Posts by joe134cd

7

untitled

by RayPublisher in

below is my new video about my conversation with shauna, casting producer for a new reality tv show that needs a former jehovah's witness is here:.

http://youtu.be/z2rij81mkiq.

this could be epic and i appreciate the other thread on here about this - let's get the word out and find a good candidate to get on this show!.

joe134cd

I wouldn't encourage anybody to get involved in this circus.

24

* Breaking news * - JW elder (Mark Sewell) found guilty of rape and sexual assaults

by Stealth in

i hope they lock this guy up for a very long time!.

http://www.barryanddistrictnews.co.uk/news/latestnews/11306548.church_elder_found_guilty_of_rape_and_sexual_assaults/?ref=var_0.

There is no doubt in my mind that the way in which child sex abuse was and is been handled is certainly a weakness in the link. Wt if you end up reading this, you have just got admit your mistakes in an open and transparent way, and help those victims that got screwed over. You just have to I'm sorry.

28

Expressions on faces at DC/RC

by BU2B in

jw
friends

i have become more observant at the last couple district conventions of jws faces and enthusiasm and it seems to be very somber.

i remember a couple of years ago i was an attendant at one of the upper sections at the blue cross arena in rochester, ny and in afternoon session at least half were curled up with their eyes closed, some with blankets.

the applause seems very forced and mechanical.

joe134cd

Short dresses & low tops!!!! Why weren't they like that when I used to go. This might be the thing that makes me go back.

54

..A New TV Show About exJW`s??!!..

by OUTLAW in

.. do you want to be on tv?.

reposted to help tv producers of ex-jw series: my name is shauna woods and i work for hot snakes media, an acclaimed television production company based in new york city.

we have developed and produced hit content for tlc, discovery, and travel channel among many others.

joe134cd

It's will end up a circus! And I would strongly advise against it.

11

Ramifications for Wt if Finnish government was successful in prohibiting shunning

by joe134cd in

jw
friends

i was just thinking today of the ramifications for the wt if the government of finland was successful in its case against shunning practices, and eventually this was implemented all around the world.. the question this would raise is do they obey gods commandments or that of mans.

jehovah has implemented a scriptural policy through the fds of disfellowshipping.

it's a loving provision that helps the wrong doer see the errors of his ways and draws him back to jehovah.

joe134cd

I was just thinking today of the ramifications for the Wt if the government of Finland was successful in its case against shunning practices, and eventually this was implemented all around the world.

The question this would raise is do they obey gods commandments or that of mans. Jehovah has implemented a scriptural policy through the FDS of disfellowshipping. It's a loving provision that helps the wrong doer see the errors of his ways and draws him back to Jehovah. However Caesar disagrees and says if you carry on like this then we are going to put some heavey restrictions on you. We will fine you and possible close you down.

So if Wt back track on shunning then how do they explain it to a family who haven't spoken to a disfellowshipped son/daughter in years. If they carry on with saying that the shunning policy dosnt exists, or that it's a conscious matter, then the line becomes very blurred. Sooner or later because of ambiguity someone will end up talking to a disfellowshipped individual.

How do you enforce something that is unenforceable, with the official policy of no we don't shun when in reality the opposite is the case and especially with the threat of legal action. Then again how do you explain to the R&F that you are only going to obey God as ruler as long as it dosnt interfere with obeying Caesar. Remember some witnesses have lost their lives for the rules of Wt.

101

org is dying

by lambsbottom in

i don't understand why so many ex jws and faders think that the jws will continue to grow and thrive as a religion.

i still attend a meeting once a week and you can smell the death of the religion creeping up when you hear the talks, read the study wts and hear the letters from the gb.

the way the organization has changed is a sign that it reached its peak (in "healthy" membership) long ago.

joe134cd

Mickey mouse=funnily enough when I was waking up, but also attending meetings. I used to count the attendees by age. 3/4 were 40 years or older while 1/4 was 40 and under, with about 5% in the 18-25 year old bracket. At the conventions it would be a fair to say "where are all the 18-25 year olds". I believe it's this group that the Org has to place the most focus on, as the children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow. Although I would like to see a total collapse of the Org in spectacular fashion, I think the old girl has still got a bit of life in her. In the immediate future I tend to see more of a plateau. But while I use the word plateau, it is clearly an operation that is in trouble, and if they don't address these issues now, they will be having massive problems in a couple of decades time.

