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I could never understand the appeal of the Jehovah's Witnesses since under their own dogma only 144,0000 people go to heaven. I mean your odds of winning the Powerball are greater than getting into the JW pearly gates. Combine that with eschewing birthdays and holidays and their concept of shunning, it not hard to see why they are losing adherents.
But they give their other members paradise on earth where they live forever in peace and harmony.
Last edited by Mattie Jo; 11-28-2017 at 08:51 PM..
But at least the "losers" don't suffer. The losers are just annihilated. There is no torment or suffering. Personally, I don't see why anyone would even have any kind of problem with Jehova's Witnesses.
Being totally annilated is frightening and a fear factor. Being kicked out is one of the worse punishments man can do to another person.i used to be on an ex JW forum. Msny were deptessed, some suicidal. They couldnt go back because they lost their faith. Some lose there faith and left and we then kicked ouy. If they had family members in the church they were shunned by them, if friends the friends shunned them. Unless you have experienced it you will never know how cruel it is. You God is just as bad, if not worse than the God of other Christians. You really need to read the ex JW boards. Or read Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz.
Last edited by Mattie Jo; 11-28-2017 at 08:59 PM..
In my experience JW were fairly harmless, almost vegeterian compared to some mainstream fundamentalists out there. It is cult status is exaggerated, it is not a totalitarian sect that inflicts direct psychological and psysical damage to get hold on its members, it is easy to leave and much harder to become a full fledged JW. What dooms JW in the modern upwardly aspired world is its reluctance to embrace upward mobility gospel. No mater how ridiculous stuff JW believe, it lags other mainstream sects and cults as far as promotion of personal growth by means of sweet baby Jesus. It is decisevely underclass, lower tax bracket sect, it's a big No, No, No today.
Being involved in this <group> for several years I keep a watch on them. They are in actual neg decline in much of Europe and in the US where they were born they are in decline year over year and the actual increase is very small.<>
I thought I knew what you were leading up to, but now I'm confused.
"actual neg decline" is a double negative which is positive or an increase.
Then you say, "the actual increase is very small." which seems to confirm the double negative as a small positive trend.
Whatever, haven't seen them here for quite a while which is a shame since they had some attractive women knocking on doors.
In my experience JW were fairly harmless, almost vegeterian compared to some mainstream fundamentalists out there. It is cult status is exaggerated, it is not a totalitarian sect that inflicts direct psychological and psysical damage to get hold on its members, it is easy to leave and much harder to become a full fledged JW. What dooms JW in the modern upwardly aspired world is its reluctance to embrace upward mobility gospel. No mater how ridiculous stuff JW believe, it lags other mainstream sects and cults as far as promotion of personal growth by means of sweet baby Jesus. It is decisevely underclass, lower tax bracket sect, it's a big No, No, No today.
First of JWs have nothing to do with being a vegetarian. You may have personally known a JW who was one but they do not advocate this life stile. Many JWs hunt and fish and raise cattle. The Society itself had a farm in upstate NY where they raised cattle for the NYC headquarters.
Wrong again, it is a totalitarian sect. It runs the org with an iron hand. The talks that are given around the world each sun are scripted and no one is allowed to deviate from the script. If you question the <church> you can and most likely will be kicked out and your family will be excommunicated also if they even have a cup of coffee with you for anything other than urgent family business.
It is not easy to leave if you have all your family in the cult and you leaving disconnected you from their life. Becoming a JW is about as easy as joining the Elvis fan club. JWs are anti psychologist, higher education and used to be even anti medical Dr. and vaccination. Ruthaford had articles in the early part of the 20th century saying vaccinations were horse puss, Aluminum was the devils metal and so on. This has not so much been countered but just as they do most times they ignore stupid things they predicted or said and act as if it never happened. <Offensive remarks removed> they destructive to family I know first hand they in fact are. I had a High School friend and we were both JWs. Grew up together. His older brother had went out with and married a girl who was not a JW. He converted to her Lutheran religion. Big no no in the <church>. He was disfellowshipped/ excommunicated. My friend has not talked to his brother in 30 years or seen his kids or vise versa. Sorry but your assessment of the <church> is from an uninformed place.
Last edited by mensaguy; 11-29-2017 at 06:16 AM..
Reason: We're going to have a problem if you keep calling it a cult.
I thought I knew what you were leading up to, but now I'm confused.
"actual neg decline" is a double negative which is positive or an increase.
Then you say, "the actual increase is very small." which seems to confirm the double negative as a small positive trend.
Whatever, haven't seen them here for quite a while which is a shame since they had some attractive women knocking on doors.
Look at the video, the graph he includes shows a decline. If you go from 5000 new people to 3000 the next year to 200 the year after are they still growing? Yes but its a terminal decline. Neg is not far away and in many countries around the world it is Neg growth.
I watched both seasons. Scientology is a lot like JWs in how they use fear and family disconnection as a tool to keep the rank and file in line. She has a lot of bitterness and for good reason as do I against the JWs. I have seen their ideology kill people in no blood transfusions and tear my family apart. I have seen how my father in law who once worked for GM quit his job in the mid 70s and move to north Michigan where the "need was great" to preach. Now he lives on SS only no pension and no saved investments. I saw the stay alive till 75 and many quit jobs to preach. Then 75 came and went and as usual nothing happened but a lot of peoples lives destroyed.
You and me both. My MIL and SIL are both witnesses. My wonderful late husband died from acute myloid leukemia. when he first was diagnosed my MIL, his mother said "I hope you do not expect me to get tested to be a match". 'nuff said.
She's estranged from her siblings because one of them was gay. would not let dude in the house, was cordial when they were at family functions. Then when he died and turned out to be extremely wealthy she got mad because he left her nothing.
LOL, now she's living in poverty and expects me to help her out since she knows her son was an awesome husband and dad and left his family well off. Yeah right, that will happen when the "75" come and tell me too.
We get along mainly because I wanted my kids to have a connection with their dad's side of the family but I talk to them all the time about what is a cult and what makes up controlling behavior.
In my experience JW were fairly harmless, almost vegeterian compared to some mainstream fundamentalists out there. It is cult status is exaggerated, it is not a totalitarian sect that inflicts direct psychological and psysical damage to get hold on its members, it is easy to leave and much harder to become a full fledged JW. What dooms JW in the modern upwardly aspired world is its reluctance to embrace upward mobility gospel. No mater how ridiculous stuff JW believe, it lags other mainstream sects and cults as far as promotion of personal growth by means of sweet baby Jesus. It is decisevely underclass, lower tax bracket sect, it's a big No, No, No today.
They wont tell you this, but they are totalitarian. They also use brainwashing techniques. Once you are a JW you dont question, and you are not allowed to read other religious books. You have to knock on doors. You can grt kicked out fot many reasons. A old man who had been in for years gave a donation to the Salvation Army. Out. A p.g. Woman fell off her horse and mischarriaged. They called her a murderer. Out. Women get raped, but if their are no scratches on her to prove she fought, she is called a prostitute. Out. You would not believe how they treat people. You cant imagine the psychological damage they do!!!
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