ABibleStudent

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Posts by ABibleStudent

• 
  20

  Newbie Again (Kinda Sorta)

  by lostinnj83 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i made my first post (which i have attached) more than 2.5 years ago.. sad to say i am still in the same situation.

  still "physically in" but have mentally been gone for years.

  i am still in my marriage and unfortunatly things have not gotten any better as far as me being able to help him see the light as far as the organization.. i am at a serious crossroad though because i am almost 30 years old, with no children.

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  ABibleStudent

  Welcome lostinnj83, and thanks for sharing your experiences now and 2.5 years ago. Post on JWN as much as possible to help you vent your emotions, instead of raising suspicions of JW family and friends.

  I would recommend that you read Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and (his latest book) "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs"), visit his website, and view the following video. If you are financially well off, I would also recommend that you contact Steve Hassan through his website to either talk with him personally or to locate a cult exit counselor who is near you.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-oF-Z_I7U

  If your husband is not willing to go to a counselor with you, you should go to a counselor to better understand your feelings and what you should do. Try to select a cult exit counselor to help you to resolve WTBTS induced phobias and indoctrination.

  You might want to read the thread Progress ( I think? ) in helping my wife to see the "truth" by stuckinamovement and other posts that he wrote to get ideas to help your husband awaken. Be very slow trying to help your husband awaken.

  Take your time and write down your plan(s) for a successful fade. The following is an example of a potential and basic plan:

  • Resolve your emotional conflicts first;
  • Contact a cult exit counselor if you can afford one;
  • Wait for you husband to discuss his doubts with you before asking him simple questions to increase his doubts;
  • Post regularly on JWN about your emotions and asking how to awaken your husband;
  • Meet non-JWs, who may have similir interests to your husband;
  • If you do not have a career/skilled training, get a better education as soon as possible in something that you love;
  • Plan outings with your husband to meet non-JWs, who he might share common interests;
  • When going to WTBTS conventions make reservations at hotels that are not promoted by the WTBTS;
  • Reduce or stop donating to the WTBTS;
  • Encourage your husband to have weekly home bible studies with you and slowly show differences/deceptions between what is written in the WTBTS magazines and the Bible;
  • Use non-WTBTS sources to research your beliefs, and
  • Help awaken other JW family and friends, who you love, so you do not have to move away from them to avoid them shunning you.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  8

  Silence is Consent!

  by DonJuel in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  please like our new page "silence is consent"!

  we have made the page to make awareness about children who grow up in religious cults and are put in harm's way by the cults rules!.

  https://www.facebook.com/pages/silence-is-consent/372373866194292.

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  ABibleStudent

  Hi DonJuel, Done! Nice Facebook webpage. Here is a clickable link to your FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silence-is-Consent/372373866194292. I will sign the petition later.

  It might help your activism on JWN to introduce yourself. I wrote a belated hello myself in the thread (Belated) Hello. Also, please do not get too frustrated with promoting exJWs to become more active. Everyone has a personal reason to not become involved. Figure out what the issues are and you may be able to be more successful. Best of wishes for you being successful to protect all children from pedophiles.

  By the way, have you thought about adding information about Candace Conti to your Facebook page and including information about Candace Conti's attorney? Candace Conti's attorney is Rick Simons: Office - 510-582-1080 Ext. 19; [email protected].

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  43

  Newbie - I need advice!

  by awakening in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well here it is, my first post!

  it feels like a huge step like the point of no return.

  i am a born in, still in wanting to get out ms. i have refused eldership, used to pioneer and have sooo many stories.

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  ABibleStudent

  Welcome awakening, and thanks for sharing your experiences. Post on JWN as much as possible to help you vent your emotions, instead of raising suspicions of JW family and friends. You might want to read the thread Progress ( I think? ) in helping my wife to see the "truth" by stuckinamovement and other posts that he wrote to get ideas to help your wife awaken. Be very slow trying to help your wife, because her whole world may crash down on her.

  Double Ditto what jgnat wrote!! I would recommend that you read Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and (his latest book) "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs") or visit his website. After reading Steve Hassan's books, you will understand a lot more about the WTBTS and how you feel. If you are financially well off, I would also recommend that you contact Steve Hassan through his website to either talk with him personally or to locate a counselor who is near you.

