Posts by scratchme1010

When I left the org, the JW's tried their best to guilt trip me. Some of the questions I was asked and things I was told:
"How could you POSSIBLY be happy outside of Jehovah's Organization?" (watch me!)
"The world will eat you alive and spit you back out!"
"Why don't you just humble yourself and talk to the elders?" (because they are men maybe?)
"The elders might DF you, but they might not, just talk to them"
"Do you really want to see your 3 year old daughter destroyed?"
"I know you are not responsible for them, but what do you think all of the young bros will think when they see you leaving?" (reminded me of Charles Barkley, I am NOT a role model for your kids )
"What does the world really have to offer you?" (idk, sanity and freedom from cults?)
Did anyone else experience guilt trips and shaming?

Sounds like my parents raising me. In fact, in my experience most organized religions act this way. Trying to guilt and/or scare people into staying "in line" with them and their purpose goes to the core of most religious organizations I know. Christianity is a very guilt- and shame-based religious philosophy.

And yes, there's absolutely no mercy. They are more than happy to shun their own loved ones over their Jehovah. That right there tells you how "loving" they are.

19

WTS Rich or Hurting for $$$

by Zeds Dead in

seen a few discussions asking if the wts are hurting for $$ or still sitting on a mountain of gold.. regardless of their child abuse legal fees and ongoing broadcasting for more dough, i believe they have piles and piles of cash.. talked with a diff'd accountant who sat in the accounting dept.

at the conventions for years.. a football stadium (or the like) costs them about $70 - 90,000 to rent for a 3 day dub show.

they take in $400,000 in donations from the r&f.

scratchme1010

Seen a few discussions asking if the WTS are hurting for $$ or still sitting on a mountain of gold.
Regardless of their child abuse legal fees and ongoing broadcasting for more dough, I believe they have piles and piles of cash.
Talked with a Diff'd accountant who sat in the accounting dept. at the conventions for years.
A football stadium (or the like) costs them about $70 - 90,000 to rent for a 3 day Dub show. They take in $400,000 in donations from the R&F. Now times that by a hundred dub shows in the USA alone.
Think you can do the math!

I think they are in a pile of cash. They are no longer a religious nonprofit organization. They have a real estate business that is thriving, with an amazing startup of gazillions of dollars by having all KHs properties turned to them for free.

101

HELP needed from folks in UK, esp. in Scotland!

by WTS Archive in

jw
friends

tl;dr: if you live either in scotland or in other parts of uk and you don't mind traveling, you might be able to help a fellow ex-jw by being present during a courtcase where she alone has to face more than two dozens of jws who have ruined their business.

please contact me directly for details on when and where the court case will be held (i will know these details in few days probably).

ps.

scratchme1010

I wish I could just go to support her, but now with slimboyfat's comment, I'd like to make sure that this is a verifiable story.

15

Realtors and Financial Advisors needed: Watchtower Real Estate deals

by Hecce in

https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/ds/documentsearch/partynameresult?page=2.

i don’t know if this topic has been discussed before.

here are the public records of some of the re transactions done by the wt.

scratchme1010

The IRS is curios (I think). They are a little slow and therefore tend to catch people evading taxes when offguard. However, maybe the WT does pay their due taxes.

What I see more relevant is that this may be the reason why they allow JWs to slack a lot more than before and they are more relaxed. Their main source of income is real estate not getting people to work for them house to house for free.

20

Do JW's ever really grow up ?

by Phizzy in

i ask the above because of my personal experience.

as a born-in i was naive, socially inept and had never really thought deeply about anything.. i was also unable to accept arguments based upon reason and facts.. just like a child.. it was only after freeing myself from the mind-control of the jw cult that i educated myself and matured as a person to being (almost) an adult.. jw's attitudes and their inability to debate in any meaningful way, (they could start by actually listening),means they have not grown up..

scratchme1010

I ask the above because of my personal experience. As a born-in I was naive, socially inept and had never really thought deeply about anything.
I was also unable to accept arguments based upon reason and facts.
Just like a child.
It was only after freeing myself from the Mind-control of the JW cult that I educated myself and matured as a person to being (almost) an adult.
JW's attitudes and their inability to debate in any meaningful way, (they could start by actually listening),means they have not grown up.

As another born-in, I too was naive (to a hi degree, though I've always been very observant and a fast learner). Socially I was awkward.

In my case, however, I developed a lot of independent thinking. I had to, that's how I survived. I learned a lot by observing people in the congregation's behaviors.

