Posts by StrongHaiku

78

Governing Body Member Stephan Lett Lies On JW.TV

by Finkelstein in

i thought it would be important to clearly point in the recent talk by governing body member stephan lett, that he did in fact deliberately lie concerning what he described as lies and false information by apostates, concerning the organization being permissive toward people in the organization who had been involved in pedophilia.

the truth of the matter is thats exactly what the organization has been doing and perhaps for a long time.

the recent candace conti law suit where she was awarded 28 million dollars was levied against the wts for its irresponsible behavior by the elders who gave no notification of the accused jonathan kendrick that he had been charged with pedophilia and spent months in jail for his actions .

StrongHaiku

Anyone watch "Lie to me"? Care to analyze this expression?

Looks like he's rebooting..."File Not Found: Abort, Retry, Fail..."

50

Lett briefly addresses the child abuse issues in new JW.org video

by Richard_I in

jw
friends

i just read about this on the ex-jw subreddit.

link to the video (10m06s).. skip to 7:35 where he says: "another way we can contribute to the oneness - rejecting false stories that are designed to separate us from jehovah's organization.

as an example, think about the apostate-driven lies and 'dishonesties' that jehovah's organization is permissive toward pedophiles.

StrongHaiku

I grow tired of being the whipping-boy for anything that goes wrong within the "Organization". The "Organization" set the policies, they set the rules, they enforce them. Apostates didn't cause this problem, the GB did! I am tired of the "Organization" placing the blame for their own mistakes on Christendom, Satan, "The World", ex-JWs, and any other conspiracy/group they make up.

I grow tired of JW apologists, when finally confronting the facts, saying "we'll, they are after all imperfect men". If the GB are imperfect men, then they need to ACT like they are. You know what an adult does when they make a mistake? They accept responsibility, apologize, show up in court to give an accounting, and do everything their power to fix the problem. You know what a child does? They hide it, justify it, blame someone else, and lie.

The GB are like the kid from that "Twilight Zone" episode "It's a Good Life"... They have the power of a "god" with the impulses of a child. Frightening.

23

Where did this picture of GB singing come from?

by Esse quam videri in

sorry.

i see it is on jw survey and from one of their earth shaking, mind bending, nausea producing jw.org broadcasts.. .

StrongHaiku

When I was a growning up as a JW (~30 years ago) we were encouraged to sing without the use of the song book. To learn them all by heart. The idea was because someday the governments would confiscate all our material during the GT. Anyone else remember that? No need for a songbook...we were REAL Jehovah's Witnesses ;-)

And Lett looks like a muppet. Just saying.

1

Something I would like to see if anyone has time

by freemindfade in

i am absolutely swamped right now or i would take this on as a project, i would love to see a 3 column table.

jehovahs witnesses mormons scientology.

as i think these are some of the largest mainstream if you will cults.

StrongHaiku

This may or may not be what you have in mind, but here is a link to an interesting source - http://www.patheos.com/Library/Lenses/Side-By-Side?path1=x528&path2=x1853&path3=x621

Gotta love the Internet...always serving well-oiled dishes at the proper time ;-)

51

CO has been coming to my door. Would like 1 or 2 solid and easy arguments.

by The Laser Viking in

i am 6th generation.

i have been out for a few years.. back story on the situation:.

i had a co come by while going door-to-door in the neighborhood.

StrongHaiku

Not sure if this will help but sometimes it is better to sidestep a doctrinal issue and come at it in a way that hits at whatever is left of their humanity (I know, a small target).

Some have already noted the pedophile situation. And, that can be addressed outside of the minefield of doctrine. However, here is another example:

I once asked my mother "If Jehovah (through his spirit direct organization) asked you to kill me, would you do it?" She said "Yes". That is the only appropriate answer for a JW. An answer of "No" means that they have set boundaries. If they have set limits on what they will or won't do for the "Organization" then maybe they have boundaries in other areas that can be explored. Just a thought.

