Posts by Giordano

29

Activism works! Success!

by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

jw
friends

want to keep as short as possible, if any questions just ask.. just this weekend gone, i had two visitors (pimi single bros).they came round for a visit and a long chat.they had so many questions now that they have woken.

they are planning their fading(??

), one is an ministerial servant .

Giordano

A good example of leading......... not telling or insisting........ Zing.

The wall that the JW believer has built re their beliefs has to be brought down by that individual JW themselves. It must happen through their own research and their own process of establishing real facts and real truth.

The problem is Cognitive Dissonance. This is the main reason every conversation breaks down into an argument, hostility, or gross indifference to what you as a non believer has to say.

Cognitive dissonance is a concept in social psychology. It is the discomfort felt by a person who holds conflicting ideas, beliefs or values at the same time. In this state, people may feel surprise, dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment.

In short: In the field of psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental discomfort experienced by a person who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values. This discomfort is triggered by a situation in which a person's belief clashes with new evidence perceived by the person.

This is the working theory why every conversation with a believing JW usually falls on deaf ears. It becomes so disruptive that even the closest family member will be rejecting all the common sense you offered (been there tried to do that) because your 'truth' can not be fit into their 'truth'.

Eric Hopper wrote in The True Believer:

"All active mass movements strive, therefore, to interpose a fact-proof screen between the faithful and the realities of the world. ...by claiming that the ultimate and absolute truth is already embodied in their doctrine and that there is no truth nor certitude outside it. ...To rely on the evidence of senses and of reason is heresy and treason. It is startling to realize how much unbelief is necessary to make belief possible. What we know as blind faith is sustained by innumerable unbelief's."

Zing gets the right way to help people out of the religion.......... people have to be encouraged to look into their religion for themselves.

If you don't get that need from a JW to question their religion there is not much you can accomplish.

14

question about KH finance

by peacefulpete in

i've been free of the jws for many years now and have a question about kh finance.. 1. is it true that all khs belong to the wt now?

2. when remodeling is done who pays for it?.

3. how are utilities paid?

Giordano

If I understand correctly the Kingdom Hall ownership is turned over to the WTBTS corporation and a 'Rent' payment is now paid monthly. Even for those KH's that had paid off their mortgage.

It's a land and money grab approved by each local KH. Doesn't matter that you paid off your mortgage......... you still pay 'Rent'.

Doesn't matter that the hall was built with volunteer labor and usually kept in good repair.

Most KH's, which have been in use for decades are usually now worth more.

Over the years (decades) Cities and Townships have grown out to the rural area the Hall was located in. So the location may be far more desirable and valuable for any number of commercial businesses. Sitting next to a good road and providing more then adequate parking the simple interior can be modified to accommodate any business that zoning will permit.

Your KH today can become a dry cleaners or convenience store tomorrow.

Meanwhile that congregation must relocate to another KH that may be a serious distance away.

30

We pray for the governing body

by StephaneLaliberte in

since when has it become cool to pray for the gb?

i noticed that at the begining of my fade back in 2015, it had already been there for a good while and was already getting on my nerves.

i means, i grew up in it, but can't remember much further than the 90s and i don't remember this being always in the payers.

Giordano

From what I understand the 'Friends' was the term used back in Russell's era to distinguish the many people who supported his ideas as presented through the WTBTS publications.

Russell was often asked to meet with and present his beliefs to these early followers (who eventually formed the International Bible Students Association). Since transportation and housing was necessary as well as a warm and enthusiastic welcome he began to refer to those supporters as The Friends.

The tern stuck here in the USA and is still recognized and in use in an informal way.

9

Spinoza

by Hairtrigger in

did you know that when einstein attended some conferences in the numerous universities of the usa, the recurring question that the students asked him was:.

- do you believe in god?.

and he always answered:.

Giordano

Interesting and thoughtful I guess I agree with Spinoza......l I'll have whatever he's drinking.

