Posts by Fe2O3Girl

135

My theory about the behavior and obsession of some ex-JWs

by Simon in

jw
friends

i've had this theory for some time and alluded to it occassionally but have never explored it in detail.. it is of course a huge generalisation so no, not everyone will fit into the boxes and i'd like people's opinion.

i don't know everyone's circumstances so it's based on a small sample of some of those i do know something about.

it could be completely wrong, it's just an idea.. basically, i have seen a difference between some of those ex-jws who walked out vs those who were kicked out.. the most bitter and obsessive seem to be the kicked out and, i must add, those who were legitimately kicked out.

Fe2O3Girl

Very interesting topic. I really hope that I am, and am seen to be, one of the exceptions to the rules.

I was "kicked out" for commiting adultery. I was a born-in, but I was well aware of the consequences of not following the rules when I was baptized as a child, then married as barely an adult. I expected to be disfellowshipped for my actions, I did not expect anyone not to shun me on the basis of personal friendship or family relationships.

I have been out of the WT for over 14 years. In the first few years after I was forcibly liberated, I explored all sorts of behaviour within legal limits. I had been told all my life that that is what everyone who wasn't a JW was doing. I thought it was normal. It finally dawned on me that everyone wasn't sleeping around, getting blind drunk, swearing constantly and so on.

I found online XJW communities (H2O, Tishie's board) around 1998. The information I found crystallised what I already suspected - JWs were not the "truth". I may have had some robust discussions online but I hope that I have never overstepped the line into abuse and bad manners.

I still check this message board because it is useful to know what is going to affect my parents. I am an ex XJW. I am just normal now.

On a related theme, I was thinking recently about what a shame it is that hateful people have forced Simon to withdraw this forum - and from within the XJW community! I have tended to think that the WT is losing the cream of it's flock - the kindest, the cleverest and the most conscientious. However, JWs are a cross-section of the wider community, a mixture of good and bad, nice and nasty, and to some extent that is going to be reflected in the XJW community too. Some of us are too good to be JWs, and some aren't good enough.

24

JW splinter groups..

by fb130 in

jw
friends

i was just wondering.

has the idea ever been brought up of a group breaking away from wts & forming some sort of reformed jw church that isn't so controlling.

like lurther & the catholic church.

Fe2O3Girl

It is the control which is so compelling to the members!

I agree Terry. I think that people hoping for reform from the top miss the point that some, if not most JWs like the control. If the Watchtower became more mainstream, there would be breakaway groups maintaining the high control regime. It isn't as simple as opening the cage doors.

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

Why? Why shouldn't the employees of small businesses get the same protection as other employees?

24

JW splinter groups..

by fb130 in

jw
friends

i was just wondering.

has the idea ever been brought up of a group breaking away from wts & forming some sort of reformed jw church that isn't so controlling.

like lurther & the catholic church.

Fe2O3Girl

Just another thought. If you wanted a less controlling version of the JWs, how would you maintain things like political neutrality or door to door magazine presenting (it isn't really preaching, is it?) How many JWs would go door knocking if they didn't have to report their hours, for instance? JWs aren't winning souls: the door to door work is hopelessly ineffective.

How would you censure members who didn't toe the slightly less controlling line without judicial kangaroo courts and shunning?

24

JW splinter groups..

by fb130 in

jw
friends

i was just wondering.

has the idea ever been brought up of a group breaking away from wts & forming some sort of reformed jw church that isn't so controlling.

like lurther & the catholic church.

Fe2O3Girl

JWs are a splinter group of the Bible Students.

There are splinter groups in the Eastern bloc who have rejected the many changes in teaching since they were cut off from the Watchtower Society during the cold war. When the cold war ended they thought that the Brooklyn leadership had apostacized!

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

Satanus - what's your point?

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

I keep saying:

YOU CAN SMOKE IN YOUR OWN CAR!!!!!!!

He was fined because the official believed he was smoking in a business vehicle. If it is his own vehicle, not insured for business use, and not offset against tax for business purposes, he can smoke in it to his heart's content!!!

You can smoke in your own private vehicle.

You can smoke in your own vehicle.

How is this complicated?

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

"That" is already happening - does anyone seem bothered?

"This" is a debatable example. In the UK, you can smoke in your own car, your own house, your own garden, any street, or outdoor space. If you don't smoke, you can work, eat a meal or have a drink without breathing someone else's smoke.

Are there areas of the USA where it is illegal to drink in public areas? Is that an infringement of civil rights?

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

The ban on smoking does not apply to private vehicles, only to work vehicles. If, as Mr Williams is asserting, his van is his private vehicle, then he has grounds to have the fine overturned.

I have serious concerns about the level of surveillance and bureaucracy in my country, for example, legislation has already been passed that will oblige me to pay for an identity card linked to a national identity database. Bleating about one debatable example of laws designed to protect health distracts from far more important issues.

35

smoking in uk?

by John Doe in

jw
friends

sorry, don't know the original source for this.

thoughts?.

a painter and decorator who received a 30 fine for smoking in his own van has warned that british civil liberties are "going up in smoke".. .

Fe2O3Girl

It is of course a shocking infringment of civil liberties to be protected from second hand smoke in the workplace. As Mr Williams was wearing work clothes and his passenger, also a painter and decorator but a friend not a workmate was with him, it certainly looked like he was in a work vehicle with a colleague. If he can show that his vehicle is not used for work (not insured for business and not tax deductible) he can appeal to have the fine overturned.