Posts by ABibleStudent

52

Maximum Damage to the WT.

by Essan in

i have to hand it to the society.

they understand the power of organization.

they demonstrate that no matter how ridiculous your message and how much the facts don't support your position you can still accomplish a lot if you are organized.

ABibleStudent

Mad Sweeney - I've sent Anony Mous, for example, a bunch of email addresses of elders and MSs I used to know for him to use in his email campaign. . . .
So there is some collaboration and cross-promotion going on already. What seems to be missing is an information clearinghouse where ex-JWs can reach a wide audience of like-minded people who are doing similar projects, who would be interested in participating in or aiding those projects, or who would benefit from those projects. . . .

Although I feel that it would be better for everyone to send an anonymous or non-anonymous emails to friends and relatives, I will offer to send anonymous emails like I described in the thread "Youe've Got Mail!" . For the past year, I have been writing the "BibleStudent Blog" on the JWSF to empower JWs, former JWs, and non-JWs to free the minds and Holy Spirit of JWs. I have tried to make the "BibleStudent Blog" a single source of information to help people and contains my thoughts, comments from others, and information that I have collected in the past year. I wish that the JWN , JWSF , and other forums would have seperate sections for helping newbies and truth seekers (i.e., lurkers) learn about Steve Hassan's books, Raymond Franz's books, and reading about ex-JWs experience in fading and maintaining family relationships and to organize how to change the WTBTS.

Somedays I wonder what would happen to the WTBTS if they lost their tax-exempt status. What if governments changed their tax codes so that organizations would have to pass criteria to prevent mind controlling organizations from being granted tax exempt status. My ultimate dream would be that personal income tax would be replaced with a retail sales tax, but too many organizations (i.e., tax lawyers & accountants, charities, real estate agents, etc.) would fight such a common sense change.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent (on the JWN) BibleStudent (on the JWSF)

69

Who has NOT read Combatting Cult Mind Control or Crisis of Conscience?

by Mad Sweeney in

a lot of people here have read and highly recommend ccmc by steven hassan and coc by ray franz, myself included.

i don't know how i would have handled leaving the borg without that knowledge.. so thinking that got me to wondering, who here has not read them (or has read one but not the other), and how are you coping with exiting the borg?

did you get counseling?

ABibleStudent

If you want to read more about Steve Hassan, you can visit his website at www.freedomofmind . If you want to get “Combatting Cult Mind Control” for free go to your local library – that’s what I did. If you want to read the highlights of “Combatting Cult Mind Control” you can read Combating Destructive Mind Control – Part I and Combating Destructive Mind Control - Part II on JWN. If you want to read how to possibly adapt Steve Hassan’s techniques to born-in JWs you can read Combating Destructive Mind Control - Part III . It would be nice to add people’s experiences to those threads so that other new forum members would benefit from everyone’s experiences.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

28

European Court to favor the WT and condemns the French goverment

by Nick! in

jw
friends

this news was announced today on the journal "le monde": http://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2011/06/30/temoins-de-jehovah-la-cour-europeenne-des-droits-de-l-homme-condamne-la-france_1543102_3224.html#xtor=rss-3208.

unfortunately, the european court of human rights has just condemned the french government against jehovahs witnesses.

if you recall, the french state was claiming 23 million euro (abt 33 million us dollars) taxes on contributions received by the french watchtower during the years 1993-96, which, by now, had climbed to about 58 million euro (abt 83 million us dollars) counting interests and charges.. it is not easy to size the wt.

ABibleStudent

I wonder of the French Government could subpoena every Watchtower publication that was printed in French to prove that the WTBTS is not a Christian religion. Isn’t a Christian someone who follows Jesus Christ? Don’t JWs follow what the GB says? Hasn’t the WTBTS printed enough articles to convince a court that the WTBTS is a mind-controlling cult and not a bona fide religion? I am sure that there are many French ex-JWs who would be willing to testify about shunning, the WTBTS views about associating with “Worldlly” people, and Theocratic “Strategy” or “Warfare”. If nothing else, it would be nice if the European Court at least sanctioned the WTBTS for shunning ex-JWs in Europe.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

5

A letter to my MS father.

by Velour in

it's been over a year since i've left.

i wasn't df and i haven't officially da myself.

when i left my father told me with a look in his face i've never seen before, "oh, you'll have so much fun out there in the world.

ABibleStudent

Hi Velour, I am sorry to hear about your situation. Have you read Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control)? Have you visited Steve Hassan's website (www.freedomofmind.com)? Don't play by the WTBTS rules!! Keep trying to communicate with your family. I am no expert and would recommend that you send your father/family pictures of yourself having fun in cards and emails, and inviting your father/family to celebrations (i.e., birthdays, Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc). I would not ask your father and family any questions about the WTBTS unless they bring them up. I will also say that if your father/family asks in a superior tone of voice "How are you doing in the World?", that you should be able to say "Fantastic. How do you feel about (something that you know bothers them about the WTBTS)?" in a sweet tone of voice.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

32

Could a Cult personality be someone's Authentic Personality

by cantleave in

jw
friends

we all know theory, that a cult personality masks the authentic.

but after reading some of the cult indoctrinated posters here , i am beginning to think that they are showing their authentic personalities.. they don't appear to show any true human emotion or demonstrate any independant thinking ability, ony what they are told feel and think by the cult.

is it possible that some people are born to be cult members in order to survive?.

