Lies, Damn Lies, and "Experiences"

by AlmostAtheist 37 Replies latest jw friends

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  AlmostAtheist

  I was with a C.O. once, discussing the recently passed Circuit Assembly. He had interviewed a young pioneer that was able to pioneer without a car. She "arranged her schedule" (translation: bummed rides well in advance) to make sure she had a way to and from the hall. So despite having a large obstacle in her way, she still managed to pioneer.

  Great. Except it was a lie. The CO told me -- rather proudly -- that this sister had GOTTEN A CAR as a gift, shortly after talking to him about the assembly part. He told her not to reveal that in the part, and stick to how she managed without it. Anyone listening to the part would assume that she has stuck it out and made it work, despite being unable to afford a car. When in fact some kind soul recognized her hardship and donated a car. But that warm, fuzzy experience didn't fit with the point he wanted to make, so he made up a darker, more simple-life version and had her present that.

  I guess a CO sees the Society lying to the rank-and-file and figures, hey, why not me, too?

  What lies have you caught being told from the platform?

  (Note: Lies only count if the guy saying them knows they are a lie. Let's also hold them to a reasonable standard of truthfulness, a half-truth isn't the whole truth and so let's call it a lie.)

  Dave
• 

  KimKat

  I have a couple to tell:

  One time my parents got up on stage as a 'good example' of raising thier family 'in the truth'

  They got up and bragged about how to do it. In reality, my sister was rarely at meetings, I hated

  going and didn't believe, and they also bragged that my brother in law was so faithful - bull -

  he beat my sister and thier kids and abused them sexually. He is a sick man - my sister

  finally left him - he is still considered a 'faithful witness' she is considered bad, as she quit

  attending meetings completely.

  Another time I was on an assembly part about pioneering and how my parents encouraged me.

  Which - was bull - my parents never encouraged me - everything was for show. Put on the happy

  family face for meetings and public, after all your dad is an elder. I got up there and lied that

  they were encouraging, when in reality I would have been kicked out if I wouldn't have pioneered.

  what a crock - amazing what we do for acceptance. KimKat
• 

  gdss

  I was on a DC part about 4-5 years ago. The brother who "aided me into the Truth" and I related the experience about how I was before I became a JW. The purpose was to get a sense of how worldly I was before I found the truth and what changes I made to meet the requirements of the WTS... I mean Jehovah God.

  Problem was, I really wasn't the worldy sort as what I think serious JWs consider worldly. I did some drinking and I still do some drinking, I did smoke and I quit, I practiced karate so I was involved with "spiritism." I felt that we exaggerated some of the things I used to do to add dramatic value. After the part, I got a lot of people coming up to me and told me how I was such an encouragement to them; I felt like sh*t. To this day I still feel like I'm the same old person who made minor changes in my lifestyle in order to make a major mistake for becoming a JW. I'm pissed at myself for being able to get away with deceiving people and knowing that the society is getting away by publishing and relating experiences that are so exaggerated that and untrue in order to control people by giving them false hopes.
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  Golf

  Interesting experiences, keep e'm coming I enjoy reading them. I'm sitting here laughing.
  
  
  Golf
• 

  Purza

  My brother recently had a part at the DC how he and his wife sold everything to serve god better. They live in a fifth wheel and travel from place to place where the "need is greater".

  Its more like this -- he owns his own business and can't pay his taxes on time (or at all). Therefore the IRS would put liens on his real property. So he sold everything so they couldn't attach a lien.

  Real fine example there.

  Purza
• 

  xjwms

  I remember so many of those.

  One time the DO was encouraging a one income household.

  Gave two experiences of sisters placing magazines at work.

  It did'nt make sense to me either.
• 

  Mysterious

  I know a young brother who gave an experience how video games had been taking all his time away from serving god so he got rid of them. I know for a fact he was an avid player still when he was giving that part.
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  Confession

  There was a relatively new couple who had become quite zealous. They began speaking to one of their old non-JW friends about the organization. He was in his mid to late 20s, quite intelligent, very outspoken, and started attending meetings regularly. He seemed to be responding well, although it was hard to get him to shut up during the bookstudy, as he'd just ask questions and blurt stuff out without raising his hand. :o)

  He was ready to give his first talk in the school, and was uncharacteristically nervous about it. I took some time to try and help him. At one point I told him, "Hey, if I can do it, you can do it." His reply?

  "Yeah, well you actually believe this sh*t though!"
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  luna2

  This is what you finally figure out as time passes...the magazine "experiences" sound more and more implausible and like fake propaganda, and you discover that many of the wonderful, supposed real-life examples of people doing extraordinary things for Jerhooba given at various meetings and assemblies turn out to be exaggerated or even complete lies.

  I guess you're supposed to shut off your brain and keep pretending that even though the WTS lies and reverses itself as well as encourages lying on the part of Jeboobie's clean people, you can still trust them. Yeah. Right.
• 

  Latte

  Confession...very funny! LOL

  I remember one single mother explaining the ultra spiritual schedule she had going for her young family. She told how each day they would do everything possible regarding F.Service/ personal study/family study …you name it they did it. It was a most unrealistic schedule for most families where the parents had to work. (sigh)

  The one thing she omitted to state was that her kids were all HOME EDUCATED, and anyone can guess that, yes….the bible bashing the kids got was all incorporated within the home education. Time was not really a problem.

  I always wondered how she could go on the platform and not mention the home education bit. The item would of left many families feeling inadequate.