Waking People Up With Well Thought Out Comments

by JW_Rogue 43 Replies latest jw experiences

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  OneEyedJoe

  It didn't take me long to give up on waking anyone else up. It wasn't worth the effort for me, and it's not my responsibility to force anyone to open their eyes. What I did do while I was still in, though, was try to give comments and talks that would get the JWs nodding in agreement, unknowingly condemning themselves.

  • Make mention of how we would want to avoid association with ANY organization that knowingly hides pedophiles to save face in the public eye, like the catholic church.
  • Talk about how religious organizations often join the UN (the scarlet colored beast from revelation!) and how we would want to avoid association with any organization that has (or ever had) a membership in the UN.
  • Tell the story of Harold Camping (or similar - there's lots to choose from) predicting armageddon then changing the date when it didn't happen on his schedule and liken him to a false prophet that in the days of isreal would've been given the death sentence.
  • When stories about isreal come up in which the people die because the king is misleading them or because he made some mistake, remind them that god holds us personally accountable for who we put our allegiance in. In the case of the isrealites they put their allegiance in what was "god's organization" at the time, but when men lead it astray they were punished for continuing to follow it - we must continue to examine what we put our allegiance in to ensure that we are not putting faith in men who are not following god.

  I'm under no illusions that any of this would wake someone up (maybe if they're already really on the fence...) but it sure was fun to do stuff like this and get the clueless JWs unknowingly condemning themselves. I guess it was a bit of revenge for forcing me to give my tacit approval to the cult by forming a system that makes free speech and objection impossible.
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  Doubting Bro

  Yeah, I slip stuff into talks or the very rare comment but honestly it's just fun for me. No one pays attention to comments at the meeting anyway! Sometimes I think I could come out with the most "apostate" statement and people would smile and shake their heads.
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  Dagney

  Everybody has been in your shoes, most all our families and social network are die hard JW's. We all know the costs of staying and leaving.

  We all want our loved ones to see the TTATT. In the end, the only thing that matters is how we each choose to live our life, and believe me, seeing those years tick away leading a double life will not add comfort or satisfaction to a life lived.

  Staying in and planting subversive comments has been considered by many, I'm not sure, but the success rate is probably really low. Some have successfully got their mates out, but the plan was carefully orchestrated. And from the ones I know personally, the believing mate was secure enough and respectful enough of their mate to not throw them under the bus. What is impressive about anybody is confidence, strength and courage to live your life fully. That is a huge statement to those who are in, even though they make take the hard line against you. You will be a curiousity as they become resentful as they trudge to the meetings and SA/RC/CA, and FS. Living well, keeping your wits about you, keeping them curious may keep the lines of communication open.

  When I left I said "I have issues with the corporation." "It's between me and Jehovah." Nobody wanted to know, nobody asked more, except my elder/COBE brother...he was the only one.

  My suggestion is to say very little. A well worded comment, (see On the Way Out's journey...he has really well thought out comments), can buy some peace. BTW, how you answered your wife was perfect... Take this time to be the best person you can be...have fun alone and with them.

  The WT has convinced everybody they have no right to live an authentic life, and they are wrong. They don't care about anybody...their existence is to keep the corporation going at any expense. Every minute we give to them eats away at our true self...and the only way to help others see that is to claim your true self. Don't sacrifice it to the cult.

  This journey is hard and it sucks. But the feeling of being true to yourself is glorious. I wish you strength for the journey.
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  WatchtowerReviewz

  Since this is a lose-lose situation I personally composed a brief letter citing the very specific reasons as to why I was leaving the organization and I sent it to every single Jehovah's Witness I know. Everyone except my Elders, ONLY the rank and file JWs that I knew received my letter.

  The entire disassociating process is a set up, you aren't meant to walk away clean no matter what.

  I personally wouldn't bother composing a letter to send to Bethel Headquarters or to your body of Elders. The best solution is to do the unexpected. Ignore Watchtower protocol and reach out to everyone on an individual level instead of submitting yourself to character assassination by way of rumors. Let there be no doubts as to why you left. The vast majority may ignore it but the one or 2 people that do read it will be grateful someday. This is all assuming you can afford to do something like this of course.
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  millie210

  Begin with the end in mind.

