Posts by Pete Zahut

To be fair some of them have been extremely sweet and kind, particularly one brother who is the most christian person I've ever met. He's just moved back into my congregation and he wanted to just call and say hello and he really is a lovely, kind person.

When a Buddhist who lives in China is sweet and kind and a Muslim from Turkey treats his wife and children well, is he said to be acting "Christian"? It's funny how Christians and JW's in particular, on a certain level of consciousness, believe being good and kind is limited to Christians and is proof that they are the true religion.

I can't tell you how many times I left that place in tears at the coldness shown me. So why the sudden bombardment??

Jehovah's Witnesses are not a live and let live religion where people are encouraged to have a relationship with God in their own individual way. A lot of them want to see you doing what they are doing because it validates them. My guess is that this is because they are one misplaced thought away from straying themselves and it makes them nervous to see something or someone out of place. People who can barely control themselves figure everyone else is the same way and they project their insecurities onto others and try to control them in an effort to make themselves feel safer. It probably makes them feel abandoned when they see people leaving and it makes them question themselves. It's easier to jump in and try to undo the change they see in someone else, rather than look inward, which can be scary if you haven't done it in awhile (or ever).

IMHO, their visits are mostly about them, rather than out of concern for you.

4

Anybody here a "bump on a log?"

by stillin in

a brother used this illustration throughout his talk recently.

of course, it was meant to cause guilt in people like me or anybody else who might be prone to feeling guilty anyhow.

i approached him afterwards and said that he was speaking disparagingly of god's arrangement.

Pete Zahut

You : I think of myself more as a bump on a pickle, which is similar to a bump on a log... only it tastes better.

That "brother's" comment reminds me of the false analogies that were often used on the platform to compare two dissimilar things in order to make one of those things look bad.

They'd often compare religion to science, for example, when really one is a method of knowledge and the other is a system of belief and unlike science, is not known for revising itself once new and contrary evidence is discovered unless they blame imperfect human interpretation. Somehow, they'd compare the two in such a way that if you weren't paying particular attention, you might find yourself going along with their train of thought.

14

X/LDS vs X/JW!!!Who is more twisted and bitter.

by joe134cd in

since leaving the jws i have become fascinated by the lds church, because of the similarities both organisations have.

in reading x-mo forums i get the impression that they tend to be not as bitter and as twisted as xjw.

this is surprising as i think the lds is a bigger con than the jws.

Pete Zahut

It seems to me Mormons are able to live a day to day life that doesn't shut out and condemn the rest of the world in terms of Education, School Activities, Sports, Careers etc. Perhaps Mormons who leave the church have an easier time assimilating into normal society because they've got their bases covered in terms of work and education and how to mingle with others.

We former JW's have never even so much as celebrated a birthday or been part of anything that didn't revolve around the meetings. When we leave, we loose not only our friends and family but we are recovering from the loss of a false hope of everlasting life.

42

Oz, Down Under, thanks for...

by stillin in

jw
friends

judith durham!

men at work!

the proclaimers (right?

Pete Zahut

Dame Edna

31

August 31, 2017 BOE Re: Procedure for Handling Certain Cases of Wrongdoing

by wifibandit in

august 31, 2017 to all bodies of elders re: procedure for handling certain cases of wrongdoing.

Pete Zahut

It's called "Damage Control"

The Big Boys at Bethel don't want the local Elders to bungle anything or let it be known that special "privileges" were given to such imperfect individuals , before they've had a chance to put their own spin on it or sweep it under the carpet.

65

Today's Text - Justifying The Increase Of Annointed Ones!

by Divergent in

jw
friends

thursday, august 31. jehovah knows those who belong to him.—2 tim.

2:19.. in recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of those partaking at the memorial of christ’s death.

that trend contrasts with the decrease in the number of partakers that we saw for many decades.

Pete Zahut

. Therefore, the number of partakers does not accurately indicate the number of anointed ones left on earth. Others may have mental or emotional problems that lead them to believe that they will rule with Christ in heaven

Maybe the real question is, why has the number of mentally disturbed individuals increased over the years and how do they know that those partaking in the past, weren't mentally ill as well?

What is it about heavenly life that is so attractive to these supposedly mentally ill individuals and what does that say about the partakers who are considered normal?

21

Cart witnessing in the quietest in my suburb.

by fulltimestudent in

jw
friends

i walked to the station yesterday to meet a friend, and on the way, in what must be the quietest street in the entire suburb, were two j.witnesses and their little cart, all set with a literature display.

i wondered what point there may have been to choose that location.

i felt like grabbing one of their bibles and reading matthew 5:15 to them:.

Pete Zahut

I felt like grabbing one of their bibles and reading Matthew 5:15 to them:

At least they had bibles to offer. I've only seen brochures.

There's often 2 carts and 4 people stationed outside the public library next to my office on Thursday mornings. The Library doesn't even open till 9:00 and they're gone by noon just when it starts to get somewhat busy. I often want to ask them why they have 2 carts and why both carts are stocked to the hilt with the same brochures. Are they expecting that one day they'll be rush of people demanding their own copy, instead of walking past them like they do week after week.

13

"Secret Sins"... a catalyst for change both negative and positive

by silentbuddha in

i have been completely out for close to 5 years and i have spent alot of time with individuals who either left or are in the process of leaving.

whenever we get to talking about what made you leave or what was it that made the flip switch, the initial answer is some doctrinal teaching.

in other instances it was just sorrow or a variety of other things.. however, as you get closer to many of these individuals it was generally a secret sin they committed at the root of it all.

Pete Zahut

I think this could be one of those Chicken or the Egg....which one came first, situations.

Were the doctrines so flawed that you couldn't build your faith in them and therefore gave in to sin?
Were the expectations so strict, imbalanced and officious that no normal person with a personality of their own, could possibly live up to them without becoming a mindless drone? People cannot be their authentic selves in an officious environment.
Because of the teachings and the requirement to confess your most intimate circumstances to unlettered and ordinary men (the elders) when ordinary sinfulness occurred, were you so ashamed or fearful or the consequences that you figured your were a goner and gave up on yourself ?
Did the teachings about sin and those who commit sin and what it takes to be forgiven, lead you to draw the wrong conclusions about yourself and your relationship with God and created a self fulfilling prophesy?
Are the majority of people just as sinful but less concerned than you, about covering it up?

This is often what happens to people when other individuals intervene in their personal relationship with God. The same thing happens when a parent intervenes in the relationships of their married children. They may be well intentioned, but more often than not, they cause irreparable damage.

35

Is The Watchtower Corporation Facing A Meltdown Of Confidence Among Its Members?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

looking at all the narcissistic bull shit the watchtower corporation has been spewing out for the world to see about suffering of its members to as nothing worth being very concerned about and as jehovah magnificent be vindicated is much more important.

have they really gone off their rocker enough for a very sizable portion of membership to see their insanity and jump ship?.

i think definitely they are losing all respect from their internet savy members as their madness becomes obvious.

Pete Zahut

I think they'll be fine for quite a while simply because the JW's of today fall into three categories that will keep them in place for a good while:

Too many years invested to leave
Don't care about the doctrines, it's the social connection that keeps them involved.
So simple mined, trusting and or naïve, that they are oblivious to the information out there and to the reality of what they're doing.