is that what paradise is supposed to be?

| 20s | they/them | PIMO | ex JW sideblog

[aposteat]

"is it lawful to cure on the Sabbath?"

"should we get involved in the political affairs in the world?"

[aposteat]

Convention speaker talking about hat tricks in a hockey stadium, the only thing I can think about is heated rivalry

[darcyisspidey]

Urgent Commission Call to get out of home

Felt a bit weird making this, but outside of work and the pension, this is one of the only ways I can think of to get more income. Of course I don’t expect to get enough from commissions alone, but I hope it’ll be an extra push.

Link to Ko-Fi page -

Darcyisspidey's Commissions

Commissions Open! Click to see Darcyisspidey's commission menu.

[aposteat]

Have y'all heard about jw pressroom being jw new official social media??? I'm scared to think what will come of this considering they're already doing the copyright thing

[aposteat]

Been forced to interact w JW stuff recently (irritating!) and have been thinking about their supposed political stance.

Partially inspired by the guy at a JW party complaining that it's so hard BC ppl won't let him be "politically neutral" about Palestine...

And I'm still mad so this may not all make sense or be completely correct.

But this had me thinking about what the JW think the line is between "political neutrality" and the golden rule of loving your neighbour.

BC it's like a direct contradiction, BC if "political neutrality" means ignoring harm if done through a political lens how can you claim to love your neighbour?

Like I want to ask the qu but I know it's not worth the trouble

But like what is the line between political neutrality and loving your neighbour?

Like can you donate? If not why is it ok to donate when you're trying to indoctrinate someone? (See all those stories about buying someone groceries so they'll come to a meeting)

Is it too political to write letters to your gov official (which I was told not to do) demanding an arm's embargo? If so why was it not too political to write to Russia?

Like I remember hearing them shade people protesting during the height of BLM and realising that these ppl don't care if I live or die. They would rather use a black person as a puppet to make fun of this than actually acknowledge the harm were facing. (Which I would argue is not loving your neighbour and is also political antagonism or something lmao but def not neutral)

Like it's so frustrating BC whenever it's pointed out that people need practical help they pretend hearing a story about God is going to somehow solve everything like how can you claim to love your neighbour and how can you claim to be the most loving org in the world and not recognize. Like that is not politically neutral nor loving your neighbour.

Like it's so frustrating to hear guys in upstate New York who get free food and medical care by picking the pockets of their members and keeping any profits for themselves to tell you to not care about politics but it's not them and their family that will starve. It's so frustrating!!!

Like the "politics" they want to disparage is often just about caring for your neighbour!!! It's recognising someone is in a bad situation and helping them because you care, or at least BC you would want help you if you were in a bad situation.

Like at what point does it become too political to care about other people???

[gxlden-angels]

Doomsday Cult Christians when the Doomsday Cult ideology causes Doomsday anxiety in their kids:

[enki2]

[sinnahsaint]

Which is why it’s important to not be mean.

Their cult teaches them that the world is full of scary monster people who hate them for being so good and loved by god. If you swear at them and call them names or get in their face you’re just doing the cults work for it.

I’m not saying you have to listen to their presentation or try to debate them (and really getting into a debate without thoroughly understanding what they’re being taught will just make things worse)… I am just saying to be polite and say no thank you like if they were trying to hand you a flyer for something you don’t care about.

It’s easier for them to see the world outside their bubble as less scary if they see everyday people just going about their business and being as nice to them as you are to everyone else. This goes doubly for anyone who happens to dress modestly, not swear, and not drink or smoke because whatever you believe, they’ll see you as a “good” person who happens to strangely have no interest in their “message”, and that might be enough to get some curious about the possibility of themselves living in the real world.

It’s sometimes hard to be nice to people who seem to represent something you dislike. Just remember these “elders” are sheltered young men, some of which are getting their first real contact with people of other/no faiths.

They are not your enemy. They are victims.

[kazashiniwielder]

So I’m from a country family. Part of what I was taught as a kid was guests, no matter if you wanted them are not, are treated to a drink and hospitality. So a few years ago a few of these guys came to my door. It was a really hot day out, like high 90’s. So I invited them in for a drink but I made it very clear, I will listen to their basic conversation while they have a drink but I absolutely have no intention of converting or changing my religion. We had a pleasant conversation for about twenty minutes, then they went on their way without leaving any pamphlets or anything and I figured that was the end of it.

