Mum

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Posts by Mum

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  11

  The New World , Utopian or Dystopian?

  by BluesBrother in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  like many others on here i was raised and spent many years of my life looking forward to , and basing my life around the anticipated "new world" .this utopian paradise would "satisfy the desire of every living thing".

  we would enjoy eternal youth in perfect health,have abundant good food ,comfortable homes ,even welcome our parents and forebears back from the dead - what's not to like?i found this description of a dystopian world on the net :"characteristics of a dystopian society• propaganda is used to control the citizens of society.• information, independent thought, and freedom are restricted.• a figurehead or concept is worshipped by the citizens of the society.• citizens are perceived to be under constant surveillance.• citizens have a fear of the outside world.• citizens live in a dehumanized state.• the natural world is banished and distrusted.• citizens conform to uniform expectations.

  individuality and dissent are bad.• the society is an illusion of a perfect utopian world."hmm.

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  Mum

  The WT propaganda art depicting "Paradise" bear a strong resemblance to the ones used by the North Korean government to convince the rest of the world that they have paradise now, even though they must know that we know better. As you pointed out repressive regimes are all the same.

  Once when I was a JW out in service, a young sister came back to the car and told the rest of us that a householder had commented that the JW outlook was "so Platonic." I didn't know what she meant, but I realize that Plato stated that the "ideal state" would have no poets. People who are self-satisfied are not usually prone to writing poetry, among other pursuits.

  Blind, bland obedience ruins lives. A real rebel reads books and learns to think for him/herself!
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  15

  Higher Education - is it really the end of the WT?

  by OutsiderLookingIn in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as a non-jw, before i started looking into things, i must say i only encountered intelligent jws.

  so i was quite surprised to read here and in the pew report about their low overall educational achievement.

  granted, my exposure was limited (less than a handful of people over a lifetime) but i met two of them in post-college education (graduate school) at a very good school.

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  Mum

  One of my Philosophy professors once said, "An education doesn't 'take' on everybody." If these people grew up as JW's, they've been brainwashed since they took their first breath. It isn't easily undone when people are brought up with the "them and us" mentality; i.e., "we" (JW's and other cults) possess the ultimate truth, and everyone else ("worldly" people, meaning anyone who's not a JW, regardless of their Biblical scholarship or degree of religious devotion) is deceived and under Satan's deceptive power.

  I commend your friends for being rebellious enough to go to college. I hope they catch the learning bug and are awakened to open-mindedness and acceptance of their fellow human beings.
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  112

  Did an EX-JW wake you up to TTATT or did you put the effort to wake up yourself?

  by John Aquila in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  how many of us were woken up by some apostate yelling false prophets at a convention?.

  how many of us were woken up by someone holding a sign and yelling, what happened to 1975.

  how many of us were coerced to investigate the wt because some ex-jw pulled up a bunch of old watchtowers magazines and told us to read the false predictions?.

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  Mum

  It was a somewhat gradual process. After 1975 came and went, I started considering the possibility that I might live out my life and get old (which I almost have now). I was unhappy in my marriage to a low-functioning (as to intellectual ability and curiosity) JW elder. I wanted to go to college and get some job skills. I wanted much more actually, but was willing to settle for what I considered realistic. My husband wouldn't hear of it! I got depressed to the point of being catatonic and almost unresponsive. He relented in order to get me to look alive again, while making it clear that he would not pay for any education. I asked non-JW family members for enough to take two classes. They were happy to help. SO, every day there was conflict at home because my husband was embarrassed to have a wife so arrogant and out-of-control as to attend college. After four years of this nonsense, I made plans to go live with a DF'ed cousin on the other side of the country. I had help from a JW friend who was also waking up and wanted to be educated and from another who had become inactive. It was hush-hush until the day I left. I wrote a note and left it on the dining table stating that I was near collapse and had to get away. I did it! I've never looked back.
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  27

  How to deal with anxiety?

  by BlackWolf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  lately my mental health has been rapidly declining.

  i have anorexia and deppression, and my anxiety has become overwhelming.

  i have been to many doctors/therapists in the past, but because i have not been magically cured my parents dont want to get me any more help.

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  Mum

  I've been through severe depression while a JW. Physical activity is very important to anyone who is depressed. I am wondering if you might be in a position to go to Legal Aid and ask an attorney to help you file a petition for emancipation, presuming that your restricted environment is the root cause of your depression. First, you should call a crisis line to see if you can get a referral for free counseling. I fear that your JW family might prevent you from going to counseling, so emancipation could be your Plan B. It might help to go to Youtube and find some mood-enhancing music or meditation as often as you can. Don't give up on yourself. You can get better. Be patient with yourself and others. Breathe deeply. Relax all your muscles. Rotate your neck. Close your eyes. Let it all go.
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  9

  After Mar 15 WT, who NOW is represented by the Wise Virgins??

  by hamsterbait in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it used to be that the master "arrived in 1918" and the virgins put their lamps in order.

  according to the noolite, the arrival is yet future.

  however, the gibbering buddies now insist that the annointed have not fallen asleep, but stayed awake up until now.

