Posts by TTATTelder

5

When your friends are bad for you: JWs as a case study in the dangers of ingroup bias

by Apognophos in

how do you convince someone to get help when their friends all say they're fine?

from time to time i think about how certain illnesses must be very difficult to treat because the sufferer's actual perceptions are skewed.

for instance, how do you convince someone to seek treatment if they are under a paranoid delusion that they know too much and the establishment wants to put them on drugs to dull their minds?

TTATTelder

Good thought provoking post. Thanks.

-TE

44

I Need Help Getting My Head Straight.......

by TTATTelder in

one of the things i have been wresting with mentally is unraveling the "us vs. them" mentality that has been driven into my skull in the organization.. i am starting this thread seeking advice on how others have come to grip with this.. this is what i struggle with:.

i like the feeling/thought of being among people that live, or try to live, or at least know they ought to live by higher standards of conduct (maybe it is just what i'm used to...).

when you walk out of a convention of people dressed up, clean-cut, shaven, non-smoking, less-profanity-speaking, fairly orderly etc and see what greets you in the streets outside, it is a big contrast.. i am also still trying to understand how a religion that has conned people (so is morally wrong) could also be so well organized and have a lot of truly decent folks among their ranks.

TTATTelder

Thanks everybody sincerely.

I need this slap of reality.

I hope some lurkers benefit as well.

-TE

41

Can 'the truth' survive the Internet?

by Noumenon in

jw
friends

.

great article here, from some university prof. doesn't seem he was ever a jw either.. http://libertyunbound.com/archive/2003_10/cox-truth.html

TTATTelder

Good article. Long but good.

-TE

40

Reaching Loved Ones Stuck in a Cult: Reciprocal Letter Writing

by 00DAD in

i've been toying with an idea that i think just might have some legs.

so here i am trotting it out for all of you to consider and comment upon.

for many of us, we are extremely frustrated by the fact that we have no way to communicate with our loved ones still stuck in the organization.

TTATTelder

Im in.

TE

4

An old article I dug up. An Analytical master piece that really just blew my mind

by joe134cd in

jw
friends

i found this article sitting in the files of jwn.

i have to say it's a masterpiece of writing and very informative.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/86393/1/can-the-truth-survive-the-internet#.u59svtoaysn.

it's the 7th post down on this thread and written by stephen cox.

TTATTelder

Thanks I will read it when I get a chance.

-TE

44

I Need Help Getting My Head Straight.......

by TTATTelder in

one of the things i have been wresting with mentally is unraveling the "us vs. them" mentality that has been driven into my skull in the organization.. i am starting this thread seeking advice on how others have come to grip with this.. this is what i struggle with:.

i like the feeling/thought of being among people that live, or try to live, or at least know they ought to live by higher standards of conduct (maybe it is just what i'm used to...).

when you walk out of a convention of people dressed up, clean-cut, shaven, non-smoking, less-profanity-speaking, fairly orderly etc and see what greets you in the streets outside, it is a big contrast.. i am also still trying to understand how a religion that has conned people (so is morally wrong) could also be so well organized and have a lot of truly decent folks among their ranks.

TTATTelder

Have you ever worked at an RBC quick-build? Or, a convention set-up? You call that "organized"? - DOC

So true. Thanks for reminding me. They often make up for the lack of organization with the sheer numbers of free-labor volunteers.

Be careful not to confuse "nice" with ethical. Nice is a facade. - Cofty

Yes Indeed... I also need to remember that the "nice" knob gets turned up at conventions temporarily.

There are definitely some absolute snakes walking around the conventions with huge smiles on their faces greeting everyone in their path.

-TE

44

I Need Help Getting My Head Straight.......

by TTATTelder in

one of the things i have been wresting with mentally is unraveling the "us vs. them" mentality that has been driven into my skull in the organization.. i am starting this thread seeking advice on how others have come to grip with this.. this is what i struggle with:.

i like the feeling/thought of being among people that live, or try to live, or at least know they ought to live by higher standards of conduct (maybe it is just what i'm used to...).

when you walk out of a convention of people dressed up, clean-cut, shaven, non-smoking, less-profanity-speaking, fairly orderly etc and see what greets you in the streets outside, it is a big contrast.. i am also still trying to understand how a religion that has conned people (so is morally wrong) could also be so well organized and have a lot of truly decent folks among their ranks.

