Moment of Truth/ Cognitive Dissonance

by Zep 33 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Kristen

  .

  Edited by - Kristen on 1 September 2000 2:25:39
• 

  circare

  Hi Everyone,

  I 'vented' in another thread and now after reading this I am sorry that I did so. My apologies. I can see from reading the comments here that we are all mostly of 'like mind'. I also feel Deacon and Path have expressed well my feelings on the subject.

  As waiting said there is
  

  disillusion, hurt, anger, waste, waking up, being alone

  
  
  but I don't feel that gives us permission to act 'uncivilly' or 'unchrist-like' by name calling. What is the next step? When have a large enough crowd gathered together here and we have 'whipped up' everyone's courage enough we can then start throwing stones?

  My vote is for Deacon's approach
  

  I will deal with my own pain, loss, sense of abandonment and emptiness in a fitting and christian manner
• 

  waiting

  Hey y'all,

  Who among us has ever gone through divorce? Gone through an uphevel in their lives, which they did not initiate - nor want?

  Who among us did not - at one time or another - during this unwanted uphevel did not experience anger? Those who did experience anger had two choices - swallow it (and have their minds, hearts, & bodies react sooner or later) or speak out and get it out of their system. To deal with their anger.

  ok. We are in a similiar situation with the WTBTS. They told us if we lost our families when we came into the Truth - there would be a better one waiting for us. They told us to love God, trust God and them. They said they were right - and proved (however faulty) their points. They said they would provide an earthly, spiritual, Paradise for us (as God's exclusive channel). God would provide us a physical Paradise.

  They even called themselves the Bride Class, etc. bringing the idea of the sacredness, love, faith, etc. of marriage into the equation. Then they call us God's children, they are the Small Class of Sheep taking care of the Large Class. They have Jesus as their Mediator - they proved to us that we don't, we only have them as the only channel through which God will deal with us.

  So, we thought we were in a special position with our beloved Society. And we, at least me, found out that I wasn't. Btw, sometimes a person will find out the hard way that they aren't special - not equal - don't even count at all.

  Whenever something terribly wrong happened to me in the organization, I was counseled to be quiet - for the good of the congregation. Is that what is being counseled here? Be quiet and take it like a Christian? Like a Lady? Like a Sister?

  Naaaa, don't think so. We can speak politely, or even loudly disagree. We can even openly speculate, question, reason, wonder. What a new freedom for some of us. Just makes a person want to go read another book!

  God cannot alter the past. That is why He had to create so many historians. Samuel Butler

  waiting

  ps: During a life uphevel - anger, hurt, getting on with one's life - changes week to week. Perhaps we'll all be in a more Christian mood next week. Perhaps not.
• 

  RedhorseWoman

  waiting....you summed it up beautifully. The sense of betrayal. The knowledge that you were lied to....openly, blatantly, and to no good purpose.

  I remember being told to be quiet...for the good of the congregation. I remember the sense of shock I had at realizing that "some are more equal than others" and can do as they wish with no repercussions.

  The WTBTS creates this situation by denigrating every other religious organization, and by holding up their faults and decrying how horrible they are....all the while declaring how "different" and "unique" is God's organization...until something happens to expose the dirty laundry....then the "we're only imperfect men" defense is pulled out.

  When an organization declares itself to be God's only true channel and above reproach, and the only one accomplishing God's work, and different from the world, and the conduit for the Holy Spirit, they should expect to be criticized when they do not live up to what they purport to be.
• 

  Andyman

  I have to go along with Waiting and RedhorseWoman here.

  Holding things back or inside is not the way to overcome the dissapointment and anger that many feel. It needs to be gotten out, not held in.

  Like Wainting said, to many times I was told to "think of the society", well I think now that it is time that we think about ourselves.

  Like RedhorseWoman said, when they make claims to be God's only true channel they had better be making a good example for the rank and file to follow.

  The double standards within the congregation and the society as a whole is not Christian. When elders and their families, MS and their families can get away with things simply because they are who they are, there is a problem.

  Covering things up, pretending they aren't happening, isn't going to help us or anyone else in the congregation. The organization, from the congregation level all the way to the top, has got big problems. We are told NOT to talk about these things, let the elders take care of it. Well when the elders and there failies are the problems how can thing ever get taken care of? When letters are wrote to the society to ask for help, and it all gets sent back to the local level, how can things change?

