StarTrekAngel

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Posts by StarTrekAngel

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  6

  A question regarding RC/DC changes

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  with the rumored changes or deletion of the regional/district conventions ... does anyone know if the organization will cancel them all together or just reduce their duration from 3 to 2 days, so they can be slotted into local assembly halls easier?.

  no-zombie.

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  StarTrekAngel

  My mother in law went to a one day assembly this weekend. She said there were no talks, only videos. The presenters just briefly introduced the videos and then offered a brief explanation on how that would apply to each one. A first if you ask me. Imagine how much simpler it would be to put assemblies together if you can reuse the same "speakers" over and over again
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  56

  Spiritual "Protection" - a Menace on Psychological Development

  by Wake Me Up Before You Jo-Ho in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  not quite a week ago, @lost in the fog created a thread entitled: do you have this illness?.

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5187824140681216/do-you-have-this-illness.

  in my year of being on this forum, i have browsed many a disillusioned thread of ex-jehovah’s witnesses expressing similar symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder when detailing their awakening - my own story included.

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  StarTrekAngel

  Awesome post! Sharing with all the apostates I know.
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  8

  Random Musing of an ex-JW Pondering About ex-JWs

  by StarTrekAngel in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  long ago during my awakening process i was presented with a somewhat extrange proposition.

  i can’t recall for sure where i read it.

  i wandered thru so many sites over the years.

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  StarTrekAngel

  Long ago during my awakening process I was presented with a somewhat extrange proposition. I can’t recall for sure where I read it. I wandered thru so many sites over the years. So many corners of the ex-JW web that I probably visited out of an obsession to find THE answer. At the time, my wife was deeply entrenched in her resolution to not listen to me so, every now and then, I had this very dark days in which I would just ran search after search, thinking I was just one click away from that one revelation that would solve all my cult related issues.

  The proposition in question related as to how most people coming out of the JW grip would actually experience more than one actual awakening. For sure two, but in some cases more than that. I admit that this is probably a fact of life. We probably experience many awakenings during our lifetimes. Because of that, I want to frame “awakening” in the respect of either a- the spiritual or b- a non-spiritual awakening that is triggered or is a consequence of the first awakening.

  Let me explain this a bit further.

  One big teaching of the organization is unity. Unity of thought, belief and goals. As JWs, we must uphold and protect this unity at all costs. From ratting out wrongdoers, to following “the instruction we receive whether it makes sense or not”, we must listen, obey and be blessed. In the other end of the spectrum are apostates. Based on the teachings of the organization, we are presented as being selfish, flesh dominated zombies who want nothing but self indulgence and to drag followers after ourselves. They point out how their unity is a protection against such threat.

  As it turns out, there is something to it. Bear with me as I make my point as it is not as harsh as you may think

  Intentionally or not, the organization creates an environment which leads to potentially ensuring we apostates remain a weak force. My second awakening, although smaller in nature compared to the first one, came to be the realization that this organization forces us to make friends with people we may have otherwise rejected. Sure I am generalizing here but tell me if it is not true.

  After getting out from under the spell, we begin seeking out “like minded” people. I.e. other apostates and we almost click immediately. What we do not realize is that we are driven by this one track mind. We are driven by this need to find validation and may be even closure. Everything is fine and dandy until that necessity begins to slowly wear down. Much like a caveman running away from a predator that can actually be out run, we start looking back. we begin to slow down when we realize we are no longer in imminent danger. You may even picture this as more than one person. We may be even stop to catch our breath, bend down holding our knees and look at each other in the eye with this “phew!, we made it!” expression in our face.

  As we continue moving away from danger, though may be at walking pace, we begin to have time to really get to know each other. And in doing so, we may begin to realize that we could only partner with this person in this one common goal but nothing more. While under the influence of the Watchtower, we did not really know this person. Hell, don’t take this the wrong way. For all we know, we did not know ourselves. Much more especially those that were born in. We only knew that person that the WT instructed us to be. For as long as we were under this one track mind mode (the WT mode) we could get along, even if so obligated. Sure shenanigans happen, but for the most part we had our friendships in there. When we get out, in the other hand, we may change our views, but we are still driven by this one track mind. The one that must expose the organization for what it is, and in doing so, find help or even just a shoulder to cry on, on any other apostate we find. Not realizing that once the dust settles, we may no longer click. The big difference? The one track mind of the JWs is steered by the GB to fit whatever goal they have at the moment and they obey. Ours is steered by, well, just each one of us. And rightfully so. I am not advocating anything different. Just pointing out a fact. In a nutshell, I am talking about a parallel between this and the typical counsel of looking for a marriage partner with similar spiritual goals. Put the spiritual goals aside, and the marriage probably won’t last

  While this could be applied in this forum, the truth is that we don’t know each other enough to pass a complete judgement. My awakening came from observing some people I knew as they walked away from the organization. I have seen white people in hispanic congregations stand during the mid-week meeting and give a talk about taking care of our neighbor just like the bible teaches and then go on to leave the organization and become fervent anti-immigrant denouncers. I have seen others give public talks, even in at assemblies, against violence and the fact that witnesses do not bear arms, then leave the organization and paper their facebook walls with pro-second amendments memes. Too many to describe here. Off course this is not aimed at debating the ideals themselves. It is to show that we were not real and therefore, becoming real has consequences.

  Say it as it is, we have a hard time letting go of each other for a number of reasons. We may no longer feel safe or we may have nothing but loneliness if we let go. We may simply fear being out of touch with the latest scandals or, at the very worse, being reminded by our JW family that they were right. That this is what apostates are like.

