Posts by Acts5v29

40

Narcissistic personality disorder and the dubs

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

i've recently started to research npd.

having identified several of my family members as having it ( no wonder we're such a ¿***#@**!!!!

up family)there's huge similarities between the borg and individual members of the cong as well i've noticed.the over whelming love of self, the need to believe in a grandiose fictional version of themselves, always striving for more power and wealth, being unable to stand any criticism, and then there's the manipulation of the victims too.i could be wrong i guess but what thoughts do you guys have about it?

Acts5v29

Good morning slimboy,

I am skeptical about such classifications. There was a discussion about removing it from the clinical list of psychological disorders. The problem is the tendency to label anyone who is mean or treats you badly as a narcissist. That may feel empowering but is there a clinical basis?

I understand your skepticism. The problem with NPD (as opposed to narcissistic behaviour or "mean-ness") is that it is not debilitating to the host - it is a horribly skewed outlook with which one casually ruins others. Also, there is no adequate treatment - certainly no treatment to remove it from the psychology of the host.

162

Do you still believe in God?

by FormerlySandL in

i never thought i would admit it, but i don't.

i might superstitiously have some kind of doubt but digging a bit deeper in my heart i really don't believe in god.

as a human i could never just sit and watch people be tortured, live years of abuse, suffer from illness and disabilities and all the other awful things people have to endure day after day without doing something about it.

Acts5v29

Good morning Formerly,

If you sincerely do not believe, then that is your belief - but if your disbelief is due to your experience with the watchtower and world events, I would ask you - please - to take a moment before your statement becomes entrenched defensivism.

I can show you why God does not - and cannot - intervene in badness. Would that make a difference to you? If so, you have my PMs - just contact me.

Acts5v29

40

Narcissistic personality disorder and the dubs

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

i've recently started to research npd.

having identified several of my family members as having it ( no wonder we're such a ¿***#@**!!!!

up family)there's huge similarities between the borg and individual members of the cong as well i've noticed.the over whelming love of self, the need to believe in a grandiose fictional version of themselves, always striving for more power and wealth, being unable to stand any criticism, and then there's the manipulation of the victims too.i could be wrong i guess but what thoughts do you guys have about it?

Acts5v29

Good morning Skedaddle

Depression, split personality, narcissism etc. are all symptoms of the coping with one's situation by oneself in a setting where they don't really understand what's going on or what will happen. So basically, when i see a narcissist, i just see a person whos been exposed to an experience where they had to find a way to cope and survive.

There's a difference between narcissism and NPD, though both can have their roots in suffering bad experience. Narcissism can be treated - it is an overlay to the basic character - but NPD is quite, quite diferent, strongly rooted as a building pile rather than as an armour.

But sure - its good to feel for another's pain and understand when their behaviour is simply them letting it out.

27

What's the purpose of being a JW now?

by MrTheocratic in

with all the recent changes to this religion, what really is the purpose of being a jw?

especially for those who have been in and witnessed all the changes and still no sight of the end.

for these ones in particular (35-55 year olds) they must be in a state of confusion.

Acts5v29

The smile, the talk of God, the congregation to worship together - all of those are attractive and what people want and see, and the bad things are not even thought about.

Better to be lonely ringing a bell and calling out "unclean" than to bathe in whitewash and infect those you attract.

33

So , how "worldly" did you get?

by greenhornet in

i even hate to use that word worldly tm.. any way i'm probably the worst.. 1 when the jw s come to my door i say i'm not interested .

2 i have gone to many churches and volunteered.. 3 i shredded all my jw books and magazines out in the woods.. 4 had the mormon elders over and studied with them.. 5 tried pot (its legal here).

6 open carry my fire arm every where (legal here also).

Acts5v29

Hi LongHairGal,

me too - unless you count reading the scriptures for myself "worldly"

475

What is the alternative to JW?

by Formerbrother in

i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.

im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?

the the bible is word?

Acts5v29

Good evening Carol

Revelation 16 tells of the kings of the earth being assembled for the great day, to the place called Har-Mageddon. The actual battle is recorded in 17:14 where they fight the Christ, but because he is in overall authority in the earth he will defeat them. The slaughter is not just because the Heavens want to slaughter someone, but to overcome an active and determined rebellion - not doubters.
I looked up the reference Rev 17v14. Armageddon seems to involve 10 kings. Who are the 10 kings?

