Posts by xjwsrock

23

Wt "study" Participation, is it a "True Believer" Indication?-- or not?

by prologos in

in our congregation, the elders rarely comment.

the majority rarely comment, 2 sisters, vehemently, and often comment.

since in their case, it can not possibly be" teaching in the congregation", is participation in the wt "study"in general an affirmation of faith?

xjwsrock

If you read books like Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, you learn that people are influenced by having to say something out loud. Commenting in the congregation forces people to publicly commit to their faith. This reinforces the indoctrination in a big way. It's one thing for someone else to tell you from a stage, it's something altogether different to hear it coming out of your own mouth.

Field service has a strong reinforcing effect as well. I believe this is the main reason for field service. The recruiting aspect is secondary.

23

Wt "study" Participation, is it a "True Believer" Indication?-- or not?

by prologos in

in our congregation, the elders rarely comment.

the majority rarely comment, 2 sisters, vehemently, and often comment.

since in their case, it can not possibly be" teaching in the congregation", is participation in the wt "study"in general an affirmation of faith?

xjwsrock

Island Man - I agree.

The dose-of-sanity comment is all I can muster anymore. If the paragraph happens to be encouraging normal ethical behavior or discouraging unethical behavior then i can comment.

If it's another we are right, the whole world is wrong, God is going to kill you if you are unfaithful, aren't the Governing Body amazing type paragraphs, then I can't do it. I have a visceral reaction to that BS propaganda now.

I have gone many watchtower studies without finding one comment I could stomach making. I am an elder btw.

To answer the OP - Is WT Commenting a True Believer Indicator? - Yes for those that are sincere. It is also a way to appear that you are a believer for those of us that are faking it for now.

20

"Special" has lost its' special meaning

by stillin in

today is the day of the annual "special talk.

" it took me all of two years to realize not to get my hopes up for anything special.. then came the special assembly day.

sad.

xjwsrock

Thanks Stuckinarut.

I keep looking around the hall lately, thinking "Surely someone else is outraged at this!" I look and I don't see anybody markedly disturbed, but I'm starting to wonder about all those "crazies". You know the ones. Maybe they all know what's up and that's why they're "crazy".

I can't take it much longer. The wife may have to be one of those with an "unbelieving mate" soon.

--Sorry to get off topic. The Special Talk was awful. It's like they aren't even trying. "Do the Cult stuff again...." is overheard in the writing dept. often these days.

16

How much do you think GB enjoy their lives?

by elbib in

many who have watched the gb know that they seem to be desperate to be admired, to be looked up to…….

now the question arises—do they really enjoy their lives?

does their superiority complex make them feel good?.

xjwsrock

If you notice, they will remind you of their position during a talk (in case you missed it being announced as they took the stage). They will mention their international travels, how hard they work as a GB member, special experiences from people approaching them and pouring their heart out, yada yada.

Wouldn't it be nice if people would used their authority to make a positive difference instead of patting themselves on the back and pushing their agenda. But that's just not how it works usually.

73

organization obsesion

by Richard C B in

why are you guys so obsessed with organizations?

there has to be order in the world and organised people!

xjwsrock

Cults are some of the most organized organizations on earth. So are dictatorships. I guess we should praise them because of their neat checklists.

Look... I get it that sheeple need a pen, but exploitation is another thing altogether.

20

"Special" has lost its' special meaning

by stillin in

today is the day of the annual "special talk.

" it took me all of two years to realize not to get my hopes up for anything special.. then came the special assembly day.

sad.

xjwsrock

Another propaganda piece painting the entire human experience as 2 road choices. One leads to everlasting life (please make checks payable to Watchtower) and the other leads to eternal destruction. Jehovah happy if you take the JW road. Devil happy if you take the other road.

Let's see how many culty boxes we can check off in one "special" talk. Black-and white thinking, us vs. them, promise of eternal blessings if you pick the right road (be a JW), promise of fiery destruction at Armageddon if you pick wrong road (anything that is not being a JW), one-sided argument with no rebuttal allowed, followed by a huge piece of behavioral control in the Watchtower study espousing how happy field service makes us and what a wonderful undeserved privilege it is (the rocks could cry it out - doncha know)

I think we pretty much checked off the whole cult checklist in one meeting.

19

Memorial Audience Filled with Unbelieving Mates and Other Miserable Relatives

by xjwsrock in

i looked around my hall and saw so many miserable unbelieving mates and relatives it was actually funny.

they were in a glazed-over stupor.

they looked liked children forced to go to an opera.

xjwsrock

I looked around my hall and saw so many miserable unbelieving mates and relatives it was actually funny. They were in a glazed-over stupor. They looked liked children forced to go to an opera. One even took a call from his cell phone (not on vibrate), left outside, and never returned.

I wonder how many of the "20 million" attendees are coerced there through some sort of familial blackmale or threat/ obligation.

All I'm saying is I saw many people there simply to check off a box on somebody else's checklist. Know what I mean?

47

How My Husband Helped Me See TTATT

by corruptgirl in

jw
friends

i wanted to write my experience on how my husband helped me see the ttatt (the truth about the truth).

first, let me mention that he wrote his own experience a couple months ago under the name sanchy.

for his story please click here….. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5148261828526080/walking-thin-line-resigning-elder

xjwsrock

Hey,

Thanks for the recounting. I have to say it's difficult to keep my cool in those discussions. There is so much anger and resentment to swallow down. I will keep your points in mind for future talks with my wife. I don't have the bonus of her getting spiritually weak though. I have been dropping seeds for like 3 years now. 😟

I think I have made more progress than she admits and she hasn't taken me to the elders, so I see the positive of that.

Congrats on getting mentally free. It is a long process. Be patient with yourself. Set it down for a few days if you can to give your brain a breather.

15

JW Vs. Mormon program

by pixel in

i will like people on this forum and lurkers to see the big different between jws and other religion.

following you will see the program from the upcoming distric/regional 2016 convention.

look at the topics that are going to be discussed.

xjwsrock

Island Man-

Why do you think they have Caleb and Sophia now? They are saying it's ok to have kids. I complain all the time about how it used to be frowned upon to have children and now they make cartoons for them. The flip-flops are nuts always, but this one is to boost membership.

35

July 2016 W T Article Gives Reassurance to Aging Publishers

by BluesBrother in

congregations are full of older ones who were led to expect the end when they were still young enough to work ,and stay forever young.

now these ones face a sparse old age with little provision set aside.

the article ""do not be afraid .

xjwsrock

Isn't it interesting that Jehovah provides through people who already have something to give? Why couldn't Jehovah provide for this elderly couple by having money show up under their pillow or have a householder out in service ask if they need help and then stroke them a check or have money mysteriously mailed to them etc.

Jehovah always seems to provide in an exact way that could have happened without him altogether. It's like when donations are needed at the Kingdom Hall "Jehovah Provides" when the wealthier members decide to donate again. It's never that the poor pioneer brother suddenly shows up with money from Jehovah. You never see the unstable lady with the weird eye come in with an envelope and a note written in Hebrew.

Just sayin'