Posts by MarkofCane

91

My brother died last night

by LisaRose in

jw
friends

i found out this morning that my brother died last night, he was also an ex jw, 73 years old and died of heart disease and kidney failure.

it was not totally unexpected, as he had been in poor health, but it's a blow, especially as i just lost another brother two years ago.

there were six of us, now only four.

MarkofCane

So sorry and sad for your loss. My condolences.

21

Nice weather this weekend. Made me think.....

by punkofnice in

there was a time when as a family, we'd host a bbq in our large back garden.

we'd have a small gazebo, tables and chairs.

the reggae music would be pumping out but not too loud.

First wanted to say, when I first started lurking / reading here you helped me see the pain this cult can inflict on people lives, this is no innocent benign cult. Your experience has helped so many new ones and those like me to see that the outcome of exiting a cult is by far an easy thing. I feel your pain, so sorry.

I'm not out of the woods yet, as I've learned on this forum the process is a delicate one, dealing with family who don't agree with your findings, family who prefer to side with a corporation instead of blood, a corporation who's lies have grown so vast they are spilling over and are incomprehensible. People who I called friends who ate me food slept in my house who I would of given my life for, are in essence strangers now, distant memory of a different life.

When I do find my self in the company of these old friends and all they talk about is the organization, The Truth, Tribulation being right at our doorstep. I realize just how fanatical and deep in a dream state I was in. I quickly come to my senses and know It will never be the same we are on two different paths our journeys diametrically opposed. I realized then as I do now, I must start living what's left of my life even if its not so great its my way, my path, my journey. They have taken so much that I will never get back, but I can't dwell on that anymore or else its like..... I'm giving them my last drop of blood. I believe the time and effort I spend to educate people about this organization about this cult is therapeutic and my way of fighting back for what they have taken from me. I'm not prepared to take the fight to there doorsteps not now, but my journey has really just begun.

Good luck to you Punk so sorry for your pain.

16

Confronting the elders with doubts

by HowTheBibleWasCreated in

i have already posted how i outed to an elder.... the only results were that another elder mentioned to me: "i heard you have doubts about the truth will you meet with us and clear it up... i also had doubts... i fixed them i can help.

" laughing inwardly i said sure.. oh i'm going to slaughter this moron.

when he asks my doubts i will show him the chromosome #2 video with ken miller.

MarkofCane

Let us know the results, if there is success or not it will be a learning experience for many. I would also caution not to meet with more than one at a time. If you can get through with one of them he will not break rank with the other elders. Mob mentality will prevail, he will hold the line and will not show his doubts out in the open.

OneEyedjoe

Kind of the same thought.

16

New Brochure: Answers to 10 Questions Young People Ask

by Designer Stubble in

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/teen-questions/1 who am i?2 why do i worry about my appearance?3 how can i talk to my parents?4 how can i fix my mistakes?5 what if i’m being bullied at school?6 how can i resist peer pressure?7 how can i deal with the pressure to have sex?8 what should i know about sexual assault?9 should i believe in evolution?10 how can the bible help me?basically a compilation of previous wt articles.let's take chapter 9 on evolution:statements as quotes below are really going to help jw teens defend creation: [quote]“if you were walking through the forest and discovered a beautiful house, would you think: ‘how fascinating!the trees must have fallen in just the right way to make this house.’ of course not!

it’s just not reasonable.

sowhy should we believe that everything in the universe just happened to come about?”[/quote][quote]“imagine that someone told you that there was an explosion at a printing plant and that the ink spattered onto the walls and ceilings and formed the text of an unabridged dictionary.

MarkofCane

Does it answer : How to tell if I'm in a cult?

How about : How to exit a fanatical religion imposed by my parents?

9

"Make America hate again"

by MarkofCane in

“trump is predicting he’ll be able to do all these things, but his workload will be pretty enormous and his power would be so limited by precedent, by the bureaucracy, by the constitution,” said robert dallek, a presidential historian.

“even in trade and immigration, where trump says he will make revolutionary changes, congress has a say on those things.

a lot of people have a say.

MarkofCane

That's Huuuuuge betterdaze.

