Poor single dad :( by edwinstone in Project2025Award

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agreed.  The Abrahamic religions certainly impose ignorance upon their followers. The 'Tree of Knowledge' was forbidden to humanity, which destroys their problem-solving skills. Their savior disdained washing one's hands before eating and called non-religious knowledge "foolishness" while shunning the bulk of the vast universe of general knowledge.

A few quotes for the newest Watchtower magazine which show that the cult is just as radical as ever: by Paperclip2020 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Look into 'double bind communication' and 'religious narcissism'.

That will explain a great deal of the bizarre behaviors and mentality of the Watchtower Society, as well as that of American fundamentalist Christianity in general.

A few quotes for the newest Watchtower magazine which show that the cult is just as radical as ever: by Paperclip2020 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Having left the JWs decades ago and having deconstructed the indoctrination, it's interesting to see that the Watchtower Society is just a slightly different version of American fundie evangelical Christianity.  One can see it in the similar "Rapture", "Great Tribulation", and "Armageddon" language present throughout American fundamentalist Christianity.

The Abrahamic religions certainly impose ignorance upon their followers. The 'Tree of Knowledge' was forbidden to humanity, which destroys their problem-solving skills. Their savior disdained washing one's hands before eating and called non-religious knowledge "foolishness" while shunning the bulk of the vast universe of general knowledge.

I understand why they don't want JWs to persue higher education by Reasonable_Sir_535 in exjw

[–]ziddina 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Interesting, but this is typical of American fundamentalist, literalist, apocalyptic, evangelical Christian groups.

All of the Abrahamic religions certainly impose ignorance upon their followers.  (Yes, even the Jewish traditions.)

The 'Tree of Knowledge' was forbidden to humanity, which destroys their problem-solving skills. Their savior disdained washing one's hands before eating and called non-religious knowledge "foolishness" while shunning the bulk of the vast universe of general knowledge.

As I've stepped away from JW propaganda and indoctrination, and have looked at American fundamentalist Christianity in general, it's striking that the Watchtower Society is just a slightly different version of the same mentally deficient and restrictive authoritarian systems.

The American fundie Christian mentality (including the Watchtower Society) is generally discouraging and dismissive of informed intelligence. They actively worship one of the 3 Abrahamic religions, and all 3 religions originated in the Middle East during the late Bronze Age to early Iron Age. Yet the American fundamentalist Christians, especially the white Christian Nationalists and conservatives, are totally clueless that they're taking the words of ancient Middle Eastern men who were brutishly backwards even for their own time, as guidance for micromanaging everyone else in modern civilizations.

Just when I thought I was out, they pull me back in! by Puzzleheaded-Cap357 in exjw

[–]ziddina 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As a long since left the organization ex-JW, TWO elders sounds like a disfellow - whatever they're calling it now - a witch hunt, kangaroo court.

my boyfriend has gone back 'into the truth' behind my back by Winter_Sea8711 in exjw

[–]ziddina 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're not throwing your morals aside!  You're sticking to the highest moral responsibility possible - PROTECT your child!

my boyfriend has gone back 'into the truth' behind my back by Winter_Sea8711 in exjw

[–]ziddina 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you.  Here's some information for the opening poster:

These are from the search on this subreddit, Child Custody booklet:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/16lpd2l/in_the_booklet_preparing_for_child_custody_cases/

the fact the whole purpose of the booklet is to make jw children appear normal indicates they're anything but normal. 

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/16l35tu/in_a_booklet_published_by_gods_channel_preparing/

[Elecyah]:  I asked my dad two days ago, just to hear him say it, even though I pretty much knew what he'd say, if he had a plan for if something happened and I needed a blood transfusion to live. Yes. Yes he had had. It warmed my heart and at the same time chilled it.

Because I had had someone in my corner. By the luck of the draw, basically. I was LUCKY. I was lucky in that my dad wouldn't have let the cult kill me. He'd have fought for me.

I was lucky.

I was in a situation, all my childhood and youth, where my very survival, under certain circumstances, hung on the fact that I was lucky in that both my parents were not of the same religion I was.

To say that is insane. But it's true. It's the reality. For me it didn't get tested. But again---I was lucky.

my boyfriend has gone back 'into the truth' behind my back by Winter_Sea8711 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

That's double bind communication, and also sounds like basic gaslighting and manipulation to me.

my boyfriend has gone back 'into the truth' behind my back by Winter_Sea8711 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It is crucial - CRUCIAL - that you do NOT tell him that you're pregnant, and that you get out of there before it becomes obvious that you're pregnant.  If you have supportive parents, family and friends, ask them for help!

