Posts by Phizzy

13

Shunning from different perspectives

by jonahstourguide in

hi folks,.

this interesting article on abc australia covers views of people ex-communicated or shunned by a couple of institutions.

it also includes paul grundy's experience.. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-25/the-australians-who-were-cast-out-of-their-religions/100306930.

Phizzy

I like this from the conclusion of the Article, a nice positive note !

" Counsellor Nicola Stevens also says there can be positives, no matter how traumatic the split is.

"People are pretty incredible and I think even when they have been through traumatic experiences, there is a thing that we call 'post-traumatic growth'," Ms Stevens says.

"People can experience growth and make some sense after what has happened, and find a way to accept that it's happened.

"With resilience and strength … people can find ways to create a life worthwhile and meaningful for them, even after an event like this."

10

Are you PIMI Lurker?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

what brings you here?.

what would you like to say to pimi lurkers?

.

Phizzy

Just in case someone from JW World is new here, and not sure what PIMI stands for, it is "Physically In Mentally In"

(the JW Org.)

If this is you, Welcome !

20

"Resurrection" or "Re-Creation of The Soul"? What do really JW's teach?

by EdenOne in

interesting find through a book "inside story of jehovah's witnesses" (1967) by w.c. stevenson, supposedly a former jw circuit overseer.

it's an interesting "apostate" perspective written prior to the wts 1975 debacle.. anyway, at a certain point, there's a quote from a book called "the four cults", by professor anthony a. hoekema (1963, william b. eerdmans publishing company), a calvinist, which makes some sharp remarks about the way jehovah's witnesses teach the dead coming back to life:.

1) in the case of those "resurrecting" for everlasting life on earth, one asks: if the soul is extinct at death, and the body disintegrates and its components are integrated into other forms of life, what is there to "resurrect"?

Phizzy

The JW Org's view of being " Spirit Directed" is as muddled as their view of Resurrection as explained in Scripture.

Perhaps we could have a Thread sometime on their ludicrous view that they are imperfect, not inspired, can make mistakes over and over, but are still "Spirit Directed."

I was interested to hear of your path through your research DJW. When I was an active JW, and particularly when I was giving Public Talks, I frequently used Bible Commentaries to get to the heart of what a Scripture was about, as the JW Org's resources were quite pathetic usually, and certainly they edited and adapted a lot from the same sources, to make it fit their own Theology and Interpretation, but in the process often lost the power and truth found in the original.

This was where I first became aware of their "Quote Mining" where they would only quote, or use as a source to help along their own writing, parts of the Books they were using.

This all added to my cognitive dissonance, until I honestly woke up and acknowledged to myself that the JW Org does not have a clue how to read and interpret the Bible, and is also wilfully dishonest.

55

'covid isnt real'

by joey jojo in

im not here to start a debate.. ive heard the above expression countless time over the past year and a half and genuinely want to know what it means.. if you feel this way, do you mean :.

a. there is no covid19 virus?.

b. covid19 is real but not a threat of any kind?.

Phizzy

" Obviously Covid is real." Yes!

But people in this "Post Truth" World would rather believe nit-wits on the Internet than those who really know what they are talking about.

Some are even still denying it is real with literally their dying breath, saying to medical Staff that are caring for them. " I cannot be dying from Covid, it isn't real" , how dumb is that ?

They are probably ones who fell for the Anti-vaxx message too, well, it shows the danger of being either too lazy, or too stupid to check Facts and Evidence, to not do so properly can be Lethal !

8

My JW uncle said a bad word!

by pistolpete in

yep, i never heard him use profanity------ever.. a couple of us were invited to lunch, which in my case never happened before covid because i never got baptized.. but now i’m being invited by most of my jw family to family cookouts.

and we never talk about kingdom stuff.

they always ask questions about politics.

Phizzy

"Finally my Uncle speaks out and says;

We’re Fucked!

Everyone starts going-------OH MY GOD----OH MY GOD----- YOU SAID A BAD WORD!"

This made me really laugh! it is just SO funny when someone who doesn't normally swear does so !

I remember my sister in law swearing, I had never heard her do so before, though she was never a JW, but one day she said to her husband " You're a fucking weirdo!" It cracked me up !