52

The beginning of the end for shunning?

by Saltheart Foamfollower in

the borg seem to prepare for changes by missing explanations out for a while then presenting a "new understanding" which doesn't contradict the most recent discussion.check out the most recent references to gog - no identification as satan.. in today's wt study, paragraph 15 concerning benefitting from the prodigal son stated "if we meet a person who has strayed from the congregation, will we offer loving and practical help to assist him to return?

" there is no footnote or other qualifier saying not to go to disfellowshipped ones (who are definitely the ones being talked about) which is still the official policy.

i know this isn't an ending to shunning, but it may signal the start of the preparation for a change.

StrongHaiku

steve2 - Very powerfully stated StrongHaiku. You da man, in my book.

Lol! Thanks for the kind words, steve2. You made my day.

On a somewhat related note, for the past 25 years or so, my family would never contact me unless they needed money. A couple of years ago I told them that my money came with a condition - "that they openly have a relationship with me". Have not heard from them since.

I don't think I am alone here. Many exJWs I would bet are much more successful than the families they left behind. It is sometimes good to remember that they may need us more than we need them. Hey, "theocratic warfare" works both ways.

21

JUST WONDERIN BOUT THE G.B..... again.

by brandnew in

jw
friends

growing up, i never ever even saw these guys faces, or even knew their names.

all of a sudden they're on my computer screen, tv, and on every other magazine coming out of the watchtower machine.

why all the glamour now?

StrongHaiku

I get the sense that they are trying to rebrand themselves as a "Cult of Personality". But that only works if you have a strong and compelling vision that you can communicate in a charismatic way. Kinda like Steve Jobs was for Apple. However, they neither have a strong vision nor do they have any charisma, neither as individuals or collectively. I may be wrong, but sometimes it looks like there is a bit of wrangling between them as each of the GB try to vie for that top spot.

Just get a bag of popcorn and a coke and watch the freak show.

22

You are invited to sit down with the GB members..

by James Mixon in

you have the opportunity to sit and discuss what's on your mind.. what would you tell them??.

my question, do you men have a heart, how do you sleep at nights??.

why do you think jehovah pick you to feed the sheep??.

StrongHaiku

"What's with the pinky rings?" I mean, really."

52

The beginning of the end for shunning?

by Saltheart Foamfollower in

the borg seem to prepare for changes by missing explanations out for a while then presenting a "new understanding" which doesn't contradict the most recent discussion.check out the most recent references to gog - no identification as satan.. in today's wt study, paragraph 15 concerning benefitting from the prodigal son stated "if we meet a person who has strayed from the congregation, will we offer loving and practical help to assist him to return?

" there is no footnote or other qualifier saying not to go to disfellowshipped ones (who are definitely the ones being talked about) which is still the official policy.

i know this isn't an ending to shunning, but it may signal the start of the preparation for a change.

StrongHaiku

This may be off topic, so I apologize upfront. But the subject got me thinking...

After years of having my family and the "Organization" kick me around like a soccer ball with the shunning practice, I am not sure if I would immediately embrace changes in this area if it came. Maybe in the past I would have.

I think I have a bit more pride now and they don't have the high-moral ground they had in my mind before. I don't think I would be so quick to act as if all is forgotten and try to go back to "normal".

I am not sure if I would want to associate with people (my family) who turn off their love so easily and capriciously. And, based on all of the scandals, I am not sure I would want to associate with JWs. After all, I have a reputation to maintain. Who knows? Maybe I should put them through a reinstatement process...

I know many don't feel that way and I totally understand that. I think in my case, I am tired of being subject to the "Organization's" whims and always having to act according to their terms.

5

Stephen King Freakouts?

by cappytan in

i have this memory of deciding to get a stephen king novel (tommyknockers) from my high school library.. went home and started reading it.

first few chapters were pretty amazing.

felt guilty because i had heard urban jw legends about people who owned stephen king books having demon problems.

StrongHaiku

Yep. Had similar experiences with Stephen King. I read "The Stand" in high school and had to hide it from my mother. Read it under the covers with a flashlight. On a side note, "The Shawshank Redemption" is my favorite movie of all time. And, for me it was a perfect allegory of what it was like to get out of the "Organization".