done4good

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Posts by done4good

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  11

  Are JW's Fundamentalist Christians

  by What is Truth? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  top ten signs you're a fundamentalist christian.

  10 - you vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.. .

  9 - you feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the biblical claim that we were created from dirt.. .

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  done4good

  Agree with Phizzy, that not every detail in the list matches perfectly, but the concepts fit well.

  The WT is most definately fundamentalist in the broader sense of the term in modern usage, since fundamentalism is mostly defined as a strict adherence to beliefs, dispite modern understanding of science, history, etc.

  In the more strict sense, Christian Fundamentalism is a very specific American brand of Protestant Christiology that was developed during the 19th century in response to Darwin, Paine, and others that were considered to be undermining traditional Christian beliefs. The WT is somewhat of a hybrid at best when considered in comparison to the strict definition of the term.

  d4g
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  36

  Why JW assemblies NEED to change

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the assemblies would be get better results and get more people to come and be inspired if they were more encouraging.

  instead the assemblies are a giant guilt trip.

  don't go to college, don't get a good job, dont buy things even if you can afford them, don't play violent games, don't flirt.

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  done4good

  I have said this recently on another thread, (concerning shunning), and I will say it again here.

  The WT is a social meme, or organism that has evolved precisely because of very specific attributes that work together and interact with each other, and the environment that they exist in. If any one of these critical attrbutes is removed or changed, the interaction of those parts change. This would likely break the "working" formula the WT has used for the last 135 or so years, and as a result, it would implode in relatively short order. The structure of assemblies is another one of these many required attributes, and will not change.

  What often appears to be the biggest problems for the WT, (such as mind numbing talks, guilt trips, judgmentalism, shunning, etc.), are the very things that have kept it running all of those years. The key difference, is the environment, or society at large, has changed. This presents the biggest threat to the organization in the long run, and will cause its eventual collapse. The best and brightest are the ones filing out, as these ones are a subset of society at large.

  d4g
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  46

  I think my D.O. Is a closet apostate. References Stanford Prison Study and hints he sometimes disagrees with the Branch

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i find it odd that the district overseer today made.

  1. zero yes 0 references to the fds in any of his talks.. 2.he also told elders that the brothers worship god and not them.so therefore the elders have no authority to order the friends around.. 3. he also talked about the stanford prison study and said that people who receive authority over others often abuse it.

  4. he mentioned that when he disagrees with the branch (aka the fds) he's learned to just do what they say.

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  done4good

  I have noticed there is a "good cop/bad cop" relationship between DOs and COs. Not sure if that is coming into play here. I would still be careful how you approach any subject with these guys.
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  46

  I think my D.O. Is a closet apostate. References Stanford Prison Study and hints he sometimes disagrees with the Branch

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i find it odd that the district overseer today made.

  1. zero yes 0 references to the fds in any of his talks.. 2.he also told elders that the brothers worship god and not them.so therefore the elders have no authority to order the friends around.. 3. he also talked about the stanford prison study and said that people who receive authority over others often abuse it.

  4. he mentioned that when he disagrees with the branch (aka the fds) he's learned to just do what they say.

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  done4good

  I would not say for certain the DO is an apostate in the knowing TTATT sense.

  Many, many people in the organization do not agree with much of what goes on in it, (both what is sanctioned and by more indirect means), and in their more honest moments, might even say so. They are full of cognitive dissonance, and at times do try to resolve that dissonance correctly.

  Dare to point these things out to them, and see how quickly they will attempt to resolve that dissonance by fully invoking the cult persona.

  d4g
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  6

  Article: Why are Millennials less religious? It's not just because of gay marriage

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://theweek.com/article/index/257009/why-are-millennials-less-religious-its-not-just-because-of-gay-marriage.

  why are millennials less religious?

  it's not just because of gay marriage.

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  done4good

  Good post, Barbara.

  A bit off topic from the title of the OP, but I think the general direction of politization of religion, (and yes, even in a fairly liberal state like NJ we see these GOP funded billboards everywhere, mentioning all of the subjects mentioned in the article), is causing not only millenials, but all "normal" people to move away from religion and any group that either supports it or potentially might support it.

