Posts by NameWithheld

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

Ha ha, yes I did didn't I?

I don't think I'm trying to make the point that the average JW is 'evil' (and I think that we could endlessly discuss just what exactly does 'evil' mean as well). I know that the vast majority of JWs do not feel mallous or evil intent to their fellow man, even non-JWs. They even convince themsleves that they are in fact doing the most good that they can for mankind. But that leads us back to the debate of Hitler and his army - I can assure you that there were many that felt they were doing 'good' for their country. An extreme example I know, and JWs are not performing ethnic cleansing, etc. But the same end is involved - that is that blindly following your leaders around doesn't neccessarly absolve you from the 'blame' to be assigned for the outcome. Just because a JW feels he's doing the right thing by DF'ing sister weak for her fornication, or brother weak for his smoking (or whatever), or the parents for shunning their children for failing to live up to the JW standard, doesn't make the 'evil' outcomes any easier to bear for the victims.

5

DO YOU FEAR THE DEAD AND ARMAGEDDON

by beroea in

jw
friends

do you fear to die or refuse to think of that matter.

during times the fear of dear is the deep source of the talk about armageddon and the eschatology.

to face to die is a hard one to swallow.

NameWithheld

Yes, I think fear of death is a major motivation behind the world's religions. That and a search for answers to explain those questions in life that are un-answerable or incomprehensable for mankind. Of course the more technology advances the less need for religion I think we will see. And the fact that many people are becoming more comfortable with the facts that some questions are not answerable (at this time anyway).

At this time in my life I do not fear death. I know it will happen, and I say, when it does it does. I try and make as much of each day as I can. For me and those close to me. Why fret over something you have no control over (in the fact that you WILL die at some point ...)

37

10 REASONS WHY JWS STAY IN THE TOWER

by Victor_E in

jw
friends

reason 1. jws use a cultic language that keeps them in a constant state of social hypnosis.

transformational grammar teaches that our language directly affects our subjective experience.

in working with some former jws i had to confiscate certain words and have them create substitutes for something that was more neutral.

NameWithheld

"first JW since 2000 years who would fight with the gun in my hands(!) against guys like you"

And here I thought 'ol Judge Boozey, er I mean Judge Rutherford create JW? Didn't realize they were around for over 2,000 years. Where's my back issues of the 715-857A.D. (oh sorry, "CE") bound volume sets at then?

10

New topic: What's Erich smokin?

by NameWithheld in

jw
friends

'cause i want some - it's powerful stuff.

what's this about don adams opening new scrolls of technology??

huh?

NameWithheld

'cause I want some - it's powerful stuff. What's this about Don Adams opening new scrolls of technology?? Huh? This is way out in left field even for a 'weird' JW. So JWs are the most scientific religion so JWs and science are going to colaborate to bring about god's kingdom? Whew weeee - you wanna pass that over here?

37

10 REASONS WHY JWS STAY IN THE TOWER

by Victor_E in

jw
friends

reason 1. jws use a cultic language that keeps them in a constant state of social hypnosis.

transformational grammar teaches that our language directly affects our subjective experience.

in working with some former jws i had to confiscate certain words and have them create substitutes for something that was more neutral.

NameWithheld

Uh, what the hell are you smoking?

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

"At the very worst, in a nutshell, people in that religion have been convinced that God will destroy those who are not ‘in the truth’. "

Yes, that's true. But they long for that day - all of them. And become very desensitized(sp?) to human suffering due to it. See a baby hungry? God will fix it "Real Soon Now". See a homeless person? God will fix it "Real Soon Now". See 5,000+ people die in a collapsing pile of ruble? God will fix it "Real Soon Now" (not to mention they were going to die anyway "Real Soon Now").

This doesn't even begin to address the vast # of JWs who 'joke' about 'inheriting' the mansion they come across in FS, or get excited at events like the WTC. Or make a big deal about the 13-14-whatever JWs that died in the WTC - ignoring the other 5,000. Or 'using' the WTC (or other similar events) in examples like they did at one assembly where the 'sister' who was weak and took a job at the WTC instead of pioneering "and now she's dead" ... don't get me started ...

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

One of the outcomes of the trials after WWII is that the defense of "I was just following orders" doesn't wash. Many of those serving under Hitler probably thought that they were doing things for the good of THEIR country, making it a better Germany for all Germans by eradicating the non-German people from their borders. It doesn't make what they did right though. That's the point that they're trying to make.

