Many JW's I've talked to are suprised to hear that they aren't the biggest religion and nowhere near the fastest growing. I agree that with the zillions of hours dedicated to "the preaching work" one would think results would be more positive. My conclusion is that Jah isn't blessing them as much as they are endlessly told. I give credit to JW's for putting forth so much effort in the field ministry, obviously the representation isn't selling the truth according to the truth, or it would bear fruit. Just another small satisfaction we anti/ex witnesses can enjoy.
Posts by Gig
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6Big Effort, Tiny Results
by JeffT inwe've talked before about how ineffectual field service is, but i decided to test the idea.
i asked the question "what do you know about jehovah's witnesses?
" on a non-witness related board and got some interesting results.
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Brain Washing? Mind Control?
by Sirona indo the jehovahs witnesses use brain washing or mind control techniques?.
if a good dub attends 5 hours of meetings a week, does 2 hours of service a week and does 1 hour of personal study a week, this adds up to 416 hours a year of time thinking and being "taught" about jehovahs witness beliefs.
416 hours adds up to about 11 working weeks a year!
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Gig
Any of you ever hear of the BITE model? Obviously the WT is determined to control witness behavior (B) for their own survival. Any slack in this effort allows a JW to discover critical analysis. For the most part the WT does this by controlling information (I), you all know they are required to read and study the WT and Awake mags, and any other WT pub as if they were the word of God, and they are forbidden to read anything else. This much info control makes it far easier, actually even possible to control thoughts (T), and the easiest way to control thoughts is with emotion (E). You've read the articles, everybody wants to do good and be good, and the WT only allows ONE way, THEIR way, or else you're out of God's favor...very emotional stuff. And what better way to maintain unity, kick anyone out who disagrees.
I agree that brain washing is too strong of a term, it's not defined well enough to fit...just like cult. High Control group dynamics, absolutely. The Bible speaks in terms of true faith causes action, yes works. This is the same type thing, they HAVE to believe and have faith in the WT or they would never do all that nonsense in the name of Jehovah.
Gig
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Do You Tend To Be Condescending???
by minimus inat times, some of us tend to think that we are superior.
we may come across as thinking we're a little better than everyone else.
do you seem to have "an all that" attitude?
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Gig
One of the best lessons I ever learned is that there will ALWAYS be greater and lesser than yourself. There are three things that ensure success in life, one...a good memory. But I can't recall the other two.
Gig
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9
have you been tricked about honesty?
by wheelwithinwheel ini was brought up to believe i was part of the only honest group of people on the planet.
the worldly people were gougers, thieves and downright dishonest.
when wed go to the mall and some charity would ask for a donation, my parents would politely refuse, then tell us kids the charity was crooked and skimmed off most of the money for itself.
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Gig
This all goes right along with all the other claims the WT makes, right down to the "one true religion" teaching, I mean obligation. The good is repeated endlessly, other ideas are eliminated by the failure to mention them. The evangelistic style is painfully blatant, but as we all know it's required to be swallowed whole, and happily at that. You've chosen a good word for your topic, trickery regarding truth, it's even a Biblical analogy and is plainly condemned. There are good witnesses and bad, there are good non-JW's/ex-JW's and bad, white people, black people, blah blah blah. The hypocracy of suggesting otherwise is obviously boasting, again condemned in the Bible. How can JW's spend SO much time talking the Bible and miss or abuse what it so clearly says? A very sad state of affairs.
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A real life touching Christmas story
by freedom96 inthere have been a few posts lately about christmas, and what that time of year really means.
to many, it is simply a holiday where you exchange gifts.
there are many out there who slam the holiday, including the witnesses, complaining about this or that, and not having the holiday spirit that is supposed to be there.
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Gig
That felt good, thank you for sharing that. It's no wonder the historical facts and scriptural proof show nothing but conditional love among witnesses, they are never taught what the Bible really intends. It's very sad and I have genuine compassion for those trying SO hard to please Jah. It's not the messenger I fault, it's the message, it's a bad one. Your's was a good one, thanks again.
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NO Independent Thinking Allowed!
by UnDisfellowshipped inthe watchtower january 15th 1983 issue, page 22:.
the watchtower january 15th 1983 issue, page 27:.
the watchtower march 15th 1986 issue, page 17:.
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Gig
I'm very angry, tomorrow I may be sick, the next day who knows...I don't pretend to be a prophet. Was I just thinking independently? Man that felt good!
