Posts by schnell

31

You know it's the Truth, because it attracts crazy people.

by schnell in

jw
friends

i wish i was kidding, but i have heard this idea suggested lately as a defense of the wts.

this is god's organization, even though it attracts crazy people, and because it attracts crazy people.

"unlettered and ordinary," et cetera.. i don't get it.

schnell

@Christophoros

'the truth' can also appeal to people who have a love of truth... And for whatever reason, fall for the Watchtower lies...
Personally, I was a naive 15 year old...
Is naivete', at whatever age, or stage of life and learning we are in, 'crazy'...?
So, could we have a definition of what 'crazy' is....?
It, and similar terms, are actually quite offensive to a significant number of people who suffer with, and/or advocate for, mental illness.

Nope, I can't in good conscience, except only in a one-to-one joke in person, seriously call naivete "crazy". You're right, it's a pejorative term.

What I can say is that if someone has a condition that falls under mental illness, they do not need to congregate in a millenarian sect. They need to face their issues honestly, and perhaps seek the help of a therapist and/or medical treatment if it's necessary. Being promised a new paradise earth where it will all be better is manipulative and cruel.

So, again, this is not a selling point for the organization, and Fear-Obligation-Guilt does not contribute to good mental health. Ignorance and cognitive dissonance do not either. Actual crimes of perverse nature certainly don't, and poison the whole well perhaps beyond redemption.

2

Is This How You Promote Insecurity in Relationships?

by Saename in

it's time for some ridiculous entertainment, guys.

today my sister showed me a video by pewdiepie in which he reacted with his girlfriend to this article.

it was really funny, i have to admit, because he was basically criticising the article.

schnell

Ha! My wife's a huge PewDiePie fan, I'll be sure to put it on for her later.

31

You know it's the Truth, because it attracts crazy people.

by schnell in

jw
friends

i wish i was kidding, but i have heard this idea suggested lately as a defense of the wts.

this is god's organization, even though it attracts crazy people, and because it attracts crazy people.

"unlettered and ordinary," et cetera.. i don't get it.

schnell

@Finkelstein

Does being poorly educated and presented with an imposing situation of life or death or a possible direction toward overcoming personal problems equate to being crazy?

For reference and posterity: That does not equate to being crazy. However, rejecting absolutely anything that contradicts the narrative and insisting others (especially children and family) do the same for years or decades is arguably quite crazy. While that is pejorative and somewhat derisive, it's also the observation frequently made by those in the organization who have to deal with others in it.

My old best friend who has since shunned me has a saying from his grandfather: Half the congregation is there to test the other half. Why should that be the case? I don't know.

117

2017 Yearbook released

by bohm in

jw
friends

i saw this on reddit:.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5mlgsm/2017_yearbook_of_jehovahs_witnesses/.

overall the numbers are better than last year (1.8% growth compared to 1.5% last year -- as i predicted ;-) ) with an increase in all major figures including 1300 more congregations (i assume this is not physical kingdom halls?).

schnell

@Gorbatchov, funny how that works.

31

You know it's the Truth, because it attracts crazy people.

by schnell in

jw
friends

i wish i was kidding, but i have heard this idea suggested lately as a defense of the wts.

this is god's organization, even though it attracts crazy people, and because it attracts crazy people.

"unlettered and ordinary," et cetera.. i don't get it.

schnell

Short answer is yes! He then suggested and immediately retracted that without the Bible, we would not have democracy. Jehovah's witnesses must be getting pretty limber from all that stretching and reaching.

31

You know it's the Truth, because it attracts crazy people.

by schnell in

jw
friends

i wish i was kidding, but i have heard this idea suggested lately as a defense of the wts.

this is god's organization, even though it attracts crazy people, and because it attracts crazy people.

"unlettered and ordinary," et cetera.. i don't get it.

schnell

I wish I was kidding, but I have heard this idea suggested lately as a defense of the WTS. This is God's organization, even though it attracts crazy people, and because it attracts crazy people. "Unlettered and ordinary," et cetera.

I don't get it. Why is this a good thing?

Do we say the same thing for other institutions? Which ones? Why?

And let's test this: If this is really a good thing, why don't we try using it in the ministry? Next time you're out in service, knock on someone's door, and ask the householder if they're interested in joining an organization that attracts unlettered and ordinary crazy people. If this is really a selling point, trying selling it.

