raven101

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Posts by raven101

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  26

  Mind Control in the Watchtower

  by SYN in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  introduction .

  having been a witness for many, many years, about 15 to be exact, i just thought i'd explain a few things for new-comers to this site about what it's like to be a "dub".

  "dub" is just a convenient shorthand for "jehovah's witness", and is not meant to be derogatory, but i think i will stick to calling them witnesses here for the sake of people visiting during the furore upon whose brink we are sitting.. much of those early years i don't really remember.

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  raven101

  By the way, the only 'demons' in your computer were the 'demons' of logic . . . the last thing they wanted you to be exposed to.

  raven101
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  26

  Mind Control in the Watchtower

  by SYN in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  introduction .

  having been a witness for many, many years, about 15 to be exact, i just thought i'd explain a few things for new-comers to this site about what it's like to be a "dub".

  "dub" is just a convenient shorthand for "jehovah's witness", and is not meant to be derogatory, but i think i will stick to calling them witnesses here for the sake of people visiting during the furore upon whose brink we are sitting.. much of those early years i don't really remember.

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  raven101

  That was great 'reasoning from without the scriptures' SYN!

  You brought up some points I had never thought of, as well as some
  information I was never aware of. And the post was not so full of anger that it took away from the message.

  god its nice to be free of religion!

  raven101
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  24

  Help, my son misses the hall...

  by termite 35 in

  1. social
  2. family

  he really does.. we had a long chat tonight and he was really sad.we were never integrated into jw society,so it's not the people;he justsaid ...'want to belong to god's family'?

  !i went through a few more points as to why the wtbs wer'nt the 'right' religion and asked him if he felt god was happy with people who lie.he re-accepted that and then said'so,how do you know where to go?i tried to explain it by asking him if he thought god looked at congregations or individuals and we got to the conclusion that it's probably individuals.... my point is, he wants to go to his teachers church,and i don't.my husband has never been interested in religion in any form and as the months go by,i feel less and less inclined to be involved in any religion.he has a strong christian theme at his school, but done nicely, so i know his desperation is,nt all 'my fault' but i feel guilty at making him so desperate to find the place he feels comfortable in.he's only 8 and an obsessed sports fan who has a very loving ,full life-but he's unhappy at night and i'm so worried it's my fault.i feel so depressed tonight and responsible for messing up his head with it all.the point is.... do i take him to his teachers church even though i have no desire to?how long would i have to go, feeling a hypocrite?.

  what will it do to him if i don't try to help him practically with how he's feeling?.

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  raven101

  Termite,

  I think you are right for being concerned about your sons focus right now, especially if you get the feeling that he is afraid of 'displeasing god'.

  Pretty much any dogmatic religion whether christianity, islaam, etc works from a basis of fear, although mainstream christianity is better than jws in that at least those who 'accept christ as their personal saviour'' are guaranteed safe harbor, it still damns all the rest.

  That's scary.

  I would advise exposing him to a variety of belief systems, not inundate him, but just show him that there are many beliefs, and explain that all are valid in their way.

  Some eastern philosophy could be invaluable to him, something that stresses individual responsibility in a POSITIVE way. Responsibility for knowing the inherent value of self, the inherent goodness, strength, and beauty WITHIN.

  Jiddu Krishnamurti has one of the most beautiful and positive philosophys, his stress is on love, and freedom from fear. Though he will need some help from you as it may be a bit abstract for an 8 yr old, he wrote 'The Life Ahead' (or just 'life ahead') particularly for young people.

  Another is Lao Tse . . . you will find a good translation at
  http://www.edepot.com/tao8.html
  Lao Tse's writing is very brief and poetic, very meditative and soothing.

  You won't find any hellfire, gehenna, devil or demons, no god for that matter in these writings. The only hell they speak of is the one people create for themselves in their own minds.

  You say your son is a sensitive soul, well sensitive people are the strongest in the world . . . unless someone convinces them to turn over their power to another source, then they are at risk of becoming victims of their own sensitivity.

  My best advice would be to lead him AWAY FROM THE HELLFIRE, I can't agree that it is harmless (though it certainly is for SOME). Fear based, condemning religions have wrought some of the most evil suffering on the world.

  Best luck to you and yours,

  raven101
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  97

  WAR & RUMORS OF (NUCLEAR) WAR

  by You Know in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a question for all to consider is: if pakistan and india go nuclear, as seems to becoming more likely by the day, how long will civilization be able to stay intact without completely unraveling, and during that interval will ridiculers be able to maintain the delusion that nothing out of the ordinary is happening in the world?

  / you know.

  > http://www.msnbc.com/news/753586.asp?pne=msn&cp1=1

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  raven101

  FunkyDerek, must agree with you, anything can be interpreted any way if one has blinders on.

  Xander, I do not rest assured that the mystery mist had nothing to do with Chernobyl. Yes indeed it did cross the ocean, and I couldn't care less what your opinion of my thought process is.

  Dubla, don't bother with the snyde little insinuations as to kindness, I have no need of yours or anybody elses in particular

  Sincerely,

  Raven101
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  38

  Cases involving minors

  by TheMatrix in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  many on this forum criticize elders as being incompetent.

  i've know a few myself, but you must agree that there are also very good elders also.. well, here is a case and i would like to know what you would do if you were an elder.. a fourteen (14) year old male has sex with a twelve (12) year old female.

  the female confesses to her parents and the parents report to the elders.

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  raven101

  Matrix,

  'Are there good elders'? . . . of course there are, I knew a few myself.

  Everyone who says there aren't:

  There is no quicker way of revealing yourself to be fanatical and blinded than to state that any group of people are "ALWAYS" or "NEVER" this way or that way.

