Posts by jp1692

Poe's law is an adage of Internet culture stating that, without a clear indicator of the author's intent, it is impossible to create a parody of extreme views so obviously exaggerated that it cannot be mistaken by some readers for a sincere expression of the parodied views.

37

Annual meeting topic

by asp59 in

how many think they will announce in the annual meeting they just gonna have one meeting a week?

if they dont it will be astonishing, amazing and other things..

jp1692

The 2018 Annual Meeting of the WTBTS: Taking ho-hum to a new level of boring.

Related image

48

Healing & Rebuilding Your Life - Feedback Wanted

by jp1692 in

i have been invited to speak at an international cultic studies association workshop this fall.

i could use your help in focusing on my presentation subject.. these workshops are for former members of any cult or other high-control, authoritarian group, not just jehovah's witnesses.

last year, i spoke at one of their larger conferences in europe.

jp1692

Hi all,

Just a quick update. The workshop is on for next weekend. I'm looking forward to being able to share my experiences as well as the wisdom and experiences of all of you that have given me much appreciated feedback and suggestions.

I'm told we are to have a smallish group of about 20 in attendance. They will be former members of a wide variety of different cults, not just JWs.

I'll return afterward to let you all know how it went.

Thanks again for your support!

jp

12

Letter to elders: Say what brothers?

by pixel in

to all bodies of elders .

re: audio at sign-language meetings .

dear brothers: .

jp1692

"Deaf publishers usually have no complaints about the audio playing in conjunction with a video that is signed."

Really? That's not what I heard!

25

My Mom's Challenge to Me

by lriddle80 in

jw
friends

so my jw mom messages me on facebook last night and says she wants me, for a month, to read the bible, but first pray using the name jehovah and in jesus name and then read it with an open mind.

she is so ridiculous!

first of all, i do pray but i usually just say father and i always pray in jesus name and i find it ironic that she is saying i should have an open mind when hers is closed.

jp1692

Why don't you say, "Sure mom, I'll do that ... but only if for the same month you don't go to any meetings at the KH and don't read any WT literature at all. None. Just pray to God and keep an open mind."

5

You Bet Your Life

by DNCall in

it is said that life is a gamble.

when you join a religion, you are wagering some portion of your life.

you may choose not to risk too much.

jp1692

This sounds like a refutation of Pascal's wager -- or some version of it. However he pondered the pros and cons of mere belief in God, which is clearly NOT the same as membership in and obedience to some man-made religion with the corresponding obligation to observe all of it's rules and rituals.

And I doubt he would have ever endorsed membership in a high-control, authoritarian cult as ante worth placing on the gaming table of life. That would definitely be a huge mis-stake (pun intended).

28

What are they trying to hide

by UnshackleTheChains in

ok. we are all aware of the scandal around the non reporting of child abuse cases to the authorities by the elders and how it was part of watchtower policy.. this has probably been discussed before, which i apologize for now if it has.. the obvious view that most of us make as to why the gb are so reluctant to comply with the authorities by revealing their database around child abuse allegations, is that the leadership at watchtower hq likely were trying to safeguard the reputation of the organisation.. however, (just a theory) are they hiding something more sinister which could in effect devastate the organisation ie could it be they are hiding some things within the gb itself, whether it be some individuals within the gb of the past or even present who might have had some serious allegations made against them which the authorities are never going to know about?

i mean why the hell are they going to such lengths to hide everything???.

any thoughts?

jp1692

Don’t overthink it.

It’s the same reason for every organization that covers up corruption and illegal activity: they want to avoid accountability and taking responsibility.

So they lie to avoid the consequences

It’s. Just. That. Simple.

9

Critical thinking

by Freedom rocks in

what kind of questions would you use to get a child'scritical thinking skills going from a young age with regards to the bible/god/jesus/anything to do with the religion??.

my most hated answer jws gave to people when they said you can't see god so how do you know he exists was "well you can't see electricity or gravity but you know they exist".

sorry but that doesn't prove god exists.

jp1692

It's true we can't see gravity but we most certainly can see evidence of it.

Thinking scientifically is a great way to encourage critical thinking. But it's even easier and more simple than that: encourage questions. Patiently explore them. Encourage your child's natural curiosity about things.

Share your own thought processes as well.

Here are a couple of recent threads on the topic you might appreciate as well: