Posts by zarco

24

Fighting the Cult of the Watchtower Good or Bad? Does it Give Your Life Some Meaning?

by frankiespeakin in

jw
friends

ever since i left this mind control cult i have continued to offer resistance in what ever ways i thought good at the time.. but i'm faced with the question: is it good or bad idea?

or how far should i go and to what lengths should i go in my efforts to fight this cult?.

i think being a jw for 29 years has defined a large chunk of my life and to just try to forget about it may be a big mistake.

zarco

Many wage an affective war on the WTS by presenting factual data proving that most if not all of the teachings are false. Others present information showing that the results of living a witness life do not produce the intended outcome and still others demonstrate the hypocritical and ever changing polices of the WTS and the damage such bring to individuals.

Posting information on the board for others to read on their own is also an effective tactic.

For the majority of us, I think the real way to battle the WTS is to prove by example that we are living a good life. Leaving the WTS – at least in our experience – makes people think long term about what they want to do with life. It causes many to get involved with the community, to get educated, to reach out and make friends with non-witnesses and realize that there are some really good people in the world. Some are able to overcome personal problems related to living in a oppressive organization. Bottom line, in my opinion former witnesses are better people than they were as witnesses . The shift in thiking from “from god is going to fix everything’’ to “I need to make a difference” is what makes them/us better. Eventually current witnesses see that life as a former witness is the best way of life and may come make the change themselves, even mentally if they are unable to leave completely. This probably the most effective way to wage war and it is the tactic that we have chosen.

It is nice to see folks on this board doing their part. What a multifaceted and effective attack on the WTS.

zarco

34

did you feel guilty ,when ignoring disfellowshipped ones ?

by looloo in

jw
friends

i was having an affair with a pioneer at the time and a girl who was disfellowshipped was in the loo at the hall (she actually had not done aything scriptually wrong (but the elders thought she had ) i tried to smile at her as i felt i was not in a position to judge anyone as guilt was destroying me but she just looked down at the floor , 14 years later we are good friends and both "free".

when you were "in" and ignored disfellowshipped did you ever think "im not in a position to judge anyone " ?.

zarco

We didn't shun disfellowshipped ones. We observed too many children who were DFed as young ages 13 to 18 and the horror of observing the cruel act and shunning did not fit with our principles. We were not "in your face" about our stance, but we would eat with such ones and reach out to them if they needed anything.

I have said a few times on this board that as an elder I never disfellowshipped anyone. My family has corrected my faulty memory on that. I have, but he was an awful person and I feel comfortable with my actions in that circumstance. But other than that time, we did/do not support the WTS in its crazed, cruel enforcement of misguided laws and rules.

Be sure to hug your favorite DFed person today! I may be a DFed person someday soon and if you shun me I will be pissed :)

zarco

84

when is the memorial this year? and will you be going?

by highdose in

i won't be going if i can help it, but id like a heads up about it, just to be forewarned.

zarco

OM - I would only drink the wine and leave the crappy crackers for someone else. The wine is usually awful, but at least better than the bread. I wonder how they count one who partakes of the wine and not the bread... it will be interesting to see.

zarco

29

Deleted Elders?

by Farkel in

i knew about elders being "deleted" and have commented what a strange and pejorative term that is, but it wasn't until "wtwizard" and "designs" commented on another thread about it that it actually hit home for me.. one cannot step down as an elder with any dignity!

elder's can't quit, with the word "quit" being as in "he quit his job.

" elder's can't resign as in "he resigned as chairman of the board for xyz corp.".

zarco

Farkel - that is really the case. The notification of deletions from the WTS for Elders, MS and Pioneers are all worded the same. The instructions are to read the announcement from the WTS to the congregation. It is rare but at times the brother announcing the "deletion" will say a few kinds words... Things may have changed in the last year, but that was the practice not long ago.

9

The Book of Revelation

by frankiespeakin in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-df4umwyao&feature=channel.

zarco

I am a real fan of Elaine Pagels. She writes and presents in a clear concise manner. Revelation seems to make sense when viewed from the perpective of a prophet named John living in Patmos.

