Posts by problemaddict 2

149

why jw's commit suicide?

by notalone in

jw
friends

we all know the rate of suicide is high among jw's.

my question is this- was there some subliminal messages that encourage this.

i was a born in and my entire life i would have these thoughts that could come out of nowhere,"kill yourself.

I think Steve and JWfacts nailed it. We don't really "all know that suicide rate among JW's is high". We suspect it might be compared to the general population of the individual countries they are active in. But we don't really know. It might be the same as the normal population (which is what I suspect), but because of the small community word travels fast.

Also, I don't believe they actively or subliminally encourage suicide. That would be folly when you are already hemorrhaging members to the tune of 60-80K a year.

But feeling like you are not good enough, that the entire world will be destroyed.......these things can't help.

41

Watchtower Doctrines JWs most commonly don't believe

by Diogenesister in

there was a recent thread on another site where posters maintained that many of the *most* long-standing jw's don't believe at least one official watchtower doctrine.

i've even read reports from bethelites saying they've heard bethel overseers say they don't believe some watchtower theology.

this made me think - i believe there are a few official doctrines that are common for many jw's to be either in denial about or simply not really believe ( often one and the same thing).. i'd say these are pretty high in the ranking:.

problemaddict 2

In a seemingly previous life, I spoke to a doctor at our hospital about blood. She said that the hospital respected the decisions of adults to do what they want....but that if the person says no blood, they don't even bring it in the room. And then she said "but be absolutely certain. We can keep it as a last resort, but many times we find that people change their minds, and then leave us scrambling to try to find what we need. Remember, your medical decisions are PRIVATE."

So yeah......a lot of JW's take blood.

19

Starting To Wake Up

by Searching in

i suppose after lurking around for a few weeks i thought i might share my own personal story, as i think it would probably be a very freeing experience for me right now.

to start off, at 23 years old i'm actually a third-generation jw, my grandparents were baptized (my grandfather is actually an elder) when my mother was only a toddler, she was raised as a witness, then of course, married a witness and thus myself and my two brothers were born-in's.

growing up my mother was always very careful about what she taught me, all the good things for sure, about how we would live in a paradise earth and i could pet all the animals that i wanted and not worry about growing old, and she'd ask me who in the bible i'd love to see and talk with - my grandparents however, were a different story and the cause of i think, most of my childhood trauma.. they really drilled home the fact that we were the only people who were going to be saved, we were the only people that were going to survive and that everyone else was going to die horribly - that i shouldn't try to make that many friends in school because they would never be "real" friends unless they were fellow jw's and they would die anyway.

problemaddict 2

Also Welcome! I missed that part.

I in my early 30's did what you did. I was shocked to find out that "apostates" in most cases had legitimate gripes, and were not mentally diseased liars. They were just people....like me....and they lost so much for what they believed.

Fear is a great motivator, but a bad decision maker. Study the history and doctrine. Start over. Watch the fear go away. These dudes in Brooklyn can't hurt you, no matter what nonsense they spout. Not if you don't let them.

19

Starting To Wake Up

by Searching in

i suppose after lurking around for a few weeks i thought i might share my own personal story, as i think it would probably be a very freeing experience for me right now.

to start off, at 23 years old i'm actually a third-generation jw, my grandparents were baptized (my grandfather is actually an elder) when my mother was only a toddler, she was raised as a witness, then of course, married a witness and thus myself and my two brothers were born-in's.

growing up my mother was always very careful about what she taught me, all the good things for sure, about how we would live in a paradise earth and i could pet all the animals that i wanted and not worry about growing old, and she'd ask me who in the bible i'd love to see and talk with - my grandparents however, were a different story and the cause of i think, most of my childhood trauma.. they really drilled home the fact that we were the only people who were going to be saved, we were the only people that were going to survive and that everyone else was going to die horribly - that i shouldn't try to make that many friends in school because they would never be "real" friends unless they were fellow jw's and they would die anyway.

problemaddict 2

Most JW's do not believe what your mother does not. Here is an interesting thought to share with her.

