Posts by Oubliette

30

Symptoms of Spiritual Weakness - Elder's Manual

by cappytan in

lack of self-control in eating, drinking, and pursuit of pleasure;.

so, let me get this straight.

enjoying a fancy meal, appreciating the finer qualities of libations and deciding to enjoy life by pursuing pleasures (bike riding, hiking, camping, fishing, reading, movies, golfing, etc.

Oubliette

Cappytan, great thread!

So I wanna know one thing. Since I'll be labeled as "spiritually weak" if I am "overly critical of elders and the organization," what amount of criticism is acceptable?

How critical can I be without it being "overly"?

lol

51

NEW 2012 Elders book with 2015 Amendments

by Newly Enlightened in

thanks to jw archive wiki we have a pdf of the new elders book.. https://www.dropbox.com/s/mz9z38909t3fh7c/2012-shepherd-the-flock-of-god-ks10_e.pdf?dl=0.

Oubliette

Millie, I'm not sure I understand your questions as they seem to be asking different things.

Let me take them one at a time:

doesnt that have the potential to be stabbing themselves in the foot?

Well the WTBTS and their leaders are always doing that, aren't they. They don't really know how to motivate, but they do know how to manipulate, so that's what they do.

Less men reaching out?

This is always a problem in pretty much every congregation.

When I was an elder, I always wondered why so many long-term "brothers" simply coasted along at the status quo and wouldn't "reach out." Although they didn't seem content to just coast, they would never "do enough" to be appointed as a MS or elder.

Now I believe it that they actually do NOT want to be actively involved. Probably they have serious doubts, maybe they don't believe any of it at all, but they are not willing to take a stand and quit the religion. I'm sure it's usually the family pressure, but likely most of them have not sorted through all the psychological manipulation and control. They simply know they just don't want to do it and are ok being labelled as "spiritually weak" as long as they don't have any "responsibilities" in the congregation and they aren't getting disfellowshipped. It's JW limbo.

Is the new light on brothers not being MS =not being marriage material going to be enough of a carrot to counter the general apathy and lack of reaching out?

I doubt it. It might work on a few individuals. The WTBTS is forever making silly little rules and then saying, "But we aren't making a rule about it!"

Let's review: It's a cult!

51

NEW 2012 Elders book with 2015 Amendments

by Newly Enlightened in

thanks to jw archive wiki we have a pdf of the new elders book.. https://www.dropbox.com/s/mz9z38909t3fh7c/2012-shepherd-the-flock-of-god-ks10_e.pdf?dl=0.

Oubliette

Splash: So you CAN associate with disfellowshipped relatives without fear of being DF'd yourself, so long as you don't discuss spiritual things!

Yes, but anyone that does that "would not qualify for congregation privileges, which require one to be exemplary."

So the elders have a tool of manipulation to hold over anyone that breaks their precious rules: don't let them give talks, hold the mic, pioneer or whatever. Although to most of us here, those things are not important, we know that status is everything in the KH.

Only recently, one of the GB members said in a talk that if a young man was 23 and not yet a MS, then he was not marriage material. Just imagine how congregation members view someone not even qualified to carry a microphone. It's social death.

Let's review: It's a cult!

23

A Subtle Factor That Keeps Witnesses Silenced

by freemindfade in

had an interesting thought this morning.

when a witness is 'in' they think everyone else is following and trying there best all in unity.

i believe the reality is there are a lot of us 'in' who know different.

Oubliette

HB: One of my closest friends is outwardly a JW, but hates the religion, it sickens him, and he feels he has wasted his life in the cult but remains for the sake of family peace.

That is a wasted life.

It's bad enough for a person to be imprisoned by this belief system, but once they've become aware that it's a high-control, authoritarian cult, to willingly remain is spiritual and emotional suicide.

It takes courage to stand up for what is right. It is a shame for a person to allow their personality to be crushed by another.

3

"How many mistakes in one paragraph?"

by Doug Mason in

does the following paragraph on page 22 of the june 15, 2015 watchtower magazine provide an accurate assessment of charles taze russell?

does this paragraph contain mistakes and omissions?.

when the time approached for gods kingdom in the hands of jesus to start ruling from heaven, jehovah helped his people to understand the timing of events.

Oubliette

Doug, thanks for the very detailed analysis.

The WTBTS "traces all things with accuracy" and then publishes whatever the hell they want.

Truth is irrelevant. The Bible is a prop.

Let's review: It's a cult!

21

Do JWs suffer from Stockholm Syndrome?

by campaign of hate in

jw
friends

this topic is what what it says on the tin.

do jws suffer/are suffering, from stockholm syndrome?.

getting abused (mentally) and then seem to form a relationship with the captives (wtbts).. there is also a condition called oslo syndrome, but haven't read up much about it.. personally, i think i might be suffering from the former.. would love to get a few opinions.....

Oubliette

OrphanCrow,

I really appreciate your analysis of this issue in relationship to JWs.

You nailed it.

While JWs might not be going all "Jonestown" (yet), they are certainly well toward that end of the destructive end of the spectrum.

Oubliette

13

WT instructions on NOT copying the 'Shepherd Flock of God' book.

by Esse quam videri in

shepherd the flock of god.

1 peter 5:2.

this publication is congregation property.

Oubliette

No copies are to be made of any part of this publication. Neither is it to be converted into any electronic format.

Once again, the GB break their own rules.

You can't do it. Even the elders can't do it, but the GB guys can. Why is that?

Let's review: It's a cult!

7

Shepherding textbook in digital format 2012 Printing

by hildebrando in

"the watchtower is butchering the 2010 elders manual, and has released this new one to all elders.

to many court cases involve exposing the 2010 elder manual, so now the watchtower is changing a few things with this new one".

(authorized).

Oubliette

This book just emphasizes a sad truth about JW leadership: they are wannabe lawyers.

This slant to the organization goes back to Rutherford's days. Any wonder why JWs have "Districts" and "Circuits"?

It's just like the US judicial system.

Let's review: It's a cult!

51

NEW 2012 Elders book with 2015 Amendments

by Newly Enlightened in

thanks to jw archive wiki we have a pdf of the new elders book.. https://www.dropbox.com/s/mz9z38909t3fh7c/2012-shepherd-the-flock-of-god-ks10_e.pdf?dl=0.

Oubliette

I'm gonna second everything OrphanCrow wrote.

These kinds of issues are problematic for people that actually have the appropriate training and experience.

As well-intentioned as some JW elders might be--and I know from personal experience that not all of them are--they are simply NOT QUALIFIED to deal with these issues.

As a result, they almost always make a terrible situation worse.

It's criminal. It really is.

Let's review: It's a cult!

21

Do JWs suffer from Stockholm Syndrome?

by campaign of hate in

jw
friends

this topic is what what it says on the tin.

do jws suffer/are suffering, from stockholm syndrome?.

getting abused (mentally) and then seem to form a relationship with the captives (wtbts).. there is also a condition called oslo syndrome, but haven't read up much about it.. personally, i think i might be suffering from the former.. would love to get a few opinions.....

Oubliette

It's a classic example of a codependent relationship.