i watched about 2 hours of the regional assembly and these are my thoughts.
the video's and songs did stir my good memories of when i was a jdub elder and very happy in the religion.
i can see how these two things would make it difficult to leave the borg because of the emotional buy-in.. now getting into the talks, the cults true colors show and i wonder how in the hell was i a part of that for over 40 years.
@Sour Grapes: "Without these videos there would be many more Witlesses heading for the exit doors."
I'm not sure if anyone else experienced this, but for me, it was the exact opposite. It was by watching the fruity dramatizations played at the Remain Loyal convention that I was startled awake. If I hadn't been exposed to such frightening material (and believe me, I was frightened as a still-in JW at that convention), I would have most likely tossed and turned and continued in my slumber.
not quite a week ago, @lost in the fog created a thread entitled: do you have this illness?.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5187824140681216/do-you-have-this-illness.
in my year of being on this forum, i have browsed many a disillusioned thread of ex-jehovah’s witnesses expressing similar symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder when detailing their awakening - my own story included.
@AllTimeJeff It really is a big, sad lesson. Are both your mother and younger brother shunned by him for apostasy, also? I only ask to get an idea of the kind of character your father is. If he has cut them off for other reasons, then even from a Witness perspective - that may have to do more with him than the rest of you. He is the common denominator in this antisocial behavior.
Whichever it is, I can't begin to imagine the feelings of despair, regret and resentment he must be internally harboring as he reflects over his life course during this final stage.
I'm so sorry he wasn't the father you needed him to be, @AllTimeJeff.
i hope this finds all of you well.
i'm also hoping some of you might be able to help me with a particular type of de-witnessing strategy that i'm trying to develop more in my own discussions with active family members.
it seems to me that analogy and metaphor plays a prominent role in the society's teaching (critical thought killing) techniques.
i remember when paterson was built.
the so called training facility.
we were told it was to teach elders what their job was after armageddon.
Oh, I remember the time.
here is the greatest irony: people proclaiming the destruction of others are the first ones to experience destruction, foretaste of which is already experienced in the form of shrinking glory, finance and confidence!.
babel means confusion, hence babylon the great means a great nation of confusing doctrines.
this nation is “intoxicated” and “drunk with the blood of god’s holy ones.” (revelation 17:2, 6) the greatest intoxication of christendom and its heartland jehovah’s witnesses is with their own claim of having monopoly on truth and thus treating rest of the mankind as pagan, a concept that kills everything god’s holy ones stood for (mathew 7:12).
most americans want some form of religious identity - even atheists are creating churches.
by j. warner wallace | fox news.
the number of self-proclaimed christians is shrinking in america.. i’ve been collecting data on this trend for over 10 years, and the surveys reveal an important truth: fewer people claim a christian affiliation than ever before, and those who claim no religious affiliation are the fastest growing group in america.. but while fewer people may belong to christian churches or communities, americans will likely retain some form of religious identity – especially if what’s happening in europe is an indicator of things to come.. a new pew forum survey conducted in western europe reveals that christianity is waning there even faster than it is in the united states.
"When asked if these “atheist churches” could be described as a form of religion, the founder of the Seattle Atheist Church responded with a “definite ‘yes.’" - J. Warner Wallace, Fox News.
not quite a week ago, @lost in the fog created a thread entitled: do you have this illness?.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5187824140681216/do-you-have-this-illness.
in my year of being on this forum, i have browsed many a disillusioned thread of ex-jehovah’s witnesses expressing similar symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder when detailing their awakening - my own story included.
@AllTimeJeff: "Let me repeat that last part on shame, because it IS important if you are reading this: Shame is a HUGE tool, a control tool, of the Governing Body. Ashamed of your thoughts and opinions. Ashamed you had an original thought at all. Ashamed that you have a dream, a talent you know you can express and give. Ashamed of your sexuality. Ashamed that you disagree. Yeah, shame. Take a breath, and dig in on that. You'll need to deal with it."
Oooof. This. @GrreatTeacher, one just needs to glance over the second stage of Erikson's psychosocial theory to recognize where the development of an adult Jehovah's Witness is arrested. Since Watchtower has assumed the role of Witnesses' ultimate parental authority ("accept enlightening instructions from His motherly organization." - WT, 1 May 1957, p274), it has completely exacerbated the crisis between autonomy and shame/doubt on ADULTS.
Erikson recognized that even at age two, children should be encouraged to be independent. Yet what kind of parent is Watchtower?
"We are glad to forsake the independent thinking patterns of the world." - WT, 15 August 1988, p30.
I can recall a more recent instance in the "apostate-driven lies" speech Lett made on JW Broadcasting. There, he reminded Witnesses to "pursue oneness, even it means foregoing personal rights," which includes one's right to decide on even their personal apparel and hairstyle.
So rather than bestowing Witnesses with the virtue of will and autonomy, Watchtower instills precisely what @AllTimeJeff captured in a single paragraph: SHAME. Being overly criticized and dressing it up as "counsel" renders the Witnesses as inadequate, fuelling their low self esteem, doubt in their own abilities and an overdependence on their "motherly organization". And that's exactly where Watchtower needs us to be. Old infants.
I'm very interested to hear your take on Erikson's ego integrity versus despair crisis when applying it to Witnesses who suddenly come to grips with their mortality!
@j1692 Lol, it's Jennifer Garner from a scene in the 2005 film, Elektra. Here's another angle of the shot where Elektra absorbs sagacious words uttered by her martial arts master, Stick (Terence Stamp):
i know of three situations i saw myself.
the first one was when i lived in arcadia.
all the people i use names on are dead and gone so no probs.
@scruffmcbuff: "They say our love wont pay the rent....."
No romance without finance...
@smiddy3 Modern day image accompaniment:
warning.
i found this very funny.. it is by all means not to offend which is why it is in the "jokes & humour".
if you are a feminist please do not watch.
"Sean doesn't know about it."
Baaaahhhh.
Reminds me of this clip I saw years ago from Russell Peter's. Skip to 02:33 where he recounts a similar theory for why Spanish people all speak with a lisp and Latinos do not:
