I'm disappointed with the high ticket prices, delayed album releases, the obsessive and relentless pursuit of traders of bootleggers. But as far as his practicing of his religion is on him and should be only on him. That's my point. Being spiritual doesnt mean you have to be a punk. I really have no problem with him protecting his business interests. He can ease up on who he goes after, but at the end of the day, you can choose to buy what he's selling or not buy what he's selling and leave it at that.

I realize this topic has been talked about/debated over and over again, but I think the reason we talk about it, is because Prince did not just join another religion, he joined a cult. Look into their practices and beliefs and you’ll see why many people classify it as a cult. This group messes with your head in ways people can’t even begin to imagine. It starts out as loving society (that’s what they call themselves – The Society) full of hope and wonder (and truth, they claim to have the only truth). But its only after you’ve slashed and burned through family and friends, do some people realize what they’ve done and what kind of group/cult they’ve joined. This group stifles creativity and kills dreams (not good for a creative person like Prince). You are expected to follow their orders without question. Their "loving" Society, tells you what to think and how to act. Of course they don't start out this way, it really begins quite lovingly, and unless you can turn off your brain completely and follow orders, it quickly becomes a nightmare.

Prince had a complete mind f*** happen to him, and I think he slowly began to realize it. When I heard the lyrics to Dreamer I couldn’t help but think this was Prince realizing what had happened.

I expected so much more from a lovin', a lovin', lovin' society
A truthful explanation, you know what
I got another, another conspiracy

If he’s out, that’s great. Unfortunately he’ll never be the same. His mind is tainted and it takes years, if not decades, to scrub their beliefs clean. No joke, Prince along with other countless number of ex- Jehovah’s Witnesses, should seek professional help to assist them in deprogramming the beliefs of this dangerous cult. The old Prince died when he joined this cult, and I doubt he’ll ever truly recover.

[Edited 1/22/14 18:46pm]

noontide said:

I realize this topic has been talked about/debated over and over again, but I think the reason we talk about it, is because Prince did not just join another religion, he joined a cult. Look into their practices and beliefs and you’ll see why many people classify it as a cult. This group messes with your head in ways people can’t even begin to imagine. It starts out as loving society (that’s what they call themselves – The Society) full of hope and wonder (and truth, they claim to have the only truth). But its only after you’ve slashed and burned through family and friends, do some people realize what they’ve done and what kind of group/cult they’ve joined.

Prince had a complete mind f*** happen to him, and I think he slowly began to realize it. When I heard the lyrics to Dreamer I couldn’t help but think this was Prince realizing what had happened.

I expected so much more from a lovin', a lovin', lovin' society
A truthful explanation, you know what
I got another, another conspiracy

If he’s out, that’s great. Unfortunately he’ll never be the same. His mind is tainted and it takes years, if not decades, to scrub their beliefs clean. No joke, Prince along with other countless number of ex- Jehovah’s Witnesses, should seek professional help to assist them in deprogramming the beliefs of this dangerous cult. The old Prince died when he joined this cult, and I doubt he’ll ever truly recover.

Interesting interpretation of Dreamer. Strangely, I had a dream not so long ago that Prince released a song in which he said he was no longer a Jehovah's Witness

That question should be answered between Prince and his Jehovah.

noontide said:

I realize this topic has been talked about/debated over and over again, but I think the reason we talk about it, is because Prince did not just join another religion, he joined a cult. Look into their practices and beliefs and you’ll see why many people classify it as a cult. This group messes with your head in ways people can’t even begin to imagine. It starts out as loving society (that’s what they call themselves – The Society) full of hope and wonder (and truth, they claim to have the only truth). But its only after you’ve slashed and burned through family and friends, do some people realize what they’ve done and what kind of group/cult they’ve joined. This group stifles creativity and kills dreams (not good for a creative person like Prince). You are expected to follow their orders without question. Their "loving" Society, tells you what to think and how to act. Of course they don't start out this way, it really begins quite lovingly, and unless you can turn off your brain completely and follow orders, it quickly becomes a nightmare.

Prince had a complete mind f*** happen to him, and I think he slowly began to realize it. When I heard the lyrics to Dreamer I couldn’t help but think this was Prince realizing what had happened.

