headisspinning

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Posts by headisspinning

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  14

  Who's Bringing Reproach on Jehovah's Name NOW?

  by headisspinning in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this thought isn't fully formed, but maybe someone can expand on it.... i've been keeping an eye on the situation developing with steven unthank's case against the wt in australia - how they have completely disregarded the law about child abuse registry checks for elders - and it seems to be that they've done the very thing we all lived in fear of doing: bringing reproach on jehovah's name.. they talk about how if jw's engage in wrong conduct they are bringing reproach on god's name, or how satan has heaped reproach on jehovah's name... well, it seems to me they are doing an awfully good job of it themselves.... in addition look at the qualifications for an elder as laid out in 1 timothy... with these words in mind, it seems to me the gb have since disqualified themselves.... 1 timothy 3:1-7 .

  1 it is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

  2 an overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,.

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  headisspinning

  I thought this information on 'brazen conduct' out of the Flock book on page 60 was particularly fitting consider the WT/GB 'disregard for... laws and authority' which in the case of child abuse laws 'violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable'...
  
  9. Brazen conduct, loose conduct : (Gal. 5:19) The Greek word translated "brazen conduct," or "loose conduct," is a·sel'gei·a... Another lexicon defines a·sel'gei·a as conduct that "violates all bounds of what is socially acceptable." Rather than relating to bad conduct of a somewhat petty or minor nature, "brazen conduct"describes acts that reflect an attitude that betrays disrespect, disregard, or even contempt for divine standards, laws, and authority.

  I would say completely ignoring laws put in place to protect children is far from socially acceptable and indicates a disrespectful, comptemptuous attitude towards Caesar's laws and authority = BRAZEN conduct
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  6

  Rescuing Our Children: An Exercise

  by headisspinning in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my husband and i both have two older children living with our ex spouses - all four have been fully indoctrinated and 3 of the 4 are showing no signs of wavering.. we both want our children to leave the cult as soon as possible but we feel very limited and even powerless to help them.. we are both trying to deprogram ourselves and waves of terror and guilt still wash over both of us although it is getting better with time and distance.. but we sometimes wonder if we could be doing more to rescue the kids.. so, as an exercise to help us get our minds around what we can do to help (even little things) we have a new way we are trying to look at the situation.

  i will try to explain:.

  basically, instead of thinking in terms of 'religion' we are likening the situation to a family that has decided to eat an alternative diet that centres around complex supplements that we were both raised on and told would allow us to live forever.

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  headisspinning

  My husband and I both have two older children living with our ex spouses - all four have been fully indoctrinated and 3 of the 4 are showing no signs of wavering.

  We both want our children to leave the cult as soon as possible but we feel very limited and even powerless to help them.

  We are both trying to deprogram ourselves and waves of terror and guilt still wash over both of us although it is getting better with time and distance.

  But we sometimes wonder if we could be doing more to rescue the kids.

  So, as an exercise to help us get our minds around what we can do to help (even little things) we have a new way we are trying to look at the situation. I will try to explain:

  Basically, instead of thinking in terms of 'religion' we are likening the situation to a family that has decided to eat an alternative diet that centres around complex supplements that we were both raised on and told would allow us to live forever. Because of circumstances in life we both ran out of the diet/supplements and suffered terrible withdrawal symptoms... but now, we are waking up and realizing that we were actually being poisoned!

  Now we are fully awake and see that our families and most important our children are stupified under the effects of this diet/supplements and no matter how much we shake them or try to warn them, the ONLY way to get them off this poison is to somehow interfere with the supply. No amount of reasoning with them will work - they still firmly believe they are going to live forever and we are going to die because we stopped the diet/supplements.

  So the big question now is - if this was just a matter of a diet/supplements and religion was not a factor, what would a good parent do? Would a good parent just go along with things and hope that someday, somehow the kids might realize? Or would we switch into emergency mode and do anything in our power to stop our kids from being poisoned?

  Like I said, this is just an exercise that we are in the process of working through so we don't know the answers just yet... but we are finding it helpful and maybe some of you will find it useful as well.

