Posts by problemaddict

28

JWs have not "disfellowshipped" anyone publicly in several years

by RayPublisher in

if you want to get technical, jws have not "disfellowshipped" anyone publicly in several years.

they stopped saying,.

"joe blow has been disfellowshipped.

problemaddict

^^^^Cannot an individual member of the nation the Constitution stands for have the same?

For example, a religious service could not include a human sacrifice. That is not protected. Why? Because life is. So why can you be communally shunned and "bullied", when they are not actually expressing "your wishes", and it is just ok?

Look I have a couple extra dollars, and you can be sure if anyone tries to disfellowship me, my lawyer and I will be very busy and make sure every media outlet knows what is going on.

54

Planning exit, alternative venues to preach?

by Goodstein in

background:.

i've come to the conclusion that many doctrines of the wts are unscriptural after many years of privately disagreeing with some of them but feeling that the society was "mostly right" and still being used by jehovah.

this turning point has happened in the last year or so.

problemaddict

Yes Godstein. The blood doctrine was and is my catalyst to be able to think on my own. I think you will find it is likely many more have dies for one reason or the other, at the hand of either blood being forbidden as a possibiliy, fractions being forbidden as a possability before 2000, vaccine discouragement, and organ bans even though the science was fairly new at the time.

I agree the term "cult" does very little good. I also prefer the term high control group. However......who cares. All of the same issues apply. I like you, cannot speak openly to friends, family, loved ones, even men who are charged with being able to listen to spiritual questions from the bible, without fear and without a reaction that is certain. You know it as well, or you would not tread lightly.

Make no mistake about it, it is a facit of our culture that is unique. Not in a good way.

53

Another sad non jw falling for a baptised jw girl story

by spirituk in

ok ,so this is my story , this jw girl came on vacation in my country as a friend of my girl-cousin who is not a jw but were classmates at uni .

my cousin introduced her to me but she didnt tell me that she was a jw from the very first moment we flirt each other.we went on beach ,on bars ,cafes etc and she acted so wordly ,in fact i thought she could be a good one night stand with her behaviour .never saw anything weird about her that could lead me to question something, with the peak in the club where we danced together while hugging very passionatly .

i tried to kiss her that night but she kept her distance , i didnt notice any bad on that.anyway, next day we flirt again at the the beach and at night too .

problemaddict

Well if you are out anyways, why not write her a very kind letter stating that you care about her very much, and know that she is torn because of her indoctrination. Tell her that you are concerned for her, because normal people do not have so much pain and anxiety when getting to know a man or woman. You think this is because of an unbalanced view towards her religion and you have done some very hard research into her faith. You are concerned for her personally, and she should go to www.jwfacts.com

There. Didn't tell you to run.

28

JWs have not "disfellowshipped" anyone publicly in several years

by RayPublisher in

if you want to get technical, jws have not "disfellowshipped" anyone publicly in several years.

they stopped saying,.

"joe blow has been disfellowshipped.

problemaddict

Here is what I don't understand. How is it that the new announcement protects their liability at all, if you have told them you want to remain one of Jehovah's Witnesses?

I mean the action produces the same result. You are being told you are not something, against your will (in the case of a fader or objector etc...).

So why is it, that you can simply "think" differently, decide that you will not change that thought, and they can make it a capital offense for any one of your friends and family to speak to you? I just can't get over how it is LEGAL. There has to be a way to fight it. I mean this is freaking America (its freaking America where I am at at least).

42

I am new here and need help...or just a listening ear

by Fallingaway in

my husband and i have two small children, one of which recently became an unbaptised publisher and joined the school.

my husband is an elder and firmly committed to our family and loves me deeply as i love him.

i would like to find a way for all of us to fade away as we have family in the organization that we do not want to lose.

problemaddict

Welcome FA,

I think some of the women here or abuse victims can probably help you better than I can. But as someone who is new to not being at meetings, I am still a little closer to where you are at than many here. Also, i am trying to fade with my wife and friendships in tact. So far so good. :)

From a female perspective however I can see where it would be more difficult. If your husband got upset with you just saying him doing skydiving or whatever it was would be fine, well wait until he knows what you really think that you haven't even shared here yet. For me it was blood, then it was the fact that if i acted in accord with my conscience with blood, that I could be disfellowshipped. then it became the fact that a communal shunning program was there for me as punishment if i didn't agree with everything currently believed even though it was all subject to revision at any time by those running the show. Then I got a first hand trip at the hand of some Pharisaical elders when I just had a discussion with someone regarding overlapping generations. I was lambasted, dragged in and out of commitees, and treated in such a disrespectful way it isn't even funny.