  Wake up, when you start classifying people into absolutes ANY freethinking individual is going to see the lack in your logic (and quit respecting your opinion), YOU HAVE THROWN AWAY YOUR OBJECTIVITY, YOUR MIND IS AS CAPTIVE AS IT EVER WAS, just in a different way.

  raven101
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  97

  WAR & RUMORS OF (NUCLEAR) WAR

  by You Know in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a question for all to consider is: if pakistan and india go nuclear, as seems to becoming more likely by the day, how long will civilization be able to stay intact without completely unraveling, and during that interval will ridiculers be able to maintain the delusion that nothing out of the ordinary is happening in the world?

  / you know.

  > http://www.msnbc.com/news/753586.asp?pne=msn&cp1=1

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  raven101

  I'm pretty sure its a sign of heavy denial on the part of most of the posters to this subject, when they deny the very real possibility of nuclear war.

  Could it happen? Hell yes it could, just like if you drive around with dynamite in your trunk you could have an explosion.

  Would it prove the Jehovahs Witnesses right? Hell no it wouldn't, no more than it would prove any other religion right or wrong.

  So many people on this board get so tangled up in assuming everything is a question of proving or disproving the WT that they can't even think critically. Real waste of brain power.

  By the way, aren't USA and Russias missile control systems still rigged to fire (against each other) when they pick up missile activity?

  Might that not cause a serious problem if the mid-easts DO let missiles fly?

  And if they do and its 'contained' in the mid east, will it not still be our problem as well, economy aside?

  What I mean is there is no such thing as 'CONTAINING' nuclear friggin' fallout people!

  Anybody remember Chernobyl? Well I do, I remember a little more than a week after the accident a grey shroud and constant mist moved over Oklahoma (where I lived), it didn't go away FOR MORE THAN TWO SOLID WEEKS. We literally didn't see the sun for two weeks, that was a very unique occurrence weatherwise, an occurence I have seen neither before or since.

  Meanwhile the radioactivity test vehicles were roving around doing their testing . . .

  Am I a doomsdayist? I don't think so, I'm not saying it WILL happen. I am however saying as long as we are driving around with dynamite in our trunk . . . we better take it slow over the bumps.

  Raven101
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  22

  Woman flames men, OUCH!

  by SYN in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  god help us men!

  http://www.ai.mit.edu/people/shivers/rants/scum.html .

  are we really that bad?.

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  raven101

  I read the whole thing . . . so whats the problem?

  No but seriously, I read it and then I checked out a couple of bio's on her and just as I suspected (from something she wrote at the first of the text), she was raped by her FATHER!

  Obviously she was 'crazy', and obviously there was a reason for it. The fact is she was off in her assessment of the vilification applying to ALL men, however the ruling male class in a patriarchal society are naturally and FOR THE MOST PART going to reflect the most negative aspects of the gender!

  So as far as those people go, the mysogonists, the baby killers, the war-mongers,the sex-addicts, etc. etc. she pretty much hit the nail on the head.

  I think that much is clear.

  raven101
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  40

  They acted without 2 witnesses

  by Sirona in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i've only just been told of a case of suspected child abuse at the local hall.. the child (aged 4) was alone with the abuser.

  she told her mother, who told the elders.

  the elders and mother immediately informed the police, despite the fact that there was only one witness - the child.. then the elders proceeded to inform families in the congregation so that they can be on their guard.

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  raven101

  By the way it is the established opinion in the current field of psychology that children at that stage in life are not capable of the of the abstract type of intellectual forethought that would be necessary to concoct a fabrication of this intent WHATSOEVER!!!!!!!

  And as far as being careful not to be in a compromising situation with a child, I am a young woman, yet I will not address a child who is alone in public . . . why? . . . because I don't think it is wise or responsible to encourage children to talk to strangers!!! I love children and often have to stop myself from addressing a child in a situation which could put them in jeopardy if I were somone who was NOT a nice person!!!
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  40

  They acted without 2 witnesses

  by Sirona in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i've only just been told of a case of suspected child abuse at the local hall.. the child (aged 4) was alone with the abuser.

  she told her mother, who told the elders.

  the elders and mother immediately informed the police, despite the fact that there was only one witness - the child.. then the elders proceeded to inform families in the congregation so that they can be on their guard.

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  raven101

  While I agree it could really suck if the guy turned out to be innocent, I would think he would file a defamation suit if he is proven innocent, because it almost certainly would mean the parents had manipulated the child into making the statement, which in turn is child-abuse and could carry further legal and what is more even criminal complications for the parents.
  That said,

  I definitely think a close knit organization with presumably familial overtones would be obliged to relay this information as soon as the formal accusation was made, if not before.

  If anyone is of the opinion that they firmly believe the opposite I encourage you to answer this question honestly for yourself;

  If someone newly married into your family (or had other inimate access to your children) was accused by your 4yr old niece or nephew of this crime . . . and your other nieces and nephews, your own children, were regularly around this person . . . would you not make sure everyone whose responsibility was the health and welfare of your most beloved children, were aware that there was a potential concern?

  We are talking about an issue that is of the utmost concern, the welfare of children, innocent children who have only you to count on for their safety and security in the world . . .

  could anyone honestly say they wouldn't make sure everyone in their family were aware of a potential danger?

  raven101
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  169

  X-JWs Who are now bible Christians

  by clash_city_rockers in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi folks,.

  i'm just sort of taking role call to all those x-dubs who are now brothers and sisters in christ.

  i think it is wise for us to rise up and be counted so that we know who each other are.

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  raven101

  Out of the fryin' pan into the (hell)fire much?

  raven101