About six months later, I had a new group come to my door. I invited them in for a drink and the two immediately jumped back and went to check my address. They then told me they were told about me in their missionary prep class (because they do that). That I was the only actual ‘good person’ on the route because I didn’t actually yell at them, slam doors in their face, or treat them how they were taught the world was. So we once again had a conversation over tea about how sometimes people just don’t appreciate it when someone shows up to their door trying to push a religion on them. I asked them how they would feel if someone who was Heathenistic appearing on their doorstep telling them how acknowledging Odin as the high god is the only way to save them. They admitted they would be really upset and uncomfortable about that.

Long story short after about two more times of this happening I later learned I was removed from the houses the missionaries were allowed to visit. Apparently I was causing a lot of the young missionaries to question what they were taught and was deemed a concern by the elders of their church because many were asking questions after visiting me. All it took was an offer of a drink and a few kind but intellectual questions to make them ask questions and actually listen to what I was saying.

I guess my overall point is, like the above says you are going to get a lot farther by being kind then being an asshole

[untitled274920]

[exjwexplains]

I can’t believe I stayed in an organization with so much hate for so many years. An organization that forces families to disown their children, that has instructional talks on how better word homophobia, that separates you from the rest of the world and holds your entire social structure hostage just to keep you in line. A place that hides child abuse and forces wives to stay with abusive husbands. A place that drove me to suicide attempts and self harm. I can’t believe I made it out okay.

[fangirlinginleatherboots]

listen. if your religion requires you to reject a part of yourself, its unhealthy.

if your religion condemns you for something you cant control its abusive.

if the people in your religious community encourage unhealthy behaviors, its straight up terrible and you have the right to leave.

spirituality is supposed to enlighten you and fill you with reason and passion and self. if it doesn’t do that, you don’t have to stay. you deserve to be happy.

[mysteryofthings]

Aren’t these [people with RTS] just people who would be depressed, anxious, or obsessive anyways?

Winell: Not at all. If my observation is correct, these are people who are intense and involved and caring. They hang on to the religion longer than those who simply “walk away” because they try to make it work even when they have doubts. Sometime this is out of fear, but often it is out of devotion. These are people for whom ethics, integrity and compassion matter a great deal. I find that when they get better and rebuild their lives, they are wonderfully creative and energetic about new things.

[thoradvice]

if you've lost years of your life to abuse or mental illness, please know it's not too late for you. it's never too late for you. you can do everything you dreamed of when you were a kid - there's still time. you have time to shape yourself and your life into what you want. there is no time limit on happiness.

[aposteat]

It's crazy to me how you can have a bunch of elders who are literally too old to do the job (like can't operate a computer where all the work happens old) and then refuse to allow any women to help, just pile all the work on a couple of other guys who can just barely get it done w all the other things they have to do.

Like I keep talking to women who are very aware they could help w all this work and are willing to and are frustrated that they can't BC of how they were born, but refuse to say anything too critical BC it's the GB that said it has to be so.

And then I have ppl interrogating me about living a double life BC I'm not baptised at my age and it's like girl... The answer is what we were just talking about...

[unwelcome-ozian]

[house-rat]

So like does anyone want to talk about how growing up in an abusive religious fundamentalist household while also attending a secular school while also being otherwise isolated from society and culture led to whopping levels of cognitive dissonance, alienation, and lack of identity or am I supposed to deconstruct this all on my own.

[aposteat]

I always want to say to a JW at some point like if you saw the GB doing something completely heinous how would you warn others if noones allowed to engage in criticism of them?

This is why you need checks and balances for anyone who has any amount of power over others

[aposteat]

"Do you have a hobby you just love? Well stop doing that and do useless slave labor for us instead."

I can't fucking believe I wasted so much of my time here I'm gonna go and enjoy being alive wtf

[yincira]

Functionally it's not slavery because nobody's captive. But there's definitely something to be said about unpaid labor done while brainwashed. Not just the preaching, but also all the churches being built by volunteer and then said churches being sold later without those people ever seeing a penny.

And kids can't leave so easily. Gotta go preach. One of the kingdom halls I was in expected the kids to help keep clean it, and I also had to help clean up after some of the conventions. Like where does it transition from kid chores and charity, to coerced labor, when it's brainwashed driving it?

[aposteat]

For sure I was doing a bit much with the hyperbole there, glad I was understood :)