StrongHaiku

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Posts by StrongHaiku

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  34

  FMF Rant on Abuse and JW Apologists: The Single Root of the Whole Issue(s)

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  for the jw apologists, they debate certain factors to down play all the recent sex abuse information in the jehovah's witness organization.

  and there is so much focus on "two witness rule" and "parents can report" the "elders aren't legal authorities" and many other smoke screen issues.

  a lot of these issues and discussion are down stream from what i believe to be the root of the issue.

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  StrongHaiku

  You summarized a lot of what I have been writing, thinking, and reading from others. Nothing I can add. Nicely done.
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  17

  Would the discovery of EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE completely debunk the bible and religion?

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think it would.

  instantly.

  in fact, i hope one day soon that we somehow encounter extraterrestrial life because i think there would be a wholesale rejection of the bible and any/all religious institutions.

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  StrongHaiku

  I can think of a realistic situation. It is possible we could find very fundamental life (e.g. bacteria) on Mars or some moon in the Solar System (e.g. Europa, Titan). If we were to find life, whatever way the JWs will try to spin it, should be supremely amusing.
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  39

  Horrible Bosses

  by John Aquila in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just heard this a few minutes ago by a jw friend who is still an elder in my old hall.

  the kingdom hall i used to attend and my mom still attends was paid off many years ago and serves about 6 congregations.

  one of the english congregations has a lot of financially well of members.

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  StrongHaiku

  Maybe the Elders, COs, and DOs can unionize and go on strike.
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  34

  Witnesses and anxiety disorder

  by mana11 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  i saw this on a public user group for jw's .

  the librarian [email protected].

  the caption reads:.

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  StrongHaiku

  This is one of the few times the Bible may have gotten it right..."Expectation postponed makes the heart sick.” (Proverbs 13:12)

  The JW life...No end in sight and sooooo many disappointments.

  
  
  
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  39

  Child Abuse - "I don't care. I haven't got any children".

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  earlier this week i bumped into a couple of jws who i recognised from the cult cart.

  a few months ago i had a long conversation with him one of them and found him to be quite friendly.

  he is new to the area in the years since i left.. this time he was very defensive and said he wasn't allowed to talk to me.

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  StrongHaiku

  "I don't care..." pretty much sums up the attitude of the GB, many of the JWs, and the God of the Bible. None of them seem concerned enough about child rape to lift a finger to prevent it.
  

  
  
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  12

  How do jw's explain vestigial organs in humans?

  by purrpurr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only recently became aware of cases of people being born with tails.

  having looked into it this is a evolutionary leftover and we have many other examples within each one of us like the appendix, wisdom teeth, and muscles to move the ears.

  plus many more, this seems to me to prove evolution completely.

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  StrongHaiku

  I remember my mother and a number of people around me postulating that these were "side-effects" of imperfection (Adamic sin). Ah, the stuff you swallow when you are scientific illiterate.

  DarioKehl - How'd I do? Feel like barfing yet? My teeth feel gritty from just writing that.

  I threw up in my mouth a little. Mission accomplished. Nicely done.
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  38

  Whatever Happened to the Remnant?

  by snugglebunny in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  back in the 50's, when i was just a skinny kid, my father became po of a new congregation.

  he'd only been baptised for around 4 years, so his rise was quite remarkable.just one of his flock in the new cachement area was of the "remnant".

  this lady was well into her 60's, childless but married.

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  StrongHaiku

  My mother is "anointed" and has been partaking since the mid-eighties. When she started partaking, there was the usual murmurs from everyone which varied in tone between disapproval to suspicion, with a very minority of approval. I know that it was heartburn for the elders. All of our family suffered for it. Remember? New partakers were not supposed to happen and their diminishing number was supposed to be proof that the end was near. So, you can imagine, sometimes, I think we were being treated like it was my mother's fault that Armageddon had not happened yet.

  It was only until she talked/socialized with the more "revered"/older remnant, that the congregation (and the elders) seem to treat her as one. I sat through so many dinners and get-togethers surrounded by the "anointed". All I can say is that they all seemed ernest, sincere, and completely 100% delusional.
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  26

  Recent Observation: "Even if it's true..."

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  has anyone else heard this said more frequently lately?

  "even if it's true..." i have seen it said on here a few times in quotes from in family or friends responding the negative things about the org.. i heard it tuesday night again.

  in a pioneer sisters comment.

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  StrongHaiku

  "Even if it's true..." is typically followed by that old classic "Where would we go?"

  Cognitive dissonance at its best...
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  34

  Witnesses and anxiety disorder

  by mana11 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  i saw this on a public user group for jw's .

  the librarian [email protected].

  the caption reads:.

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  StrongHaiku

  I think in some ways the Organization leverages anxiety and depression to use it as a way to keep people in and do more. Why else would they constantly come out with articles and talks to trigger people's anxiety and set them on edge? How many times where we told that if you felt anxiety or depression it meant that you were spiritually weak and needed to focus more on doing things for the kingdom? "Armageddon is coming soon! Anxious? Depressed? You should be...Why not pioneer?" LOL!

  Religion (and specially this one) is great at giving you a disease so that they can sell you their cure.
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  23

  Facing up to the reality of the world

  by purrpurr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since becoming atheist i have been paying more attention to world events and issues.

  this is giving me some worry's when i see what's going on.

  as a jw i could just dismiss stuff saying "armageddon is coming, jehovah will look after us" etc etc now of course i can't do that.

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  StrongHaiku

  done4good - This is a normal response to existential fear(s).

  Very true and you hit the point better than I could have (especially using the "drug" analogy). The existential crisis is a very common and normal and well-studied phenomenon found in atheists (and theists). Unfortunately, we have been conditioned to think that religion/God is the ONLY cure to the discomfort it brings. Had we been taught otherwise, we would be able to cope with the discomfort better, or not even have it at all. I think that the main reason we feel the discomfort is because we were taught/indoctrinated/acculturated to have only religion/God as a coping mechanism to a very common human brain-state. The more we want to live as close to reality as possible, the more we need good tools and coping mechanisms that are based on reality.

  For what is worth, when I am in an existential crisis, I try to go "back-to-basics". I try to look inward and remember the basic and simple things that make me happy. I love hard work. I love learning something new. I love ice cream. I love good and crappy movies. I love my girlfriend. It's all good. Sometimes, when the world gets too big, all you can do is try to focus on the small things that make life worthwhile.