problemaddict

Joined

• started 36 topics
• posted 2,167 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by problemaddict

• 
  178

  Honest survey question on effectiveness of 'apostacy'

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems like lots of people have big dreams of 'destroying the watchtower'.

  it's usually linked to a story of how they were wronged and want some revenge.

  do these 'in your face' attempts to convince people that the truth isn't the truth really have an effect?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Personal experience varies. That is why all approaches work. This is like a faith v works arguement, or a chicken v eg argument.

  One does not exist without the other. Do well written articles on sites that drive content related to refuting WT claims work? Do Dateline episodes work? Do you tube videos work? Yes on some people. No on others. Maybe it starts a doubt in the mind (as it did with me), maybe it confirms a doubt already had. Without activism and KIND ex JW's I would probably not be here.

  So both are needed. Support and "we understnad", as well as a more challenging face that gives peoples natural curiosity and desire to defend their faith, and exposure to thoughts we know they are not allowed to think.

  It all works, it all doesn't work.

  Cedars, I support you for the most part, but your twitter was an unwelcome jab I don't think has any real purpose other than a personal relief perhaps? It still bothers me the ex-JW community is so dysfunctional. But que sera sera.
• 
  18

  Anyone else work from home?

  by confusedandalone in

  1. social
  2. family

  if so, how are you enjoying it compared to maybe sitting in an office or going outside the home for work.

  i use to work in the office environment but after starting up my own thing with the with we eventually got office space.

  then as we grew we have decided to leave the office space for the employees and work from home.. i am sure it is not as exciting working from home but the wife disagrees.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  CAA,

  I have a similar situation. I had started my business at home, and found myself doing nothing but working. Then I went into an office and wasn't home as much as I liked. Then because of a slow down I went back into the home, and I have a virtual office set up.

  Both have pros and cons. When you are at home, put your work station apart from everything else. Otherwise you can always feel like you should be working. it takes more discipline, and its difficult to "leave it behind" while you are with your family.
• 
  15

  RBC

  by Gypsy Sam in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's hard to believe it was only a little over a year ago i received my first official rbc assignment.

  i was so excited i posted about it on facebook, to many likes from my fellow jw friends.. fast forward to this year, learning ttatt and fading (last meeting was the memorial and special talk).. i've received my fourth email, in the past two months, asking for rbc help.. stifling urge to hit reply all, with a jwfacts and candace conti case web link.... isn't it amazing how much your life and worldview can change in 1 year?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Just respond like I did with the attendant lists and all that.

  "Brother, please take my name off your e mail list of possible workers. Thank you very much."
• 
  178

  Honest survey question on effectiveness of 'apostacy'

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems like lots of people have big dreams of 'destroying the watchtower'.

  it's usually linked to a story of how they were wronged and want some revenge.

  do these 'in your face' attempts to convince people that the truth isn't the truth really have an effect?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Simon,

  While I do not have a problem with the premise of the thread, I did want to mention that I myself am probably an outlier. I generally had a good experience as a JW. My friends and family have all been lovely people. i was right in the middle of the org, praised for my parts, feeling good about myself etc. It was that mix of hubris and zeal that led me to sites. I then bacame an apologist of sorts. I then woke up.

  THEN I ended us getting treated badly because I starting bucking the machine a bit. In general, my relationships are still good. I have friends that know my stands and refuse to shun me or treak me differently. I have the same obsticles with family and long timers everyone has had to varying degrees.

  So while the sign in front of the Assemblies didn't wake me up, the presence of dissenting information sure did help. Like most things, more good would be done by confronting the stereotype of apostates. A born again christian yelling outside of an assembly does ZERO GOOD, except to make that person feel better about himself. There are very specific and friendly messages that could get out there. i think peoples personal sad stories on you tube (when accurate and not self serving), can reach someone.

  Lets face it. There are a alarge section of JW's that...

  1) Don't understand any of the new light, or the concept of new light.

  2) Don't agree with or understand the blood doctrine......or worse think medicine has gone so far so that it is no longer an issue.

  3) Don't agree with shunning policies. My died in the wool JW family member who served at bethel thinks this. I mean....my head almost exploded.

  4) Don't know the history, or CURRENT policies that control activities.

