Posts by Joepublisher1

63

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ...

by Fatfreek in

according to 30% of the following definitions.

that leaves 70% that show quite the opposite.

so -- are they a cult?

Joepublisher1

I think people like ConcernedJW (as well as many JWs) think of cults as only pertaining to the Jim-Jones-type. Like everything in life, there are varieties of most everyting. There are varieties of flowers, but they are all categorized as flowers.

What's interesting is that immitation [fake] flowers can contain many traits that could even fool someone into thinking it's a real flower. When ConcernedJW says JWs are an established religion, it reminds me of a fake flower. Sure, there are traits of that fake flower that make it appear to be authentic, but its not.

The WTS is NOT who they say they are. Upon close examination you realize it's a phony religion - of the cult-type! And, its own history and literature prove that it's a phony religion. They certainly are NOT led by God's Holy Spirit. The certainly have promoted and predicted false dates for the end of this world and thus the WTS proves themselves to NOT be an approved authentic prophet from God. So, according to its own claims, there are many traits that identify itself as "a fake" - they hypocritically joined the UN as an NGO but would disfellowship it's members if they joined the YMCA only to used its pools!

Joe Rutherford taught, Relgion is a snare and a racket. Boy, talk about throwing rocks when you live in a glass house! It kind of reminds you of how the WTS literature was inundated with critism of pedophilia handling in Christendom, all while the WTS was cognizant of a similar problem in their own house!

Thinking JWs eventually have to attempt to reconcile these problem. Fortunately, many have come to the accurate conclusion that their own religion is nothing more than a very elaborate scam! And, out of good conscience, they decide that they can no longer perpetuate this cult-like religion!

63

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a CULT ...

by Fatfreek in

according to 30% of the following definitions.

that leaves 70% that show quite the opposite.

so -- are they a cult?

Joepublisher1

I used to have an elder often tell me, "Jehovah's Witnesses are not a cult - they aren't led by man." He seemed to use any opportunity to repeat that phrase. Now that I look back on it, I wonder why he was so sensitive about this? My own conclusion is that JW's are definitely a cult. There's no doubt that JW's elevate the Governing Body to a lofty position - one that demands that JWs follow their lead. What clearer definition of cult do you want? JWs follow imperfect men and WTS history proves conclusively that they are NOT led by Holy Spirit. And, those imperfect men ensure that its followers are subjected to high control techniques, including shunning should a member decide to leave.

I suppose that elder used to repeat that phrase in hopes it would convince himself what became blantantly obvious over time! It's a shame the games JWs (many who are grown adults) have to play in order to justify their belief system.

70

Could you eat breakfast after watching this at Bethel?

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

this is a partial video of the morning breakfast table in brooklyn bethel in the late 80s, with lyman swingle hosting... the governing body member who at first tried to shelter ray franz from disfellowshipping, but then within a year or two his spirit was broken and he was a bitter man.. randy (i was there and it was death-dealing, like the death eaters from harry potter!).

address of windows media file if you don't see anything:.

http://www.randytv.com/swinglebreakfast.wmv.

Joepublisher1

Oh my goodness! Thanks Randy for posting this. It's a real eye-opener! I can't believe you guys were subjected to this - you deserve some sort of metal for putting up with that crap! It's so boring! And, I thought VERY unprofessional. Your site FREEMINDS is going to help a lot of JWs see their way out the door of this cult!

160

I'm new here..... Studying with the Witnesses

by PenelopePaige in

jw
friends

hi- i just wanted to say that i have been checking the website out for a few weeks and have read some horror stories and some sad ones.

but i have been studying with witnessess for about six months and can't help but feel that they're completely sincere and maybe even, the true religion.

i love the watchtower and awake and to me, none of that seems crazy.

Joepublisher1

Concerned JW writes: "no one on here will have a good word to say about witnesses and a lot of hearsay, exagerations, lies".

That is typical Watchtower-speak (I'm assuming PP that you have read the novel 1984?). The rank and file JWs learn very early on to use common phrases to de-value any of the information from x-JWs that EXPOSE their religion.

Also, you need to understand something here. Most x-JW's have issues with the WTS, not so much individual JWs. Why? Well, for the most part, most JWs are simply brain-washed with all that loaded language found in their literature, as previously alluded to in another post. They are simply following the lead of imperfect men who seemingly use the Bible to explain away their version of truth.

However, if you spend any amount of time on JWFACTS, you'll learn a VERY important fact. These men are simply trying to "interpret" the Bible as it fits in with their religion's tenents, although they will tell you that they are spirit-directed. Those two statements are mutually exclusive. If you are truly spirit directed, you will be guided to truly "understand" Bible verses. Unfortunately, the leaders of this religion have a dismal track record of mis-interpreting Bible verses and making change after change to the point of flip-flops on many matters of doctrine.

