide preaching work!

44

Does your product contain blood? 1960/70's twottery!!

by punkofnice in

back in the 1960's early 70's i remember my congregation going on a witch hunt and making a list of products, ice creams, confectionary or anything that might contain blood!.

i remember one zealous brother asking an ice cream vendor if the ice cream contained blood.

the vendor just looked gone out!.

ambersun

Ooh this thread brings back some memories which still makes me blush with shame!!

I can remember at the age of 15 on a family vacation, reaching the front of a queue for ice cream and asking the obligatory question "excuse me, but can you assure me your ices do not contain any blood?" The look of stunned bewilderment on the face of the vendor and the chuckles from the queue behind me still makes me cringe with embarrassment

We had to check all our food packets and tins for ingredients. Anything with lecithin, or words we couldn't understand and therefore could mean blood, were chucked out. Absolutely no red or pink sweets were allowed, so every packet of smarties had to be tipped out and sorted through before being given to the little ones to eat!

There was actually a rumour going round our congregation that plans were in motion to inject every food product, even fresh fruit, with blood so that JWs would be forced to eat blood or starve. I was absolutely scared to death!!!

It's no wonder I developed hypertension at an early age

24

The impact of Governing Body policy on higher education: read this!

by Terry in

excerpt:.

does your religion affect your income?by mari cockerell, ktxs newsabilene, texas -- the pew forum on religion and public life recently put out the results of a survey on wealth and religion in the united states.. you may be surprised to learn which religious groups in this country have the most and the least wealthy members.an infographic produced by the folks at www.good.is breaks down information gathered by the pew forum on religion and wealth.

it maps out distribution of income for the 14 major religious groups in this country, charting those whose income is less than $30,000 a year all the way up to $100,000+.. what they found is interesting.the religions whose members earn the most money are jews and hindus.

ambersun

LOL at punkofnice. I think that just about sums it up

31

New here and....

by bushido8000 in

are there any jws on this site???

i think i may be in the wrong place.... why am i only seeing atheists and other denominations of christians?.

ambersun

Welcome bushido8000

9

Expectations of the New System: Classic example of JW stupidity

by roxanesophia in

though i've stopped studying and have no interest anymore in the religion, bits of conversation with jw's keep coming back to me to confirm why that was the best decision.

like this particularly idiotic belief:.

since the jw's believe the faithful men of bible stories will be resurrected into "the new system" , i remember a discussion about 'how awesome it's going to be to meet job" or "you can marry one of job's sons!

ambersun

It amazes me that there isn't more of an outcry by teachers at schools due to the sheer lunacy of some of the expectations their JW students heads are filled with.

Can you just imagine the average JW children at school telling the teachers the REAL reason why they will not be taking part in the after school classes, such as music and art for example? Not just that it will take them away from meetings and valuable study time which is bad enough, but more importantly they have been told as FACT by their parents that it is a waste of time being taught to play the piano or paint in oils by mere 'Worldlings' when in the New System they will receive lessons from Chopin and Leonardo da Vinci who are going to be resurrected back onto the newly cleansed earth!!

Boy are Chopin and Leonardo going to be busy

22

Social Isolation & The Witnesses

by minimus in

jw
friends

the truth is that jehovah's witnesses purposely try to insulate their own members.

they want their own to be "no part of the world".

they do not sanction unnecessary association with "worldly people".

ambersun

I've heard that the definition of a cult is a group that follows a charismatic man.

I feel it is unlikely the WTS would be where it is today without all those years under Rutherford's controlling influence. Love him or hate him, he certainly had a charismatic appeal to his followers who continue being loyal to his teachings. 'New Light' only happens when one of his original teachings becomes obsolete and therefore has to be changed.

That's my feelings on the matter anyway

13

A chance encounter that proved how much I've grown.

by purpleplus in

jw
friends

while at a gas station, i saw an acquaintance from my jw days.

i spoke to him first and he responded.

we had a little small talk.

ambersun

Great post purpleplus!

I can really relate to how you must feel after handling that encounter with an ex JW acquaintance so confidently and pleasantly. Your post has really inspired me.

