Posts by scratchme1010

20

The Great Watchtower Guilt Trip

by pale.emperor in

as im sure almost all of us on here are ex-jw, we all know first hand how well the watchtower used the power of guilt to manipulate our thoughts and actions for the entire time we were active witnesses.

guilty for not going on the ministry enough.. guilty for not trying harder while on the ministry.. guilty for not turning up for hall cleaning that time.. guilty for saying a swearword.. guilty for looking at a porno mag.. guilty for masturbating through my teens (i thought i was the only one who did!).

guilty for thinking the gb is wrong on a certain thing.. guilty for touching my girlfriend there... even though we've been dating for 3 freakin years and not had sex (thats not natural imo).. guilty for not following along in the watchtower magazine on sunday.. guilty for not studying.. guilty for nodding off during the 8 hour convention.. guilty for my mind wandering during the talks.. guilty for thinking of sister so-and-so.. the list goes on.

scratchme1010

It's only since leaving that I've felt real happiness and relief. Not having to lie about who i talk to, where im going, what i watch, if i smoke, if i try this, if i do that. In fact, i can honestly say, it took leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses to make me an honest man! On the rare occasions that Witnesses from my old KH speak to me i refuse to lie to them about what i like and what i dont like. I will mention without a trace of guilt that i was in Amsterdam a few weeks ago and smoked marijuana. That i collect Hindu idols to decorate my home and that my friends are a mix of atheists and one or two pagans.
Being able to speak so openly about myself is so liberating and i truely value "the [real] world" for allowing me to be myself.

Yet, what a lot of JWs and ex-JWs still try to waste their time on is discussing doctrine, teachings and seeing everything through the light of the Bible, as if that's what's going to bring them happiness.

Thank you for addressing this topic. Love hearing about freedom from guilt and shame, liberation and freedom to choose whatever you choose to do/be/believe (BTW, Amsterdam is one of my favorite cities of all time, I don't do the marijuana thing, but it's good to know that I can if I want to).

1

Letter found in Tomo's waste bin

by Half banana in

first draft of a letter to the congregations found crumpled up in tomo’s waste bin:.

"resurrection is the hope".

dear brothers and sisters,.

scratchme1010

... just put your money where your faith is

The only valuable line. That is, depending on where your faith actually is.

18

The "anointed generation" is wrong, not because it is dragging on too long, but because it is too short.

by prologos in

jesus taught a surviving generation, a group inhering everlasting life, an escape route to avoid a global disaster worse than the flood, a generation that "will not pass away--" an infinite generation.

wt teaches a generation that dies, ends, passes away, at the first sign of real trouble, the great tribulation.. what do you believe about this wt assertion?

(apart from that there is no talking snake, it is all irrelevant).

scratchme1010

what do you believe about this wt assertion?

That it's all bullshit. The WT keeps coming up with more and more nonsense and for some reason JWs keep believing and byuing into it.

BTW, there's no talking snake.

9

When will the construction at Warwick finish?

by no-zombie in

i'd like to as the question, when will construction at warwick finish?

will it be before the 2017 agm?i'm asking because, if the construction is basically finished by then, the gb could be free to release more 'new light'.its hardly likely that they would announce big changes that might effect the willingness of their laborers to continue working for free.

so i'm sort of hoping, all the big stuff will be done by then.

scratchme1010

And one day, when they are forced to disavow some a long held teaching, whether it's 1914, blood transfusions, disfellowshiping or admit to the child abuse situation, they will find that quite a few may no longer want to turn up at construction sites ... and the GB will have to start paying for "worldly workers". And it would be terrible for them to withhold some "new light" just because their lake-side palace isn't quite finished.
And I actually do look forward the the AGMs and "new light". Not because I believe in, it but because I hoping that they one day they will say or change something that might get my family to start thinking. That all ... you got to have hope.

Well, hoping for that one day seems like a lot of waiting time for something that may or may not come. To me that looks like still playing by their rules, not to mention that it seems based on one and only one perspective about the whole thing, that is, trying to have an awakening based solely on what they teach.

In your original post you don't mention anything about your family, nor about your stance around your believes (or not) in them, nor about your relationship with the WT, hence my questions, and they were only questions, not meant to attack you.

Since there's an investment in your loved ones in that organization, then it's perfectly understandable that you may want certain things to happen to shake up your family's ties with them. Perfectly understandable. However, please keep an open mind, as there may be other ways in which people may wake up, not only by the Wt changing something.

Again, it's not only what the WT teaches what keep JWs being JWs; please consider what that organization gives them that makes them feel comfortable and at home. Whatever that is, for as long as they get that need satisfied, there may be not one change that they make that will have them question their faith.

10

KH has been sold in Taiwan

by yoko N in

.

scratchme1010

One less, more money for the WT.

38

Poor people are sub-human?

by Alostpuppydog in

has anyone noticed how many jw's really seem to be rollin in it?

escpecially the elders, and they treat their subordinates like filthy gum on the bottom of their shoe?

just wondering because i too am poorer than poor and have spent a fourth of my life homeless already and i am 22.. another thing to consider is why domost of the population on this planet seem to hate the poor, even though we outnumber the middle class and the rich greatly?

scratchme1010

I believe that the haters are not the majority. They are just the loudest. Some elders are not that kind of people, but the system in which they are in doesn't allow them for any humanity that isn't approved by the WT.

