Posts by jp1692

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

SBF: I don't think so. I think the official JW position now is that gay people are probably born that way but that they should deny themselves.

I no longer regularly read WT publications so I can't comment. But I would like to know if there has been a change in their "official position" on this.

I remember two years ago there was quite a bit of discussion about a CO's letter regarding "gender blurring" dress and behaviors. (Click here for that discussion). But that letter discussed outward dress and grooming and perceived "gender blurring characteristics" including body-language, mannerisms and traits. It did not specifically address the issue you mentioned: whether or not people are born homosexual. (That the WT wants LGBTQIA individuals to deny themselves is evident from that CO's letter).

Do you have any direct quotations to support the change in viewpoint on the part of the WTBTS? I would certainly appreciate having written confirmation of such a change.

Thanks!

jp

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

SBF: On the gay issue, I thought it was interesting the wife said something like, "gay people are born that way, they don't choose it".

Good for her and you!

Of course, if she goes around saying things like that at the KH she'll soon find herself in a meeting with a couple of elders in the backroom.

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

SBF: Even the assumption "there is a God" can be broken down.

That's true, which is why I restricted my comments to the God of the Bible.

28

My Boyfriend is a recent Ex Jehovah Witness

by whatisthis12 in

i have been dating my boyfriend for almost a year now.

when i met him i had no idea that he was a jehovah witness.

we took a vacation and he lied to his parents about who he was with, and they ended up finding out not only that he way lying, but who i was.

jp1692

WIT12: I feel like i will always be the girl that made him lose his relationship with his family and friends

That's not on you; that's on his family and friends.

It might help your BF to seek some counseling to help him untangle the mess of beliefs and emotions that he must be experiencing as a result of leaving this religion. It might even be helpful for you to go with him, at least for some of the sessions.

The one problem is that most therapists and counselors are not really familiar with the issues ex-cult members face. (Yes, JWs are a cult).

Here is a link to a resource that you might find helpful:

Document for Therapists - Bonnie Ziemann, PhD

Although she is now retired, Ziemann is both a therapist and a former, born-in Jehovah’s Witness.

This is from her website:

"Bonnie has the skills, knowledge, education and experience with which she can offer others help to leave high-control environments and recover from mind-control, coercion, manipulation and/or abuse."

Best wishes to you both!

20

Lessons learned from the wife of lot drama

by purrpurr in

the video drama shown at the recent comvention was called "the wife of lot".

i noticed some stuble lessons being taught in this soap opera style video.... firstly, all the bad influence comes from women, its the wife and the mother in law whose pushing for more money and a better lifestyle.

while the men remain loyal to god, can't show the men going astray now can we?.

jp1692

SBF: Or actually maybe it was intentional, to say no job, no matter how worthy, is as important as being a good JW.

That's more likely, methinks.

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

SBF: The argument ... relies on a few assumptions.

You left out at least one assumption and it's a big one: The God of the Bible exists. (Although I suppose you could say this is implicit in your first assumption).

It has become my belief that the evidence is overwhelming and conclusive: The God of the Bible does NOT exist. Therefore we need not worry about any "prophecies" coming true. Instead we should get on with our lives and work toward making this life and this world the best we can.

This is actually good news, and it's real. Good news.

Consider for a moment Richard Dawkins description of the “The God of the Old Testament [who] is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.”

Although there is no objective evidence to support the counterfactual assertion that the God of the Bible is real and actually exists, there are in fact plenty of scriptural proof-texts to support Dawkins' assessment. If you've been a JW for any length of time you probably know most, if not all, of them. Good thing it's all fiction.

Ponder that and it's ramifications!

5

Faithful and discreet “slave” is very apt name!

by venus in

i found it difficult to digest the word (“slave”) jesus supposedly used to refer to his appointees on earth to dispense spiritual food on earth.

(mathew 24:45) why not a better word, something positive in view of the fact that jesus came to free us?

freedom is the absence of physical and mental boundaries or restrictions.

jp1692

Really? How did "slave" come to mean MASTER?

Changing the basic meanings of words to the exact opposite of what they really mean is one sign of a cult!

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

UTC: The speaker dogmatically mentions the important year 607bce about 3 or 4 times. He mentions 1914 a couple of times, 1919, and even mentions the generation and refers to brother Splanes [sic] very good explanation and diagram on JW.org 🙄

Personally, I think Splane (or who ever is really in charge at the WTBTS) plagiarized that chart from this three year old thread on this forum:

This Overlapping Generation teaching is really complete nonsense

Timeline:

January 15, 2014: Watchtower Study Article: "Let Your Kingdom Come" But When?, (p. 30-31, paragraphs 14 - 16): WT attempts to explain 1st & 2nd Groups of "THIS GENERATION [That] WILL NOT PASS AWAY"
April 2014: Oubliette posts a chart on JWN parodying the Overlapping Generation (OG) nonsense
September 2015: Splane attempts to 'splain the OG nonsense using a chart suspiciously derivative of one previously posted here on JWN. (Click here for a review of that jw-tv episode).

Careful readers will notice the footnote in the above chart about conflicting dates for Fred Franz' baptism. This is a point in WT "theology," chronology and history that previously has not been discussed much, and curiously Splane also refers to this obscure point in his presentation.

Coincidence? Conspiracy theory?

Do the math!

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

UTC: Most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

I wonder how many people from other Abrahamic religions would agree with that statement?

JWs have their own, unique and unconventional understanding of much of the Bible. Why is that? Are they really right and every other religion wrong?

Next time you consider a particular scripture, ask yourself: How do I know what this scripture means? Is it because of what it actually says, or because of what I've been told it means?

Google "exegesis" and "eisegesis" and see if you can determine which method of Bible interpretation the WTBTS uses.

64

My jaw dropping OMG moment at the end of the convention

by UnshackleTheChains in

yes folks.

over the past few days i can honestly say the convention was relatively quite good.

most of the talks, videos, symposiums were in line with scripture if you have faith in the bible.

jp1692

UTC: I looked around thinking are intelligent individuals in the audience really buying this nonsense.

Sure. Intelligence alone is not sufficiently protective against cult indoctrination. One must be familiar with the methods of mental manipulation and self-aware to be protected. It also helps to have well developed critical-thinking skills, a strong sense of self and a willingness to question authority. How many fully indoctrinated JWs have any of those let alone the complete set?

Finally, it's possible-perhaps even likely-that there were others wondering the same thing as you were. Remember, in a cult all doubts must be kept to one's self.

You're here sharing yours anonymously on an Internet forum, and that's good. But how many active JWs did you discuss this with at the convention? I'm guessing none.