Welcome to the forum Tellthetruth. How long have you been in the truth? Were you born into the truth? You should start a introductory post with your story so we don’t hijack this thread.
Watchtowers Witnesses
JoinedPosts by Watchtowers Witnesses
-
19
Children of adult ex-jw's
by man in black inmy wife and i were both jw's for the past 28 years.
we left two years ago, we wrote our da letters and split.. my wife felt very contained, there was no room to grow.
i started to fade slowly, but when my mom died, i saw the complete lack of love from the brothers and that sealed the deal for me.. we have two sons, 22 and 26, who we raised as witnesses, not the die hard type, just try and do your best.
-
-
-
58
Video: Jehovah's Witness Elders Lie and Call Police
by leavingwt in(via free minds).
jehovah's witness elders lie and call police.
on october 31, 2010 jehovah's witnesses elders lie when asked by charles huff, also a jehovah's witness, if they shun ex-members of the jehovah's witnesses' religion.
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
Looks like the chickens are coming home to roost. I certainly understand his passion. Perhaps in the future he can be less aggressive and still get his point across.
-
91
Creationist Theme Park: "Ark Encounter"
by leavingwt insay hello to ark encounter.. .
kentucky governor unveils plans for creationist theme park complete with full-sized ark.
.. a joint project between beshear and answers in genesis -- a christian organization that also built a similar attraction, the creation museum -- the park will reportedly cost at least $150 million and create 900 jobs, according to the news release.. beshear's spokesperson kerri richardson declined to comment beyond what was in her office's news release on the project.. the amusement park, named ark encounter, will include all the modern recreation amenities, including: a full-sized wooden ark, a "walled city much like was found in ancient times, a replica of the tower of babel with exhibits, a first-century middle eastern village" and even outdoor parking.
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
Great point. They can't leave out all the dead babies floating around. Lets make this amusement park as realistic as possible.
-
20
Fox News: Angels Saved Man From Raging Fire?
by whereami insome good laughs on black friday.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x88c_gmxi6i.
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
I’ll admit that I have to be open to the possibility that angels saved him. But, there is also the possibility that it might have been magical invisible elves who carried him to safety. Don’t be so skeptical and arrogantly rule out the possibility of invisible elves. You certainly can’t prove that it wasn’t magical invisible elves who were the ones who came to the rescue.
-
266
Favorite Songs Thread...........
by Judge Dread inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_bo7dhgz1g.
jdw .
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
Here is a couple of kick ass metal songs.
-
13
All info outside WT controlled by Satan: looking for articles
by InterestedOne incould someone refer me to some wt articles explaining that all non-wt information sources are controlled by satan?
i've read that they think this, and it fits with their us & them mentality, but i would like to see it in writing..
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
That article in the KM that Listener quoted is very revealing. A religion which claims to be the only “true” Christian faith is actually instructing their followers to NOT study the Bible in independent groups. Evidently they’re worried someone might think for themselves if they study scripture without the Society supplying the questions and answers. It would appear that the Society prefers to spoon feed their followers all “spiritual nourishment”. Steve Hassan writes about how cults use Information Control in his book “Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves". He explains it within the construct of the B.I.T.E. method.
I. Behavior Control
1. Regulation of individual's physical reality
a. Where, how and with whom the member lives and associates with
b. What clothes, colors, hairstyles the person wears
c. What food the person eats, drinks, adopts, and rejects
d. How much sleep the person is able to have
e. Financial dependence
f. Little or no time spent on leisure, entertainment, vacations2. Major time commitment required for indoctrination sessions and group rituals
3. Need to ask permission for major decisions
4. Need to report thoughts, feelings and activities to superiors
5. Rewards and punishments (behavior modification techniques- positive and negative).
5. Individualism discouraged; group think prevails
6. Rigid rules and regulations
7. Need for obedience and dependency
II. Information Control
1. Use of deception
a. Deliberately holding back information
2. Access to non-cult sources of information minimized or discouraged
b. Distorting information to make it acceptable
c. Outright lyinga. Books, articles, newspapers, magazines, TV, radio
3. Compartmentalization of information; Outsider vs. Insider doctrines
b. Critical information
c. Former members
d. Keep members so busy they don't have time to thinka. Information is not freely accessible
4. Spying on other members is encouraged
b. Information varies at different levels and missions within pyramid
c. Leadership decides who "needs to know" whata. Pairing up with "buddy" system to monitor and control
5. Extensive use of cult generated information and propaganda
b. Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadershipa. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audio tapes, videotapes, etc.
