my youngest son showed me a quote that in my opinion describes the mentality within the organization perfectly.
here it is: those that think it is permissible to tell white lies soon grow color blind.
they [the watchtower] adamantly teach that it is okay to ?hide the truth from your enemies,?
What mixed marriages, are sisters/brothers marrying lions or giraffes or dogs? Otherwise, I don't know what you're talking about. Most folks I know marry other human beings."
I like your point! It just kills me that they can say they have no predjudice and when it comes down to it... there is plenty.
(sorry if I got this thread off the direction it was meant to be.. but when I see the word colorblind.. I think race)
ex-jws often excuse behavior of jws (and their own past behavior) in their shunning and other cruel, bizarre practices by saying they're in a high mind-control group.
that's true, it seems to me, to only a certain degree.
the reason i think this is that most jws do, in fact, practice a lot of independent thinking and go against the teachings of the wtbs.
I kept buying into the speech of we are human, we make mistakes and who are we to look at the 'straw' in our brothers eye when there is a 'raft' in our own.. As well as are we serving imperfect MEN? or GOD? I think that one really let me see mistakes which should have shown me hypocrasy in the people, and keep those blinders on and keep forging ahead..
As far as watching the Rated R movies, enjoying libations, etc etc, you even managed to get a feel for who was more lenient than others.. so you could enjoy a movie and drinks with 'friends' who had consciences such as yours..
so are they independent thinkers? I don't think in general they are.. but they do have their weaknesses and ways to try to justify them..
i just had a relitive die in a car accident.
he was not a dubber 100% but went to very few meetings and lived a hard life, drank hard and played hard.
in fact the drinking is what is thought to have caused the crash.
How sad.. What happened to the statement let your yes mean yes. I don't understand this. They probably told this brother he would lose priviledges if he gave the talk. I know elders who were told they would lose their positions if they attended a wedding/reception of a sister marrying someone not yet baptised, as well as brothers who did get reprimanded from Brooklyn for having a memorial service in a KH for a sister who, although recently inactive but NOT doing anything wrong, had commit suicide.
So they will put the pressure on. Sorry to hear about your loss kilroy.
i was a little surprised to learn that many people do not really understand the purpose of jwd.
many are focused on freedom of speech and the fact that this is a "discussion" board.
to some this does seem to go against the heavy moderating the board has seen lately, feeling that discussion is suppressed, some going so far as to suggest that mind control is subtly involved here as in the organization.
....and Lady Lee, that's why you are so well respected here. You are a gem.
I wholeheartedly agree with you minimus..
Rebellion, resentment for authority because of the abuse we suffered, you hit on target, SNS.
If fact I like all of what you said. And I'm glad the board has helped you too.
Thank you jst2laws. I appreciate that. I am being harassed today by someone who apparently has been over here "spying" and then reporting to other 'active' JWs about my posting at an apostate site. Evidentally, the online JW world, has among their gossip grapevine at the moment the wayword way in which I have gone.. I actually posted a seperate thread about it, so I won't go into depth here.. I was talking to a co worker that has been a good friend to me through out this whole thing and she asked me . why not lay low for a while?? why be at this site if it can bring you stress by people finding you there??" I told her because this site is helping me get out... helping me see the way I was programmed and had no idea.. She is so glad I am out and so when I said that.. she said good.. I don't blame you then..
My point... well even though for those trying to just fade.. who don't want their names out there to be recognized, may still risk exposure, but the fact of the matter is, the benefits out weight the drama that comes from being exposed..
i believe there was a topic about disfellowshipping an unbaptized person awhile back but i can't remember enough of the details to find it.. i was speaking with a friend yesterday who was disassociated as a young teenager, complete with a reading to the congregation and shunning, despite the fact that this person was never baptized.. (i tipped my hand a bit by blurting out that they aren't supposed to be able to do that if you aren't baptized.
way to go, smartie!
nice way to play it cool with how much research this non-jw has done, but that's beside the point.).
They wouldn't have used the word disassociated in regard to an unbabtised individual. They could have though called one a disapproved associate. Such a one then was (back then) marked as bad association.
I don't know the answer to that one MAC.. but.. I will welcome you FlyingHighNow... (even if you started a week before me.. ) We love ya here.. glad you made it..
would you recommend it?.
i've got an appointment to see my doctor in less than an hour for some pre-op discussion.
i guess they want to make sure that i am sure!.
I don't think I really want to know..
new jehovahs-witness.com message board opens .
.
ok, ok...probably not really hot news 'cause you already knew about it but i've got to add a few posts haven't i to get things started
memories.... like the corners of my mind.. misty water color memories....
would you recommend it?.
i've got an appointment to see my doctor in less than an hour for some pre-op discussion.
i guess they want to make sure that i am sure!.
i just received my annual un-christmas gift from my mom.
it contained 2 dishtowels, an awake!, a watchtower, 2004 daily text, the book "worship the only true god", and a letter.
the letter was the kicker, in it she directed me to an article she "really appreciated" in the awake!
my mom is sending me a calendar and no doubt the days text.. I don't want them but I know they are coming.. I am sure she'll include the latest WT and AWK too..
I could really use some dishtowels..