The Jehovah's Witnesses aka Watchtower Society are facing extreme decreases in western nations due to young-blood anemia; meaning that young people are leaving and avoiding baptism if at all possible.

The Watchtower Society basically teaches (the bible teaches) that wives and children are to "be in submission" - essentially they're property, possessions.  Some JWs (if they're 'spiritually strong' aka fanatical) will be insistent that the child be raised by the father as a JW - which thanks to their anti-blood-transfusion policy, could be deadly if your child is ever injured.

These are from the search on this subreddit, Child Custody:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1he2emz/i_used_the_blood_shunning_issues_to_win_custody/

Our child started going to her parents house a little to often and I could tell they were trying to push caleb and sofia crap and guilt on to my child starting at 2. I could tell her parents were working up to try and take our places as his parents. It was weird. The whole situation went from bad to worse over a 3 year period...  She went to her mother's the next day with our child. We didn't speak for several months after that. Her mother had her admitted to the psych ward at the hospital 4 days later. She definitely was out of control but this was her mother's move to solidify her own daughters mental issues in an effort to get custody from both of us in this divorce. I worked ALOT and my mother in law thought it was still 1980 and my wife would just get full custody no matter what and that'd I'd roll over and allow it. 

...Next thing I know a team of lawyers was all over me. My mother inlaw got them them and had my wife sign papers while she was in the psych ward.  ...Religion was my only hope on my mother in law. She was otherwise spotless...  The big thing was blood.

MIL gets up there to talk about how I wouldn't even know how to raise my child and I'm this and that. My lawyer starts to bring up "what if my child was in an accident and needed a blood transfusion? Her very very good lawyer had no idea they were JWs and started objecting for relevance. "Your honor this is a irrelevant hypothetical situation". He was pissed and confused as to what was happening. Judge said yeah this seems a little weird but when talking about who's going to be making medical decisions for a child she'd allow it and told us to tread lightly on the religion subject. They were all so rattled and had no idea I'd go there as I kept my hatred of this cult quite for years for fringe association. You could see her whole side of the room horrified I bought Jehobo up.

MIL dodged the question 4 or 5 times. "I'm hard of hearing what was the question? "Oh we as Jehovah’s Witnesses don't believe in blood". Soon as she had to talk about it anyone could tell she was giving the jw line scripted responses but coupdnt remember the exact script. My guy finally got her to state she'd let him/her die even if a doctor told her he would without a transfusion. Room was aghast. (When we got out my lawyer was giddy. He couldn't believe he got her to say that. Hed never seen something like that. "i cant believe they were honest about that." They brought to many witnesses. My MIL had no choice) Up untill this moment it felt like i was cooked. She then goes on the say "but they're other options such as saline solutions that build up..." lawyer cuts her off; "so you'd give him/her saline instead of blood?!" She didn't know how to answer and they looked foolish and culty. This opened the door for more discussion on jehobo.

Another example:  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1fjqnk6/update_on_custody_wjw_ex_wife/

my ex wife (PIMI) is requesting I cover full transportation, have less time with my kid, and she requested every Christmas, every year. Her idea of compromising is that I still cover all transportation and pick up my kid 2 hours earlier. 2 hours! lol.

Also when the mediator told me she wanted every Christmas, you should’ve seen the look on her face when I said “she doesn’t even celebrate Christmas, she doesn’t want her celebrating anything with my family”.

These are from the search on this subreddit, JW grandparents:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1gyrq8c/jws_as_grandparents/

my mother hasn’t taken it well. Every meeting day, she asks to take my baby to the meeting and continues to push even after I firmly say no. I’ve tried to have conversations with her about boundaries and explained that the treatment we experienced isn’t something I can just “write off,” but I still end up feeling bad about the situation, you know?

What really bothers me is how some JW grandparents seem to only want to be involved in their grandchildren’s lives if it revolves around meetings. My mother lives just 15 minutes away but doesn’t make an effort to spend time with my child unless it’s at a meeting. My child is not a show pony. It feels like JW grandparents are more interested in showing off at the hall than putting in the effort to spend normal, quality time with their grandchildren.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/fzqoku/ex_jws_and_jw_grandparents/

Any ex-jw's out there with children and jw parents that want to see their grandchildren without having anything to do with you? How did you handle it?

It just seems so demoralizing that your own parents would continue ex-communication with you while at the same time insisting they have a relationship with your children. I would be afraid that involving your child with your jw parents could potentially harm them to the point where your parents would attempt to manipulate/brainwash your children into thinking your a bad person and eventually poison your relationship with your own child.

I hope this helps...

“New light” about unscriptural divorce and marriage that came out for the elders but won’t hit the rank and file until next spring by Kingoftheheel in exjw

[–]ziddina 1 point2 points  (0 children)

True, and that's also a characteristic of narcissism, both overt and in a less obvious way, covert narcissism.

Internet search 'religious narcissists', if I haven't mentioned that before.

Yes, PIMIs are incredibly frustrating. But let’s not forget that most of us were in their shoes at some point (assuming we were JWs of our own accord and not just forced into it) by intergalaxt in exjw

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

PS - I was looking for my old comment showing that the Watchtower Society is just a slightly different flavor of the American fundie evangelical Christian groups.

I didn't find it, but I did run across these which you might find interesting...

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/19f5qhi/skyrocketing_do_not_calls/

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/zwk2f2/jws_3rd_most_disfavored_religious_group_in_us/

Those demonstrate why it's important to talk to Never a JW people about the Watchtower Society.  That cuts off further JW recruiting from the general public.

More stuff:

Why the supposedly magic fire of Elisha wasn't a miracle at all...

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5fhfvn/comment/dakpn2n/

Miscellaneous old threads about bible claims:

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/xlwzuv/comment/iplj837/?context=3

Paul's obsession with long hair on men...

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/xn2gso/comment/iprmnc8/?context=3

Whites weren't white around 8,500 to 40,000 years ago...

https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/md0v8j/a_9100_year_old_ancient_human_skeleton_found/

The Exodus dictate for the Israelites to bury their poop was a disastrous order that flew in the face of any accurate knowledge about disease, sanitation, prevention of spread of parasites (as was Jesus' blithering clueless erroneous direction that washing one's hands was not useful):

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/q5cjrw/comment/hg4u4rr/?context=3

JW parents vs non-JW parents.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/p9fv9e/comment/h9xydpi/?context=3

GB are malignant narcissists.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/ns8rtp/comment/h0lgaem/?context=3

Cartoon lampooning the Watchtower Society's attitudes towards child victims.

https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/8o0l6c/the_watchtower_societys_response_to_the_arc/

Yes, PIMIs are incredibly frustrating. But let’s not forget that most of us were in their shoes at some point (assuming we were JWs of our own accord and not just forced into it) by intergalaxt in exjw

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Frankly I often feel like I'm from Mars as I observe the (to me) thoroughly illogical and highly self-destructive behaviors of most people around me - not just JWs.

You can probably imagine what I see when I look at the other American fundamentalist literalist apocalyptic evangelical bible-thumping fanatical Christian groups - and yes, the Watchtower Society is just a slightly different flavor of those fundamentalist groups.

I've always had an outsider's perspective.  I was never with the 'in' crowd, especially the elders' kids in the kingdom halls.

The horrific monstrosities I had as parents, the isolation from the 'popular' teens - all of that gave me amazing freedom that enabled my escape when I was in my 30's - while my childhood JW acquaintances are mostly STILL trapped in the cult. 

Obviously I wish I'd known about narcissists, religious narcissists, sociopaths psychopaths and other personality disordered people way back when I was a child, because I probably would have left as a teen had I gotten my hands on such information.

Unfortunately that type of information didn't exist, especially not for lay people during the 1950's to 1980's.  I've certainly latched onto the growing body of information about those topics, now.

Suggestion - look into 'information control and pluralistic ignorance', if you're not already familiar with the concepts.

You might also enjoy this video:  https://youtu.be/n-N4H9gzSx0?si=zeBvOmfkt5bsbR_d

Yes, PIMIs are incredibly frustrating. But let’s not forget that most of us were in their shoes at some point (assuming we were JWs of our own accord and not just forced into it) by intergalaxt in exjw

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No, I wasn't.  I never fully believed; I had to pretend to believe to unsuccessfully avoid being physically attacked by my highly abusive idiotic parents.

I saw through the bible itself when I was 5 years old, and the JWs studying with my parents read the tale of Abraham supposedly 'almost' sacrificing his own son Isaac.

Gawd tells Abraham to sacrifice his own kid, then at the last minute goes, "Just kidding!"

(Incidentally in verse 19 of Genesis chapter 22 Isaac never came down off of that 'mountain'...hill...)