Thanks for sharing Hair-trigger I'll have what ever your shooting.

6

visit to the doctor.

by zeb in

jw
friends

yes this am to discuss a coming procedure.. i told him i want nothing to do with the wt out of the twistings and bullshit they put up at the carc.. 'were they (wt) involved in that?

' says he.. and i told him a very brief run down..

Giordano

I am at a loss to understand exactly what you are talking about Zeb.

What is CARC?

What or who is the executive?

34

Seeking advice

by Mizalisa in

jw
friends

i'm not a jw, nor was i raised jw.

for the past three years i have been involved with a man who was raised jw, who at first told me he no longer believed as they did, but who, it has become clear over time, has not told his family or religious community the truth.

he has strung me along for years, never introduced me to anyone in his life.

Giordano

Hi and Welcome Mizalisa!

Here is a short list of what is wrong about the JW religion.

First off this is a 19th century religion with 19th century beliefs at it's core. There is no official position for women........ only men can be ministers or have a position of authority. Men are also the head of their household.

1.On a fundamental level........ the JW's are a death cult. Yes....... they long for the destruction of billions of non JW believers in the battle of Armageddon which they keep saying is just around the corner. Been saying that for a hundred plus years.

2. They hasten the death of their own believers with their ban on a life saving blood transfusion. Doesn't mater if it is a traumatic injury like a car accident or a fight to survive cancer. Under no conditions are you permitted to accept a blood transfusion. You can accept fractions of blood which is a poor substitute for whole blood. By the way no JW will donate their blood.

If a JW does take blood they will be shunned for the rest of their life. Nothing like a little pressure when it comes to your private medical needs. By the way the brothers who will counsel you about the medical dangers of a blood transfusion will be the same guys cleaning your hospital windows. The JW's do have window cleaning down to a science.

3. Higher education (anything above a high school diploma) is not encouraged. So in the Pew religious survey the JW's have the least higher education among ALL major religions. And they earn the Least income.

Instead of seeking additional education or job skills........your average JW spends about 20 hours a week in preparing for and attending meetings and going out in field service (door knocking) and conducting bible studies if they are lucky enough to have one. Throw in the time spent volunteering to work on building a new Kingdom Hall or cleaning or repairing their own Kingdom Hall. Or attending 2 or 3 Assemblies each year but hey that's what vacations are all about.

4. Pew also says they have the same divorce rate 11% as other religions.

5. The JW's also have the highest rate of people leaving the religion. 67% of born-ins leave.

6. And....... they have a huge pedophile problem. Their ancient 'two Witness' rule which dates back to the Old Testament makes it almost impossible to get rid of pedophiles.

Never trust a JW they will not hesitate to lie to you. A lie in their reality is called theocratic warfare.

20

Reinstatement/dating

by Pinky in

a month ago i was reinstated as a jehovah’s witness.

he was not disfellowshipped.

in my meeting i was told that i could not become involved with the man that i committed a sin with, which is adultery once i’m reinstated.

Giordano

Pinky I went back and reviewed your topics....... each and every one of them was marriage related. Being married, not being married....... dating and committing some manner of sexual sin and being reinstated.

All of this so far has been a big waste of your time.....unless you enjoy being disrespected.

You have been reinstated so it's an excellent time to step away and leave this slimy religion that in actuality does not have the truth and is made up of lies.

According to the Pew Religious survey the JW's have the same divorce rate as just about any other religion. They are also the least educated. And guess what? 67% of born-ins leave the religion according to the Pew Survey.

There are hundreds of ways to meet and date guys even ex JW's........ if that fits your comfort range......until you find the right person.

Start by checking dating sites on line....... just make sure they are not still in this or any other high control religion.

Rethink your life to this point....... is this the best way you can live? Think about finding worthwhile companions male and female who are not in foolish religions.