  Off course, ultimately that is the only thing JWs see.
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  19

  Separating children at the border....

  by mikeflood in

  1. social
  2. current

  i mean, the law about separating children from their fathers crossing southern us border have been in the books since before obama's era.

  the thing is that enforcing that law it has become a public relations disaster for the trump administration.

  there's also to much animosity in latin america too, remember the classic agitator "u.s. is the evil empire that treat us badly just to see always their own interests".

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  StarTrekAngel

  Show me something positive about Trump.

  Something from him, with quotes. Not your interpretation of it. Not your excusing of him.

  Every time I read a Trump's supporter explanation of what he really meant, it sounds so much like a JW excusing the GB.

  It's so funny that the same guy (Hassan) who helped us see thru the WT brainwashing machine, speaks of Trump as being the same way as your typical cult leader, yet it seems we have selectively chosen to believe Hassan only on what sounds convenient to us.
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  15

  Newsweek: JW wives in Russia send letter to Putin advisor

  by OrphanCrow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this article is dated june 7, 2018 and is likely a lead up to the bear ripping the jw bible article.

  http://www.newsweek.com/wives-jehovahs-witnesses-jailed-russia-send-letter-putin-adviser-begging-end-965516.

  the wives of jehovah’s witnesses rounded up and imprisoned in russia have written an open letter to a top adviser of president vladimir putin, asking him to stop the campaign of terror against the religious group.“this open letter to you is a cry of desperation.

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  StarTrekAngel

  They are trying to force us to live in
  fear and shake every time there’s a knock at the door

  You don't say!!

  
  
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  18

  LEAKED: HuB Project 2018 [4 parts + 3 sub-videos]

  by Fay Dehr in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://youtu.be/q5vy2teaiuo.

  leaked: hub project 2018 [part 1 of 4] https://youtu.be/q5vy2teaiuo.

  leaked: hub project 2018 [part 2 of 4] https://youtu.be/8mjfucowkos.

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  StarTrekAngel

  Fay Dehr. HAve not gone thru all the videos yet but I am already laughing at this. Can you really tell they are using asterisk from the video?

  Again... I only watched the first one so far but I could kind of see that a lot of this people are being trained in IT related fields, in reality they are being given enough training to be able to manage the instructions they get from that TLS

  Most of these people could never afford to get this education any other way. So I really hope one day they will wake up and take that training else where and do good for themselves.
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  53

  Make America Great Again Hats...would you wear one?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i like trump but i would be reticent wearing that hat.🤠.

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  StarTrekAngel

  Funny I just replied to another OP with a similar reaction. I find it fascinating that there is people in this group that still find anything rescuable in Trump. The man could speak with a machine that turns his voice into that of Tony Morris and you could not tell the difference. He drags a cult like following after himself.
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  22

  Farewell Liberals - Doug Ford Wins in Ontario

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  the conservatives have won in ontario and the liberals who held power there for 15 years crashed so hard they didn't get enough seats to even retain official party status.

  people are sick of them and the mess they make!.

  hopefully this is the start of a wave across canada that will sweep the liberals from positions where they can do harm, ending with the king of the clowns, trudeau..

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  StarTrekAngel

  I've always been curious on how we can split our political views. Even in places like here, where we all have been in the receiving end of narcissistic ultraconservatives who feel they are entitled to the praise and money of their followers. I would expect that anyone who been where we have been would shy away from political views such us those. I am not taking about right wing ideas as whole. I am more fiscally conservative but the idea of a politician bringing their religious belief into office really scares me. Enough that I would rather vote something else. May be independent.

  Not taking sides between left or right, I agree with OnTheWayOut. All politicians are the same and just as much of a hypocrite. The thing that worries me about the conservative parties and right wing ideals is this lining with religion. At least here in the US they have really cranked up the rhetoric lately. This raise of conservative, populist governments have me worried. Specially when the US begins to hang out with North Korea ( I don't really care what they "claim" the purpose to be)

  Sometimes I think a world like the one depicted in the show "Handmaids Tale" is not far fetched. In fact, if the GB could be president, it would most likely happen.
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  27

  Is it clergy privilege?

  by StarTrekAngel in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  just wanted to pose the question to the group and see what the general opinion is vs what the wt may have claimed in other cases.. we all know that they have argued over clergy privilege when elder learn of a crime but keep quiet about it.

  regardless of what one may feel about this, lets assume for a minute that they are correct.. all elders are directed to contact the branch when they learn of a case of child abuse.

  would the conversation between the elder and the branch be considered under the "clergy privilege"?

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  StarTrekAngel

  Just wanted to pose the question to the group and see what the general opinion is vs what the WT may have claimed in other cases.

  We all know that they have argued over clergy privilege when elder learn of a crime but keep quiet about it. Regardless of what one may feel about this, lets assume for a minute that they are correct.

  All elders are directed to contact the branch when they learn of a case of child abuse. Would the conversation between the elder and the branch be considered under the "clergy privilege"? Doesn't clergy privilege apply only when a priest/pastor speaks with a congregant?
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  4

  Help me spread the word. Local TV station looking for abuse survivors willing to share story. Deep South Texas area

  by StarTrekAngel in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  you all may recall a recent news article i posted.

  it was about a bus driver who abused several school children.

  while the news never really dived into his personal life, i did mention here that he is a well known elder to the hall i used to attend.. two new charges have been brought against him and now the bail is up to $420,000.

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  StarTrekAngel

  Bump!

  The elder in question was released on bail but re arrested for new charges a couple of days ago

  http://www.krgv.com/story/38363408/former-bus-driver-accused-of-sexual-abuse-arrested-facing-more-charges