Sorry to hear that you have been homeless. I hope your situation is better now. And yes, there's a stigma attached to it, people tend to feel better knowing that there are others in worse position than they are. That's part of the reason why the JW system doesn't work. Humans should love themselves enough not to need to compare themselves to each other.

30

New member

by NinaCee in

jw
friends

i did not see a newbs thread to introduce myself, so my apologies if i'm in the wrong place.

i was a 3rd generation born in witness for 30 years until i was disfellowshipped back in 2007 for making a mistake.

my entire life up until that point was based on and circled around the society, and even though at first i really enjoyed my freedom (i still do), the fact is that i'm still struggling with cognitive dissonance, resentment, and loneliness.. i miss my family all the time.

scratchme1010

So having said all that... I'm not looking to focus on negativity... just looking to connect with others who can relate because well, like I said, I feel alone lol.

Welcome to the forum (bienvenida). Sorry you're going through so much.

The only thing it occurs to me aside from the thoughts and suggestions that other have provided, is to seek help and support outside any spiritual setting. Mental health professionals help with cognitive dissonance, resentment, and loneliness, that is, those who are prepared or specialize in that area.

Maybe you haven't considered the alternative of seeking professional help because of the fear and neglect around it that the WT instill on people (they have no education, training nor interest in helping with any issue of mental health, self esteem, or mental well being, and they never admit that there are issues and problems that their magic Jehovah cannot address properly).

Then, I don't know if you're in the kind of Hispanic family that thinks that counseling or professional therapy means that "te has vuelto loca" and dismisses anything around seeking professional help. If you feel reluctant, please give it a chance, many of us have been able to move on properly and deal with the great changes and challenges imposed by getting disfellowshipped by obtaining this kind of support.

There are psychologists, counselors, social workers and support groups that specialize in the negative influence of groups and relationships like the JWs. I recommend these people who have a lot of experience in the matter and run a free support group.

http://www.blgoldberg.com/

I hope this helps.

Once again, welcome.

2

Scientology special series by Leah Remini - wonder if any JWs have watched it and what they think?

by deegee in

does anyone know of any jws who have watched leah remini's special series on scientology currently being aired on the a&e cable channel?

the jwdom parallels are striking.. i am curious to know if any jws have watched it and what their reactions are?.

..............on second thoughts, there's some course language in the series - which has been edited - so maybe jws might not watch it.. it seems the series is best for someone who is in the phase of waking up, aware that something just isn’t right with the group.

scratchme1010

I haven't watched that particular show, but there are many on Scientology around. I recently watched one in Investigation Discovery, following the story of a woman who ended up murdered by her own son in the Scientology church.

I like shows like the one you're mentioning. I'll look for it.

5

Song Book changes and new light?

by kairos in

jw
friends

i was just thinking, did new song books precede periods of jw doctrinal changes?.

the latest songbook ( 2009 ) came out just before the maniacal rebranding of watchtower into jw.'org..

what about previous generations?

scratchme1010

...did it come before new and exciting revelations from the slave...

No, the change back then became out of legal problems because in the previous songs they plagiarized music that didn't belong to them. That illegally changed the Lyrics of music that was copyrighted. Those were the songs they eliminated, and new music was added.

The only change that I remember back then around that time that was announced as the so-called "new light" was that they changed from pricing the magazines to letting people contribute what they wanted.

Just one side note, the actual active JWs are the real slaves.

6

Our new life.

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

our life's are important, and maybe for many this board represents a first in a very important step to beginning a new life?

what is that new life?

it should be a life where we fulfill our wishes, not an organizations wishes, not our parents wishes and not our friends wishes.

scratchme1010

So do not leave the Watchtower if you only have a poor quality of life outside the organization, remain with dignity, don't be intimidated by their authorative voice, and plan a future where you are fulfilling your own wishes. Remember our life is for our enjoyment, and it should never be given to a heartless organizations, nor even well wishing parents. HOWEVER, neither hould our rebellion from the Watchtower leave us friendless and alone.

Thank you for sharing. I'd say that there's no specific formula and that all suggested actions should remain as suggested. There's no cookie cutter way of leaving as there are many different factors that each person has to consider in their particular situation.

Once again, I'd like to add to consider the one and most important thing, and the one and most thing that tends to be neglected to be mentioned: your feelings.

If a person plans to leave, I'd strongly suggest to first take a look at what is that the WT gives the that makes them feel comfortable and makes them stay up to this point. There are reasons why people join and they have nothing to do with learning anything, but with something that gives them comfort. People should take a look at what is that the WT has that gives them that comfort. Then is where (IMO) they can start understanding their reasons and their thought process around their decision of joining, and then they can start looking for healthy alternatives to fulfill whatever the WT does for them.

The part that I quoted from you is very important, especially what you mention about your rebellion. To me the most damage occurs in people being convinced of all the nonsense that the WT tell people about the world outside and about what their lives are supposed to become if they leave. That's the most manipulative thing, the fear that the WT instill in people about the world and their lives without them.

People don't need to buy into their black and white mentality. Being outside doesn't mean that you become immoral, nor that you are supposed to become anything that they say people become.