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I think that my biggest criticism of the religion is the cutting off family members or other loved ones because they do not share their religious beliefs.
JWs are not the only religious group with this practice.
Scientologists are big into that as well.
My favorite online therapist guy let the JWs in for discussion. Here is what he had to say and I found it very accurate. Don't worry JWs he doesn't trash you guys.
I certainly had their beliefs imposed on me. It didn't help that I was one of six kids who was a non-believer. There was no choice for me and I was forced into baptism at 13, which resulted in me being disfellowshipped and kicked out of my home at 18 because I questioned the JW's beliefs on rock music which I never saw as evil. That all happened 50 years ago, but I still feel the affects to this day.
So do I. At least we left in our late teens and didn't build our adult lives around it. On the sub I go to people our age who are figuring it out and have nothing outside the group.
I certainly had their beliefs imposed on me. It didn't help that I was one of six kids who was a non-believer. There was no choice for me and I was forced into baptism at 13, which resulted in me being disfellowshipped and kicked out of my home at 18 because I questioned the JW's beliefs on rock music which I never saw as evil. That all happened 50 years ago, but I still feel the affects to this day.
I had a deferent experience: I had normal (whatever that means) parents. I didn't believe from a very young age. All during my 12 years of private catholic schooling they constantly said you are fine, just help those that need it when you can and it will all work out in the end.
So as a life long long atheist I see only people, even if they are loved ones, as the problem.
I think that my biggest criticism of the religion is the cutting off family members or other loved ones because they do not share their religious beliefs.
JWs are not the only religious group with this practice.
"religion" doesn't cut off family. Family cuts off family ...
I had a deferent experience: I had normal (whatever that means) parents. I didn't believe from a very young age. All during my 12 years of private catholic schooling they constantly said you are fine, just help those that need it when you can and it will all work out in the end.
So as a life long long atheist I see only people, even if they are loved ones, as the problem.
What are you trying to say here? It comes across and you saying it's all because we lost the parent lottery and the Waxtower had nothing to do with what our parents had gotten into. I now think of my mother as a drug addict. There is no point in hoping for change as long as she is using. Certainly, you wouldn't tell the child of a junkie that drugs had nothing to do with how the parent acted.
What are you trying to say here? It comes across and you saying it's all because we lost the parent lottery and the Waxtower had nothing to do with what our parents had gotten into. I now think of my mother as a drug addict. There is no point in hoping for change as long as she is using. Certainly, you wouldn't tell the child of a junkie that drugs had nothing to do with how the parent acted.
What are you trying to say here? It comes across and you saying it's all because we lost the parent lottery and the Waxtower had nothing to do with what our parents had gotten into. I now think of my mother as a drug addict. There is no point in hoping for change as long as she is using. Certainly, you wouldn't tell the child of a junkie that drugs had nothing to do with how the parent acted.
We are not children L8. And "won the parent lottery" is flat nonsense to me. That starts to get into "shirk personal responsibility" to me. If a parent broke a child ... that's on them. Lets talk about permits.
I tell a child whatever I think would help them. In my job job, its usually "Its ok to be mad as hell (even hate) and love them at the same time." I say those two emotions, at the same time, are normal and tear us apart at the same time. I say you are "normal" for feeling the conflict within. I would be more concerned if you weren't conflicted, either way.
Of course I say that is not my area also.
Did you have to ever try and motivate a seriously broken child? Horrific abuse. Who are these people that think its ok to turn these dangerous adults on the rest of rest us?
It fits. I'm always suspicious of people who say God comes first. In my world, that means the person holds their beliefs in greater regard than they do the people around them. They are resistant to looking at those beliefs because that is God to them. She certainly is dependant and will only come out of it if she chooses.
Like you said with me seeing my drinking as a problem only when there was an external threat that was more important to me than I was. That threat was my daughter getting herself in trouble with alcohol. I couldn't stand by and watch it get her the way it got me. My mother has had many of those moments with all three of her kids. I can guarantee she thinks this is the way to help us but it's just more denial. She got in right before the 1975 thing. The time to care about her kids was then. She decided against admitting she was wrong and doubled down instead. I can't really be surprised at her actions since then.
It fits. I'm always suspicious of people who say God comes first. In my world, that means the person holds their beliefs in greater regard than they do the people around them. They are resistant to looking at those beliefs because that is God to them. She certainly is dependant and will only come out of it if she chooses.
Like you said with me seeing my drinking as a problem only when there was an external threat that was more important to me than I was. That threat was my daughter getting herself in trouble with alcohol. I couldn't stand by and watch it get her the way it got me. My mother has had many of those moments with all three of her kids. I can guarantee she thinks this is the way to help us but it's just more denial. She got in right before the 1975 thing. The time to care about her kids was then. She decided against admitting she was wrong and doubled down instead. I can't really be surprised at her actions since then.
OCD. Toss in PD and we have amess. Its just a matter of where it lands.
Talking about bad religion is completely different than the mind set of ...
"I even go as far as to suggest "one could -- and should -- leave religion," but truly explore this notion of spirituality as well. Always seems to me that spirituality is the spark that religion relies upon to get started and to keep going. As such, spirituality may be part of man's problem as well. We humans are the only ones who have conjured up that notion as well"
We are not children L8. And "won the parent lottery" is flat nonsense to me. That starts to get into "shirk personal responsibility" to me. If a parent broke a child ... that's on them. Lets talk about permits.
I tell a child whatever I think would help them. In my job job, its usually "Its ok to be mad as hell (even hate) and love them at the same time." I say those two emotions, at the same time, are normal and tear us apart at the same time. I say you are "normal" for feeling the conflict within. I would be more concerned if you weren't conflicted, either way.
Of course I say that is not my area also.
Did you have to ever try and motivate a seriously broken child? Horrific abuse. Who are these people that think its ok to turn these dangerous adults on the rest of rest us?
I'm not sure what your point is. Do you see me in conflict?
Do you or do you not think the Wactower bears any responsibility here? I don't have conflict. Feelings of love and hate are long gone. After the shun, I had a period of about two years where I vacillated between extreme anger and extreme sadness. Most of that was the denial breaking about what I had been exposed to. Normal is apathy toward the situation.
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That is actually a fairly apt analogy, L8.