If Jehovah is "being patient" and allowing more to come in that is fine, but he is also making sure that more people born will die.

Just look at it this way. These are rough numbers but pretty close. the point is clear.

Every year around 130 Million people are born. About 50-55 Million people die that same year (includes all deaths).

Last year 265K were baptized (and by guess, roughly 60-80K were disfellowshipped).

So every year Jehovah is patient, he is going to have to kill another 75million or so people!

Does that make sense? I think she is reading that scripture with meaning that has been supplied to her, but not the meaning intended. Or the bible could be kooky.

41

Watchtower Doctrines JWs most commonly don't believe

by Diogenesister in

there was a recent thread on another site where posters maintained that many of the *most* long-standing jw's don't believe at least one official watchtower doctrine.

i've even read reports from bethelites saying they've heard bethel overseers say they don't believe some watchtower theology.

this made me think - i believe there are a few official doctrines that are common for many jw's to be either in denial about or simply not really believe ( often one and the same thing).. i'd say these are pretty high in the ranking:.

problemaddict 2

There is no way it is ok to speak to a disfellowshipped person except with spiritual matters. The flock book saying that is one thing, but there is simply no way in real life that is happening. In fact, its a question of loyalty in severl broadcasts, talks, and magazines since that was written.

So which one is it? What is the play here? Plausible deniability?

51

Orangeburg Assembly Hall - designed to be sold as a future supermarket?

by cedars in

jw
friends

i've just been watching a youtube video that reveals the new assembly hall in orangeburg, sc.. two things struck me when watching it.... firstly, everything is attributed to jehovah, right down to deciding the location where the hall is to be built.

"we examined over 300 properties," said one interviewee, "we were reminded that jehovah knew where the site was, we just had to keep looking and show him that we were persistent.

" other workers interviewed throughout the video attribute everything to god, as though it is impossible to build anything without divine direction.. here is the video.... .

problemaddict 2

Must be slow news in this part of the world. I mean.....religion builds rectangular building with water feature.....news at 11?

Seriously?

P.S. - They suggested 165 million a year will be the economic impact of this site? How on Gods green earth would they come up with that number?

25

Speaking for God: The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Tahoe in

very well put together!.

https://youtu.be/yyxg8klhtve.

problemaddict 2

This is a really nice "greatest hits" compilation of the bat shit crazy coming out of NY. How can modern JW's not look at rubberface McGee and be embarrassed?

14

Thought Bubbles Then & Now

by steve2 in

my thought bubble in the 1980s:.

"how can i engage with worldly people when they are just not interested in discussing these important topics as featured in the watchtower and awake?.

my thought bubble in the 2010s:.

problemaddict 2

Thought bubble in 2000's.

I think I'll sell what I own, quit my job, and move to another country heeding the call to "step into Macedonia".

Thought bubble now

I think I'll sell what I own, quit my job, and move to another country to give my children a greater experience in life and give them every opportunity to make great decisions in their lives that will make them happy and prosperous.

11

We are like pet dogs that run off with wild dogs...

by dubstepped in

jw
friends

...and need a bullet to the head.

my wife found a post on instagram where some jw nutter claims that either lett or morris said this in a talk.

any confirmation or video of such?

problemaddict 2

I have seen nothing of the sort. Probably anecdotal......although something similar probably would come out of his mouth with ease.

28

Cart work - picture speaks for itself

by doubtfull1799 in

.

problemaddict 2

Cart witnessing is a joke. It is so easy to "get your time in" now its pathetic. Pioneer hours are 50. "campaigns" of handing out tracts let even the most pathetically ignorant of scripture individual run around grabbing hours and auxillary pioneering. Its just a way to coax people into "staying busy" in Jehovahs organization.

These carts are a complete joke. In the busiest places.....I could be around them for a couple hours, with 2-3 people maning them.......with not one single person approaching.