Posts by SummerAngel

12

Cheap Shots Fired

when @brian j’s “bullet in the head” thread went live (https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4747450574176256/session-8-bullet-head) those written shots echoed in my mind.

a week later while overhearing a bible study, the conductor was asked if god really has given us “free will”.

but if someone ever put a gun to my head and asked me to renounce my faith as a jehovah’s witness, i would die.”.

SummerAngel

One slight hitch with your original scenario women will never be allowed to be study conductors

51

Please Switch Off Your Critical Thinking

by pale.emperor in

i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.

perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.

watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .

Sorry re awful spelling in last post, I sometimes have to fight my 5 yr old for the tablet. I think any measures will be subtle and gradual, they know there is dissent and many hang in by a thread. Cart witnessing and internet are in many ways genius, you don't have to bother training the masses to deal with logical opposition just teach them to stick their fingers in their ears lalala. It also appeals to the older people who make up most of their numbers now. Too ill to go to a meeting? Too infirm to drive at night ? No issue just listen in and we can still count you as there. Mobility to bad to walk up stairs, lack confidence to talk to people, no problem sit by a cart with your mates and drink coffee. My folks love the changes.

One thing they haven't factored in was if you discourage people from doing a real job and from attending the contributions will go down _ its easier to stick change in a box than make a larger donation online. They will also find fewer and less valuable legacies which they depend on. Inccidently they talked my parents into gift aiding some of their legacy telling them the other beneficiaries would be better off, we won't be its done us out of about £10k so watch this scam too.

My other thought was that a new rule that divorcing your non JW spouse becoming an acceptable reason for divorce could also see that happening

51

Please Switch Off Your Critical Thinking

by pale.emperor in

i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.

perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.

watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .

SummerAngel

Ive often wondered if they will sell bunker places at one stage i even wondered if thats what warwick would be used for a final call of give us your goids and we will give you shelter from armagedeon. Doubt tithing its just too churchy for them. May charge for downloads or conventions could see that happening. I also agree re strickter shunning rules maybe forbidding all exucation and employment outside arganisation i think it will be about separating off from non jw s

17

Celebrations?

by Freedom rocks in

does anyone celebrate valentines day since leaving the borg?

and which other celebrations if any do you now take part in?.

SummerAngel

The whole schbang except halloween which is just nasty. Whats the point being out if you dont have some of the perks. I feel to see it as being told when to celebtate misses the point and shows how in fear of control so many are understandably. The main difference is choice- i can celebrate xmas in june if i wish but i chose to buy presents, dec the house etc. The formal festival days just focus us on each other or mother/ father whatever.

I think for me its also been such a normalising thing after feeling i was always on the outside of it all. Festivals bring people together.

12

Did you become more antisocial after waking up?

by paradiseseeker in

jw
friends

i've been shy my whole life, but during my teenage years and early 20s i managed to be more comfortable socializing and made many friends in different parts of my country (jws of course).

that was before i woke up, because i saw myself being a jw for the rest of my life and thus i made an effort to meet new jw friends.

however, after i woke up, i lost interest in meeting new people because knowing that when i leave they will be gone... feels like a total waste of time and energy.

SummerAngel

Definitely feel social skills aren't great due to being born in. I also think JW teaches you to be really wary of people whilst being your friend on one level their loyalty is to the organization and is conditional so you can never comp!eyely be yourself around JW friends. Treat the social thing as a skill to squire, start to chat to people be friendly and see where it goes. The rules are different on the outside for one thing the male/female divide is far less apparent. There is more diversity within outside groups. Much of non JW socialising revives around celebrations birthdays, Christmas etc so by being part of one you are part the other

9

Out of the mouths of babes...

by pale.emperor in

conversation with my 3yo this morning:.

me: hey, it's <friend in her nursery> birthday in a few days.

her: jehovah doesn't like birthdays.

SummerAngel

My 5yr old had a go at my JW parents for not celebrating Christmas because

'Grandad you are very naughty and you should celebrate it'

Equally when she returned after her party and met her cousin and said ' its my birthday why didn't you come' cousin who is 3 snarled " because birthdays are bad" mine looked completely puzzled and replied " no their fun I've got cake and presents"

I found the whole exchange really sad to be that indoctrinated at 3.

52

Have you ever gone back to a meeting out of curiosity?

by stuckinarut2 in

just wondering if anyone has gone back to a meeting out of curiosity?

(perhaps to an area far from your old khall where you know no one).

with all the changes from 2012 onwards (videos, tv screens, new meeting format, new songs etc) it would be an odd experience to be in attendance!.

SummerAngel

I get w hat you mean with this and yeah sometimes been curious but not enough to go. Last KH was for my brothers wedding 5 yrs back. Struck me how stilted it all was. No joy in the talk or music just 1 dreadful JW wedding song not allowed to deviate from set song or talk outline. The levels of control were unnecessary and ridiculous but no one in it could see it.

I've also noticed when I've occasionally collected my parents how the men automatically loosen their ties, remove jackets etc as they leave as if they've been forced to sit and behave and are now free. Its so shallow their so called spirituality lasts the 1.75 hrs of the meeting and not a moment more.

40

What would you say?

by Freedom rocks in

if you had 2 minutes with an old witness friend or with a family member to convince them the 'truth' is a lie and the gb isnt being directed by god what would you say to get their attention that might make them question their beliefs?.

SummerAngel

I agree there's no magic bullet but I did elicit a wonderful confused response when I posed the following question:

If the GB demands something that contradicts scripture who do you follow God or man?

Also, can you give me an example from scripture where Jesus disfellowshiped someone? Linked to this re prodigal son if a person confesses their sins why do they still nerd to sit at the back for a year?

35

The Constant Mindchatter After You Leave

by pale.emperor in

i've been out almost 2 years now and consider myself wide awake to watchtower propaganda and well on my way to recovery from the mental abuse we've all experienced.. one thing that just will not go is that i constantly think of jwism and watchtower and get myself all annoyed at their lies and blatant twisting of facts in their broadcasts and magazines.

it's so bad that it's the first thing i think of when i wake up, then i have these mental arguments in my head proving the jw teachings false and then getting annoyed because no jw will listen even if you tried to tell them.

i call this constant thinking and mental reasoning and mental arguing "mindchatter".

SummerAngel

I have a bit of a love hate relationship with this site for the reasons you cite, it fires me up and makes me angry towards my family. I find limiting it helps. Until I got involved in the exfiles world I barely gave it a second thought. I feel like there's always unfinished business with this aspect of my life but I guess I learnt to live with this before and can again. I'm trying to largely stay away from this site for above reasons and did find it helps because you just focus on day to day life which helps move you on.

I'm also training as a counsellor with the aim to support people coming out of cults.

32

Home schooling website / system for JWs

by sir82 in

jw
friends

so, apparently, there is an organization which provides structure, curriculum, etc.

for home-schooling of jw kids:.

http://www.newsystemschool.org/index.html.

SummerAngel

When the hell is home schooling going to be outlawed. Recent case not JWs but home schooled family with 12 kids in California -Turpins. Home school enabled parents to abuse those kids with no one having any idea.

What anoys me too is those sanctimonious patents that bang on about we took little Jonny or Jane to a museum/stately home instead of boring classroom stuff. I've got news for you; normal kids get that on top of not instead of real education.

I think what is particularly wrong is that the parents appalling choice for their children precludes them from so much as they get older- you may choose to be a window cleaner that's your choice, you have your education nwhat if your child wanted to be a nurse or teacher not a pioneer you have robbed them of so many life choices.