I expected so much more from a lovin', a lovin', lovin' society
A truthful explanation, you know what
I got another, another conspiracy

If he’s out, that’s great. Unfortunately he’ll never be the same. His mind is tainted and it takes years, if not decades, to scrub their beliefs clean. No joke, Prince along with other countless number of ex- Jehovah’s Witnesses, should seek professional help to assist them in deprogramming the beliefs of this dangerous cult. The old Prince died when he joined this cult, and I doubt he’ll ever truly recover.

[Edited 1/22/14 18:46pm]

Amen! Trick arse Larry Graham is the punk that got him in that cult!

Regarding the JWs, please send P over to my place & I'll set him straight.

*

Btw, God is MUCH BIGGER than any cult.

*

It makes me cringe when people call God Jehovah. His name begins with a "Y". There's no "J" even in the Hebrew alphabet & the first letter in his name is a Yod.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Who in the World made Larry's outfit? He should wear that to one of the Kingdom Halls.

Larry: "A Wolf in Sheep Clothing"

[Edited 1/23/14 9:39am]

Astasheiks said:

Dave1992 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Admit it, you became a JW because Prince is one, didn't you? That's how much of a wack job you are

PoorLonelyComputer said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Admit it, you became a JW because Prince is one, didn't you? That's how much of a wack job you are

OMG Kcool is a JW! that is priceless and since Prince became one!

bigd74 said:

artist76 said:

artist76 said:

well he wants to hang out with lianne la havas & she's no angel. it's a good sign!

artist76 said:

Dave1992 said:

I think there's a fundamental difference between common folk JWs (who, most of the time, are extremely simple people living extremely simple lives), and JW rock stars, where this kind of (weird) religion is also part of a style, almost like a stylish outfit you put on. I doubt the two get in contact much or even know much about each other.

And I doubt the JW functionaries have anything against high-profile people talking positively about their religion and pumping money into their churches.

Are you talking about a contradiction, hypocrisy, or double standard?? I have never heard of such a thing in a religion. It just can't be.

Actually, no, I don't think I am. It's not the religion itself that is hypocritical or contradictory, but rather the differing participants that make it so. It shows that religion is nothing "definite" or "God-given", but simply always subject to interpretation, motivation and character.


I just think that the simple JW gardeners from my hometown (who can't even read properly and were just brought up as JWs) will never have anything in common with Prince, no matter whether they share the same religion or not. Nor will they ever truly understand the motivation behind him becoming a JW.


The JW doctrine is much too strong to be anything less than even an artistic statement, in many cases. Among artists JW is the new islam.

Tempest said:

Could this be who the founder of JWs was rolling with?

JW's are just like normal people. I know a few of them really well, after we got to talking at my door (yes, really). I now sometimes go over to their house for tea (and I'm not, nor will I ever be a JW, it is not forbidden for them to socialize with me) and we talk about all kinds of things.

They read the same books we do, they watch the same movies we do (fact: my aquaintance has a lot of cool romantic comedies on DVD). They go on holidays, she likes photography, they all have normal day jobs, and their daughters are now moving out to live together.

There are a lot of misinterpretations of the faith/lifestyle.

Their aim is to live literally like the Bible tells them to. So, they do drink alcohol, just not too much, they do go to parties, just not birthday, Easter or Christmas ones (as Jesus was not born in Winter but somewhere during the summer), and they don't always dress conservatively. Their daughters wear shorts and tanktops in summer, as long as they don't go preach at doors. The reason why they dress conservatively when they're doing their 'job' is so that no one can be offended. They don't know who will open the door. Let's say they're dressed in jeans, ring a doorbell and a very conservative, skirt-wearing woman comes to the door. She will never ever listen to what the JW's have to say, as they are wearing trousers. And as no one can be offended by over-the-knee skirts and covered legs and shoulders, that's the safest bet.

She is not trying to convert me to their faith/lifestyle, she encourages me to form my own opinion. According to them that's what religion should be about. Not blindly believing everything you hear in Church, but investigate and form your own opinion.

The thing you don't seem to realize Desy is that yes, they are trying to convert you. They firmly believe that all non-witnesses will be destroyed during Armageddon. So their main purpose is to "save" as many people as possible by converting them to their faith. They go from door to door not just to preach their "good news" but also to try to obtain book studies so they can convert people; this is their main goal.

