Posts by scratchme1010

29

Has Watchtower taken the joy out of 'the good news of the kingdom'

by UnshackleTheChains in

i ask this question for the following reason.

i was sitting at the kingdom hall thinking about all the rules, procedures, policies, teachings that each member must follow ......or else!.

at the watchtower study we are reminded of the paradise earth where we will all be the same and happy.

scratchme1010

Has Watchtower taken the joy out of 'the good news of the kingdom'

When have they ever had anything joyful. Oh, never mind, I forgot that now they dance in assemblies.

33

i just now went to get meat from my fridge to cook, took the meat out & shut the door as i shut the door i thought i saw a piece of rope in the six pack i had just opened & had removed 2 cans, already drunk 1.. open the door again & there i saw what i thought was a piece of rope, but i look a bit closer ...... shit it's a friggin snake, bugger i had only just taken two cans out wtf.. .

scratchme1010

Did it offer you to eat something forbidden?

21

Will paradise be like a 24/7 Disneyland vacation package?

by Sour Grapes in

i was thinking about the jdub paradise this morning and all of the pictures in the watchtower company's literature illustrating the new system of things.. here is a partial list of what you see in the pictures:.

pet pandas, lions, elephants.

people always on a picnic with lots of beautiful fruits and vegetables.

scratchme1010

Will paradise be like a 24/7 Disneyland vacation package?

Put it this way, one of my eye openers when I was getting ready to leave that organization was this: I thought "If the disgusting, filthy, hypocritical, double-life living, pedophile, criminal, mentally damaged, and nasty backstabbing, gossip spreading with no spine, and moronic dumb-ass JWs I grew up living with and seeing, are going to be the ones living forever on Earth, that's not exactly my idea of paradise. No, effing, thank you!".

Doesn't look like vacation if you have to share life and the planet forever with those people. Just look around and imagine that, those people surrounding you forever on Earth, really?

2

What a A-hole "military people are the freaking lowest of our low"

by James Mixon in

jw
friends

a government teacher and city council member(pico-rivers u.s.a) classroom rant, triggered by a student wearing a marine corps shirt.

the classroom rant recorded by one of his students.. "your freaking stupid uncle louie or whatever , they're dumb----, they're not high-level bankers, they're not academic people.

they're not intellectual people, they're the freaking lowest of our low".

scratchme1010

That's a very disrespectful thing to do to anybody, leave alone a student that is supposed to look up to you as a teacher.

That's also very disrespectful to people who have served in the military, regardless of how right or wrong he might be (which I think he is wrong).

And what's this shit with Americans always insulting other people they don't like or agree with? OK, some Americans.

4

Wow , it’s all so very clear -

by CovertsadJW in

the late great christopher hitchens states that religion is poison and i believe that with my soul.

we are “ born sick and commanded to be well.” under threat of death- both of my parents were abused both physically and emotionally, my wife was what it sounds like verbally abused - the strange part is they don’t see that they are attached to a very abusive religion.

thoughts ?

scratchme1010

Thoughts ? I pout out abuseve practices but my parents do not see it - but that’s not a new problem and I’m not unique.

One of the very common characteristics of controlling and high demand groups and cults are that they attract (cater?) people who have been abused. On one hand people who have been abused (or all they know growing up is being in abusive relationships due to poor parenting or other relationships, such as being bullied in school or abused by teachers), some times grow a degree of awareness and look for comfort and ways to escape from such abuse, and think that they will find such comfort in religion. They come across a controlling organization and they might be sold on what they are offered.

On the other hand, some people grow too comfortable with being treated in an abusive manner, sometimes such abused masked as "love" or as "tough actions taken for your own good". They develop high tolerance to abuse, even if they are aware, it becomes their comfort zone, therefore, out of force of habit, fear, or being too traumatized to be able to accept that they are still being abused, remain in groups like the JWs.

For a person who don't know anything else it's difficult to understand abuse. To some people that becomes "normal".

