Posts by Distracted

31

EPIC!#%* NOVEMBER 2015 WT VIDEO "Welcome Home My Friend, Now Your Life Can Start Again"

by NoMoreHustle in

well i just watched this "epic" video, i would have to say this is probably the most disturbing video yet.

there campaign to get people back is just pathetic in the most mind-manipulating way.

"welcome home" or "come back home" are they serious?

Distracted

My mom kept telling me to watch this video but I avoided it till coming here. Still couldn't watch the whole thing. It is very disturbing. Besides the fact they do equate leaving the org with leaving Jehovah (a huge dishonest thing, I know) there were two examples that really show how much control and manipulation they want JWs to be involved in. The one example where a sister describes how she met someone near a bus and the person mentioned they had been a witness at one time was not quite right. She talks to an Elder and gets the lady's address and starts going by time after time even though the lady isn't interested, even taking groceries. The woman would have to "out" herself if she was just trying to fade and wanted to keep it that way. It seemed a bit like mild stalking to me.

Then there was the example of the woman who was raised as a JW and faded for a couple of years. When she went back to the meetings, she finally agreed to let two sisters study with her because she knew they'd just keep asking. I mean come on, raised as a JW? How much is she gonna forget in two years?!!! Just more control. After these two examples, I had to stop and skip to the end.

I now understand why people are bugging me. I don't mind so much them counting time on me, but dodging the pull back in is wearing.

[I commented about all this on the Fading thread but I realized it belongs under this one.. I was going to delete and write about this under this topic but it looks like I can't delete it anymore.]

37

A question about fading....

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i understand that many on this forum are undertaking a slow fade, over months, years even.. can i ask what is the benefit of that instead of a fast fade?.

as i understand it, the elders only have to deal judicially with people who are still active witnesses, known in the community as witnesses, having contact and influence with witnesses etc.

so surely the sooner you stop attending meetings the better.

Distracted

That November message is really creepy. There was one instance where a sister just kept going over to a stranger's house that she met and found out was a former witness. She wouldn't let up. The poor lady had to go back or face being outed. The sister found out where the lady lived from an Elder. It seemed somewhat like stalking to me.

Then there was one part where a woman had faded for only a couple of years after being raised as a JW. When the JWs got her to go back to meetings, she finally accepted a study because she said she knew that they just keep asking until she did.

It unnerves me because the org. is urging all the JWs to engage in this kind of behavior.

37

A question about fading....

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i understand that many on this forum are undertaking a slow fade, over months, years even.. can i ask what is the benefit of that instead of a fast fade?.

as i understand it, the elders only have to deal judicially with people who are still active witnesses, known in the community as witnesses, having contact and influence with witnesses etc.

so surely the sooner you stop attending meetings the better.

Distracted

I think fading only works if your witness family isn't looking to out you. I've been lucky so far since my mom and siblings are trying the kind, patient, and loving approach.

(However, I have some people in my life who have wrote me off until I start going to meetings again. it is amazing to me still, how they don't see how disturbing that attitude is.)

It is important to not to be too honest or direct. You have to get quiet and change the subject a lot. Or just nod.

I think me and my family have adopted a silent don't ask, don't tell approach. They do try to get me to watch things, read things, or go to assemblies with them. My mom has been getting kinda of pushy since that JW November message. I have also had FB book messages and phone calls from a couple of old friends that I haven't heard from in years. They hunted me down this month.

It really hurts me to disappoint my family.I would go back but I just don't want to be a phoney. I think I might have to move away to some place where no one knows me.

There is a point where your eyes have been clearly opened and you know you would be splitting your soul in half to go back.

I would try to enlighten them but I think being a JW is good for some people. I wonder if it wouldn't be too hurtful if your parents are up in years, made all those sacrifices and lived a life of near poverty, and you go and blast their lives apart with TTAT.

One of my siblings has some mental issues and the religion gives them purpose. I think they would be like a spring in a box that you open too quick; They would be all over the place and it wouldn't be pretty.

It really is a shame to be in this predicament.

37

A question about fading....

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

i understand that many on this forum are undertaking a slow fade, over months, years even.. can i ask what is the benefit of that instead of a fast fade?.

as i understand it, the elders only have to deal judicially with people who are still active witnesses, known in the community as witnesses, having contact and influence with witnesses etc.

so surely the sooner you stop attending meetings the better.

Distracted

I think if you have a divorced or separated spouse who is still is an active witness, and you have been cheating, you should just own up to it. You could tell the elders you just aren't ready to change your ways. Getting D'F for adultery or fornication is a lot better in their eyes than apostasy. They always think there is some hope for you, that you just fell prey to a sin they can understand. Apostasy is equated with the unforgivable sin in many witnesses minds.

We who have been JWs know how it goes and the mindset. It's really cruel to let a ex hang there in limbo because you can't manup or womanup and let them go.

I had a cheating ex who was going to play that game for as long as he could. He'd come back just long enough for me to forgive him and then go on his way again. He started getting smart about hiding his activities. Finally the Elders told me I was condoning his bad behavior. So I decided to divorce. Then this smug CO said I still wouldn't be free to remarry because he was home for over a week the last time, and there was no clear cut evidence following that that he was cheating. Craziness. A couple of brothers talked about spying on him for me but I said no.

