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I just found out a couple years ago they didn't think Jesus was God.
I had way more respect for them.
But when one saw a Japanese area with a Buddha and a fountain in my office,
she really freaked saying it
was idolatry....I said it's Japanese art for me...I don't worship Buddha, "Here, see,
I'm putting Buddha on the floor, see, I'm not worshipping it...I got it at Hobby Lobby!"
..but she looked
at it a if it was a statue of satan with a candle in front of it.....it was just cool contemporary art, but I was not believed....so I think some of them may not use their heads. And could possibly have what I often call "Robot Brains".
Yeah, and you said I was wrong about the other stuff too. But... you may be right. Who knows? You're confusing the issue now, methinks.
Richard, every organization has biases. Those biases spill over onto their members, and will inform the way in which they think and act. The JWs are no exception to this. I love my JW friends, but we both realize that we think in different ways and approach the Bible and life in different ways. There are many things that they teach which I think are very accurate (Sheol; the nephesh, i.e.), but there are also many things that I think are inaccurate ("Jehovah", rather than "Yahweh"; apocalyptic predictions, i.e.). They are interesting, but like any organization will defend their existence to the very end. They don't want to rock the boat they have set up. This is why you will probably never hear them change their name to "Yahweh's Witnesses", even though their literature admits that the form "Jehovah" is basically incorrect. They just paradoxically claim that how you say the name doesn't matter, even though the entire purpose of saying the name is because the Bible and Yahweh claims it is important!
I've already demonstrated one area in which I was correct. Do you really want me to continue with this? By the way, why didn't you admit to these things when you initially replied (regarding college, etc.)? Acting in such a manner - when you KNOW these things to be true - is kind of... sneaky. It doesn't reflect well. This is the internet. You're not dealing with a home visit where someone is barely able to speak English, desperate to grasp at anything that brings hope, not well-informed about Scripture and cut off from all information about the organization. It's kind of difficult to keep the same aura of mystery around the JWs anymore. The cases of child molestation among Witnesses has become increasingly more well-known, but not as well-known as the Catholic Church's problems with it. Why is that so? For an organization that eschews this "corrupt system", they sure do use a lot of lawyers and laws to their hypocritical purpose! It's easy to attack websites and groups that criticize your organization, especially with the large amount of money the JWs have. Heck, why need money when you can get a member to do it for free?
I am not a JW...My wife was born and raised within the system...They drink, dance, go to movies, etc...
Similar situation although wifey was not raised as a JW but converted. She is also a very good dancer. Like any group, religious or not, members represent a cross section of humanity and there is variation within the group although on doctrinal issues they are uniform. By variation I mean some would allow their kids to participate in sports and others may feel it risks having the typical locker room shenanigans rub off on the kids, others guide their children to vocational studies while some kids seek a university education). I think what strikes me is how firm most are in their beliefs yet very non threatening. I would say overall my kids have benefited and don't feel deprived and I've benefited by having a loving family (not saying it doesn't exist outside of JWs but for me personally my heart has softened over the years and having my wife as a JW works for us).
I was a Jehovah's Witness for nearly 40 years, having been raised in it from about the age of seven and spent a number of years as an elder. I had many good friends and there were many good people who were JWs. I miss them. I do believe though, they are a cult whose leaders have a developed a high level of control over them.
It is instilled in you that only they have the truth, to go outside is to put yourself beyond the 'ark of salvation', the Jehovah's Witness organization. You will be destroyed at Armageddon.
It is instilled in you that you do not need to research any publications or information other than what the Organization produces.
It is instilled in you that those who leave the organization, especially those who say anything against it, are evil apostates and should not be listened to under any circumstances. "Why would anyone want to leave the "truth' except for a selfish reason?' is the mantra.
It is instilled in you that non Witnesses are 'worldly' and therefore bad association. You are led to create the view that there are no good people outside of the Organization.
It is untrue that there are no intelligent people in the JW Organization. Intelligence does not prevent people from becoming a member of any cult. Steve Hassan was a Moonie who came out and became an expert on cults and freeing ones self from mind control. Read some of his stuff to see how mind control works. Freedom of Mind - BITE Model
I feel sorry for all the heartache that many thousands have suffered through the abuse that has come to light and the policy of shunning ex members.