Gig
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Ouch
by Gig inwell friends, it seems to be over.
some of you may remember i fell in love with a jw (before i had any idea of what i was getting into).
it's been almost two years ago and i tried every way i could think of to see what she sees, historically, doctrinally, evangelistically, liguistically, every way but realistically.
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Gig
Well friends, it seems to be over. Some of you may remember I fell in love with a JW (before I had ANY idea of what I was getting into). It's been almost two years ago and I tried every way I could think of to see what she sees, historically, doctrinally, evangelistically, liguistically, every way but realistically. I got close enough at one point that she actually said she wanted to go through with me all of the information I had gathered in my research. In hindsight maybe I should have done it, after having tried for so long, but I declined. My thinking was that if she had questions then she should go find the answers, then maybe those answers would be far more credible than following any of my conclusions. She admitted she doesn't know how to research or study like that but I just tried to encourage her every way I could with much love and patience. Looking back at the record, she never did anything that she so encouraged me to do, I hate to say it but that's very hypocritical. It all boils down to I'm not a witness and therefore a worthless pile, specifically according to the teachings. It has been incredibly frustrating to study with them, ask legitimate questions, and get the SAME answers over and over. They simply are lost one you think of something that's not on the WT pages. I even would volunteer the answers beforehand hoping to actually PROGRESS, to no avail. If they didn't get angry you could plainly see they just dismissed me as insincere, prideful, totally lost and unsaved...in other words a bad association. I am still amazed at the consistency, none of which I consider to their credit. I am finally realizing that they are the bad association, for ME. I've done everything I've been asked except believe that the WT is God, which, as you all know, is unacceptable, unless the WT says otherwise...which they DO if the context calls for it. Rare form don't you think? that they would give even the least regard to context. I'm finally letting myself be angry, which I'm told is required for healthy healing. I won't go overboard, but it really is a comfort to rattle off this stuff to people who actually understand.
I do want to add that because I never was a JW I don't fully understand...if I've spoken in a way that sounded aloof I'm really sorry. I did the homework and figured it out before I was required to stuff my head up my butt in the name of Jehovah. I feel terrible that many of you spent so much time under the influence and wasted so much of your life...or rather had it wasted for you while you tried so hard to do the right thing. I do not attempt to set myself above you for recognizing early on the light and loving provisions for what they were, instead, I'm sure I'm the foolish one for continuing on after I figured it out. I sure do miss her. Thank you for listening.
Gig
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83
What if the U.N doesn't find anything in Iraq?
by kril init hit me a few days ago.
what happens if the u.n. searchs iraq and they find nothing?
i mean it's kind of scary to think what will happen to bush's job approval rating if that happens.
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Gig
The UN will find JW's taking credit for progress and blaming Christendom for everything else. But maybe I'm just a little extra bitter today.
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What are your current beliefs on God and the bible
by Leander inwhen i first left the wts initially my intentions were to continue studying the bible on my own.
but now i really don't see the bible as being a true source of guidance.
as a witness i used to constantly read in the articles that god loves mankind, but how much love could there be if there are so many different religions all claiming to be the right one?
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Gig
The reason Jesus taught in parables is because it made you ask questions, if you wanted the answers you had to study and search, "seek ye first the kingdom of God". I think the reason for your pessimism is because the WT used the Bible only to support their teachings, instead of using their teachings to support the Bible.
Gig
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Are we supposed to follow the law or not?
by Elsewhere inmust follow law.
then, indeed, the lawless one will be revealed, whom the lord jesus will do away with by the spirit of his mouth and bring to nothing by the manifestation of his presence.".
--2 thessalonians 2:8. must not follow law.
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Gig
The OT was the Mosaic Law system. The OT also prophetically pointed to Christ as the perfect way of salvation. The Law was given to show men the need for a savior because none could do it. Jesus came and said he didn't come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it, which he did. The NT teaches we are saved by faith in Christ's death and promise. We observe and trust the law as good things, but since we can never follow it perfectly, we need his undeserved kindness to save us. Faith produces good works, but to ever think that by our works we could be saved without His grace is wrong. The Bible warns against trying and asks, if we could be saved by our own works, Christ died for nothing.
Get a concordance and look up the word grace, or undeserved kindness, and search the scriptures. Make sure you are praying for understanding and it will be given to you.
Gig