TTATTelder

Thanks Jgnat.

You make some really good points.

The pics are cool too.

-TE

44

I Need Help Getting My Head Straight.......

by TTATTelder in

one of the things i have been wresting with mentally is unraveling the "us vs. them" mentality that has been driven into my skull in the organization.. i am starting this thread seeking advice on how others have come to grip with this.. this is what i struggle with:.

i like the feeling/thought of being among people that live, or try to live, or at least know they ought to live by higher standards of conduct (maybe it is just what i'm used to...).

when you walk out of a convention of people dressed up, clean-cut, shaven, non-smoking, less-profanity-speaking, fairly orderly etc and see what greets you in the streets outside, it is a big contrast.. i am also still trying to understand how a religion that has conned people (so is morally wrong) could also be so well organized and have a lot of truly decent folks among their ranks.

TTATTelder

One of the things I have been wresting with mentally is unraveling the "us vs. them" mentality that has been driven into my skull in the organization.

I am starting this thread seeking advice on how others have come to grip with this.

This is what I struggle with:

I like the feeling/thought of being among people that live, or try to live, or at least know they ought to live by higher standards of conduct (maybe it is just what I'm used to...)

When you walk out of a convention of people dressed up, clean-cut, shaven, non-smoking, less-profanity-speaking, fairly orderly etc and see what greets you in the streets outside, it is a big contrast.

I am also still trying to understand how a religion that has conned people (so is morally wrong) could also be so well organized and have a lot of truly decent folks among their ranks. Are they just duped?

Any thoughts?

.

P.S... I just went to a convention this weekend (3 days of constant indoctrination), so I know that has a lot to do with this post. I could write an essay on all of the BS spewed from the platform (it was outrageous). I will probably write a post on that soon, but just wanted to address this first. Thanks in advance for any of your help.

-TE

45

Resurrection talk at convention

by innerpeace in

i didn't go to the convention but have family who did, all are going on about the resurrection talk, how there wasn't a dry eye in the arena.

and apparently a video was shown too on it.

we lost a family member some years back and they are on fb talking about the resurrection and new world coming soon.

TTATTelder

I was at the convention this past weekend and while I prob have quite a bit to say about it all, this video was just as pronomono said - " pure, unadulterated, emotional propaganda."

I actually did start to laugh before I realized it. I was, at the time, surrounded by African-Americain witnesses and made a joke to myself that "I guess only white people get resurrected" LOL. (white people were in the video of course)

Many people were crying. It was a pathetic, cheap ploy. The organization has no conscience. They keep feeding this bible fantasy to stir up emotions in their followers to keep them trapped.

Shameless control tactic. Up on the jumbotron no less. Very 1984.

-TE

37

I saw a trolley (cart to you cousins in the U.S.A.)

by punkofnice in

yes.. peterborough city center u.k. ''what does the bible really teach'' displayed on it.. a family of 3 i know were sitting on the bench just behind it.

i'm not going to say anything derogatory about them as they are nice folks even if they have to shun me now i bear no malice.. as predicted not a single person was paying any attention as they walked by.

i noticed some other canvassers (non religious), were actively approaching people and handing out leaflets.. on the market i saw the jw charity stall and again not a single soul was interested or even near it.. i'm glad this 'urgent never to be repeated work(tm)' is being vigorously carried out by god's chosen people.

TTATTelder

What's hilarious or sad, depending on your perspective, is all the stats they brag about in connection with the carts and website.

They do this with shameless ceremony. It is as if God himself is directing people to these carts and website.

Thousands of pieces of literature placed.... Millions of hits on the site..... Hundreds of languages translated etc etc.

.

But the proof is in the pudding.

2% growth.

Nuff said.

Where is the "speeding up of the work"?????

If these new preaching projects are so wonderful and God-backed, where are the results?

.

It is obvious that the org is purely interested in "works" they can brag about and keeping people busy and dazzled by "new" stuff.

Of course, in the bragging department, if they actually had results to brag about they would.

-TE