But it can nver be about your personal treatment in my opinion. You have to try to follow your conscience based on what you believe and for good reasons for you to believe it. That is key. So stick around. Vent when you want. Get specific with some questions and how to deal with things when you go. You will get alot of opinions, but more importantly, support for your journey, whatever it may be.

24

WatchTower 1/2013 Not THE END again?!

by BlindersOff1 in

another interesting video by "the snarky apologist" on youtube.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3aqh5xnzxa&feature=em-uploademail.

problemaddict

I can't watch the video right now. Can anyone give me a synopsis?

198

Rutherford's smear campaign (a must read)

by Leolaia in

there has been some interest recently about the moyle case, and how it may have set a precident in what became the society's disfellowshipping policy.

in july 1939, the chief legal counsel of the watchtower bible & tract society, olin r. moyle, resigned from his position in a protest over conditions at bethel and rutherford's mistreatment of workers.

he did not want to continue living under those conditions and he felt he could effect positive change for his brothers by taking such a stand.

problemaddict

My goodness what a find! Leolea I will pay for the third act of this thing!

Two small questions. When did the policy as we know it become "official" and practiced in multiple venues.

When did it begin to be called "disfellowshipping"

67

How Can I Kindly Kick Weak And Unproductive Publishers Out Of My Kingdom Hall?

by AuntConnie in

unproductive kingdom proclaimers won't leave my kingdom hall, how do i rid our hall of these vultures or turkeys?.

"you can't fly like the eagles if you hang out with turkeys".

after visiting your site, i decided to allow one of the spiritual weak individuals into my car group, it was not easy but you have made valid points i find very self condemning.

problemaddict

I honestly don't know what to make of this.

9

JW's disdain for the Papacy, and their new light

by zed is dead in

jw
friends

i love how the witnesses have contempt for all other religions, especially the catholic church.

their big gripe is about the pope being the spoksman of god.

they pride themselves in not having a clergy.

problemaddict

Actually its more like the Catholic church than that.

The FDS started with the appoinment of those "in charge" in 1919 right? So Rutherford and maybe the board of directors? Well they are dead. The GB appoints its own members. Noting is done with special prophetic or miraculous guidance according to them.

Apostolic succesion anyone?

54

Planning exit, alternative venues to preach?

by Goodstein in

background:.

i've come to the conclusion that many doctrines of the wts are unscriptural after many years of privately disagreeing with some of them but feeling that the society was "mostly right" and still being used by jehovah.

this turning point has happened in the last year or so.

problemaddict

Hey Goodstein,

I am pretty sure you know this but please don't think my thoughts on fading in any way would be advise in accord with deceit. I thnk lying in any form takes away a persons integrity, and the only way to get it back is to tell the truth. Its an ugly buisness. But you don't have to tell someone everything on your mind in order to be telling the truth. Truth has branches. But the stump is still the truth. Give them the stump and feel it out. I guess I am just thinking don't act emotionally. Having your mind somewhat free makes it harder to relate to those still "in" in ways most if not all of us here don't give enough credit to. A simple statement from me that seems totally normal, all of a sudden sets the hairs on the back of someones neck on fire. Why? I don't "sound the same". I can't use the same "pure language" lingo without feeling like I am once again, giving back to the GB that I no longer seaks exclusively for God. (that is a great example of a phrase that would instantly label you an apostate)

May I ask what it was that kind of got the mind flowing? Do you still have any beliefs you hold onto in particular? I certainly don't mean to pry. PM me if you feel like it.

My personal thought knowing nothing about you, is go to him with something you think is iron clad and tell him you are kind of agonizing over it. Ask some questions, seek his advise so to speak, and leave it open and undefined for future conversations. Patience is the only way out of this with your family. Let me tell you it is grueling. I am making headway with my wife. For the first time in 6 months, I believe she will unequivocably be loyal to me over the elders. That is a pretty big deal! It has taken alot of time. I made alot of mistakes along the way. Still working on it.