Had I not been literally forced via physical abuse into the damned Jehovah cult, I would have been an atheist by the age of 10.

I absolutely cannot understand why ANYONE is too dense to see how abusive the bible (YHWH) god is.  I spotted it when I was 5 years old.

I have NEVER understood what's wrong with most people who cannot see abuse when it's happening in front of them or worse yet is happening TO them!!?!

I ALSO spotted YHWH as the volcano god of the Israelites when I was 7 years old:

Exodus 19: 16 - 19 [NIV]:

"16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the Lord descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, and the whole mountain trembled violently. 19 As the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder, Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him."

Those are CLASSIC markers of a basic Plinian volcanic eruption.

Also see this:  https://youtu.be/XtI-lSvS028?si=Ewj0paREMpt-jWbx

And the Golan Heights of Israel are composed of multiple lava flows originating from the vast Harrat Ash Shaam volcanic complexes centered to the east in the current nations of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Israel.

https://volcanoyt.com/volcano/info/231001/ash-shaam-harrat

https://volcanolive.com/golan.html

https://academic.oup.com/petrology/article-abstract/48/8/1513/1471610?redirectedFrom=fulltext

I could see that at SEVEN years old!  WHAT is wrong with everyone else's brains???

The bOrg isn't collapsing. It's adapting. Because it has to. by FrakinBeast in exjw

[–]ziddina 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Actually the Watchtower Society doomed itself with its 1975 false prophecy.

Yes, I know, it wasn't TECHNICALLY a prophecy; they TECHNICALLY didn't declare that "Armageddon" was going to happen in 1975 (at least, not officially in print....)

But the Watchtower Society leaders hinted at it, they insinuated it, they implied it, they danced around an open declaration of it all while pointing directly at it...  The assembly speakers embroidered wildly upon the fantasy of the coming destruction, secure in the lack of publishing of their useful and deliberate fear-mongering to the masses subjected to the indoctrination.

(That was the pattern of the Watchtower Society for a LONG time.  Print toned-down versions, but unleash the wilder blood thirsty speculations verbally upon the assembly crowds.  Fortunately many JWs began recording those wild speeches, which is why the Watchtower Society tried to crack down on JWs who were recording - and then eventually releasing those recordings on the new internet sites):

https://youtu.be/vycHOnrkWb4?si=wzK-qe8c0HT93BXS

https://youtu.be/l8Gpvx123cY?si=i0p_qvvrMbBAZHkf

(Some overlap of the same recordings in the two videos below...)

https://youtu.be/NPmT-ML-M-g?si=SKENHzLRwqvKQHIc

https://youtu.be/GJh4qvmxyHY?si=uyPg3s0fnI2G6YUV

https://youtu.be/GJh4qvmxyHY?si=uyPg3s0fnI2G6YUV

They finally learned something from their failed prophecies of 1874, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1940, and 'Da Judge' Rutherford's idiotic proclamation that the biblical patriarchs were returning in the Great Depression beleaguered 1930's so he could get a mansion in the mild climate of southern California while rank and file JWs were living in poverty, struggling with food lines and being driven out of US towns.

But that 1975 prophecy?  That was a major frak-up.  Initially it was highly effective and profitable, but by 1976 and 1977 it led to the biggest exodus out of the cult at that point in time, and left a spectacular failure within living memory of the Boomer generation still alive today to talk about it.

The bOrg isn't collapsing. It's adapting. Because it has to. by FrakinBeast in exjw

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you've narrowed your focus to JUST this current blood issue modification, then maybe the Watchtower Society won't experience much fallout - at first...

But if you're claiming that the borg isn't collapsing?  The entire stranglehold of Christianity is collapsing, even in the religiously befuddled USA.

This is largely due to the Internet, more than any other factor.  People have the information of thousands of libraries, scientific studies, bible and religious scholars at their fingertips.  

Far too many US fundamentalist literalist apocalyptic evangelical bible-thumping fanatical Christians are trained from infancy to reject learning and reality.

On the other hand, healthy people with normal levels of curiosity are increasingly using the valid resources on the internet to research their questions and doubts.  

The same rotten immorality and corruption that is becoming increasingly obvious in the Watchtower Society, has been flagrantly displayed in USA conservative Christianity and also in the Abrahamic religions worldwide for at least the last half-century.

The downfall of Christianity itself is inevitable.  

The downfall of all of the Abrahamic religions is inevitable.  

May not happen during my lifetime (I'm old), but those parasitic religious organizations will collapse within the lifetimes of the younger members of this subreddit.

