If anyone is interested in the topic of myth, customs and parallel belief systems that exist in every culture, I suggest reading the works of Joseph Campbell. Watch his interviews that are available on YouTube. I suspect that the origins of this thread have been skimmed from this source.
gingerbread
JoinedPosts by gingerbread
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31
The day JEHOVAH.....went POP!
by Terry inthink about this.. go way back...far far back in history.. .
go back before the internet.
go back farther.. go back before newspapers, tv and radio.. .
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134
Who left or got stumbled over the 1995 generation thing?
by Julia Orwell inor the 2000's generation thing?.
how did you feel?
how did it help you wake up?
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gingerbread
When my children were little, they would ask a string of questions about anything. If you've have or been around little ones, you know what I mean. After a while you get tired of trying to answer the steady stream of questions - I would often finish it with the answer "just because" or "that's just the way it is"...
If you have questions about anything the WT puts forth as doctrinal change, the final answer will always be "that's just the way it is" or "just trust the GB" or "wait on Jehovah". If an elder is an honest guy, he might respond with "it confuses me too". But, ultimately, the final answer is "just because".
Most publishers are hook, line and sinker believers. And that's how the WT organization wants it to be - to inform and control people as if they were little children.
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Jehovah's Witnesses - The religion for the lazy zealot
by sosoconfused inafter taking a few steps back and really taking a look at the really zealous people and fairly intelligent people i knew in the j.w.
community and adding myself into this lump of people i realized something.
for anyone who wants to be seen as a very religious person - completely dedicated to god(or atleast give that impression to onlookers), this is the perfect religion.. .
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gingerbread
We are encouraged - if fact as soon as one begins to study - to "make the Truth your own." This doesn't mean to become a serious student of the bible. It means to become fully immersed in the the religion - the organization, the congregation, the meetings. You must surrender your ability to reason and begin to think and feel as a JW.
Many who have come into the organization with a good education and a professional career will give up their personal power to the religion. We all are trained to become like children - dependent on WT doctrine and policy to govern our lives. Complex issues and questions facing the individual, mankind and even the universe can be answered very simply through a magazine article or a chapter in a book.
We cease to investigate and reason on our own.
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134
Who left or got stumbled over the 1995 generation thing?
by Julia Orwell inor the 2000's generation thing?.
how did you feel?
how did it help you wake up?
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gingerbread
I remember having a sense of relief - that the "end" may not be imminent. The "proof" that the end was coming before the people who were living during WWI died as a generation was causing real anxiety. By the early 1990's, these folks were dying off...and my adult life was just beginning. Now, just maybe, I would see my babies grow up. I figured my chances of making it through the big A were pretty slim. It bought me some time (in my mind).
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I was a Jehovah's Witness in a different religion
by free2beme ini recently had a very long conversation with my mother, about what jehovah's witnesses teach and believe now.
while i could gleam ideas and thoughts, that kind of worked with the religion i once called home.
more often then not, i had to come to a extreme conclusion.
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gingerbread
Excellent thread and comments!
For those of us that were raised in - during the 60's and 70's - our "religion" has transformed itself during our adulthood. Though most of the core beliefs have stayed the same, the way the religion operates is very different. Our age group can remember studing publications that were indepth analysis of prophesy - remember the Paradise book - Babylon book - Nations Shall Know book .... We really "studied" these books and slogged through miles of scripture.
The GB has kept the tight control on the personal lives of its members - except now it is demanding that all within the congregations police the actions, speech and "attitudes" of each other. Phrases like "it's a gray area", "it's a personal matter", or "its up to your conscience" aren't mentioned anymore. Elders and publishers alike used to use these phrases quite often. Not any more!
The WT society now produces mini-books for study - that focus on rules for daily living. It's really "dumb-downed" the "spiritual food" and treats all members as if they are children. The society - while still a bible study aid publishing house - now prides itself as.......... a construction company.
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21
I am what I am
by joe134cd ini was just thinking today.
i heard the term been frazed as a "neutral witness".
i think that's what best describes me.
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gingerbread
Joe - Keep on thinking! I remember your early posts from a few weeks ago - you have some legitimate questions that need answers. Take your time.
As JW's, were are taught that "levels" of goodness exist and this idea is directly related to ones position in the congregation and the organization. Much like being in the army, some people are better at this sort of "rank" structure than others. Some people abuse the structure - use authority to control others, money, rewards, etc.
People in the congregation that are decent folks would be like this whether they were JW's or not. Think about it. Brothers and sisters you know that are kind, considerate, hospitable, forgiving, understanding, supportive...and happy...are like this with or without their JW suit on. They are just good human beings. Period.
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CANADA | Toronto Star | May 3, 2013 - Jehovah's Witnesses: Kindness is an act of grace - not an obligation
by jwleaks inwho should be responsible for financially supporting jehovah's witnesses, who put misguided faith in the failed 1975 "end-of-the-world" predictions, and went full-time preaching without any consideration for retirement many years later?.
kindness is an act of grace not an obligationare successful brothers ethically required to help aging moneyless sister?
toronto star.
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gingerbread
Mr. Gallinger, at the outset, puts the "the JW thing" outside of the scope of his answer. And he responds like any mature adult would to this question.
Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to never mature into adulthood.
We were encouraged to put our life's burdens on someone else, to blame others or a "wicked system" for all life's difficulties and to ignore the aging process. JW's should be "simple" and just be concerned with their own little life with little education and a little job. Remember that every single complex issue facing the individual, mankind and the universe can be answered by a little article in a little magazine.
A child expects others to solve his problems and to provide the answer to any question. A good little child is easy to control.
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Thoughts on the new AAWA video and other things!!
by iamwhoiam inso does this mean aawa is going to stop shunning?
are they themselves not guilty of shunning those who shun?
shunning can never be stopped no matter how bad you want it to.
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gingerbread
I couldn't agree more! - Satanus & Las Malvinas
The ongoing "opinion-a-tor" on this thread obviously gets paid by the word at his day job. "A legend in his own mind"
As we say in my part of the country - Arguing with that kinda person is like wrestling a pig. The pig has a blast and you wind up covered with mud and hog sh!t.
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154
Thoughts on the new AAWA video and other things!!
by iamwhoiam inso does this mean aawa is going to stop shunning?
are they themselves not guilty of shunning those who shun?
shunning can never be stopped no matter how bad you want it to.
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gingerbread
Jehovah's Witnesses are trained to believe that they are always RIGHT. They will do whatever it takes to (especially with creative wordsmithing and circular arguments) to prove their "rightness" and force that opinion on anyone who is foolish enough to disagree.
In my "newby" opinion, all too often those who have left the org carry on with that same attitude.
Be careful, Simon. Perhaps AAWA is needing a martyr (persecution from JWN) from within their leadership to rally support of "their" cause ....
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Thoughts on the new AAWA video and other things!!
by iamwhoiam inso does this mean aawa is going to stop shunning?
are they themselves not guilty of shunning those who shun?
shunning can never be stopped no matter how bad you want it to.
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gingerbread
Thanks for jumping on the Rosa Parks "parallel" - wha happened.
Peaceful demonstrations during the 1950's and '60's against segregation is what Ms. Parks participated in. It was well organized to bring attention - through the media - to the Jim Crow laws. On the surface one might see a parallel between segregation and shunning.
The JW shunning policy is very simple. Issues of segregation were a bit more complex.
I hope AAWA leaders don't see themselves as martyrs to this faith. Nobody's getting imprisoned, shot, burned, strung up, beat or hosed...