Posts by Soldier77

i've heard certain people here refer to jehovah's witnesses as a mind-control cult, high-control cult; theories perpetrated for how long i don't know, but at least since the days of ray franz.

i had spent nearly forty years as a full time representative, serving at every level of the organizational structure.

the last fifteen years i had spent at the international headquarters, and the final nine of those as a member of the worldwide governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

I will chime in what Heaven stated above. Please pick up Steven Hassans book(s) Combatting Mind Control (I still need to get this one so just a suggestion) and Releasing the Bonds (excellent book). Go through the list of what quantifies a cult and with an open mind (this may be hard to do if you are still heavily entrenched in WBTS doctrine) but please humor us and try. If you can objectively and honestly answer the questions or identify that they are indeed true of the WBTS, then you are on your way to a great awakening.

36

How old were you when you got baptized...was it your own decision?

by Desilusionnee in

jw
friends

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Soldier77

15. I did it because all my friends were getting baptized and the elders were pushing me, asking me, are you thinking about getting baptized etc.

Was I ready? Nope, when I talked to an elder and let him know I wanted to be baptized, he asked if I dedicated my life to Jehovah in prayer first... I said, uhhhh... no? He said, go home, pray tonight and do so then come back and talk to him. Manipulative eh?

8

Cognitive Dissonance: The Engine of Self-justification

by Georgiegirl in

jw
friends

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyid=12125926.

mistakes were made (but not by me) end class="storytitle" .

end class="captionwrap" end id="featuredcommentsmain12126640" cognitive dissonance: the engine of self-justification.

Soldier77

Awesome, putting this on the to do list of books to read.

18

What causes the authority complex the WTS has? Or even common JWs? What drives the need to control others?

by miseryloveselders in

jw
friends

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/194364/1/witnesses-cant-take-the-heat.

in the thread above, several posters made the point that if xjws could walk away from the religion without losing their family and close friends, then they wouldn't even bother worrying about the wts afterwards.

they would simply move on in life.

Soldier77

I think it's a "how dare anyone else have a happy fulfilling life outside of the WBTS!! You will all DIE! Convert now and save yourselves! We are God's earthly representatives! You who don't see this WILL die!"

Or something along those fanatical lines. As ridiculous and humorous as that may sound (if not idiotic) I'm kind of serious, because what sane logical person would exact such fanatical rules and regulations? Other than, fanatics.

I agree with your question, and I truly wish we could get a straight answer from the GB... maybe as "new light"? lol

56

When is the Big GENERATIONS WT Study in congregations?

by daringhart13 in

does anyone know?

?.

Soldier77

You know, Coffee House Girl, you bring up something with that box on that page, I looked that over too and had this look trying to figure out wtf was the point of inserting that box with those comments. Your comment is exactly how it made me react.

Also, spending 2 paragraphs on this change is almost as if their saying to the R&F, "you never understood, nor will ever understand our interpretation of the generation doctrine, so here is our token effort to mention it. But we'll be changing it once again in a few years so pay this no mind."

4

No new insights, but when I consider the social and psychological factors which led me to BEGIN to study

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

i recall the following:.

1. i was dating someone who was having conversations with jw's.. 2. no one i spoke to at work really seemed to know anything, so i decided to go as an observer with my gf.. 3. after observing them for about 6 months it became clear to me that they believed it.. .

if #1 and #2 hadn't taken place i wouldn't have become one.

Soldier77

Where is this girlfriend now? Your wife? Still a JW? Just curious.

4

Another Interesting Paragraph in the "Generation" WT Study this week.

by lepermessiah in

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Soldier77

Thanks for this, I've been so focused on par. 13, 14 that I overlooked this one. This is another slam to what's been going on in the congregation I attend, there is a lot of "things" being covered up that are definitely not morally clean. It's the reason I started doubting everything 6 months ago and lead me down the rabbit hole.

56

When is the Big GENERATIONS WT Study in congregations?

by daringhart13 in

does anyone know?

?.

Soldier77

I started a thread on that but it quickly died...

Hmm... I must of missed it. :(

This study is actually going to go right over 98% of peoples heads. The 2% of us (that will be going) will sit there and wonder in amazement as it goes flying right over their heads.

Such a sad organization, and here I was told the JWs were a happy people... right.