Posts by JakeM2012

53

questions

by DanielC in

i've been dating a jw girl for about 4 years and we've recently had a lot of issues with the fact that her family doesn't like that i'm not a jw.

i've been looking into the religion and am interested in it.

but is it wrong to join just so i don't lose her?

JakeM2012

"I know I sound mildly insane here."

Yep, you sound insane. She's got her hooks into you doesn't she.

53

questions

by DanielC in

i've been dating a jw girl for about 4 years and we've recently had a lot of issues with the fact that her family doesn't like that i'm not a jw.

i've been looking into the religion and am interested in it.

but is it wrong to join just so i don't lose her?

It is not a quick process to "join" the Jehovah's Witness religion and is even more difficult to leave the religion. You have to have a personal bible study that last for months, attend meetings every week, comment, "mature spiritually" to the point of baptism, and then after that, your motives would be questioned about your interest. I'm not saying it hasn't been done before, I know of some sisters that put the engagement ring on the day their worldly boy friends got baptised.

I would pursue other romantic interests if I were you, that were not associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. But, unfortunately, what I have seen is just telling someone that it's going to be a very painful experience if you pursue dating x person, and they will do it anyway and then when they are hurt they will come back to me and try to put the pieces together of how it all happened. We drink a lot of Scotch to help ease the pain.

14

Jehovah Witnesses, Elders or Elderettes, Which Sex Was More Wicked In Your Experience?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

i would have to say i've seen more wicked elder-ettes and jw women than men, the women can hold grudges forever and they can't forgive even the smallest sin their fellow jw commit-ed against them!.

i wish i could share the details about my aunt and how evil she is and why all her brothers and sisters hate her with a vengeance.

the kingdom hall she attend's is the world's worst kingdom hall, it's created a poison that's killed off dozens of good witnesses who left the organization because the elder-ettes and their kiss-ass coat-tail riding followers treated everyone outside of their clique like shit!

JakeM2012

I hope we are just sharing opinions and not arguing. The elders do have more given authority as pointed out by Wildthing, no doubt. The sisters can have control over the social aspect of a JW's life just like an elder that votes to disfellowship, but their authority is conferred by their husbands appointment and is a "taken" authority because of their social status in the congregation. For instance, one elderette would have a "get together" for all the young ones, and invite all the "youths" but the families that she didn't like. Not because they were bad association or reproved etc. She just didn't like them.

The uninvited families found out about it and many times they were crushed emotionally, asking themselves why they were not invited. Just cruel high school mean girl maneuvers that are so silly.

The social aspect of the congregation is where people are accepted by the rest of the congregation. So, then if you have control over this aspect, whether you are an elder with the authority to disfellowship or not, the Jezebel sisters could maneuver a shunning of your family that was accepted and enforced by the rest of the congregation. The reverse of the love bombing, the shun bombing is very effective, because the families would just fade away and then the elderette would say, "see, I told you they weren't good association".

If you have ever tried to harness a Jezebel influence in the congregation it is quite a ride. They can cry at the drop of a hat, make their defense out that they are the victims, and then they will take one elder at a time and coerce him to see things their way. It's just amazing.

14

Jehovah Witnesses, Elders or Elderettes, Which Sex Was More Wicked In Your Experience?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

i would have to say i've seen more wicked elder-ettes and jw women than men, the women can hold grudges forever and they can't forgive even the smallest sin their fellow jw commit-ed against them!.

i wish i could share the details about my aunt and how evil she is and why all her brothers and sisters hate her with a vengeance.

the kingdom hall she attend's is the world's worst kingdom hall, it's created a poison that's killed off dozens of good witnesses who left the organization because the elder-ettes and their kiss-ass coat-tail riding followers treated everyone outside of their clique like shit!

JakeM2012

Further, I guess what I have concluded is that the religion develops and breeds hateful, unforgiving people, all the while they are giving lip service to "love". I've had about all the "love" that JW's have that I could stand.

