Jgnat, I think the movie you're referring to is "The Village". My husband and I saw it a few years ago and both really liked it. I don't think I made any connections to JWs as far as I can remember. I was still very much mentally in when I saw it. I don't think most JWs would see the similarities unless they were "awake". Funny you should mention that movie, because my husband and I have it on our DVR and one of these days we'll watch it. I look forward to watching it now with eyes wide open!
sickandtired
JoinedPosts by sickandtired
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70
Reaching Loved Ones Stuck in a Cult: An Idea for Discussion
by 00DAD inyou may have heard the expression: "the map is not the territory.
" have you ever thought about how this idea may help you reach your loved ones stuck in a cult?
the phrase has been attributed to polish-american scientist and philosopher alfred korzybski.
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70
Reaching Loved Ones Stuck in a Cult: An Idea for Discussion
by 00DAD inyou may have heard the expression: "the map is not the territory.
" have you ever thought about how this idea may help you reach your loved ones stuck in a cult?
the phrase has been attributed to polish-american scientist and philosopher alfred korzybski.
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sickandtired
This subject really interests me. I think looking at different things from another perspective is what helped me to wake up. Once I started, I couldn't stop and I started seeing inconsistencies everywhere. It is weird how it doesn't really work for everyone. I had a discussion with a service group about Mormons and their weird beliefs and someone mentioned how they heard of a Mormon becoming a Witness and they were shunned by their family! Everyone seemed to see the wrongness of the Mormon being shunned by their family but failed to see how hypocritical it is for Witnesses to do the exact same thing and it's considered the right thing to do!
I've been thinking of ways to get my husband to see things from a different perspective. He is a VERY black and white thinker. He fails to see the subtle nuances of situations. His saving grace is that he tends to empathize with people very well. The account of David that notjustyet mentioned is what I often think of as a great example of how a person can be helped to see things more clearly when seen from another perspective. I've been trying to come up with a situation that I can use to help my husband think. If only a movie would come on that would show a cult (not an extreme one like Jim Jones, but maybe like the Moonies) and their methods. We did once see a special on the Moonies' mass marriage ceremony, but it didn't really go into the methods they use to recruit or anything like that. I don't think my husband could relate it at all to Witnesses.
There is no magic pill, unfortunately.
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New here
by Change Name ini had been studying with the jehovah's witnesses for the last couple years.
they have been interesting study sessions and have learned quite a bit about them and their beliefs.
much of what they teach is what i had learned through personal bible study.. growing up was normal.
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sickandtired
Welcome to the forum! There are some that left the organization who are bitter and hate-filled and make it their life's mission to bring down WTS. They actually help the WT's cause because they fulfill exactly what the organization says about them. You'll find on this forum all kinds of people who have left, are currently JWs (like myself), or have family involved in the WTS. "Apostates" are not all the same - we are different people with different experiences and feelings like everyone else. Of course there are good things about Jehovah's Witnesses and there are many wonderful people in the organization. But you yourself said you've been turned off by the blood issue and the shunning. Those are major issues and something that the Governing Body has not been willing to bend on.
I am afraid of my family and friends shunning me if they find out I don't except all Witness teachings. I come onto this forum to talk with people who understand what I'm going through. I cannot talk to anyone about my feelings because as soon as I do I'll be asked if I believe we have "the truth". If I answer negatively, all hell will break loose. Everyone I love will immediately distrust me and shun me. Trust me. I've seen it happen with my own eyes. AS A BAPTIZED WITNESS, YOU CANNOT QUESTION THE GOVERNING BODY. You will be labelled. There will be consequences. The group think is intense and they are terrified of anything that even remotely resembles independent thinking. As someone who is not yet baptized, you're seeing all the good aspects of the group and of course, you won't be exposed to as much of the close-minded mentality since you are an interested one and they want you to come "into the truth". I love the vast majority of my brothers and sisters, but I've come to recognize that this organization has some major problems and has covered up a lot to portray themselves as God's spokesmen on earth.
Do your due diligence. By all means, look at all the evidence. Ask yourself, are all these people who "apostasized" really on the Devil's side or is there more to the story? There is much more to the story than meets the eye. If you find that becoming a Witness makes you happy, go for it. One day, though, you might realize that you feel like you're running on a hamster wheel of theocratic activity with no honorable way to get off.
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Who is supposed to do the "Separating Work" for the new magazines?
by nochoice inso, there is a bit of a fight going on in our hall between our pioneer sisters and our magazine servant.
since the new magazines are boxed with two issues together, there is a bit of work to be done separating them.
our magazine servant stacked them on the counter as usual, right out of the box.
