Posts by TonusOH

12

Why do JWs love bomb?

by Smiles in

💣.

we know what mentally-in jws believe they are doing when they "love one another"... and many of us here formerly participated in that culty love bombing behavior.. why?.

First impressions/best foot forward. No one in the congregation wants to give a visitor the impression that they are anything but united and loving and a dignified representation of Jehovah's people. Otherwise, God might feel that you let him down.

Once they're in, you can relax a bit, but you still tell yourself that you have not changed your behavior. That would be dishonest, and God wouldn't want that! And once they're in, the new members subconsciously follow everyone else's lead, so they are ready when the next visitor arrives.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

TonusOH

It would almost be worth it to get Geoffrey's side of the story. Evans' telling of it kind of gives things away- after extensive discussions with the elders, it was Evans who lost the most while Geoffrey only got a "slap on the wrist." It always puts a person's story in perspective when the outcome is completely different from what their version would lead you to believe was going to happen. Makes you think that they might not be giving you the whole truth...

9

11/2022 WT, not-so-encouraging experiences

by neat blue dog in

here's some 'spiritual gems' from the latest wt, 11/22.

first up, a bethelite who was kicked out, er, "reassigned":.

"she was reassigned to the field after serving at bethel for more than 23 years.

TonusOH

truth_b_known, there is an additional step. After facing a difficult decision, the JW wonders why they are being made to suffer so much. Then they reaffirm their unquestioned loyalty to the organization. It is classic victim-speak, where they express sadness at how they are being mistreated by their abuser, but they quickly correct themselves and admit that the abuser really does love them and only wants them to be happy.

The WTS wants the membership to have that attitude, and so they express it as an example to all. No matter how bad the organization's actions or words seem, they are to be trusted and obeyed above all other consideration. When they take that approach, the rank-and-file easily fall in line and are even grateful for the abuse.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

TonusOH

Evans: I was in my early 20s, still a virgin (obviously)

Evans' Right Hand: Now now, dear. No need to be so modest!

It is illuminating to see how he tries to excuse his online dalliances with 'girls.' It wasn't as bad as committing fornication, and it 'allowed him to remain single' into his 20s. One can imagine his mind working through a similar set of justifications as he repeatedly visited hookers behind his wife's back. At the same time, "it's not as if I was doing this" leaves open the possibility that one day he would be doing that latter thing, excusing it by claiming that at least it wasn't as bad as this other thing he wasn't doing... yet.

18

Watchtower Basketball Guidelines!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

watchtower basketball guidelines.

click image to enlarge.

https://postimg.cc/btgxcgcb.

TonusOH

"Look at this wonderful basketball court that Jehovah has seen fit to bless us with! Now, don't forget to pay us if you want to use it..."

19

Who’s gonna mow your grass

by solomon in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xixc6aqrozq.

what most jehovah’s witnesses don’t realize about their version of the new system is who’s gonna mow the grass?.

after the system is destroyed who’s gonna make that nail your pounding with a hammer?

TonusOH

It does make you wonder how things will work. A perfected humanity could develop clean energy and methods of transmission and light up cities. But how do you get to that point? Who IS emptying the trash cans and mopping the bathroom floors for the researchers in Yahweh's Utopian Society? And is that what they envisioned when they merrily watched billions of people die?

Maybe after a thousand years of burying bodies in advanced stages of decay, menial work seems like, dare I say it... a godsend.

14

10 years on and I’m still indoctrinated

by joe134cd in

this experience highlights the level of my indoctrination, after 10 years of been a pomo.

a few months back my gf was hinting to me about what we could do for my birthday.

to be honest i just had no idea, that i even had a birthday.

TonusOH

I don't think I've ever celebrated my birthday. But when you never did something, you don't really miss it. And since my mom was (and still is) a 100% diehard, the only people we were around was other JWs. So I didn't even see other kids have birthday parties. When you don't know that you are missing something, you never miss it.

But yeah, stuff like Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, those are a lot of fun now. I never went trick-or-treating and I am fine with that. I did enjoy getting to give kids candy once or twice, and my only regret about my house is that it's in an area where kids don't come by to trick or treat. The other holidays are really about getting together and having a big family/friends meal, and that is always a treat no matter the occasion.

And I enjoy getting gifts for close friends and receiving whatever oddity or knicknack they get for me. You can keep your once-a-year, watch-someone-else-partake "night of observance" or whatever it is. I'll enjoy myself, instead.

10

End of watchtower

by Hellothere in

shouldn't gb tell members to abandon organisation?

surely things are pointing at watchtower being part of babylon the great.

in with way is watchtower being bless and been shown god's favour this days?

TonusOH

Why would an organization that has always promoted false teachings act any different now? It's too good a living at the top for the sort of unambitious, entitled old men enjoying it today to give it up.

10

Knocking on schoolmates doors

by BettyHumpter in

jw
friends

i left the jw's shortly after i graduated high school.

but when i was still at home i'd get dragged into door to door every saturday morning without fail unless it was pissing rain.

i can remember always being anxious to know what territory my group was assigned.

TonusOH

I can't recall ever worrying about a classmate opening the door when I was in field service. Maybe that is not too surprising- growing up in a bad area, it was unlikely that parents would allow their kids to get the door when someone knocked unexpectedly. And I have no idea how I would have responded if a classmate had opened the door. But as I recall, we did not get any grief about our religion in school. Most kids just saw it as a kind of weird thing, a curiosity. I never did appreciate how lucky I was.

As for the pledge of allegiance, I had it kind of easy there as well. We (there was usually one or two other JW kids in my home room) either stood outside while the rest of the class made the pledge, or we could sit at our desks or stand quietly with our hands at our sides. To be honest, it was easier to stand outside than to be surrounded by kids when you were explicitly not doing what they were doing. But again, I don't recall getting any shit over it.

35

Useless Majors

by Sea Breeze in

jw
friends

i was passing through a very liberal college town recently during rush hour.

so, i decided to stop for some refreshment at a fine-looking establishment and wait for traffic to die down.

a young waitress waited on me who probably could have been stevie nicks twin when she was young.

TonusOH

I'm just wondering what it costs to learn that people in what is now the American Southwest once ate corn.