1

abuse in sports and...

by zeb in

please go to jwvictims.org for a sound opinion on abuse.

its come out of the recent sports abuse case..

scratchme1010

Thank you, Zeb.

49

When Will Jehovah`s Witnesses Appoint A Woman As A Governing Body Member.? It`s Long Overdue !

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

jehovah himself gives the saying "the women telling the good news are a large army" psalms 68 : 11 coupled with the fact that a good portion of women partake of the emblems and wine at the annual memorial celebration.. identifying themselves as part of the 144000 that are taken from the earth to rule with christ jesus in the heavens.. isn`t it about time they were recognized for their contributions and given the fact that gods word the bible clearly states that 144,000 of anointed are to be taken from the earth which many women are a large part of.?.

revelation ch.14 :4 could be argued that they are not lesbians { "these are the ones who do not defile themselves with women ,in fact they are virgins, etc,etc.}.

i wonder just how many men who claim to be of the anointed have not defiled themselves with women and are virgins.?.

scratchme1010

never a jw:

For beginners is 50% of the population
and 66% of the membership of JW's
and they are 100% excluded from any position of teaching according to Bible interpretation
and they are a lot more observant of Christian values than men (yeah, those aggressive, conceited, cruel, competitive, horny bastards).
Is that enough???

Actually no. None of those things indicate that they are to receive any more advancement or better treatment than any other minority. In fact, those numbers not even make them a minority. Not to mention than being a lot more observant of Christian values is not supposed to qualify them for anything, that is, if we are talking about about why they are to follow such values.

Personally I am completely against pretty much everything that Christianity (as well as most-to-all religions) preaches about the place for women in society, or how should they be treated. However, if women sign up for it, then don't complain about it. Why joining an organization that has such views on women and then want to change it?

That is why Scrathme1010 I spoke of Women specifically, I hope that answers your question.

Thanks for the clarification.

15

This is my story

by paradiseseeker in

i've already posted in this forum but i haven't told you my story.

nowadays i'm a pimo in my late 20s from spain.. i was born in the cult and i can say that during my whole childhood and most of my teenage years i believed in this.

however, i felt that here was something wrong with me, as i wasn't comfortable telling people i was jw, talking about jw stuff, nor did i feel "excited" and "grateful" whenever a watchtower publication told me that i should.

scratchme1010

Thanks for sharing. I relate to a lot of what you posted, including getting baptized at 14. Great story.

21

Lurkers

by Freedom rocks in

do you think elders and gb members monitor this site to catch people?.

scratchme1010

Do you think elders and GB members monitor this site to catch people?

To me it's a waste of time to dwell on this. Free yourself from wondering about what they think or do.

18

How do you deal with "toppers"? [one upmanship]

by compound complex in

jw
friends

when in conversion, you sometimes get carried away and the talk becomes all about you.. then, you remember you're in a conversation, say you're sorry, and allow the other person to talk.

she goes on about what's happening in her life, you listen and ask some questions.

she tells you more and then shifts the dialogue back to you.

scratchme1010

When shut down in conversation, do you simply listen politely, or do you try to steer the conversation from its one side to the originally intended two sides? Maybe, excuse yourself while Chatterbox carries on?

It depends. I think some people do that as a way to show that they understand. Some feel comfortable only when they feel "better than...".

My reaction is not the same, depending on the circumstances. Right now I'm dealing with some annoying guy who started working who does that kind of thing about the work we do. Seems like he has a need to prove himself in everything we discuss.

In some instances I excuse myself politely, especially when the other person goes on and on, in other instances I listen, sometimes it turns out that the person does have an interesting story or anecdote. When I feel is ill intended, I start by steering the conversation in other direction, and it escalates until the person gets it one way or another. However, politely listening and asking questions, in my experience, has done wonders. Seems like a lot of people have things to say and don't have a lot of listening ears.

Furthermore, when I politely listen or ask questions, I have experience that the person actually stops and/or moves on, but more importantly, they feel good, which promotes better interpersonal relationships.