  :) HIS
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  14

  Who's Bringing Reproach on Jehovah's Name NOW?

  by headisspinning in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this thought isn't fully formed, but maybe someone can expand on it.... i've been keeping an eye on the situation developing with steven unthank's case against the wt in australia - how they have completely disregarded the law about child abuse registry checks for elders - and it seems to be that they've done the very thing we all lived in fear of doing: bringing reproach on jehovah's name.. they talk about how if jw's engage in wrong conduct they are bringing reproach on god's name, or how satan has heaped reproach on jehovah's name... well, it seems to me they are doing an awfully good job of it themselves.... in addition look at the qualifications for an elder as laid out in 1 timothy... with these words in mind, it seems to me the gb have since disqualified themselves.... 1 timothy 3:1-7 .

  1 it is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.

  2 an overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,.

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  headisspinning

  This thought isn't fully formed, but maybe someone can expand on it...

  I've been keeping an eye on the situation developing with Steven Unthank's case against the WT in Australia - how they have completely disregarded the law about child abuse registry checks for elders - and it seems to be that they've done the very thing we all lived in fear of doing: Bringing reproach on Jehovah's name.

  They talk about how if JW's engage in wrong conduct they are bringing reproach on God's name, or how Satan has heaped reproach on Jehovah's name... well, it seems to me they are doing an awfully good job of it themselves...

  In addition look at the qualifications for an elder as laid out in 1 Timothy... with these words in mind, it seems to me the GB have since disqualified themselves...

  1 Timothy 3:1-7
  1 It is a trustworthy statement: if any man aspires to the office of overseer, it is a fine work he desires to do.
  2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
  3 not addicted to wine or pugnacious, but gentle, peaceable, free from the love of money.
  4 He must be one who manages his own household well, keeping his children under control with all dignity
  5 (but if a man does not know how to manage his own household, how will he take care of the church of God?),
  6 and not a new convert, so that he will not become conceited and fall into the condemnation incurred by the devil.
  7 And he must have a good reputation with those outside the church, so that he will not fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

  Hmmmm....
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  8

  Do These Look Strangely Familiar?

  by headisspinning in

  1. social
  2. humour

  i thought the following advertisement for the online game "are you smarter than a fifth grader?

  " was rather interesting... is it just me?.

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  headisspinning

  I thought the following advertisement for the online game "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?" was rather interesting... is it just me?

  
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  27

  Census / online survey idea - thoughts please...

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i've been thinking about the recent developments in the uk following the "apostates = mentally diseased" article in the july 15th edition of the watchtower.

  to provide a bit more background, a forum member named amelia has recently had a meeting with uk police officers who subsequently took a copy of the article for their records.

  they agreed that the content could potentially incite people to hatred against disaffected witnesses, and the copy is now on file with the uk police in case there are any future incidents of hateful acts against "apostates", including violence or even stalking.. i am working on a press release to make the public more aware of the idealogical oppression being meted out by the society on those who oppose them, both inside and outside the organization.

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  headisspinning

  Sounds great, Cedars.

  I re-read what I said and I hope it didn't come across as critical. I didn't mean it that way... or at least nothing more than CONSTRUCTIVE criticism but in a positive way!

  This really is a GREAT idea~!
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  27

  Census / online survey idea - thoughts please...

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i've been thinking about the recent developments in the uk following the "apostates = mentally diseased" article in the july 15th edition of the watchtower.

  to provide a bit more background, a forum member named amelia has recently had a meeting with uk police officers who subsequently took a copy of the article for their records.

  they agreed that the content could potentially incite people to hatred against disaffected witnesses, and the copy is now on file with the uk police in case there are any future incidents of hateful acts against "apostates", including violence or even stalking.. i am working on a press release to make the public more aware of the idealogical oppression being meted out by the society on those who oppose them, both inside and outside the organization.

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  headisspinning

  Cedars

  I'm not entirely 100% about your questions... I would ask the board to help sharpen some of them.

  For example, the one about why people were disfellowshipped asks if the individal 'Broke a Bible Command'... the truth is, people get disfellowshipped for breaking WatchTower/GB commands. I think that should be highlighted.

  To be most effective, you need to completely NAIL the top ten (or nine) MOST effective questions and ask them in the MOST precise way. To do that, you need serious feedback.

  The lack of comments you are getting is indicating that maybe someone has tried this before OR the Senior members are hesitating getting involved for some reason.

  BEFORE you launch this, I would suggest that you open up to a complete overhaul of the questions and also find out why the key players on this board and not getting too involved.

