jp1692

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Posts by jp1692

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  44

  Why Do People Become JWs?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

  ?.

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  jp1692

  Outlaw: I knew my post would ruffle some feathers...LOL!!
  

  In your first post on this thread you answered the OP question "Why Do People Become JWs?" with:

  1) Stupid: Too dumb to see it`s a con game.

  It is this comment that I disagreed with above.

  In your second post you wrote:

  There are JW`s … who [are] highly knowledgeable about one subject but knows little about anything else
  

  I completely agree with this. The difference is one of knowledge, not intelligence.

  For the record, my feathers are completely unruffled!

  
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  44

  Why Do People Become JWs?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

  ?.

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  jp1692

  Normally I like Outlaw's irreverent and sarcastic "fly-by" style, but I have to disagree with him on this one.

  There is no correlation with below average intelligence and gullibility when it comes to joining cults of any kind. In fact, research (which is fairly limited) suggests just the opposite. Intelligent, creative people (that are unaware of the manipulative methods of control and coercion used by cults) are in some ways more vulnerable because their imaginative minds more readily fill in the blanks and missing pieces of the cult ideology when they are (unwittingly) becoming indoctrinated.

  Couple that with an individual being in an emotionally vulnerable time, add some easy answers and a dash of hope and you have a new recruit. Voila!
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  29

  Have you ever come across someone on this site or other exjw site that you knew?

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  2 for me 1 from my old congro in the 80's and another that was in the same circle of friends.. karter..

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  jp1692

  Nope, which is kind of odd considering that I live in a major metropolitan area with tens of thousands of JWs. Go figure.

  I did learn about this site from an ex-JW I know and I've told a couple of former members about it, but I have not discovered that I previously knew anyone that posts on here from their posts or they mine.

  On the other hand, I have made several important friendships here with people that live all over the world. We email, text and talk offline. A couple I have even met personally. These few friendships have become very important to my growth and healing after leaving the cult.
  
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  44

  Why Do People Become JWs?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

  ?.

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  3. 
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  jp1692

  “Nobody joins a cult. Nobody intentionally joins a group or organization thinking they’ll be harmed or injured; nobody imagined they’d give their lives for the People’s Temple. We join all kinds of groups all the time – self-help, political – but some become malignant. The people that join [such groups] tend to be idealistic and kind; they’re people you’d want as a friend. They get drawn in and trapped.” - Deborah Layton, Jonestown survivor

  • Jonestown survivor tells cautionary tale
    

  
  
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  30

  Loyalty - Part of the New Personality (S-341a-18-E 5/17)

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  loyalty—part of the new personality (s-341a-18-e 5/17).

  note to the circuit overseer:.

  use this outline for the tuesday service talk from september 2017 through february 2018. you will need to prepare your own 30-minute service talk for use after the watchtower study.

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  jp1692

  This particular part of the outline is especially of concern for me:

  • "Loyalty to family should never be greater than loyalty to Jehovah"

  Directions like that erode a persons sense of autonomy and locus of control resulting in learned helplessness. It clearly redefines what should be appropriate family boundaries, obliterating the natural ones and replacing them with the group.

  When we understand how the religion deliberately and relentlessly conflated the organization with Jehovah it becomes clear why people that have become indoctrinated by ideas/beliefs such as this will betray family members in a misguided sense of "loyalty to the organization."

  It's no different really then how the Hitler Youth would get children to turn on their parents.
  
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  24

  Do WT Publications Make Us Feel Unworthy, Unlovable and Helpless?

  by jp1692 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it is my contention that the wtbts, (as do all high-control, authoritarian cults), deliberately cultivates dysfunctional beliefs among its members.

  in particular, the most destructive of these beliefs are those that undermine one's feelings of self-worth.

  for a research project i am doing, i am looking for direct quotes from wt publications that seem to be specifically designed to manipulate the readers into feeling: unworthy, unlovable, inadequate and/or helpless.

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  jp1692

  Here's another example of what I am looking for:

  "Loyalty to family should never be greater than loyalty to Jehovah"

  This is from the outline for the Circuit Overseer's service talk from September 2017 through February 2018, which was recently leaked and posted by WiFi Bandit:

  • LOYALTY—PART OF THE NEW PERSONALITY (S-341a-18-E 5/17)

  Directions like that erode a persons sense of autonomy and locus of control resulting in learned helplessness.
  
  
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  6

  Getting pissed with Sean and Michael (Hollywood Memory)

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  getting pissed with sean and michael (hollywood memory).

  the year is 1983. .

  two new james bond films are slated for release, one of which will star the one, the only, sean connery, while the other one sports jolly roger moore.. never say never again vs octopussy, and i am one of the original james bond fanatics--so, how can i possibly miss out on the opportunity to attend the world premiere of connery’s flick?

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  jp1692

  Also, you broke the BroCode Law of the Urinal by taking the center urinal when the other two were empty. I know you think you were bonding, but that's definitely not a cool play.

  You must promise to do that never again.
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  6

  Getting pissed with Sean and Michael (Hollywood Memory)

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  getting pissed with sean and michael (hollywood memory).

  the year is 1983. .

  two new james bond films are slated for release, one of which will star the one, the only, sean connery, while the other one sports jolly roger moore.. never say never again vs octopussy, and i am one of the original james bond fanatics--so, how can i possibly miss out on the opportunity to attend the world premiere of connery’s flick?

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  jp1692

  Aw, I thought you were going to tell us how you went out drinking with them and got drunk. That would have been a much better story and a happier ending.

  "Getting pissed" and "Pissing with" are not the same thing. I feel cheated somehow.

  You're in trouble. Rather a let down actually. It left me feeling somewhat, ... empty and drained.
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  17

  Hello from Illinois

  by Rob206 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i come from a catholic background, but most recently had been with the churches of christ.

  i have contacted my local congregation and will be talking with someone tomorrow, hopefully setting a study up for next week.

  i want to study scripture, but also want to immerse myself in everything jw publishes.

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  jp1692

  Rob: What denomination did you guys end up in? Or are you not going anywhere?

  Good question.

  Personally, I am spiritual but not religious.
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  17

  Hello from Illinois

  by Rob206 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i come from a catholic background, but most recently had been with the churches of christ.

  i have contacted my local congregation and will be talking with someone tomorrow, hopefully setting a study up for next week.

  i want to study scripture, but also want to immerse myself in everything jw publishes.

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  jp1692

  Now you know. You're welcome.