Welcome. Yes I remember the WT but cannot tell you which one it was. There was also a part on the DO in 08 that said the same thing. I totally flipped out sitting there had to leave. My husband tried to smooth it over by saying the brother who gave the part was just putting in his own words. NO WAY that is how they feel. Scary. You are not alone in feeling duped. I feel the same way. But life must go on. Hang in there and glad you found this sight it will help you. LITS
New "apostate" here! Recent WT study- 'We may ask you to do something that may not understand' (basically- DO IT)
by 20+wastedYRS 49 Replies latest jw friends
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independent_tre
Welcome to the board. After you realize everything about the 'truth', it gets easier trust me. It will feel like a ton of weight has been lifted from your shoulders that you've carried around for 20+ years. Freedom is a wonderful thing!
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20+wastedYRS
Yes, Mr. Flipper, you are right.. I need to "debug" my brain from this brainwashing I had with dirty water. Funny thing is, that we used to joke (im sure you have heard this one) "Thats ok... maybe all of us could use our brains washed from this old system's nastiness". (we were real suckers)
They sure are damn good at it too!! That article I referred to earlier, is not the only thing that I noticed...Over the years a few things I saw were small, but definately noteworthy. Like a time where I was getting trained for a new position in sales, for my secular job (never having been in sales, prior). My stomach got very upset the one day I was sitting there during a service meeting trying to pay attention to their teaching of "witnessing" techniques. I saw EXACTLY the same techniques used in the sales job I was training for! I thought... what?? I am "selling" religion the same way my company wanted me to sell windows and siding!! It bugged me to think that God "called" me and millions of others by THIS means!!! SALES!! these guys are just teaching us to be a bunch of salesmen! (no offense to sales ppl) Seems similar to a pyramid scheme! or at the very least an avon sales team! (love avon, btw)
Another thing that bugged me (Im on a roll here...) was how my wife and I struggled DAILY, to make our bills because we were trying to keep our lives simple and not work overtime and drive fancy cars, so that my wife could pioneer someday and maybe I could eventually join her!! We passed up job opportunities and a solid future because the "brothers" are telling us from the platform that this is what we should do! Thats fine, we chose to do that...BUT.... The ones that were up there telling us that, were living in a VERY comfy lifestyle and not at ALL "picking up their torture stake" to join us! Meanwhile us, and others like us in the cong. struggle (as we were told) to "do more" in service. Those "brothers" had the means to do exactly what they instructed us to do, and didnt! I kept shrugging off the hypocrisy of their actions, making excuses for them in my head.
The "Revelation" book really had me scratching my head too... I cant even begin to count the amount of times that I saw one of their statements that blah, blah, means... thus and such... which was backed up by MAYBE, MAYBE one scripture! Then it would go on to say that "since that is the case, this other scripture means... blah, blah, blah... PARDON MY FRENCH... BUT WTF????
Disfellowshipping.. to be treated as a man of the world?? NOT!!! TREATED AS DIRT!!! YES!!! (I fell into that one too, and shunned good friends, too that needed my help!) SAD!!!
One more thing..(sorry, venting here!) I came to the conclusion (may be wrong) that the whole door to door thing is ENTIRELY a farse... just their way to keep you busy so that you stay in their fold!!! They have published (on limited occasions) that the door to door work doesnt get many converts, yet they PUSH it so much! Their study habits are the same... designed to keep you so busy and bogged down that you couldnt possibly get it all done!! An older "sister" and elder's wife, actually told me that, when I expressed how tough it is to get all the studying and preparing done properly (as they say they want). She said that you cant! That they intentionally give you more than you can handle, to keep you busy!! MORE LIKE "TOILING AND LOADED DOWN!!!" Some kindly "yoke" they have put upon their members!! Maybe thats why they thought it best to remove one of the meetings!! The SHEEP ARE DYING FROM THE HEAVY LOAD, BOSS!!
Done venting for now! Thanks for the ears, and kind words from all! I really, really needed some fellow ex JWs to talk to!
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yknot
Glad you found us!
