[irrelig]So episode 41 is finally here, in which we finally capitulate to the many requests to cover the inanity that is the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Neither Satan, nor Jesus, nor Comcast could keep us from recording it. We also cover some international iTunes reviews as well as our recent nomination to the religion category at podcastawards.com.
Check it out here, and then make sure to vote for us daily until the podcastawards contest is over!
9 Responses to “41: Jehovah’s Witnesses”
What I hated about the JWs in Korea is they’d get the best looking Korean women within their fold with decent English to try and recruit whitey. This stunningly beautiful Korean woman would come up to you, start chatting you up, and then whoosh she’d whip out the Watchtower. Ugg. Nothing but a god damn tease.
Wasn’t Michael Jackson a JW? I seem to recall when Thriller hit big there was talk about even he would still have to do his door to door crap.
And don’t the JWs and Mormons really have it in for each other? They’re both a religion that doesn’t believe in hell and has an idea about people being reborn on earth.
Using beautiful Korean women to get men to listen to JW crap? Dirty pool!
I don’t think the JWs and Mormons really bother each other. Southern Baptists, definitely. But JWs and Mormons I think have agreed to peacefully coexist — my bet is because their brands of craziness are so eerily similar.
Great podcast. I was raised as a JW and only wised up four years ago at the age of 31. I’ve spent the last four years attempting to undo the mindfuck of my upbringing. Listening to your research made me wince. It all seems so obviously stupid now. Too bad I didn’t see it earlier. Sigh.
As for the dwindling numbers of the 144,000…the JW’s have adjusted their doctrine to allow those born after 1935 to declare their “anointed” status. Their reasoning is that it’s possible that some of the pre-1935 “chosen” may not have remained faithful to their death and they would need to be replaced. Convenient, isn’t it?
Strangely, the rest of the non-anointed flock are content with their hope of everlasting life on a paradise earth. In hindsight, I should’ve asked myself why I’d want to live forever with a bunch of Jehovah’s Witnesses? I’ve never known a more messed up bunch of people in my life. Not a paradise by any stretch of the imagination.
The blood transfusion is a mirky doctrine at best. My parents, still JW’s, carry a complicated medical directive card to signal their intentions to medical personnel in the event of an emergency. You can see a copy of this directive on a discussion thread over at an ex-JW forum:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/medical/135341/1/ADVANCE-MEDICAL-DIRECTIVE-sheet-on-Blood-Check-it-Out
I’ve also blogged about the whole blood issue here:
http://www.tallpenguin.com/2007/02/jws-under-fire-over-blood-doctrine.html
And yes, I think the movement is about due for another major doctrinal change. I’m guessing some “new light” understanding of their end times chronology and quite possibly another date for the end of the world. They’ve got to keep re-writing their history if they want to stay alive.
I’m surprised you didn’t get more deeply into the whole JW shunning/excommunication doctrine. Having been at the receiving end of this JW version of “love”, I can attest to how powerful a tool it is for keeping the flock in line. It also causes a great amount of cognitive dissonance for its members, particularly those called upon to shun their immediate family members who’ve been excommunicated. I’m fortunate that my parents still speak to me, although I’m officially an “apostate” in JW terms. But our relationship is forever changed.
Thanks again for the great podcast. I wish your laughter, over the beliefs I once held so deeply to be true, didn’t hurt so much though. I’m not sure I’ll ever get over this feeling of having been caught with my pants down. It makes me justifiably wary and skeptical, but also leaves me feeling perpetually wounded.
Hey, don’t feel bad … both Leighton and I were raised Mormon, which I think is a crazier set of beliefs than Jehovah’s Witnesses. And it took us a long time to get over our religious upbringing as well. In some ways, I still haven’t gotten over it.
We should have gone over the shunning stuff, but the episode ran a little long as it was. I blame Leighton.
If Charley keeps blaming me for everything I’m going to give him a bit of the shunning upside his rear-sided orifice.
Trust me, and Charley, when we say we know how you feel. Although I was teetering for years, it wasn’t until I was 29 that I finally had my eyes completely peeled open. The rage that quickly ensued inside of me for the lies I’d been led to believe since my birth was only quelled by Charley’s and my laughter. Although I’m annoyed it controlled much of my life I can no longer take it seriously, as with all the other religions out there.
You’re right when you say the relationship with parents changes. Mine treat me just fine, but I always catch the backend of comments such as, “He just can’t give up his sinning ways.” or “God will put him through the trials he needs to in order to bring him back, even if that means he hits rock bottom.” They also do their best to tell me about “enlightening” experiences and the “hand of God” in their lives in what I can only assume is their version of subtlety.
It’s tough, at least initially, standing up to all your friends and family and telling them not only do you not believe but their beliefs are absolute hogwash. As time goes by it does get easier. The anger/hurt diminishes and begrudgingly those around you begin to accept if not respect your viewpoints. Hang in their, mate, and laugh. The laughter does ease things.
Thank you Leighton and Chuck for your kind words. Ya, sometimes, I can laugh at it all. And sometimes, I feel the rage like fire. And sometimes, it’s the grief that’s unbearable. Mostly, I just wish it had never happened at all. But, life goes on.
My folks, fortunately, don’t do the preachy thing with me, although I’m sure my mother hopes I will “come to my senses” one day and return to the flock. But that’s her delusion. One amongst many. I’m coming to see that my parents are just people. They love me in their own way, however misguided that may be. At the end of the day, they did what they thought was right, as most parents do.
The J-Bots did a number on me, but at least I didn’t have to wear magic underwear.
Anya
Thank you so very much for your podcast! I have only been out for about 2 months, and truly is crazy that used to believe all this stuff. I totally understand the anger, as I am going through that as well. I wasn’t allowed to play sports in school, and wasn’t allowed to go to college. Just a couple of the things that piss me off.
Thanks again
Trust me, my friend, no matter what religion you were forced to believe as a kid will stop you from doing something normal. Due to Mormonism the first time I felt up a woman, at the ripe old age of 12, I felt so bad about it that I confessed it to my bishop. Didn’t matter that the girl was completely fine with it and I rather enjoyed it myself. Due to the browbeating I got from my bishop, and the fact that as an LDS youth you aren’t allowed to date until you’re sixteen, I stopped myself from getting hot and bothered with a woman until I met that pretty little blonde. I wonder what her name was.
Not only this, but I had never even tasted alcohol until I was 21 and living in Italy. Even then I fought it for all I was worth until there was this raven-haired beauty at the honey festival. I’m starting to see a pattern here; women seem to lead me to sin. Due to this, I believe I am completely blameless of all my “sins”. After all, the beauty of what a woman is, tall, short, skinny, fat, beautiful, plain, etc., they’re all so goddamn unique and cute. Makes me want to eat them up. Take that any way you like.
Actual link is:
http://www.irreligiosophy.com/podcasts/041_jehovah.mp3
For those who happen by YEARS later, like me.