problemaddict

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Posts by problemaddict

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  26

  I Just Had A JW Come To My Work And Offer Me A Memorial Invitation And A Magazine!!!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i responded in this`way: i already got an invitation so i'm all set.. she said, "would you like a magazine and i said, "no thank you"'..... and she just left.. it took no more than 15 seconds!.

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  problemaddict

  JW's visit daytime strip clubs now?
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  14

  Question For Elders - Am I being Paranoid?

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i gave the talk last week on the meaning of the memorial emblems in the 'b' school.

  (included subtle 'seeds' as well) i was puzzled to see a member of the service committee come in as part of the spectator group, because he never leaves his family to come into the 'b' school.

  (i was wondering if i'd been deliberately assigned the material, to test me).

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  problemaddict

  It is probably benign. I wouldn't worry. But OOdad is right. Doesn't it suck to have to live like this?
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  80

  new member- my story

  by AndDontCallMeShirley in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  "that which can be asserted without evidence, can.

  be dismissed without evidence.

  " - christopher hitchens.

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  problemaddict

  BTW, the generation nonsense was interpreted by me the same way you did. When I spoke about it to friends, I saw the ignorance. A friendly and still non-confrontational conversation with some, to make a long story short, led to my eventual blow up with local elders and my removal as an MS.

  What a mess.
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  80

  new member- my story

  by AndDontCallMeShirley in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  "that which can be asserted without evidence, can.

  be dismissed without evidence.

  " - christopher hitchens.

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  problemaddict

  Yo Shirley,

  Welcome and thanks for sharing. Its GREAT the elders are leaving you alone. I mean it really is. Maybe a phonecall, but honestly, the intrusive level of interest in why you aren't around anymore is starting to get to me. I am on month 5 or 6 (can't remember) of a fade. Similar to you, I have some "pedegree" in the organization and have had most of the titles and responsabilties (privlidges of service), available.

  I too give men alot of slack. Especially elders. They really are trained to be how they are. Some buck the training and are really good people, but are still hampered in because fo their belief that the slave is essentially holding the keys to their and everyone elses salvation.

  I remember VERY CLEARLY at a special day assembly a brother giving a talk that had some research in it he related that was very interesting to me. He names off some stats and info that I was enthralled by. I like to read, and at the time was a die hard loyalist. This was a bethel speaker and he did a great job. After his part I went up to him and thanked him for his visit. I asked him the source of the information he quoted so I could learn more. He immediately turned on me. He was visibly uncomfortable, rude, and told me he "didn't need to tell me". I was floored! I just wanted to know the source of information he quoted. Nothing more. Yet I was treated like I was challenging him, and he just blew me off and treated me bad.

  It helped me wake up to our paranoia. Behind abject paranoia there are usually secrets. I had had doctrinal doubts, but they took on ew meaning as I saw moe evidence that what I had believed and explained was just a parroting of teachigns that I could no longer stand by.

  It took me YEARS of this process, and much like you it is doctrinal, not social issues that have sealed the deal. I still consider the GB a group of real believers. i don't think they mean the harm they foster. But you nailed it. They became wreckless, and their out of touch reasoning based on our own history and culture over the scriptures themselves, is just terrible.
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  68

  Raphael Aron in The Age newspaper: Jehovah's Witnesses 'a cruel cult'

  by WinstonSmith in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this popped up on the age website today, might have to buy the paper tomorrow..... http://www.theage.com.au/national/jehovahs-witnesses-a-cruel-cult-20130315-2g5x3.html.

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  problemaddict

  I have a feeling many more of the "experiences" in the WT are simply drudged up from those loyally serving and not organic.

  Shunning is a myth? Unbelievable.

  Mr Aron isn't 100% accurate though. he said something about a 5 or 6 year old not speaking to their parent because they are no longer one of JW's. While family dynamics may be complicated, lets not pretend that is actual policy in practice. First a 5-6 year old cannot be baptized. Second, a child would be living under the same roof as the parent who left, and therefore subject to them.

  His mistep there, will cause loyal JW's to harp on the inaccuracy of the comment, rather than the deception spouted off by their spokesperson.
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  130

  How many former Jehovah's Witnesses bury their head in the sand when it comes to reasoning about the NGO "conspiracy"?

  by Change Name in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  hi all - sure sure, you can call me a troll or brainwashed cult member.

  i am totally interested in how your answers to these questions.. .

  do you find yourself ignoring anything that jehovah's witnesses bring out in regards to their former status as an ngo?.

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  problemaddict

  Hello Change name. My comments are in BLUE.

  Hi there problemaddict - I am always open to a different opinion on a subject.

  Wonderful. So am I.

  It has to be accurate and with evidence used in an honest way.

  Evidence by its nature cannot be honest or dishonest. Evidence is simply evidence. I think I understand what you are trying to say here however. I do not believe the society has been very honest or forthcoming, and I do not believe evidence has been manipulated on this subject by those who used to be JW's. Do you have "evidence" of dishonest manipulation of information, or is it the interpretation of this information that is at the heart of your concern?

  When a group of Christians tells the world that the UN is the political expression of God's government on the earth, then people should reconsider what the source is saying. When a group of Christians tells the world that the UN is the only hope for mankind, then it would be time to reconsider that source. The Jehovah's Witnesses did neither. Mainstream Christianity has.

  Well since mainstream Christianity has no chief spokeperson, the onus is on you to provide evidence that this is what Christians believe. In fact, I can all but guarantee that any apologetics Christian forum you go to will in no way say that they believe the UN is a political expression of God on earth. Is it possible you ahve taken quotes from a couple people quoted in WT publications, and painted over all of "mainstream Christianity" with a broad stroke? Is that fair. Their are Christian leaders that belive hurricane Katrina was punishment for the USA's tolerance of homosexuality, but certainly that does not mean you think all, most or even more than a surprising few would believe this.