  Take your time and write down your plan(s) for a successful fade. The following is an example of a potential and basic plan:

  • Resolve your emotional conflicts first;
  • Contact a cult exit counselor if you can afford one;
  • Wait for you wife to discuss her doubts with you before asking her simple questions to increase her doubts;
  • Post regularly on JWN about your emotions and asking how to awaken your wife;
  • Meet non-JWs, who may have similir interests to your wife;
  • If you have kids, carefully encourage your kids to meet non-JW friends;
  • Take your wife on outings where she will meet non-JWs and enjoy her life;
  • When going to WTBTS conventions make reservations at hotels that are not promoted by the WTBTS;
  • Reduce or stop donating to the WTBTS;
  • Hold weekly home bible studies with you wife without using WTBTS magazines; and
  • Use non-WTBTS sources to research your beliefs, and
  • Help awaken other JW family and friends, who you love, so you do not have to move away from them to avoid them shunning you.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  55

  New Girl

  by excitesinceredetermination in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello to everyone :) i wanted to introduce myself as a newbie.

  i was raised in and i am currently on active status due to most of my family being very much in, but i am so ready to be done and have felt that way for quite some time.

  internally i know this is not the right religion without a doubt.

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  ABibleStudent

  Hi excitesinceredetermination, The simplist way to send OneStepOut93 a PM is click on the preceeding link or her screen name above her avaitar, and then click on the "Send Message" link on the top navigation bar. To read message sent to you, click on the envelope at the top right near your screen name. Good luck with the JWN PM system, because sometimes you need to reload a PM to be able to read it.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  55

  New Girl

  by excitesinceredetermination in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello to everyone :) i wanted to introduce myself as a newbie.

  i was raised in and i am currently on active status due to most of my family being very much in, but i am so ready to be done and have felt that way for quite some time.

  internally i know this is not the right religion without a doubt.

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  ABibleStudent

  Welcome excitesinceredetermination, If you are planning to fade, I would recommend that you read Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and (his latest book) "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs"), visit his webiste, and/or watch the following video so that you will be prepared to communicate better with your JW family and friends, and possibly help awaken them.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-oF-Z_I7U

  Depending on your age and whether you are married or dependent on living with JW family members, you will need to make plans about getting a better education, getting a better job, possibly moving out, making new non-JW friends for emotional support, etc. Post often on JWN to vent about your feelings and to plan your fade so that your JW family and friends will not suspect that you no longer believe in the WTBTS until you are ready to leave.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  39

  Conversation with my JW co-worker!

  by Kool Jo in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  [if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>normal</w:view> <w:zoom>0</w:zoom> <w:trackmoves /> <w:trackformatting /> <w:punctuationkerning /> <w:validateagainstschemas /> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:saveifxmlinvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:ignoremixedcontent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext> <w:donotpromoteqf /> <w:lidthemeother>en-us</w:lidthemeother> <w:lidthemeasian>x-none</w:lidthemeasian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>x-none</w:lidthemecomplexscript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables /> <w:snaptogridincell /> <w:wraptextwithpunct /> <w:useasianbreakrules /> <w:dontgrowautofit /> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark /> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp /> <w:dontbreakconstrainedforcedtables /> <w:dontvertalignintxbx /> <w:word11kerningpairs /> <w:cachedcolbalance /> </w:compatibility> <w:browserlevel>microsoftinternetexplorer4</w:browserlevel> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont m:val="cambria math" /> <m:brkbin m:val="before" /> <m:brkbinsub m:val="&#45;-" /> <m:smallfrac m:val="off" /> <m:dispdef /> <m:lmargin m:val="0" /> <m:rmargin m:val="0" /> <m:defjc m:val="centergroup" /> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440" /> <m:intlim m:val="subsup" /> <m:narylim m:val="undovr" /> </m:mathpr></w:worddocument> </xml><![endif].

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  good day...so this is the conversation i had with a co-worker of mine i mentioned in an earlier thread...shes a jw and doesnt know that i was associated with the jws before and that im a fader.

