i don't really need to explain anything really.
all i can say is that i was gob smacked at the sheer audaciousness of the entire study article.
i'm still speechless.
(Watchtower logic)
Mercy:
"Hi Marry I've been snooping about on your computer and noticed these racy emails between a worldly guy and yourself. I'm not going to be a jerk so I'll give you 10 days to go to the elders and confess all the nitty gritty details of your relationship".
i don't really need to explain anything really.
all i can say is that i was gob smacked at the sheer audaciousness of the entire study article.
i'm still speechless.
Everything from not allowing ourselves to be like the Pharisees and how we should be merciful and fair and not focusing on the smallest details
Watchtower:
"Be kind, merciful and fair. Do not strain gnats like the Pharisees" ***
*** Please see clause 16959 for further details, under subheadings "Keeping the congregation clean", "Is your mother a mentally diseased apostate?" and "Why it's loving to take a huge dump on your best friend". Further updates to come (depends which way the wind is blowing).
Stay tuned for next week's article entitled "Is a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of blood acceptable to Jehovah?".
i don't really need to explain anything really.
all i can say is that i was gob smacked at the sheer audaciousness of the entire study article.
i'm still speechless.
When I first left the org it took some time to realise the actual abuse/hypocrisy. You're so desensitised to it, you read stuff in the bible and think "well at least we don't get stoned anymore".
Lol
The same will be the case with thoroughly indoctrinated WT followers, they're so used to the crap it feels normal.
today in liverpool the cart witnesses were in their usual speck in bold street holding out their wafer thin rags and books that they literally can't even give away.
but today the city centre was flooded with some sort of black church handing out their leaflets and little invitations to a "special event" this sunday.
i took a leaflet off them as they handed it to me and they were very smiley and cheerful.
This is the sort of situation I'd pray for when I was a JW. I loved debating scripture because I genuinely believed and (thought) I knew my stuff.
That was actually my problem - as a JW I got a bit full of myself in some respects concerning what I thought I knew. Being a "logical thinker" made me use that ability only for the good of the WT mindset. Was my own worst enemy. Took some time before I was able to step outside the bubble and truly analyse what was going on.
What did it was realising that the GB ("faithful slave") wasn't perfect, or anywhere near it (if "Christendom got things wrong, how come that made them Satanic, but when WT got things wrong, that was just imperfection and new light")...and if they were just taking a "stab in the dark" and hoping for the best in their guidance (no better than Joe Blogs publisher), why on earth was I putting stock in what they said, especially if it meant death (e.g. leaving a family motherless because she refused blood and died during childbirth)?! Why not go straight to the source, or at least weight things up myself?
It's tunnel vision, the JW will always feel their way is right....until something happens in their life that shakes them up a little bit - perhaps something really close to home that jolts them. Then and only then will they be able to take the goggles off. For your average JW, debating people is just a sport (to validate what they've already decided is true)....everything that follows this faulty mindset will only be selective "proofs" to back that up.
what single big change do you think could back fire and bring the cult down ?.
me: tithing..
There's a difference between the structure/organisation of JWs and the religion/faith of JWs. In fact, many JWs expect the structure to fall down but their faith to remain in tact! This only reaffirms their conviction that Satan is attacking them.
The downfall I believe is already in process though (IMO); and that (amongst other things) = a dilution of previous values. The idea that they are different from the rest of Christendom is slowly eroding away. Other than the social value (the bonus of sticking together), there's not as much conviction of belief to make the average JW stay. Eventually I believe it will just become less cult-like and more like a mainstream religion, or else it'll fizzle out purely as a result of being so out of touch with reality (as the generations go on, there's less and less threat of feeling isolated since there's already been many who've "abandoned ship").
did anyone have other jws try to guilt trip them when they were leaving or if you were making a decision which jws felt was wrong but wasn't unscriptural?
i'm getting people guilt tripping me to eventually get back with my emotionally, spiritually and mentally abusive husband who i'm separated from.
i feel sick at the thought of getting back together and putting myself through that nightmare again but i'm being told its what jehovah wants coz he doesn't want families to be apart.
I can honestly say that I hardly ever feel guilty these days, and it's great! If I do feel guilty, it's usually something to do with stuff that actually matters (e.g. not seeing my mum in a while or something similar). When the guilt comes, I do something about it and it's gone again (no beating myself up as I did while in the org). If it's not something I can fix, I'll discard it.
