Posts by scratchme1010

57

Matthew 24:34 NEW UNDERSTANDING (January 2018 JW Broadcasting)

by Alfred in

david splane explains newest understanding" of 'this generation" adding a 3rd group.... .

Introduce myself

by dantoole87 in

i'd like share why i went from being a teenager determined to work in full time service for jehovah my entire life, to now being on here commiserating with you all.

i use to be an atheist but i now believe in god.

but i'm not preachy about god.

scratchme1010

Thanks for sharing, and welcome. Feel free to read our posts. Lots of great people here. Take what you like and leave the rest.

13

aspects of shunning

by stan livedeath in

many members on here have been shunned.

we know whats its like--and the effect it has had on our lives.

but what about those of us who practiced shunning before--when we were members of the watchtower cult ?.

scratchme1010

Great questions.

but what about those of us who practiced shunning before--when we were members of the watchtower cult ?

Through my life as a JW, no one who was really close to me or my family was disfellowshipped. I actually can't recall myself shunning people up until the point when I was on my way out and shunned the entire WT organizational structure.

how did it make you feel ? bad ? good ? superior ? more " spiritual"?

As I don't recall specifically or arbitrarily shunning anyone, I can't say anything about feeling anything. However, I can address the feeling of grandiosity and superiority that some JWs display when they refer to either people who they shun or people who have been shunned.

I never shared that feeling, never felt comfortable people assassinating other people's character and talking down to people that way. Furthermore, every time I saw or heard any JW acting that way, the very first thought that always came to mind was "As soon as I turn my back from him/her, I'm next".

do you think it did any good ? did the shunned person return to the cult as a result ?

No, and though I know of people who have returned after being shunned, my take on those people have always been that they show some sense of discomfort with themselves, people who didn't like themselves much, or people who are very afraid of life and making decisions on their own. The congregation gave them shield from everything that they fear, which seems to be pretty much everything, hence, they come back.

Then those I knew were shunned and didn't returned, that I know of, seem to have ok lives. Some are more successful than others, but at least in my experience, I've never seen any shunned person who never returned becoming anything close to what they say they should/will.

or did it drive them further away--or permanently ?

I used the practice of shunning to my advantage. Thing is that in my case they didn't have the last word, and it was me the one who shunned them to the carajo. They were not necessarily in disagreement, and who knows, maybe they did make an announcement about me, who knows, who cares.

What I have observed in others, the few people who I know have returned after getting disfellowshipped who returned (EXCEPT for those who have other reasons, such as wanting to reestablish or maintain a relationship with JW loved ones, not because they believe the Jehovah crap), don't look like people who know how to manage their own lives. The shunning itself may be a traumatic experience to some, particularly those born-in who suddenly find themselves out of what has been their entire life as they knew it. Nothing good can come of such practice.

do you really think it serves any positive purpose ?

See my previous last two sentences.

18

Talking Janet Jackson and Religious Freedom with the Wife

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

my recent sidewalk discussion with a couple of jw's has gotten me in the mood to say more when appropriate.so the wife and i were riding in the car and cat stevens comes on.

i mentioned to her that cat stevens left music when he was still popular and converted to islam back in the 1970's- how he was told that his music would have to be morally acceptable and he found it easier to just abandon making new music for at least 20 years.

so i didn't really remember all the details and i figured the conversation would die.

scratchme1010

Well, that shut Mrs. OTWO down on that conversation. But not so hard as it did in the past. She stopped talking about the thing triggering discomfort, but we continued talking about unrelated things. In the past, she would have to go to full silence.

Wow! Now you share everything from this point on!

Great conversation. I'm very glad that you can have that type of conversation with her. Some of us could never have that type of conversation with our JW loved ones.

Thank you so much for sharing.

22

Things society interferes with

by Jrjw in

i was just lying here thinking about mind control and thought it'd write a list just to see how much the wts does try to control every aspect of people's lives.

some of the things i've come up with are:.

xmas,.

scratchme1010

In other words:

Health care
Education
Career
Love life
Family decisions
All other decisions
Social life
Relationships

Indeed.