But the reaction of the others to your Uncle's statement is, sadly, typical JW, focus on something else, the "bad word", rather than face the Facts and Evidence presented to them, and come to the same honest appraisal as your Uncle !

30

For Witnesses Who Want To Leave Fade, Disassociate or Get Disfellowshipped?

by minimus in

jw
friends

my opinion is if possible fading is the best way to go..

Phizzy

Good point Min ! I left after 58 wasted years ! if only I had awakened fully much earlier !

Never waste time in the Cult, thinking it will change, or your circumstances will change, once awake, plan your exit to achieve what suits you, then FFS GO !

57

What’s Wrong With President Biden?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i just watched excerpts from his cnn town hall event and something is seriously wrong with him.

he can’t put together a sentence without getting lost, tripping on his own words, forgetting what he is talking about.……this is embarrassing.

and it’s not because he has a stutter!

Phizzy

Is Biden the real life version of "Chance" the gardener who became President, played by Peter Sellers in the Movie " Being There " ?

Not quite I suppose, the Sellers character could string together what sounded like a profound statement. But is Biden there simply because he can be manipulated ?

29

I think Splane is the Cult Leader. And I think there are more apostates working on the inside than we can imagine.

by pistolpete in

so in the latest leaked video, splane goes on this crazy delusional rant about how faithful witnesses should never research their faith.. he criticizes the worldly court system and says they are not fair toward witnesses and the organization.

he says the court system is rigged and witnesses who get convicted, (implied child sex abusers) are innocent.

he is literally trying to justify child molesters and elders who cover them, as good people in "god's eyes" even though "human authorities" may judge them and put them in jail.

Phizzy

This is great news ! it was a similar pronouncement from the Org. that made me determined to leave. I was already half out, having determined for myself that 1914 was hogwash, but was awaiting a Shepherding Visit from an Elder who had promised to return, and build my faith in 1914, and the Org.

He never did return of course, maybe he realised he could not defend 1914 to someone who was not a fool.

Then there was a Box in the Kingdom Ministry answering one of their made up questions about should groups of JW's join together for study and research.

They said no need ,we do it ALL for you ! So, no Research on your own or in groups. It is forbidden.

I loudly said in the K. Hall, " Nobody does my thinking for me !". I left for good a few months later.

This idiot on this stupid Video may well be the catalyst for the few remaining ones with sparking brain cells to leave.

24

Anyone get the feeling that the cult is really in trouble.

by mickbobcat in

so all the bs and hyperbole aside, to me it really looks like the cult is in trouble.

shrinking member, selling halls.

the move to televangelism is really strange to me.

Phizzy

pale.emperor gives us some exciting news ! I rarely go on exJWReddit, I am not sure why (?). But young people communicate so well and so fast today via the Net on their devices, that it is so different from when I left the org. Then it was so difficult for me to hook up with similar minded people from my circle of acquaintances locally, today it would be so easy !

If the young are waking up wholesale , we may not see many of them actually leave for a good while, but without doubt they will only be marking time until they do, and the support that does not come from them will be difficult for the Org to replace.

Coupled with the general dropping off of meeting Attendance and FS, the demise of the Org may accelerate, I do hope so, I wish to see it down to just a few million, maybe less than 2 million, old timers and nut bags being the only ones left, before I shuffle off this Mortal Coil.

30

For Witnesses Who Want To Leave Fade, Disassociate or Get Disfellowshipped?

by minimus in

jw
friends

my opinion is if possible fading is the best way to go..

Phizzy

It depends on your situation, like many others, for me it worked well, i was able to talk to older JW relatives before they passed. And am now on reasonable terms with my JW family. That would not be possible should I be DF'd or DA'd.

I know some cannot wait to be totally disassociated, thinking this will give them freedom and peace of mind, which is true to a degree. But often I think people do not realise that once you have faded for long enough you have every freedom, and the peace of mind comes from making the effort to get rid of JW beliefs and thoughts 100%.

I would advise fading, at least until you are really sure any other move is really for you. To DA is very difficult to undo, and can never be undone completely, you will always be looked upon with suspicion and disdain by the JW's. Much more so then if you have merely faded.