14

Jehovah Witnesses, Elders or Elderettes, Which Sex Was More Wicked In Your Experience?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

i would have to say i've seen more wicked elder-ettes and jw women than men, the women can hold grudges forever and they can't forgive even the smallest sin their fellow jw commit-ed against them!.

i wish i could share the details about my aunt and how evil she is and why all her brothers and sisters hate her with a vengeance.

the kingdom hall she attend's is the world's worst kingdom hall, it's created a poison that's killed off dozens of good witnesses who left the organization because the elder-ettes and their kiss-ass coat-tail riding followers treated everyone outside of their clique like shit!

JakeM2012

"The Kingdom Hall she attend's is the world's worst Kingdom Hall, it's created a poison that's killed off dozens of good Witnesses who left the Organization because the Elder-ettes and their kiss-ass coat-tail riding followers treated everyone outside of their clique like shit!"

Yep, I have seen this, I fought hard to give the elder body the gonads to remove the elder PO whose wife was causing the situation like you described, and the elder body did remove him, but he moved to a neighboring congregation where he had some "elder friends that sympathized" and was reappointed within a year and continued their hateful attitude and the quick reappointment made it seem that they were vindicated.

In retrospect I don't think it was worth the anxiety on all of us and what we went through, we even had to fight the CO because he didn't agree with it. (Edit) The CO didn't want to lose a company man he wasn't concerned how many people were stumbled and left the congregation or became inactive.

Whether the sisters or the brothers are more trouble I don't know, I guess it depends on your experience, but I would agree with you on your observation of Jezebel like sisters. And your description of the crap that goes on in the congregation is true and accurate. The conduct of the followers of the elderettes is also factual. Whoever the elderette's like, the followers will also like, but whoever is not welcome will encounter H- E double hockey sticks.

57

"Normal family affections and dealings" continue - If only?!?

by LHS123 in

i am new to this forum - it is only a couple of weeks since i have allowed myself to acknowledge and research my doubts.

i am trying to be fair by reading both sides of the story and considering jw official explanation of confusing matters.

one of the issues i have been looking at is shunning - and i was shocked to see the misleading information about shunning on the jw.org website: .

JakeM2012

You don't even have to be a former member, disfellowshipped, disassociated, publicly reproved etc to feel the hate of the family. If you are not doing the Nazi quick step to the beat of Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society's drum, your family will pull away from you.

SD-7 I have a similar situation in my family, they self righteously assume that they hold the high moral ground and that I am not worthy to associate with them. One brother is a pathological liar and I believe a psychopath, and is working at Warwick on the new retirement home for WTBTS.

I really don't want anything to do with them, they are not the type of friends that I want. My whole life I've said to myself "Why can't I have a better quality of friends", well I found out that I had to look outside the box to find them.

8

Recent recollections from the regional convention.

by ulises225 in

short story long, i've been out for 6 months now, my family are studying with the witnesses and they believe that is the true path but sided with me when i was disfellowshipped, they made it very clear they were not going to shun me and now i'm taking steps to make them realize what this religion really is about, meanwhile, it made my mother happy to know i went to the regional convention in a city where i don't know any witnesses which made it easier for me, anyways.. during one of the talks one of the speakers mentioned that convention where rutherford changed the name of "bible students" to that of jehovah's witnesses, and he said that the even was broadcasted worldwide through the radio, none of this is news, however he said that at that hour of the day when the announcement was given, witnesses in japan were trying to get the radio signal fixed so they could hear the talks given by rutherford, basically he said they failed to fix the radio signal but "miraculously" the signal was ok during the announcement so witnesses in japan got to hear the announcement, broke in tears and then the signal was gone again.. now that i know how the organization conducts itself i know this story is pure nonsense but if we examine this and please correct me if i'm wrong the data given by the speaker proves the story to be false by itself.

first i remember that it wasn't until knorr sent missionaries to japan that witnesses began to appear in japan, i remember a video where lloyd barry speaks of missionaries arriving to japan in the 40's and he said there were only a handful of witnesses whereas the speaker at the convention mentions "how many brothers in japan gathered to hear the radio broadcast by rutherford" second, the speaker is part of the branch committee in mexico so he ought to know that what he was saying was not true at all.. anyways this is my first post.

i will try to do this regularly, and if someone is from mexico i'm up to meet anyone.