"Concerned JW" would have you believe by his comments (i.e. a lot of hearsay, exaggerations, lies) that the contributors to this forum can't be trusted. Well, I beg to differ. Why do I say that? Well, most - if not all - were previous JWs. Any many were either Ministerial Servants, Elders, Circuit Overseers, etc. So, the information you hear is not hear-say at all. It's right from the horse's mouth. Additionally, sites like JWFACTS contain numerous quotes from WTS literature. Again, not hearsay at all. Lastly they aren't exaggerations nor lies. JW's typically try to defame anyone who would expose the real truths of this religion. And, you know what? At one time, most of us would have and probably did the same thing!

What happened to us, that made us change? We either quickly (or slowly, as its difficult to remove the mind-controlling catch-phrases of decades of indoctrination), learned the REAL truth of our once thought to be, "truth". We learned all the things that the WTS said we shouldn't learn. Indeed, as you've been told, once you are baptized, you will NEVER be allowed to question anything in this religion. As soon as you do, JWs will mark you as one to avoid! So, all those loving JWs will turn into your enemies, just because you learned things that about JWs that bother your own conscience.

So, while many of us understand what you are saying, it's because we've been there. Because of the internet, you have no excuse for not learning as much as possible about this religion before signing on the dotted line!

And, Concerned JW, you can also learn a lot about your own religion. I've often put this challenge to any JW who would appear on an apostate site. Prove one thing wrong to me as it appears on the JWFACTS web-site. (btw: I've yet to see one JW do this successfully.)

160

I'm new here..... Studying with the Witnesses

by PenelopePaige in

jw
friends

hi- i just wanted to say that i have been checking the website out for a few weeks and have read some horror stories and some sad ones.

but i have been studying with witnessess for about six months and can't help but feel that they're completely sincere and maybe even, the true religion.

i love the watchtower and awake and to me, none of that seems crazy.

Joepublisher1

Dear PenelopePaige,

Let me tell you the mistake that I made. When it appeared that all their doctrines were based on Bible scripture - that is, they seemingly always pointed to a scripture to back up their belief/teaching - that went a long way towards me accepting their religion as THE TRUTH. Then the congregations seem to convince me even more that this religion is the ONLY true one.

My father tried to point out significant mistakes that the religion had made in the past (i.e. 1975) and the lavish lifestyle of Joe Rutherford - but my mind was already closed towards any critism and I dissed my own father (who is now dead). That's why what you are doing is to be commended.

Their are so many good YouTube videos which show conclusively why this religion is NOT who they say they are. I hope you will take the time to learn as much as possible about this religion outside of their white-washed versions of history and false doctrine. Remember this. No one has the right to tell you what NOT to read. As a matter of fact, when any human organization of imperfect men commands you not to read anything critical of their religion, a RED flag should go up!

Wish you the best PenelopePaige! Again, please avail yourself of everything out there about Jehovah's Witnesses and then YOU make the decision in the end - at least it will be based on a well-rounded basis.

btw: Please participate in this forum - if you ask JWs a question and it doesn't feel right, ask the same question here. You'll find that many on this forum are not shy about sharing with you what they have learned.

b

140

The effect we are having on the Watchtower is HUGE

by jwfacts in

i was inspired by a recent thread i know i aint gunna crumble the wt, but a girl can dream to look at the effect we as individuals are having on the watchtower society.. 3dogs1husband quoted a story to show that even helping only one person is worth it.. it is encouraging to note that the one person you may have helped has lead to millions being helped, due to the power of compounding growth.. compounding growth is well illustrated by the rice on a chessboard problem.

if you start with 1 grain of rice on square one, and double it to 2 on the second, 4 on the third, 8 on the fourth, by the last (64th) square there would be 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains of rice.. likewise, if you help one person out of the grip of the watchtower this year, then next year you help one more and they help one, in a few years that is going to have a formidable result on the number of jehovahs witnesses.

look at the following statistics.

Joepublisher1

Boy, these numbers are VERY revealing - Paul Grundy is one of my heros (and his website JWFACTS is just plain awesome, just as FREEMINDS is). I have to say that the 1995 change to the generation teaching was a big blow to me. I held thoughts of severe disappointment to myself for a long time. No one else seemed to be as bothered as I was though, so I continued to be a JW, but the wind was drastically reduced from my spiritual sails. And, as someone else mentioned, this was the same year that they changed their understanding of the sheep and the goats - that too only added to my decline in this religious cult.

For the last several years, I noticed that I was NOT alone in my disappointment about the 1995 generation change. However, I didn't find this out until I read about other's feelings on this matter ON THE INTERNET! So, the internet allows JWs to share their thoughts with people all over the world! I now felt justified that I was not the only one to be very disappointed about this long-held teaching of the Governing Body. I mean I REALLY BELIEVED that the generation of 1914 would not die off the earthly scene before "the end" comes. AND, I adjusted my entire life around that belief! If you recall, the Watchtower - at that time in 1995 - said that we should not understand this change to mean that the end isn't far off. Well, we all know now, that was a lie.

Whenever the Governing Body went on to change the generation two more times - I had had enough! And, I think many JWs - even if they are still attending meetings - has lost their urgency and have become very suspicious of the Governing Body. I can tell that many of them are looking on the internet and learning more things about their own religion that they never knew. Undestandably, their faith is on the wane. I believe MANY more will leave this religion once they realize that they are not who they say they are ("the faithful and discreet slave').

Is it any wonder why the Governing Body doesn't want its members searching on the internet about "Jehovah's Witnesses"?

38

Issuing a challenge to Jehvoah's Witnesses everywhere

by Terry in

jw
friends

now is the time (to quote an old kingdom song)..... to challenge jw's everywhere who are pointing to the "difficult times hard to deal with" in the news around the world.

and declaring armageddon is absolutely, positively nigh.. for one thing, they always point to something somewhere, don't they?.

and whatever it is---absolutely means time is short.. but, it is the usual nonsense, bullshit, poppycock over-statement, exaggeration and hype.. call them on it this time!.

Joepublisher1

Can I ask that JW apologists please not respond on this forum all at once to Terry's challenge to you (very much, said tongue in cheeck)!

38

Issuing a challenge to Jehvoah's Witnesses everywhere

by Terry in

jw
friends

now is the time (to quote an old kingdom song)..... to challenge jw's everywhere who are pointing to the "difficult times hard to deal with" in the news around the world.

and declaring armageddon is absolutely, positively nigh.. for one thing, they always point to something somewhere, don't they?.

and whatever it is---absolutely means time is short.. but, it is the usual nonsense, bullshit, poppycock over-statement, exaggeration and hype.. call them on it this time!.

Joepublisher1

I just love it when people (like Terry) post on this forum because they are so well versed in the crap that the WTS has produced over the decades - esp. the 1975 fiasco! I just love his [and our] challenge to JWs today!

btw: I was never told the real truth of 1975 when I became a JW in 1981 - I was told a half-truth, something the WTS is very experienced in doing and by extention, its [blinded] members. A "half-truth" is nothing more than a small piece of truth, omitting the larger portion of lies - it never really turns out to be equally half. And, when you think of 1975 and Jehovah's Witnesses, you can see how true that assessment/observation is! More lies than actual truth! I just feel bad for JWs who aren't aware of this as they often find themselves trying to defend a previous position held by their religion that they have no personal experience about - thus, they often make a fool of themselves! I would hate to see any of them take on Terry about 1975 - Terry would have them for breadfast!

179

Were you 'alive in '75' and how was that year for you?

by punkofnice in

i was a junior borgite in 1975. i remeber looking at the calendar at work in october and thinking: 'armageddon isn't here yet.....and it doesn't feel like it will be here anytime soon either!'.

i was surprised that jehovah hadn't obeyed the superior command to bring the big 'a' as instructed to him by fred franz.

how dare god disobey the jw leader!!!!!.

Joepublisher1

As an unbaptised newbie, I sat in that 1980 Watchtower study, listening to the paragraph that admitted that 1975 was presented more as a probability than a possiblity in the pre-1975 time-period. Unfortunately - at that time - I reasoned (because I was trained to think this way by the WTS) that I should appreciate the fact that God hadn't brought the big A yet or else I would be dead. I mean, the title of that Watchtower article was entitled, "Choosing the Best Way of Life" or something like that.

Well, in 1995 when the long touted 'generation that would not die off the earthly scene before the end comes' - as promised by God (in the Awake masthead) mind you - was changed, it caused me to pause! And, for the first time, I realized what it must have been like in 1975 (5 years before I became a JW). To think that the Governing Body would change the "generation" teaching at this late date - well, it took the wind out of my sails (but, I didn't realize the total effect this would have on me).

I was never the same after this doctrinal change. It made no sense to me that if we were deep into the last days, that the Governing Body didn't have a correct understanding of "the generation" that Jesus alluded to. Esp. since they always claimed to be directed by God's Holy Spirit! Things were really starting to fall apart for me and I started to see the "real truth" behind the so-call "Truth". In the beginning, it's devasting and to some degree, it still is.

46

Here's Johnny

by JohnnyTheBethelite in

jw
friends

i am typing from a closet because i am very afraid ..

Joepublisher1

What are you afraid of?