Posts by hybridous

16

The Watchtower Injures Families and Hurts Kids

by metatron in

jw
friends

i've made this point before but it bears repeating.. the watchtower, with its extreme standards, injures.

families and hurts kids.. parents have a responsibility to teach and safeguard.

their kids.

hybridous

Wow, what a great post. Count me as another one who, because of the f-ed up WT religion, went off the deep end when I got old enough to. I know exactly what you're talking about.

I had enough of leading the overly sheltered and protected JW life. I had enough of not doing all the normal 'bad' things that normal kids did. So I did EVERYTHING...which led me to some REALLY BAD things. Overall, I can chalk it up to a lack of balance during my formative years. Somehow, I made it through my period of 'backlash'. I thank God every day that I didn't die driving hammered or die overdosed on coke.

All you witness parents lurking out there, listen to this! Imagine the exact life you don't want your kids to lead...I led it. And I will not, for one moment, place the blame on mother. She did what she thought she had to...follow the instructions of the WT cult leaders. She allowed as much as she could, but the line was still there...that was 'them'...this was 'us'. I had/have almost no friends from school. I was determined to make up for all I missed, or thought I missed.

You know what? I don't think that these feelings were unintentional. These freakish life rules were carefully created to 'section off' JW kids from other kids. If you're running a cult, you want your members seperated from others, somehow. I'm too worked up now...maybe I'll add more on this later.

20

Are JW's starting there own college?

by VeniceIT in

jw
friends

i just recieved this today and thought i'd post it!.

a friend heard (already hearsay, right?

) that the wt society is thinking about or is already in the process of setting up a college.

hybridous

A great quote from my grandad...'College(university) isn't great because of what you learn...it's great because it teaches you how to think.'

I really believe that. I'm working my way through a science degree, and the more I learn, the more I see that I don't know squat. I think that it's really true...ignorance IS bliss.

Given that, I would be very surprised to see the WT set up any kind of official college or university. I don't know how many of you have current/everyday contact with JWs, but you you might be surprised to know how many still have a negative view of education (besides the TMS). I just think that it wouldn't go over well with the old-timers (or old-minded).

The WT would be committing suicide by educating the JW youth. Learn to research a topic and evaluate information, and that skill will stay with you, through ALL things you might research. Think the WT wants its members to research its past & former beliefs? I don't.

Anyways, I don't think it will happen, but I would be delighted if it did.

4

Who is the "Evil Slave"?

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

i was wondering who the wt teaches who is the "evil slave" today?.

since that "evil slave" comes forth from the "faithful slave" and it is generally accepted that most were "called" prior to 1935, then one would assume that most of the evil slave class would be pre-1935 as well.. since this really becomes ridiculous to think that 80 + year old people are going around "beating their fellow slaves", has the society given a recent clear interpretations of who this slave is?.

it would seem as time goes on, they will have to clarify this and such a clarification could make holding onto their present definition of who the "faithful slave " is more difficult.. path

hybridous

I went to an assembly a few years ago, out of pity for my mother...

Outside the arena there were some protesters who held up pro-Christian signs. I was walking with my JW sister and asked 'who are those people'.

She replied, 'Oh, they're just apostates. The evil slave.'

So, I'm not sure if she was reflecting current WT teaching or not. My guess is, she was. It would suit the WT to classify anyone who disagreed with them as the 'evil slave.'

7

which rules if dropped would affect the Jw most?

by nojw86 in

jw
friends

the dropping of five weekly meetings to just one.

no longer turning in field service slips.

being able to smoke again if you did.

hybridous

BTW...CornerStone, the WT has already made a 'preemptive strike' (sp?) regarding the downward spiral. I remember reading in a WT not too long ago (< 1 year) that size & numbers are NO indication of wether an organization has God's blessing.

Obvoiusly, the WT has 'seen' the future, and it is not good. Always ready to dispel any fears, they cite the comparitively small number of Jews compared to the other nations during Bible times. They know that smaller numbers in developed countries could scare the r & f, so they explain it away. Surprised? I'm not.

7

which rules if dropped would affect the Jw most?

by nojw86 in

jw
friends

the dropping of five weekly meetings to just one.

no longer turning in field service slips.

being able to smoke again if you did.

hybridous

Farkel, you've been on fire with your last couple of posts...first, that one about 'new light', and now this.

I totally agree. Shunning is the fulcrum on which the JW world balances. Take away the penalty of shunning, and JWs are bound to make decisions based on their conscience, regarding all matters. Without the prospect of lost friends & family hanging over their (r & f)heads, what power does the WT have to enforce its laws?

CornerStone makes a good point about the meeting frequency, tho. The heavy meeting schedule is designed to leave little room for other 'distractions'. Without that, JWs have time to do A LOT of other things(like think)...and no good can come to the WT from that.

32

Need to vent... advice is welcome

by SlayerLayer in

jw
friends

when i was 13, all of the other kids in my congregation were taking home school, getting them out of the "bad association" in public school.

they talked me into it too.. of course, at 13 trying to get me to actually do the schooling was a feat that no one could master.. i worked for a brother in the cong.

full time, and never finished the schooling.. so...flash forward.

hybridous

SL, I would agree with all that's been said here. You did a great job with that South Park thing, obviously, you are not without talent.

Jimmyjames said something that I've been saying all along...essentially the time is gonna go by wether you do something - or nothing. May as well do something.

