Posts by 00DAD

21

So basically, it's all for show

by jeremiah18:5-10 in

jw
friends

jw's claim to be god-fearing, faithful, spiritual people with a unique special personal relationship with god (jehovah).. yet, so much of what they do is just fro show, an outward appearance of holiness and faithfulness:.

) shunning- an organization-sanctioned shunning policy publicly "outs" the shunned and puts pressure on members to cary out the shunning.

why is this necessary if they truly have faith in god and that he sees all and nothing is hidden from his view?

00DAD

jeremiah18:5-10: If He is judging each person individually on their own merit and reading their hearts, why the need for a public, organization-sanctioned and enforced action?

Good question. Public humiliation keeps the sheep in line:

Stocks

26

Happy New Year from Lee

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

well it has been an interesting year for me; some heartache; some growth; and a lot of change.

regardless of where we are on our journey away from the jehovahs witnesses we will be confronted with opportunities to learn and grow.

we dont know where life will take us.

00DAD

Hi Lee, what a thoughtful post to start the New Year!

I'm sorry to hear about your youngest daughter, but happy your relationship with your oldest is good.

Take care,

00DAD

36

Rant #77

by 00DAD in

this isn't actually my 77th rant.

i've completely lost track of all my rants.

i'm quite sure i'm way passed 77 by now.

00DAD

AGuest, I honestly don't think most elders would even know what God's "fast" is.

But I'll keep the point in mind. Thanks,

00DAD

14

Who was the FDS from 1931 till Rutherford died ???

by Phizzy in

in 1931 rutherford disbanded the editorial team that russell had stipulated in his will.

this was so that they would not interfere with rutherfords flow of marvellous spiritual gobbits.. so, from 1931 until his death (1942?

), rutherford's pen alone produced the w.t output of doctrine.. so, he must have, alone, been the fds for those years, no one else was performing the function that the noo lite says is done by the fds during those years..

00DAD

It's not about doctrine really. That's all just window dressing. It's about control and obedience.

Let's review: It's a cult!

38

typical circuit assembly

by nowwhat? in

on the plus side there was good council about families and then there is that special feeling of the brotherhood you get.. on the negative side, the d.o.

gave the "ol talk about the "busier we are, it won't seem like the new world is taking so long" talk.

that's fine if you do'nt work for a living.

00DAD

nowwhat?: they always find a way to make you feel guilty.

Cult Control Techniques 101

They didn't write the book, but they've certainly added several chapters.

36

Rant #77

by 00DAD in

this isn't actually my 77th rant.

i've completely lost track of all my rants.

i'm quite sure i'm way passed 77 by now.

00DAD

.... continued ....

AGuest - Thanks for taking the time to write a thoughtful and well-intentioned comment. However, I don't think asking the elder " how they can call themselves shepherds of God's sheep... while profaning HIS 'fast' " would serve my best interests at this point.

It's really not about doctrine. That's all window dressing. It's about control and obedience.

Let's review: It's a cult!

wha happened? - I'm hoping my genetic contribution to my kids kicks in too, and soon!

At the suggestion of Steven Hassan and several JWN members, I've been able to enlist the aid of some non-JW family members to maintain contact. It seems to be working a bit with one of my sons, not so much with the other. I'm optimistic, but still frustrated.

jgnat - I hope you're right. If you are then I've only got a little over a year to go. But I know that many here have waited much longer with no success.

whathappened - I keep hoping that my kids natural love for me would motivate them to seek me out, but so far it hasn't happened. Once, in a conversation with my therapist, he asked me what I had expected from my kids in my situation. (He's very familiar with JW shunning policy.) I said I thought my kids love for me would be stronger than the rules of this religion. I was wrong.

And it's so damn frustrating because I taught them these stupid rules! Once, I did get to make a point that I hope will make a difference to my youngest. When he asked me if I still believed I gave him this to think about:

Imagine yourself in the future. You're a father. You've taught your son something and later you realize you were wrong about it. What would you do? Allow your son to continue to believe something that you now know is not true, or would you tell him you were wrong and now know better?

He was quiet for a long time and never verbally responded. Hopefully it'll get him thinking!

I'm glad you shared your story here. I'm sorry about the trouble this cult has caused in your family. But it is heart-warming to know that you've at least found a way to make sure your grandson knows you and knows you love him. Well done!

wasblind - Thanks for the love! Here's some of the same back at you:

ABibleStudent - I haven't read Hassan's latest, but I have thoroughly read the first two. In fact I studied better than I ever studied a WT. They got the multiple highlighter treatment all the way around!

I understand your questions and concerns. They're good ones. I've considered all my options and have decided to try this. I don't know how it'll turn out, but at least I'm doing something. I can't do nothing, it's just not in me!

As for taking the activist route, I'm not interested in that. I don't want to try to change or reform the religion. I just don't care. If the GB wants to continue to believe their delusional little lies, that's fine by me. I simply want to get on with my life and make up for lost time. There were so many things I wanted to do but couldn't when I was in; I've got a good amount of life left and I intend to live it to the fullest extent possible.

For me, it's all about my kids. I taught them this and now I owe it to them to try and make it right. Ultimately, the must decide for themselves how to live, but it should be with complete information, not with the highly filtered, biased lies of the WTBTS.

BTW, I do send them letters, pictures and postcards from time to time to let them know I'm thinking of them, but I'm busy living too. "Weather is beautiful, wish you were here!"

Honeybucket - Yes, apparently JWs are not as "unified" as the WTBTS would have you believe. Unfortunately, my mileage is not the same as the woman you mentioned.

