Posts by roxanesophia

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

roxanesophia

Hi Pam's girl, sorry to hear you struggled with agoraphobia ... I had some degree of that myself. And i know too well how quickly witnesses dump what they consider a defective model and no use in the organization. My intellectually disabled bro experienced that. The brothers calling on him said "But he looked normal!" and never came back.

It's wonderful that you moved on after associating with the organization. I've had panic attacks over it when i' m not even actively a part of it yet. I'm sorta scared to leave because i went so far into it and now i worry what gossip there'll be when I'm gone.

Go to dinner with one or more of them and you will become a close friend of the elders (evil grin) - HAHAHAHA! Damn, this is completely terrifying me. The elders are so overly nice to me right now being a study and all. I can't imagine how they change once i become Watchtower property, but i believe you.

If you become unconsciously attached to a certain set, some of the others can be a bit cool just because of that - sizemik
Can you explain further what you mean by that? Does "a bit cool" mean stand off-ish?

Outsmartthesystem: EXACTLY. They can use Satan in every argument and it's frustrating because they CAN.

.the day is coming shortly when everyone in the Hall WILL feel more comfortable around you. You'll be invited to EVERYTHING....which will "prove" how much love they have among themselves....and will (possibly) be the last bump you need to move towards baptism.
Hahaha this sounds like sarcasm. Are you saying this will happen to trick me into baptism (and HELL, it'll probably work), since you said "which will prove how much love they have among themselves." OH JEEZ, I'm so looking forward to the day they decide to involve me in everything because it sure as hell ain't here yet. Yes, that was sarcasm. OH GOD, here comes high school 2.0

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

roxanesophia

More like hypocrites. I've tested the apostate card, saying "I can follow Jesus without an organization" and the response was "No, you can't. There's a reason it's called spiritual food, because without you'd starve."

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

roxanesophia

- You're not in yet, but you're not out, either.

So I'm told constantly! I've heard different things like "You're not with us yet" and "You're practically one of us already." I also often hear "Everyone already thinks you're a witness." Maybe they just don't like me and i wont get that association regardless. That was my thought until my study teacher said "You don't have anything to worry about, everyone likes you." That's why i don't understand why I get 'tempted' with these social outings but then I'm not invited. It's not like i call them either, though... but that's only because even though they apparently like me, i still don't feel like I'm "one of them" yet. But how do i know if I'll ever be! "You're not one of us yet" could be a convenient excuse. Will it change once I am? I dunno. I do know I'm being told now to start answering up at meetings. I want to reply with "But I'm not one of you yet!"

- I have no idea why they aren't inviting you to functions. That's just stupid on their part. Maybe they don't live up to their professed high standards when they let their hair down.

The ones i have been to were just awkward. These are people who have known each other 10 or more years and have their inside jokes and stories. I also find it slightly hypocritical that girls can't even sit with a guy in the hall and i was under the impression it was all very strict, until i went to parties and they'd hug me hello and goodbye. Then back at the hall, barely even a hello. IT'S JUST SO WEIRD. And it's not just that that i find hypocritical: it's the dress when they're being "god's people" compared to party dress (worldly dress, in other words.) Then seeing these sisters lying down on the couch with brothers they're not dating or married to. OK, they aren't fooling around, and there's other people there, but still! I can't imagine elders would be pleased. It's not weird in the world, but it is in their cult, so am i to be blamed for feeling confused? It's that double lives situation that kinda irritates me.

So that last point rings true. I am going crazy making my own assumptions now, like "Maybe I'm kept away from parties where there's spiritually weak people" and other parties where there's "spiritually strong" ones. In the former group, something could corrupt me, or i could further corrupt them, and in the latter group, they don't want to hang with worldly people at all and they don't want me influencing them in any way. Am I warm here? lol

18

Worldy opposition is interpreted as confirmation of the truth

by MrMonroe in

interesting comment on the talk page of the wikipedia article on the governing body here:.

one dopey jw (wandering-teacher) who complained that the article was "biased" against the jws was supported in a comment by another assumed jw (galik) who whined that the article was "peppered with quotes from known opposers of jehovah's witnesses in order to use this article as a propaganda vehicle".. wandering-teacher replied: "thanks for the support, galik.

the difficulty of having a neutral point of view in the ... article strengthens my faith that i have made the correct religious choice for me.".

roxanesophia

Hahahaha sometimes their reasoning is so asinine. Then they'll say how smart they are.

18

Worldy opposition is interpreted as confirmation of the truth

by MrMonroe in

interesting comment on the talk page of the wikipedia article on the governing body here:.

one dopey jw (wandering-teacher) who complained that the article was "biased" against the jws was supported in a comment by another assumed jw (galik) who whined that the article was "peppered with quotes from known opposers of jehovah's witnesses in order to use this article as a propaganda vehicle".. wandering-teacher replied: "thanks for the support, galik.

the difficulty of having a neutral point of view in the ... article strengthens my faith that i have made the correct religious choice for me.".

roxanesophia

Oh yes... you tell a JW "Hey, there's a lot of stuff on the internet about you guys. Ever thought of investigating it, since you have the truth and all, there's nothing to worry about..." (this was after they said they can respond to anyone's ridiculous claims about them because "Who knows more about Jehovah's Witnesses than Jehovah's Witnesses?" was said on the platform that evening. )

The response? "That just strengthens my faith! Why would anyone bother to attack us if we weren't doing something the world hates." Then they used the scripture "Broad is the gate leading to destruction, narrow is the road leading to life" or whatever it is. Apparently all the internet sites is the broad road and the positive sites (which they admitted were only the official sites) was the narrow road.