  :) HIS
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  58

  So why

  by bushido8000 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it has become very apparent to me very quickly that this forum is dominated by ex-jws.

  i have many questions and topics to present but i first want to know who i am presenting these questions and topics to so i have 2 questions that i would like as many of yall to answer as possible.. .

  question 1: did you leave the organization out of the blue or were you first disfellowshipped?.

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  headisspinning

  I was what a JW would term 'justly disfellowshipped'. I was in an abusive marriage. We were separated for two years with no hope of reconciliation.

  In a bizarre twist of circumstance (I hesitate to say 'fate') I reconnected with my true love and I chose to marry him.

  Given the Watchtower's view of divorce, I was disfellowshipped.

  I never wanted to leave the Organization. I tried very hard to follow the instructions given in a difficult marriage and I stayed in it for 13 years. I finally had to leave because my life was in danger.

  There are police records to prove this.

  For the next year and a half, I tried very hard to get reinstated. I attended the meetings, studied my Watchtower and humbly sat at the back of the hall. I seated and exited discreetly.

  THREE times I plead for help to get reinstated.

  Because my situation involved adultery which was termed 'schemed' and although I greatly disputed that... and although there were very extenuating circumstances... which I have detailed extensively in previous posts... I was repeatedly denied.

  So maybe you could even broaden your question... for me, the bitterness happened after. After I did everything I was told to do. After I almost died and was told to go back to an abuser who threatened to 'burn the house down' with me in it. After I cried and prayed and plead with the elders to no avail...

  I hope this is helpful.
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  27

  Census / online survey idea - thoughts please...

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i've been thinking about the recent developments in the uk following the "apostates = mentally diseased" article in the july 15th edition of the watchtower.

  to provide a bit more background, a forum member named amelia has recently had a meeting with uk police officers who subsequently took a copy of the article for their records.

  they agreed that the content could potentially incite people to hatred against disaffected witnesses, and the copy is now on file with the uk police in case there are any future incidents of hateful acts against "apostates", including violence or even stalking.. i am working on a press release to make the public more aware of the idealogical oppression being meted out by the society on those who oppose them, both inside and outside the organization.

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  headisspinning

  I have put together a few surveys for work with Survey Monkey. Maybe you could put together a list of 10 questions to start and then start a thread and see what additional questions could be added. I've noticed the board is very helpful with this sort of thing if you can just get the ball rolling.

  Once you have all the questions hammered out I would be happy to put the actual survey together. Then we would need someone to create a simple banner with a link to the survey and get cooperation from some of the other ex J-Dub sites. Survey Monkey is great because it will compile all the stats and it's really easy to use.

  :) HIS
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  12

  Celebrate Good Times: Come On!

  by headisspinning in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  today marks our two years free.

  my now husband was df'd on september 13, 2009 and i was officially canned on september 15, 2009!.

  it has been a long road and if any of you remember, we initially came on this board looking for help to get reinstated.that is a huge laugh now, hey!

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  headisspinning

  Today marks our two years free. My now husband was df'd on September 13, 2009 and I was officially canned on September 15, 2009!

  It has been a long road and if any of you remember, we initially came on this board looking for help to get reinstated.That is a huge laugh now, hey! So woot! woot! I hope you guys are happy! Two full fledged, two year old apostates residing here in Winnipeg! One teenage son out. One sister out!

  Cheers to year THREE!

  And thank you. All of you.

  xo Julia
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  24

  "Unscriptural to say a former child abuser could never enjoy exemplary privleges of service." Oh really?

  by headisspinning in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  it is a known fact that on average a pedophile will abuse as many as 200 children in his/her lifetime.. with that in mind.

  read an extract from an august 1, 1995 letter to all bodies of elders in the usa.. i guess these untrained elders are somehow experts in this area and can determine if someone will reoffend even though law enforcement, psychiatrists and specialists cannot offer the same guarantee and in many cases will even suggest that these known sex offenders are very likely to reoffend when the opportunity presents itself.... to all bodies of elders in the united states.

  august i, 1995.

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  headisspinning

  I have contacted the local government to ask what laws exist here in Canada. I don't have the resources or energy to launch a full legal case but I am ANGRY. My daughter is in the line of fire. She is 9 and lives with her JW dad. They are far too trusting and I am scared for her. I have done everything I can to educate her... but I am scared for other kids too... JW parents really let their guard down because they view other JWs as 'brothers and sisters'... it's truly a pedophiles paradise.