It's so much healthier to be this way. Looking back on my life as a JW, the guilt tripping they did was eventually paralysing for people like me so it defeated the purpose.
did anyone have other jws try to guilt trip them when they were leaving or if you were making a decision which jws felt was wrong but wasn't unscriptural?
i'm getting people guilt tripping me to eventually get back with my emotionally, spiritually and mentally abusive husband who i'm separated from.
i feel sick at the thought of getting back together and putting myself through that nightmare again but i'm being told its what jehovah wants coz he doesn't want families to be apart.
These movements thrive on guilt/fear because it works. Fear of what you may lose, or guilt about being "wrong" is motivating (albeit in a negative fashion). You're 10x more likely to do something due to the bad effects of not doing it. It's just instinct.
Many in this cult are only passing on what their religious leaders/parents/culture have taught, and then it repeats from children to children. It's not really their fault, but that's the nature of this beast. The thing to note however is that guilt is not anything real - it is only an "alert system" to say that something may be wrong. Whether it is wrong or right is besides the point (i.e.reality) - your conscience has been programmed to think a certain way. Unfortunately in the JW sect this "radar" has not only been tuned into over-drive, but the alert goes off at the silliest of things, e.g. watching the smurfs, having a wizard toy, being accepting of a gay friend, not doing enough field service, masturbating, not preparing your watchtower for a brainwashing session every Sunday where someone else interjects their own ideas into your head...you get the idea.
With that in mind, logically speaking, being away from your husband is the healthiest thing. Do you think that God/Jesus had abuse in mind when in the bible Jesus said "a man must stick to his wife"? Of course not, the whole idea of marriage is an interchange, a to and fro of give and take - something mutually beneficial towards the upliftment of both parties. If that's not happening, and you've given it your best shot, then what's the point? Look at the context too of Jesus' words in the bible, he was obviously condemning a shallow and frivolous disregard the men in that day had of women (discarding them for a better/younger model), which in turn would not only be "heartless" (as Jesus said) but also devastating for the family unit (all because of the men's selfishness in those times). It's blatantly obvious that you have no reason to feel guilt, it's just an emotional thing (not based on reason) that will pass :)
just wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
Stealth - that's a wonderful commitment you've made! If my wife and I can't have children, that'll be our next move (adoption). I am a firm believer in the (better) principles of Christian living.
Mentalclarity - yes that's my problem lately; too much alone time (although I spend plenty of time with people at work, it's not the same as a close friend). Think that Christmas brought it home to me more, felt really out of place with my wife's family (we have nothing in common). Small talk is something I get a lot of so it feels like pulling out teeth now lol. Can't really get into it, it's just part of my personality. I'm the sort of person who's not affraid to ask questions and really delve deep into a conversation, even with people I don't know much about. Like you said about your previous life as a JW and the bible, it feels good to talk about something meaningful. That's never left me.
just wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
Hi Flipper. Yeah a few others have mentioned too about as a JW you are conditioned to put life on pause. I lost sight of that fact, but remember now the elated feeling knowing that I can live in the here and now. It's easy to forget how much better life is now than before! Just the simple fact knowing that you don't have to schedule your whole week around meetings/preparation etc is enough in itself.
just wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
Brokeback Watchtower:
I'm looking for the meaning in life but deep down I know that there is not a universal meaning for everyone of the human species, and that each one has to find his own personal "meaning", I look at it as worthy goal but so far even though I'm 65 I haven't nailed down my meaning for life, but maybe just the goal to finding the meaning of life could offer me a personal meaning for my life? Either way I need to keep searching for it, because I feel that it is a noble task worthy of my attention.
Facing the issue of total inihilation awaits us in death I think can be a good motivator for us living the most we can while we are alive if one can learn to turn off the anxiety or dread of dying and face reality.
Thanks for those videos, really summed up much of how I think. Generally been an "out of the box" person, never had too much desire to blend (other than for social conventions/politeness).
From a purely theoretical point of view in pondering life's purpose/meaning, I've kind of narrowed down my search to 2 main areas - that of love (which distinguishes us from instinctive animals), and personality (which causes us to express love in various forms). So yes, while love is a selfless expression of regard for others, personality is our way of individualising that love. Some have said that one must find our own purpose, and that's where individuality comes in. However, the expression of both together seems to be the ultimate combo (true freedom). It's only logical really; love is needed but true love cannot be expressed or received with gratitude by anything other than an individual. The more individual the person is, the more distinguished from an automatic/meaningless program they can become. The more loving they become (another form of beauty), the better they can fulfil their potential. All these directions/goals give the potential for growth = meaning/value.
May seem corny/hippy-like or cliche to most, or even leaving yet more questions...but I feel it's about the only redeeming value of life as it currently stands. Ultimately though, experience is the real litmus test. Talk is cheap :)