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

roxanesophia

THANK YOU!

I'd like to reply to people individually, but given the amount of responses, my post would be massive. But EVERYONE gave such helpful responses and I honestly appreciate it. Definitely a great thread for anyone who comes into the org and has the same doubts I do. I've been having anxiety attacks over this issue because I thought I was making real friends at the hall but I feel it getting colder because i should be out in the field service. But I've stopped mentioning it, etc. Now that I'm bringing up my doubts, they're saying anything to sugar coat the religion. I really needed to hear it from people who know best, I'm definitely not IN the cult yet, and I'm also being told nothing will change when I am. That contradicts everything I've ever read here, and I'm not going to believe one person over 20 + people.

Prior to me coming right out and saying I don't like the idea of JW's only associate with JW's, I told her I had worldly (UGH if i never hear that word again, it'll be too soon!) friends sending really heartfelt emails, and the JW's turn this around, implying i don't have good friends, and say:

"What kind of person even cares what religious beliefs their friend has? They should want to be friends with you regardless of what you believe. Heaps of people we work with want to be friends with us, they don't care about religion."
Then i asked "So you'd be friends with people at work?"

Then she says, "No." and rattled off scriptures.

But then sometimes she sweetens it with "But it's a conscience matter." as if to say they are still completely in control.

She's also said in the past "You've dumped your worldly friends, but you're not with us yet, so this is Jehovah testing you now."

She'll mention things like "You have to start coming with us." when talking about social outings, then i'm never actually invited. What's this? Is it reminding me that I'm not entitled to the association yet?

And another time we were discussing the unbaptized publisher requirements and we got to the part about association and I proudly boast "YEAH I'VE DUMPED THE WORLDLIES" and she says "That includes people on the internet." Well, I hadn't done that.

And just other things I've heard, from people who tell it like it is. I say I have no family in it, and they're like "Oh, that makes it really hard." Well that just totally contradicts that i can be a JW and maintain Non JW relationships with ease.

So I KNEW she was lying to me. I just appreciate all the confirmation.

77

Association: Am i being lied to?

by roxanesophia in

i don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association.

i keep reading on here that jw's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized.

she tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want.

roxanesophia

I don't hesitate to bring up with the girl i study with, my criticisms of the religion, and one of those is the association. I keep reading on here that JW's don't make friends outside the cult, and this is what i used as an excuse for stepping further away from being baptized. She tells me it's not true, and they can have what ever friends they want. Now, I don't BELIEVE that's true. My suspicion is I'm being told this because they know it's putting me off getting baptized and they have no real control over a study until they become a member so no one brings up the truth early in the game. Am I right in assuming that?

17

Reasons "love bombing" ceases

by roxanesophia in

i study with a highly esteemed pioneer & elder's kid and i've learned on here that pioneers are right up there when it comes to gossip, as are elders kids, so i've got a double whammy.

unfortunately i didn't learn that until after i'd trusted her.

call me a moron but i'm totally drawn in by the kindness.

roxanesophia

Hmmm.... I guess they're not obeying the rules then. It's a group of young people at someone's house, much like the old done-away with book study. Some of the people there live together, but then they invite others. NO ELDERS though

17

Reasons "love bombing" ceases

by roxanesophia in

i study with a highly esteemed pioneer & elder's kid and i've learned on here that pioneers are right up there when it comes to gossip, as are elders kids, so i've got a double whammy.

unfortunately i didn't learn that until after i'd trusted her.

call me a moron but i'm totally drawn in by the kindness.

roxanesophia

Thanks for the explanations sizemik and Witness My Fury (great name, by the way), surely that procedure is written in the bible, SOMEWHERE...

Really people keep trying harder and harder to be the best witness they can be to get that feeling back of being wanted, but unless you break into one of the cliques, you won't do it.

I'm so angry that my study conductor has neglected to tell me this stuff. Sounds like highschool again, but much worse, because it's grown men and women and a relationship with God is at stake (not that i believe that crap anymore. God isn't there anymore than he's in the church of Satan). So much for the love they have amongst themselves. Just sounds like continual judgment, then locked into that awful environment and forbidden to seek outside association with people you'd actually truly get along with and have something in common with other than field service.

You should have a bible study of your own you two lol

That's an awesome idea. Oh... but we wouldn't get very far!
Also, i'm in the habit of saying "Jehovah God" which she hates because she doesn't believe it's a real name.

So we're starting with an apostate luncheon. I txt , figuring he'd jump at the chance to associate with fellow demons, but he's too busy helping witnesses spread false gospel.

6

Counting time

by roxanesophia in

forgive me if it's a stupid question, but it's on my brain now that i don't trust the motives of witnesses out to recruit a new fruit loop to the bowl.... .

can they count their time driving "interested ones" to meetings?

.

roxanesophia

OH GOOD GOD. Is that why so many people stay so long after the meeting to talk to new ones.

Or are so desperate to accompany people on studies...