did anyone have other jws try to guilt trip them when they were leaving or if you were making a decision which jws felt was wrong but wasn't unscriptural?
i'm getting people guilt tripping me to eventually get back with my emotionally, spiritually and mentally abusive husband who i'm separated from.
i feel sick at the thought of getting back together and putting myself through that nightmare again but i'm being told its what jehovah wants coz he doesn't want families to be apart.
When I first started to ask question about what I knew about the WT, my so called JW friends guilt tripped me that I am betraying Jehovah for having chosen me and given me a good life and so on......
When I started to cut down on FS, my wife would guilt trip me that I am not doing enough for Jehovah.
Guilt trip is a very effective way of Control , by cults
what single big change do you think could back fire and bring the cult down ?.
me: tithing..
When a religion can convince people that there is a God in the heavens, with myriads of angels, with heaven, Satan, afterlife, savior, redemption, resurrection, everlasting Life – all without providing a gist of evidence, why can’t they convince them with a regular tithing.
When parents are ready to let their children die due to some ignorant ancient manipulated scribbling, why wont they get convinced for any other changes from their religion
what single big change do you think could back fire and bring the cult down ?.
me: tithing..
However BIG the change, there would still be devotees. A few may think and Exit.
Religion has the power to manipulate and "Make Believe" anything.
dr margaret t singer, a professor of psychology at berkeley university california has studied the experiences of 700 cult members.
''consciously and manipulatively, leaders and their trainers exert a systematic social influence that can produce great behavioral changes,'' said dr. singer.. .
one of the ways the jw organisation exerts so much influence over its members is because it has created a culture sustained by constant propaganda, which polices itself according to how the leadership has moulded it.
Even with the Internet, I don't think cults would die soon due to various reasons.
There are always people who are terrified about death and so insecure in life, that they force themselves to believe in this after life nonsense that these cults provide abundantly.
I personally know several Computer buffs in the Org who are too afraid to research about the WT.
someone at my workplace, i don't know who, is a jw and has been leaving magazines in the cafeteria.
any suggestion as to what i could do?
i thought of writing up a note stating: "to whoever is bringing these magazine: jw have broken up my family, please don't bring religion to work.
An Almighty god, that created this whole universe which includes billions of powerful stars, quasars and black holes, tries to save mankind with Watchtower and Awake magazines.
Laughing at myself, that I believed this silly story once.
the door was knocked very quietly, (the bell ignored) .
two ladies stood there both clutching bibles, a youngish one, early thirties, and an old dear, in her seventies i would guess.. the young one started "we have been asking your neighbours today if they feel there is anywhere to go for reliable guidance ?".
" but pointing to her silver sword i said " but not there though !".
Giordano,That was a Great Quote from Eric Hopper.
Another one:
We lie loudest when we lie to ourselves - Eric Hopper.
I know a few zealous JWs with such Qualities
the door was knocked very quietly, (the bell ignored) .
two ladies stood there both clutching bibles, a youngish one, early thirties, and an old dear, in her seventies i would guess.. the young one started "we have been asking your neighbours today if they feel there is anywhere to go for reliable guidance ?".
" but pointing to her silver sword i said " but not there though !".
That is good that you gave them an Anti Witnessing.
Last week saturday morning, I went into a McDonalds in Texas and was having a coffee. Saw 3 people well dressed and having WT literature.
Willfully I sat besides them hoping that they would count their time on me. 2 Elderly women and one poor young lad.
Finally the elderly woman turned around and asked me if I would take one of their awake. Here it goes.
Lady: Would you mind if we leave this Mag with you.
Me. Oh, are you the Watchtower Wtnesses ?
Lady. Yes we are. Have you heard of us.
Me. Yes, But I dont have a good opinion about your religion.
Lady: (Sat down before me hoping it would turn into a Bible Study) . Why do you say that
Me: I know a friend of mine who was a JW who let his baby die, due to refusal of plasma infusion. And he was a JW
Lady (Proudly): Yes we don't accept blood transfusions: Do you believe in the Bible.
Me: Yes, I believe that the Bible is a book of Myths. Can you please explain why you accept certain blood fractions but not other.
Lady: Actually, I can arrange for an elder to speak to you regarding that. And I am sorry for that baby girl and it was unfortunate that she died.
Me: No that was not unfortunate. Your religion killed her. And are you aware of the Australian Royal Commission dealings with your religion ? (She became upset and a little furious)
Lady: No we don't go after such information because there are people like you who write all lies over the internet.(She started to leave knowing, I am not a mindless sheep.)
Me:Mam, Educate yourself about your religion before you preach to others.
All three then left stone faced.
i understand that cults and religious groups will always exist.
but why do jehovah’s witnesses continue as a religion that people will join?.
Jws offer an Eternal Life package but they want your unquestionable dedication to the WT in return.
Initially, many accept it due to its rosiness. After a while, some like us try to unbundle it and find nothing in it but garbage.
i was talking to someone a few years ago and he said in his congregation they have a rail of white shirts prepared in the cloakroom for if a speaker doesn't have a white shirt on.
it was a rule in their hall that all brothers in the platform must wear white shirts when going talks and if the speaker won't comply when asked to change into the shirt they provide an elder in the congregation will do the talk instead.
i have never known any other halls do it so it must be a rule the elders have made up without gb input.
All religious texts contain man made rules(pretending that god instructed them) and in addition to that every religion/sect create their own subset of rules.
Just saying because I feel the title of this thread assumes that there are God made rules and men create additional rules.
just wondering if this is a common thing for you guys and girls?
when i left the jws it was hard to make a connection with people, much of the time i felt that whatever they wanted to talk about just didn't seem relevant/deep/meaningful.
i find myself filtering my mind to get to a level with others (small talk mostly).
I was a Devout JW and now an atheist. There is no meaning in life as there is no meaning for this Universe, as far as I know, until now.
There are no gods, heaven, hell, angels, afterlife, reincarnation or anything of that sort. Its all mankind's Fantasies.
We can make our lives meaningful though, by working for the betterment of mankind and then peacefully perish into a "point of no return" oblivion.
With all sincerity, I can say that I am more happy now than when being a religious person.
