scratchme1010

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Posts by scratchme1010

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  5

  I Am A Hemp Witness, this in my first video :)

  by Greybeard in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsqexhdme3i.

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  scratchme1010

  Fun to watch.
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  20

  Talking to women

  by Holden Caufield in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i recently asking this women out who here has problems with women after being a jw.

  i still do.

  i will try to talk with with women..

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  scratchme1010

  Sorry what I meant to say was that I still get nervous not so much talking to women but asking them out.
  

  By your first post, I can tell. Good luck. If it's of any help, some women feel equally nervous around getting asked out. And there can be one or two who may ask you out.
  
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  46

  What Makes Someone Become a JW?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my excuse is that i was born in the religion.

  but if someone wasn’t, why would they become one?.

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  scratchme1010

  My excuse is that I was born in the religion. But if someone wasn’t, why would they become one?
  

  I am born-in too. What I know from the experts is that it's a combination of factors, including timing and circumstances of the person who joins, some of which apply to some people. Here's what some experts say:

  Decision point - The cult arrives at a time when people are facing a turning point in their lives, and need support.

  Dissatisfaction with state of something (the world, their lives, their community, etc.) - Certain events affect people and they want answers or an explanation for their suffering, and the cult appears to give them comfort and/or answers. The WT offers paradise forever on Earth.

  Loneliness - Some people just want to belong to something. The WT offers a "spiritual paradise" and a congregation that is forced to tell that they are a cohesive unit where people love each other.

  Loss - The cult offers hope and comfort from loss. In the case of the WT they offer people being able to see the loved ones who passed away.

  Play on ego - Some people never get the opportunity to lead. The WT offers "privileges" of being a pioneer, a MO, an elder, etc. This one seems to speak to people who never had educational or career opportunities.

  Promise of certainty; relieve doubt - They make promises that "all your problems will be solved". The WT talks about living in paradise where one will not even fear wild animals.

  Spiritual search - Some people are actually looking to nurture their spirituality. The WT offers gazillions of publications providing gazillions of explanations about why the Bible is so clear.

  The “buzz” / emotional arousal - The born-again effect is a feeling that some people like. It's called the "religious high". It took me some time to understand this one. I found a book with the title "When God Becomes a Drug" that explains well the effect of emotional and religious arousal in people.

  Vicarious celebrity - People relate to the experiences that they hear others telling. The WT notoriously does that in their assemblies, always having people sharing their testimonies and experiences, always being some kind of horrible person who now isn't thanks to their Jehovah.

  Attractiveness of leader - Some people are charmed by the leadership. In the WT this is typical of when people attend a talk from a very skillful speaker.

  Escape from freedom - Some people have a sense of inadequacy about their own lives, and they feel that they need some kind of structure.

  Health reasons - The cult promise comfort and and answer to their suffering, or hope about their conditions getting healed. The WT promises all that in their paradise.

  Stop using drugs - Some people feel that being part of a religion or some kind of group that doesn't allow drugs will keep them safe, abstinent and sober. The WT promotes a "healthy lifestyle" in that respect.

  Escape abusive families - Some people are in bad domestic situations (caused by them or others; remember that there are many current JWs who were/are violent abusers). People look for religion as a way of changing family dynamic, or as a way of sheltering themselves from abusive situations.

  Relationships - Aside from a sense of community, some people believe that only good people join and stay in those groups, hence, they think that the groups are good places to find suitable partners to form families. The WT promotes marriage among them.

  I see some of those things in my family. My mother joined because she was completely alone in Puerto Rico after moving from the Dominican Republic, and only had my violent wife-beater drunk father with her. In the JWs she found an explanation for her suffering, a congregation, something to do, hope for a better life, a ways to improve her level of literacy, and a promise of happiness and life forever.

  My father joined in an attempt at stopping his violence, and to stop hanging out with his drinking buddies (to stop drinking). He also saw an opportunity to teach and lead others, something he likes doing but never had the chance to do again. Never mind that he stopped beating my mom and using beer as an excuse, but started beating us his children and using the Jehovah crap as an excuse.
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  9

  What grinds my gears most about being part of a high control religion!

  by UnshackleTheChains in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  the one thing that annoys me most about being a jdub is the control watchtower has over everyone.

  for a start, there is absolutely no liberty in christ.

  there is no freedom to openly express your own thoughts on scripture.