Revelation is quite straightforward in its meaning, once we recognise the theme of the Bible and that the earthly events of the vision have not yet begun - but the identity of the parties is something else.

The ten kings may well be ten specific kings, but since chapter 16 speaks of "all the kings of the earth", likely it means all of them. Since this happens after God's intervention, which has not yet happened, it must refer to kings who - during Christ's reign - still wish to maintain power and authority.

To be honest, I am not permitted to teach, and this is quite distant from my ministry, but I hope it's food for thought.

best wishes,

Acts5v29

475

What is the alternative to JW?

by Formerbrother in

i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.

im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?

the the bible is word?

Acts5v29

Good evening Outlaw,

Actually I can`t answer because they are your beliefs..

in truth, I rarely give any thought to my own beliefs anymore - they don't matter to me. But let's keep going...

Are good,decent people going to be able to live their lives in peace,without fear of being slaughtered by your God?..
They may or may not come to the conclusions you suggest..
They may never change their beliefs or the way they live their lives..
They have nothing against you,your beliefs/faith/God,unless you were to threaten them with it..

You've answered your own question, I think.... unless you threaten them with it - but in reverse. Our independence leads us to our own demise... the rescue is to begin our recovery with active Divine guidance, leading to us being guided by our Heavenly Father... the earth is not ours, but Gods... How much of the earth will people want to keep for themselves? and with how many variants, knowing that independence leads to ruin? Who will ultimately threaten whom? Armageddon will have come because those who follow the Christ's guidance were too much for the rebels, and they will become aggressive - their slaughter will be due to the same reason as the dispute: an entrenched refusal to avoid the fight - doesn't that tell you something?

If God wanted to take over by force, He could have done that at any time in history - but that is not His way. Who, therefore, will threaten whom? There is your answer, but are you really happy with it?

Instead of long-term hypotheticals - the mentality of "we'll drop the bomb one day, so we may as well jump off a bridge now and avoid radiation sickness" - why not consider what effect God's benevolence will have on people, as to how it changes the likelihood of "the bomb being dropped"? It helps us to consider things in a much clearer, less goal-oriented way - and see what other routes will be available as a result. It would be a shame for all that influence to be ignored, when it will be so very relevant to many.

sincere best wishes,

15

5 publishers in my father's congregation have just been put in rest homes.

by joe134cd in

my father was telling me the other day that 5 publishers have recently been put in rest home care.

interesting in a cong of about 80-100 publishers.

Acts5v29

Hello stan

sounds good--in theory. my dad lived with me beforehand--but after a month in hospital with heart failure--the specialsts felt it would be more than i could cope with---and he need professional trained carers--which he got--and lived a full life for the next 3 years.

That was the best choice then.

oh--and the rest of his family--all living within a mile of him--never cared for him----or even visited him.
why ?
because they are all jehovahs witnesses !

Shame on them

161

I am leaving the JW's . I am alone and scared. Advice and help needed please

by scared and lonely in

i am sorry that on my first post i am asking for help and advice but i am at my wits end.

i have been brought up a witness all my life and it is all i know.

i am an ex-elder and pioneer and i don't know anybody outside of the congregation.. i have been unhappy for so long and wanted to leave.

Acts5v29

Good evening S & L

I have confirmed who I am to at least 3 people privately and infact one of them scarily knows many people in my circuit.
With unhinged people like wingcommander around there is absolutely no way I will give away sensitive information publicly on this forum.

very sensible - don't give yourself anything further to worry about.

By the way, I wouldn't worry about being an "apostate" - to question some doctrine is not apostasy, nor is pointing out a flaw in doctrine: the flaw - and those who uphold them - are the apostates. But to question or to leave through unhappiness at what you've discovered is not apostasy.

15

5 publishers in my father's congregation have just been put in rest homes.

by joe134cd in

my father was telling me the other day that 5 publishers have recently been put in rest home care.

interesting in a cong of about 80-100 publishers.

Acts5v29

Good afternoon Joe134,

Respectfully.... what's wrong with family? These times when a loved-one needs help can be the most rewarding for a carer.