Muddy Waters

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Posts by Muddy Waters

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  8

  Trustworthy JW Lawyers????

  by Uzzah in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i will reserve comment but mr. pole has regularly represented the canadian branch of the jws'.

  he is their go to lawyer when needing non-direct society representation.. disappointed at how slimy he has become.

  he and i used to be friends.

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  Muddy Waters

  Interesting that the lawyer knows how to set up investment accounts in the Cayman Islands....

  And despicable that the lawyer wanted to take the parts of the estate that was meant for the children and give it to the WT too!!
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  20

  Fraud

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if someone commits financial fraud, they commit a crime, and can be punished (jailed).. but if someone commits a religious fraud, western society does not see that as a crime.. on another thread, a poster pointed out that the jws, "literally steals peoples lives and causes horrendous damage.

  of course, the jws are not the only religion to practise religious fraud.

  all sorts of large and small religions make unverifiable promises and ask for financial support on the basis of their promises, which is precisely what financial defrauder does.

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  Muddy Waters

  Pbrow, you keep saying people are on their own to be free or to be free thinkers (if I am understanding your post correctly),

  because you said, among other things: "At the end of the day, jdubs do not steal peoples lives. Individuals choose to follow a set of beliefs. Individuals choose to shun family members. Individuals choose to withhold blood related medical treatment."

  I believe that JWism DOES steal people's lives. It seems like you may be minimizing the effects of "mental indoctrination" (read: brain-washing) where to even question the WT leaders is a sin. And on top of that, you are constantly told NOT to rely on your own wisdom, that your heart is tricky, that doubts come from Satan, that "independent" or critical thinking is a sin....

  And add this as well: the consequences of leaving the group can mean complete ostracization and losing your whole family and all your friends, perhaps your inheritance too.... This is not benign stuff.

  Yes, it is more a psychological prison verses a literal, physical prison, but the effects are the same. It takes a great deal to wear down the mental barriers and levels of corresponding fears/guilts/shames, etc., to reach a point of allowing oneself to even question the authority.

  I do not think many people are "born Free".... I think freedom and its concept is something one learns, and begins to appreciate and respect, both for oneself and others, the more time goes on. And that with freedom, comes responsibility and accountability. It is not always a gift unto itself. The more it is appreciated, the more it is valued. And in JW-land, freedom is not a concept one learns about in a personal way. Even the concept of freedom is defined by their terms and is always presented with their religious bias and agenda of the WT.

  Apologies in advance if I misunderstood your post.

  - Muddy

  
  
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  46

  Updates to Public Talk Outlines 2 & 3

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  will you be a survivor of the last days?.

  serving with jehovah’s unified organization.

  move ahead with jehovah’s unified organization.

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  Muddy Waters

  This is great, thank you!
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  41

  Toasting is Pagan - How many contradictions can fit in 2 pages, I found 5?

  by jwfacts in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the watchtower 2007 feb 15 pp.30-31 explains why jehovah's witnesses are not to toast.

  what is astounding is that for each point they then go on an explain why the point is irrelevant, yet still conclude toasting is wrong.

  what did people think when reading this?

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  Muddy Waters

  Interesting..... I was told by a pioneer sister that the clinking of glasses was originally a superstitious belief or practice that was meant to scare away demons (boy, they sure frighten easily!) who would otherwise jump into your open mouth and possess you .....
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  71

  This week's resurrection video, will it backfire on the wt?

  by prologos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!

  --well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.

  a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.

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  Muddy Waters

  The video used no words, no scriptures, nothing but music and scenes of dying, grief, pain, and loss. The "sister" sat alone, imagining a resurrection scenario. The reality was dark and grim. Only the imaginary resurrection scene was bright and happy.

  They are like vultures, feeding off the rottenness and pains of reality, and using it to stuff themselves fat.

  Stuff like this this makes them cold toward the reality of grief and loss. They show no comfort except to show you imaginary scenarios. But they believe these scenarios are possible realities, and JWs are supposed to focus on that.

  We have friends who lost an infant in death, and they were beside themselves with grief. Nobody offered any comfort except to say things like, "Well, you can be thankful that the baby will grow up in the new system instead of this evil one!" and, "You are grieving too much, it seems like you need to rely on Jehovah more." and, "Put your focus on field service and attending the meetings. That is where you will find strength and encouragement." Total and utter crap for them.
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  71

  This week's resurrection video, will it backfire on the wt?

  by prologos in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!

  --well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.

  a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.

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  Muddy Waters

  BASTARDS!!! I just watched this, and as I have lost my mom last year, all the things in this video triggered all the feelings of pain, loss, grief...

  Those bastards captured it all, even to holding the person's hand as they lay dying, without energy to squeeze back....

  Emotional manipulation....

  Horrid, heartless .... and people are supposed to be "encouraged" by this???

  In the JW culture, a person has no boundaries, all is expected to be revealed and told to the elders. The rank and file have no exclusions. Yet there is no transparency at the top or other upper levels. So they are free to twiddle and tweak the emotions and whatever else they want to twiddle and tweak of the R & F.

  Bastards and their bastard behaviour. And too full of themselves to even be ashamed.
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  48

  Circuit Overseer Guidelines (tg-E) October 2015

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  circuit overseer guidelines (tg-e) october 2015. http://bit.ly/1utgizt.

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  Muddy Waters

  Wow, thank you. Another look behind the curtain of the "most holy of holies" LOL
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  39

  JW marriages: “They” looked good on paper.

  by Londo111 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i applaud anyone, male or female, who overcomes shallowness and looks at a person’s deeper qualities, especially in regard dating and marriage.

  the movie and fashion industry does much to institute shallowness to the point that, in my opinion, it promotes outright discrimination and judgmentalism even as they give lip service to tolerance..

  on the other hand, among jehovah’s witnesses, there seem to be a preponderance of incompatible marriages.

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  Muddy Waters

  These posts catch at my heart in so many ways.... so insightful and anguished... so revealing of the inward captivity and unhappiness and total screwed-up-ness of religious mind-control -- the structures that were supposed to support us are rotten and untrustworthy.... and our closest relationships are even to be under their control. We all understand. We hear and cry & rage with you. You are not alone.

  I do love these forums... you are all blessings, and whatever journey we are on, I hope it leads to .... something.

  Something good.
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  26

  Some gems from the "Anointed" WT study

  by NotBlind in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i know this has been discussed before, but i think some of these wacky (but thought-provoking) comments deserve their own thread.. paragraph 6 says: modestly, anointed ones acknowledge that they do not necessarily have more holy spirit than those with an earthly hope.

  they do not claim to have special knowledge or revelations; neither do they try to prove that they are in some way superior.

  somebody needs to send this memo to the gb.

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  Muddy Waters

  DATA-DOG: omg, Wow, brilliant!! I do believe you nailed it. Nice one!!!! Totally explains what they're up to.

  Them and their freakin' "teaching commands of men as doctrines."!!!

  ... As you say, this gives them a great way to prepare the way for the future anointed..... Ha. I'll bet there is even a WT study article being prepared about that.... Those who prepare the way, like Jesus and John the Baptist, and how it is definitely a " prophetic drama" which features them of course, and those who will follow. Gah.

  You know, I would like to see this topic posted or included under a special, new category topic called "forum prophecies", ha.
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  23

  Kingdom Hall Built on Site of Former Slave Market

  by Wild_Thing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in mississippi, there is a historical site called forks of the road.

  before the civil war, it was one of the most active slave trading markets in the south.

  it was a triangular piece of land formed by ... you guessed it ... a fork in the road.

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  Muddy Waters

  Perry, now that you have edited your post to say "most of us", I can "like" it. :)