Posts by MarkofCane

while flying recently for work, i overheard a conversation about the "social currency" that people in the community or workplace have.. for example, a manager or boss yields more power (obviously) over those below him or her.. but one person observed that other factors have value.

for example a parent may have more value in some circles, while being childless may help in others.. looks or how someone carries themselves may also give value.. so it made me think, what is the social currency amongst witnesses?

what gives them power, status, validation or value?.

MarkofCane

"Bethel title" higher dosage of kool aid = super fanatic

17

Challenging JWs at Cult Carts

by cofty in

if i have time i always talk to jws when i see a cult cart.. they are in a public forum promoting a harmful ideology therefore they are fair game.

having said that, the individual jws on the trolley are not the enemy so i think it's better to keep it as friendly and non-confrontational as possible.. being realistic no jw is going to admit they are wrong because of something we say to them on the street but don't underestimate the long-term effect of doubts.. so what are your ideas for how to approach them?.

personally i like to use the literature on the cart.

MarkofCane

Agreed if they're prepared to go door to door and set up stalls to dispense their teachings, then they need to be prepared to defend it. Nobody should be allowed to spew out lies that affect millions of peoples lives, innocent children who have no say and not be challenged.

I think pointing out the organization history is powerful, this lead me here and the rest was history. If done in a respectful way, it will leave a empty feeling "doubt" that needs to be looked into. Eventually when they realize the bOrg doesn't touch on the subject and if there honestly seeking answers they will go online. If they're content in letting someone else think for them, well they're home. The preaching work nowadays is nothing like it was in previous years where discussion and debate was welcomed, preparation was necessary. Now you just see them sitting next to a cart and making no attempt to reach out to people they are just counting time.

14

Why education is a killer for doomsday cults.

by Half banana in

if you were to read the watchtower literature and you believed it to be the exclusive divinely inspired interpretation of the bible, i suggest that you would not be learning anything useful, instead you would simply be absorbing the indoctrination of the jw org..

what is the difference between indoctrination and education?.

take any passage from the watchtower this sentence for example which assumes significance in the end of six thousand years of human history in 1975: “how then does this fit in with god’s timetable?”.

MarkofCane

Education and doomsday cults cannot coexist.... they fear it be causes it fosters reason and logic, which completely deconstructs their teachings.

29

Our thoughts on the latest JW Broadcast for the month of May

by Christian Gutierrez in

howdy guys!

this is our latest video on the jw broadcast in short form.

we talk about jw marriage challenges.

MarkofCane

Hi Guys

I thought it was great.

At least you are brave enough to show your face's and challenge the watchtower where you disagree, I wish I was a courageous. Those that criticize you on the other hand, criticize you behind a veil and don't have the courage to even sign there true identity. Good for you and don't let the negativity bring you down. Perhaps you hit a nerve, with Doubtfully yours, perhaps you found the Candy lady.

Bravo on your videos.

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.

MarkofCane

Punkofnice

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?