Posts by ShotWhileTryingToEscape

13

Donald John Trump incited ...

by MeanMrMustard in

https://youtu.be/jdy7yvyzmxw.

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

mickbobcat- this time they’re impeaching Trump for indecent exposure.

28

GameStop - Great Seeing Short-Selling Hedge Funds Get Beaten Up

by Simon in

in case you haven't seen what's happened with gamestop and redditors.. these are the people who drive companies like blockbuster out of business and put people out of work.. but maybe the people have more power after all .... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9toogruq7me.

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

The recent and most thorough studies of The more "poorer" buyers are just trying to get into a home to live in, one in a market they are competing against with the wealthier "flippers" who play the system rather than live in it.—-Brock Talon

I heard an economist make an observation like yours.

Markets played for no other reason than to make money will inevitably destroy struggling people and businesses. He indicated it will break the country unless there come a change to the ways money is gamed .

24

Have JEHOVAH ever supported WARS between his WORSHIPPERS?

by Longlivetherenegades in

jehovah's witnesses used to state other christian denominations go to war and in fact that their religious leaders bless such wars.

they see this as one reason why all other christian denominations are not true christians since they kill one another at war and therefore they don't love one another as stated by jesus in john 13: 34,35.. for example when a roman catholic go to war, he/she is bound to kill a fellow roman catholic in the cause of the war.

therefore roman catholic can't be true christians since its member don't love one another and kill one another at war and as such god cannot be in support of such wars where his worshippers kill one another.. the question that comes for consideration is, has jehovah ever supported wars between his own worshippers?.

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

Our own moral outrage blinds us to the obvious reality that women were relatively worthless during this time. The concubine’s torture and death did not trigger the bloodbath that led to more atrocities. It was the besmirched honor of a Levite man that mattered.

The parts of the concubine were sent around , Israel gathered and they asked” what exactly happened ?” And the the Levite said “ These men wanted to kill me. “

Then he adds” So they raped my concubine to death.” ( But he never says outright that he shoved her into their arms)

The rape and murder of a woman was a property issue( check out the Law of Moses). But the rape and murder of a man was a capital offense.

This Bible story reflects a God of disorder and brutality . Even if Jehovah did not support the war he is still guilty. As others already have said: if God just let it roll then he is as blood guilty as the worst in Israel.

46

Sound Familiar?

by peacefulpete in

a republican congressman voted his conscience to impeach trump.

the results might surprise some of us.. "my dad's cousins sent me a petition - a certified letter - saying they disowned me because i'm in 'the devil's army' now," kinzinger said in a phone conversation on thursday.

"it's been crazy, when you have friends - that you thought were good friends that would love you no matter what - that don't.".

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

I don’t really think it has anything to do with Trump or Biden personally. And I don’t think it’s superficial at all.—MMM

I too think the problem it is very deep and pernicious.

Holy men started warning about its dangers almost as soon is showed up:” watch out for money “ they said. “loving it is the root of all kinds of evil.”

And they were right.

Money was a human creation, Like a lot of things that seem cool at first you discover that it brings unlooked for troubles with it.

What had never been there from the beginning of time soon became more important than possessing a good name. If a person didn’t have a certain amount of money then bad things were bound to happen to them.

Money made long distance influence possible. Humans soon lost their natural animal birthright to live and sustain themselves on the earth where they first found themselves. Instead of the dignity of being a respectable human you were styled a squatter. Money paid surveyors. The land was sold and money wrote laws and secured land ownership .

Money paid armies of conquest.

Banks were built.

Humans even played money games at places like Wall Street where their games made rich people suddenly very much richer or sometimes very much poorer.

Being rich made others listen because it gave power ,

Money was like magic and more important than anything else in the world. Even God wanted it. All the ways that people used to live on the earth before money came was now changing .

Elders, statesmen, councilmen, senators etc —public servants who were chosen to help fellow humans lead orderly, happy and healthy lives—these became influenced by the power of money.

Money eventually moved into the lives of humans so much that it took over everything. The rich could use money for laws that made money grow faster for thrm than for poor people.....Money has been the cause of wars too. Wars fought FOR the rich were fought BY the poor.

.So here we are., Anxious in a world turn upside down by a thing we made but don’t seem able to stop.

Money had taken over our lives. Even if you HATE moneyou can’t escape it.

