SAHS

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Posts by SAHS

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  52

  I'm new here...

  by Demokan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm 15, and i'm an unbaptized publisher... so i've been what you call "lurking" here for the past few weeks and i have some questions.

  i hear you guys constantly mentioning ttatt so where can i go to learn more about this (links please)?

  also i've already told my mom that i don't believe in the governing body and she is making me do even more!

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  SAHS

  “Giordano”: “As long as your a minor you will need to respect your parents. But you shouldn't be forced to be a hypocrite.”

  That is true in essence; however, I believe that respect is a two-way street. Even though you are presently a minor, you need to establish and maintain healthy boundaries, including social and emotional. Don’t disrespect your parents’ dignity, feelings, and beliefs, but at the same time don’t let them just get away with disrespecting yours either. Practice being assertive. Remember, being assertive does not mean being belligerent, hostile, or argumentative; rather, it involves maintaining a healthy self-esteem and projecting yourself fairly and appropriately. I’m 47 years old right now, but I remember hating being in my teens (a “young adult”) when people would automatically be condescending, patronizing, and belittling simply because of my physical age. I wanted to be thought of and treated as an adult.

  You may be forced to kind of “play the game” as far as your family religious routine is concerned – to an extent, at least. (Many of us, including myself, have unfortunately had to do this.) But make it clear that you are not required by anyone to personally assimilate someone else’s core spiritual beliefs. Freedom of religious belief is one of the things guaranteed by constitution. You don’t have to “rock the boat,” but you also don’t have to just swallow everything and call it ice cream either. Always be true to yourself on an inward personal level. (Your brain/mind is in your head, not anyone else’s.)

  A good axiom that works for anybody in whatever situation they may find themselves is called the “Serenity Prayer” (I learned that in my Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, as it is regularly read there). It goes like this: “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I know they’re just words, but such a philosophy really helps one to get a logical and beneficial perspective, as it is calming yet constructive. Basically: just try to change what you can, and don’t worry about the rest. (After all, what else can you do anyway?)

  Lots of luck (yes, I said “luck,” contrary to the JW approved vocabulary) with your spiritual/philosophical awakening. Remember, everyone is worthy of respect – including you. Like the song goes, “Don’t worry; be happy.” Take care.
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  32

  Revelation Climax book - what are the most ridiculous claims in it?

  by RayPublisher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i got to thinking about all the strange interpretations in the old revelation climax book now that i have perused it again on pdf.

  (thanks atlantis!).

  does anyone care to toss in their two cents on what are the most outrageous and/or ridiculous claims in it?.

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  SAHS

  “notjustyet”: “ I beleive those stars were based on the Pleides spoken of by Russell. Also found out that that same group of seven stars were used by many a ancient religion in their beliefs.”

  Actually, Russell even taught that the seven stars of the Pleiades, also called the “Seven Sisters,” was the physical location of Jehovah God in heaven! I don’t think that physicist Stephen Hawking would agree. (I guess that particular “gem” of a teaching had to be revised also.)
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  32

  Revelation Climax book - what are the most ridiculous claims in it?

  by RayPublisher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i got to thinking about all the strange interpretations in the old revelation climax book now that i have perused it again on pdf.

  (thanks atlantis!).

  does anyone care to toss in their two cents on what are the most outrageous and/or ridiculous claims in it?.

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  SAHS

  “RayPublisher”: “Perhaps they will make a new and improved book on Revelation again?”

  If they do, it will probably be a very brief but large-print cardboard pop-version – you open it up, and the Harry-Potter-like creatures spring right up in 3D.

  “FadeToBlack”: “I always thought equating the trumpet blasts to the old conventions you mentioned and the release of their resolutions was the most bizarre interpretation.”

  Those purely contrived “Biblical connections” to certain men in a New York publishing corporation sure remind me of all the unbelievably contorted and fanciful “Biblical connections” which Charles Taze Russell dreamed up relating to the steps inside the Great Pyramid of Giza and his eschatological chronology. (And of course that had to be revised also.) Yes, numerology is one of the great tools for religious charlatanry. Russell sure tried to bang a square peg into a round hole. Franklin Rutherford tried to, but with a bigger hammer.
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  29

  800-why-1914 helpline, Marilyn Zweifel

  by coffee_black in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for many years, since the mid 80s, marilyn zweifel manned the help-line.

  several months ago, the help-line stopped due to marilyn's serious health issues.

  marilyn was hospitalized a few weeks ago.. she has serious health issues and has suffered from 2 serious falls... she is now in a nursing home.

