August 15th WT - Eliminate your unnecessary hobbies and projects

by truthseeker 50 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  truthseeker

  The third study article in the August 15th WT is entitled "Tired, But Not Tiring Out."

  It is of interest that the Borg are further reducing the quality of life for their members by the following paragraph (pg 24, para 11)

  Sometimes what complicates our lives is, not the pursuit of more things, but what we do with the things we already have.

  Some may experience emotional fatigue as a result of challenging health problems, the loss of loved ones, or other

  distressing problems. They have seen a need to make adjustments from time to time. One married couple decided to

  eliminate some of their hobbies and nonessential projects. They actually went through their things and literally packed all

  the materials related to such projects and put them out of sight. Periodically, we can all benefit from taking inventory of

  our habits and possessions, putting off every unecessary weight so that we may not get tired out and give in to our souls.

  On the same page is a picture of a married couple packing "personal projects" in a cardboard box and taping the box. They are both smiling.

  The caption is: "Some have eliminated certain hobbies and nonessential projects"

  I know many here scoff at sublimal images - but this time the Society (TM) are using subtle sublimal messages. The caption is obvious, but reading between the lines, the Society (TM) would prefer that

  a) you have no hobbies

  b) you have no personal projects

  c) your life must entirely revolve around them and their instructions

  d) YOU live to SERVE them

  This dumbing down in Watchtower literature is disturbing - they say their magazines are "meat in due season" - I see very little "meat" at all.

  These ridiculous articles appeal to the zealots who are constantly comparing themselves and their personal lives to the wishes and ideals of a sociopathic organization.
• 

  Englishman

  eliminate some of their hobbies and nonessential projects. They actually went through their things and literally packed all

  the materials related to such projects and put them out of sight. Periodically, we can all benefit from taking inventory of

  Good catch, Truthseeker!

  Bloody spoilsports..

  Englishman.
• 

  truthseeker

  Thanks E-Man.

  It's disturbing to see how the drones will lap this up and believe this is a loving "provision of Jehovah."
• 

  blondie

  One good point, at least they didn't throw the stuff away. I wonder if some of the things were golf clubs, a big thing among elders in this area.

  I haven't gotten that issue yet, but notice that they didn't mention any "hobbies" by name. I wonder what they consider a "hobby"?

  Blondie
• 

  ohiocowboy

  It seems to me that in a sense the Org. is damning itself by trying to take away fun, personal things. How will articles such as this draw people to the Org? And, don't you think it will get to a point that those who are already stuck in the troof will eventually get sick and tired of their lives being molded into worker Drones, only living to service the needs and petty wants of a wishy-washy Queen bee book selling business?
• 

  undercover

  I think most dubs will file that away with the "maybe we can make room for pioneering" suggestions that they get all the time.

  Where this article will come in handy is later on, when elders are trying to work with ones who's field service time is down, or they miss a lot of meetings. They'll whip this article out and say, "ya know, the WT has some excellent advice on how to manage our time, blah, blah, blah" trying to get the backslider to devote more time to JWism than to outside interests.
• 

  truthseeker

  Ohio cowboy,

  I think this is already happening. People are getting fed up. You can see it on their faces - sometimes.

  A lot of witnesses practice "impression management." This is where they project the personality that they want others to see. We've all heard the experiences of circuit assembly talks about "how we should always have a smile at the Kingdom Hall."

  I can often see the friends with pained looks on their faces, as they struggle to repress the real them while projecting an image that everything is alright.

  Taking away hobbies is just another nail in their coffin.
• 

  RR

  This dumbing down in Watchtower literature is disturbing - they say their magazines are "meat in due season" - I see very little "meat" at all.

  Actually "Meat in Due Season" is a King James term, and it was Russell who coined the phrase from Matthew 24:45; Luke 12:42, I think the Society today calls it "crack".

  RR
• 

  gladtobefree

  I was seeing a therapist for a time due to sexual abuse I had endured and stress I was feeling in my life. She suggested as one way to REDUCE stress to find a hobbie or something I really enjoyed and spend time doing that more often. My husbands favorate stress reducer is working in the yard. At the same time the WTS is asking people to put these things away in order to spend more time being drones for them. There are already MANY, MANY depressed and stressed JW's. If these people follow the WTS advice I would not be suprised to see many more JW's going "over the edge". This is VERY bad advice for peoples mental health, but of course the WTS could care less. I believe that they want to keep their mental health weak so as to be able to have a better hold on them.

  Very sad.....
• 

  rocketman

  Notice how they blame the "weight" not on their burdensome religion, but on things like personal projects and hobbies.