I remember that all too well.......
You are not alone, in fact I would dare say that the conscious class and Ex-JW class are rapidly outpacing the WT in converts.....
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LouBelle
20 + Wasted Yrs - welcome to the board! We all have stories that read similiar to that bar for one or two details. We were all duped, many robbed of so very much. I'm glad that I got my wake up 5 years ago - wow!!! My life has been so wonderful since then, free from all that bull sh*t, brainwashing, guilt, the lack of love. You have a freedom ahead of it - enjoy it, celebrate it every moment you get!
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Mickey mouse
Hello and welcome. I remember the article, I posted about it at the time. Let me have a look through my posting history.
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Mickey mouse
Another thread about the same article: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/152542/1/Appalling-Mind-Control-Comment-from-CO
Here is the text of the article:
*** w07 12/15 pp. 19-20 pars. 15-16 “Stand Firm and See the Salvation of Jehovah” ***
What else can we learn from Israel’s Exodus from Egypt? That we must obey Jehovah no matter what he asks us to do. The Israelites were obedient in carrying out the detailed preparations for the Passover. They obediently stayed indoors during the night of Nisan 14. When they finally left Egypt, they had to go “in battle formation.” (Exodus 13:18) Today, it is so important that we follow the guidance that comes to us through “the faithful and discreet slave”! (Matthew 24:45) We have to listen very carefully to God’s word behind us, saying: “‘This is the way. Walk in it, you people,’ in case you people should go to the right or in case you should go to the left.” (Isaiah 30:21) As we get nearer to the outbreak of the great tribulation, we may well receive some detailed instructions. Our safe journey through those troublesome days will depend on our keeping in step with other loyal servants of Jehovah.
16 Remember, too, that Jehovah diverted the Israelites into a position where they appeared to be trapped between the mountains on the one side and the Red Sea on the other. It just did not seem to be the right move. But Jehovah had everything in hand, and all worked out to his praise and to the salvation of his people. Today, we may not clearly see why some organizational matters are handled in a certain way, but we have every reason to trust in Jehovah’s guidance through his faithful channel of communication. At times, our enemies may seem to be getting the upper hand. From our limited perspective, we may not be able to see the whole picture. Still, Jehovah is capable of maneuvering matters at the right moment, just as he did back there for the sons of Israel.—Proverbs 3:5. -
WTWizard
This sounds like the guilt the witlesses want you to have. They will blame you if you don't "do enough" and your children die because of you, and then they will escalate what constitutes "enough". And articles like this underscore that you have to obey the Filthful and Disgraceful Slavebugger, even if you do not understand (this is a sure way to get pulled into a scam that they are trying to pull off).
And how many times, right in their own Bible, do they quote Jesus as saying that his commandments are not burdensome? If you are spending 18 hours a day, 7 days a week doing theocraptic assignments plus having to take care of children and yourself, something is not right. It is not reasonable to expect you to go to a boasting session despite a blizzard, or do field circus in a suit and tie in 100 o heat or in a dress when it is -50. It is, in fact, not burdensome (though it takes an effort), to start doing your own thinking and not allowing oneself to be suckered into a scam like this, especially now that the information is at your fingertips and available at the click of a mouse.
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nugget
I think the worst thing for me was finding out I had been so stupid. I like to think I am an intelligent and thinking person and yet I had been completely taken in for so long. I thought I had been given the best education, a divine education and yet I was actually spouting ill informed rubbish. Looking back it seems incredible that I was so pleased I could explain how to arrive at 1914 and yet the whole foundation for that is historically inaccurate.
I was cross that I had been set up as a fool. I found the only antidote was to read and inform myself. Flipper is right Steve Hassan has written some excellent books that actually explain how a cult works. They help to lance the boil.
Use your negative experience to spur you on it is never too late. Many people without our common experience are stuck in dead end jobs because they lack the will to change and do things differently. Channel your anger and disappointments into motivation and embrace the opportunities now open to you. We understand the shared frustration the pain and anger so use the forums we're here to help.
