A new public talk reviews what being sound in mind refers to. The speaker mentioned that in order to please Jehovah and show that you have "soundness of mind", you should not associate with anyone that is not in the "truth", to the extent possible. He re-read that comment a second time for emphasis. After all, worldly people can't direct us to God's Word to give us the best aid. They can't encourage us to do more in the congregation.....These talks tend to bother me the most. The point is always the same. Stay away from everyone else that's not a Witness.Isolate yourself from the evil world.I told my wife to have a good time with her worldly brother.And of course I got the "look".
Being Sound In Mind Means You Stay Away From World
by minimus 16 Replies latest jw friends
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NeonMadman
As the scandals and pressures increase from the outside, they're circling the wagons and becoming ever more cultic, cutting themselves off from the outside as much as possible, so the drones don't get an opportunity to find out what's really going on. If they could, they'd probably move everybody into a compound somewhere. Can the poison Kool-Aid be far off?
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JH
They talk alot about what you have to do to please Jehovah. Why don't they love all their neighbors like themselves, even if they are in the world. They are always giving instructions so that you feel bad, as if you aren't giving enough, or not serving Jehovah properly. Always guilt.
Edited by - jh on 2 December 2002 12:16:50
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minimus
The more they make you feel guilty, the easier it is to be under their control.
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happy2b
Minimus,
Do you still attend the meetings? I'm sorry I don't know your 'story'. Are you planning on leaving?
Oh, I remember feeling somewhat superior to 'worldly' people. As if they were ignorant to what was really happening in the world. Growing up, I was never allowed to hang out with anyone that wasn't in the "truth". I'm sure that hurt my ability to accept others as friends as an adult. I resent that.
Hugs to all,
Happy2b
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minimus
I attend some meetings. I was recently an elder. I am being cautious regarding my imminent exit, for various reasons, but mostly due to family considerations. I'm doing the "slow fade".
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happy2b
I understand that completely. I ds'd myself, letter and all. I sorta wish I had just faded away, to avoid the shunning. Mainly from my in-laws. But, say-la-vee. (I know, I know, I spelled that wrong) It's been 4 years and I really don't miss them like I thought I would. Sorry to say. The only thing I worry about is that my kids won't remember them and they will never even know my youngest. (she's about to turn 4) oh, by the way, we live in the same city. oh well.
hugs!
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Robdar
Minimus,
Thanks for the post.
The point is always the same. Stay away from everyone else that's not a Witness.Isolate yourself from the evil world.
Isn't it lovely how the WTS warns you to stay away from worldly association and then discourages you from associating with other witnesses outside of the meetings or field service?
No wonder so many JWs are crazier than pet raccoons.
Robyn
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Pistoff
THINK:
If you associate with "worldly" people, you will develop bad habits, like not doing what you are told by the elders, magazines, CO and DO. You might even develop a fatal case of rational thought, comparative reasoning and GASP (oh no not that) INDEPENDENT THINKING.
If that is not enough, you might forget that the media is BAD, is used by SATAN to slander the TRUTH; except of course, when it sings the praises of the witnesses who left the stadium cleaner than they found it.
Outside of the ongoing scandal with abuse in the org, I think the worst single thing about us/it is the reeking self-righteousness everywhere in it; we are not filling up the jails, we did not side with hitler( he did not want us, though we tried), we do not read or view porn, on and on and on.
I can't tell if it has always been this bad, or I have just become sensitized, but this organization is crazy, makes me crazy, every witness I know believes things that are truly insane and most think that they are quite superior to the great unwashed masses.
My favorite lately is the family who studied in Croatia, then used catholic charities to get here in the US and then got baptized as witnesses and then of course carry the party line about the great whore, babylon the great.
Please just knock me out so I don't have to listen anymore. Lest you wonder why I go at all anymore, I have close and extended family there, and I am trying to slowly get them to at least see what it is and has done to them.
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Mary
Not only do they tell US what to avoid, they're also trying to re-write history and tell us exactly what Christians should and shouldn't have done 1800 years ago. Yesterday's Watchtower study in paragraph 7&8 says in part:
"Chariot races held in vast oblong arenas....were doubtless very exciting, but they were unacceptable for Christians because the crowds often got violent.........Clearly, the Roman circus was no place for Christians (so I guess no JWs today ever better go to a hockey game) ...........What of the famous Roman baths?........many of the Roman baths were huge establishments......... although theoretically, times were set aside for each sex to use the baths, mixed bathing was often tolerated." (oh the scandal!).....Thus a legitimate instituion could easily have been used by Satan a a trap for Christians. Wise ones abstained. (and they know that how???)"
Paragraph 9&10 say:
"Gambling was a favorite pastime among the people when the Roman Empire was at it's height........Gambling added spice to people's lives for it offered the hope of making easy money (what a terrible thing, offering hope!).......In many developed countries, the situation today is similar......many people have more leisure time than ever (not if you're a faithful Dub).....State lotteries give even the poor a glimmer of hope (imagine that! giving the poor a a glimmer of hope! How utterly terrible!)....ln some countries, mixed bathing in saunas and hot springs is popular......Satan tries to entice God's servants by means of worldly leisure activities (yep.....imagine trying to have some fun - it's all Satan's fault).
I love the crap they give you about gambling.......you can't spend $1.00 on a lottery ticket cause that's GREEEEEED, but it's okay for a brother to gamble and lose a hundred gran in the stock market - that's a BUSINESS venture, not being greedy!!!
Edited by - Mary on 2 December 2002 10:47:47