Posts by Oubliette

45

Why do we get TTATT and others don't?

by quest81 in

jw
friends

i have thought about how ttatt came full circle for me.

how the connecting the dots was simple and just made sense,.

how silos of information are literally at our fingertips today.. why is it that the ones we love cannot get ttatt?.

Oubliette

This is a great question without an easy or clear answer.

I see you're relatively new on this forum, but probably by know you've noticed that there is no clear pattern to or common denominator about those of us that "woke up" and saw this religion for the cult that it is.

Intelligence is not necessarily the factor. There are some pretty smart people that have been in the religion all of their life, and there are others that aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer but can clearly see the corruption and lies of WT leadership
Being born-in or not makes little difference
Age is irrelevant
So is gender
Education helps, but not always

-

When you examine what it was that specifically got a person to start doubting and/or questioning, you find that there are many reasons and they are not the same for everyone.

I started doubting and questioning because of the lack of academic scholarship of the WT publications, but it was when I discovered about the UN/NGO scandal that it all began unraveling for me. Yet I tried to tell my then-wife (now-ex) about it and she literally covered her ears.

For others its:

Pedophiles in the congregation and the WT coverup
The blood issue
607 BCE
Shunning
Ever changing doctrines
Hypocrisy of the elders/CO/GB
The fake attitude of "the friends" in the congregation
WT dishonesty about, well you name it!

-

The list is long.

It will be interesting to see what others contribute to your thread!

Oubliette

42

Something a CO once said.

by cappytan in

"there are only three reasons you should miss a meeting.

fever, fracture or funeral.

everything else is a sorry excuse.

Oubliette

sir82: Bethel thinks that far too many elders are way too lenient

Yes.

The beating will continue until morale improves!

46

WT addresses the "rapture" teaching.

by wifibandit in

look at paragraph 15 of the 2015 july 15th study edition pg 18-19.. http://imgur.com/3wparys.

.

basically they admit to teaching the rapture (for the anointed remnant), just don't call it that!.

Oubliette

Blondie, what is the source of that definition of the rapture which you posted?

As far as I can tell, it is completely consistent with current JW "theology."

44

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Happy?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know of the local congregation's issues, per an elder i know quite well.

he has said that nearly everyone in the congregation is suffering emotionally and mentally.

he said he has never seen so many witnesses with so many problems.

Oubliette

Of course they are, just ask any one of them: They are the happiest people on Earth!

46

WT addresses the "rapture" teaching.

by wifibandit in

look at paragraph 15 of the 2015 july 15th study edition pg 18-19.. http://imgur.com/3wparys.

.

basically they admit to teaching the rapture (for the anointed remnant), just don't call it that!.

Oubliette

Therefore, while we do not use the term “rapture” here because of its wrong connotation, the remaining faithful anointed will be gathered together in an instant of time. - w2015, 7/15, p. 19, paragraph 15

So what is the "wrong connotation" which they wish to avoid? I know, other religions have been teaching this for over a century and they don't want to admit that the other folks got there first!

Also, ol' Chuck T. Russell apparently believed in it too:

See:

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

confuzzled: SO does this mean that one can watch porn with only a man and a woman and that is ok? Just wondering...

Yes, as long as it's not:

An entrenched practice
Over a "considerable period of time" (whatever THAT means)
Not "abhorrent" and/or "sexually degrading"

Enjoy!

BTW, aren't you glad the GB defined homosexuality for us, just in case we were confused on that point!

How happifying!

9

Toss a smart bomb

by Giordano in

i meet regularly for a bro lunch with a couple of friends of mine.

the conversation is usually first rate and free flowing.

one day we were talking about education and i mentioned that having been raised in a cult i had passed on college...... to pioneer.. .

Oubliette

Good job!

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

Morpheus: Once they are labled they can be dismissed and their ideas dont have to be consodered [sic] as valid.

Yes, it is this dismissiveness that is essential to their manipulation and control.

It is a passive-aggressive assertion of authority.

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

It's informative to analyze this as the manipulative tool that it is.

The WT leaders make a list of behaviors that they don't like and label them with a denigrating term: spiritually weak.

Note that the list includes a variety of behaviors and attitudes that an individual might have. These are indiscriminately lumped together as if they might have the same root cause. This is clearly NOT the case.

A person that has a drinking problem should not be categorized with someone that has doubts (lingering or otherwise) or someone that has legitimate complaints about the actions of the elders or the WTBTS.

And yet they just lump them all together. Why? Because the WT leaders have learned the power of conflating different issues as a means to manipulate and control.

This expression can then be used to paint someone unfavorable. When a JW calls another JW "spiritually weak" it frames the situation such that the one doing the labeling is assuming a position of strength and authority.

Usually, the one so labeled will not contest the phrase. They may even believe it themselves due to their indoctrination. But even if they don't, they know that arguing the point will only cause them more trouble.

The reality is this: when an individual realizes that JWs do NOT have "the Truth," and that they religion is a sham led by hypocritical cowards and liars, they have some serious decisions to make. A person that is emotionally and spiritually strong will leave the religion.

Often, what the WT labels as "weakness" is actually strength. The heroes of the Bible stood up against wrongdoing, hypocrisy and lies. Those in power never like that.

Some things never change, just the names ...

BTW, apparently the phrase, "spiritually weak" does not appear in the rNWT. I did a search on jw.org and got this result: Sorry, the search returned no results.

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