Posts by Syme

24

Is saying "I don't want to be a Jehovah's Witness anymore" enough?

by DuvanMuvan in

jw
friends

i was just wondering.

say you were baptised and stopped going to the meetings, when the elders and people ask why can you just say you don't want to be a jw anymore without giving a reason?

i mean it's not like they can force it out of you and you aren't necessarily spreading lies or whatever they say apostates do.. if anything they'll have to keep talking to you to find an actual reason to df you so if you're literally as vague as possible then what basis do they have?

Syme

DuvanMuvan, if you say "I don't want to be a Jehovah's Witness anymore", you'll be asked to put this in writing, and when you do, it will be considered a letter of disassociation. So you'be DA'd, not DF'ed. But the result will still be the same: complete shunning.

So, you'd better not say this phrase unless, of course, you have decided to actually DA.

If you don't want to be DA'd or DF'd at that moment, you can simply not give an explanation at all. They can't physically force you, we're not in the Middle Ages. Play by your rules, not theirs. You can also give an inaccurate or incomplete reason, such as, "I'm depressed, I've been very busy", that sort of stuff. It may sound as a lie, but hey, the WTS is constantly lying on topics such as evolution and everything else. You can also deny meeting with 2 elders, while accepting meeting with one. Simple safety measures.

23

Every JW should pay attention to Steven Pinker's lecture: A History of Violence

by cognisonance in

came across this lecutre (or alternatively you can read the transcript) in a class from yale on moralities of everyday life:.

a history of violence edge master class 2011some excepts:.

"believe it or notand i know most people do notviolence has been in decline over long stretches of time, and we may be living in the most peaceful time in our species' existence.".

Syme

The contents of this lecture are layed down more analytically in Steven Pinker's book "The Beter Angels of our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined". It is a MUST-READ book, a book that completely changes your worldview. Are we living in a more, or less, violent world than in the past? Is the world going from bad to worse, or from bad to better?

For one that's been indoctrinated with the the apocalyptic worldview that the world is getting worse and worse until Armageddon arrives, this book is a real eye-opener; a refhreshment of rational thought in the waste land of apocalyptic religion.

15

Jehovah doesn't like laws!

by Separation of Powers in

jw
friends

i was speaking to a friend who went to the circuit assembly a couple weeks ago.

he actually taped a portion of the first talk cause he said the do was pretty entertaining.

the do said something like - jehovah doesn't like laws.

Syme

Brother Separation of Powers,

I am afraid you have just committed the sin of THINKING.

You will have to be processed for interrogation and correction, so that you dispose yourself of your sin. After you repent, you will be vaporized, so that no memory of your grave sin is being held for future generations. No one will know you ever existed. You will not cease to exist, merely; you will cease to ever HAVE existed.

Sincerely,

The Secretary for the Ministry of Love

(that was clearly a parody, inspired by Orwell, showing what really is the most lethal sin in every totalitarian status: the sin of thinking. You do this, and you're done.)

56

ALL JW's to be at the meeting this week...

by Newly Enlightened in

.

we asked this person if it could be aqbout the terminology change and they said that was already read last week...... we remember the last time they did this.

got everyone all excited thinking the big "a" was coming and all it was about, was the literature would now be donated instead of charging for it.. .

Syme

TO BE READ IN EVERY CONGREGATION:

"Dear Brothers,

We are thrilled to announce that the Great Tribulation has begun! After carefully and prayerfully reviewing the Scriptures in the light of recent world events (world economic crisis, erm, bad things, wars, you know), it seems apparent that the Great T has indeed begun.

This means that action must be taken by all of us, according to Jesus' words in Luke, as well as in the prophecy of Isiah. So, effective immediately, all baptized publishers are instructed to hand in their immobile and mobile property to the Organization, in order to prepare for the coming harsh attack on God's people by Gog's forces. This logically includes all bank deposits a publisher may have. In opposite case, Satan's worldly powers could be in a position to get hold of publishers' valuables and confiscate them. The Bible clearly says they will try to do that! So, that is why we must not let them. We should all remember that when we devoted ourselves to Jehovah, we handed down to Him everything we owned, including all material wealth. So, Jehovah is actually the Owner of all that we got. Do you want to allow the worldly authorities steal what is owned by God? May that never happen!

Now is the time, brothers, for immediate obedience, so that we are safe in Jehovah's hands. Please remember what the Watchtower wrote some time ago: "Our survival through the Great Tribulation will depend on the speed by which we obey the instructions given to us by God's Organization". The time to follow this advice has arrived.

We are certain that you will do what is required in order to remain in God's love in those last hours of Satan's wicked system.

Our thoughts and prayers are always with you.

Your ''brothers'',

Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses"

7

Yesterday's WT "Study".

by piztjw in

so here are some interesting quotes from the wt in yesterday's wt "study".

i have printed some words in bold type to make my point.. par.

12 "as part of that annual observance, children would ask their parents questions....".

Syme

Oh, please, they don't smoke anything in the ''Ivory tower''. They are NOT afraid about anyone seeing the inconstistency, because NO ONE is going to see the inconsistency, because EVERYONE is too brainwashed and practically RETARD to see the incosistency!

They're playing with the flock like a shepherd playing with his stupid sheep. (sheep are classified as really stupid as far as mammals are concerned)

And even if, one in a thousand, one in a ten-thousand, sees the incostistency, so what? If he continues to think critically he'll be DF'd and shunned.

That's why they don't give a dime if anyone spots any ''incosistency''.

