Long ago I concluded that the bible is a book of (bad) fairy tales. Now I marvel at the staying power that these ridiculous and harmful stories have had in the judeo/christian tradition. What modern people still believes greek mythology as truth? No one. But the flood, adam and eve, miracles of the prophets, jesus...all of these are taken at face value by millions of people. Puzzling.
Socrateswannabe
JoinedPosts by Socrateswannabe
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18
Christians made me stop believing in the Bible
by jws ini'm agnostic.
there could be a god, but i don't believe it's the god described in the bible.i grew up a jw believing in the bible.
after i left, i didn't want religion but was determined to be a christian on my own.. but things started to unravel.
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The bOrg Cult Tactics
by pale.emperor ini'm wondering if the borg actually studied mind control and coercion tactics deliberately or wether they just evolved over time through trial and error.
from reading steve hassans books, studying hypnosis and methods psychopaths use it all seems very complex.
like it would never occur to me to do a, b and c in the right order at the right time in order to get control of someone or control their lives.. for example, repetition of words (the word "loyalty" was a big one in the last convention), using loaded language, encouraging people not to trust their own thoughts, restricting their information, demonising those who leave etc.
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Socrateswannabe
I think people are either bullies and abusers or they aren't. I don't think it's learned, it's just something that they innately know how to do. It just so happens that they have scratched their way to power in the WTS and it's been that way ever since this org was formed back in Russel's time.
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This religion has a chance of survival
by Socrateswannabe inthe jws could survive as an organization due to one vital human need: recognition.
for decades this religion glorified the older ones and really didn't do much for the younger folks, hence the younger people left in droves.
if you're middle-aged or older, what was the average age of the elders in your congregation or your circuit overseer, as you were growing up?
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Socrateswannabe
Interesting and insightful responses. My OP was speculation, of course, and all of you make good points. Maybe the title of my post should have been "Major Padadigm Shift in JW Organization--Toward Youth". That would have been more accurate.
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This religion has a chance of survival
by Socrateswannabe inthe jws could survive as an organization due to one vital human need: recognition.
for decades this religion glorified the older ones and really didn't do much for the younger folks, hence the younger people left in droves.
if you're middle-aged or older, what was the average age of the elders in your congregation or your circuit overseer, as you were growing up?
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Socrateswannabe
The JWs could survive as an organization due to one vital human need: recognition. For decades this religion glorified the older ones and really didn't do much for the younger folks, hence the younger people left in droves. If you're middle-aged or older, what was the average age of the elders in your congregation or your circuit overseer, as you were growing up? Probably 60-80, right?
Things have changed a lot in the past two years. This became evident beginning in 2014. At least in my part of the world, Bethel speakers at the regional convention that year looked to aveage about 16 years old. That year and since then, the WTS sent letters to the elders and published Watchtower articles regarding the obligation to bring young brothers along and give them responsibility in the congregation sooner--as in NOW. They were told to throw out the notion that a brother has to be 30 years old to quality to be an elder. Early 20's is okay if he is spiritually mature. We have since had circuit overseers in their late 20's/early 30's in our area. These guys and their young wives are visiting the congregations and spending time with...who? The old farts? No way! They spend time with the young ones and it is paying off for them. In my congregation, most of the regular pioneers are under 30. We have new, young elders who have been appointed recently. Have you met anyone who works for the LDC (successor to the RBC)? I have yet to meet anyone over 35 in that group.
So here's why I think this is possible salvation for the JW juggernaut. People thrive on recognition and empowerment. Studies have shown that if an employee is presented with the choice of a new, important-sounding title vs. a raise, astoundingly more people will chose the title. And so in the JW organization, if young people are recognized and put in charge, they will become and remain engaged in this organization. And they will stay engaged long as they continue to be recognized and empowered. The GB may have solved a dilemma that has dogged them for decades--how to keep the young ones from straying or fading. They may very well have stuck their finger into the dike.
