Posts by snare&racket

38

University Application Personal Statement dilemma - Should I mention my jw past?

by will-be-apostate in

jw
friends

i am applying to chemical engineering course in the uk through ucas (a lot of things changed since i've posted last time).. i have a lot of skills i developed while regular pioneering, like public speaking skills, ability to reason (even if it's bs), presentational skills etc.. i feel it would boost my personal statement a lot, but i'm also afraid they would say "this guy beleives in god, and loves science, he must be creationist.

away with him".. how could i mention that i gave interviews front of thousands of people and did voluntary work in my hometown without giving a bad impression?.

i don't want to go into details and start explaining myself that "however i don't beleive in god", or something like that.

snare&racket

Not at all comatose, all our opinions are legit.

I would add, contrary to what others say (sorry), I again would not try to imply that hawking Watchtowers and spreading indoctrination from the platform is voluntary work. Neither is helping carry bricks in the building of indoctrinatiin centres.

Voluntary work has the implication of doing aid work. Choosing to be a JW and all that involves is indeed voluntary and indeed work, but in no way is it offering aid to the community.

If you use that term, be prepared to explain what you mean by it. If there are interviews they will ask. Somehow through watchtower articles and personal stories within literature, the JW's had a belief that they can refer to their religious activities as voluntary work, totally misunderstanding that other religions do 'voluntary work' such as soup kitchens, helping the homeless, providing financisl charity aid etc etc.

As a JW i knew it was a cheeky thing to imply on a CV etc and I have no doubt you know what I mean by that. Academics aren't silly, they will expect to hear stories of feeding the homeless or mountain walking for cancer research, not handing out leaflets or building the property portfolio for Watchtower.

Again......just my humble opinion.

P.s. jobs where public speaking and sales are central, arguably mentioning the JW skills may be beneficial obviously. For me, I think the downside of being attached to the belief system far outweighs the benefit. I want to start teaching medicine in university and have already begun teaching on the wards and clinical skills department, but I have not and would not ever mention the 20years of bible studying I did.

16

At what point will there be more ex-JWs than active JWs?

by NewYork44M in

jw
friends

given the flow out of the organization and the inability to find new recruits, there should be a tipping point where the ex's out number the actives.

has there been any discussion related to this topic?.

because many within the organization are not true believers and are in various stages of exit this calculation is some what complicated.

snare&racket

Even ten years ago, anecdotally there were far more people disfellowshipped or leaving per cong, than brought in.

The growth is almost totally reliant on JW children getting baptised, and statistically only half stay in.

Then we have all the older generation dying off.

I remember reading that the anglican church alone had over 70 million members. It puts into perspective all the constant door knocking, advertising and JW children baptisms, in 3 decades the JW's have only grown by a blip. I can think back 25 years and the same building, same hall size, same families were in the hall as are now.

38

University Application Personal Statement dilemma - Should I mention my jw past?

by will-be-apostate in

jw
friends

i am applying to chemical engineering course in the uk through ucas (a lot of things changed since i've posted last time).. i have a lot of skills i developed while regular pioneering, like public speaking skills, ability to reason (even if it's bs), presentational skills etc.. i feel it would boost my personal statement a lot, but i'm also afraid they would say "this guy beleives in god, and loves science, he must be creationist.

away with him".. how could i mention that i gave interviews front of thousands of people and did voluntary work in my hometown without giving a bad impression?.

i don't want to go into details and start explaining myself that "however i don't beleive in god", or something like that.

snare&racket

I used to think non JW people looked fondly at such attributes and skills..... now with ten years distance from WT, I would never mention it in a million years.

Here is some perspective, imagine a smiley, clean cut guy walks in to an scientific interview and says expectantly "I'm very good with people, I audited people as a scientologist for 10 years..." or "As a mormon preacher, I developed skills to talk and interact with strangers."