  I do not find it hypocritical to tell people that the UN is not the political expression of God or that the UN is not the only hope for mankind.

  Who said you did? If you are attempting to redux the societies view, you are soft peddling it. It is the "disgusting thing" standing in a holy place (?). The Whore of Babylon rides this beast with many heads in Revelation. To avail yourself of the opportunities even minimal association can bring from the "beast" while also holding Christians to high standards of morality and devise under threat of shunning, is the very definition of hypocricy. At least on some level. Perhaps you are not familiar with the details by which the society likes to have control in your life because you are not a member? If there was nothing wrong with it, why did they terminate this NGO status?

  The UN has nothing to do with God. It is mankinds creation.

  Right.

  The Jehovah's Witnesses used this "government" as a source for information gathering about the different countries of the world.

  The UN is not a government. It isn't even a quote unquote government. You and I don't know what they used their association for. By their admission the used the library, and there is honest evidence they have also taken part in community exercises no doubt for the furtherence of their cause. Once again I have no issue with this, if they didn't teach that this instrument by which they are doing it is actually an instrument of SATAN.

  They did not put it on a pedestal as the government all should bow to because it is the only hope for mankind.

  I don't think anyone actually believes this, althoguh I am sure there was much rhetoric when it was initially set up. The UN does many good things, but I do not believe anyone believes it is the solution to mankinds problems. A little cooperation between countries for mutual benefit only makes sense don't you think?

  I do not know anything about one being disfellowshiped for joining the YMCA.

  The article has been sited here. You can do a search in your in your CD rom. I believe the article is in 76'. Do your research. Herin lies the hypocricy.

  I know that people are disfellowshiped for their attitude and lifestyle.

  Interesting you acknowledge one can be disfellowshipped for an "attitude". Who determines what that attitude is? Who interprets someones actions as the kind of attitude that is apparently worthy of excommunication?

  If their attitude is not Christian, or if their lifestyle is in direct opposition to how a Christian should live, and they are vocal in their decisions, they will be disfellowshiped. This is what I have read about and what I have observed.

  You have observed this while not being a JW? I thin there are situations that are extremely called for in disfellowshipping. Child molestation for example. However, you can be disfellowshipped for simply not believing what the GB teaches currently, and vocallizing it to others....even WITHOUT doing so with an attitude. You see....attitude is open to interpretation. Our kind of shunning is practiced by the Amish, Scientologists, and to a lesser extent the Mormons. Do you think they all have it right?

  Here are your answers to your OP questions.

  Do you find yourself ignoring anything that Jehovah's Witnesses bring out in regards to their former status as an NGO?

  No.

  Do you find yourself automatically discounting this interesting information?

  No.

  Do you find yourself searching for a counter argument to this information in order to keep your belief that the "Watchtower" is an evil publishing corperation?

  No.

  If you answer yes to either of those questions, what does not mean about you personally?

  I don't know I didn't answer yes.
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  104

  Yet another "Shunning is good for you, honest!" quote in the June 15th 2013 Watchtower

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hi folks.

  that's right, the new june 15th 2013 study edition is out now on this link.... http://download.jw.org/files/media_magazines/28/w_e_20130615.pdf.

  the following quote caught my eye, from the final study article on page 28.... .

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  problemaddict

  Ann I caught that too. If they even gave me the slightest hint of human compassion say.....to make sure I am not splattered all over the walls, I may not have become so depressed to as to return.

  When was the last time a comprehensive paper was written about disfellowshipping and communal shunning, as a response to the societies proof texts in this regard. In all reality there are only maybe 3 recycled scriptures for the entire policy.

  "Remove the wicked man from among yourselves", would make it seem there is a t least some level of excommunication explained in scripture. Perhaps it comes down to the definition of wicked in the verse? Any thoughts?

  This might be a good project to revisit because of the fact it is the enforcement mechanism for belief and thought control.
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  32

  Part 1 of the 2013 Conti and Simons interview now on YouTube (questions posed by JWN members)

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  a while back we ran a "competition" whereby people could pose questions of candace conti and rick simons for them to answer in a video.. there were so many questions that we needed to do a series rather than just one video.

  this first instalment is now on youtube.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhvfefpig4a.

  here are the questions that were answered.... (to rick, asked by "exwhyzee") is there a possibility that part of the ruling, if you overcome the appeal, will be that the society must make an announcement outlining the details of the case to its members, as well as an apology to candace?.

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  problemaddict

  Well done good and faithful slave.
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  40

  Going to the meeting tonight ARGH!!!! So wanna end this pain NOW!

  by Julia Orwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm only going to the meeting because of my husband!

  i was 'in' solo for years while living with my unbelieving family and i know how it feels to be the only one in your house going to the meeting.

  i also respect my husband's decision, and know what it's like to have family try to tear down your beliefs.

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  problemaddict

  Julia I am right there with you! Do our hearts not burn because of the things we have learned? Ha!

  I second Ann's advise. For example, it looks liek I am stuck going to the Convention this year. Oh happy day!

  What will keep me sane? I will be dilligently taking notes for the sake of the group here if I'm stuck. Others have helped me, its only right I help others. Make it alearning endeavor, and bury your nost in the bible and take notes on non-sense, and start a thread here.

  Ressit the urge to be a martyr. Your hubby could indeed wake up.
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  20

  Punishment for not shunning?

  by davidsf in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so what will happen to a witness if he doesn't shun a disfellowshipped person?

  can he be disfellowshipped himself?

  reproved?

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  problemaddict

  Just curious, has anyone written regarding these scriptures that the branch uses to support their communal shunning requirements, under threat of shunning?