Posts by Spiral

19

J.W's Brain LOCKDOWN

by Phizzy in

i know we often talk of the mind control and how jw's believe what they are taught because they are controlled as to the information they receive, but i think the mind control goes frighteningly beyond simply keeping information away from them.. the jw mind is in lockdown.

it simply cannot accept facts, evidence, reasoning or whatever that goes against what they believe.

they cannot assimilate and consider an argument, it is not that they are being awkward, or willfully blind, their minds are so shut down they are incapable of taking in what is being presented.. i am aware of how, in common with other cults and high control groups the j.w org achieves this state among its members, but how on earth do we open such a solidly closed mind ?.

Spiral

sparrowdown4 hours ago4 hours ago

JWs like to get "reactions" then, they can judge you based on the reaction. They like to think just their very presence causes admiration and guilt from onlookers. Admiration at their being so good and guilt at not being as good as them. Because of course everyone is watching them - very narcissistic!

I find indifference to their beliefs and their culty social games really gets to them. They really have no idea what to do with indifference. As I said they need a reaction any reaction so they can interpret it and label you as either "guilty" or "bitter" or "pathetic loser" or "weak and ashamed" etc etc. If they are met with smiling indifference to their religious beliefs combined with calm assertiveness ie giving them nothing they can "read" it's like they become genuinely intrigued with why you are immune to their guilt-inducing superpowers.

I'm with sparrowdown on this one. For our relatives, "living well is the best re[sponse]". Mr. Spiral and I just don't care any more and it's been noticed..... but funny thing is, no one argues with us any more. I also guess our JW relatives gave up on expecting our lives to explode, so now they don't know how to respond. We hear from them from time to time and we are responsive, but they don't bring up JW dogma to us any more. Their brains are still on lockdown, yet they have to see that there's another way of looking at the world, and it's working for us. We don't give them any resistance, but we don't try to engage in any JWisms (is that a word?) either.

14

JWs studying with a neighbor: what should I do?

by john.prestor in

so let me introduce myself first: i've lurked here for years because i'm working on a long-term research project concerning jehovah's witnesses and i've collected data from this site (seriously, you guys are awesome, i've learned so much from this forum i never would have learned otherwise).

i've also collected data at multiple kingdom halls and read scholarly works on jehovah's witnesses and non-scholarly works as well (e.g., crisis of conscience).

so i have a pretty good sense of jehovah's witnesses even though i was not raised in this faith nor did i ever join up.

Spiral

Show her today's article:

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/jehovahs-witnesses-sexual-abuse-children-beliefs-rules.html

39

Major Article in Today's Philadelphia Inquirer on JW Child Abuse

by Room 215 in

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/jehovahs-witnesses-sexual-abuse-children-beliefs-rules.html.

Spiral

Excellent article! I hope other news sources pick it up.

65

Withdrawing community support in the congs

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

i've noticed in the past 10 years that the social support that used to be available in the congs, a shoulder to cry on, elders to help with family/marriage issues these seem to have been purposely withdrawn.

counsel is even heard from the platform that the elders are not there to help people with their problems.. so first in the 80s-90s they take away the congregation get to getters and social events and now they seem to be going one step further in taking away the emotional support for people too.. this will take away an aspect that i'm sure was keeping alot of people in the borg, the community support.

if that's not there and its just about meetings and ministry how many will start to get their emotional support elsewhere?.

Spiral

AlexB, I do hear what you are saying. But I think the membership has shifted..... this congregation used to have 120 publishers, mostly hard working families with a bit of property, interests, extended family in the "truth", etc. Now it might be 60 people, older ones and ones on disability, etc. Stubborn ones that will die a JW because they've always been one. The town is growing (and SEVERAL new churches are being built) but the congregation is shrinking. I agree there will always be people who fall for scams and high control groups, but they can't even get a decent sized group together to fix up the hall and mow the grass these days. People just don't feel connected enough to care.