38

"Deep down inside even they know it is BS." Discuss

by rory-ks in

nope, bungi bill's interesting statement from this post didn't take, so i'll start its own.. from my own experience, i hated the field ministry.

it might just be because of the kind of character i am, whatever, i never was able to overcome that feeling of dread every time i went door-to-door.

i felt aware of how much people disliked having strangers cold-calling trying to sell them something.

Syme

No, I don't think that's the case, and that might be more creepy than if it were.

When I was a devout jw, I didn't think it was BS. I may had a question here, a question there, but that was all. I was completely devoted, in heart and mind. Having attended the MTS and served in various assignments, I could see that the same applied for most of the high-up jws I had contact with. They were sure about everything they believed and practiced. I am pretty certain that that is the case for every CO and Branch committee member, and for most (if not all) the GB.

I said that that is more frightening than if they weren't so sure: You never know at what extremes a man will go if he has absolute views. He is worse than a hypocrite. A hypocrite may be abhorrent, but he does not lack logic: he knows where to stop. A fully convinced delusional does not know limits. He will do EVERYTHING to serve his 'godly' mission. He will put in danger himself and others. He will not hesitate to sacrifice any of his followers if that's ''what it takes''.

If that description reminds you of GB, who change back and forth their policies even though lives get in danger (mentally and physically, as in blood issue), then it rightly reminds you of it.

4

FS manipulation tactic #137: "Are you the manager?"

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

this was to be used when visiting businesses.

if you asked the first person you saw if he was the manager, either:.

a. he is the manager and you can proceed with your pitch, getting permission to leave your literatrash in the business, annoy the customers, and interfere with the staff's productivity by witnessing to them.. b. he is not the manager, and having an ego built for a 6-yr-old, he will automatically feel so flattered that you thought he was the manager that he'll say yes to anything you ask.

Syme

Yes, I remember that too! It was used especially by a big time CO, who taught that 'trick' at visits and pioneer schools.

I thought that that was just a personal idea of that charismatic CO, but as I can see now it was probably taught in general.

7

Christian Love in Action - The Killing of Bishop Priscillian in 385 CE

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

priscillian was the first christian (that we know of) to be ex-communicated (disfellowshipped-hehe) permanently.

- the old excuse of heresy (apostacy).. what did he do wrong?

priscillian did have rather extreme views - but they were views also held by others in the early christian church and later.. he was an ascetic mystic and regarded the christian life as continual intercourse with god.. his favourite idea was saint paul`s "know ye not that ye are the temple of god?

Syme

Very good historical note, fulltimestudent!

At least your Priscillian had better luck than Hypatia a few years later. He was just beheaded. She was ...I don't want to describe, it frustrates me, but I tell you this: Priscillian was a LOT luckier that Hypatia.

And while Priscillian was a delusional who thought about intercourse with God, like the mystics and 'Spirituals' of Middle Ages, Ypatia was a serious scientist that wasn't even Christian! She was pagan (just in the name, practically she wasn't religious at all) and she was a thinking woman, in a world that was in its twilight. Christianity was on the rise, on the march, and no logical thinking being, even more a woman, could stand in front of them.

Why am I telling this? Christians did kill Christian heretics, sure, but they also killed other people. They killed, in general. It was like a habit. They stopped killing only when the worldly authorities did not allow them anymore to do so.

So, yes, it reminds us of the present day JWs and their shunning practiced, but jws only do what they inherited from their spiritual ancestors, the killers of Hypatia and Priscillian.

6

Why Do Some People Still Disagree With Special Relativity?

by DT in

jw
friends

i have to admit that i feel poorly equipped to address this subject.

i'm more interested in the feedback of others than in trying to persuade others of my opinions.

i should also point out that although this topic is specifically about special relativity, much of what is said could also apply to general relativity.. special relativity has had a profound effect on both science and modern culture.

Syme

"Why do people still disagree with Special Relativity"?

Why do people still disagree with the theory of Evolution? You see, the average person is not hardwired to have critical (even more, scientific) way of thinking. Relativity puts you in front of facts and gives a theory that contradicts the average person's ''common sense''.

Similarly, even though evolution stands on a much simpler idea, it is rejected by many due to prejudice. In the Reativity's case, common sense plays the role of prejudice.

For example: People for years saw the sun go up and down every day. They concluded that the Sun revolves around the earth. That became part of the collective ''common sense'' of most people for millennia.

People for certuries saw species of animals producing offspring according to their own species. They concluded that species are fixed. Again, that became part of the collective ''common sense'' of (practically every) people for millennia.

So, now Einstein comes and tells us something which contradicts our inherited common sense. He proves it, thus it is evident that our ''common sense'' is invalid after all. Since it is obsolete, common sense in that case now is as good as prejudice.

Same principle applies for evolution. It became documented with loads, with TONS, of evidence, but our faulty 'common sense', in addition to religious centuries-old indoctrination, stood again as an obstacle to scientific, accurate learing of the world around us.

So, as I like to say, ignorance is an option. When you see that your ''common sense'' is contradicted by facts, and yet you continue to hold your position, then you prove that you choose to remain ignorant.

10

Humbled Valentine's chicks pics ;)

by Bruja-del-Sol in

jw
friends

here's a few pictures of the little chicks saved from the snow and hatched by mom goldie.

(click on them to see larger pics).

.

Syme

Gee, I read "Valentine's chicks'' and I thought ... oh, well, never mind.

Nice chickens.