People expect government to help when money systems get jammed up Legislators in our government help make laws and decide how to spend our money to make our lives better. But they are scared too, now they are ugly to one another. They don’t work together.

Human inventiveness coupled with the intoxicating greed built a vastly different world so fast and trash laden that it is weighing us down.. And yet we still have money worries.

We needed to be building compassion in ourself to combat the urge we have now to fight one another. But we didn’t

So we blame the one another for what? Being as confused as you are? Believing this solution instead of that one?

Out of control world + low compassion= Divided.

Ps. Another reason we are divided? Humans are nuts. Only a human would have written that post. —SWTTE

46

Sound Familiar?

by peacefulpete in

a republican congressman voted his conscience to impeach trump.

the results might surprise some of us.. "my dad's cousins sent me a petition - a certified letter - saying they disowned me because i'm in 'the devil's army' now," kinzinger said in a phone conversation on thursday.

"it's been crazy, when you have friends - that you thought were good friends that would love you no matter what - that don't.".

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

People have to belong to teams. —wozza

I agree with you most strongly. Though you said “a lot of things contribute to change”, wozza, the pressure to “join up” is really powerful. Especially when there is a dominant person or persons can make or break you and your family. Then we feel we must choose their side whether or not we agree with the values and concerns they hold. Soon so many of your family, neighbors and friends jump on the team no one can tell who is “all in” . Everyone ? Or are done holding back— like you.

(We should understand how subversive this forced can be; in JW land the need to conform made it hard to live with a marriage partner if we held non-conformist views — would they leave us? “out” us to the other team members?)

Yea, People feel like they have to belong to teams .

But about The U.S, being different? I disagree. For Covid I have been reading books and scholars papers to understand the mindset of soldiers and civilians North and South before during and after our American Civil War.

I was surprised to find the people back then no different in their general attitudes similar to everything I see and hear of my neighbors and friends now! Even the pressure to join something you did not support ( on both sides!) was there . There was anti- immigrant rhetoric, racism, charges of election fraud over the election of the “Rail Splitter” in the White House, and do on—even Fake News shows up as a complain early in the War. And the inflamed passions ! No wonder there was a war.

Why is there such a political divide though? That is still the question to answer.

If I try to respond to Mean Mr, Mustards Mustard’s question I will have to say it later because it was way late when I saw these posts snd l have to get some slerep.💤🌙

31

If only someone had kicked my a$$.. (This is post is not for theists)

by HowTheBibleWasCreated in

i think back on the 30+ years of bs as well as my fading almost a decade and even now being low key in person to hopefully save my nieces from the wt.

i'm a wreck in some ways.

i'm other days i'm stable however when it comes to theism i depart quickly and with anger!

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

Disillusioned JW,

You say information from people helped you leave the JWs . But it was information after initial doubts had come to you, doubts unprompted by ass-kickers.

To quote you: At times in my life, tactful direct argumentation with clear evidence from books would have helped me discover the truth much sooner than I did.”

The relevant phrase being “ At Times in my life”

And later “The ex-JWs from a distance told the JWs they don't need to talk to them (where other JWs could see them and thus get them in trouble for talking to 'apostates'), but instead that after they get home they can secretly look up the claims for themselves in the WT's literature, with the aid of the internet.”

It sounds like you kicked your own ass/made the-truth-about-the -Truth-your-own. Not to say others did not provide any information (And good for them that they went to the trouble to make it available !) But your story suggests that you were not force fed. You already were pretty hungry when facts presented themselves.

The protesters outside of the convention didn’t crowd up on you either. They recognized JWs need privacy if they might ever explore“apostate “ info. In fact I was totally “out” before I would talk about the BS of the WBTS program with anybody else.

ActuaI I think your story is a great description of the way it happens for so many of us. Slow starts, then fast—fast and gone.

31

If only someone had kicked my a$$.. (This is post is not for theists)

by HowTheBibleWasCreated in

i think back on the 30+ years of bs as well as my fading almost a decade and even now being low key in person to hopefully save my nieces from the wt.

i'm a wreck in some ways.

i'm other days i'm stable however when it comes to theism i depart quickly and with anger!

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

Wow, Jan.

I posted on peaceful pete’s thread and referred to this very thread before seeing your remark above.

I agree.

