Posts by truth_b

92

Pre-emptive shunning - a growing reality

by cedars in

i'm scanning through some of the results from the 2012 jw survey as they're coming in.. the most populous of the six voting categories with 76 voters so far is my own category, for those who are inactive, or "faded/fading" (not disfellowshipped or da'd, but no longer reporting time on the ministry).. one statistic already leaping out at me surrounds the question "do you experience 'pre-emptive shunning' from active witnesses, who view you as 'bad association'?

" of the 74 who voted on this so far, 76% have answered "yes" to this question.. it's early days, and obviously i will have a clearer picture of the extent of the problem once the survey closes at the end of the year.

however, the results already in suggest that pre-emptive shunning is widespread among inactive ones, despite this not being an "official" policy of the society.. i was interested in your opinions as to why this may be?

truth_b_known

My family was victim to this.

We were in the midst of an unintentional slow fade. My work schedule was the main contributing factor to our low meeting attendance. Having to work 2 to 3 double shifts on the weekend to make ends meet killed our field service participation.

We attended a one-day special assembly, which I had to trade and work a double shift just to attend, and I noticed that those whom my family associated with seemed rather distant. The big giveaway was after the afternoon session. Traditionally we always got an invite to go out to dinner. This time we didn't. In fact, all of our friends in the congregation were going to the same restaurant. No one invited us.

What gets me is the fact that the Watch Tower Society thinks this shunning garbage works as a pre-emptive way to get members to change. On the contrary; that was the finally nail in the coffin for my wife, who was not a born-in. I started down the road of an intentional fade from that point forward.

6

On the Meaning of Life

by whereami in

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2012/01/on-meaning-of-life.html.

on the meaning of life.

in july of 1931, author and philosopher will durant wrote to a number of notable figures and asked, essentially, "what is the meaning of life?

truth_b_known

"The act of worship, as carried on by Christians, seems to me to be debasing rather than ennobling. It involves grovelling before a Being who, if He really exists, deserves to be denounced instead of respected. I see little evidence in this world of the so-called goodness of God. On the contrary, it seems to me that, on the strength of His daily acts, He must be set down a most cruel, stupid and villainous fellow.

I do not believe in immortality, and have no desire for it. The belief in it issues from the puerile egos of inferior men. In its Christian form it is little more than a device for getting revenge upon those who are having a better time on this earth." - H. L. Mencken

This guy is a rockstar!

39

Subjugation of Women

by Band on the Run in

this area bothered me even more than the ban on college.

i was born a feminist, popped out that way.

before the women's movement, i hated their attitude of hating women.

truth_b_known

I agree with the statements that:

1) Jehovah's Witnesses tend to demean women. It is horrible and I hate it. I grew up watch my mother carry herself as a second class citizen and my father exploiting her for it.

2) Jehovah's Witnesses who are men tend to be emasculated. This is due to the belief system that it is unchristian to be strong. It is one of the reasons why I became frustrated. No one would "man up" and if you did you were put down for being a trouble maker.

137

Draconian Rules for Attending "Special Convention"

by BluesBrother in

jw
friends

british dubs are invited to attend a special convention next summer in dublin , irish republic.

o k, this kind of trip has been done many times before.

however i have never seen such a crude and rigid set of rules that would apply to their own people going on a trip, at their own expense of course.

truth_b_known

If you are too young, too poor, too fat, disabled, or just deemed "not examplary" enough to attend I will now reveal the hilights of this convention's program:

1) The end is so close.

2) You're not doing enough for the organization.

3) Obey the Governing Body or die at Armageddon.

4) Reject knowledge through education and especially the internet.

Now, take your hard earned money and go enjoy your life. It's the only one you get. I don't care wha those Jesus comic books the WTB&TS tell you.

18

An educated persons perception of the watchtower magazine

by Aussie Oz in

the other day (australia day bbq actually) i somehhow got to discussing jws with some of my wifes extended family.

one of them, quite well educated and academic mentioned she was given a wt (no awake to go with it) when they called.. she commented that as she read some of it, it struck her how it was going on about pedaphiles and homosexuals a lot and secondly how every thing they said was not backed up by any legitimate research nor data, just random % this or that to support the flimsy arguments.. her comment was that this was the most un-academic, poorly written journal she had ever read and without going any further, threw it in the trash!.

the sheeple migh lap up the recycled vomit in that rag, but the public aint fooled.. the family laughed heartily when i informed them of the jw belief that the wt and awake!

truth_b_known

91

Inequality like this is unsustainable

by slimboyfat in

not to mention immoral.. .

the 100 wealthiest americans have as much as the bottom 50%?.

many of the bottom 50% own guns in america don't they?

truth_b_known

In order for communism to work, all must be willing to work and all must be willing to be happy with whatever the government gives them. The moment one person refuses to work or takes steps to have more than what the government tells him what he needs, the whole system falls like the house of cards it is.

