Posts by ABibleStudent

33

Witness wants to come and vist. What to do?

by MsD in

jw
friends

so i haven't studied with this witness since october.

she had taken over when the other could not study with me.

reasons unknown to me other than that she told me her and husband had separated.

ABibleStudent

Wecome and Hi MsD, If you no longer want to study with JWs, just have one or both copies of Raymond Franz's books (i.e., "Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search of Christian Freedom") and at least one of Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Organizations"). As soon as she sees the books or photocopies of the title pages, she will probably excuse herself from any further studies with you. JWs do not like to waste their time trying to indoctrinate people how are knowledgeable about the WTBTS and Dangerous Cults. Independent knowledge and thought is like Kryptonite to JWs.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

21

SkyGreen is no longer one of Jehovahs Witnesses... Why?

by SkyGreen in

jw
friends

wow it felt good to type that heading, if only it were officially true!.

i guess i dont want to dwell on "ttatt" too much, though i am now an inactive jw now, and will be forever, i dont want to be defined by that.

but i will certainly keep an eye on this forum, contribute where i feel i can, and i must say thankyou to those who moderate it and keep it running.

ABibleStudent

Hi SkyGreen, You wrote a well thoughtout letter about your reasons, but how will your mother relate to your reasons? What does she value in being a JW? Is it her circle of friends? Is it her beliefs? Has she put too much time into the lie that she cannot see the truth?

Do you want to continue to have a loving relationship with your mother? If you do, I would recommend that you buy one of Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Organizations"). If you own a Kindle, you can buy the "Freedom of Mind" (his latest book and the one that most applies to your situation) as an e-book on Amazon.com, if you don't want your husband to see it until he has his TTATT moment. I would also recommend that you spend time with your mother to show her that you are still a loving and Christian person, introducing her to non-JWs who might have similiar interests, and how wonderful the world is without the WTBTS.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

46

The BEST way to "wake up" a JW

by Phizzy in

we have debated this over many years and in many threads, as all of us have family and/or former friends still in.

it seems that there is no "best" way to wake up a jw, it is as elusive as the "true" religion it seems.. but a comment made by poster "emery" on another thread stood out to me, he/she said :.

"what i have gathered is that most witnesses seem to be in it for emotional reasons.

ABibleStudent

Phizzy - "We have debated this over many years and in many threads, as all of us have family and/or former friends still in. It seems that there is no "Best" way to wake up a JW, it is as elusive as the "true" religion it seems."

Knowing what motivates a JW to be a JW is very important to help them break the WTBTS's mind control. Unfortunately, a JW having an authentic and cult persona makes it confusing and complex. Probably only a person, who is trained in Steve Hassan's methods and has prior experience, could consistantly help JWs to overcome their cult indoctrination. In the long-term the WTBTS will probably help awaken more JWs as the WTBTS trys to tighten and victimize JWs.

For the average person the best thing to do is to prep-the-battlefield by introducing JWs to non-JWs, who a JW's authentic persona can connect with; do activities that their authentic persona likes; and ,initially, ask simple and non-threating questions about how they feel about issues that are not related to WTBTS doctrines and ask more challenging questions much later. After doing something non-JW with a JW, ask the JW how they feel and reinforce their positive feelings.

Unfortunately, JWs will back slide because of their cult persona, so different outcomes will occur depending on the relationship between the JW and the person helping the JW. A person who is related to a JW and is considered a JW in "good standing" (brain dead) will have a better chance of success helping a JW than a non-JW, who the JW is romantically interested in. Never underestimate WTBTS indoctrination.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

42

Just joined

by Gojira_101 in

this is my first time posting on here.

i've been inactive for 3 months now and my husband and i are going the fading way.

i was born and raised in this religion and now after almost 30 years, they have taken most everything from me.

ABibleStudent

Gojira_101 - " . . . Again thank you all for your comments and I can't remember who said it, but there is one thing I'm going to see what other have to say and that is baptisim! I don't feel right being baptised to an organization, but I don't know where I can go to be baptised without being baptised to a religion. I have some research to do!"

Hi Gojira_101, If you want to be baptisied as a Christian, I would contact a Luthern, Presbyterian, or Episcopalian minister and explain your situation to them. There is a big difference between being a Luthern, Presbyterian, Episcopalian, or JW. Only JWs shun former members: the other religions practice unconditional love as taught by Jesus Christ. Also, only the Watchtower would want to contact whichever religion baptized you before to attempt to nullify your baptism.