So if the GB doesn't add something attractive to what's on offer (you can't even have a companionable chat, a drink and a piece of cake after any of the meetings anymore) then people can find that and more at the church down the street.

65

Withdrawing community support in the congs

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

i've noticed in the past 10 years that the social support that used to be available in the congs, a shoulder to cry on, elders to help with family/marriage issues these seem to have been purposely withdrawn.

counsel is even heard from the platform that the elders are not there to help people with their problems.. so first in the 80s-90s they take away the congregation get to getters and social events and now they seem to be going one step further in taking away the emotional support for people too.. this will take away an aspect that i'm sure was keeping alot of people in the borg, the community support.

if that's not there and its just about meetings and ministry how many will start to get their emotional support elsewhere?.

Spiral

It's like they are starving their members, and then they wonder why they are all dying ("spiritually") and financially. I don't see any real community feeling or support in my Mom's congregation, it's as if no one cares (haha, they really don't care!). How long can this go on before they have no membership? I was worried that when I stepped in to help my Mom, I would be overrun with zealous brothers trying to run my life. It certainly hasn't happened, they don't seem to care at all now that she's not counting time. (I refuse to help her send in 15 minutes of made up time a month just to please them.)

22

What are the reasons for the the new electronic publisher card

by poopie in

jw
friends

please speculate.

.

Spiral

Electronic publisher card?

21

Why NO bibles??

by stuckinarut2 in

i know we have all said it before, but it simply blows my mind that the jws doing cart work do not have bibles on the cart to give out to interested ones!.

how can they say they are "bible students" trying to share the "bibles message" and not give out bibles!?.

other christian groups take the commission to share the bible seriously!

Spiral

Back in the day (I mean the 60s, lol) seems like the green bible was proudly carried out in "service", and for a small donation. BUT as we know, that's not really practical today. Does anyone (in any church) actually read the whole bible today?

42

Famous last words spoken by every jdub at one time or another

by nowwhat? in

"oh i'm not going to worry about it, armageddon will be here by then!".

-including me.

Spiral

We'll never get old, and w don't need to plan for retirement.

Plenty of regret to go around for this one.

27

Do any of the JWs go out door to door with a territory any more?

by Spiral in

i actually had a neighbor ask me that the other day (she knows i'm an "ex" jw) and i didn't really know the answer.

i know there's a bit of cart witnessing going on (small town) and a lot of driving around to return visits.. but are they actually doing territory, not-at-homes, all of that?

the neighbor said that eight years ago, when she bought her house, the jws were by "all the time".

Spiral

And to think, growing up, we had to suffer with going out three hours straight (no break) with a real 3-5 minute presentation AND literature (this is in the 60s and 70s). All sorts of open note taking on the street (and I agree, how crazy did that look to the householder watching from behind the living room curtain) and keeping your territory straight so when you turned it in you could tell the territory brother it had been thoroughly worked. By the time I was in my 30s it had been diluted to driving around looking busy.... and now, most areas not really getting worked at all, and that is normal.

So, the trend is actually going downward, steadily. I can't see any real preaching happening in another 20 years or so.

27

Do any of the JWs go out door to door with a territory any more?

by Spiral in

i actually had a neighbor ask me that the other day (she knows i'm an "ex" jw) and i didn't really know the answer.

i know there's a bit of cart witnessing going on (small town) and a lot of driving around to return visits.. but are they actually doing territory, not-at-homes, all of that?

the neighbor said that eight years ago, when she bought her house, the jws were by "all the time".

Spiral

This is why I was wondering if the old way of checking out territories, working the doors (to death) and keeping all the records had gone away. I'm aware from reading other threads that keeping "not at home" records may not be compliant with new privacy laws in the UK, and of course the US could follow that path.

I don't hear any conversation these days about checking out territories and keeping up on return visits. The "zeal" just doesn't seem to be there. But then, the ones I still know are so busy trying to make a living there's not a lot of extra time. Door to door might just die out due to lack of enthusiasm. I don't even see the local Mormons going around town.