"Personal Experiences" in Watchtower publications and Talks

by ~Question With Boldness~ 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  ~Question With Boldness~

  Hello everyone. I've been reading posts on this forum for about a year now, but I never made an account or posted. Decided to jump in today!

  So, anyway. I was reading some posts here on crazy illustrations that Jehovah's Witnesses use (dented bread anyone?) and it got me thinking of the other over the top, exaggerated things we read in the magazines and listened to in the talks. Those "consider this real experience' and its something like "my life was meaningless and empty and I was a horrible person until I came in contact with Jehovah's Witnesses" Or "I had brain cancer but I still went out an accomplished my ministry!"

  I just read one recently, maybe the 'Bible Teach' book, where a woman tore a hole in the wall of a grass hut so she could watch the Kingdom Hall meetings and was so "impressed and thrilled" with how the brothers and sisters so warmly greeted each other that she wanted to become a member.

  Or in one of their natural disaster articles, something to the effect of "One woman had a sticker on her door 'Jehovah's Witnesses do not call' But when she saw how lovingly the brothers and sisters aided those in need she took it down saying, "I have really misjudged you people"

  Got more examples? And what's your take on them? Genuine experiences, complete fabrication designed to manufacture interest, or maybe both?

  ~Question With Boldness and Speak Without Fear
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  Found Sheep

  WELCOME QUESTIONS!!!!!

  Well all I know is I was interviewed many times on Assemblies and DC.... The interviewer would hear my example and always ran with it.... There may be a oz of truth but I believe they exagerate or leave out key points

  Glad you joined

  FS
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  Mickey mouse

  You will find this thread of interest: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/206617/1/How-I-Know-The-Assembly-Parts-Are-Made-Up
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  WTWizard

  I think they are all made up or embellished. Usually, if there is any truth in it at all, they leave out critical parts. True, a person had a high paying job offer that would have meant not pious-sneering. True, they rejected it and lived on much less. And true, they were then able to pious-sneer. These experiences are very common at Grand Boasting Sessions. What they leave out is the stagnation and misery that comes from doing without what they might really need, the stress of not knowing where their rent money was coming from, and the sickness that invariably comes up. Or, that they could have accomplished more with a more balanced lifestyle (including that good-paying job) and putting in 10 hours a month, rather than being tired all the time or not being able to get householders to go into a world where everyone makes crap.

  And, when they do report making more than they otherwise would have, there is never any way of cross-referencing it. The job-sharing programs mean that each party only makes half the amount they otherwise would have made, not more. The parts where the boss gave the witlesses the raise anyways, and it was more than what they otherwise would have received, are not verifiable. I am willing to bet that those parts are made up, totally rubbish.

  As for giving up much now to pious-sneer, that is detrimental. It adds up to more stress. This means less sleep, less money, and less freedom. Ultimately, many of them get quite sick 20 years before their time, and either die or end up in a nursing home. Stagnation is the rule with these people--they waste all their lives between the Kingdumb Hell, going through Washtowel lessons, field circus, and a menial job. Which you will never see or hear of in these talks and rags.
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  Decided

  My dad called on this house and talked to a woman for a while and she listened for a good while and seemed interested, so he made a return visit and she told him he had saved her husbands life. She had rigged his car to blow him up when he started it. After talking to him she went out and took it out. I was in the car when he called on this lady and if I remember I was about 10 years old. I don't thik it was ever used by the borg as an experience though.

  Ken P.
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  Mr. Falcon

  She had rigged his car to blow him up when he started it.

  This reminded me of a drama a few years back. Some guy was gonna blow up the bosses car, but the JW saved everyone. Anybody else remember this? Is Micheal Bay doing Dramas now?
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  thetrueone

  They are mostly embellished stories to heighten the self supporting propaganda of the organization,

  the reason you usually see them at conventions and assemblies.

  This identifying religious cult that has many elements to lure people toward it for exploitation purposes.... ie. free labor and money

  For example the element of fear is used, such as the world is about to be destroyed and most of its inhabitants.

  Or would like to live in a earthly Paradise condition for a thousand years ?

  Join god's earthly organization and experience true and unconditional love, for the rest of your life

  Unfortunately as these experiences are not exactly true so is the organization not exactly true to what it self professing.
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  DesirousOfChange

  They are mostly embellished stories to heighten the self supporting propaganda of the organization,

  Yes, I think they are at least based on fact. I know of only one incident that was an outright lie used on a CA where a young pioneer claimed to have placed dozens of Evolution/Creation books. Came out later she was embellishing telling a bold face lie to get brownie points. Shortly thereafter DFd and never returned and died at an early age. Sad story. It is a cruel word.

  DOC
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  clarity

  What I have seen more than once ... newly married couple "put k interest first" and go where the need is greater, pioneering. Oh how theocratic!!!! How un selfish!!

  Brothers, if they can do it, so can you bla bla bla....

  What they don't tell you is that ......Mom and Dad are fully financially supporting them and .................. when the 'youngsters' grow older, there is a crap load of money waiting for them and house that they will inherit!!

  So gee, not much of a sacrifice is it. Being glorified while running around avoiding real work.

  Btw, QuestionsWB welcome here!
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  thetrueone

  One can only wonder the uncountable enormous amount of bad " Personal experiences " this organization is responsible

  in instigating , such as broken apart families, broken marriages, needless deaths of individuals for not taking a vaccination, organ transplants or

  blood transfusions. Or ones who simply committed suicide by all the pent up anxiety and depression of the world being destroyed and most of its

  inhabitants. These too are personal experiences, as adverse to the established propaganda as they may be.