101

org is dying

by lambsbottom in

i don't understand why so many ex jws and faders think that the jws will continue to grow and thrive as a religion.

i still attend a meeting once a week and you can smell the death of the religion creeping up when you hear the talks, read the study wts and hear the letters from the gb.

the way the organization has changed is a sign that it reached its peak (in "healthy" membership) long ago.

joe134cd

I'm going to use the congregation that I was associated with as an example. In the last 18 months they have had 7 stop coming all together as well as 3 more get disfellowshiped (10 in total). Out of those that walked only 3 have returned. Notably they were young kids that were forced to just to put a roof over their heads. i just wonder how they can keep these losses up, before things start collapsing. If the organisation is to turn things around I believe there money and energy would be better spent focusing on retention rather than magazine distribution and recruitment. It would also be a lot cheaper to. I look at other churches and they throw Hugh money at their youth, in creating programs, and occupying them In the Christian environment. For a young person worshiping God has to be seen as been fun and cool. A place of worship has to be not only a place where they can learn about God, but also where they can socialise with their friends and do enjoyable activities. Unfortunately Wt has yet to learn this.

14

How to plant the seed and create some serious cognitive dissonance??

by Bells in

hey :).

for a while, i've sort of been wondering why i always check in with this board... i mean it's filled with great people of course - and is my only link to what's happening in the jw world, but i shouldn't care that much... i'm not a jw, neither is my husband - it's only his batshit crazy family who are and it shouldn't bother me that much.. however it does interfere with my life and when i'm around them, they do somehow manage to make me feel like crap.

i think it's all mad and they are most definitely stuck in a cult, however my husband - who grew up as a jw just sort of shrugs his shoulders and is a bit 'it is what it is' - it doesn't seem to offend him as much as it does me.... every time that i hear about a new change or scandal on here, i think 'surely this will be what wakes them up'!

joe134cd

I suppose in summary what I am trying to say is that direct apostasy never works.

14

How to plant the seed and create some serious cognitive dissonance??

by Bells in

hey :).

for a while, i've sort of been wondering why i always check in with this board... i mean it's filled with great people of course - and is my only link to what's happening in the jw world, but i shouldn't care that much... i'm not a jw, neither is my husband - it's only his batshit crazy family who are and it shouldn't bother me that much.. however it does interfere with my life and when i'm around them, they do somehow manage to make me feel like crap.

i think it's all mad and they are most definitely stuck in a cult, however my husband - who grew up as a jw just sort of shrugs his shoulders and is a bit 'it is what it is' - it doesn't seem to offend him as much as it does me.... every time that i hear about a new change or scandal on here, i think 'surely this will be what wakes them up'!

joe134cd

Every time that I hear about a new change or scandal on here, I think 'surely this will be what wakes them up'! But nope, their faith only seems to get stronger.

Hopefully I can give you some insight into their mind set, as a person speaking from personal experience. The reason the various scandals don't wake them up is that they probably don't know they exist in the first place. I was JW for just under 40 years and I was oblivious to the dramas they get involved in. I was so in the dark I used to think how wicked the catholic church was in how they covered up child abuse. Little did i know that Wt was also quietly dealing with the same problem. Looking back on it (and it's also comments I frequently hear from other posters) I'm just stunned at how oblivious I was. In the past I had delt with people who had apostate material. But reasoned on it as been satan,human imperfection,or an angry ex member who had an axe to grind etc, and of course this just blocked it out for me. There has to be some external influence (e.g treatment they received something they dont agree with etc)that they can only reach by themselves that can get them thinking and trust me confronting them with a barage of apostate ideas will not be the trigger point- well it certainly wasn't in my case. I had a set of circumstances that allowed me to open my mind, and surprisingly to start with none of it was doctrinal or operational scandals. That came latter as I got further into it. I can give you a very good example of a family that had a trigger point that lead to them becoming full blown apostates was when the congregation refused to allow their sons memorial service to be in the KH after he committed suicide. The boy had had troubles over a number of years, and I sincerely believe he was not in his right mind. Your extended family may never get to a trigger point, and you can only assist them if they do but let me reassure you that showing them CoC or 50 years a watchtower slave will only close them down and inevitable shut you out of their lives once they know your motives. If you want I am happy to discuss this matter privately with you.

48

When I decided to no longer turn in time...

by SG098 in

being my 1st post i figured i should relate a personal experience.

a few months ago i decided to stop reporting time.

i'm mentally out of this cult now but still trapped because of family.

joe134cd

I've sent you a PM