If ministers from the aforementioned religion will not baptize you, you could just baptize yourself in a pool. I feel that God and Jesus Christ would understand.

I was only a baby when I was baptised and was a child when I had to study the Episcopalian religion to receive communion. I don't believe that you would have to join a religion to get baptized, but you would have to study the religion to receive communion.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

42

Just joined

by Gojira_101 in

this is my first time posting on here.

i've been inactive for 3 months now and my husband and i are going the fading way.

i was born and raised in this religion and now after almost 30 years, they have taken most everything from me.

ABibleStudent

Welcome Gojira_101, I'm sorry that you Aunt is behaving so badly to you. Have you considered contacting the police or social services about your Aunt's actions to see if they might be able to help you visit your grandmother? If you haven't already read Steve Hassan's books ( (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Organizations") or visited his website, I would do it as quickly as possible. Steve Hassan will give you ideas how to communicate better with your grandmother, so that your aunt is not able to turn your grandmother against you.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

61

Im a non JW and i'm interested in a JW

by littlebigtown123 in

i'm interested in this girl and shes a jw.

i went to the meetings and i was bored out of my mind.

i can see how the religion is very appealing to people.

ABibleStudent

Welcome littlebigtown123 to JWN. The best advice I can give you is RUN away as quickly as possible to preserve your emotional health. I also fell in love with a "Spiritually Strong" (gag!) JW woman and thought that love was stronger than an organization and that I believed that an organization would not lie about being a religion. I was wrong on both counts. "Spiritually Strong" (brain dead) JWs will bindly follow the WTBTS, and the WTBTS is a dangerous cult (or org) and believes it is ok to lie - its called "Theocratic Warfare Strategy". Since I did not fall for the WTBTS' BITE control tactics, I was not considered eligible material by my JW and she stopped trying to see me and avoids going to places that she loved to go because she might run into me.

If you don't like my best advice and really believe that you love this JW woman, then I would strongly recommend that you read Steve Hassan's latest book at the very least, find out if your JW is "Spiritually Strong" (brain dead) or "Spiritually Weak" (still does some thinking for herself), learn as much as you can about the WTBTS from non-WTBTS sources, and introduce your JW to as many non-JWs and non-JW activities as possible. You can start researching the WTBTS on www.jwfacts.com, wikipedia.org, and you can research about organizations like the WTBTS on www.freedomofmind.com. Steve Hassan has written the following books: "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Organizations". If you own a Kindle, you can buy the "Freedom of Mind" (his latest book) as an e-book on Amazon.com.

I am sorry that no matter what you choose, you will go through a lot of heart ache. It sucks that dangerous cults are able to control and victimize people.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

29

My Story

by nolongerconfused in

well...where do i start.... i was raised in the truth...always knowing that there was nothing better out there besides the wt...however, recently i have a made a determination to not go "anywhere"...in all of my almost 35 years of being part of this "organization" i can honestly say i never read the bible as i do today...my "personal" study of the bible has more meaning today than it ever did...after reading the bible i have found many inconsistencies in the wt organization...i hold no grudges or hard feelings towards anyone in the organization, including the so called governing body...i just believe that human imperfection has taken it's toll on this organization...however, that is no excuse to act as a false prophet or assume things that only belong jehovah and his son...the bible is the truth, and jesus said such truth will set us free...i served as a pioneer all of my youth, and served as a ms...as of today i don't partake in that kind of manmade "service"... i'm truly against monthly time reports, special titles of service, asking for donations, judicial committees, among other things...some people may ask why?...well, none of these things are biblical!...some have told me, well the gb is now the faithful and discreet slave...and i say, as determined by who?...nowhere in my personal reading of the bible does it say that there was or there would ever be a gb...this group of men was self appointed...anything self appointed or self made up is definitely not discreet or faithful...jesus never ever appointed such a group.... a family member of mine passed away 2 years ago...he was never a "witness"...but i did preach to him once in a while so he "knew" about god...he just never wanted to be part of this organization...yet, when he passed away i was told repeatedly by the brothers and resurrection publications that i will see him in paradise... i thought to myself, but jehovah is the only one that determines or says who will resurrect (weather heavenly or earth)...i always thought...we as men are nobody to classify or determine that being part of a certain "organization" is the only way to salvation...jesus never said such thing...yet some may say that jehovah has always used an organization giving an moses and the israelite "organization" as an example...but then i say, well jesus is the end of the old covenant...we don't need an organization to be our mediator between us and the true god...jesus is the only mediator.... i could just say so many other things, but i felt like sharing this with all of you...as i cannot share this with any family members or brothers since i would be considered an apostate...i truly believe god is the only judge and i will hold myself accountable to him and no one else.... thanks for reading.... .