8

Friends

by Jrjw in

jw
friends

hi does anyone have any ideas of good places for me to make non jw friends when i move coz need to replace all my jw friends for my kids and i ready for becoming inactive.

scratchme1010

Hi does anyone have any ideas of good places for me to make non jw friends when I move coz need to replace all my jw friends for my kids and I ready for becoming inactive

Go to the JW replacement shop around the corner.

4

The Use of Hyperboles.

by Lost in the fog in

i have often wondered if jesus deliberately used hyperboles to obscure his meaning.

i can say to my wife that i will love her until the moon is no more.

she well knows that i will love her forever, not simply until earth's nearest satellite crumbles into dust.

scratchme1010

I have often wondered if Jesus deliberately used Hyperboles to obscure his meaning.

I don't think so. Jesus teachings were done for what he wanted to say at the moment to the people who could listen to them. The rest is made up nonsense, trying to make it mean something magical today that doesn't.

8

committees

by dogisgod in

i have had some conversations with ex-jw women and i am more than a little concerned at how, if a female, is treated in committee meetings.

it sure seems (i experienced this when i was young) that the elders have a commonality in trying to create such shame and sexual guilt (especially where none is deserved) that it is beyond abuse.

i know there are a lot of former elders here.

scratchme1010

...elders have a commonality in trying to create such shame and sexual guilt (especially where none is deserved) that it is beyond abuse.

You don't need to be an elder to know, see and experience the culture that they promote. They don't have the first clue about anything regarding any type of diversity, cultural sensitivity, or inclusion.

With women, (just my thoughts), I think that it may feel extra brutal because they condition them to believe that they are weaker by nature, and that their place is one of submission. Even if they are in fact sensitive, the place that they put them in their lives (according to them) isn't one of fairness to them.

Once thing I want to add is that the same shaming applies to everyone. They just everything and everyone exactly with the same things, using the same tools, and thinking that the problem is the same. Equally damaging is the shaming applied to anyone who has a mental health issue, who is a member of the LGBT+ community, children, or anyone at any social disadvantage, including males.

20

Sources of John's vivid imagery

by Doug Mason in

in common with other apocalyptic writings, such as daniel and 1 enoch, john’s letter employs vivid, memorable imagery.

as with the other elements of his apocalypse (revelation), john draws on existing sources for his material.. meanings inferred from the images need to keep the following firmly in mind:.

1. the symbols had to have meaning for and be clearly understood by his immediate intended hearers.. 2. john intended that these images encourage those hearers to “overcome”, then and there.. 3. john anticipated that the coming of jesus was imminent, “soon”.. it is my belief that the images were intended to depict earthly opposition (rome and apostate jews) as well as heavenly opposition (wars in heaven involving satan).. the writers/compilers of daniel also employed vivid imagery.

scratchme1010

Like your post. Interesting point of view.

13

Ended my last J-Dub friendship...

by Joliette in

jw
friends

i wrote her a text message telling her not to contact me anymore.

found out that she went back and told my mother some stuff about me.. i shouldnt have never given her my phone number....she's my next door neighbor.. she would always ask if i was going back to the kingdom hall, i would tell her no...people know that i'm not going back to the kingdom hall, and they still think that i'm going back.. i'm planning on moving from my hometown in 2 years and i cannot wait to leave!!!!

so tired of people still thinking i'm a j-dub, i've told people i havent been to the kingdom hall since 2011, and they still think i'm going back.

scratchme1010

I'm planning on moving from my hometown in 2 years and I CANNOT wait to leave!!!! So tired of people still thinking I'm a J-Dub, I've told people I havent been to the kingdom hall since 2011, and they still think I'm going back.

I know that feeling very well, growing up in a small town, middle-of-nowhere, Puerto Rico, surrounded by people who have nothing better to do than minding other people's business.

As others have mentioned, don;t expect a good reception or positive reaction to your actions around your relationship with the JWs. They feel like they always have to have the last word in everything.

Also, prepare yourself for what comes next. I'm quite sure that that's not the end of it. Ending the friendship to JWs is permission to do what they do, which is precisely what she was doing anyway, talking shit about you without your permission and behind your back.