http://www.factnet.org/rancho1.htm.
http://www.factnet.org/headlines/destructive_cult_warning_signs.html.
i found this information useful.
http://www.factnet.org/rancho1.htm
http://www.factnet.org/headlines/destructive_cult_warning_signs.html
I found this information useful. There is heaps more out there too. Just do a google search on mind control / cult etc.
Hope it helps!
It helped me look at things from an 'outside the box, looking in' perspective rather than an 'inside the box attempting to look out but not really succeeding' one.
thought this one was quite creepy - the article to be studied january 11-17 "treasure your place in the congregation", page 13 para 5 reads (italics mine):.
"the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience" is so widespread that it is like the air we breathe.
(eph.
oh my bad - "submission" is meant to be "submissive".
another gem from the same edition - article to be studied december 28 - january 3 (which most will miss lol coz of summer vacation) entitled "what do your prayers say about you?
" page 6 para 19 reads:.
19 when we are being represented in public prayer, we need to display reverential "fear of god.
Another gem from the same edition - article to be studied December 28 - January 3 (which most will miss lol coz of summer vacation) entitled "What do Your Prayers Say About You?" page 6 para 19 reads:
19 When we are being represented in public prayer, we need to display reverential "fear of God." (1 Pet 2:17) There may be a proper time and place for some actions that would be inappropriate at a Christian meeting. (Eccl 3:1) For instance, suppose someone sought to have all in a group link arms or hold hands during prayer. This might offend or distract some, including visitors who do not share our beliefs. Some marriage mates might discreetly hold hands, but if they embraced each other during public prayer, those who got a glimpse of such conduct might be stumbled. They might think or get the impression that the couple was focusing on their romantic relationship instead of reverence for Jehovah. Out of deep respect for him, let us therefore "do all things for God's glory" and avoid conduct that could distract, shock or stumble anyone. - 1 Cor 10:31,32; 2 Cor 6:3.
Again, the whole 'you must love God more than your spouse' thing.
Every meeting I have to attend next year I'm going for the pash during prayer now!!! lol.
I hate the whole 'don't do anything that could possibly stumble ANYONE' mantra. If they don't like what I do, they can suck it up.
thought this one was quite creepy - the article to be studied january 11-17 "treasure your place in the congregation", page 13 para 5 reads (italics mine):.
"the spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience" is so widespread that it is like the air we breathe.
(eph.
Thought this one was quite creepy - the article to be studied January 11-17 "Treasure Your Place in the Congregation", page 13 para 5 reads (italics mine):
5. "The spirit that now operates in the sons of disobedience" is so widespread that it is like the air we breathe. (Eph. 2:2) That spirit can cause us to think that we do not need guidance from Jehovah's organization. Surely we do not want to be like Diotrephes, who would not 'receive anything from the apostle John with respect.' (3 John 9,10) We need to guard against developing a spirit of independence. By word or action, may we never challenge the channel of communication that Jehovah is using today. (Num 16:1-3) On the contrary, we should cherish our privilege to cooperate with the slave class. And should we not strive to be obedient and submission to those taking the lead in our local congrgation? - Read Hebrews 13:7,17.
Sorry can't scan as scanner is somewhere in the pile of stuff that is my house at the moment (renovations).
Reading stuff like this really gets me mad!
This particular study edition also has another two page shameless request for money entitled "Cheerful Giving from the Heart", with an 'accompanying box' setting out some ways - it takes up most of the two page spread.
smoked.
got drunk.
taken drugs (non medicinal).
hahaha I was your typical drunken teenager (as in throwing up and passing out) almost every weekend from age 17 to 19, then maybe once a month or so. still have my binge nights occasionally but the older I get the worse the hangovers get :(
smoking no, it's not something I could ever see myself doing.
did you ever think there were monster under your be4d or closets.
I was scared of the dark from about 7 to 14 yrs old.
My parents had a huge creepy dark house made of wood, with dim lighting, and they kept on going on about demons, then told me I was bringing demons into the house when I brought home books from the school library that had supernatural stuff in them. They even banished some of my books to the rubbish bin outside overnight so the demons couldn't get us 0_o. And I got smacked/beaten heaps. I used to have nightmares about things coming into my room and knocking over the furniture, like all the demon rumours going around at the time.
They then suggested I read through all the old watchtower and awake volumes they had (from the early 60's to mid 90's)... which led to me pointing out all the inconsistancies I could find regarding parenting and attitudes. Of course I got smacked and told off for my efforts. Little did they know they about the monster they were creating lol
i posted this a before under an other topis, but i think it's a good question for a new topic!.
one of the things i never understout as a young kid was this:.
the question i had as a kid was: if god is almighty than he would of known that adam and eve and....satan... and demons....would sin before he even created anything.. my father who was an elder back then could never give me a good answer.... my dad would say something like because it's was necessary for god to show us and the angels, we can only have a good live if we live it like god wants .