  Then work back to where you are now.

  I want to end up with the freedom to move laterally around in my family and social circle.

  I am also completely done with the JWs as having ANY truth other than the common things everyone else possesses.

  Ironically, that makes it easier to not feel so much.

  I have been doing an ultra slow fade and allowing the train to stop at the station at times.

  I determine the times. Strategically. Most bang for my buck times.

  Recently a family here had a house fire. I was the thrid or fourth one to arrive after it became known. I brought an envelope of cash. Not a stupendous amount but what I thought would help. As the house where they were temporarily staying filled with JWs I quietly moved my way (through hellos and hugs etc) out to my car to leave.

  One of the more mouthy of the corrupt 3 elders in our Hall was standing nearby. He said "you dont want to attend meetings but your always showing up to be "helpful".

  I ignored that and opened my car...

  then he pushed his luck to far and said " you think your some type of Robin Hood"

  to which I replied, "then does that would make you the sheriff of Nottingham"?

  And I drove off.

  Gotta love those moments when they just fall in your lap like that.

  My point is there is now one right way to do this. You determine your course and try your best not to make emotional decisions but strategic ones instead.

  Be kind. Be smart. Do it your way.
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  stan livedeath

  My wife " how do you feel about the truth ?"

  Me " shut your gob. Where's my dinner ?"
• 

  LongHairGal

  JWROGUE:

  You mentioned there are many unhappy JWs and maybe some "hints" here and there are going to get them thinking. Well, personally, I doubt it.

  Comments won't budge the JWs already there. The few I know wouldn't leave no matter how miserable they are, and I have no desire to drag them out since it brings them some comfort. They just know I'M OUT because I have issues and I leave it at that. Certain JWs give me the cold shoulder if I see them in a store. This is a joke, since I was shunned when I was an active JW. After fifteen years of "fading", who cares?

  Any suspicious comments you make will only put YOU in the spotlight and will not make anyone else budge.

  Hopefully, some posters here who are born-ins with similar circumstances as yourself can give you some advice.

  I wish you luck finding a way through this!
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  JW_Rogue

  Small victory there, until you break down the actual conversation. You're using JW speak (the truth) when you talk to her. I get what you're doing, but you're not helping the situation in the long term. Instead of saying 'the truth', try 'the religion' or 'the corporation' and see how that goes.

  She uses the term "the truth", I don't refer to it at all, I don't correct her because that would be a dead give away. I'm letting my actions speak for me as she said.

  I don`t mean to sound cynical , do I get the impression there may be a financial loss in your walking away from your family and this religion ?

  There is the very real possibility of divorce and selling our home. Which could result in a battle over who deserves what and why. We could both probably come out okay because our home has doubled in value since we bought it but it wouldn't be right. Don't think I could go through that.

  Perhaps in your casual comments you could stress the facts that the early Christian congregation seemed to think that welfare within the community was a priority (widows and orphans), The GB couldn't care a fig about the welfare of their followers even for the suffering of victims of sexual abuse

  Could be an issue that would reach her if she looked at it objectively. WT maintains that they do help people it just always happens to be "somewhere else" where the efforts are taking place.

  How about continuing to take it slowly, keep them on your side but sharing things you have learned which get the family to start thinking for themselves? Make some allies in your mild scepticism, preferably including your wife.

  This is my plan for now. My wife was watching the Scientology special on ABC and when it got to one part she said "Oh, that's kind of like us" all I did was give her an odd facial expression like I had never thought of that before.
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  JW_Rogue

  Long Hair Girl - Maybe it's just because I'm mentally out but lately I just see everyone going through the motions. There is no excitement or encouragement at the meetings people are just going through it for the social aspect. Everything in the new meeting format is scripted, the videos are manipulative, the new demos are dry and boring. I see people who know something is off but just don't want to admit it.
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  Vidiot

  IMO, "waking people up with well-thought-out comments" is all fine and good...

  x

  ...but only if the people hearing the comments are actually intellectually capable of grasping the "wake-up" aspect in the first place.

  Do the vast majority of dutiful rank-and-filers fit that description?