Selling a cult door to door or from platforms is not a skill most are looking for. Don't get me wrong, just like a good scientologists there are Jw's out there with fantastic interpersonal and auditory skills, but it is all in the context of selling untruths, ironically it was wholly anti-science, I would 100% NOT mention it. WT has a reputation of indoctrination, dictatored manipulation without the freedom to question or think for onevself, with a mindset of suspicion for reason and science. From talking to many, many people, to my shameful realisation, when admitting connection to such a religion, at best, the average joe will just think "weirdo." With chemistry in mind, this is the same organisation that said Aluminium was a metal, literally from the Devil.

Having been through UCAS, you simply need the minimum academic grades to not get binned at the starting line, then evidence of your interest in the topic and finally, yet importantly, you need to show them you have extra curricula skills, experience and a good work life balance.

Despite what Watchrower told you all your life, they have hindered not helped.

42

Looking back to what happened since sept 2012... i must say its brilliant !

by insidetheKH in

jw
friends

who thought in the early months of 2012 that such a rebranding would take place in only a matter of 24 months?.

they managed to go from an antique looking and boring website (watchtower.org) with hardly any attractive content to go to a fresh looking new website with stuff for everyone, families, children, teenagers.. movies, and short videos about almost everything and new ones added every month.

cartoons, animation video's , interviews, picture activities all kind of projects, many audio files like dramatic bible readings, dramas and music, online research tools, new brochures for kids (off and online) etc.

snare&racket

Ten steps ahead because they have an app and a religious tv show in 2014.....

Apps were big 6yrs ago, religious tv channels 25yrs ago.......

Ten steps ahead of who? Ipads were banned in kingdom halls until their app lol, progressive?

My iPad is older than noahs favourite poo tree, now you're allowed one and you think you are progressive? It's hilarious!

6

The prodigal son on TV

by ctrwtf in

jw
friends

so i had to see what the hubbub was about.

pointed my browser to the tv site and started watching the streaming video of the prodigal son.. here's my review:.

first, not a lot of dialogue.

snare&racket

That is such an unrealistic potrayal of normal life it is cringe worthy!

The solution is self betterment via education and training, going home is not an answer! How ridiculous. If the implication is that he is an alcoholicw, he needs doctors.

The irony is, having been a JW for 20 plus years and out now over ten, I have never seen so much alcoholism and financial strain, let alone porn and sex issues than IN the JW religion. The irony is breathtaking.

I am surrounded by young people that are jntelligent, affable, successful, honest, well rounded and moral....... They wouldn't know what a Watchtower is! The REAL world is so vastly different to the JW unquestioned indoctrinated assumption. Ironically the watchtower here is potraying a young JW man ......

With JW issues !!!

42

Looking back to what happened since sept 2012... i must say its brilliant !

by insidetheKH in

jw
friends

who thought in the early months of 2012 that such a rebranding would take place in only a matter of 24 months?.

they managed to go from an antique looking and boring website (watchtower.org) with hardly any attractive content to go to a fresh looking new website with stuff for everyone, families, children, teenagers.. movies, and short videos about almost everything and new ones added every month.

cartoons, animation video's , interviews, picture activities all kind of projects, many audio files like dramatic bible readings, dramas and music, online research tools, new brochures for kids (off and online) etc.

snare&racket

I and others predicted most of this. When they had a shop in Paris and the store name was JW.org we all saw the massive PR business manoeuvres coming.

It is all an attempt to stop people googling the term "Jehovah's Witness" in my opinion due to the myriad of sites proving the Watchtower deceitful and worse.

Even if Watchtower was the first religion to do all these things and it is 100% not, it would say nothing of the truth of its beliefs.

Name one thing the Watchtower has done that other religions have not likewise already done in one form or another.

This is a rebranding after 100 years of zilch ! Businesses rebrand. God's do not change........

Or exist!

Stop being won over by apps, toy story rip off cartoons and cheap ploys, it is all to distract you from asking basic questions!