If god does indeed exist, wouldn't it have been more 'god-like' and demostrative of the fruitage of the spirit (or aspects of, whatever) for him to simply forgive satan, and adam and eve, and move on (be mild, long-suffering, forgiving etc) ?
Why make a big deal out of it and insist on proving himself right/'vindicating his sovereignty' for thousands of years at the expense of the lives of well, 6 billion + people? Isn't that a little childish? Like two kids fighting over other friends - "see they love ME, not you. Nah nah nah".
(why make a 'test' in the first place if he 'knew' that humans would fail??)
unsure if there is another thread on this, but i just wanted to put my two cents out there.. it seems that there are certain people in my cong who either have nothing better to do, or are self appointed saviours, who have apparently been monitoring my social networking page.
they were my friends on said page, because i actually am/was friends with a few, not good, but still, friendly enough.
i thought i had my settings so that they couldn't see most things, but apparently i wasn't vigilant enough!.
Haha well I got my special talk alright, the local needs talk was all about moi! moi! moi!
And apparently someone else as they mentioned that someone had taken a quiz called "what drug am I" and had gotten the result Mushroom. I got Ecstacy... Also about people being friends with df'd family, again not me (but I have df'd friends...)
They quoted word for word the quiz result from my page. And then did the whole 'do we want to be associated with Satan's world' blah blah thing. Talk about public humiliation! Not that I actually care that much, it was just a bit of a massive over reation for something so small.
I kind of laughed my way through the talk, I couldn't help it, it was so over the top and ridiculous. They even got the PO to give it. roflmao.
I got audio too... can we post audio attachments here?
It was just another push out the door as far as I'm concerned. Thanks to them, I'm well on my way out now! Wish me luck! Bahahaha
unsure if there is another thread on this, but i just wanted to put my two cents out there.. it seems that there are certain people in my cong who either have nothing better to do, or are self appointed saviours, who have apparently been monitoring my social networking page.
they were my friends on said page, because i actually am/was friends with a few, not good, but still, friendly enough.
i thought i had my settings so that they couldn't see most things, but apparently i wasn't vigilant enough!.
MissingLink: Unfortunately I can't get the sound brother to record it for me, because he'll be either someone who I know fairly well, or one of the people I suspect 'dobbed' me in (due to recent removal of themselves as my friend on said social networking site - before I ditched all JW friends). I can however attempt to record it using a voice recording app on my phone.
It was a bit weird that they went straight to the elders, I agree. That will be my next line of amunition, should they bring this up with me again, or even attempt to bring up any issue with me! In my eyes it's a good thing they are not going about it how they are taught to from the Bible - it demonstrates to my husband how things aren't right. So yay for them being fools, they're just working in my favour.
AWAKE&WATCHING: I'm quite happy for him (if he does even exist!) to go all devious on my ass... The whole wrestling with Satan thing sounds strangely appealing - so long as there's spandex and jelly involved ;D bahahahah. I don't think I was meant for religion somehow.
bizzybee's comment about the elders encouraging her at 19 to marry the 40+ yr old widow with 4 kids made me remember similar stuff.. the elders encouraged me as a young brother to stay single.
some of the younger sisters seemed to like me, but the friends in the congregations i visited always wanted me to marry the weird ones.
they called them "spiritual.
Yep. My parents. More force than encourage really.
First time - I was literally 11 years old, he was my parents friends son, he was about 30 years old, socially stunted. My insane mother actually asked him if he'd wait for me. I had pigtails and wanted icecream at the zoo. *puke*
Then there was the creepy older Min Servant from some far away country town who stayed after the meetings (which were in our house, tiny congo) to have dinner and play cards and was generally weird and always wanted be my partner and was grossly suggestive. I was about 15. He was about 40. And bald. And gross.
Next up was the poor guy (not so weird) who just happened to have parents and younger siblings, and my mother decided they needed to move to where we were living, because the need was great. So I got shipped off to stay with them as bait and his parents attempted to hook us up by sending us out alone to a congo picnic. We both were a little freaked out, and actually had a nice chat in the car, coming to the conclusion that our parents were crazy and we would just totally avoid each other at the picnic so they wouldn't keep hounding us. When I left, his mother said to me that I should come back and stay again after I am 18 so she doesn't have to feel responsible about anything happening to an underage girl. I was 17, he was about 20. I don't think he's a JW anymore.
Still shuddering.