WinstonSmith - Thank you so much for the offer to vent. I'm sure I'll be taking you up on it. I am always very encouraged by the experiences of others on JWN that are trying to navigate our way out of this nightmare of a religion. Your comments and posts are helpful to me, sometimes if only as a mirror.

I know you're going through it too. The fact that we can come together for support and advice is amazing.

I said it before, but it bears repeating: I get more love and understanding from all the "evil apostates" here on JWN than I ever got from the self-righteous JWs that loudly go around telling everyone they're the only True Christians on Earth.

- - - - - - - - - -

Again, thank you all for your comments, suggestions, love and support. You're the best!

00DAD

36

Rant #77

by 00DAD in

this isn't actually my 77th rant.

i've completely lost track of all my rants.

i'm quite sure i'm way passed 77 by now.

00DAD

Thanks again everyone for your kind, comforting words of support and encouragement. I really appreciate it!

tornapart - In particular, your words are very comforting. I can always count on you for a sympathetic ear.

88JM - Thanks, I wish my kids could see how much I love them. That's the problem with being shunned, it's easy for the shunners to believe the lies the are told because the shunning process prevents them from seeing any evidence to the contrary. This just underlines how essentially evil the practice is.

mouthy - Thank you Grace. Don't worry, I don't show my anger to my children. In fact, I can't. They have completely shut me out. I was having some dialogue with the youngest but that ended with the April 15th WT study article that once again reminded all loyal dubbies to shun their family members. That week he blocked my cell phone. I can neither call or text.

I appreciated your prayer for me. It made me cry. I still try to pray but mostly I feel like it's a pointless exercise in self-deception and futility.

wha happened? - It's so clear to me now what a cult this religion is. How did I not see that before? Oh, well. We've had this conversation several times my friend! We wanted it to be true so we ignored the obvious red-flags. Live and learn. I so wish I could just put this experience in my rear-view mirror and move on, but I can't because of my children.

Your comments about telling strangers about this is so right on. I've had opportunity of late to explain to some of my workmates and biz associates why I don't see my kids. It's funny, I used to feel guilty about it because that's how the WT trains us to feel when we leave. But the comments from anyone not attached to the WT are always universally the same: That's one messed up religion!

erbie - Agreed, it should be criminal. But sadly it is not!

flipper - As always, your love and support are greatly appreciated. I'm glad you're working on the letter to your daughter. Let me know how it goes.

I'm off this week so if you want to talk we could. Mornings are best.

wasblind - unfortunately my kids are both adults, although very young ones. Even when there was a Court ordered visitation agreement my ex completely ignored it. During that time, my son and I worked with a counselor that specialized in estrangement and alienation issues. This was also by court order. My son and ex-wife lied to the counselor to get the sessions ended early.

When that happened I talked to the counselor about them failing to keep to the visitation schedule. His advice was that if I forced it, I may win the battle, but I'd do more harm than good and probably just push my son(s) farther away. Mr. Flipper is exactly right on that point.

It's so frustrating. No matter what you do, you're screwed. The WTBTS has had 100 years to develop these policies and practices. I'm completely new at this. They also (I now know) are completely dishonest and ruthless. I have always tried to be honest and good. That puts me at an obvious disadvantage. It's like a game of chess where I'm a novice going up against a Grand Master in a game that's mid-way through and I've already lost all my power pieces.

.... to be continued ...

8

Company Christmas Party experience

by thecrushed in

so i went to my employer's christmas party recently.

for the first time i felt completely at ease with normal people.

i'm blessed to have an employer who understands my situation and is also a sceptic like me raised in a very devoit rcc imigrant family.

00DAD

Sounds like a wonderful experience! Glad you went.

Thanks for sharing.

00DAD

8

The Naughty Reason For Cornflakes

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/157425.

.

keep your hands off my 'lucky charms".. metatron (rimshot!

00DAD

No wonder I never liked 'em!

25

Agents of Reality came knocking on my door today ...

by 00DAD in

two agents of reality came by my house this morning.

no, i'm not talking about jehovah's witnesses.

those are agents of unreality in case you're unclear on the subject!

00DAD

Hi all,

Thanks for your comments!

BOC - I'll have to take a look at Bem's Self Perception theory. I'm not familiar with that. I'm sure there are a number of factors that come into play as well as alternate explanations. It's a difficult phenomenon to understand as it is counter to what we would expect and like to think about ourselves.

jeremiah18:5-10 - Exactly! It's interesting though that if you asked most JWs, they'd probably say they are open-minded, thoughtful people when if fact the opposite is true.

moshe - Loved the sign! Where'd you get that?

cyberjesus - Um, are you trying to be sarcastic? Ironic? Snarky? Whatever it was you were trying to be was lost in the translation.

whathappened - Glad to be of service! It's things like this that really show the value of this board.

wasblind - Thanks for the joke. You made me laugh!!!

Sayswho - Great quotes! Thanks for sharing. Don't know what you meant by the "deer in the headlights" comment though.

Rip Van Winkle- No, I can't be certain that what IU have written doesn't affirm my own confirmation bias. Fortunately I have all you guys to call me on it!

jgnat - Your father sounds like the kind of guy I'd love to chat with on any number of subjects! Thanks for the granfalloon reference too! Apparently you and BOC are now in one together.

I've got the traffic video loaded for watching later. So much to do, so little time.

Finkelstein - Interesting point. That's how JWs can so easily sit around and spot the errors and hypocrisies of other religions but miss the oft more obvious faults in their own!

00DAD