Posts by Reopened Mind

even if i dont really celebrate it like...i'm suppose to be going out for karokee tonight with a friend, then doing something with another friend on the 26th.

two more years and i'll be the big 3-0. man, how time passes.

just some years ago, i was just a breast fed child running wild!.

Reopened Mind

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOLIETTE

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU

28 years old is a wonderful age. I was deep into the cult back when I was 28 and pregnant with my second child. In a few more days I will be 58.

So happy for you that you woke up early. BTW my second child is now himself 28 and waking up from the cult.

Reopened MIns

19

What Is Truth?

by Reopened Mind in

i was the one at the meetings who had a dictionary or at least a definition written in the margin.

i thought it was important to understand the meaning of words to better comprehend the lesson.

i liked that the writers would throw out words which were not commonly used to help us expand our vocabularies.

Thank you all for your comments. I have only touched on two definitions of "truth", the WT's and the dictionary's. Truth takes on different definitions and connotations depending on who's talking. Evolutionary scientists say that evolution is the truth; creationists say that God created all things; and moderates take the middle ground that God initially created the universe and guided the course of evolution. Belief in something doesn't make it true.

Anyone can write a book and say it's true or divinely inspired, but the proof is in the pudding.

Scientists make a statement and say, "How can I disprove this?"

Religionists make a statement and say, "How can I prove this?"

Reopened Mind (and learning to discern what is likely to be true from what is likely to be false)

24

The Greatest Lesson the Watchtower Ever Taught Me

by jamiebowers in

jw
friends

the greatest lesson that the watchtower has taught me is to give the love that has been taken from me.

our mother shuns my brother and me to the extreme.

just this morning she told me on the phone from her hospital bed that we will have to learn her diagnosis through the grapevine.. she wasn't always like this.

Reopened Mind

She wasn't always like this. Before she became a jw, she was an awesome person and wonderful mother. So, when it was repeated to me that she said she wished she'd never had children, I didn't take it too personally.

Jamie, although my mother was never a Witness, she told me she wished I'd never been born. Yes, it hurt for a while until I realized she was suffering from dementia. You are wise not to take it too personally. It's hard to tell whether it is WT speaking or dementia.

Meeting Junkie No More: Thanks for your experience.

PSacramento:

8 Love never fails.

How true. True unconditional love never fails.

Reopened Mind

19

What Is Truth?

by Reopened Mind in

i was the one at the meetings who had a dictionary or at least a definition written in the margin.

i thought it was important to understand the meaning of words to better comprehend the lesson.

i liked that the writers would throw out words which were not commonly used to help us expand our vocabularies.

Reopened Mind

I was the one at the meetings who had a dictionary or at least a definition written in the margin. I thought it was important to understand the meaning of words to better comprehend the lesson. I liked that the writers would throw out words which were not commonly used to help us expand our vocabularies. (Perhaps these were Barbara Anderson’s articles?) This brings me to asking the question which defines what the WT calls itself.

WHAT IS TRUTH?

The Insight book explains the meaning of the word truth***it-2p.1130Truth***

The Hebrew term ’emeth´, often rendered “truth,” may designate that which is firm, trustworthy, stable, faithful, true, or established as fact. (Ex 18:21; 34:6; De 13:14; 17:4; 22:20; Jos 2:12; 2Ch 18:15; 31:20; Ne 7:2; 9:33; Es 9:30; Ps 15:2; Ec 12:10; Jer 9:5) The Greek word a·le´thei·a stands in contrast with falsehood or unrighteousness and denotes that which conforms to fact or to what is right and proper.

This agrees with the dictionary definition. Truth is defined as (1) the state of being the case: FACT (2) the body of real things, events, and facts: ACTUALITY (3) often capitalized: a transcendent fundamental or spiritual reality ( www.merriam-webster.com , Internet 2/3/10)

Yet the way the WT uses the word gives it an entirely different spin. For example the km 12/98 expands on its usage

*** km12/98p.3par.3BuildYourLifeAroundJehovah’sService***

One mother explained how she and her husband successfully reared their two sons to serve Jehovah: “We filled our lives with the truth—going to all the conventions, preparing for and attending the meetings, and making field service a regular part of our lives.” Her husband added: “The truth is not part of our life, it is our life. Everything else revolves around it.”

The first book I studied with JW was “The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life” (1968). Essentially their “truth” is outlined in this book.

It is common among Jehovah’s Witness to hear such expressions as “I’ve been in the Truth X number of years” or “Is your husband in the Truth?” or “How did you come into the Truth”? So to a Jehovah’s Witness “Truth” means “The entire body of Christian [Watchtower] teachings” (g9810/22p.12HowCanIMaketheTruthMyOwn?) To put it more succinctly being “in the Truth” means being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

If what is taught is truly the “truth”, then there would be no need for updates or changes. But that is never the case. If God (or Jehovah) is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful), then any religion or organization he chooses to use to bring his message to humankind should be absolutely factual from the very beginning. The Watchtower Society bills itself as the “Truth”. Has this been the case? From my own experience of more than 37 years as an active Witness I say a loud NO.