  IMO, I think all fundies are running scared of reality, actually. It is not just a problem for the WT.

  d4g
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  32

  Do You Honestly Believe That You Would Have Officially Left The JW Religion If They Didn't Shun You?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i left as an inactive person.

  i pretty much have been left alone by the elders and witnesses, as far as being hounded.. i know of many that either disassociated or got disfellowshipped.. i'm wondering if you think you would have remained a jw, in name only, if the religion (cult) didn't shun and penalize as they do..

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  done4good

  I am not entirely sure this question is relevant to what the JW religion actually "is".

  The JW religion is a social meme with very specific attributes that allow it to exist. One of those principal attributes is the shunning policy. If this were removed, the product that is the JW religion would either not exist, or would be something very different from what we know. The whole of something is not really the sum of its parts, but rather the product of the interaction of those parts, along with the environment it operates within, (society at large).

  I doubt very much I, or most here who have been a JW for any part of adulthood, would have been one long without the shunning policy. As a result, the organization manages to keep members, (therefore exist), because of it.

  d4g
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  15

  Our 10th Wedding Anniversary today.

  by quellycatface in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello everybody peeps.. i got married out of the troof.

  they said it wouldn't last etc.. hasn't been easy.

  my hubs is still my best buddy.. and i ain't a jw no more.

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  done4good

  Congrats QCF!!!

  I was married 10 horrible years to my JW ex...

  Now 7+ (8 years living together), with a wonderful never been a jw girl...Never been happier!

  d4g
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  25

  What did you lose your virginity to JWN? Before or after leaving the JWs?

  by usualusername in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i visited this site about 2 years after leaving?.

  when did you first visit jwn?.

  paul.

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  done4good

  I figured things out on my own. I never would have come to an "apostate" site otherwise. I was out both mentally and physically for about 3 months before I became curious enough to validate my thoughts. That was in 2006.
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  76

  Bizarre comment about jw.org at SAD

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  recently attended a sad.. bethel speaker was gushing about the wt's embrace of new technology, in the part of his talk warning about "apostate" web sites.. a loose summary of his comments:.

  "and the brothers at headquarters have made it very safe for you to go to our website.

  in fact, the brothers talked to the folks at google, and they made a special arrangement so that when you type in 'j w period' into the google search engine, it automatically shows you the jw.org website.

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  done4good

  Absolute nonsense about getting Google to change how their search algorithm works.

  This is just another piece of evidence of how fearful they are. They were backed into a wall having to adopt technology, both the Internet, (20 years late), and mobile applications, partly to remain relevant in today's society, but also largely for economic reasons. They had no choice.

  Peer to peer computer networks, (and the Internet is the mother of them all), are decentralized by design, and redistribute power away from a central source. A hierarchial, authoritarian, high control group like WT wants anything but to be decentralized, and they are running scared for sure.

  Popcorn anyone?

  d4g
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  19

  The Watchtower: Does This Game Of Jenga Ever End?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are a great many fine posts here - and some from 8 years back - detailing how apathetic and perfunctory the organization has become.. and yet, it still stands, doesn't it?.

  is there any point to be reached in this apparent 'experiment in sociology' in which they wake up and say 'screw this?

  ' if they crammed 10 congregations into one hall and stole the money, would any witnesses wake up?

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  done4good

  It will take time, but the WT is in decline, for sure.

  Because many are hurt, they want to see the WT collapse soon. This is in the obvious hope that their loved ones will leave, because they see no other way for them to get out. The truth is, if someone REALLY is of that sort, a collapse of WT will not matter. These poor folks will either find another high control group to join, or loose thier sense of well being altogether. Fortunately, most people do have their limits.

  The ones capable of leaving will leave once a certain threshold is exceeded. This is usually caused by something hurtful or disruptive enough to their own lives in some manner. This is what happened to most of us, and we should not expect anything different of anyone else still in. I know some very intelligent people that cannot see their way out, but would if it hit home close enough.

  The bottom line is, don't hold out for the collapse. It will happen eventually, but will not cause some mass exodus to get our loved ones out. It will be a long, slow brain drain, where the organization's best and brightest will leave as they are pushed too far.

  d4g