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  scratchme1010

  The fact that no one speaks out when some whacko answers up saying 'we must shun our own family members if they are disfellowshipped'.
  

  They are brainwashed, so they will believe (or pretend to and go along with it anyway) what they are told to believe.
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  23

  Why "Most high"?

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  if there were only one god, why do we encounter the expression, "most high god"?.

  is this not indicative of polytheism, and of levels (or degrees) of god-ness?.

  doug .

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  scratchme1010

  If there were only one God, why do we encounter the expression, "Most High God"?

  Is this not indicative of polytheism, and of levels (or degrees) of god-ness?

  Doug

  The only God smokes pot.
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  14

  Does "Hanlon's Razor" apply to the Governing Body?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i recently learned of the term "hanlon's razor".. wikipedia defines it as: .

  hanlon's razor is an aphorism expressed in various ways including "never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.

  " it recommends a way of eliminating unlikely explanations for a phenomenon (a philosophical razor).. so could it be said that this applies to the gb / society ?.

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  scratchme1010

  I checked the Wikipedia and what it has now for definition is a picture of Donald Trump.
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  21

  Counting time calling on inactive ones?

  by stillin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  had a couple of witnesses stop by yesterday to say the usual "we miss you, missed you at the meeting, just checking in on you, etc.

  " i've always liked this guy so we spoke for a few minutes.

  my wife said that they could count their time since i am inactive.

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  scratchme1010

  And here I thought that they might care a little about me dying soon at Armageddon....
  

  That organization has no interest in their people. Remember they let people die over their BS around the use of blood.
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  10

  I hope this is just a joke, because when reading this board, I thought this was'nt suppose to happen

  by Truth and Justice in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi to all the board, .

  i am confused about something that i read on this board.

  it was the subject about the building and development of new kingdom halls.

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  scratchme1010

  Why this bothers me: I thought that the Society was not going to get involved in any more building projects and put a halt to all other projects as well.
  

  I'm confused, if you are not part of that organization for decades, why do you care about any of what they do or don't do? Not sure why any of that should matter.
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  40

  Difficulty fading out

  by Emily1987 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is my first post on here so i apologize that it is like an essay!.

  my husband and i are currently 'fading out' of the truth.

  we stopped preaching in may 2016 and limited meeting attendance in january 2017 and stopped completely in june 2017. my main reason for this was my whole life i have been doing things to please others, even getting baptized to please my mum.

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  scratchme1010

  ...one of my best friends, who is a witness, spoke to me this week and basically said she knows what we have been up to and her 'conscience' has made her go to the elders. Not only am I distraught that someone I used to consider as my best friend could do this, I am confused as to why!!
  

  Have you not been a JW? What surprises me is your reaction. Do you expect that JWs are going to be mindful, respectful and/or supportive of you? What do you think fading is about? Do you think that by fading things are going to be peaceful and they are going to leave you alone? Fading is not just stopping to attend meetings and preaching, fading is preparing yourself for what comes next when it comes to your relationship with them.

  They are a cult, they are not nice people, and they are not just going to let you be and live. Please don't tell me that you didn't know that.

  ...has anyone else had hassle from witnesses and elders when trying to fade? Is it going to be this hard forever, constantly checking over our shoulder that a witness isn't watching us. Checking out the window when the doorbell rings in case it's an elder! I feel like I am still controlled by the religion even though I no longer practice it!
  

  Yes, if you let them. I think the issue here is your people pleasing, and maybe also difficulty setting boundaries with people. The moment that you tell them to fuck off, they will.

  Keep this in mind:

  1. They are not nice people and they are not going to leave you alone by themselves. You have to make that happen for you and your family.
  2. They have no saying and no authority in your lives, unless you allow them to
  3. You don't have to be nice to them all the time, you don't need to please them. It's ok to tell them to fuck off.
  4. They are never going to treat you nicely, even if you return to the KH.
  5. It is your responsibility to set boundaries and tell them to mind their own fucking business.
  6. Fading is about creating support outside the congregation, so you don't have to deal with those idiots again.

  I hope that helps.
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  23

  If we just suddenly start talking to DFed people again and use the Canada court video as our argument, what would happen?

  by Isambard Crater in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the jw lawyer clearly stated that disfellowshipping only applies to spiritual association, but everyday family contact is ok..

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  scratchme1010

  I saw the video, and the commentary of that person towards the former JW is rather ignorant and as judgmental as the WT is. Who is she to judge?

  The whole thing is fucked up from every angle.