just realized this recently - as a jw, i never "owned" any of my accomplishments or talents & abilities....we were always told how we are nothing, just specks of dust, grasshoppers, worms.... lowly, despicable sinners in need of redemption, born into sin & misery, constantly facing temptations that we could never handle on our own but only with "jehovah's help"... so we were continually marginalized, all our abilities and talents... they would even quote scriptures that said things like "why should we boast as if we didn't receive these abilities..?
"it was a weird mentally psychotic dichotomy -- being told we were worthless sinners, undeserving of god's kindness -- and on the other hand being the only ones who would survive the great day of jehovah the almighty god at armageddon.
(well, probably, maybe, if we did enough and *kept* doing enough...)so we didn't "own" any of our abilities and accomplishments.
Great post Muddy waters, we lived our life as a rehearsal for the real life, everything postponed nothing mattered. It felt like we were in a theatrical performance played out for the angels to behold, everything in our life was scrutinized and guilt was our companion. All that dissolved when I realized it was all just propaganda to subjugate are minds.
It’s funny I really don’t have time to be here but I can’t resist a good post, now back to work.
MC
So ok, let's assume it’s all true and Jesus comes and conquers the great serpent and binds him in the abyss. Now 1000 years of perfection is upon mankind, perfect ruler ship. So we are getting younger, wiser, stronger, hair is fuller, are limp is gone, sickness and death are no more, every conceivable ailment is removed. Now we are living forever, dead being resurrected and creating a perfect new world.
So when I saw this for the first time I thought who in there perfectly right mind would think this sucks where’s that serpent at. Let’s all gather at the river and overthrow this bitch.” Everyone grab a headband and find your best stick and meet me at the river.” It does appear the wicked outnumber Gods people, if the majority are not happy again then perhaps the people were never the problem to began with. Incredibly I really tried to believe this stuff.
MC
i bumped into a sister that i have known for at least 40 years or so.
we were catching up.
she and her husband have been in the truth for decades.
Yes the 3 in my congregation 2 are elders wives. The 3rd I don't think has ever been married.
MC
it's amazing how the expression "the truth" has become such an ingrained term used by witnesses.. "we have 'the truth'".
"is he 'in the truth'?".
most here have found out so many facts about the organisation, and felt the effects of being "gut-punched" as we realised these facts.. so how do you feel about the expression "the truth" now?.
Personally, the term makes me sick to hear it used in reference to the cult. I haven't used it since I woke up, and I think going back to exclusively using the JW loaded language words as they're used by the normal populous is a very useful part of cleaning out lingering indoctrination and any reservations/doubts one might have about leaving. It's a very unconscious part of their control, and it's difficult not to be influenced by it. As Steve Hassan said, words are the tools we use to think. If, upon leaving the cult, you continue to use the loaded language of the cult, your thinking will still be influenced by your past indoctrination.
I agree with OneEyedjoe
Words are the tools we use to think, "The truth, bother and sisters, faithful and discreet slave and our Redeemer and my favorite one apostate" are all loaded words used to control and keep us in submission to the bOrg. I stop using them when I woke up early on felt Orwellian when I would hear it or about to say it. One thing I learned is when I'm talking to my wife I need to speak the language of the cult to be able to reach her, if I refer to it as the religion or them crazy people or anything other then the "Truth or that brother or sister", she will shut down and say I'm an apostate or I sound like a apostate. The conversation ends she will leave the room or the Iron curtain will drop and she wont reason on anything I have to say. So it's Theoretical warfare and I only use it to penetrate the indoctrination and deceit this loving organization left for me to deal with. Now that's the truth.
MC
hi one and all.. i've lurked for 3 years, about time i signed up.. i'm a still in ms due to family.. fully awake.. i look forward to getting to know all of you..
i bumped into a sister that i have known for at least 40 years or so.
we were catching up.
she and her husband have been in the truth for decades.
That’s not unusual at all we have three sisters in my hall that partake, these women all have somewhat strong personalities. I think it’s a way to usurp the elder’s power in a quiet and dismissive way without making a sound. They know they belong to a patriarchal run organization and can never command real power but they send a message that they will rule over them in their Utopian paradise. It’s funny really. I can’t take them seriously when there cognitive ability is displayed during a question and answer session during the meetings yet there delusional sense they will rule like Kings over mankind is to be accepted.
I to think there will need to be a vetting process to weed out the nut jobs like they did in ancient Israel. “The priest could use the urim and thummin to determine God’s will in a particular situation. We are not exactly sure what the urim and thummin were, but the priest carried in his breastplate perhaps two sticks or stones, one white and the other black, that would give a yes or no answer to a specific question. That is one form of divination that God allowed in the Old Testament. We read in Exodus 28:30.
Now that would be cool, I’d go to watch that. It’s odd that if I zoom out in my area where there’s around 18 congregations ( English and Spanish) I can’t think of one male that partakes of the emblems during the memorial, but I can count around 8 woman. Good for them.
the day i left it was pouring rain........i really screwed up, i found out the night before, as i was packing things up, that i had way under estimated how much stuff i had.
i had two large suit cases (that i could barely shut the lids on) and a large army duffel bag.
i would guess about 200 pounds of shit......my van was in rhode island with the engine out of it.
hey guys!
i have written an article on my exit from the watchtower.
i am 17 years old and leaving has been the best decision that i have ever made.
Hi Duane
Enjoyed your story, Welcome
as i mentioned in another post i used to serve as an elder for 2 decades.
i was involved in a number of jc.
some i dealt with are good friends now.
Hi Closed
I'm certain you are a good person and you only did what was asked of you by a controlling organization and sincerely thought by God and his Son Jesus, Head of the congregation. No doubt you reasoned that it was primarily to keep the congregation clean and the holy spirit was upon you and the other elders. Unfortunately many here have been hurt by the action of men/elders who instead of helping those loaded down with doubt and guilt, have only added to there burden. Instead of siding with the victim decided the other way because it would bring reproach to Gods organization. So from that starting point the whole process is biased. Man is not capable of fairly judging man only God has that prerogative. Just my 2cents
MC
i just finished reading chapters 11-12 of raymond franz, crises of conscience & i must admit, i am pretty strong person, however the way ed dunlap & ray franz were treated left me crying, i had tears rolling done my eyes driving home from work on friday... & how ed was kicked out by wt, left me feel soo disgusted & outraged.... it was very obvious he needed to stay at bethel because of his age & medical conditions but i admired he didn't compromise his conscious, it's sickening to me how cold & callous these men can treat a christian after all his service.... & of course ray franz situation was no exception either, the witch hunt they did to get him out was, well, there's just isnt enough adjectives to describe their disgusting motives against him... he was 59 yrs old trying to make a honest living with his wife & for them to go after him was devious & demon like.... i'm soo grateful i came across this book & i wished i had much much sooner.... i know god will reward both ed dunlap & franz plus many many more who have been unjustly & unchristian like treated during that time & this time, sooo sickening.....i still feel very much upset & emotional over the whole thing .... i never met any of them & then yet i feel deep christian love for them......
Hi Olivia
CoC was an important read for me, it filled in all the gaps about the men in the ivory tower. The way they treated Ray makes sense Ray help to wright Aid to Bible understanding so he was the scholar he immersed himself in research. When the society received information regarding 607 and the implication it would have on 1914 Ray understood it to be correct. They told Ray that regardless of the truth they would not change there doctrine, when he persisted they removed him from Bethel , when they could not silence him they disfellowshiped to shut him up. Little did they know he would write a book that would reveal there inter workings. All the authority I bestowed on these individuals evaporated once I understood there agenda. "The only authority they have is what you give them"
MC