Communism had it's day. It failed. It failed because of Coca-Cola and Levi jeans.

The first steps to a communist society is to take away the right of the individual to own property. I can afford to give my a children a home where they each have their own bedroom. Do I need a home that big. No. Under communism the government would have my family living in a 2-bedroom apartment.

In addition, I have a strong work ethic. I feel it is unjust for me to sweat and toil while my neighbor does everything half-assed, yet he is given the same quality of life as me. Further, I don't want to risk being put in jail because I bought an extra chocolate bar for my son's birthday through the black market because my family was over it's chocolate ration for the month.

6

WTBTS & Pedophiles: What the BSA can teach you!

by 00DAD in

ok, i guess i picked a poor title for this thread originally so i'm going try again with a different title!

(seven hours and no hits ...).

this fox news article made some interesting points.

truth_b_known

Since the days of Charles Taze Russell, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society has made the claim that Jehovah's Witnesses are the only pure religion. They have taken shots at many religions, especially the Catholic Church, including pointing out the various scandels that plague religions. In addition, they claim that their organization is a spiritual paradise.

So, to prevent making themselves appear to be hypocrits, they must hide the childe abuse within their ranks. The WTB&TS, especially under Rutherford, has gone to great lengths to make Jehovah's Witnesses stick out from the rest of the world's religions. Although the right thing would be to out the violators to the propert authorities, it would damage the image they are attempting to portray.

It would be a better Witness to assist the authorities in the prosecution of these vile people. However, that would still mean there is a problems with child abusers inside the organization.

26

Signs From God?

by What Now? in

not sure about the rest of you that are mentally out, but every now and again i still have those moments where i think "ok god, if this is in fact the true religion and the organization is right and i'm on the wrong path, send me a big, glaringly obvious sign that i can't ignore.. .

anyways, this past sunday my husband and i just did not feel like going to the meeting.

we weren't in the mood to sit through it.

truth_b_known

Is it a sign from God?

No.

It is guilt as a result of being part of a high-control group playing with your emotions.

If you had planned on going to the meeting all along and did, would that brother still have eaten his lunch at that grocery store? Yes.

If you had not gone to the grocery story, but gone to the movies, would that brother have eaten his lunch at the movie theater? No.

Don't read into things that are not there.

91

Inequality like this is unsustainable

by slimboyfat in

not to mention immoral.. .

the 100 wealthiest americans have as much as the bottom 50%?.

many of the bottom 50% own guns in america don't they?

truth_b_known

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

U.S. citizens have the opportunity to obtain as much wealth and property as they desire. The current entitlement generation would have us all believe that having wealth and owning property is ethically wrong by using such phrases as,"Why does someone need all that wealth? It is economic injustice."

It has nothing to do with "needs". It is just like the 2nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. Persons say,"Why do you need that assault rifle?" Last time I checked, the 2nd Amendment is part of the Bill of Rights. It's not called the "Bill of Needs". It is a freedom guarenteed to me by law and I do not need someone else dictating to me how I exercise my rights based on perceived need.

8

Dr. Sam Harris vs. Dr. William Craig- Do not watch this if logic hurts your mind.

by whereami in

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hthq6a7fzea&sns=em.

.

truth_b_known

I may be missing the point of Dr. Harris, but I think this is applicable:

First, modern man has walked the Earth in recorded history for thousands of years. Depending on what you believe to be true, it even be tens of thousands of years. The man referred to as Jesus in the New Testament shows up in the last 2000 years of man's recorded history. When he is 30 years old he spend 3.5 years preaching his philosphy, which is related to, but different than the religious beliefs of the Jews as written in the Old Testiment.

Further, the religion known as Christianity did not begin until after Jesus' death. It really didn't begin as we know it until after the Romans adopted it and changed it to suit their needs, until after Martin Lurther, and after the protestant movement. So, now that really shrinks the amount of time that "Christianity" has been around in comparison to man's hsitory.

The point is this - There is no way that, if there is a god, it is the one of the Bible. Further, the YHWH god of the Old Testament conflicts with the teachings of the alleged man and son of YHWH, Jesus. Going a step further, most professed Christians are not Christians. They're just fans. Many things condoned by Christians are in direct violation of Jesus' teachings on showing love to our fellow man.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known