Posts by Spiral

14

The "abused" becomes the "abuser"

by stuckinarut2 in

a thought occurred to me about the perpetuation of jw abusive culture.. (i do not mean sexual abuse - i am referring to emotional, or behavioural abuses).

most jws are raised in the oppressive and abusive culture of jw life.

they have been raised with low self esteem.

Spiral

@stuckinarut, you are absolutely right.

Hubby and I have been faded for a long time, but being able to sit at the sidelines the last few years and watching what goes on..... I am just amazed at this pattern that I also see.

The idea of a godly, religious life has gotten intertwined with crazy abuse that goes from generation to generation. If you're not an abuser, you are complicit in the cover up (often while being a victim with low self-esteem) if you stay with the bOrg.

As Vidiot mentioned, I believe this dysfunction has spread to all areas, including sexual abuse. And covering up is seen as normal.

Another area I've seen recently - financial abuse. The JWs take advantage of each other all the time financially - poor business deals, bosses paying employees poorly, JWs not paying their bills, JWs not even helping parents (financially and otherwise) when they need help.

This abuse has become a way of life. Easily justified by crazy religious thinking.

40

DECEMBER 2018 WATCHTOWER STUDY ARTICLE...Many loyal Christians have remained with an unbelieving mate under very trying circumstances.

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

december 2018 study article :.

honor “what god has yoked together”.

17 admittedly, there have been instances where an “unbelieving husband” seems to prove that he is not “agreeable to staying with her.” he might be extremely physically abusive, even to the point that she feels that her health or life is in danger.

Spiral

I can't believe they are still dishing out this sh*t (by way of the "apostle" Paul of course, a man known not to value women) and seeming to reference a woman putting up abuse by a man.

I thought that was crazy when I was a teenager, and I now know that it is beyond crazy - it's criminal.

Any person who stays with an abusive mate because they might convert is crazy. Any organization that requires such behaviour is criminal.

31

Jehovah’s Witnesses Really Have No Power Over You Unless YOU Let It Happen!

by minimus in

jw
friends

should i go to a judicial committee and perhaps get disfellowshipped?

should i talk to the elders just because they say they want to talk to me?

should i simply disassociate myself and have nothing to do with the organization?.

Spiral

This is really the essence of the whole situation. If more were able to embrace this idea, the iron fisted control would dissolve.

13

FYI- Some KH Annoucements Aug 2018

by stumbledbyothers in

some of these kh letters may have been mentioned already:.

starting sept - $14 per publisher toward taking care of the needs of the co in us.. love never fails 2019 regional conventions.. memorial april 19, 2019.. there will be jw contact cards with blank space to write notes..

Spiral

Sir82: Even so, that's over $15 million / year in the US to pay for CO health expenses and medical reimbursements for accidents on KH property.

To be given by so many people in the US who don't have health insurance, because they are in unskilled jobs or self employed and can't afford insurance. Unfair much?

18

Update after attending one day of a regional. au.

by jonahstourguide in

hi all.. personal experience.

attended a regional convention in melbourne australia.. saturday attendance,, 1,500 approx.. baptism,, 11. about 8 born ins ,,, all 8 under 20yo and 5 under 17.. 3 of the 11 appeared to be over 20 and are not born ins.. sounds about .8% increase ,,, kind of.. the outstanding part of the day was the continual reference to ' are you, can you do more'.

ha ha fear obligation guilt.. jtg.

Spiral

THAT is just horrible! It displays true desperation on the part of the GB, but the sad thing is the adult parent drones will take this serious.

Disgusting.

4

Apostasy’s continued good run at the box office

by steve2 in

daniel kokotajlo’s movie continues its good run at the uk box office.

although the takings dropped in its second week, from 11 to 15, it has still brought in nearly £170, 000 - which is a fantastic result for a limited release independent film.

the budget was £500,000.

Spiral

Can't wait to see it!

13

"New Light" on "New Light"

by new boy in

jw
friends

it’s just the “new light” is much better and brighter than the old light.

1965: more “new light.” these men will be resurrected, for sure.. 1988: jehovah apparently changed his mind once again.

the light gets brighter.

Spiral

New boy, you are spot on.

The fact that the GB can "flip flop" on key doctrines through the years, and yet be seen to be progressive and improving.... really, it's just brilliant (in that cult sort of way).

They are directly by God and yet not inspired and yet infallable until new light comes and they change their minds.... who else could get away with this kind of thing and still be credible?

Only in JW land could this happen!

15

My father has cancer??

by blisterfeet in

i am semi estranged from my jw family.

i am interested in a relationship but it never works.. they aren’t interested at all so we just leave it like that.. i received a text from my half-sister yesterday saying “your dad has cancer, it’s bad, i don’t know anything” i figured there was more to the story and if my dad needed me to know anything he would tell me.

or not.. i spoke with my mom this morning.

Spiral

blisterfeet, I feel for you. Sorry to hear about your father.

However, as far as the relationship goes with the JW family, all you can do is make yourself available. It's up to them what relationships they have, or not. Lifelong JWs tend to be rather childish, so it's hard to know how they react. Perhaps this is because even though they say that they have faith they will "fall asleep in death" and then wake up in the new system, disease free, they don't really believe it. Panic sets in, just as it can with anyone else.

But I think you can be at peace knowing you were willing to be with them, and the "ball was in their court".

20

So my wife is upset her MIPI father is broke because of being a witness.

by blownaway in

i posted this before, but my wife is upset and not handling it well.

her mother has alzheimer and is in a care facility for the rest of her life.

between medicare and caid she is paid for the care.

Spiral

blownaway, I probably could name ten JW families right now who are in similar positions. Pious poverty has been a lifestyle choice of the JWs for a long time. Now, with no end in sight and no money in the bank, things are getting serious and desperate.

I agree with the others, they made their choices, and they shouldn't expect anyone else to bail them out. If the GB had any integrity, they would be setting up support systems within the congregations to help these ones out, instead of building expensive digs for themselves.

32

Remember the Wife of Lot

by Addison0998 in

for family worship last night, our family watched remember the wife of lot movie since it will be discussed in the meeting this week.

there’s a few things i noticed that i didn’t think about last time i watched it.. first, the dad is very of course against his daughters going to college or even trying to find a good job.

yet he does accounting, which is a very good job that almost always requires a college education.

Spiral

I agree with everything above. And, why does Lot's story appear in the Bible? Even as a child, I didn't think he was a particularly smart or moral guy. But wait - by the standards of several thousand years ago, apparently he was. But that just goes to show you how the Bible is dated and shouldn't be taken seriously.

As for whoever it is that writes this at Bethel, clearly they (and their masters) are so out of touch they don't realize you can't get a good accounting job without a degree. I know several JWs who are accountants (and software engineers, etc.) but they all had to go to school as adults while working full time, to catch up and keep up with their profession. Just like I did, just like Mr. Spiral did.

I'd be willing to bet that the GB doesn't even realize that's how it works in the real world.

But I can't understand why JWs (especially in my age group) would follow their arcane and outdated rules when you can clearly see just out out of it they are just by watching this video.