35

The biggest mistake.

by Half banana in

a long time ago, before television radio and films, before printing, before the invention of writing, people listened only to the spoken word—and the cry of birds, the wind whistling through the trees and the sea crashing on the sea shore.

before written text they knew about the gods because high up there in the night sky was where they lived; gods, goddesses and immortal heroes.

the constellations told of their exploits.

Giordano

The bible is not definitive......it is simply a compilation of edited writings which were selected or changed to favor which ever religion claimed to be the true religion.

"It shows us in our bible that we have the truth!"

Reading the bible is akin to reading an encyclopedia that was written hundreds if not thousands of years ago. It might give you a laugh or two or maybe even a tad of insight in how things were....... then.

We have any number of variations/translations as needed by most specialized religions like the JW's, the Catholic Church, Mormons etc.

The way to legitimize your beliefs is to put them into your version of the bible.

I have always found it interesting that Jesus never wrote anything down. To this day we have not found a scrap of writing even though he was surrounded by people who could write.

74

The impact and consequences of being born into the jehovahs witness cult.

by RayoFlight2014 in

hi from new south wales australia.

fyi , it's tuesday 10th september 2:36am here.. i am categorically not going to blame the cult for every poor choice.

i am conscious of the fact that i was at a genetically determined disadvantage academically; i was never going to be outstanding in my achievements, no matter how hard i tried.

Giordano

Hi Rayo and welcome!

When my wife and I left the JW construct in our young twenties we had one C-minus high school diploma between us. We had little to nothing in our lives when we broke with the so called truth. All the WT reading I had done up to this point counted for nothing. But thank goodness I was a reader and was able to go into a library and pick out anything that I was curious about.

Two books made the critical difference for me back in the early 1960's (No internet in those days). The first was The True Believer by Eric Hoffer, a longshoreman who became a blue collar Social Philosopher who analyzed Mass Movements that turned out True Believers. Oddly enough he never mentioned the JW's or the WTBTS though he described them to a tee. Here is a quote I referenced recently:

All active mass movements strive, therefore, to interpose a fact-proof screen between the faithful and the realities of the world. ...by claiming that the ultimate and absolute truth is already embodied in their doctrine and that there is no truth nor certitude outside it. ...To rely on the evidence of senses and of reason is heresy and treason. It is startling to realize how much unbelief is necessary to make belief possible. What we know as blind faith is sustained by innumerable unbelief's.

I also read The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich........ After finishing that book there was no doubt in my mind that the Corporate structure of the WT never had any special connection to a god. It was all made up BS. A 100 million people died in WW2 and no god interfered on any level. In fact God's original chosen ones were exterminated as were the JW's.

It didn't take me long to cancel my positions in the congregation and with my wonderful wife, who was my pioneer partner, pack up and leave.

Since this was in the mid 1960's......Vietnam was becoming a death zone for American Soldiers, and I was now eligible to be drafted. Then a few years later The Society launched 1975. My thought at that point was 'Damn my timing really sucked".

We also missed Woodstock as we had a new baby son. He did keep me out of Vietnam and in return we kept him out of the JW world.

1975 came and went and it was in March of 76 before I remembered.

When you totally don't set your calendar on any meeting night, or Assembly or the Memorial you know your out.

37

Do You Think People Have Forgotten About 9/11?

by minimus in

jw
friends

after all these years, it seems to me that people do not properly take note of what happened on this date in 2001. for some, it’s like nothing major happened.

for me it is a day of reflection..

Giordano

People have forgotten the year the Civil war ended or the end or WW1 and the beginning of WW2 ........ Pearl Harbor.

As a generation passes away the event does not have the same effect on the children whose parents and grand parents lived through it.

We honor that generation but it's hard to feel the emotions...... it's in the past........ but 911 is still in our minds...... we are still effected by the attack....We are still part of the generation that can ask and answer the question.........Where were you when 911 happened? As long as we can ask and answer that question.........we will remember.