#jehovah's witnesses

[sky-daddy-hates-me]

How delusional do you have to be to think that the religion that has forcibly invaded and converted multiple countries throughout the centuries has preserved languages and cultures.

Old norse was only converted to the Latin alphabet because of Christianity, almost destroying the runic alphabet.

Christians forced indigenous children in North America and Canada to attend schools that stripped them of their culture and abuse them into Christianity. There are still Christian organisations who are dedicated to preaching to the native tribes on the North American continent.

How many mythological/folklore/fairytale figures have been diluted down to make it more christian friendly? How many have been demonised because they went against christian values?

How many historical artifacts or culturally significant items have been stolen or destroyed because of Christianity?

It genuinely breaks my heart to think of all the pain and suffering and death Christianity has caused to numerous countries, and the historical knowledge we might have lost in the process.

#ex jw #ex jehovah's witness #jehovah's witnesses #religious trauma #exjw #cult survivor #ex christian #ex cult #apostate #possible tw #culture #culturalheritage #christianity #imperialism #conversion #languages

[nil-ma-aelnino]

i know we're used to seeing jehovah's witnesses as a doomsday cult but let me disagree and tell you they're a doomsday cult with very fuckable representations of jesus

#jw #jehovah's witnesses #watchtower #exmo #exjw #jesus

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

#Jehovah's Witnesses #ex JW #ex JWs #ex Jehovah's witness #LOL #funny #religion #religion is a mental illness

[jw-horror-stories]

Saw a portion of the Jehovah's Witness convention whatever, and they have a section that basically compares dolphins to Jehovah's Witnesses, and likewise sharks to apostates. Making the comparison that sharks will indiscriminately attack dolphins and dolphins would likewise band together to protect their children.

I find it oddly fitting as sharks only attack as needed, and dolphins are actually more murderous and prone to raping. Likewise, apostates are horribly misunderstood as aggressive babykillers, and Jehovah's Witnesses have a lot of pedophiles among their leadership.

-Mod Degurechaff, an ex shark kid

#mod degurechaff #jehovah's witnesses #jwhs #jehovah's witness #jehovah's witness horror stories

[lower-management]

I have found out humans made Jehovah's Witnesses cartoons. It's so fucking funny i swear I have been laughing uncontrollably just thinking about it. Do they really think God will be mad because the kid has got a wizard toy? I've just been laughing like a maniac for the past hour.

#good omens rp #beelzebub #GO #good omens #ask beelzebub #beelzebub speaks #Jehovah's Witnesses

[high-quality-tiktoks]

they’re persistent with it😭

#video #tiktok #tiktoks #funny #lmao #wtf #religion #christianity #christian #christians #jehovah's witness #jehovah's witnesses #satan #bhawkins03

[atheostic]

If you’re a secular atheist and praying you’re probably doing atheism wrong.

#prayer #praying #pew research center #judaism #Christianity #buddhism #islam #Muslims #christians #buddhists #mormon #jehovah's witnesses #catholicism #protestant #hindus #hinduism #atheists #Religion

[theexodvs]

The leading figures of neurodiversity are Grandin, Robison, Silberman, Baron-Cohen, and Atwood. All of them are 65 or older, so adherents of the movement will have to consider, "Where do we go from here?"

While one might want to hope that one group keeps the name while abandoning the cultic teaching, like what happened after the death of Herbert W. Armstrong, but most Armstrongists broke fellowship with this reformist faction led by Tkach and continued promoting Armstrongist doctrine.

On the other hand, one might envision a scenario where the group remains, and its teachings do not change substantially, but its numbers and influence wane, like what happened after the death of Mary Baker Eddy. While the disease denialism certainly paints the picture of the neurodiversity movement consisting of Eddy's spiritual descendants, her group was way too small and centralized and she did basically everything possible to avoid splintering.

One might anticipate something similar to the aftermath of Joseph Smith, CT Russell, or Ahn Sahng-hong, where two major groups emerge, or one major group amidst a flurry of smaller groups emerge, each swearing on their life they are promoting their founders' actual teaching. However, again, these movement were way more centralized than the neurodiversity movement.

The best comparison is likely what happened in the years after the deaths of Alexander Campbell and Barton Stone. They engineered a movement that was decentralized by design, so there were several different figures all insisting the others were promoting false ideas. A few major groups have arisen, some more decentralized than others, but their movement is still primarily decentralized.

The likely causes of splintering for the neurodiversity movement in the coming years will likely include functioning labels, which illnesses they think are quirky enough for inclusion under their umbrella, whether to use communication devices and which, the validity of self-diagnosis, how much treatment is too much treatment, and which books and studies fit into the neurodiverse canon.

These are the issues the neurodiversity movement will find itself contending with.

#neurodiversity movement #neurodiversity #cult #cults #cultic #Temple Grandin #John Elder Robison #Steve Silberman #Simon Baron-Cohen #Tony Atwood #Herbert W Armstrong #Worldwide Church of God #Mary Baker Eddy #Christian Science #Joseph Smith #Mormonism #CT Russell #Watchtower Bible and Tract Society #Jehovah's Witnesses #Joseph Tkach Sr #Ahn Sahng-hong #World Mission Society Church of God #Alexander Campbell #barton stone #churches of christ #aac #self-diagnosis #functioning labels #augmentative and alternative communication

[todaysdocument]

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of WV found that it was unconstitutional to require students to salute the American flag on 10/6/1942. 

