I don't know if they can't express sadness, I guess it wasn't our congregation's experience. Pioneers who suffered from depression were often interviewed. I'll be honest, it confused me since we were all supposed to have this wonderful hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth and the promise of a resurrection of our loved ones. I didn't understand the underlying sadness while i was in but i knew that it existed. Now that I'm out, i understand more where the sadness comes from.
losingit
JoinedPosts by losingit
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Do you detect an underlying sadness ?
by Phizzy inwhenever i talk to jw's, and even in some of the jw official videos, i detect a definite vibe of sadness coming off these people.. i am very sensitive to "atmospheres" and to peoples emotional state, you wouldn't think so, because more often than not i do not react to what i detect, i just let people get on with it.. but i do get this feeling that they are sad, probably because very, very, very deep down they realise that it is all false, maybe ?.
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
I was baffled by the conversation. That was the sentiment behind saying that I couldn't believe that he doesn't understand the term. i thought that we would see many thngs eye to eye but we didn't. It was a very interesting conversation, and I hope to have more conversations with him. I will mention Hassan and see where it goes from there. Thank you for the suggestions as to how to guide the conversation. There's lots to learn, and i definitely have an open mind.
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
My friend is a professor at a small state university on the east coast,has a PhD but I'm not sure from where. I do know where he went to undergrad.
I know it sounds odd that I want to help this friend, but when I say help, i mean to direct him towards Hassan' s work. Maybe he has read it. I don't know. Maybe he thought it would be boring for me to hear about it. But when I'm referencing his work but not mentioning his name in the conversation I would think my sociologist frirnd's ears would be on fire! So it made me think that perhaps he is not aware of Hassan' s work. I just don't know if it's presumptuous of me to say -- hey, check this out, when I am not a sociology scholar.
Byt I doappreciate that there is a difference between the psychological versus the sociological perspectives on.cults. that had not occurred to me. Thank you. e
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For Anyone With the WT CD ROM
by breakfast of champions inmy curiosity is killing me, and i don't have access to a cd rom right now, so here's my question:.
how many "hits" does "144000" get in the magazines over the past 5 years or so?.
my prediction is that mention of "the 144000" has been decreasing steadily over the past few years, as they move towards phasing out a literal interpretation of this scripture.. thanks,.
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losingit
Oh wow!!!
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
Laika-- right on! Abusive... ppl are much morefamiliar with that term
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
As far as all religions being a cult, suchclassification n negates the experience of those that hace sufferedterribly while in.a cult.
This sociologist friend ofmine said he belongs to secret fb ex mormon groups and is a member of boards just as jwnet. he dismisses the complaints agains . Mormonism as people who are unhappy with their decision to leave that cultural framework. He said he is tryingto beneutral when listening to these complaints because he does not want to take a stand againstthe rreligion. Thats not his place as a rresearcher.
I ddisagree. I just feel likehe'smissing a major part of the. puzzle. But he is an aacademic, and although I've some. experience in education, I'm not a sociologis. Im an ex jw.
And, i do feel like I shouldmention- - my friend made a pointthroughout our conversation of sstating that he's an atheist.
Pretty much,I'm baffledby th conversation.
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
I basically argued that major religions that exist today, such as Catholicism and Judaeism were all once cults when they were established. Since i know the history of the RCC, I argued that it was able to break away from being a cult because of the Protestant Reformation. Such revolt at such a scale was unheard of before Martin Luther. What made itpossible? Basically, ppl got sick and tired of being lied to and treated poorly.Now, when one decides to leave the RCC there are no major ramifications. I can just stop going to Mass. My family will still love me. My friends will continue to be my friends.
I went into myexperience with JWs, explaining how that is NOT the case AT ALL.there are major ramifications to leavibg or. being kicked out of the "religion" nevermind the mistreatment. one suffers while in. theypresent themselves as one thing, then. drop major bombs once you arebaptized. These are a few of. thehallmarks of a cult.
My sociologist friend was not buying it.Basically , he argued that all religions have wacky beliefsystems and that usong such a term is derogatory and defaming. I could not believe that someone who has this type of educational background conducting this type of research does not grasp the true meaning of "cults." I think he thought that i was speaking from a position of ignorance or lack of experience, but that's not so.
As far as allreligions f
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help with sociologist friend...
by losingit ini have a friend who is a sociologist.
this person does research on being gay and mormon, and will shortly come out with a book.
we had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and jws in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that all religions are cults.
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losingit
I have a friend who is a sociologist. This person does research on being gay and Mormon, and will shortly come out with a book. We had a lengthy discussion about cults (in general, and JWs in particular), and basically the sociologist believes that ALL religions are cults. I had just finished reading Steve Hassan's first book so I remembered the many points he made identifying the hallmarks of a cult. I want to continue this discussion with my sociologist friend, but from an academic point of view. Any thoughts on how I can proceed in general? And then, more specifically, I want to direct my sociologist friend to reading Steve Hassan's books, but I would prefer some direction on formulating a message. Thanks for your help!
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Adele, "Set Fire to the Rain"
by losingit inthis song describes how i fell in love with my soon to be ex-husband... and it also describes the shock at finding out who he and the wtbts really are.... heartbreak, even with ensuing happiness, is hard to overcome.
to all those that are going through heartbreak and despair, set fire to the rain and be free!
i dare it to be possible..... i let it fall, my heart.
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losingit
When will this torture be done running its course through my system?
Let it burn!
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Adele, "Set Fire to the Rain"
by losingit inthis song describes how i fell in love with my soon to be ex-husband... and it also describes the shock at finding out who he and the wtbts really are.... heartbreak, even with ensuing happiness, is hard to overcome.
to all those that are going through heartbreak and despair, set fire to the rain and be free!
i dare it to be possible..... i let it fall, my heart.
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losingit
Thank you, jgnat. Tonight is just one of those nights...