ABibleStudent

Welcome nolongerconfused to JWN. Jgnat asked you a good question about how your family feels about your beliefs. I encourage you to do as much independent research as you can about the WTBTS and post frequently on JWN to help you to control your feelings. You can start researching the WTBTS on www.jwfacts.com, wikipedia.org, and you can research about organizations like the WTBTS on www.freedomofmind.com.

Have you read any of Steve Hassan's books (i.e., "Combatting Cult Mind Control", "Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves", and "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones to Leave Controlling People, Cults, and Organizations") or visited his website ? If you have not read any of Hassan's books and own a Kindle, you can buy the "Freedom of Mind" as an e-book on Amazon.com. You should read Steve Hassan's books to help you communicate with your JW family and Friends and to help you heal also.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

P.S. - If JWs ask, "you where else will you go?" You should has them don't they mean "To whom"? (refer to John 6:60-70 below)

John 6:60-70 (1984 NIV Bible)
Many Disciples Desert Jesus
60 On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
61 Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit [e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
67 “You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. 69 We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
70 Then Jesus replied, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” 71 (He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray him.)

22

I've just been 'Outted' by my own sister

by Newly Enlightened in

i thought that we could just fade away peacefully, but i guess my mother told my sister that we no longer wanted to be jehovah's witnesses so now all hell is breaking loose.. .

it's a relief tho.

i feel really sad and upset also, because my mom lives with my sister and now has been forbidden from contacting me or vice versa.

ABibleStudent

Hi Newly Enlightened, I'm sorry that your sister is being such a pain to you. The other posters have made great suggestions.

The only new suggesion that I can give you is buy your mother a present of a Kindle, iPad, or tablet to "help her in her field service (an excuse)" and save Steve Hassan's e-book "Freedom of Mind: Helping Loved Ones Leave Controlling People, Cults and Beliefs" on it. Also, show or write her how to read e-books, email and/or text you, and how to search the internet.

Your daughter could send you nephew Steve Hassan's e-book to if he has a Kindle, iPad, or tablet, and send links to your nephew like www.jwfacts.com, JWN, www.freedomofmind.com, and other exJW sites.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

9

What if a Jehovah's Witness lives next door to an apostate? Is he/she told to hate him/her by direct order from the Watchtower

by I_love_Jeff in

surely there must be many jehovah's witnesses out there that live next door or near an "apostate"?????

do they love them and follow the words of jesus christ or hate them as the watchtower suggests?

how would a jehovah's witness respond to this?

ABibleStudent

Hi I_love_Jeff, JWs do not have to hate you to obey the WTBTS. All JWs have to do is shun or avoid you. I know that I am not an apostate or an exJW. Two elders told my former friend who was a JW to stop seeing/talking to me. Over time my former friend did what the elders wanted because she was able to see me as a threat to her beliefs in the WTBTS.

As the United Negro College Fund use to advertize, "The Mind is a terrible thing to waste." May all cults disappear sooner rather than later.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert

74

New video: Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower's secret child abuse letter

by cedars in

we have decided to let the world know what happened when our websites were shut down earlier this month by means of this new video..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_9efi84qnc.

huge thanks to nugget for lending us her gorgeous voice, and also to cantleave for his cameo role as the voice of the big bad watchtower!

cedars.

ABibleStudent

Hi Cedars, Good video. Have you thought about sending the BOE letter and the WTBTS' copyright infringement letter to Candace Conti's attorney Rick Simons? Those letters might be able to provide additional support to Candace Conti's case during the Appeal Process, because it would further prove the type of organization that the WTBTS is. I cannot believe how stupid the WTBTS was to acknowledge that the BOE letter was legitimate.

Peace be with you and everyone, who you love,

Robert