Something Evil | What it's like to be shunned from the Jehovah's Witnesses

[Zurdo]

And the only person cheating gets away with it. Win win.

[Lilith7]

Solitaire, now that's my sort of game.

Me too  - but very addictive.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I am already fighting the urge to pour a glass and open the games app...

[Praktica]

I am already fighting the urge to pour a glass and open the games app...

Be a devil...go ahead!

[C_T_Russell]

I have long felt that the tax-free aspect of charity should only apply to money/goods that go directly to the beneficiaries. There are far too many leaders who get away with big salaries and rich lifestyles while the parishioners go poor. Then there are those that have huge businesses that have a huge advantage over their competition because they don't pay tax, and the competition does.

I got put off the Sallies in the early 80s when my friend who was a member with a degree of standing in the church was denied help in getting out of the violent marriage she was in. Their attitude was that family cohesion is all and that she should stay and weather the bruises. Then later in the 80s they lobbied against the homosexual law reform. It's one thing to say that people's behaviour goes against your principles, but an entirely different level to promote laws preventing people from being who they are. I remember being given door knob/letterbox stickers that said something like "Salvation Army not welcome here....".

And then of course we are well aware of the whole debacle of what goes on at Gloriavale. A different aspect to a degree, but overall still part of the system that lets the leaders get away with everything while not being required to pay any tax.

It should also be noted that the sallies are not exactly innocent either when it comes to child abuse coverups.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I don't think any organisation is on the abuse front. Look at tvnz and that Santamaria cover up.

Or scientology. Though how anyone can get mixed up in a scam invented as a moneymaker by a very average sci fi writer I do not understand...

[C_T_Russell]

There was a real good story on Scientology on Sunday last week. It makes the Jws look like a walk in the park.

[king1]

this was a great series on Scientology

[C_T_Russell]

this was a great series on Scientology

Her TV series was good, and it featured most well known cults including the JWs.
Looks like they have been caught destroying evidence in NZ now.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programme...0part%20of.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I cannot think of a single religion that isn't used as a control strategy. It is why I became a tree hugging pagan polytheist isolate....

[zqwerty]

I can't understand why so many people fall for this nonsense.

When I was young I was taught by my parents that there aren't any answers to life, (whatever that means).

All one can do is get up and go to work everyday to get enough money to keep body and soul together, but chasing after a lot of money is not the best thing to do, better to get enough each day for necessities and live a life of quiet dignity.

There are no guiding spirits of any type that can give you a better path through life so anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to mislead you.

Be honest and do what you say you are going to do.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

I think trees are pretty good guiding spirits...

[Lilith7]

Some people apparently have a need for religion. I've never had it but then I come from a long line of non church goers; at least, when it was safe to be so.


And yes, trees make more saense than some people.

[C_T_Russell]

I can't understand why so many people fall for this nonsense.

When I was young I was taught by my parents that there aren't any answers to life, (whatever that means).

All one can do is get up and go to work everyday to get enough money to keep body and soul together, but chasing after a lot of money is not the best thing to do, better to get enough each day for necessities and live a life of quiet dignity.

There are no guiding spirits of any type that can give you a better path through life so anyone who tells you otherwise is trying to mislead you.

Be honest and do what you say you are going to do.

In my case, one of my grandparents got involved with them after they knocked on their doors during the great depression when things were tough and they were selling solutions to all the world's problems. WW2 happened and they all thought it was the brink of Armageddon. Another of my grandparents studied with them when his JW neighbor preached to him and told him that God would cure his physical disability after Armageddon.
They exploit desperate people pure and simple.
Obviously they had kids who got indoctrinated and then I was bought up one, but thanks to the internet I discovered all their lies and I managed to get my immediate family out of the cult, which is not always typical, but all my aunts uncles and cousins have cut us all off.

[Kenj]

Some people apparently have a need for religion. I've never had it but then I come from a long line of non church goers; at least, when it was safe to be so.


And yes, trees make more saense than some people.

I have no need for religion either. I come from a long line of church goers but have seen enough to turn me away.

[C_T_Russell]

I cannot think of a single religion that isn't used as a control strategy. It is why I became a tree hugging pagan polytheist isolate....

Religion and governments have been used to control the population since forever.

[R2x1]

No disease has ever killed as many people as religion. But, disease is the cheaper option.

[R2x1]

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I've never been shunned by the JW's yet, but I wouldn't mind trying it.

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Pub Draughts in the Bay of Plenty was a progressively faster and increasingly vicious game as seen by an impressionable computer tech in the mid 60s. As was a wedding reception practiced separately by the bride and groom who loudly traded insults across the public bar. Quite an afternoon.