Posts by NeverJoinedTheBorg

99

Dateline discussed openly in our congregation

by TheMatrix in

jw
friends

yesterday, the presiding overseer (elder h) read the letter from the christian congregation of jehovahs witnesses (us branch) regarding their policy on child abuse.

all scriptures were also looked up and read.. elder h is a very prepared brother.

he is a gilead graduate and served as a missionary for about 7 years in kenya before coming home because of illness.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

Hmm...

Assuming that the words of this elder H. character were accurately quoted, and he honestly meant what he said, then it seems to me that he won't be an elder for much longer, nor will he last as a JW. He will either get disfellowshipped for standing up against the tiranical rule of the WT, or he will get so disgusted by what he will begin to see that he will leave.

In reality, the WT is doing little more than lip service resulting from the Datline segment. We are all too aware of the double-life that the WT adherants live. I liked the comment that was made earlier about being open minded: the JW door-knockers ask that the person in the home be open-minded enough to visit a kingdom hall, and to read the JW propaganda, but when it comes to serious questions, the JW mind closes down and stoops to character assasination. OPEN DIALOGUE IS NOT ALLOWED...PERIOD!!

Also, when it comes to pedophiles, if elders think that by simply "overseeing" the pedophile, brining him into a judicial hearing if a child so much as sits on his lap, will solve the problem, they are seriously nieve. It seems to me that most elders have NO education on how to deal with psychological disorders, such as pedophilia (nor brainwashing for that matter), nor do they have the ability to provide any kind of therapy (if they did have this education, they certainly would not be a JW). The court system that these uneducated men put together does nothing more than to give the criminal a small jolt, if even that. The judicial meetings are only a waste of time.

Now, what did elder H. not say?

- He didn't say what would happen to the R&F JW if they turned in a pedophile to the authorities.

- He said that the elders would report the pedophile, but he did not say when or how they would do it.

- He said that "one on one" dialogue would be supported and encouraged, but he did not say what would happen should substantive questions arise, nor what would happen if the R&F JW disagreed with the WT policy. This "one on one" dialogue will only be one sided.

As usual, the real message is in what the org. DOES NOT say, rather than in what it does say.

~NeverJoinedTheBorg~

9

E Mail about Dateline Errors

by NikL in

this may have been posted already.

if so i am sorry.. i received this e mail tonight.

it seems to be making the rounds among jws.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

Hello all!!

I agree with y'all about this crazy statement from this guy 'Hans'.

But one weird thing I really did not like about what the Dateline guy said close to the beginning of the segment:

"Jehovah's Witnesses are Evangelical Christians..."

WRONG, WRONG, AND DOUBLE WRONG!!

If you really want to get technical about the definition of the term 'Evangelical Christian', we can say that yes, JWs do 'evangelize' for their religion, but I think we all understand that they are definately NOT Christians.

Of corse they say that, "we preach the one true Christianity..." and boast that, "we are the only Christians approved by GOD..." blah, blah, blah, blah... But I think we all understand that we cannot take them seriously when we see their shallow reasoning, uneducated scholorship, shotty opinions, unquestioned dedication to a human built organization, erronious translation of the Bible, TOTALLY FREAKY 'new light' or 'light getting brigher' explaining random changes in teaching, etc. etc. JWs CAN NOT be defined as 'Evangelical Christians' by ANY possible understanding of that term.

Some here may disagree, or not even care about this term at this point after being treated so horribly by the org. And understandably so. I've talked to many people that don't even want to have anything to do with the term 'Christian' after their experience with the WT. I can sympathyze, and I'm certainly not trying to start an argument.

Anyway, I may be preaching to the choir here...

Mostly I'm concerned about how the JWs may get thrown into the mix of every other faith that claims to be 'Evangelical Christian', for better or worse (but mostly worse). That deeply disturbs me.

Apart from that, I think the Datline segment hit the bull's-eye!! I thought they did an awesome job at exposing the child abuse issues. Truly a home run for the victims and their families, as well as the rest of the JW community that needs to start thinking!!

Keep being the salt eveyone!! :)

~NeverJoinedTheBorg~

26

Mind Control in the Watchtower

by SYN in

introduction .

having been a witness for many, many years, about 15 to be exact, i just thought i'd explain a few things for new-comers to this site about what it's like to be a "dub".