Pre internet days, I used to get totally tongue tied whenever I encountered a JW who would start quizzing me with canned questioning designed to make me feel ashamed and upset and I would quickly change the subject to deflect any further questioning. However, since being on this site and reading the experiences of other ex dubs, and realising I have nothing to be ashamed or guilty about, things have changed and I have gained so much confidence.

Me and hubby will be seeing some JW relatives later today, who we meet up with about once a year, and if they start asking questions I am actually looking forward to the chance to talk honestly and factually and without shame, about why we left and will never be going back.

Thanks purpleplus and everyone else on JW.Net for helping to inspire such confidence in me

34

What's The Worst Thing About Ever Having Been A Jehovah's Witness?

by minimus in

jw
friends

for me, it's the waste of precious time and being lied to.. stupid time consuming things to do that are utterly worthless!

and on top of that being told that you were going to live forever on paradise if you followed their decrees..

ambersun

There are too many, all equally as bad as each other depending on the time period that I lived through, but here are the ones that are at the forefront of my mind at this moment:

1. Upon joining at the age of 14, having my lovely, close, non JW relatives and friends replaced with a new 'family', and from then on having my friends chosen for me among the most 'spiritual' members of the congregation, most of whom I had nothing in common with.

2. Being deprived of a career.

3. The shock of becoming concious after reading a collection of Russell and Rutherford's books full of 'old light' and having to keep quiet for fear of being disfellowshipped.

4. Depriving our children of a normal early childhood. Thank goodness we left while there was still time for them to enjoy a few childhood years away from the influence of the WTS.

5. The frustration of not being able to talk openly to my JW relatives about the truth about the 'Truth'. Whenever I attempt to do so, their eyes usually glaze over and I know it is not worth the risk of being shunned by them.

68

Your top 5 most irritating doctrines/practices?

by cedars in

it's clear that virtually everyone on here is infuriated by wt teachings/doctrines/practices, but i would really like to know what is of most concern to people who frequent this forum.. here is my top 5, number 1 being the most significant/infuriating:.

the disfellowshipping practice - expanded to include family members (but not parents) who are old enough to leave home.

wrecks families and creates abject fear once people find out the truth about the organization.the blood issue - another unmerciful teaching, but one that costs lives.unquestioned authority of governing body - a handful of men make life-altering decisions as representatives of a larger group of people who they never see or speak to, and yet they demand unquestioning obedience on pain of being disfellowshipped.failed prophecy - the fulfilment of huge swathes of bible prophecy, including revelation, has been attributed to the events of the early 20th century, and the actions of a small group of men.two-tier christianity - faithful and discreet slave are anointed who go to heaven to whom ransom provisions apply directly, whereas remainder, or "great crowd" stay on earth and form a sub-class, only access benefits of ransom through fds.i realise that many of these issues are inter-related, but that's roughly how i would put them.

ambersun

1) We are god's sole channel

Get rid of that one and there isn't a next four.

Oh Black Sheep, that is so true! If only!!!!!

68

Your top 5 most irritating doctrines/practices?

by cedars in

it's clear that virtually everyone on here is infuriated by wt teachings/doctrines/practices, but i would really like to know what is of most concern to people who frequent this forum.. here is my top 5, number 1 being the most significant/infuriating:.

the disfellowshipping practice - expanded to include family members (but not parents) who are old enough to leave home.

wrecks families and creates abject fear once people find out the truth about the organization.the blood issue - another unmerciful teaching, but one that costs lives.unquestioned authority of governing body - a handful of men make life-altering decisions as representatives of a larger group of people who they never see or speak to, and yet they demand unquestioning obedience on pain of being disfellowshipped.failed prophecy - the fulfilment of huge swathes of bible prophecy, including revelation, has been attributed to the events of the early 20th century, and the actions of a small group of men.two-tier christianity - faithful and discreet slave are anointed who go to heaven to whom ransom provisions apply directly, whereas remainder, or "great crowd" stay on earth and form a sub-class, only access benefits of ransom through fds.i realise that many of these issues are inter-related, but that's roughly how i would put them.

ambersun

You are welcome cedars .

This is a very interesting topic and I am intrigued to know what other ex dubs found most irritating during their time 'inside'.