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sickandtired
Our congregation has been instructed to make sure to separate them when we pick up our magazines so as not to place two at a time.
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Well we can shoot down one rumor - the 2013 district conventions are officially 3 days long...
by sir82 in...according to a letter to all boes dated 11/11/2012.. there is nothing new or different (or interesting!
) in the letter.
same stuff as has been covered over the past 20+ years.. .
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sickandtired
Dang it! I was hoping for one less day that I'll have to sit through!
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My mother passed away this morning...
by Tatiana infor any old-school ex-jws here that remember my many posts about my abusive jw mother and my sister committing suicide because of it...she passed away this morning because she began to bleed out and refused a transfusion.
she had been in the hospital for a month.
it appears she suffered a stroke and wasn't found by the brothers & sisters for three days (they missed her at the meetings).
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sickandtired
I'm so sorry for your loss and the pain you're going through.
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Are We the Only Life in this vast Galaxy?
by frankiespeakin in.
well i say the same condition for life evolving are relatively repeated over and over again in perhpas billions of solar systems with different combinations of chemical reactions producing all kind of self replicating molecules not just carbon based or dna based.
many stars having a much earlier formation and intelligent life much more before our earth was formed billions of years ago.. .
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sickandtired
I've had conversations with my hubby on this topic. I say HOW THE HECK can you say there isn't other life out there? JWs are taught that because of the issue of universal sovereignty being played out on this planet, there couldn't be life on other planets. Pfffft. My husband says Jehovah created this vast universe with countless billions of stars and who knows how many other planets so that they could be for ours and the angels enjoyment. That is, IMO ridiculous. To say that we are the only planet that has life in this mind-bogglingly vast universe is so small-minded. Hubby won't consider the possibility because it messes with his Watchtower view. Can't have that, can we?
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Questions/Points That Went Unanswered
by Still Recovery ini would like to use this thread as a means of organizing all unanswered questions/points made on threads i started since obviously i could not answer something when i was banned..
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sickandtired
He's baaack!
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Thinking of becoming a JW.
by Kate82 inhi,.
i am new to here so please be bear with me.. i have always believed in god, but was never baptised, my parents wanted me to make up my own mind religon wise.. i am thinking of becoming a jw and am just needing some advice on how to do this, bible study and jw beliefs.
also do jw say grace and how.. i am greatful of any help.. thanks.
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sickandtired
Hi, Kate! Welcome to the forum. I am an elder's wife and currently an active Witness. I came to this forum because of a feeling that I had that something wasn't quite right with my religion. There are many good things about this religion and things I feel they have right- friends that are like family, a sense of stability and structure and morality. The bad thing is though, this religion will make a person feel like they are in a mental prison...once you start questioning things, you aren't allowed to express your doubts or questions without looking like you're attacking "the Slave" (essentially the Governing Body - the ones who make the rules for all Witnesses). The pressure is more intense for those who are expected to be the examples (like my elder husband and me). There are those that enjoy that intense form of structure and having all your questions answered for you and wrapped up in a pretty little box with a neat bow on top. I started feeling depression and anxiety because of all the expectations laid upon me. I am an introvert and very much like keeping to myself a lot of the time. I am a 'live and let live' type of person. That doesn't jive well with the Witness personality. Right now, I'm stuck pretending because my family is deep into the Witness mindset and if I stopped being a Witness, I'd lose them for sure. That right there tells you there is something wrong with this religion.
Think carefully and look at things from all sides. Don't let anyone pressure you. It's your decision and your life.
To answer your questions:
Witnesses cannot smoke, but they CAN drink alcohol, but moderation is emphasized. Sex outside of marriage is considered a sin. Smoking, over drinking and sex outside of marriage can lead to disfellowshipping (shunning). Saying "bless you" is frowned upon by Witnesses (like when you sneeze, a Witness won't say it since they consider it superstitious) and Witnesses don't say grace either. The word 'grace' has been replaced with 'undeserved kindness' in our New World Translation. It's just another thing to set us apart from "Christendom" (what Jehovah's Witnesses say to refer to all the other Christian religions). We do pray, however. Before meals, bedtime, at meetings, etc.
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My brother died tonight
by poppers injust got word that my youngest brother died of pancreatic cancer.
he was diagnosed in early august.
this has been really tough for me and my family..
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sickandtired
So very sorry for your loss