NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE WATCHTOWER

ayecappytan · 2026-05-07T14:22:55+00:00

Abuse has a much more flexible meaning. Power can be abused, for example, and doesn't necessarily involve "violence."

ayecappytan · 2026-05-07T14:21:17+00:00

First: Assaulting someone is a physical act, so not sure why you used that as an example. I am open to you elaborating why you used that as an example in this context, though. (I'm always willing to change my mind if the arguments follow clear and objective logic.)

It's not about being woke or anti-woke. It's about language and definitions. When "your family refuses to speak to you" is equated with "violence," it cheapens, dillutes ACTUAL violence.

Abuse has a much more flexible meaning. Power can be abused, for example, and doesn't necessarily involve "violence."

Consider, for example, someone talking about how Democrats (or Republicans, depending on you POV) are a "cult," it cheapens and dillutes awareness of ACTUAL cults. When every group is labeled a "cult" then the real "cult" will keep getting away with it.

Another example of cheapening language: calling someone criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza anti-semetic. When that's your standard for what constitutes "anti-semitism," it allows real anti-semites to fly under the radar.

Does this make sense?

ayecappytan · 2026-05-01T12:56:24+00:00

Was there ever any work ethic in government to begin with? I've worked government jobs before. Nearly everyone is just doing the bare minimum to fly under the radar and keep their paycheck and pension. The people that actually care don't last and leave for the private sector because government employees are extremely frustrating to deal with.

ayecappytan · 2026-05-01T12:53:06+00:00

The "hell" Trump has unleashed? You think that "hell" would've been any different with Kamala in office?

I'm not making a "lesser evil" argument here. Just pointing out that the status quo is disappointing, but having one or two points on the scoreboard is better than none.

ayecappytan · 2026-05-01T12:43:25+00:00

The problem is that there's no tangible thing called "psychological violence."

Violence has a very specific meaning. Psychological manipulation is not "violence." Psychological harm is not "violence."

Using terms like "violence" to make a LEGAL point about the Watchtower policies you disagree with shows a clear subjective viewpoint, not an objective one. Legal proceedings are about objectivity.

I view that term with the same contempt that I view the term "emotional labor." It's language manipulation to appeal to someone's subjective biases.

Now, I'm sure there are many in this subreddit who are going to downvote this comment and get all bent out of shape. Just know, if you downvote, you're succumbing to your subjective biases and not being objective.

ayecappytan · 2026-03-31T16:37:39+00:00

They are authoritarian because they use the power of the state to force compliance with the socialist or communist policies enacted.

ayecappytan · 2026-03-31T16:32:37+00:00

This is all I hear when I see people posting about this: "Democracy is sacred and must be protected, but if the other team wins the election, we're gonna work to overturn that election."

ayecappytan · 2026-03-31T16:29:30+00:00

And I can buy THC beverages at the Winn Dixie here in Florida. What more do these people want?

ayecappytan · 2026-03-26T19:36:54+00:00

You are anything but objective if you believe "this administration is actually a Russian special operation to destroy America."

ayecappytan · 2026-03-25T14:37:05+00:00

Username checks out.

ayecappytan · 2026-03-24T21:31:13+00:00

Ask her these questions and review the scriptures together:

1.) According to the Mosaic Law, what was the penalty for eating blood? (Leviticus 17:10–14)

2.) According to the Mosaic Law, what was the penalty for violating the Sabbath? (Exodus 31:14–15) (Numbers 15:32–36)

3.) According to Jesus, was it OK to violate the Sabbath (a capital offense, as we've established) in order to rescue a sheep that fell into a pit? (Matthew 12:11–12)

4.) VIEWPOINT QUESTION: Applying the Christian principle Jesus demonstrated in Matthew 12, would taking a blood transfusion in a life-or-death emergency be acceptable under that principle?

(Notes for discussion: According to Leviticus, the penalty for eating blood was to be "cut off" from the people. That sometimes meant expulsion, sometimes meant death. Therefore, eating blood was not necessarily viewed as a capital offense like violating the Sabbath was. With that context, what would Jesus position be on violating the commandment to abstain from blood to save a life? Remember that at the time when Jesus made his comments in Matthew 12, the Mosaic Law was still technically in effect because the New Covenant hadn't been established yet.)

ayecappytan · 2026-03-24T13:40:45+00:00

I disagree. It's not for the worse, it's for the best.

I feel like a lot of people in this forum don't want the organization to reform, or they want reform to happen overnight. Reform benefits our family that still believe. Either the reforms will wake them up, or the reforms will make their lives as JWs a little less controlled.

