maybe it was my mood, but last night the meeting seemed really over the top cultish.. mainly the latter portion that just focused on presentation videos which always seem creepy to me anyway.. then the local needs was pre-empted by a video all about ldc which seemed completely pointless.
(on a side note my wife knew a couple of different people in it).
the congregation "bible" study which dealt with the ever changing cover of the watchtower magazine.
@pale.emperor, yes, having Prince write music would have been such an improvement!
Personally, I think all the new format CLAM meetings are extra cultish. Plus how the WT is handled. My biggest irritant is the "READ" scripture. Only a few scriptures are sited and they tell you which one the congregation can read. Treating the rank and file like children..... and they fall for it every time. The CLAM meeting is just pre-chewed food for babies.
Thanks for the warning will not attend this week.
i'm looking for something in publications that specifically says jehovah is diciplineing his organization.
.
I remember that from the bookstudies of my childhood (ugh), so I assume that could be "old light" now. Don't know if they've said that recently. That would be anything in the 60s, what comes to mind is the old Babylon book.
my wife's mother has alzheimer.
it is progressing to the point that she is writing things like she wishes she was dead and does not want to live.
if you know my mil you would know this is not her at all.
Sadly, I think this is going to be increasingly "normal" with the older JWs. Funny how they end up relying on "the world" when they can't make it on their own.
my spouse and i have faded 4+ years ago.
we know the jw rumor mill has gotten back to our family that we no longer attend.
most of our family is out of state.
We are also faded. It seems much the same with our family, a "don't ask don't tell" kind of thing mostly. Having said that, on occasion some snarky comments come out. Then it just fades away.
To be truthful, we don't hear much from the relatives (they all live out of state) but the funny thing is we didn't hear much from most of them (cousins, etc., but we're all in our 50s with kids and grandkids) when we were in the truth and even lived closer to them. We just weren't special enough, even then! At this point, we aren't sure who knows what about our "status".
Rather peaceful.
One more thing, though. When we talk they don't bring up "spiritual" stuff (I never thought about that having been protocol, actually) but it makes you think they don't want to hear our reasons. A few years ago a question was asked and our answer had news reports and documentation attached to it. That person had a major meltdown.
those of you who know my story are aware that i'm currently disfellowshipped and living with my parents.
up until now, my plan has been to be reinstated and then fade, but recently my plans have changed.
in a conversation with my mother a few days ago and she made it clear that she would not be okay with me getting reinstated with the purpose of going inactive.
Awesome! "Living well (or just better) is the best revenge!"
Really, you'll be okay! I know of several who have done the reinstatement/fade/play the game, and it's taken a huge toll on them emotionally. I am sure you will have some tough times, but I do feel you'll think it was worth it in the end. And remember, unlike what you may have been told while in the JWs, everyone experiences tough times. It's how you keep working and living that matters.
Congratulations on being an adult, in control of your life.
over many years i have been pondering how mental illness has impacted upon jw's due to the effects of indoctrination.
in my case; when i was 21 i had a breakdown and was hospitalised for 6 weeks.
i was diagnosed with anxiety tension state disorder.
I've experienced the same things with my JW friends and family. Probably 60-70% are depressed, and on some sort of medication.
Today I read the following article:
"The idea is that we are "captured," or captivated by something in such a way that we can't let it go. According to the former pediatrician and Yale dean, capture is really a brain-based phenomenon. Not only that, but it can also become an overarching perspective through which we may view any obsession, disorder, mental illness addiction, and even suicide."
I believe this applies. JWs are "captured" mentally by the cycle of "religiousity".
i don't think this topic has been discussed before but yesterday i read something to the effect that trump wants a human mission to mars to be completed within his presidency.. with that being said, the watchtower teaches that what started on earth ends on earth, in other words, the fall of adam and eve would end with the passing of the 1,000 year millennial reign when christ destroys all his enemies, rebellious "perfect" humans, and the devil and his demons who are let out the abyss for a short while.
he then hands the kingdom back to his father.
an elder in my old congregation once told us during a public talk that he was an ardent astronomer but then referenced the scripture where it says, "the earth he has given to the sons of men" (psalms 115:16).
That's a good question! The Bible does seem to be written on the assumption that man would always be on the earth; or more specifically, the earth is all there is for humans. So how would people who believe strictly in the Bible's world view take it if mankind expanded into space? Hmmmmm
see the video clip, at approx 2:55 in this segment:.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rbaqwz1xc.
i don't know what it means that donald trump's son-in-law's father (charles kushner) bought those buildings, but thought it was interesting..
Hi Finkelstein,
I kept hearing about how wonderful and pure the WT is, so once I said (just being a bit salty that day) well, they sold their buildings to Trump's SIL.
Silence..... not sure if that's as bad as selling a KH to a church (which they also do these days, although the rank and file try to ignore that, BUT try selling your house to a church) but the eyes glaze over.....
It's all so ridiculous, but then again, of course it is. In the real world you can (and should) sell your property to the highest and most qualified bidder.
see the video clip, at approx 2:55 in this segment:.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i6rbaqwz1xc.
i don't know what it means that donald trump's son-in-law's father (charles kushner) bought those buildings, but thought it was interesting..
Hi Scully,
I brought it up once (I was also contemplating this whole scenario), and no one in JW land knew. They only believe what they see on JW broadcasting. Same for Russia vs. nothing on Australia. If it's not on JW broadcasting it doesn't exist.
how many in your age group are still jehovahs witnesses?
from where we are at, there aren't many left.
each year it gets smaller and smaller haha .
I couldn't even really tell you, I think most are long gone. We know a few "die-hards" but most of their children are out.
@Christian, what you mention about Katja's congregation is happening in my Mom's congregation. Several couples have grown children they "can't speak to" (again, of course, they could if they wanted to). A couple of these are getting really old, and yet they stubbornly hold to the rules even though they could really use some help from their adult children. Three other couples have grown children that are still JWs, but get no help whatsoever. So it begs the question, who will take care of these ones? The congregation is just worn out, poor, and not attracting any "new blood". At the memorial the thought crossed my mind that it was really a "mothballed" congregation, really sad. Nothing at all like its "glory days" in the 80s and early 90s.
The extra pressure of helping/managing elderly parents (that everyone in my generation is feeling) might just push this group "over the edge". Time will tell. Apparently the GB failed to plan for that.