  Mainly they feel good about their hall, serving God, and doing so differently than others. Nothing wrong with that per se. So how do you reach that person? I think the message is important. We are all here because of the work of someone else at some point.
• 
  64

  Is JWN an unforgiving place

  by usualusername in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  over many years i have looked at jwn.

  in fact barely a day goes by without my fix.. .

  it is a site of contradictions.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  JWN is all things to all people. Alot of help is here. Most things have already been researched ad nauseum. Lets face it, its alot of work and soul torchure keeping up with this mess of a religion.
• 
  12

  What ever happened too.....

  by problemaddict in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...the real jw apologists?

  not the ones that pop on here and have a go with the athiests, but the ones that defended their posision at least with some form of scholarly notion and education.

  you know.... greg stafford (last seen being clearly an apostate....but not getting disfellowshipped for starting another religion.....odd) site abandon for months.. jehovah.to - the haven for the learned with such heavies as hal flemmings, solomon landers, and heinz schmidt.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Yeah I understand, but just maybe 6 or 7 years ago there were several. They didn't exactly do it with their blessing back then either.
• 
  27

  Finally sending a letter to the elders today

  by Suraj Khan in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  figured i'd give them a shot to explain why i was expelled from the congregation 23 years ago without counsel or a jc.

  dear sirs:.

  i attended the xxxx congregation in the mid-1980s as a teenaged unbaptized publisher.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Very interested in the reply.
• 
  15

  Florida teacher suspended over [JW] kids’ Pledge of Allegiance

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.azcentral.com/news/free/20131106florida-teacher-suspended-over-kids-pledge-allegiance.html?odyssey=obnetwork.

  associated presswed nov 6, 2013 3:34 pmspring hill, fla. a florida school district has suspended a teacher after requiring a fourth grade jehovahs witness to participate in the pledge of allegiance.. the tampa tribune (http://bit.ly/1arwmom) reports that the hernando county school board recently concluded an investigation.. the student, who is jehovahs witness and prohibited by the religion from worshiping objects, refused on religious grounds, the investigation found.. officials said teacher anne daigle-mcdonald twice placed the students hand over his heart when the class recited the pledge.. the student told mcdonald during the incident that jehovahs witnesses do not worship objects, and that he stood during the pledge of allegiance out of respect for the country, but was not permitted by his religion to place his hand over his heart, according to the investigation.. after the student informed mcdonald of this, mcdonald went to the front of the class and said, if you dont want to say the pledge, you still have to put your hand on your heart and if you dont want to do that, you should move out of the country, according to the report.. the report also shows mcdonald said something about there not being a religion that prohibits doing the pledge, according to the investigation.. the district says that mcdonald violated a host of state education rules, professional conduct principles and the students right to free speech and freedom of religion.

  several other students in the class corroborated the allegations, according to the investigation.. mcdonald was removed from student contact, and placed on alternative assignment on sept. 12.. while speaking to administrators at the school on that date, mcdonald said she thought the religion applied only to holidays, but said she did not attempt to contact the students parents for clarification, according to the report.. the investigation showed that she also said she didnt think it was good practice to regularly place hands on students, and that she feels strongly as a citizen of the united states that one should show respect to the flag.. superintendent lori romano ordered mcdonald be suspended five days without pay, reported the incident to florida department of education and ordered mcdonald provide proof of completion of diversity training..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  ^^^Its freedom of religion.....not freedom of person in said religion.
• 
  12

  What ever happened too.....

  by problemaddict in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...the real jw apologists?

  not the ones that pop on here and have a go with the athiests, but the ones that defended their posision at least with some form of scholarly notion and education.

  you know.... greg stafford (last seen being clearly an apostate....but not getting disfellowshipped for starting another religion.....odd) site abandon for months.. jehovah.to - the haven for the learned with such heavies as hal flemmings, solomon landers, and heinz schmidt.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  I figured I would try launching this at least once more. None of you guys went to these sites, talked to these people, or knew what was up with them? Honestly I am pretty shocked.
• 
  12

  What ever happened too.....

  by problemaddict in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...the real jw apologists?

  not the ones that pop on here and have a go with the athiests, but the ones that defended their posision at least with some form of scholarly notion and education.

  you know.... greg stafford (last seen being clearly an apostate....but not getting disfellowshipped for starting another religion.....odd) site abandon for months.. jehovah.to - the haven for the learned with such heavies as hal flemmings, solomon landers, and heinz schmidt.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  problemaddict

  Thanks LG. Yeah very odd. Really nobody here knows? Did i need to give this a more snazzy title?