"dub" is just a convenient shorthand for "jehovah's witness", and is not meant to be derogatory, but i think i will stick to calling them witnesses here for the sake of people visiting during the furore upon whose brink we are sitting.. much of those early years i don't really remember.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

Hi SYN:

Yeah I agree. Very few times have I seen anyone turn down reading such material, especially when it comes to faith!!

Now where in the Good Book does it say to be AFRAID of questions or of literature describing the thoughts and experiences of someone else, and to completely disregard such as poison? ;)

Maybe that comment was a bit synical, but I feel kinda burned because I lost friendship with some good folks.

26

Mind Control in the Watchtower

by SYN in

introduction .

having been a witness for many, many years, about 15 to be exact, i just thought i'd explain a few things for new-comers to this site about what it's like to be a "dub".

"dub" is just a convenient shorthand for "jehovah's witness", and is not meant to be derogatory, but i think i will stick to calling them witnesses here for the sake of people visiting during the furore upon whose brink we are sitting.. much of those early years i don't really remember.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

willy_think:

Yeah the 'persecution complex' makes sense. I guess one of the things that surprises me the most is that one of the guys I was talking with was well educated at a well known University...the point being that he should be able to stand on his own two feet when it comes to thinking for himself.

But nevertheless, he became a witness. Something like 5 years into his witness career he was made a Ministerial Servent, buying into everything that he's been told. Then when confronted with my questions, he shut down. I offered him several books I had been reading by C.S. Lewis ('The Problem of Pain', 'Mere Christianity', 'The Screwtape Letters'). These books do not slam the WT, but are stories about the journey of one guy, and his thought processes.

My MS friend adimately turned down my offer. The funny thing is, while he was at University, he told me he had to take some philosophy classes in which he was required to read several things that were absolutely agains WT teachings. This was ofcorse before he joined the org.

It seems to me that he now views these books as a poison of sorts. I find it strange how something previously seen as being harmless, is now seen as being one of the ultimate poisons.

??

Weird

26

Mind Control in the Watchtower

by SYN in

introduction .

having been a witness for many, many years, about 15 to be exact, i just thought i'd explain a few things for new-comers to this site about what it's like to be a "dub".

"dub" is just a convenient shorthand for "jehovah's witness", and is not meant to be derogatory, but i think i will stick to calling them witnesses here for the sake of people visiting during the furore upon whose brink we are sitting.. much of those early years i don't really remember.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

Well that sounds about right. ;) I personally am a Conservative Christian, and have never joined the WT. However, I got turned on to this board about a year ago. I have (well...had) some friends that are JW. They tried to convert me by telling me that I will be destroyed at Armagedon, the Trinity is false, Christmas and b-days are sinful, blah blah blah blah...

But after bringing up the serious issues such as child abuse, all the changes due to 'new light', shunning family if they are df'd or do not buy into WT teaching, the WT's crazy dating game, etc. etc. etc., on and on and on...

I guess they just decided that I was being influenced by the Dark Side and they cut all contact with me. Whenever I see them in passing (like in the grocerey store) they look right through me, or give me a nasty glare.

Hmm...I guess I'm a bit new at seeing this stuff. Is it just me, or do these poor people have an inferiority complex due to what the organization is feeding them? I'm having a hard time differentiating between the followers, and the government that they are following. I really care for these folks, but the way they treat me is really difficult to stomache.

But I think that the WT and the cult of Jehovah's Witnesses can be regarded as another false religion that will dissolve in time...hopefully sooner than later!! I just hope I can get my friends back.

GOD Bless everyone, and keep being the salt...

~NeverJoinedTheBorg~

63

About Daniel Fitzwater-Exposed on Dateline

by LFitzwater in

this is a very long story that i will try to condense.

it will still probably be too long.

life is good for us now that we know the real truth.

NeverJoinedTheBorg

Hello All!!

Well this is my first post on this board. I've been reading here for the past year or so. I found out about the board while searching for online resources about the WT. Some good friends of mine are rank-and-file JWs and they were trying to get me to convert. But after brining issues like this to their attention, they no longer talk to me. ?? Strange.

Anyway, this is all REALLY CREEPY! After reading as much as I have about the WT cult, I think it's fare to say that this can be considered another false religion that will fall apart in time (but certainly with a path of destruction too great to ignore!). Hopefully it will happen sooner than later.

Laurie, I'm so sorry that you have had to live with such devastating events. I hope and pray that you find healing.

GOD Bless.

~NeverJoinedTheBorg~