I tend to believe things I hear without really questioning it. Part of it is my personality, but the jw's formed a lot of it
Ron, I totally agree that this is how we were moulded to be! But the questioning comes along in its own time, at first I didnt question anything, these days I have to question everything, its a process we grow into after leaving the cults.
Oxnard...first WELCOME to the board! Good to meet you.
And what really got me is when we went door to door one time, one guy we talked to said he talked to people about Jesus and the JW guy I was with said he was inspired by Satan. I'm like WHAT?
Glad to see you kept your reasoning powers! This brought back a memory of when I was working the doors with one of the anointed and we met a born again Christian who talked about her faith in Christ, the anointed sister I was with laughed out loud all the way through it! I was like so embarrased!
the anointed sister I was with laughed out loud all the way through it! I
Now that is just plain sick..... I guess it goes back to those scripture warning us about judging others. Jesus even said the same measurements we use to judge others will be used against us. Funny thing is, JWs constantly brag about how they know that all scripture is inspired and benefecial for yada yada, yet they seem to forget this important point while running other people down. And they claim other religions only think some scriptures are important. Hypocrites! Hypocrites I say!
Anyway, I'm really tickled that so many have welcomed me. I was in the chat and the people seemed nice. Guess there are good people outside of the JWs group.
But if a fellow JW steals a magazine route off them they will hold a grudge and see how wrong it was for them to do that! ...?
LOLOL, boy does that bring back memories of my pio days.
Last month somebody started a thread about Fred Franz and IQ, and it took a turn into the question of what constitutes a "scholar." Well, my thought is that one can't be a scholar unless their mind is (to the maximum extent possible for us little humans ) unfettered by preconceptions and hidden agendas.
The same can be said about "power of reasoning." I still shake my head in wonderment when I look at the 237 times "Jehovah" appears in the NWT NT, and yet for the last 20 years I've been knowledgeable enough about the underlying Greek texts to know that "Jehovah" doesn't belong in the NT. It was like a bolt of lightning last spring, when I got some stuff from Randy's site [ www.freeminds.org ], and he included a couple of freebies (like The Divine Name in the New World Translation). I read that and pounded my forehead against my keyboard: "Of course, of course! How could I have not seen that?!?!?"
That's one very big reason why I have such an open spot in my heart for those that are still in...the hypnotic power of that group is almost beyond comprehension.
I just caught this as I was about to sign off so before I go...
Funny thing is, JWs constantly brag about how they know that all scripture is inspired and benefecial for yada yada, yet they seem to forget this important point while running other people down.
didnt the Apostle Paul called this the sound of a clashing cymbal? They can know it all but if they dont have love for their neighbor they have nothing!
You should start a thread and introduce yourself, they are a nice bunch (sometimes..lol).
Well, my thought is that one can't be a scholar unless their mind is (to the maximum extent possible for us little humans ) unfettered by preconceptions and hidden agendas
That is sho true! There aint a scholar to be seen in the NWT, how could there be with all the preconceptions they had. Its a good thought Craig.
I also spent a lot of time smacking the side of my head saying "how couldnt I have seen this"...it became a trend! Like you say, its got to be hypnotic power. I felt like I had been hypnotised, I can relate to so much of what you say over this board! Too cool.
I don't think I was hypnotized so much as I was seduced. My friend warned me that groups like the JW like to prey on lonely, low self esteem people. I think it's the other way around. I think lonely people are attracted to groups like the JWs because they tell you you are friends with everybody in the organization.
They didn't need to hypnotize me. I enjoyed hanging around people so much it didn't matter.
But I guess sometimes the right thing to do isn't always the easiest.
