Posts by xjwsrock

But that's the point, The elders like the org because it props them up and gives them authority. They can then use the authority to give out favors to attractive sisters or lord it over the "headstrong" ones. Both with impunity.

10

If You Refuse to Question, How Can You Be Sure of the Answer?

by xjwsrock in

..... let's pose a forbidden question....is the jw faith actually the one true religion?

if you refuse to ask this question with a true open mind and heart, how can it be said you know the answer is yes?

put another way..... if you refuse to ask this question today, how can you really say you know today that the answer is yes?.

xjwsrock

Interesting point Millie210 .....there are definitely some warm and fuzzies connected with things from our childhood. It is natural to be drawn to friends, family, places and things that remind us of those early times. I can see the primal / survival part of it too. We might form stronger attachments early on to what helped us survive or what we think helped us survive.

You could make some jokes from that premise. Like sticking to the JW religion from birth is like continuing to consume breast milk or Gerber baby food as an adult.

undercover - I agree wholeheartedly. I wrote a post about a similar topic here.

14

Recording of doorstop meeting with JWs

by MrMonroe in

i was alerted to the presence of jws in my street, so i grabbed my voice recorder and placed it by the front door.

several minutes later there was a knock, i pressed "record" and opened the door to two jw women.

the recording below runs for 25 minutes.

xjwsrock

I thought you did quite well with this.

I am still surprised at how quickly a regular r&f witness resorts to lying when asked some hard questions. I know there are a lot of goodhearted people in the religion, so I am surprised when they lie so readily to cover for the organization.

Around the 13:00 mark there is an interesting exchange:

"Are you allowed to question your beliefs?"
"Yeah..... Yeah (high pitched voice suddenly)
"So you can criticize a doctrine openly?"
"Yeah, I can go to the elders...."

..

Uhhh .........going to the elders is not questioning openly.........I know some of this is what they tell themselves, but it's nuts to hear them tell half-truths so easily.

I am an elder (not much longer). Let me tell you, if someone comes forward criticizing a doctrine, it would be a matter of minutes before the subject changed to the motives and attitude of the publisher. Don't let there be more than one question or have the question be something integral to the belief system like 1914 or FDS. That would escalate the problem very quickly.

Here is the typical formula elders use:

One question = Awww the sheep needs some spiritual guidance.

Two questions = Well I see this one is stubborn....

Three questions = Time to be counseled for questioning the FDS and thus God Almighty himself - this person's name could now be brought up before the body as a potential apostate or a person "poisoned" by apostates. It is not out of the question for a 2-brother investigating committee to be formed to dig into this serious spiritual matter.

10

If You Refuse to Question, How Can You Be Sure of the Answer?

by xjwsrock in

..... let's pose a forbidden question....is the jw faith actually the one true religion?

if you refuse to ask this question with a true open mind and heart, how can it be said you know the answer is yes?

put another way..... if you refuse to ask this question today, how can you really say you know today that the answer is yes?.

xjwsrock

Good point Hyperpen, they certainly take advantage of human nature by giving people an all-in-one life-answer package.

Funny NewYork44M, reminds you of a child that just wants Daddy to tell them everything is going to be alright.

"OK....... so NOW it's the Truth Daddy? ......Oh Goodie..... So glad you gave us that new light..... Can you read me a bible story now? ........I like the one about that mean ole Korah...."

10

If You Refuse to Question, How Can You Be Sure of the Answer?

by xjwsrock in

..... let's pose a forbidden question....is the jw faith actually the one true religion?

if you refuse to ask this question with a true open mind and heart, how can it be said you know the answer is yes?

put another way..... if you refuse to ask this question today, how can you really say you know today that the answer is yes?.

xjwsrock

I think it is incredible that JW's think it is a sin to question something that they most likely decided when they were 12 years old. Even that was based mainly on a bible story book and what their parents told them to think.

Sad...

10

If You Refuse to Question, How Can You Be Sure of the Answer?

by xjwsrock in

..... let's pose a forbidden question....is the jw faith actually the one true religion?

if you refuse to ask this question with a true open mind and heart, how can it be said you know the answer is yes?

put another way..... if you refuse to ask this question today, how can you really say you know today that the answer is yes?.

xjwsrock

....

Let's pose a forbidden question....Is the JW faith actually the one true religion?

If you refuse to ask this question with a true open mind and heart, how can it be said you know the answer is YES? Put another way..... If you refuse to ask this question TODAY, how can you really say you know TODAY that the answer is YES?

13

Has anyone been shunned by a REAL sinner?

by ToesUp in

jw
friends

just curious..... has anyone been shunned (just decided to leave the cult)?

let me explain my situation:.

a family member seems to be shunning me.

xjwsrock

This organization gives people all the excuse they need to act superior and smug. It is proof positive of it fostering a works-based "salvation".

If you do X then you are better than the person that doesn't. If you have X "privilege" than you are better than the person who doesn't have that privilege.

The mid-week service crowd at my hall ... you would think they perform miracles with how they act.

Self-righteousness is common and rarely acknowledged much less counseled. It goes all the way up to the totem pole.

27

My Lawyers Letter To The Elders

by pale.emperor in

for those of you that asked, below is a copy of my solicitors letter to the elders in my old congregation.

he sent a similar one directly to bethel and a medical directive to my daughters gp to go on her medical records that i have already given permission for her to have a blood transfusion should she need one:.

.

xjwsrock

That pic is unbelievable. How did i ever think this kind of thing was ok? Scary.

22

Jehovah's Witnesses: the Brotherhood of Delusion

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

i am a curious person.

i am challenged by the unknown.

i can be driven, out of sheer frustration, to penetrate a closed veil of conspiracy.

xjwsrock

I really like this premise. It explains certain emotions that are in play better than other analogies I have come across.

I often think of the org in terms of con-artists and the deluded. I have tried to expand on this by saying some are both at the same time, but it still isn't quite enough. There are other variables in play that are hard to describe.

Con / Victim, while true, doesn't completely explain the titillation seen and felt in the audience at times nor does it explain fully the motivation of those on the stage IMO. There is a desire to "put on the show" when involved in the meetings or conventions. It can't be explained away as just being up in front of people.

The "Magic Show" parallel nails it.

It also helps illustrate why JW's often don't want to wake up. They don't want to leave the audience. They don't want to know. It would completely spoil the magic show and all the fuzzy feelings that come with it.

It also explains some of the emotions I feel even now at moments. I will hear a certain phrase or reference in a talk or paragraph and feel those old good feelings again and wonder for a split second, if I'm making a mistake pulling back from all this. Of course it is short lived, but still weird. I guess I am just missing the show for a second. It would be a similar feeling a person would have, I suppose, that missed when the magic trick still fooled them.

Reality can be cold. We all need an escape. Some escapes are healthy, some are dangerous. JW's escape into the audience of a grand century-long magic show that unfortunately results in their exploitation because the magicians are self-serving sociopaths.

Thanks Terry.