Just 'cause a JW has good motives or not doesn't make the terrible message they carry any less poisonous. And I still argue that the majority of JWs do NOT serve from some great and noble 'love' of man, but rather from a) pressure from others (fitting in with the 'group'), b) guilt (preach or you are bloodguility for their deaths), c) fear of punishment from god.

If they were truely touched by the suffering of fellow humans they would be doing more than shoving WT/Awakes upon people who need food, shelter, clothing, mental help, medical help, shelter from abusive family, etc, etc, etc. That would be true love for fellow man. Not selling them the same pipe dream that has YOU stuck in the endless meat grinder of 'do more do more do more' JW-hood.

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

quote:
"Perhaps you need to ask yourself wh did you do what you did as a JW.
Did you really think you were doing good for people.
Why did you go on the ministry?
It was because you wanted to save peoples lives. You though they were going to die. You wanted to help .You got up early on a saturday you sacrificed your sundays you gave up your week nights.
Why ? Because you wanted to be a good person you wanted to help people.
If you weren't doing this for these reasons as a witnesses and it was all done out of fear or habit you are different to most witnesses I know."

To this I say HA! I agree that there are SOME JW's who are motivated out of love and caring for others to 'preach' it was often to true that these were the sames ones that were motivated out of love to help others in other areas - such as feeding, clothing, etc. And funny enough, a lot of these people ending up leaving the JWs.

But the vast majority are not waking up early on Sat looking oh so forward to FS. It was a duty, a burden, and we all looked for as many ways to avoid it or at least make it more enjoyable - such as the old trick of making RVs at one end of the county then driving to the other end - counting time the whole way.

If JW's didn't have to turn in that little white slip of spirituallity every month I garauntee that 99% of them would never knock on another door again ...

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

I keep coming up with more, this subject touches a nerve I think.

JW's are happy? Ha. Not many of the ones I knew were truely happy. Oh, they put up a good face most of the time, but of the dozens of congos I attended or was attached to (through freinds/etc) I knew of a vast majority of the people fighting depression, etc. We've talked about the high incidence of CFS/Fibromyalgia in the congos too - which from my somewhat involved research is tied very closely to a) chemical imbalance and/or b) sleep disorder among other things (lot's of discussion could be made here)

Of course the huge burden placed on the average JW does nothing to aliviate the stress levels. Fealing weak? Do MORE, do MORE. Feeling tired? Do MORE, do MORE. Hard to make it to meetings? Do MORE so jah will bless you. Feeling depressed? Do MORE, more, more, more.

Brother/Sister Downer, I notice you are having a hard time making the monthly average in FS. Maybe if you eliminate <insert some 'worldy' activity here> you'd have more time for jehovah.

Always the brother's fault if meeting attendance or FS is down. This atmosphere and message to the rand and file is that you are NEVER good enough, NEVER do enough, and god's going to kill you 'Real Soon Now'. I highly suspect that the VAST majority of JWs truely beleive that they are not good enough to survive the big 'A'. Now, how mentally healthy is it to feel as if god's going to kill you every day, and that everytime you make a mistake is that much MORE you have to DO to MAYBE survive.

Sick

146

Friends we are too unbalanced.

by sleepy in

jw
friends

well sometimes we are.. look we have the knowledge and experience to help a lot of people.must of us have one time been jw's and understand how many think.so lets not put them off by being too negative.. when we were witnesses most of us were quite happy .

we tried to be good people , to put into practise principles that many people think are good.

we did this sometimes even when we didn't want to , because we thought god would hold us accountable and because we cared for people .

NameWithheld

Oh, and as for the crap about the JW's turning around some poor drunk, druggies, or abuser's life around, that's pretty much hogwash. Where to you hear these stories from eh? Oh, the WT and Awake? Or maybe the assembly's? Thought so. Ever heard the word propaganda? The JW org is VERY good at it. Fact is that rarely happens, and usally when the person is activly seeking a way to turn their life around. I would bet anything that groups like AA(Al Anon) and the like are FAR better at stopping those cycles than JWs.

Of course all other religions tout these 'life affirmation' stories to prove the 'power of god's word' in people's lives. The JWs are NO DIFFERENT in that regard.