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  ABibleStudent

  Hi Kool Jo, Your JW co-worker's behavior is very typical and predictible if you use Steve Hassan's model to understand dangerous cult members behavior. JWs have an authentic persona and a cult persona, so they may appear like two different people.

  Since cult members' behavior is predictible, you need to be flexible to penetrate her defenses. I would recommend reading Steve Hassan's books (especially his latest book "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs"), visiting his website, and/or watching the following video.

  www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw-oF-Z_I7U

  If you ask her about Candace Conti's case, first provide her specific examples about how the Catholic Church protected pedophile priests from law enforcement, ask her how she feels religions could protect children, and get her to talk about how she would feel if the Watchtower and its leaders protected pedophiles from being prosecuted. After she tells you about her feelings, then show her a news article about Candace Conti being awarded millions of dollars and ask her simple question about whether the Watchtower should be prosecuted for protecting that pedophile. If she remains silent, let her think until she says something in defense of the Watchtower or that she has to do paperwork, and then ask her simple questions such as why she is avoiding answering your question. Remember be flexible and be prepared to respond for predictible JW defenses such as platitudes, running away, and rationalizations.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  72

  Sickening Dilemma

  by ItsMyLife in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i would like to have your opinions on what i should do about a situation please.. i have recently discovered that a 'brother' in the congregation (which i no longer attend) is a child molester.

  i've seen documentation from his psychiatrist dated a few years ago, stating that he doesn't feel that this person is likely to offend again.

  the 'brother' has said to the elders at some point that he has it under control but cannot be 100% sure it won't happen again.

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  ABibleStudent

  Hi ItsMyLife, Other posters have given good advice to call the police and Child Protective Services to protect children. I hope that you become active protecting children.

  Have you thought about contacting Candace Conti's lawyer Rick Simons: Office - 510-582-1080 Ext. 19; [email protected] and ask whether it would be legal to make a copy of the WTBTS's file about this pedophile, or to let him know what you accidently saw and how the elders in your cong behaved? Something as simple as finding out names and contact information of past victims so that Rick Simons could contact them may help protect more children.

  By the way I sent you a PM with Rick Simon's contact information.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  2

  How will the US Payroll Tax Hike Affect the WTBTS?

  by ABibleStudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how will the us payroll tax hike affect the wtbts?

  according to the article u.s. payroll tax hike seen hurting charitable giving: survey, 1 in 5 people in the survey said that they would reduce their charitable giving because of the tax increase.

  if jws do not have well paying jobs, it would make sense that jws working for a paycheck will have less disposable income to give to the wtbts.. how do you feel the wtbts might respond to less revenue?

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  ABibleStudent

  How will the US payroll tax hike affect the WTBTS? According to the article U.S. payroll tax hike seen hurting charitable giving: survey, 1 in 5 people in the survey said that they would reduce their charitable giving because of the tax increase. If JWs do not have well paying jobs, it would make sense that JWs working for a paycheck will have less disposable income to give to the WTBTS.

  How do you feel the WTBTS might respond to less revenue? Institute mandatory tithing? How many JWs would revolt against mandatory tithing?

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
• 
  21

  The Guardian hints strongly at why cults like Watchtower get off so lightly with the UK press...

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this article explained a great deal.... http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/shortcuts/2013/jan/14/cant-read-scientology-book-uk.

  now i know a main reason why it is so difficult to get uk newspapers to pick up a good jw-related story.. it's not just because jws are a tiny religion.

  after all, scientology is arguably even smaller than jws, and they get more media exposure than we do.. it seems the extreme libel laws may be predominantly to blame for the watchtower's successful evasion of newpaper and television reports in the uk.. .

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  ABibleStudent

  Hi Cedars, Have you thought about writing to UK politicians about changing UK libel laws especially for organizations and maybe slightly for individuals? It seems that the WTBTS could use the same UK libel laws to attack UK based internet sites.

  Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

  Robert
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  25

  I blew up tonight!!!

  by msconcerned in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  watching "our whole association of brothers" for the meeting tonight, and we came to the part where the japanese brother lost his two kids and wife.

  he went on to relate that holy spirit helped him to cope with the loss.

  i came unglued!

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  ABibleStudent

  Sorry triple post.