most of us x-jw's at one point no doubt defended the jw's when called a cult.
althought being out since 95', when i first came here it took awhile before i could use the cult word to describe the jw religion.
finding out about the pedophile scandal was disgusting, but it was probably finding out here about the wts history and terrible personal experiences of some on this board that made me finally admit that the jw's were a cult.
Thats if you are talking about actual cults leavingwt. The majority of governments and human rights organisations recognise Witnesses as a fully realised religion and definitely not a cult.
I wonder would steve hassan support his book being cold-read into any religious organisation by those that dislike that religion as a tool to prejudice people's opinion?
most of us x-jw's at one point no doubt defended the jw's when called a cult.
althought being out since 95', when i first came here it took awhile before i could use the cult word to describe the jw religion.
finding out about the pedophile scandal was disgusting, but it was probably finding out here about the wts history and terrible personal experiences of some on this board that made me finally admit that the jw's were a cult.
They are not a cult!
nice loaded question for a debate topic.
A loaded question is a question which contains a controversial assumption such as a presumption of guilt. Such questions are used rhetorically, so that the question limits direct replies to be those that serve the questioner's agenda.
well my mom and i got into a pretty bad argument today over the phone.
it basically came down to the fact that she couldn't handle what i was saying about the organization, etc and all she could come back to me was that i "hated her?
" i guess i just wanted to share and vent a little too....thanks for letting me do so.. .
Do children have a choice as to whether to celebrate Christmas or Birthdays? It is a sugar coated pill they are unlikely to reject but they still don't have a choice. they are forced on them before they can even reason.
So parents should be forced to celebrate birthdays and christmas by the governments?
Parents make choices for themselves and for their family, that is a human right. Obviously they have to stay within the law of the land as parents.
You cannot equate religious belief with drugs and smoking that is just a fallacy MMXIV ( and extremely manipulative debate tactic)
Religious belief is a profound human right for people not just for themselves but to bring up their children in that belief too.
You might not like witnesses and your words of extreme hate induced intolerance (jookbeard) are still only words according to your opinion and You have the right not to bring up your kids as witnesses. But what if one of them chose to be a Witness and bring up your grandkids as witnesses?
the church of england has published a new book called "the faith of generation y".
300 young people, born after 1982 were interviewed.
one of the authors is christopher cocksworth, the bishop of coventry.
This is a sad but predicted thing biblically.
The rivers are drying up.
and religion will become the target for destruction of a now faithless people.
well my mom and i got into a pretty bad argument today over the phone.
it basically came down to the fact that she couldn't handle what i was saying about the organization, etc and all she could come back to me was that i "hated her?
" i guess i just wanted to share and vent a little too....thanks for letting me do so.. .
Hi MMXIV
She was a child and children are bought up under their parents decisions. That is simply a fact of life! but once she became an adult she got that freewill of choice.
You cannot abdicate your responsibility as a parent.
some people accuse atheists of not being open minded for not believing in the existence of a creator.
but is not believing a sign of close mindedness?
can you believe in god and be open minded?.
Depends what your definition of open-minded is?
Having a strong faith in a particular belief is the sign of someone with conviction in their choices.
For me being wishy-washy and spending your life fence-sitting is just a lack of conviction that is not open-minded.
Open-minded is allowing for new experiences and making decisions on them. Just accepting all directions as options without any kind of opinion is not really experiencing them.
I look deeply at all options available to me and made an informed choice based on knowledge and experience to become a Jehovah's witness. I have commited to that choice now but I can speak knowledgeably about the ones I rejected.
If someone chooses to be an Atheist the same way I respect that.
I am sure that they would agree with me that we make choices and accept the consequences of those choices which is the essence of freewill. We can't then conplain if we are wrong.
So making choices that lead to conviction of opinion is not a sign of lacking openmindness IMO.
well my mom and i got into a pretty bad argument today over the phone.
it basically came down to the fact that she couldn't handle what i was saying about the organization, etc and all she could come back to me was that i "hated her?
" i guess i just wanted to share and vent a little too....thanks for letting me do so.. .
Hi Meangirl
At least you agree a parent will bring up their child in their belief!
I think there are ways around the culture shock from a massive change in lifestyles. While celebrating Birthdays and Christimas is not our culture. What we can do is have lots of parties/gatherings especially with children and people from the congregation building up relationships and having loads of fun doing it. Presents given at any time out of love and encouragement can also be used productively rather than at sets times from the previous culture. Have alternate social activities replacing any lost ones.
Rather than just drag a reluntant child on the ministry, take time to build up there knowledge in jehovah and you may have them wanted to go on the ministry. The family Bible study I think is recognising that we have to take time to answer our childrens questions on God recognising their spiritual need.
Being a witness doesn't mean you stop being a loving parent and it can be done smoothly whatever the child's age.
I agree your mum should have emphasised Jehovah's loving qualities but she is not here to defend herself and so I can only go with your opinion of your mum which seems to be the biggest issue.
It isn't easy but thats because Witnesses are one of the few Christian religions were believing in God is a life choice (In the pattern of early Christians) rather than a hobby that barely intrudes in the rest of your life.
what was it like to live in the 1950's 1960's and early 70's as a jehovah witness.when they started to push the 1975 date..
The watchtowers do not support your point that this was established doctrine only referencing the 6000 years from Adam and the usual "time of the end" urgency that is in every publication right upto today.
Like I said before we are not afraid to write up established doctrine (inc dates from chronology) They would have shouted it from the watchtowers like they do 1914.
All that has been established and what I have agreed with from the start is an over-enthusiasm of 1975 in the general populous of witnesses.
In the end your argument always fails at the lack of specific mention in watchtowers that 1975 = Armageddon. This whole forum is a awash with ex-JWs condemning us from our publications (going mad with editing wts from the cd rom). You know we have no fear of putting down dates or understandings 1914, or "generation" which recently has undergone a couple of changes in understanding. There is no earthly reason why we would not be specific about 1975 if that is what we wanted people to believe.
To get more converts? wouldn't it be silly do make a date which then fails to get converts who simply leave after the failure?
We simply haven't the history of being afraid of putting down beliefs we have drawn from the Bible.
the 'god' of the jw's is a god that will kill billions at armageddon.
the christian 'god' in general is a god that [according to their own holy book] already killed millions in the ot.
this 'god' ordered the slaughter of innocent virgins and children and old men and old women so that his people could take the land.
Godwins law?
That is not a good debating tool! Your opinion of Jehovah is your opinion, it does not reflect other people's.
what was it like to live in the 1950's 1960's and early 70's as a jehovah witness.when they started to push the 1975 date..
hi black sheep
by the same token is this?
" 29 "I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me "