58

Mexico branch......Now closing!!!

by krismalone in

a circuit overseer friend of mine serving in latin america called me today to say hi.

i asked him what's new and he dropped the news that they have received notification that the branch in mexico will be closing!!

this branch also called the central american branch (although located in mexico) oversees all of mexico's 800,000+ publishers plus all 7 countries of central america of over 100,000 publishers.

schnell

@Diogenesister, ugh. Just ugh.

I recall a special pioneer, a WTS company man, who was on the phone in front of me with another Bethelite friend of his. It was basically bro talk about a governing body member who bagged himself a younger woman.

Yeah, congratulations, Matt. Everything you ever said to me or around me helped me to leave.

117

2017 Yearbook released

by bohm in

jw
friends

i saw this on reddit:.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5mlgsm/2017_yearbook_of_jehovahs_witnesses/.

overall the numbers are better than last year (1.8% growth compared to 1.5% last year -- as i predicted ;-) ) with an increase in all major figures including 1300 more congregations (i assume this is not physical kingdom halls?).

schnell

I have a personal observation about Africa. For a time, I joined a few other American brothers in adding some Nigerian brothers on Facebook. This wasn't new to me, since I have had a few online friends for years who are Yoruba. Then more than one of them started messaging me and asking for money, because we're Christian. I know it wasn't just me, because another American brother commented about the same thing.

It was bizarre. And I feel like a huge tool, but how am I supposed to diligently check this? I mean, I don't just give money to just anyone. And how do I get the money to them? PayPal? Bitcoin? The mail? Okay, who is actually getting the money? Is there a charity I can donate to instead that will help them?

But the biggest question was: Beyond tragic institutional poverty in humanity's homeland, why are these African JWs asking for money? And the answer is, at best, because we're "Christian", and because these people are looking for help. Because JWs are offering a brotherhood and present spiritual paradise and future earthly paradise, so why wouldn't they ask?

And then when I read here about brothers in Africa asking for state assistance because the Watchtower won't help them in some way, man, Africa is growing now but that is going to blow up right in their face.

15

To love Jehovah more than friends and family.

by schnell in

jw
friends

when i was a believer, i endorsed this idea too.

i commented with things like "love jehovah more than your mate" or "love jehovah more than your friends".. it didn't occur to me as i was saying it that jehovah is an idea.

this god concept is an idea that should really pass scrutiny if you're supposed to love it more than anything else.. at best, this means that jehovah is real and you have to love jehovah more than the people in your life, no matter the despicable things he is said to have done, condoned and endorsed in his holy writ.

schnell

When I was a believer, I endorsed this idea too. I commented with things like "love Jehovah more than your mate" or "love Jehovah more than your friends".

It didn't occur to me as I was saying it that Jehovah is an idea. This god concept is an idea that should really pass scrutiny if you're supposed to love it more than anything else.

At best, this means that Jehovah is real and you have to love Jehovah more than the people in your life, no matter the despicable things he is said to have done, condoned and endorsed in his holy writ. You have to love that more than your spouse.

At worst, this means you love a completely made up fallacy more than your supposed best friend.

And in all cases, it's an obvious cult control tactic that isn't so obvious when you're in the fog. Let me tell you, it's a great thing to say that you love your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend more than anyone else in the entire world.

36

An interesting reasoning for the existence of God (from JW public talk)

by anointed1 in

i was on an official tour last week to another part of my country.

on my way to the hotel, i noticed sign-board of jw kingdom hall.

i thought i would attend sunday meeting as i knew no one would recognize me.. seeing “a new-comer” in the audience, public speaker adapted his material making it especially appealing to me.

schnell

Are we on about consciousness or life on Earth?

When creationists talk about how special human consciousness is, it always seems to me like they are selling other animals short, even though many other species also show personality and awareness beyond mere stimuli.

I hate to sound like a downer, but we are a species of such narcissists. It's kind of hilarious. It's not enough that we take the name "homo sapiens" ("wise man"). It's not enough that we have evidence of our natural evolution in Africa, as well as evidence of admixture from other hominids. It's not even enough that we have evidence of other hominids around the world, too.

No, we also have to believe in an unmarried invisible father who created us with a golem spell, a sort of virgin birth from the red earth itself. (Why not a mother? Well, there are reasons for that, and it's because patriarchy took over though godesses came before gods.)

What if... there is no such thing as a Spirit, and God is (at best) a metaphor? What if we are afraid of not being special?