63

New Spiritually Weak Label: Not Using Tablet/iPhone

by Doubtfully Yours in

with last night's meeting it became official: here in the states is a must to keep up with 'jehovah's org' that one fully jumps on board with this tablet/iphone crap.. so, now, all of us that up to this point have refused to follow the wtbts in their electronic/wireless revolution will deal with the browbeating from the 'spiritual' ones.. already receiving lots of grief from hubby and rest of the family/close friends when seen at the meetings with paper publications.

damn it!!!

am i alone in this resistance???!!!.

MarkofCane

The one tool that's destroying them is what they demand there flock use to be enlightened. Ironic isn't it.

9

"Make America hate again"

by MarkofCane in

“trump is predicting he’ll be able to do all these things, but his workload will be pretty enormous and his power would be so limited by precedent, by the bureaucracy, by the constitution,” said robert dallek, a presidential historian.

“even in trade and immigration, where trump says he will make revolutionary changes, congress has a say on those things.

a lot of people have a say.

MarkofCane

I think the showdown will be fun to watch. Trump has no filters, who know what he will spout off, he last said 'Ted Cruz father was involved in the assassination of JFK'. Destroyed any shred of decency the man had left. Called him Lying Ted, got to admit found myself saying...."Hey its lying Ted" when I seen him on TV.

Donald knows how to dismantle a persons character, the apprentice gave him a huge advantage on getting his name out there and how to win. He displays the same temperament as Amerosa in the board room. It will be entertaining for sure.

But after all is said and done the president is merely a reflection of the American people a puppet if you will, with no real power. The power for him is being on a world stage, having every word spoken transmitted around the world. That's his ultimate show, he should make Mark Burnett his VP.

The ultimate Reality show on a world scale "Make America hate again" on every network.

24

The "apostacy stigmatisation" of doing research!

by stuckinarut2 in

a thought occurred that the way the society has stigmatised the doing of external research by witnesses, and labelling any such questioning as "apostate", is tragic.. no doubt, in every other aspect of life, we research things before making decisions.

eg, if making a purchase, we go online and check reviews etc to check the product out.

we don't just trust the words of the marketing department.

MarkofCane

My kids google everything. When we are watching a movie and they want to know a actors name they google, if they hear of a place they are not familiar with they google. I make it a habit to always say google it........ research it.

The society could easily control the older generation who viewed the internet as evil but the new generation is a different story. The internet is knowledge, no one owns a encyclopedia set any more, dictionary's are obsolete. The most powerful tool known to mankind in the 21 century fits in the palm of your hand. If I had the internet when I was growing up, I'm certain I would of left in my early twenties.

The admonition in the last Watchtower makes that clear: At that time, the lifesaving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not. (4) Now is the time for any who may be putting their trust in secular education, material things, or human institutions to adjust their thinking. The elders must stand ready to help any who may now be wavering in their faith.” (w13 11/15 p.20)

The internet is exposing all there lies at a click of a button, looks like the tables are turning...and there scared.

36

Understanding The Bible ... The "Linchpin" Effect

by Littleleslie in

understanding the holy bible.. .

after many years of study of scripture, our bible study group has discovered something very important that needs to be realized or absorbed, before one can come to a correct understanding of the bible.

we call it, the "linchpin" effect... .

MarkofCane

Charles Taze Russel was to many the linchpin. I spent 40 plus years of my life believing there was a special purpose associating with gods chosen people. That this chosen few the anointed was gods channel of communication to mankind. That we were unique because we had special knowledge of the future. Light bearers....... lighting the way through darkness, truth seekers over turning lies. Sounds like a snake oil pitch to me....or should I say Miracle wheat pitch.

9

"Make America hate again"

by MarkofCane in

“trump is predicting he’ll be able to do all these things, but his workload will be pretty enormous and his power would be so limited by precedent, by the bureaucracy, by the constitution,” said robert dallek, a presidential historian.

“even in trade and immigration, where trump says he will make revolutionary changes, congress has a say on those things.

a lot of people have a say.

MarkofCane

“Trump is predicting he’ll be able to do all these things, but his workload will be pretty enormous and his power would be so limited by precedent, by the bureaucracy, by the Constitution,” said Robert Dallek, a presidential historian. “Even in trade and immigration, where Trump says he will make revolutionary changes, Congress has a say on those things. A lot of people have a say. The president is not king.”

He can make all the promises he wants but realistically the president just doesn't have that type of power. Trump won the republican nomination, but now can he win in the general election?