pale.emperor

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Posts by pale.emperor

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  17

  Online Donations for Conventions

  by Funchback in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.jw.org/en/whats-new/online-convention-donations/.

  online donations for conventions.

  donations to support the annual conventions of jehovah’s witnesses may now be made online from a number of countries.

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  pale.emperor

  Jehovah’s people do not beg for money. […] “We have never considered it proper to solicit money for the Lord’s cause, after the common custom . . . It is our judgment that money raised by the various begging devices in the name of our Lord is offensive, unacceptable to him, and does not bring his blessing either upon the givers or the work accomplished.” – From: God’s Kingdom Rules, Page 196
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  60

  Marc & Cora on YouTube causing unnecessary divisions

  by jambon1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what is it with this pair?

  why do they have to constantly have a bitch about guys like john cedars?

  a very recent video of them shows them calling him a 'village idiot' and making other disparaging claims.

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  pale.emperor

  I met up with some ex-JWs here in the northwest of England about 2 weeks ago. Both of them knew Lloyd when he was a witness and told me even i'd met him before at some JW parties (although i dont remember meeting him. But then i've met a lot of faces at parties over the years).

  They both said they thought at the time he was a little weird but that now looking back he was clearly awake but playing along with being a JW.
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  25

  Whats in it for them?

  by Moster in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been out for nearly 40 years now - baptized at 14 (although not to the org), but faded away.

  but i am wondering about this:.

  aside from the obvious power they wield, what's is in it for the gb?

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  pale.emperor

  I wondered this myself as i was waking up. I could never answer it. But if you think about it, they dont need money. Everything is taken care of for them and they get to control the lives of 8 million people. Thats quite a power trip.
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  16

  JWs and Pacifism

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  pacifismˈpasɪfɪz(ə)mnoun: pacifismthe belief that war and violence are unjustifiable and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.. .

  one thing that always irked me as a witness was their pacifism.

  i totally agree that non violence is a wonderful way to live, but at the same time whenever i'd read or watch something about nazi germany i always thought being a pacifist in that environment wouldn't work.

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  pale.emperor

  Thanks Smiddy.

  Maybe it was my household growing up. But we were always taught never to even fight back in school. Which, as you can imagine, meant bullies just had a field day with my brothers and sisters and cousins.

  My aunt even went so far as to say if she or her family were being attacked and the the attacker dropped his gun, she wouldn't pick it up and use it.
  
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  20

  Begining of freedom???

  by JW-AWAKED J17 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello every body!.

  it's my thirst time here.

  i'm verry glad to tell you my resignation as an elder in my local congregation.

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  pale.emperor

  Welcome to the forum. Always great to hear someone wake up, more so when it's an elder.
  
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  16

  JWs and Pacifism

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  pacifismˈpasɪfɪz(ə)mnoun: pacifismthe belief that war and violence are unjustifiable and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.. .

  one thing that always irked me as a witness was their pacifism.

  i totally agree that non violence is a wonderful way to live, but at the same time whenever i'd read or watch something about nazi germany i always thought being a pacifist in that environment wouldn't work.

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  pale.emperor

  Pacifism
  ˈpasɪfɪz(ə)m
  noun: pacifism
  
  The belief that war and violence are unjustifiable and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means.

  One thing that always irked me as a witness was their pacifism. I totally agree that non violence is a wonderful way to live, but at the same time whenever i'd read or watch something about Nazi Germany i always thought being a pacifist in that environment wouldn't work. I mean, they were invading counties left and right, deported the Jews to Auschwitz, killing whoever they wanted and taking away peoples rights. If i were in a country next door and knew we might be invaded of course i'd want to join the army and fight back. Protecting my family and friends and the country i live in.

  The JW answer for this was always "Hitler would never be allowed to destroy Jehovah's people". But that didnt make sense... what about the other people? It's like Jesus allegedly said, "if we only love those who love us, whats so special about that?"

  I read a great article online by a former US Marine who said this about pacifism:

  "Have you ever met a Nazi? Im not talking one of these p***sy white supremacist skinheads, im talking a member of the einzatzgruppen or an SS officer? No? Because there were quite a lot of them running around Europe 75 years ago. The reason is because action was taken to stamp them out. Your mother probably told you that violence doesn't solve anything, but violence solved Nazism. Sure we'd all love to live in a world without war. But if you want peace you need to be prepared for war because sometimes negotiation and talking doesn't solve anything. The allies tried that in the 1930s but it didn't work. So something stronger was needed - a last resort yes, but it was needed and it was done."

