steve2

Joined

• started 147 topics
• posted 15,796 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by steve2

• 
  21

  What can a therapist really do?

  by Thetruthhurts in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  hi all, i've not read the forums for awhile as i've been trying to move on with my life but i'm back and posting for the first time feeling like i cant get a grip.

  so i'm wondering for those of you that have seen a therapist and say that it truly helps, what can be accomplished?

  i'm just really skeptical, but starting to feel desperate.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  Great question.

  Here's my answer as a clinical psychologist (and ex-JW):

  A well-trained and experienced therapist can teach relevant skills on how to effectively handle distress and regulate your emotions (instead of feeling overwhelmed and hypervigilant all the time), or help you process, better understand and resolve what you've been through, or teach practical, step-wise problem solving.

  It depends on what you're immediate needs are and what the therapist offers. In my view, it helps if the therapist has some understanding of the harm caused by high control religious groups but if the therapist has been well trained - especially in the area of trauma - they will be able to help you.

  On the other hand, I'd avoid like the plague therapists who simply offer counselling because while it may provide some (short term) relief to talk through your problems unless you learn strategies and new behaviours, "talking things through" is seldom effective in the long term for moving beyond traumatic experiences and finding a way to develop healthy life goals.
• 
  16

  The infamous WT article "Why Has God Been So Patient?"

  by days of future passed in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i went to my sister's house because she was cleaning out the garage and she thought i must have tons of stuff left there.

  i didn't but there was a box of unplaced mags in one.

  i pulled out one when i got home and it was this one.. i'm sure that if i had read it when it came out, i would have felt that the wt had feelings of sadness over these children.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  There is so much that is wrong-headed about the article.

  Firstly, how would any JW feel if their child were featured in such a classically negative and manipulative way on the cover of a widely distributed magazine whose main article "feeds off" human desperation? The article has absolutely nothing of value to offer but future promises. God is not slow indeed for those who already have food in their belly but for those on the edge of death His slowness equals death. How dare the well-fed writer(s) quote the words from 1 Peter when people are dying.

  Secondly, the article is not pitched at the organizations, scientists, volunteers and others who have devoted their lives to helping those suffering from extreme poverty. It is pitched to the well fed people who are as far removed from the desperate plight of human suffering and who are comfortable enough to read this kind of lame rubbish.

  Thirdly - and with no disrespect to those still suffering from extreme poverty - but since the article was printed nearly 30 years ago (1991) - the extent of extreme poverty in the world has decreased significantly. Of course extreme poverty still exists - but its scale has dropped.

  Fourthly, if the organizations, scientists, volunteers and others who strive to help those living in poverty had somehow heard about and subsequently accepted and embraced JW organization's notoriously passive line about leaving the solution in Jehovah's hands, the world would currently have an even greater proportion of humans suffering extreme poverty. Look at countries like Bangladesh which once was one of the "poster" nations of extreme and burgeoning poverty: The standard of living in that country had improved exponentially in recent years beyond all predictions and expectations.

  JWs' line on poverty suits the mindset of those who are NOT in the grip of extreme poverty for those near to or suffering from it do not have the luxury of using such poverty as an entry in preaching a useless message about a tomorrow of plenty than never ever comes.
• 
  13

  Reaching out

  by Reg andeson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi everyone my name is reg anderson i am from new brunswick canada.

  i have currently relocated to toronto canada.

  i am currntly working in downtown toronto .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  I wondered if Reg is who he said he is (looking for a local congregation of JWs).

  In a large city such as Toronto it is so easy to locate local congregations of JWs; there are more than 20 kingdom halls in the larger Toronto metropolitan area.
• 
  19

  Our Spiritual Heritage of Failed Expectations

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  last sunday's watchtower tells the story of a man who:.

  was baptized in 1908 at the age of 20. he was very confident that he would soon receive his reward.

  in fact, when he proposed marriage in 1911, he told his prospective bride, pearl: “you know what is going to happen in 1914. if we are going to get married, we better do it soon!” did this christian couple give up the race for life when they did not receive their heavenly reward in 1914?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  Halt everything people. Check the small print in your life insurance policy regarding payouts. It says "In Jehovah's due time". And you thought it was just around the corner. Always - but always - check the small print.
• 
  20

  Satan is abyssed for 1000 years and when released, immediately asks...

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. social
  2. humour

  ... "has brexit been sorted out yet?

  ".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  Jehovah, why didn't you destroy me when I first rebelled instead of letting this drag on for thousands upon thousands of years and cost unending millions of human lives?
• 
  18

  Post convention grumps..

  by zeb in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hm of you with a divided house have to put up with this?

  in this house its walking a mine field.. also our little cat has been gone for some 24 hours and her absence is also my fault apparently..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  zeb, what do you put the "post convention grumps" down to? Most JWs I know are on a spiritual/self-righteous high after conventions - they're intolerable for a different reason than the one you mention.
• 
  10

  Why Register (R) jw dot org?

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so, on paragraph 9 of last's week wt study (number 30), i see the are showing the registered symbol next to jw.borg.

  why would you register a website in that circusntance?

  i've never seem that before.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  As the 100-plus year association with the Watchtower symbol recedes into the past, "JW org" with its white on blue grows in branding stature and brand recognition. Soon, if you refer to JW organization as "The Watchtower" young readers will wonder what or who you're talking about. Watchtower symbolism is gradually being replaced.

  The word Watchtower has accrued a lot of negative connotations in more recent decades. While past associations were about watchtowers being used to detect danger on the horizon, in the 20th and 21st centuries, negative meanings accrue around surveillance and "Big Brother" welding it over a captive group as when prisons use watchtowers to keep inmates under surveillance. The GB quickly sees the irony in people talking about the organization being a high control group and its having a Watchtower branding.
• 
  29

  Activism works! Success!

  by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  want to keep as short as possible, if any questions just ask.. just this weekend gone, i had two visitors (pimi single bros).they came round for a visit and a long chat.they had so many questions now that they have woken.

  they are planning their fading(??

  ), one is an ministerial servant .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  That's a nice approach zing! But isn't it a little premature to call it a success? I couldn't tell from your intriguing post the number of times they have returned.
• 
  7

  I speculate many Japanese PIMI are visiting apostate websites to collect information

  by yoko N in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i run a japanese blog which exposes jw's hidden scandals.

  child abuse issues, court cases which are never to be published on jw official website.

  it is a very serious blog.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  My view is that the video is too confrontational to Japanese viewers whether or not they are JWs. No wonder visits plummeted.

  Poor judgement behind featuring the video on your site which in my view is simply too shocking and tasteless.
• 
  13

  Did you ever thought this?

  by Theonlyoneleft in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so.. you are a jw or studying, living your life and doing your bit, feverish of spreading the good news to everyone that will listen!.

  you prep yourself for meetings, doing your ministry and applying all that there is into your daily life.. so....i have a question... you know... my clogs.

  when you where completely in the religion, did you ever think about the impact of your way of life and religion towards others, specially those that lived around you such as good friends or family members that didn’t studied?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  steve2

  When you believe that your group - and your group alone - has "the truth", you do not see any of these as double standards - you see them as necessary actions to protect the integrity of your faith. For example, because they're seen as "false", it makes complete sense that members of churches of Christendom should be invited to question their church's teaching and policies but I shouldn't have to question my religion because it's the truth. Arrogant thinking admittedly, but it makes sense within the confines of an exclusivist belief system.