I am not a JW...My wife was born and raised within the system...They drink, dance, go to movies, etc...
Ah, I see.
Yeah, my JW friends do all those things as well. I never claimed they were as repressed to the point where, say, Southern Baptists are (no drinking, dancing, etc...) ha ha!
Is your wife still a part of the JWs? I assume not, since you claim that you are not one and it would have been difficult for her to marry you in such a situation. Or perhaps that was part of the reason she may have left?
It is untrue that there are no intelligent people in the JW Organization. Intelligence does not prevent people from becoming a member of any cult. Steve Hassan was a Moonie who came out and became an expert on cults and freeing ones self from mind control. Read some of his stuff to see how mind control works. Freedom of Mind - BITE Model
I feel sorry for all the heartache that many thousands have suffered through the abuse that has come to light and the policy of shunning ex members.
Thanks for the informative post.
To be clear, I never wanted to imply (if part of this is a response to one of my posts) that a lack of a higher education equates with a lack of intelligence. Those things in no way correlate. You are absolutely correct about the possibility of otherwise intelligent people falling prey to the very persuasive techniques that cults employ. After all, they have been time-proven to work quite well - especially on those who are socially marginalized or in an emotionally vulnerable state. Kind of like the "rebound" principle of people who have recently gone through a bad breakup, and are willing to rebound to the first thing that presents itself as offering something to fill the void. This principle is actively used by cults, and even organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous who substitute Jesus for alcohol.
Yeah, my JW friends do all those things as well. I never claimed they were as repressed to the point where, say, Southern Baptists are (no drinking, dancing, etc...) ha ha!
Is your wife still a part of the JWs? I assume not, since you claim that you are not one and it would have been difficult for her to marry you in such a situation. Or perhaps that was part of the reason she may have left?
After her accident that killed her husband and put her in the hosppital for a week, the members of her congregation pretty much weren't there for her support and those that worked for her and her husband all split up the clientele and went off and started their own drywall companies instead of waiting until she recuperated and allow her to decide what she wanted to do with the drywall company before doing anything...Basically, they just stole the business from her and she was left with nothing along with two children to care for...Soon after, a couple accross the street managed to get the courts to grant custody of the children to them, along with the $900/mo each child was receiving from their father's social security benefits, they accomplished this by convincing the courts that she was incapable of caring for them...The children were worse off for lack of guidence from those foster parents, they just wanted the money, these people were holy rollin' Pentecostals...She got her children back after 2 or 3 months when child welfare came by and did a walkthrough of the half a million dollar house, that her and her late husband built together, and could not, for the life of her, make any connections with what she was seeing and the obvious falsehoods of the couple that took the children away from her...The very next day she got her children back and the $1800 that the couple accross the street just deposited in their bank account...They were ordered to return it directly to her and almost got in trouble for what they did, but she didn't want to press charges because they had children theirselves...And all through this, not a single congegant stepped up to support her...So, she has turned around and shunned them and hasn't been back to a Kingdom Hall since...Has she lost her Faith and Beliefs?...No, she hasn't...Has she been disfellowshipped?...No, she hasn't...She could walk into any KH today and resume as if she never absent...But, she won't due to the fact that she was abandoned by those who should have rallyed around het as she had for others in her congregation in times past...And those that stole her drywall company from her are still in good standing in the congegation, and have nevet been disciplined for it...Hypocracy, not doctrine, is what soured her...And there are many things she doesn't agree with...
Really, they are not trying to talk you out of your beliefs but to reason from the Scriptures.
Many people don't see how the Bible can be a practical guide for us today. We try to show that it really is.
As far as being a cult- yeah, we get that a lot. But a cult is a group that follows one person. So if following Jehovah God makes us a cult... well, I guess I am okay with that!
yup that makes about 8 million and one and growing
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But... you may be right. Who knows? You're confusing the issue now, methinks. 
JW Spanish Congregation here
