Posts by scratchme1010

i was thinking of how this condition is similar to the proverbial glass prison, how jw are unknowingly confined by the walls of their belief while observing life around them but are truly captives to a concept as ray put it.. .

scratchme1010

"There's no walls here see I'm free!" So says the captive from inside their glass prison

A sad reality of way too many people.

9

meet ups or support ?

by lonliwon in

jw
friends

my wife and i have been long time lurkers here and are now members .

we were wondering if anyone is aware of any groups or individuals that meet periodically within ( or a short drive from ) connecticut ?

we aren't looking to bash the past ... just to connect with others who understand and move on .

scratchme1010

I was going to mention NYC too. There are always one or two popping up every now and then.

4

The Brain May Be Able To Repair Itself With Help

by Brokeback Watchtower in

jw
friends

i think we are going to see some very good advancements in the medical field in dealing with brain trauma.

.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6d6oq0zggmw.

scratchme1010

Thanks. Now that I work in the medical industry, I have come to appreciate these advancements. The amount of research and work behind understanding neuroscience is incredible.

35

Sometimes it's the little things....

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

i'm listening to a podcast where a former elder describes how another elder conducted the watchtower study about hyperbole.

the elder called it hyper-bowl.

soon the whole congregation called it hyper-bowl.

scratchme1010

I agree. Something that I actually fight about the negative influence of the WT is that I never related to the blindly obedient follower. Instead, I used to identify with the selfish, yet charismatic leader. That's part of the reason I fight tooth and nail against let that organization shaping who I am.

I remember once I did an experiment like that. It was in a HIV/AIDS prevention forum. People were talking about they typical ways of infection and the most impacted communities. Purposely, I mentioned heterosexual men, bisexual men, gay men, and then I added "trisexual men".

People started and continued using the word "trisexual" in the conversation without a second though! I could not believe that once I established myself as a respected source of information, I could get away with mentioning anything I wanted and they wouldn't question it.

When people are conditioned to accept the words of a charismatic leader, rarely do they feel the need to question, sometimes even if it's something totally illogical or off-the-wall.

I have known of things that other cult leaders have talked their people into doing, some are simple and funny, but some have come at the cost of other people's lives.

12

Janet Jackson music award, she gave credit to which God for her success?

by James Mixon in

in her acceptance speech she made her stance on the me too movement, and thanked god for her artistic career.

she stand with women and with those men equally outraged by discrimination who support us in heart and mind.

rebbie and mom (both jw) front row seats when she gave credit to her father for their success, no mention of mom and jehovah.

scratchme1010

It would have been weird to thank Jehovah after she had just sing "Nasty Boys". LOL

Maybe because the WT and the JWs aren't part of her life? Why mentioning something irrelevant? She has also managed to shine as a star on her own without getting into any of her families controversies.

Also, she is a talented artist, which helps her career hold on its own. She has managed to become a name on her own.

15

I went to a meeting at my old congregation last weekend

by hoser in

jw
friends

it’s a three for one deal.

about 10 years ago they merged 3 struggling rural congregations into one in the largest town.

at the time there were about 75 publishers.

scratchme1010

hoser, just being a little of the Devil's advocate, why does it (seemingly) matter to you to keep up to date with what they do?

I ask since when I walked away from them I decided that nothing that they do from that point on matters to me, unless it is in relationship with my still in JW family, and my dealings with them. I wonder how does that make a difference in the people who do follow up.

16

Public Talk invitations ....Next to .Zero Attendees

by smiddy3 in

from my conversion at the end of 1959 to my leaving the j.w`s about early 1993 i remember especially in the first 20 -30 years or so giving out invitations to public talks that were to be given at our local k.h.

every time i went out in the service witnessing from door to door week in week out i would leave these tracts at not at homes or whoever would accept them .. and in my personal experience i cannot recall more than five worldly / non j.w.

people , if that , who came to a public talk as a result of the invitations given at the doors in our witnessing work in the 33 years of my being an active jehovah`s witness .. and none of them ever became a jehovah`s witness .. was it just me ?

scratchme1010

Was it just me ? or do you have similar experiences to share .

I think that it was a common thing. The WT is made of a bunch of inexperienced, unprofessional, undereducated, yet, cocky, crass and confident about knowing what they are doing.

They have absolutely no clue about strategy, organizational development, technology administration, not even basic financial planning.

Long ago, some JW idiot decided that that's the most effective way of reaching out to people. No one seem to have ever question it, so they have gone along with it for over a century.

97

Material such as the film at the end of this years convention confirms that I was right to take my kids out the religion

by jambon1 in

jw
friends

it’s quite affirming to see the horrific material that they’re serving up at the convention this year.

aside from blatant homophobia, the scenes at the end of the convention that are discussed on another thread stoop to new levels of fear mongering.

it seems to occur to nobody inside the organisation that this kind of material could trigger fear, deprsssion, anxiety, stress.

scratchme1010

Aside from blatant homophobia, the scenes at the end of the convention that are discussed on another thread stoop to new levels of fear mongering.

You did do the right thing in keeping your family away from them. The homophobia thing is what many of those religions use as an easy way of getting people to agree with them. There was a time where almost every single Christian religion was united in that one thing, which was, hatred for the LGBT. That seemed to be the only thing that they all agreed on.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I know that they can make others think twice before endorsing the fear mongering and hatred in the name of a "loving god".