File Unit: Barnette et al. versus West Virginia State Board of Education, Civil #242, 8/19/1942 - 12/4/1942

Series: Civil Case Files, 1938 - 2003

Record Group 21: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009

Transcription:

DISTRICT COURT OF THE UNITED STATES,

SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF WEST VIRGINIA.

No. 242

Walter Barnette, Paul Stull, and Lucy McClure, Plaintiffs,

versus

The West Virginia State Board of Education, composed of Hon. W. W. Trent, President, Mary H. Davisson, Thelma B. Loudin, Raymond Brewster, Lydia C. Hern, L. V. Thompson, and Mrs. Douglas W. Brown, and all other boards, officials, teachers and persons subject to the jurisdiction and control of said State Board of Education, Defendants.

FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW.

In the above entitled cause the special court of three judges makes the following findings of fact and conclusions of law:

Findings of Fact.

1. That this is a suit to protect rights and privileges guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of $3,000.00.

2. That plaintiffs are citizens of West Virginia and have children who attend the public schools of that state.

3. That plaintiffs and their children are members of  a sect known as "Jehovah's Witnesses" and, as such, have conscientious scruples based on religious grounds against saluting the flag of the United States or any other national flag.

4. That the defendant the West Virginia State Board of Education has adopted a regulation requiring children in the public schools of the state to salute the flag of the United States and providing for their expulsion from school upon failure to give such salute.

[page 2]

-2-

5. That because of their conscientious scruples based on religious belief, plaintiffs and their children will not comply with the regulation of the Board of Education requiring the flag salute, and that the Board of Education unless restrained will expel plaintiffs' children from school for failure to comply therewith.

6. That, upon the expulsion of plaintiffs' children from school, they will be deprived of the benefit of education in the public schools to which they are entitled under the laws of West Virginia, and plaintiffs will have to pay to have them educated in private schools or be subject to prosecution under the compulsory education law of West Virginia for failure to send them to school.

7. That this suit is brought by plaintiffs in behalf of themselves and all other persons similarly situated with respect to the enforcement of the regulation of the Board of Education.

Conclusions of Law.

1. That the regulation of the Board of Education, in so far as it requires a flag salute from school children who have conscientious scruples based on grounds of religion against giving such salute, is violative of the rights of religious liberty guaranteed by the 14th Amendment against infringement by the states.

2. That plaintiffs are entitled to an injunction restraining the State Board of Education, its agents and employees, and all teachers in the schools of the state from requiring plaintiffs' children or the children of other persona for whom the suit is brought, having religious scruples against giving the flag salute, to give such salute or from expelling them from school for failure to give same.

[page 3]

-3-

Enter: Oct. 6, 1942

John J. Parker

U.S. Circuit Judge, Fourth Circuit.

Harry E. Watkins

U.S. District Judge for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia.

Ben Mooney

U.S. District Judge, Southern District of West Virginia.

#archivesgov #October 6 #1942 #1940s #court case #U.S. District Court #14th Amendment #saluting the flag #American flag #Barnette v West Virginia #Jehovah's Witnesses

[sky-daddy-hates-me]

I'm not sure if I'll ever recover from believing that fearing someone is a crucial aspect of loving someone and I fully blame Christianity for that.

God-fearing is such a fucked up term especially since its viewed as a positive thing.

#ex jw #ex jehovah's witness #jehovah's witnesses #religious trauma #exjw #cult survivor #ex christian #ex cult #apostate #possible tw

[jjelly-donutzz]

Never Let It Be Said That Figuring Out Your Gender Identity Was a Picnic

TW for brief mention of CSA. sexism, high-control religion/cult mention

I saw and reblogged a comment on Twitter/X about a week or so back that said: "reclaiming your femininity for yourself and not for others after being raised in a traditional household." And the more I think about it, the more I realize about myself.

I thought I was comfortable as "Frank", and I do still feel somewhat comfortable as Frank, but I think I feel more comfortable as a "Sage" or a "Julie" or a "Nina". I think I'd so convinced myself that I hated being feminine due to my upbringing as an AFAB Jehovah's Witness (which is notoriously sexist, among other things), that I felt more comfortable presenting more masculinely and thought I was more of a man.

And I think I realized why. Again, I was born and raised as a Jehovah's Witness. It's a pretty sexist environment, and it's a close-minded environment, which makes it fucking shocking that I (foolishly) took the holy dunk, and they let me considering how outspoken I can be (sometimes. Frankly, I can also be a complete fucking coward too, but that's a story for another time.) Anyway, women can't have positions of power in the organization, they can't be an elder or a circuit overseer. No, the three things that they can be are a preacher (door-to-door proselytizing), a wife, and/or a baby-maker. Even if the sisters' achievements and courage outshined the men, the men would still take the spotlight while the ladies got second thanks, or no thanks at all.