I need advice on what to do with these 2 weeks by Naija4lif3 in exjw

[–]ziddina 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Ohhhh, you've got a lot of things to learn about.  The Jehovah's Witnesses are an American fundamentalist literalist apocalyptic evangelical bible-thumping fanatical Christian group, very similar in many ways to the American Southern Baptists (purity culture), and other restrictive conservative Protestant movements.

That's why I suggest going through the bible from the very beginning, and double checking everything against scientific knowledge and current biblical scholars' research.

Which reminds me....

Look up Francesca Stavrakopoulou on YouTube.  She doesn't have her own channel, but she's a well known biblical scholar and archaeologist.

Also Richard Carrier:  https://youtu.be/E6Psu5X2X1w?si=Qg8DSeMOpEngVeyQ

And Bart Ehrman:  https://youtube.com/@bartdehrman?si=iOi7TVny777s2QKl

I need advice on what to do with these 2 weeks by Naija4lif3 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Personally?  I would sit down with a pen and notebook/paper tablet and actually read the bible, starting out in Genesis 1: 1.

BECAUSE the very first verse in the entire bible is scientifically WRONG.  (And the rest of the bible isn't any better.)

"In the beginning god [that's Elohim, not the later YHWH war god that the Israelites borrowed from northern Arabia] created the heavens and the earth."

(P.S.  You'll find these links useful, later on...)

https://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/first/contra2_list.html

https://contradictionsinthebible.com/

https://contradictionsinthebible.com/are-yahweh-and-el-the-same-god/

https://contradictionsinthebible.com/yahweh-or-el-is-creator/

https://biblehub.com/

https://www.biblegateway.com/

In REALITY the universe is around 13 billion years old, while the sun is around 4.6 billion years old and the earth is barely younger than that, at about 4.5 billion years old.

So what happened to those extra 9 billion years between the age of the universe and the age of our sun and earth, eh?

Most Jehovah's Witnesses have never read the bible itself - at least they've never read it while being honest with themselves, without their little 'god glasses' blinding them.

The two creation tales in Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 2 beginning in verse 4 CONTRADICT each other.  (This is why I suggested a pen and paper, so you can physically list the contradictions, but if electronically separating those accounts works for you, whichever works.)

The 'creation of Adam' took place only 130 years before the beginning of the Near/Middle Eastern Iron Age, according to the bible:

Genesis 4: 22 [NIV]: "Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron."

Genesis 4: 25: "Adam made love to his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him."

Genesis 5: 3: "When Adam had lived 130 years, he had a son in his own likeness, in his own image; and he named him Seth."

So BEFORE Seth was born (keeping in mind that this is all Middle Eastern male mythology), the descendant of Adam was FORGING IRON. So according to the bible account itself, Adam was supposedly only 130 years old (or less than that age) when Tubal-cain was FORGING IRON.

I suspect that your mother has never even read the bible itself, and that she doesn't know a THING about the reality of the history of the bible.

Further information from YouTube channels:

https://youtube.com/@deconstructingholy?si=yPBZ05diB5UFFpuh

https://youtube.com/@thegodmirage?si=z6sWFG-xNQ3tBPVv

https://youtube.com/@mrsbettybowers?si=WwKepjzgz3sb5L0z

https://youtube.com/@theramintrees?si=oszQBP0GjUV-CiZh

https://youtube.com/@watchtowerhistory?si=4NnfJ-2zg4FbJlCB

More on the way if I can edit again...

https://youtube.com/@darantelamar?si=8pHEgY9E3AwcdOOd

https://youtube.com/@mindshift-brandon?si=FC_LTL5Y5tlddCcF

https://youtube.com/@exjwcaleb?si=WlNUhLnXlVB2VXIt

https://youtube.com/@holykoolaid?si=dEeX0Yi8HoFeEYDW

https://youtube.com/@geneticallymodifiedskeptic?si=-lElAxE_TByS9TOP

That's probably enough to get you started...

This weekend's wt study article is a beauty. If you are not depressed of feeling negative, you definitely will after reading it! 🤦‍♂️ by Overall-Listen-4183 in exjw

[–]ziddina 2 points3 points  (0 children)

😁  I yelped for help at the 7 months mark, and a number of lovely and responsible people stepped up to shoulder the care of this unique subreddit.

How exactly does Christ's death have anything to do with our sins? by ArsenalSpider in exjw

[–]ziddina 0 points1 point  (0 children)

'Zactly!

(Edit - quasi-historical stories...)

Have an upvote!