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  Mum

  I say the Wise Virgins, as well as Foolish Virgins and all non-virgins are those who have "entered into the joy" of having no master. I know I like it!
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  39

  OMG! The world is worse than ever! This system can't last! Violence is increasing! Wait, what's that you say?

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you read jw literature, the world has been progressively getting "worse and worse" since 1914.. is that really the case?.

  for a more rational analysis, look here:.

  a few highlights:.

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  Mum

  The difference between the violence of the past and the present is that the people of the past only knew what happened in their village, but the people of the present have 24-hour access to information about everything everywhere. In fact, I have read that the New York Times Sunday edition has more information than an individual of the 14th century took in in his/her lifetime.

  Those who don't learn history, who don't read anything but WT publications, have no idea about the past or how good they have it now.

  Grateful to be living now,

  Mum
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  50

  Governing Body at Bethel and their daily routine

  by Tenacious in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i never had the privilege to serve at bethel .. therefore, community help is greatly appreciated friends.. do the gb members have their own living quarters separate from the average jw?.

  does their "busy" schedule permit field service, if yes, how many hours a month?.

  how long are their weekly wednesday meetings?.

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  Mum

  I know very little about the GB and their habits. I do know that JWdom has changed drastically since I left. The GB are moving to the country and seem to be spending a lot on amenities that are not available to the rank and file. Instead of being grateful to the rank and file for their free ride, they just keep asking for more and more money - quite a change!

  Similarly, U.S. Congresspeople are also in the pockets of those with plenty of money to share with them.

  I don't believe the GB live the opulent lifestyle of a Joel Osteen or Jimmy Swaggart, but they do seem more out of touch with the real world than JW leaders of the past and don't seem to care about the suffering of sexually molested children in the interest of protecting their "reputation" and image.
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  20

  Feeling down as Christmas nears

  by Quandry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't think i've started but one or two threads before.

  i find myself sitting here listening to beautiful instrumental christmas music and feeling down.. you see, i was "in" for over thirty years.

  thirty years with no christmas.

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  Mum

  It might do you good to volunteer at a soup kitchen or, in some other way, reach out to your fellow human beings in need. I am often amazed at the good cheer and kindness of the down-and-out.

  Don't be hard on yourself, whatever you decide to do. We can't change the past.

  Wishing you a Merry Christmas!
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  31

  life after the wtbts

  by Hortensia in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you can't move forward to a new, more interesting, possibly much happier life, if you're still looking behind at the former life.. there is so much obsession on here about what the wtbts is doing, and discussing all the forms of injustice and bullshit in the wtbts, or how to bring down the wtbts.

  yes, their doctrines are crazy and they are a cult and cruel to boot.

  move on.

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  Mum

  I don't see Hortensia's post as being a "why don't you get on with your life" statement. Sometimes it's so hard to find the right words so that what one says will not be misinterpreted.
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  31

  life after the wtbts

  by Hortensia in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you can't move forward to a new, more interesting, possibly much happier life, if you're still looking behind at the former life.. there is so much obsession on here about what the wtbts is doing, and discussing all the forms of injustice and bullshit in the wtbts, or how to bring down the wtbts.

  yes, their doctrines are crazy and they are a cult and cruel to boot.

  move on.

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  Mum

  I have been out since 1979. I have taken long "leaves of absence" from this board, sometimes because I lacked internet access, but I keep coming back. My hope is that I will find other ex-JW's who I know personally on here. So far, it hasn't happened. I've been to a few apostafests as well, but still no luck. I have found some of my ex-JW former associates on Facebook, which is wonderful.

  I entirely agree with Hortensia. Since I exited the JW's, I have obtained a college degree, helped my daughter do the same, associated with people of all kinds who I like and admire, traveled, and enjoyed life in general so much more! I was a convert, so leaving family members behind was not a serious issue with me. Both of my parents became baptized JW's after I exited, but they did not shun me. But I was never DF'ed, but moved far away from my congregation.

  As my second husband used to say, "Don't believe a word I say. Trust your own bad eye." It's great to be who you really are. It's wonderful to live from the inside than to be told what to do from the outside.

  Best wishes to everyone!