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  SAHS

  My warmest regards to Marilyn Zweifel and her family . I have never talked to her either, but I do remember seeing her on a documentary quite a while back (I think it was around the early 90s), which aired on the Canadian CBC channel, called “Children of Jehovah,” and I believe it featured her “1 (800) WHY-1914” helpline, which made an impression on me and which I always remembered since. It showed Marilyn, who seemed to be a very caring and discerning mature lady, talking about the young victims of the shunning policy who had no place to go, and I will always remember when she said, “These kids need help!” I can still see and hear her saying that in my mind today.

  The documentary also showed a young man attempting to call the helpline from a pay phone, but unfortunately at the time he was informed that the number was not available from his calling area here in Canada. (I forget exactly where he was shown calling from.) I don’t know, but I would imagine that the service area for the helpline would have eventually been expanded to include all areas in the USA as well as Canada.

  I also remember being in the field service sometime in the 90s and seeing a card prominently displayed on a house showing the “1 (800) WHY-1914” helpline number for anyone with doubts or questions. I will never forget that either.

  I’m sure that there are quite a few people, especially the younger ones who have been cast aside by their families (as instructed by you-know-what), who owe Marilyn a debt of love and gratitude. Although I didn’t get a chance to talk with her, she nevertheless indirectly touched me and contributed to the mental fortitude for me also to begin my personal journey of questioning and investigation.

  Take care, Marilyn, and know that you are always well thought of by many.
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  5

  Information Signs For Kingdom Halls, Bethel, and Assemblies: "Type In Google-> Child Molestation Jehovah Witnesses"

  by frankiespeakin in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=87586161f4bd1a9b&q=child+molestation+jehovah+witness.

  52,800 hits speaks for itself.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/jehovah's_witnesses'_handling_of_child_sex_abuse.

  according to witness spokesman j. r. brown, jehovah's witnesses are not required to report crimes to elders before calling civil authorities.

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  SAHS

  “. . . well placed information access to those locked inside . . .”

  Actually, you’re right, Frankie. A good iea along that line would be a few small slips of folded paper left inside kingdom hall washrooms which say on the front side, “Are you a Jehovah’s Witness? Pick me up,” and then when opened lists some choice Websites they can pick up – of course including “http://www.silentlambs.org.” Nothing like some “incidental informal witnessing” in a place where there aren’t any cameras recording to get the point across and hopefully open people’s eyes.
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  5

  Information Signs For Kingdom Halls, Bethel, and Assemblies: "Type In Google-> Child Molestation Jehovah Witnesses"

  by frankiespeakin in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  http://www.google.com/#bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&fp=87586161f4bd1a9b&q=child+molestation+jehovah+witness.

  52,800 hits speaks for itself.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/jehovah's_witnesses'_handling_of_child_sex_abuse.

  according to witness spokesman j. r. brown, jehovah's witnesses are not required to report crimes to elders before calling civil authorities.

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  SAHS

  There should be weatherproof signs posted on the outside of kingdom halls warning parents and guardians of the Watchtower’s policy relating to pedophilia cover-up to protect their precious public relations image – maybe with a heading on the signs stating, “BEWARE BEFORE YE ENTER!”
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  20

  A sad day for a JW- they lost a study 'cause of me.

  by Gojira_101 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a few weeks ago i posted a topic about a deaf woman studying with the jw's.

  the deaf preacher from the woman's parents church contacted me to know more about the jw's because the parents were allowing their daughter to study with the jw's because "they are such nice people.

  " anyway the deaf preacher contacted me because he knows i just left the jw's last year and he wanted information.. i was more than happy to provide it.

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  SAHS

  “Gojira_101”: “. . . the parents said "We had no idea the JW's were really like this."”

  Excellent! Glad to hear that you gave them a chance to see the Watchtower religion for what it is, which probably saved them from a lot of unnecessary grief.

  It would be nice if all potential JW Bible students could somehow be given the opportunity to investigate the main facts about the Watchtower religion before they “sign up” for it.