Once out, my attitude was one of freedom and wanting to make up for lost time, so I started trying to learn as much as possible as fast as possible. However, later I did learn an important lesson, which is that it was important not to completely dismiss my JW past. For once, not everything they say is necessarily untrue when it comes to the kind of people one should let in their lives. The part that they get very wrong with that is that they claim that they are the keepers.

The JW way of thinking, the tunnel vision, the naive explanation for things, the black and white mentality, all those things can be removed from your life. It is possible to learn to think differently. I did. However, emotionally, the negative influence of that organization is always going to haunt me. I try to keep it to a minimum.

But yes, as an ex-JW with now plenty to show for, I can definitely tell you that we do grow up, we do get rid of their way of thinking and acting. It's possible, though it feels very uncomfortable at times. Just make sure not to become what they claim you should if you leave them. I didn't and I am way happier and a much better person once I sent them to hell.

9

Speculation? What would Watchtower be now if it had fully embraced the internet / technology 20 years ago

by joe134cd in

this has probably been discussed before so please feel free to include links as well.

so what would wt be now if it had encouraged it's members to use the internet or technology for spreading the good news.

.

scratchme1010

I think that that's what the WT has to do with any new advance in technology. They can't just embrace it, especially if it's a new technology that does some things that only the Internet can do: (1) provide lots of information (both reliable and unreliable) to people, massively and in real time and (2) Unite all the people they have shunned so they can now compare notes and unite.

The WT had to prepare a good response to their crop, so they cannot just open them to the world of the Internet without ensuring that their interests are safe and taken care of first.

The same thing happened with TV. I remember how many warnings there were about the "dangers" of TV, just like the "dangers of the Internet".

Anything new that could pose a possible threat to them will be forbidden until they find a way to "let" their people use it and remain in control.

17

If Jehovah is our 'father', he would want humankind to independently govern itself

by fukitol in

all parents want their children to grow up, mature, and become happily independent.

no normal father or parent would ever want to govern and rule over their children forever.. so if jehovah exists and he is a heavenly 'father' to his human progeny, and if we truly are in his image as his children, then humankind was always destined to govern itself.

if you believe in the biblical narrative, jehovah always intended to let go of his human children and let us rule ourselves when we were ready.

scratchme1010

All parents want their children to grow up, mature, and become happily independent.
No normal father or parent would ever want to govern and rule over their children forever.
So if Jehovah exists and he is a heavenly 'Father' to his human progeny, and if we truly are in his image as his children, then humankind was always destined to govern itself.
If you believe in the Biblical narrative, Jehovah always intended to let go of his human children and let us rule ourselves when we were ready. This was as naturally a part of God's purpose as it is natural for all living beings to let go of their matured offspring.
Satan merely brought this plan forward. He always knew Jehovah intended mankind to govern itself eventually, but he forced Jehovah into giving mankind its independence prematurely through his interference in the garden of Eden. He claimed in the garden of Eden that mankind must learn morality and ethics by itself, the hard way, and in order to advance scientifically, so as to be fully self sufficient and ultimately govern itself successfully. Jehovah was forced to agree, despite knowing that his naive, inexperienced children would suffer terribly and hoping to mitigate that suffering.
The upshot of this? God will NEVER intervene in human affairs. There is no need of a thousand year reign or paradise earth, preceded by a global divine genocide at Armageddon.
As God's children in his image, it was always our inherent and divine destiny to govern ourselves, freely, without interference or being dictated to by some autocratic parent in heaven. This was always Jehovahs will; we have just been forced to get there the hard way, by ourselves. But we are and we will get there, slowly but surely, and painfully.
And that destiny includes advanced longevity (likely a thousand years maximum), through medical and and robotic science and innovation. In fact, the scientific foundation for this already exists and is being pursued.

...or there never was any Satan, there never was a garden of Eden, there never was a plan, there never was a Jehovah. In fact, the scientific foundation for that already exists and is being pursued.

15

Where Can One Get Answers To Questions From JWs?

by Cold Steel in

there's also a fellow who calls himself the "watchman," but he seems as critical as many of the so-called "apostates.

" is there a place where one can ask questions from knowledgeable believers or "a" believer?

i really don't want to take the bible lessons.

scratchme1010

I've tried JW.org. There's also a fellow who calls himself the "Watchman," but he seems as critical as many of the so-called "apostates." Is there a place where one can ask questions from knowledgeable believers or "a" believer? Or does someone know someone who does it? I really don't want to take the Bible Lessons. I'm just interested in an occasional answer to a question by someone who knows what they're talking about and can add some discussion.
Thanks!

I'm not clear about what you are looking for. You have questions, but you are looking for certain type of answer only? Seems like you want to hear the answers you like, so then why asking?