These days, a 2 year computer degree is worth as much, if not more than, a lot of Bachelors and Masters degrees. You seem to have some intrest & skill in that area. I would give it some consideration.

My girlfriend graduated this afternoon with a Masters degree. I am as proud as heck. I'm still working on the Bachelors - going after work most days. I won't tell you it easy, but I believe that the time is well spent.

Sometimes, when I let my jealously get the better of me, I become resentful. She's out of school with a MS and owes no money. For her, there was no cult upbringing & the family had the money to give her. Why couldn't my situation have been as easy?! My family doesen't/didn't have that kind of money. I wasted 2 years in community college drifting around without direction, trying to figure out what to do. Those kind of thoughts ultimately do me no good, so I try to rid myself of them.

Whatever you decide, I wish you luck. Keep me updated on your situation. [email protected]

HYBRIDOUS

13

Need advice

by hybridous in

jw
friends

my 17 year old brother is a model witness for the local congregation.

he's been baptized for a couple of years now.

my jw mom is quite liberal...she has allowed us kids to play sports, be in school plays...etc.

hybridous

Thank you all for your honest evaluation. I'm gonna bite my tongue, keep quiet, and let events unfold as they should - at their natural pace - not rushed along by me. I plan to be there for my brother if/when things go downhill for him. I'll keep all of you posted on the matter.

Thanks again,

HYBRIDOUS

13

Need advice

by hybridous in

jw
friends

my 17 year old brother is a model witness for the local congregation.

he's been baptized for a couple of years now.

my jw mom is quite liberal...she has allowed us kids to play sports, be in school plays...etc.

hybridous

My 17 year old brother is a model witness for the local congregation. He's been baptized for a couple of years now. My JW mom is quite liberal...she has allowed us kids to play sports, be in school plays...etc. My younger brother is a star athlete, and in the top 10 of his class. He's quite popular in school despite the oddities of being a JW.

This is my dilemma. I know that he's seeing a 'worldly' girl on the sneak. I personally have no problem with this, as I wanted to do the same at his age. But I don't know how to handle this with him, or if I should have anything to do with this at all.

I thought about ratting on him to my mom or JW sister, in the hopes that when the sheet hit the fan, the backlash might inspire him to leave the cult. This, however, would make me the worlds biggest hypocrite. I did the same at his age, but for me, the stakes weren't as high. I wasn't baptised & therefore couldn't be DFd. He can, and I worry about the possible consequences of his actions.

What do you people think? Should I let him know that I know what's going on? He doesen't know I'm on top of things like this, but there's no way it could escape me. He's a great kid and I pay a much attention to him, as i would prefer he avoid the mistakes I've made in life.

This is so tough for me...he sneaks around, even in front of me. I guess he's not comfortable talking to me about it. But I'm not a JW and I don't have any 'responsibility' to the elders of the congregation...and he knows and understands this...I think.

I've pretty much resigned myself to shutting up and watching things unfold. If I ratted on him, besides hating myself for it, he'd probably hate me too, and rightfully so...despite my best intentions.

You don't have to tell me the JW code of actions and consequences...I was raised JW and bailed before baptism...I know the way things work. I was just hoping that you might offer some advice or insight concerning this matter.

Thanks in advance,

HYBRIDOUS

29

Things That NEVER Made Sense To Me:

by Englishman in

jw
friends

even when i was a dyed in the wool jw, there were a few things that never made any sense whatsoever to me.

like most dubs, i glossed over them, here's my top 3 doubts during my period of dubdom, doubts that were never resolved:.

"all scripture is inspired of god and beneficial for teaching".

hybridous

How about this one...

If the earth is to be a paradise where the lion & lamb get along (no longer hunter and prey), how would nature continue to function?

The assumption is made that animals would stop preying on humans and EACH OTHER...but isn't nature dependent on aminals living & dying? Nature needs animals to die...it's as simple as that, for a whole list of reasons from population control to soil regeneration.

Along those lines, consider this...if evolution did not happen (that is, more or less, the animals are as God designed) wouldn't changing their behavior in paradise amount to the fact that the animals in Adam's day (who presumably DID hunt & eat each other) were NOT part of a perfect paradise? Summarily, if the animals were perfect in paradise - they were NOT perfect in the beginning.

I mean, come on...if the lion & great white shark were specifically designed by God and have remained basically unchanged to the present, weren't they intended to eat meat?

How many times has a spider's web been used by the Awake magazine to illustrate God's superior design? Too bad the spider web serves no purpose in a paradise where animals no longer prey on each other. And too bad the average witless doesen't question the discrepancies of these beliefs. It can't be both ways!

Anyone with anything else to add on this subject, please do so...this one has been killin' me.

13

Pleased to meet you....hope you guess my name

by hybridous in

jw
friends

hello, message board.. i've been a-lurkin here for a while.

i introduced myself to the old hourglass board right before it went down - didn't have much of a chance to say anything.. but i would like to express how much i appreciate all the contributions you all make to the discussions that go on here.

if you only knew how much your words and stories have been helping me to resolve my issues..... i guess that my hope is that i can, in some small way, relate my experiences and thoughts, and maybe that will also help someone else along the way.. once again, thank you for being here (& there).

hybridous

Yes, Wendy....that would be me.

And Stephen, you know who killed the Kennedys...look in the mirror, and I'll be standing there next to ya.

My thanks to you all for the warm welcome.