  In the supermarkets here in Canada, all the food products must display a simple little black and white standard health summary listing the main nutritional content, such as the amount and percentage of saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sugar, etc. This is in addition to the usual ingredients list. (I’m not sure how many other countries this is required in.) Now, wouldn’t it be great if all cult recruiters (JWs, Mormons, etc.) were required by law to hand out something sort of similar; i.e., a little sheet with a brief outline of the specific “content” of their particular little religion, such as a list of all the rules (I mean all of them), percentage of bullshit content, and warnings (possible death from blood loss, possible molestation of children, possible depression and suicide from shunning, high degree of thought control, large percentage of time wasted) – in other words, mandatory full disclosure from the very start.

  People should have the opportunity to know exactly what they’re getting into – whether they’re joining a cult, buying a used car, or picking up a box of crackers at the supermarket. After all, in today’s enlightened yet regulated society, full disclosure is only fair.
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  9

  The Watchtower crazy train puts you on this trip of building resistance to people not unlike pavlov and his dog.

  by Narcissistic Supply in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the watchtower crazy train puts you on this trip of building resistance to people not unlike pavlov and his dog.

  its a process.

  it doesnt happen overnight.

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  SAHS

  Watchtower term: “mentally-diseased apostates”

  Term “Narcissistic Supply” used: “crazy train”

  Principle: “What goes around comes around.”

  Conclusion: If Watchtower wants to play like that, then that’s the karma they get. Fair is fair.
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  17

  The WTBTS-What A Joke!

  by JW GoneBad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i found these questions that were part of a theocratic written review for the week of february 24, 2003 that are in need of updating:.

  multiple choice: the faithful and discreet slave mentioned by jesus at matthew 24:45-47 is (a) the governing body of jehovahs witnesses; (b) all anointed christians as a group on earth at any given time; (c) jesus christ himself.

  back in 2003 the correct answer would have been (b) all anointed christians as a group on earth at any given time.

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  SAHS

  I just played an excellent documentary to my long-standing JW parents last night on YouTube which really illustrates how so many people can become duped by unbelievably ridiculous religious cults. It’s called “Gods of the New Age – Mind-Control Cults,” and it is at the following link:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fi4smRIqcac

  The documentary highlights the abundant proliferation of these gurus over in India, who are self-appointed spiritual leaders who manage to get a following of brainless sheep. (It is a somewhat older film, dated sometime around the early 90s.) These old bearded men claim to be equal to, or even superior to, God Himself! And, of course, some of them claim to actually be God in the flesh.

  It shows these old gurus parading around before their dirt-poor followers, who are seen waving, bowing, and even throwing dirt on themselves. One guru apparently parades by his followers three times a day in his Rolls Royce – he actually owned 40 of them! Many of these little cults are now even amassing supporters by westerners over in India, and some are moving shop right into the USA, many under the pretext of offering various yoga meditation groups. It showed them in one such yoga class all writhing and bouncing around more tenaciously than those jungle tribal communities you see on National Geographic, including rolling around and contorting on the floor screaming insanely (somehow this is suppose to help them in some enigmatic way).

  My point is that when you consider the tremendous proliferation of so many different bizarre little cults like that, where even seemingly intelligent and educated people are drawn in and promptly drop their brain in the garbage bin at the door, I guess maybe it’s not quite so much of a stretch of the imagination to see odd cults like the Watchtower. As the saying goes, “There’s a sucker born every minute.” It seems to be a common “human” thing for so many people at large to completely surrender themselves – often to the totally ridiculous!
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  17

  I was a slave to a cult

  by Django_Unchained in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the cuffs are still on,.

  but the chains have been broken.. i can move independently, though the going is tough.. finally on my way to freedom.. -django.

  ps...kinda want revenge....

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  SAHS

  Welcome “Django_Unchained”! As you can see, you’re certainly not alone.

  “The best revenge is living well and no longer letting JWs control your life.”

  That is our goal—no longer letting the JWs control our lives—and it offers the best form of closure we can hope for. Anyone can completely sever all attachments to the organization in our own mind and figurative heart, mentally and emotionally. As to how long one wants the physical part to match (i.e., voting with your pocketbook and your feet), that all depends upon the individual’s own timeline based on the nature and degree of the needs of full independence versus the emotional power among interconnected relationships of family and friends.

  Just follow your natural “gut” and everything will fall into place in the time which is appropriate for you as an individual.