6. Unethical use of confession
b. Misquotations, statements taken out of context from non-cult sourcesa. Information about "sins" used to abolish identity boundaries
b. Past "sins" used to manipulate and control; no forgiveness or absolutionIII. Thought Control
1. Need to internalize the group's doctrine as "Truth"
a. Map = Reality
2. Adopt "loaded" language (characterized by "thought-terminating clichés"). Words are the tools we use to think with. These "special" words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous "buzz words".
b. Black and White thinking
c. Good vs. evil
d. Us vs. them (inside vs. outside)3. Only "good" and "proper" thoughts are encouraged.
4. Thought-stopping techniques (to shut down "reality testing" by stopping "negative" thoughts and allowing only "good" thoughts); rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism.
a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
b. Chanting
c. Meditating
d. Praying
e. Speaking in "tongues"
f. Singing or humming5. No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate
6. No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful
IV. Emotional Control
1. Manipulate and narrow the range of a person's feelings.
2. Make the person feel like if there are ever any problems it is always their fault, never the leader's or the group's.
3. Excessive use of guilt
a. Identity guilt
4. Excessive use of fear1. Who you are (not living up to your potential)
b. Social guilt
2. Your family
3. Your past
4. Your affiliations
5. Your thoughts, feelings, actions
c. Historical guilta. Fear of thinking independently
5. Extremes of emotional highs and lows.
b. Fear of the "outside" world
c. Fear of enemies
d. Fear of losing one's "salvation"
e. Fear of leaving the group or being shunned by group
f. Fear of disapproval6. Ritual and often public confession of "sins".
7. Phobia indoctrination : programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader's authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group.
a. No happiness or fulfillment "outside" of the group
b. Terrible consequences will take place if you leave: "hell"; "demon possession"; "incurable diseases"; "accidents"; "suicide"; "insanity"; "10,000 reincarnations"; etc.
c. Shunning of leave takers. Fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family.
d. Never a legitimate reason to leave. From the group's perspective, people who leave are: "weak"; "undisciplined"; "unspiritual"; "worldly"; "brainwashed by family, counselors"; seduced by money, sex, rock and roll. -
27
Sayings of Everlasting Life heard "Nowhere Else" but in JW Organization?
by InterestedOne ini just finished reading the 9/15/2010 wt study edition article for nov 8-14, and the last few sentences of paragraph 7 on page 18 jumped out at me.
referring to the "one association" which i assume means the jw organization, the author says "... where else can we turn?
nowhere else can we hear the sayings of everlasting life.
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
All it took was a couple meetings and I felt like something weird was going on.
Trust your instincts. The Jehovah's Witnesses are NOT a harmless group with “strange” beliefs. To an outsider like yourself they may in fact seem harmless but to someone born into the cult like your friend it’s much more serious. Edit: (You didn't say if your friend was born into the religion, I just assumed. Tell me if my guess was right.) My family has been torn apart by this religion. During your “study” you have the freedom to bring up questions, but someone inside the group does not have that same freedom. In fact if they openly question the logic of Watchtower doctrine they would be threatened with being kicked out and shunned by their entire family and so called “friends”.
Do you know about the timecards yet?
So far, this has been one of the most bizarre and eye-opening experiences of my life. Their use of language is really blowing my mind, and I am learning what to watch out for in other areas of life such as in political propaganda, speeches, advertising, etc. The use of vagueries and manipulation of emotion is so outstanding to me that sometimes when I return home from meetings, I feel like I need to take a shower to wash it off. It's like there's a haze over everything. So weird.
Very good observation. All I can say is read as much as you can about them. Jwfacts.com is great resource. Freeminds.org has more of what I would call “inside information” that might not make much sense to an outsider. Read the personal experiences on this site as well. Has your relationship with your friend changed since you’ve started going to meetings?
-
266
Favorite Songs Thread...........
by Judge Dread inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_bo7dhgz1g.
jdw .
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
I love this song.
-
6
My daughter knows.
by easyreader1970 inmonday night.
service meeting.. we're sitting there and my daughter (9-years-old) is sitting between my wife and i. my wife doesn't like it when she sits between us but my kids argue alot.
so we keep two kids at opposite ends and one in the middle.. out of the blue, she taps me on the shoulder and whispers: "daddy, are you an atheist?".
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
My initial guess would be that someone may have planted the idea in her head. Find out why she asked. Ask "Did anyone call daddy an Atheist?" Call me paranoid but that’s what my instinct tells me.
-
171
Blog Update
by brotherdan injust wanted to let anyone interested know that i've posted a couple new blogs.
http://jwcritic.blogspot.com/.
.
-
-
Watchtowers Witnesses
It's not enough to live a good life and be good to people.
That is a great example of how fucked up Christianity is. What a horrible world-view. You're saying it’s not enough to be a good and decent person, what’s really important is believing and telepathically telling the Invisible Sky Daddy and his son the Jewish Superman that we believe and love them. That kind of logic might have seemed reasonable 2000 years ago but don’t be surprised when someone questions the claims of your religion. Especially when this religion supposedly comes from the almighty creator of the Universe.