JakeM2012

I have heard this as Jw folklore before. The story I had heard was that the missionaries were tuning the dial on the short wave radio for several days not knowing what the convention frequency that the broadcast was made, and then for a few moments they received a signal, they or one person, heard the announcement that they, the Bible Students, were now called Jehovah's Witnesses and then they couldn't get the broadcast anymore.

Just Amazing, isn't it. So Faith Strengthening and Happifying.

Rutherford announced the name "change" in 1931? (just ask Blondie as our site's credible 5 star researcher ) and Gilead didn't start until the mid 1940's. So where were the Missionaries before Gilead?

48

The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

by paradisebeauty in

this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

JakeM2012

Welcome to the forum ParadiseBeauty, I appreciate your story. For me, When the first domino fell it was just a few days before I was completely done with the religion. As the the entrepreneurs say on the show the Shark Tank, "I'm out." Then, then you have to navigate out of the mess to get out of it, and I was in it pretty deep.

There has been some good advice here, congratulations on unraveling the lies.

17

Jehovah's Witnesses Are "The Religion Of Hatred!" Why Would We Want To Return To Your Organization?

by PokerPlayerPhil in

i saw some of the quotes coming out of the new assembly brochure "return to jehovah", why would anyone abused by the congregation decide to return for more hate by the congregation?

jehovah's witness are the first one's who tell you "we are god's organization because we are the only religion that has the love jesus christ spoke about!

", that's a big whooper!

JakeM2012

PokerPlayer,

You have written what has for years been my position on this religion. Thanks, I can't add any more.

8

Personal Revelations and Ah-ha moments while reading Combating Cult Mind Control

by Blackfalcon98 in

hi everyone, i'm nearing the end of steven hassan's first book: combating cult mind control.

as i was on the chapter which describes 'mini interventions', i had an ah-ha moment regarding wtbs and the stance on two matters which awoken doubts in me earlier:.

college enrollment (on campus housing vs. off campus housing, etc.).

JakeM2012

I had an AHaaa moment last night. I'm traveling alone and I usually just eat at the bar instead of waiting for a table. One of the servers was getting drinks from the bar near me. He was a very outgoing, two-toned longer hair young man, just excited to be alive. He asks me about my hat, and I gave a short reply, and then off the top of his head he indicated that he probably won't be working there much longer because he was going to a small school to get educated for a mission trip.

I'm thinking about Steven Hassan's book, Combating Cult Mind Control. I'm asking myself questions. The young man returns to pick up some more drinks. So I asked, "so where are you going on your mission trip?" He said that he had to go be trained at a small school in west Texas, and didn't know where they would send him. And That after they get to know you they send you where they think it is most appropriate.

So I waited until I was leaving and started for the front door and saw that he was waiting a table near the front door. I established eye contact with him and then motioned for him to come over. I said, "Your mission trip sounds exciting and that I approached him knowing that this wasn't any of my business, but,.... that I had some concerns of his mission trip. He said, wow, well, tell me what your concern is, for a customer to take his time and tell me he has concern for me personally I want to hear what he has to say.

I said, at least do this: Get on the internet, google and research the group you are planning on going to get "educated" by. I then told him that I was born into a high control group that my parents were committed to and that it was 45 years later I realized that it was a cult, and that I wasted decades of my life working for them.

I then told him about Steve Hassan's book Combating Cult Mind Control and he took a pen out and wrote it down, and then I briefly explained the BITE methods used to keep you in their control. That's when I saw that this young man had an AHAAAAA moment cross his face. It was a blessing to see this.

The manager was a nosey twit that had his nose into everything and he started to hover around us to get a listen. The young man was very perceptive, as I motioned with my eyes that someone was behind us. So he said loudly, "Well have a safe trip, enjoy your evening here".

I think that the young waiter had a "Ahaaa, I've got it" moment and will go home and do his homework. So this was a mini-intervention I wonder what I spared him from?