Why not start with..... Who EXACTLY wrote the bible, the gospels especially, when and where? You may be suprised...... Or play with their new shiny app...

Snare x

76

The Jehovah's Witness religion has gone for good !!!

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

i am not sure how you all feel as we all left at different times for different reasons.... but this new bible seems to have put some final nails into a coffin that was once my jw life.

the religion is so far and so different to the religion i grew up in that it has become something i feel no affiliation with anymore, no bond, no shared ideas or even sentimental views.

different teachings on when the end is coming.

snare&racket

.....and now a JW.org shopping channel..... nice.

33

How Has Turning Athiest/ Agnostic Affected You?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many jws believed in god.

now many here, do not believe in a deity.

how has this affected you in your life?.

snare&racket

it saved my life.......

21

bull poop

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

glad to see the forum is going strong, lots of new names and stories......and it has only been a couple of months!.

the wt really has no chance in such a world of free and accessible information.

keep fighting guys, the freedom once you are loose of the governing body is awesome, you will be amazed how long you ignored the stench off bullshit as your ability to smell it returns.. and on that note ;) x. .

snare&racket

Aww cheers guys x

Thankfully (after 7yesrs of study) I am LOVING the job and feel like I am doing the right thing, at the right time. at the right place, at the right moment in my life.

Never have the governing body and their oppressive regime seemed so surreal and disant. A reign of tyranny through fear and emotional blackmail. Again, the further you get away from it, the more amazing it is that we were one of the very few people on esrth to fall for such utter nonsense, whether indoctrinated as a child or not. It is quite embarassing.

As for the medicine, it is fulfilling the very desires that appealed to me withinn the JW's, only it is REAL. I do get to make a difference, I am offering hope and I have prolonged life and prevented death. I don't wield this responsibility with arrogance or demanding exclusive devotion. It is an honour and a privilege. Autonomy, capacity and respect rules supreme.

My very first week, on my first dsy having replaced the doctor I took over from, I had an emergency call......I opened the curtain to find an obvious anaphylaxis. The responsibility landed in my psyche in an instant.....this is life threatening with minutes to treat her and prevent a horrible incident. There was nobody around i.e. no seniors. I was informed as I arrived that they couldn't get access to the patients veins, essential for the life saving drugs. Anaphylaxis is what every new doctor dreads and I literally got it on day one. The patient had been stung by a wasp, they had diffuse blistered red skin, limbs swollen by a good 40%, airway swollen and a room full of nervous family and nurses. Inside.....I was petrified.

i have been on this board from day one of my medical training spanning nearly a decade. From the early days of amazement at how easy it was to question science, question authority, the irony that it was encouraged. Such a polar opposite tothe stance of the self sppointed men that dictated my youth. It is quite a bizzare experience to become the valued asset, the authority in a room, to have an opinion that matters, to be a source of information and even life saving skills......having been raised a JW automotom under the influence of 8 men in Brooklyn, men I wouldnt know if we were swuished together in an elevator.

I got access, I got the life saving drugs in and watched a deteriorating patient get well before my eyes........a moment I will remember forever.

All that hard work, 7 years struggling, losing my JW identity and support, right then, It was all so worth it...... two months on and several life saving incidients later I am fully aware how fortunate a man I now am.

Leave Watchtower and live........ really live.....

Dr Snare x

21

bull poop

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

glad to see the forum is going strong, lots of new names and stories......and it has only been a couple of months!.

the wt really has no chance in such a world of free and accessible information.

keep fighting guys, the freedom once you are loose of the governing body is awesome, you will be amazed how long you ignored the stench off bullshit as your ability to smell it returns.. and on that note ;) x. .

snare&racket

Glad to see the forum is going strong, lots of new names and stories......and it has only been a couple of months!

The WT really has no chance in such a world of free and accessible information.

Keep fighting guys, the freedom once you are loose of the Governing Body is awesome, you will be amazed how long you ignored the stench off bullshit as your ability to smell it returns.

and on that note ;) x