  I tend to agree with that statement. And after the two terror attacks in my country this year i do think violence is needed to defeat these people. No, I'm not saying invade whatever country or bomb the crap out of them. I mean destroy those who seek to destroy me/you/us/our family. Having an ideology of hate is one thing, but as soon as someone pulls out a gun/knife or straps explosives to themselves with the purpose of harming others, they should be taken out. Not arrested - taken out.
  
  
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  34

  Finally ready to join the crowd.

  by Silent Knight in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello, all you damn dirty apostates!

  please, allow me to join this community of diseased minds.

  i have been lurking here for over 2 years and tonight i decided it's time to come out of the shadows.

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  pale.emperor

  Welcome to the family. I look forward to reading more of your posts.
  
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  14

  We do sound like a cult

  by notalone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "we do sound like a cult..." so in the last few conversations i have had with my still deeply in friend she has mentioned this a couple times when lamenting things that don't seem right.

  she has a relative that left and is telling everyone jw's are a cult.

  she is very defensive and deeply disturbed by this accusation.

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  pale.emperor

  From the 2013 yearbook:

  A Cult Member Finds the Truth

  A Bible study was started with deaf twin brothers in a remote mountain area of the Philippines. Both belonged to a cult that believed that weapons could not harm the members as long as they wore certain amulets and scarves for protection. They had been trained in the use of knives, bolos, and guns and had participated in many battles against rebel groups in the mountains. The cult allowed them to study the Bible with the understanding that the Witnesses would not force them to leave the cult.

  The brothers, of course, encouraged the twins to make their own decision based on what they were learning from the Bible. One of the twins felt that he could not make the necessary adjustments in his life in order to serve God acceptably. The other, however, kept studying. To encourage him, the brother studying with him opened the Bible and explained in sign language: “Your name, Samuel, is in the Bible. The Samuel in the Bible served the true God, Jehovah, until he was very old. You too can faithfully obey Jehovah.” This touched Samuel’s heart. “If my name is in the Bible,” he reasoned, “then I too must take Jehovah’s side.” He informed the cult that he was leaving the mountains, and he burned all his amulets and spiritistic items and made rapid progress. He is now a baptized servant of Jehovah, zealously helping other deaf ones to learn Bible truth.
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  14

  We do sound like a cult

  by notalone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "we do sound like a cult..." so in the last few conversations i have had with my still deeply in friend she has mentioned this a couple times when lamenting things that don't seem right.

  she has a relative that left and is telling everyone jw's are a cult.

  she is very defensive and deeply disturbed by this accusation.

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  pale.emperor

  I remember i used to get really angry whenever anyone called it a cult. When i was a JW i would try and give proof that it wasn't a cult. JW's are told that a cult is a dangerous religious sect with a human leader(s). (Which funnily enough that is exactly what they are!) The word "cult" would instantly make me think the person using that word is bitter, misinformed, just looking for an argument or mocking me.
  

  Their own rebuttal of the cult claim is here: https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/are-jehovahs-witnesses-a-cult/
  

  Then, on a late night radio talk show, I heard the host refer to Jehovah's Witnesses as a very high-control group. It struck me as odd labeling, but it fit. The more I thought about it, the more it fit.

  Cult is a trigger word for JW's. I think using the phrase 'high-control group' is a good way to avoid the JW trained defense response when you want to start realizing they are in a cult.

  From 'high-control group' to 'cult' is a very short step.

  I do this now too. I got it from Steve Hassans book Cult Mind Control. Even when im speaking to non JWs i refer to the cult as a "high control religion". This is so dont come across as bitter or crazy.
  
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  27

  Day 1: The Night of Anger, Tears, and Pain

  by Saethydd in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my freedom came with a heavy cost.

  i couldn't stand the dishonesty so when my sister went out of town on a trip i told my parents that i no longer wanted to be a jw.

  when my sister got back and i told her she was so angry, said she really wanted to slap me, then she ran off sobbing, a few minutes later she deposited every gift i ever gave her in front of my door.. my entire family has turned against me.

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  pale.emperor

  "deep down I know this is the Truth."

  I've had this said to me a few times by my family members. Our families just cannot fathom that, shock horror, the Watchtower society could be wrong.

  I feel for you my friend. And i know, sort of, what you're experiencing. You're young, you woke up early so thats a great thing. You wont waste your youth in a cult like most of us did. Well done on making friends before exiting, that was a smart move.

  We'll all support you on here, but in the meantime remember that your family think they're doing what their god wants. It's like having an old relative with dementia, they say or do some hurtful things but they dont know what they're doing. You never know, one day in the future they may wake up. I mean, the org cannot stay the way it is now, the GB will die, the prophecies will fail again, people go on the internet, less people are joining.

  Well done to you and stay strong. Post here with updates because we're all thinking of you and we're here for you.