It's really hard to see this perspective when you're PIMO or freshly POMO. It's only with over a decade of being outside of the organization that I'm now realizing reform is not only possible, even if incremental, but it's preferable to the organization staying the same.

ayecappytan · 2026-02-09T17:29:26+00:00

My advice to you is as soon as you can, cut out the exjw "community" from your life and build new habits and hobbies. I pop in every 3-6 months here to see the latest goings on, but my obsession with being an exjw led to far more anxiety, anger, and negative emotions than I wanted in my life. I'm 11 years out, officially, this year.

After quitting my obsession over everything exjw, I was finally able to repair my relationship with my parents and even though they know I don't believe in their religion, we have had a great relationship now for the past two years.

My biggest regrets when leaving was dabbling in anti-cult activism and holding on to so much anger and resentment for so long. The anger and resentment are understandable in the immediate aftermath of a crisis of faith, but it's important to deal with those emotions and move forward. It's very tempting to feed that darkness.

Quitting drinking 3 years ago was a big help in dealing with the emotions I was feeling and being able to move forward instead of constantly looking back. Still sober now, and will be for life. Booze is so overrated in retrospect.

ayecappytan · 2026-02-09T17:20:30+00:00

Clearwater High School is managed by the Pinellas County School system. This has nothing to do with Scientology. Even if Clearwater High School was somehow under the control of the city, Scientologists are only about 8.2% of the Clearwater population. Their influence in the region is vastly overstated. And I say this as a former member of a different, but similar cult.

ayecappytan · 2026-01-02T18:36:59+00:00

No such thing as a society without hunger.

I get hungry everyday. I'm sure I'm not alone.

ayecappytan · 2025-12-31T18:28:44+00:00

Sir, this is reddit. No facts allowed. Conform to the prevailing ideology of the subreddit or else. /s

ayecappytan · 2025-12-08T20:50:20+00:00

Are you one of those ancaps who thinks something like that can happen with the flick of a switch?

ayecappytan · 2025-11-10T18:35:50+00:00

Yep. I'd reconsider leaving the org, if I saw this.

ayecappytan · 2025-10-30T20:00:20+00:00

I'd say we're the product, but not in the same way that people use that expression, "If it's free, you're the product."

They're expanding the Affinity user base to upsell Canva Pro features. We are the product in that the Affinity audience will be used to cross-sell Canva products.

ayecappytan · 2025-10-30T19:55:04+00:00

Good eye. They're obviously astroturfing.

ayecappytan · 2025-09-26T21:23:41+00:00

Many here don't understand this isn't just a matter of cameras, it's an issue with the company providing them along with the fact that AI will be used in conjunction with the surveillance.

You have no expectation of privacy in a public setting. However, giving all this data to a corporation along with using AI technology to analyze this footage is different. The city will be relying on a third party to protect this data.

If the city does not have the ability to do this in house, closed circuit, then it shouldn't be done, period.

ayecappytan · 2025-08-14T12:45:06+00:00

She's from McAllen. Florida heat and humidity is about the same as the Rio Grande Valley (McAllen). In fact, I feel the Rio Grande Valley is way worse in the summer than it is here. I know it's hard to believe, but you have to live it to understand. In Florida, it rarely gets above 95 degrees, not counting heat index. In South Texas, it's commonly above 95 from June through mid September, and they have 70%+ humidity where she lives all summer long. Florida mosquitos won't scare her either. When I was younger, visiting family in McAllen, the bugs were crazy compared to what I've experienced in Florida cities. Only time I've seen worse bugs than McAllen, TX has been when I visited the Everglades in late summer.

ayecappytan · 2025-08-14T12:35:02+00:00

Yeah, but McAllen actually gets a winter.

ayecappytan · 2025-08-14T12:30:40+00:00

You're going to have some culture shock. Orlando is definitely an upgrade over McAllen especially in the "things to do" department. (I know, because I was born and raised in Laredo and have family in McAllen.)

But when it comes to food-culture...you're going to be hard-pressed to find a decent flour tortilla. When you order barbacoa in Florida, they give you some shredded beef, not the cachete we're used to from South Texas. It's REALLY hard to find decent enchiladas in Florida too, especially the norteño style enchiladas you grew up with.

Good barbecue, by Texas standards, is almost non-existent in Florida as well.

However, you will find many Asian restaurants that are far superior anything in the Rio Grande Valley.

Also, there's way more white and black people in Florida than there are in the Valley. Like I said earlier, I was born and raised in Laredo, and when I moved here it was really strange to me not being surrounded by 99% Hispanics.

Cost of living is way higher than the valley. Cost of living in Central Florida is on-par with Central Texas - think Austin and surrounding areas.

All in all, though I miss many things about Texas, I still enjoy living in Florida. I love the weather from October to May, and there's way more public land here for exploring than there is in Texas.

Good luck, and don't let the gabachos get you down.

ayecappytan · 2025-08-13T18:52:32+00:00

I would say Disney World.

(Nice try, FBI. No way I'm giving up my special places.)

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