For details of Watchtower’s changing “truths” see www.jwfacts.com .

I still like to know what words mean. But changing the meaning of words to advance an agenda is dishonest and deceitful.

Reopened Mind

43

Insulting Terms used by the WashTowel

by punkofnice in

jw
friends

loading the language is a propogandist tactic to trigger a reaction in the mind.

a prime example is the word 'apostate'!.

i have been called 'spiritually weak' for quitting field service, meetings etc.. how would you respond (without swearing or giving a punch up the hooter), if you were called this?.

Reopened Mind

The term "worldly" is hugely insulting and prejudicial to anyone who is not a JW.

Reopened Mind

217

Feb. 15th WT - WT Society says DFed Ones are Lawless- Just Like Demons

by flipper in

jw
friends

i would assume that some or a good number of us here as normal humans in this society - consider " lawless " actions to include murder , robbery, extortion, rape, child abuse, war , terrorism, etc.

the wt society has their own definition of what's considered " lawless ".

anything that's considered a disfellowshipping offense in the jehovah's witnesses is now considered " lawless ".

Reopened Mind

So I find in this that the WT society is doing what ALL cults do by requiring members to NOT have contact with former members of their cult by use of fear and guilt tactics . Bottom line is the WT society doesn't want JW's being influenced by TRUTHFUL information that DFed or DAed people may bring to them. so they scare rank and file JW's $hitless thinking these DFed ones are " lawless " or " evil".

This article screams

PARANOIA

Paranoia -- a psychosis marked by delusions and irrational suspicion

Reopened Mind

82

3/15 WT " Do Not Deceive Yourself "- WT's Excuses for No Armageddon

by flipper in

jw
friends

with the new " overlap generation " theory that the wt society is pushing onto rank and file jehovah's witnesses since last year this article i found really heavy hitting in the jw version of the wt.

the wt society is leaking oil in that confidence is low among jw's in not really buying into the " generation overlap " theory as many younger jw's are exiting the organization.

so what better way to try reeling members back in by giving them an article entitled " do not deceive yourself with false reasoning " !

Reopened Mind

To illustrate , imagine you are expecting guests. Anticipation of their visit may lead to a flurry of activity as you attend to necessary household chores related to their stay. However, then you receive word that your visitors are delayed. Will you abandon the preparations ?

This reminds me of the time I had invited a couple to dinner. After I had prepared dinner they called and cancelled. There was no emergency. They just decided to accept another invitation. I never invited them again. Am I still waiting for them to come? Heck no!

Reopened Mind

12

If hindsight was 20/20, would you have done the same things given the chance to change?

by sinis in

jw
friends

in respects to the dubs.

what kind of things did you miss out on, accomplish?

for me, i probably would because now i'm free and while in i met my wonderful wife (who is also free) of 18 years.

Reopened Mind

I assume you mean, "Would I be a JW if I knew then what I know now." Thirty seven years ago there was no way to know what I know now. Instead of regretting my decision to become a JW I need to look ahead to the future I have now.

As tec said, "It was an experience, and I learned from it."

Reopened Mind

217

Feb. 15th WT - WT Society says DFed Ones are Lawless- Just Like Demons

by flipper in

jw
friends

i would assume that some or a good number of us here as normal humans in this society - consider " lawless " actions to include murder , robbery, extortion, rape, child abuse, war , terrorism, etc.

the wt society has their own definition of what's considered " lawless ".

anything that's considered a disfellowshipping offense in the jehovah's witnesses is now considered " lawless ".

Reopened Mind

One of the characteristics of a cult is that they redefine words. The WT has the audacity to call it the "pure language".

Is smoking lawless?

Is celebrating birthdays, mothers day, fathers day, Christmas, etc, lawless?

Is taking a blood transfusion lawless?

These are disfellowshipping offenses.

Didn't Jesus himself associate with a Samaritan woman and a tax collector, both considered "lawless" by contemporary Jewish standards?

In finality the next paragraph drives the point home to other JW's. It states, " By cutting off contact with the disfellowshipped or dissassociated one, you are showing that you hate the attitudes and actions that led to that outcome.

You have to differentiate between hating the person and hating what he has done. To do that you must TALK to him to explain what it is you disapprove. By shunning you show that you hate the person. Often time there is a problem which needs professional help which the elders are neither qualified to give or recognize. My husband was an elder and he often lamented that he didn't know how to help the brothers and sisters. He has told several to seek outside professional help.

Such articles make my (non-transfused) blood boil! They really have no business telling us to have no contact with df family members. They are overstepping their own principle of headship.

Reopened Mind