  I sat on the fence for a long time going by their rules. I kept my mouth shut, I ignored what was going on, I was a goo JW, or so they said. When I could take it no longer, when I couldn't stand to see others being shafted because they weren't in the clique, when I finally went to the C.O., I was the one who got marked as "bad association". Not the trouble makers, not the P.O.'s wife who was the "clique" leader and was treating people like dirt gossiping and telling lies about those she didn't like, no she still controls things. Now why is that?

  The society has been pointing out the problems in "chistendom" for years. Now when the their problems are being exposed I don't think we should simply be quite and sit back and hold things in. No, I think it is time that the reall "truth" was brought out. Isn't that what they tell us to do?

  <font color=red>"1974 “Consequently, is it unchristian today to offer Bible-based comments about anothers religion? The scriptural answer must be No. True, criticism that reveals faults in the teachings or practices of someone’s religion might at first seem severe. Yet, how should one react? Not like those who became violently enraged over Stephen’s criticism. Rather, note the fine reaction of some Athenians who heard Paul’s comments. They accepted the Bible truth and became believers, to their eternal benefit. Compare Acts17:11, 12. Far from being rejected as unchristian then, criticism based on Gods word should be carefully considered, for it can bring real benefits”. (Awake! Nov. 22, 1974, p.28)"

  </font>Take care.

  Andyman:
• 

  Zep

  Path...Look, things come across differently, people see things differently than the way they were meant.I'm well aware of the dammage of DFing/shunning and putting labels on people, a moron can see how damaging those things are.I dont meant to make light of it all BTW.....My opening statements were just flippant BS, As usual (tends to be my style here),but thats the way i am on the NET....I tend to Post first and think later, no harm intended!..Yeah, I tend to make stupid jokes of serious stuff...put up a fair few dumb posts.I do have too much of a who-could-give-a-shit attitude in the end.

  How many fosters?...ha ha Good Question.Personally i'll let that lie since you are obviously ignorant of Australian beer drinking custom.Fosters is a shit beer, No Australian i know would drink it...maybe a few yuppies in Sydney.I'd write some more here, but i cant be stuffed because i just got back from skiing(that was cool) and i'm utter ratshit at the moment.

  BTW I apologise for offending you!.I had some ideas i wanted to express here...but i was just to lazy to put into a serious post.As far as i'm concerned now, all this WTS stuff and Religion and God and Christianity.They can all go stick it up their jumper...the whole lot of them!I couldn't give a rats anymore for the dub religion...i'd love to see the whole damn structure come crashing down, that'd almost make my day at the moment.F'K 'em!...i just dont care!.
• 

  Zep

  Just saw this BTW Path

  "ha ha ha, I've lost x number of years living a lie and my family and friends won't speak to me. Oh well."

  Well, I could tell you some shit me and my family has gone through, NO-Dub related.And I have to say, that is my exact attitude.I'm too cynical of everything, i just have to laugh.Yeah F'k God!...and the whole deal.F'k the GB and their "apostates', f'k them!...F'k all lying Assholes, they deserve nothing less than to be the bUTT of a Joke!
• 

  waiting

  Hey Andyman,

  Consequently, is it unchristian today to offer Bible-based comments about anothers religion? The scriptural answer must be No. True, criticism that reveals faults in the teachings or practices of someone’s religion might at first seem severe. Yet, how should one react? Not like those who became violently enraged over Stephen’s criticism. Rather, note the fine reaction of some Athenians who heard Paul’s comments. They accepted the Bible truth and became believers, to their eternal benefit. Compare Acts17:11, 12. Far from being rejected as unchristian then, criticism based on Gods word should be carefully considered, for it can bring real benefits.

  Awake! Nov. 22, 1974, p.28

  What a fine point from the WTBTS to consider as we consider their teachings.

  Thanks.

  waiting
• 

  Zep

  What a fine point from the WTBTS to consider

  Hey Waiting, heres another one i wish they would consider too!

  'Go jump off a muddaF'ing Cliff'

  Now that'd be good.All Cons really should consider it i feel!
• 

  Pathofthorns

  Hey Zep.

  I wasn't offended. Honestly, I was laughing at your comments. Who could possibly write such "flippant BS"?? LOL at the Fosters comment. (Never had it, but you guys make some great wine.)

  No need to change your writing style. I love it. I need to lighten up around here anyway. And if you can look back and laugh, well that's a pretty good recovery.

  On the other hand, there are alot of people in a really sensitive spot in their lives, some are easily offended (Just like JW's??lol), some could be scared off if we give the perception that the place is full of "damn freakin apostates" (LOL at that line).

  By the way, where did u go skiing anyway??

  Path