Anybody here thinking of playing games with your spouse, just stop. Be honest. Let them go. Karma is a bxxxh for everybody.

17

Acronyms

by Distracted in

jw
friends

reading through a lot of the forum posts and wondered what tatt stands for (?).

any more acronyms that are special to this site?

Distracted

I've heard of Dub before. I think it comes from J-Dubs or J-Double Us. Thank you all for the terms and lists. Very helpful. It would be nice if this thread could be a sticky.

17

JW Religion same as Stock Market/Gambling (Concept)

by Da.Furious in

for the last few days i was discussing with a colleague of mine at work about the stock market and how some people, even when losing money, they will hold onto their shares because someone said they will rise again.

this may lead to lost opportunities or even losing all their money instead of de-risking and offsetting loses by buying another stock, in other word jumping ship.. this got me thinking about jws (knowing that i am still in).

took one step back and looked at our family and what we have done by sticking to this religion.

Distracted

I was thinking today about how all those years I was an active witness how I tried to visualize the New Order as a goal worth working for. Try as I might, I still couldn't get in to the vision of it being so wonderful. First they tell us that we will have to go through terrible persecution and a lot of us will be killed but we should be happy that Jehovah won't let his organization completely vanish. Then after everyone else in the world in is destroyed in Armeggedon, the birds will be eating their bodies.

We will rebuild society and welcome back the resurrrected, but even if one of them was a spouse we couldn't live with them as husband and wife because they will be as angels of heaven, unable to marry or have kids.That means if we died during the GT we wouldn't be able to either. Even though these would be back in human bodies here on earth...doesn't make sense.

After a thousand years Satan will be let loose and we will have to go through a bunch of that stuff all over again.

They keep holding on holding out the carrot for us but it is a diseased hateful carrot.

l

21

Christopher Hitchens Vs Armageddon

by The Marvster in

i've just spent a big part of today watching interviews, debates etc with richard dawkins.

when i was a jw i used to hate this man with all my energy, i looked on him as the devil's offspring, he represented an idea that totally terrified me.

today i found myself saying i love the man.

Distracted

I love it when Hitchens says that 'being told we have to love and obey someone we must also fear is the essence of sadomasochism.' That is so true.

21

Christopher Hitchens Vs Armageddon

by The Marvster in

i've just spent a big part of today watching interviews, debates etc with richard dawkins.

when i was a jw i used to hate this man with all my energy, i looked on him as the devil's offspring, he represented an idea that totally terrified me.

today i found myself saying i love the man.

Distracted

I meant to add this link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-lane/hitchens-vs-dawkins-agnosticism_b_1235368.html

EDA:

I actually think agnosticism is more scientific than atheism. I guess it has to do with being raised as JW. I feel allergic to anyone who claims they have the absolute truth about anything, even whether there is a God. I think a trully scientific mind has room for uncertainty, and would want to steer clear of dogma and indoctrination even if it has to do with science.

One of things my worldly Dad asked to me to read was The Cry and the Covenant about Philip Iqnaz Semmeiweiz. My Dad usually read westerns and Ken Follett novels, etc. and he was a foreman in a factory; he wasn't a scientist. I saw that book in a library book shelf after he died. It just stood out to me. So I checked it out and finally read it. There is a couple of inaccuracies in it, but essentially it's a true story about that poor doctor trying to save women from dying after childbirth and it is compelling. The men of science in that period of time thought cleanliness and handwashing was unneccessary and denigrated the midwives who did it as believing in old wive's tales. The stubbornness of the scientific community despite Semmelweiz's carefully reported evidence was crazy.

I think there are some things out there that we still don't understand and we are limited by our bodies and our five senses. Even with all the equipment and knowledge scientists have, they still have that limitation.

21

Christopher Hitchens Vs Armageddon

by The Marvster in

i've just spent a big part of today watching interviews, debates etc with richard dawkins.

when i was a jw i used to hate this man with all my energy, i looked on him as the devil's offspring, he represented an idea that totally terrified me.

today i found myself saying i love the man.

Distracted

I loved Christopher Hitchens despite his many warts. One thing I liked about him more than I do Dawkins is that he is more inclusive of agnostics as thinkers and Dawkins takes a harder line about that. Dawkins is too strident for my taste. Hitchens had more charm even though he was a bit of a rogue.

32

Hi First Post Here

by Distracted in

jw
friends

just wanted to break the ice and write my first post here and also talk about some things that are bothering me.

i don't go to meetings anymore and i have become inactive for years now.

i don't believe the witnesses have the truth more than any other organized religion.

Distracted

Any one else hear about some special thing you can watch or read from the WT site for people to come back in the org going on this month? My mother was urging me to go and watch it. Been afraid to. Even though I realize it is bunk, that stuff depresses me.

One time I expressed an opinion on that scripture about 'going in your interior room when things start to occur.' Mom brought that up a week or two ago says there's new light about that. At some point It's going to be like the original pass-over when the Israelites painted blood over their doorways. God's angels are going to be able to differentiate people to save by their heart condition. In other words she was subtly saying I'm done for unless I get my butt back to the hall.

Should I make a new thread about this or has someone else wrote about this?