46

Sound Familiar?

by peacefulpete in

a republican congressman voted his conscience to impeach trump.

the results might surprise some of us.. "my dad's cousins sent me a petition - a certified letter - saying they disowned me because i'm in 'the devil's army' now," kinzinger said in a phone conversation on thursday.

"it's been crazy, when you have friends - that you thought were good friends that would love you no matter what - that don't.".

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

“We should be able to spot propaganda and Ideological Possession better than most. It’s puzzling that some here do not. “

—DD

So here on the board you find it puzzling that we can’t always spot propaganda and political possession? It’s a process,DD. It takes time. Didn’t a lot of us arrive not really able to understand what had happened and why? And we still are— many of us trying to understand.

If I am not mistaken, one poster, cofty, said he became an evangelical pastor after leaving the JWs. Eventually he became an atheist. Now —that is a journey! He bounced on landing like most of us. He didn’t have an instant recognition of “propaganda and ideological possession”.It took time.

But, that said— must we all agree with him? No.

I have seen some on this board leave (or be expelled?) because of disagreements over social and political views. What the hell?

It would have been better for all( even the lurkers!) If basic respect for the other person was used. Just basic respect.

HowTheBibleWasCreated has a coversation going now asking why no one gave him the a**kicking he needed to get him out of the Cult. Virtually all responsers to HTBWC ‘s OP maintain that direct attacks never succeed with JWs.

Yet direct attacks happen here when it’s political and it doesn’t help change anyone’s thinking either. In fact it only seems to freeze a position. Can’t we sift through things together with respect? And let the discussion be deeper not hotter.

Personally, I lurked here a long time before venturing into the forum. Why? I wasn’t sure if it was safe for someone who had already been ShotWhileTryingToEscape.

I love your OP, peacefulpete, and yet am sorry for you that your dad’s dying prompted it. Much appreciation for launching an open discussion instead of a divisive diatribe.

31

If only someone had kicked my a$$.. (This is post is not for theists)

by HowTheBibleWasCreated in

i think back on the 30+ years of bs as well as my fading almost a decade and even now being low key in person to hopefully save my nieces from the wt.

i'm a wreck in some ways.

i'm other days i'm stable however when it comes to theism i depart quickly and with anger!

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

I appreciate jhine’s Anglican perspective “Control by one human being over another isn't love and l agree it has no place in Christianity”

Having Anglican friends and family that are open, loving, service oriented people I became curious and attended some of their Sunday services.

I saw a lot of freedom there — along with life styles that more rigid religions find abhorrent or unscriptural. While Anglicans are criticized for being unorthodox (i.e. wrong teaching) when it came to compassion vs. control they clearly opted for compassion. Freedom allowing freedom. And where was the harm?

But how could any such reasoning touch us who were “ in the Truth”?

The WTS rulers (who hilariously call themselves “Slaves”) published a book I read. The title used Jesus’ words “The Truth will set you free” . Also the Slave named their JW belief system“The Truth”. Their Truth was so regimented that we couldn’t gather for bible discussions outside of the official propaganda sessions without reproof —or worse!

We gradually accepted the complete loss of freedom so we could live *happily* in the Truth— the Truth that sets you free.

This is classic gaslighting.

We wouldn’t listen to the ignorance and lies of critics that would rob us of our freedom.

So I agree with all of the above who say that direct confrontation wouldn’t have helped you, HTBWC. In fact I don’t believe direct confrontation helped any of us escape.

12

What to say? Death of an adult child.

by jwundubbed in

my father married b when both her children and his children were grown adults.

b had two children, a son d and a daughter m. my sister db, my brother rh, and myself got along well with m but not at all with d, who was a very christian person but not a jw.

my siblings and i do not have much to do with our stepmother though we are civil and we don't have any hard feelings between us.

ShotWhileTryingToEscape

We lost a baby through miscarriage. Nothing anyone said helped if they went beyond “ I am so sorry.” And people did say things that hit wrong. Yet if a person who said nothing at all made my loss insignificant. And surely people are often at a loss to say anything— just as you are now.

No platitudes, no scriptures, no “It’s for the best.” helped. But acknowledging my grief meant a lot.

Years later a close friend lost her 18 year old son when the driver flipped the car in which her son was a passenger. She was devastated. I told her l didn’t have any wise words for her. Just that I was just so sorry.

She still shares moments of grief that wash over her from time to time. She is the one who needs to say something. I just need to hear her.

Just send a simple acknowledgment in your own words, friend.