And I think that's why I identified so strongly as a masculine-presenting person. I felt like no one could take me seriously, but I guess I thought that, if I were a man, people would take me more seriously. But that brings me to another realization: who does take me seriously? People outside the organization, of course!! They don't think I'm a total numpty.

Who doesn't take me seriously? The organization. Hell, they did nothing when I was SA'ed as a child by one of the elders in the congregation thanks to their stupid two-witness rule.

Truth be told, I think I do like being feminine, but I don't like what it entails when I'm in the organization. I threw out all of my skirts and dresses to donate later because I don't like them. Most of them were for going to the meetings/attending on Zoom (but on Zoom, no one has to know that you're actually wearing pants, or no pants at all XD), and the other stuff Mom bought me was because she was living vicariously through me because, as she said to me when we were talking about the stuff I was throwing out, I'm younger and prettier and thinner than her and she wanted me to wear the things she wanted to wear but can't because she's heavyset, even if it fucked with my mental health and I hated it. This is nothing against my mother, though. Low self-esteem is a bitch, and she at least acknowledged that what she did was fucked up and apologized for it, and she's more or less accepting of my journey to reclaim my femininity (though she doesn't know that it's also a part of my journey to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses).

I think a lot of my gender identity was tied to what I hated about the organization and myself, but now that I'm taking steps to leave the Jehovah's Witnesses, I'm properly able to think about myself, who I am, what I want to be.

I will always find comfort in the fact that I found comfort being Frank for a time, but I think it's time to put him in the backseat in favor of my true self: Julie (yes, I named myself after two of my favorite characters from the Welcome Home project, hahaha). I want to be more comfortable with myself. I want to find out what makes me comfortable, what makes me happy, what makes me, well, Julie, and I want to discard who I was when I was a Jehovah's Witness, or rather, who I made myself as when I was with them because of what they wanted me to be.

It's going to take some time, both to figure myself out and to leave, but once I do, I'm sure I'll be a lot more happy, more confident, and that I'll find it in my heart to love myself and the world more instead of living in fear.

#lgbtqia #lgbt pride #agender #genderfluid #gender confusion #christian faith #closeted #questioning #trans man #afab problems #genderqueer #pimo #physically in mentally out #jehovah's witnesses #jw #demigirl

[eternal-echoes]

What are some verses JWs use to justify the watchtower being the only real authority and how do I use the Bible to refute them?

Hello Anon,

Here is a link from Catholic Answers about the Jehovah's Witness (a bit of their history and some of their beliefs). Jehovah's Witness is a fairly recent religion and Watchtower isn't base on the Bible, in fact, if you read the link, you'll see that a lot of their beliefs aren't biblical.

Here are some explanation for refuting some of their beliefs:

"Rev 7: 1 - 9 - Jehovah's Witnesses claim only 144,000 people will be in heaven for eternity. Notice, however, that this group is identified as male virgins (Rev 14), while Jehovah's Witnesses don't believe in consecrated celibacy.

The 144, 000 is a symbolic number (much of what is presented in the Book of Revelation is symbolic); it doesn't mean that only that specific number will be in heaven.

All Christians who are faithful to Christ will go to heaven."

- Patrick Madrid

“If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector."

- Matthew 18: 15-17

The authority of the Church is used to determine who is part of our fold and who is not.

Here are some verses about the existence of the Church:

Mt 13: 24-30

Mt 28: 19-20

Mt 16: 18-19

#Catholic #Christianity #Jehovah's Witnesses #asks

[jw-horror-stories]

"Jehovah wants to make sure you're safe in Armageddon!"

...the same one that this same Jehovah wants to cause. Either Jehovah is responsible for bringing Armageddon, or he isn't.

If he is responsible, then he's threatening people with death, and is willing to cause catastrophic levels of destruction over people not sucking up to him. If he's not responsible, that's admitting he's bluffing to get people to stay in line. Or alternatively is willing to take credit for the actions of some other secret third thing.

Can't have it both ways. You either own up to your own horrific actions, or admit you can't do shit. Or make up shit I guess.

Either way, it's stupid. If I'm going to live, I'm going to live my way.

-Mod Degurechaff, for some reason is in a Frank Sinatra mood.

#mod degurechaff #jehovah's witnesses #jwhs #jehovah's witness #jehovah's witness horror stories

[altruisticandaffectionate]

here's my ex jw/growing up in a cult playlist ✨

#ex jw #jehovas witnesses #ex jehovah's witness #jehovah's witnesses #cult trauma #Spotify

[wisdomfish]

The church fathers formulated the Nicene Creed in large part to address the Arian heresy that denied the unqualified deity of Jesus Christ by making him a creature. Arianism is still seen today in the theology of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphiams, and Iglesia ni Cristo.

Samples, Kenneth Richard. ‘Without a Doubt: Answering the 20 Toughest Faith Questions. p. 55

#jws #jehovah's witnesses #christadelphianism #iglesia ni cristo #arianism

[whatisonthemoon]

#religion #jehovah's witnesses #second generation #child abuse #children #law #legal #japan