ABibleStudent

Anything is possible. Most people develop the most emotionally, physically, and intellectually between the ages of 0-25, therefore a born-in or a less than 4-year old convert would not have had the chance to discover their authentic personality. A male narcissistic or sociopathic personality would thrive in the WTBTS, because they would know how to manipulate the system for their benefit.

The only time that you can tell the authentic personality is when you get the JW out of the WTBTS influences and doing something that they love. I know this because my Former Friend and I had a lot of fun dancing, going for hikes, blading, etc., but after a DC or assembly you could see the dramatic change in her personality as the JW persona stated exerting control.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

30

A Shunning Story

by leavingwt in

jw
friends

this is a shunning story that was recently conveyed to me by email.

i have changed the names/dates to protect the privacy of the individuals.

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ABibleStudent

Violia - Their version is so different- we are the monsters who are biting the hands that fed us. We cause the grief. Where do you start to reason with folks whose views are so far apart?

This is a traumatic story and I feel that religion should not be used to break-up families. Anyone who is shunned does not have to play be the WTBTS rules!! Everyone who is shunned should send emails and cards with pictures to their familly and friends showing JWs that there is life after the WTBTS and to invite JWs to Birthday, Christmas, Thanksgiving, 4th of July, etc. celebrations. Who can predict which card or email will awaken a JW from the WTBTS coma?

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

41

The urge to convert people

by J. Hofer in

jw
friends

where does the urge to convert people to ones own view come from?.

i grew up a jehovah's witness and jehovah's witnesses are always right.

that's where i learned to always be right and it took me years to realize that i could also "agree to disagree", although i still often forget about this.

ABibleStudent

J. Hofer- where does the urge to convert people to ones own view come from?
. . . .
did you ever detect that sort of behaviour on yourself? have you found a way to overcome that urge? do you have any suggestions for dogrulz to overcome this urge? (optionally you could apply that to me too)

I feel that people want to convert people to their own view for at least the following reasons:

1) They learned the behavior from their parents or other significant influence (i.e., WTBTS).

2) They are predisposed to proving to themselves that they are important and need other people to agree with them (i.e., narcissist and sociopaths)

3) They are very passionate about something, want to make a difference, and are very inflexible in their thinking (i.e., do not think outside the box and do things the way they always have).

4) Some people are scared about something in life, and feel if people agree with them that they have made the correct decision. Most people are not narcissist and sociopaths, so I made a separate reason for most people.

I try to always remember Mt 22:37-40. I am not always successful, but at least I try to remember that I do not like it when other people want to force their opinions on me, so I should not force my opinions on others. I also focus on what is my goal. I do not believe that I will attain my goals by arguing with someone. I usually attain my goals through negociation, asking questions, and being flexible and creative.

Mt 22:37-40 (NIV 2008) 37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ [b] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ [c] 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

17

Does this tell us how desperate they are to paint those who leave as evil??

by therevealer in

jw
friends

in the watchtower ?

july 15, 2011 15 this is how they portray ones who simply leave after seeing the light.

but notice how before the article ends they move on to satan and his wicked world.

ABibleStudent

Let's see! I'm a Christian because I serve Our Father by following the teachings of Jesus Christ as written in the Bible and guided by the Holy Spirit. JWs say they serve Our Father, Jehovah, and read all of the Bible, but they follow whatever is written by the WTBTS instead of what is written in the Bible. So, who is the apostate according to the Bible? This has got to be a trick question for JWs.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

P.S. - I am also a sinner, because I have not been perfect. Hopefully, I am getting better.

32

Danish article about shunning. Very interesting.

by worried in

i just found a danish article in "jyllands posten" (yea, the ones who printed drawings of muhammed once).

i hope that my translation is ok, otherwise, please tell me if there is somewhere you dont understand it.. .

jehovahs witnesses to be investigatedmembers are encouraged by the leaders, to cease contact with those leaving the society.. .

ABibleStudent

I hope that Danish ex-JWs send their politicians the July 15, 2011 Watchtower about shunning; the 3/15/69, 11/15/70, 2/1/74, 3/15/99 Watchtowers about avoiding "Worldly" people; and any Watchtowers/Awake!/other WTBTS literature about Theocratic Warfare/Strategy. The WTBTS' stances on shunning for disagreeing with their doctrines, avoiding "Worldly" people, and lying to "Worldy" people should make any politician wonder about whether the WTBTS is a healthy religion or a distructive cult.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent

15

A BIG Welcome to the Newbies :-)

by snowbird in

jw
friends

it's good that y'all are here.

please stay for a while.

syl.

ABibleStudent

A big welcome to the newbies and those who haven't posed yet (i.e., lurkers)!! Everyone is welcome here to exchange ideas and opinions.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

ABibleStudent