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Dress and grooming
by stuckinarut2 ini know this is an old topic, but it came to mind again.... yes it is appropriate for people to dress neatly and respectfully for a dignified religious gathering, but why does it have to be a full suit with collared shirt and tie?.
why does it have to be a full dress or skirt and jacket?.
sure, we would find it distasteful for a person to arrive in swimwear or work overalls or other inappropriate attire, but why does it have to conform to strict standards?.
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Socrateswannabe
I completely agree that the dress code is all about control, but as far as gripes against the WTS are concerned, this one is about number 10,001 on my list. There are at least ten thousand better things to go after these guys for.
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Can anyone allay my suspicions?
by Nicholaus Kopernicus incan you allay my suspicions of wt associated activity?.
during the last 3 to 4 co visits, i noticed a predeliction on the part of the ladt few co's for taking photos at fs meetings and photos of cong at end of visit.
i'm beginning to suspect that such is not because the co's have a newly found socially engaging disposition (being cool).
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Socrateswannabe
I've noticed that too and I think it could be for two reasons. First, COs seem to be getting younger every day and the younger ones are more likely than the old ones to do something like that. The other reason for it is I believe these guys must have gotten a directive from Mother that they need to remember everyone's name by the second visit and so they take the pics, go back to their apartment, and label everyone in the photos so that they can memorize names and faces right before they make their next visit. That's my guess anyway.
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what buzz word from the jw's do you hate & why?
by Sabin inso my hubby has been on a bit of a roll about the jdubs, we were talking a lot about them & he said the buzz word he hate's the most is "worldly" why?
because he say's "with that one word they have condemned (according to their believes) a person as being worthy of nothing but death.
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Socrateswannabe
Brotherly love. The very idea of it in this organization is pure bullshit -
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genuine english guy seeking jw lady
by english_gentleman inhi, i believe that a lady is put on earth to satisfy the needs of her partner and respect his views in all matters.. i realize some here may consider that old fashioned and not based on sexual equality.. yet a lady and man are not created equal because the lady gives birth and the man must sire many children.
if you are a lady under 30 and keen to meet me, willing to cook and breed, then please message me here.
please do not contact me if you disagree with my views, we can agree to differ.
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Socrateswannabe
Hey...I think we need to lighten up! If this isn't a joke I'll eat my hat...if I wore a hat! -
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Elders & Ex Elders, did knowing sins of congregation members change how you treated them?
by Wasanelder Once inwhen you found out all the sins of fellow witnesses did it effect how you treated them?
it was shocking when i found out the range of bs these people did to each other.
i don't mean sexual abuse, i mean fraud, theft, infidelity and more.
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Socrateswannabe
Wasanelder Once: In answer to your OP yes, it changed the way I treated the pubs because I lost respect for them. That was really my fault, because I had the expectation that since this is supposed to be god's organization, we should be better than the "world" we're surrounded by. Of course that's not true and in fact the JDubs are no different than anyone else. All of that bible education that they get has very little effect on any of them, and I include myself in that.
And it's not just the pubs. The same kind of shenanigans that you see in the rank and file is going on with the elder body. There's plenty of backstabbing, underhanded dealings, temper tantrums, marking territory, and nepotism going on. Oh, and that goes for many of the COs that I've known too.
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THE LINGERING SHADOW OF '75
by Terry innone of you are old enough to have been there, i suspect.
i had been in prison two years as a jw conscientious objector when the exciting news about 1975 spread like wildfire.i was paroled from prison in 1969 and immediately began pioneering.
the pressures began mounting throughout the organization.
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Socrateswannabe
Mad Irishman, you were lucky to be surrounded by reasonable people (at least by JW standards). Yes, my experience was different, but it is also my recollection that the frenzy was being fueled by articles in Watchtowers, KMs, and through talks by GB members, COs, and DOs. We were getting peppered from all sides with this stuff.