7

whoa some of russells teachings where more correct than current JW teachings please comment

by recovering in

i was on wikipedia looking up some of charles taze russells teachings, look at what i found.

whoa some of russells teachings where more correct than current jw teachings .

please discuss.

zarco

CT had some pretty strange teachings. What is most significant was that he was known as a religious thinker. He did question many main stream beliefs, but many others did the same during his generation (sorry could not resist). He would debate openly.

The biggest difference between the early days and now is that the no one views witnesses as religious thinkers. There are not any significant spiritual or ethical issues that witnesses lead the debate on today. They are known as a fringe religion by some and as crackpots by others... certainly not as thought-leaders.

Both the current and past WT teachings have been proven false. But at least Russel provided information and ideas for meaningful interchange and debate.

62

The status of women in early Christianity

by Leolaia in

the watchtower society maintains a very strict gender dichotomy in its organization.

this is news to no one.

although men -- in many cases, unqualified men -- are expected to reach for advancement within local congregations (e.g.

zarco

Leolaia - I am working my way through your essay. It is thought provoking to say the least. I wonder if the egalitarian movement was an existing social movement that attached itself to early christianity and eventually to gnostic teachings as a way to further its cause or if the “women-friendly” principles found in the movement begat the egalitarian treatment of individuals?

The role of women in supporting the early movements – eventually gnostic and “orthodoxy” – through financial sponsorship, teaching, prophecy and leadership is far greater than I ever realized and critical to early Christianity gaining traction in society – thanks for making me think differently about that.

It seems that much of Christianity today – JWs in particular – get around the issue by focusing on the equal results applied to men and women (heavenly life) rather than equal treatment and opportunity.

A fascinating read…. your research is well outside of my area of expertise. It takes a lot of time to get my linear thinking head around it :)

zarco

41

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-17-10 WT Study (PLACE IN CONGREGATION)

by blondie in

jw
friends

(romans 12:4-8; 1 corinthians 12:12-28; ephesians 4:15, 16; colossians 2:19).

8:34,35.. comments.

4:15.. comments.

zarco

Blondie - as always well done.

The title of the article made me laugh. In our family room we have a spot with a rug and a dog pillow for our dog. It is his place. When he is chewing a bone or doing other things that dogs do, he is told to go to his place. The command is "place". I think the WTS is treating the flock like a dog. The flock's place is similarly on the floor. They also are treated like a an animal in that their thoughts are "dog thoughts" not worthy of being part of the discussion. Maybe the only difference is we treat our dog really well and he is a happy little guy...

zarco

9

Our "Family Worship" Night this week....DVD World's Apart (To Verdener)

by Open mind in

jw
friends

to fully cooperate with the loving counsel from the slave, our family dutifuly watched "young people, what will you do with your life?

" this week.

oh wait.

zarco

OM - We enjoyed the film when it came out... I think it was on On Demand for a while in the IFC section. It is a very thought provoking film. One scene that sticks in my mind is the one when the boyfriend is questioning Sara in a store about the fact that her religion teaches that all these people will be destroyed. He points to different people in the store and asks her if they will die... it is a powerful scene

Family study night at your house sounds like fun!

24

Do the Differences Between Spiritual Beliefs Really Matter?

by daniel-p in

jw
friends

one of the themes i think about every now and again is that of the nature of belief, the purpose of religion, and the presense of truth.. specifically, do the differences between spiritual beliefs really matter?

meaning that, if every religion is just an amalgamation of different combinations of mysticisms, does it really matter if we are protestants, catholics, quakers, mormons, muslims, pagans, jews, or even jehovah's witnesses?

further, does it really matter whether we believe in god or not?

zarco

Good thread, daniel-p.

I think we have come to the personal belief that it doesn't really matter. If there is a god, he has not left clear instructions as to what to do or what to believe and if chooses to harm folks for his own poor instructions, then I don't think he is much of a god anyway. And if there is not a god, then we have to figure stuff out on our own and have to take care of communities, nations and people to the best of our ability. I think the not-a-god path probably makes us better people in that we have to solve our own problems.

God if you are listening, we are rooting for you, but you have a lot of explaining to do :)

zarco