Jehovah’s Witnesses appear fairly normal from an outsider’s point of view, but from the inside they are a controlling, domineering group. Everyone is told what to do and how to act, women are considered inferior to men and education and freethinking is highly discouraged. (Not to mention their ever changing and flip-flopping end-of-the-world theories) And if anyone ever wants to just walk away, they are shunned by everyone they know, including their own families.

Sorry Desy, but they are not as misunderstood or harmless as you seem to think. Take your own advice and investigate this religion and see how much harm they have done to countless numbers of individuals.

Astasheiks said:

Tempest said:

Could this be who the founder of JWs was rolling with?

*

It also resembles Larry in that photo above (smile, tie & all). Check it out. When I was looking for snake photos in Google images (with Larry in mind), this one stood out from all the rest. It literally popped off the page at me. It wasn't until I posted it just under that photo of P & Larry, that I realized the direction it's facing, the "smile" on it's face and the coloring resembled Larry's tie in that photo (even the fact that it's flat like the tie). I was looking for a snake that reminded me of Larry but the resemblance to that photo was unintentional. It wasn't until AFTER I posted it and looked at the 2 photos again, that I realized the similarities. It was beshert.

*

That's a green vine snake (aka Ahaetulla nasuta). There is a widespread myth in parts of southern India that the species uses its pointed head to blind its human victims.

*

Sorry Larry lovers. . . . .that's just the way I feel & I have good reason to feel that way.

artist76 said:

I have a question - JWs supposedly, according to their "doctrine," cannot remarry unless their previous marriage failed for adultery (presumably on the other's part).

Manuela remarried, so a) she's no longer JW, b) Prince cheated or, c) she's JW but doesn't care about following the doctrine.

Prince is a) allowed to remarry because Manuela cheated, b) will remarry regardless (I.e., doesn't care about following doctrine), c) will never remarry. I have a) too much time on my hands tonight, b) asked pointless questions here to people who don't have answers, c) seen my daughter's purple My Little Pony under her bed today and thought of Prince.

Prince is allowed to remarry since Manuela is in a sexual relationship with another man. If she was not in another relationship and he got into another relationship he would become an adulterer. But since her relationship is public and she has a baby it is obvious that she broke the vow they first made when they got married - to be faithful until death do them apart. He obviously is free because she broke the vow.

Side point, remember in 'All along the Watchtower', I think when he was referring to 'barefoot serpants' I think he meant Manuela.

noontide said:

The thing you don't seem to realize Desy is that yes, they are trying to convert you. They firmly believe that all non-witnesses will be destroyed during Armageddon. So their main purpose is to "save" as many people as possible by converting them to their faith. They go from door to door not just to preach their "good news" but also to try to obtain book studies so they can convert people; this is their main goal.

Jehovah’s Witnesses appear fairly normal from an outsider’s point of view, but from the inside they are a controlling, domineering group. Everyone is told what to do and how to act, women are considered inferior to men and education and freethinking is highly discouraged. (Not to mention their ever changing and flip-flopping end-of-the-world theories) And if anyone ever wants to just walk away, they are shunned by everyone they know, including their own families.

Sorry Desy, but they are not as misunderstood or harmless as you seem to think. Take your own advice and investigate this religion and see how much harm they have done to countless numbers of individuals.

Everything you say is just not true. The kids, the girls as well, are encouraged to have a good education and good jobs, the man of the family I'm aquainted with has a top job as a biological researcher and even had an additional education to get there. They have never ever said anything about an 'end of the world' theory, except for that they don't have any, other than they believe what the Bible says: that the Kingdom of God will come and 'rid the world of wickedness'.

Also, I asked about the shunning, and they don't really do that. It is encouraged to stop having a lot of contact with people who stopped being JW's, but in practice it seems that not many do. It's not as strict as the Amish in that regard.

Listen, I don't agree with a lot of things they say, she knows that and we discuss it, it's fun. It makes me think about different religions, the Bible and life. She's happy just helping me with it. I told her that I won't convert, and she said that's not their goal, it's their main goal to educate people and have them form their own opinion about the Bible. If a few new JW's come out of that, that's a huge bonus for them.

Perhaps it would pay if you investigate a little bit more, maybe try and seek contact with a few of them, as well as people from all other religions, to compare and be educated.

Desy, I don't want to get into a debate, but the Jehovah's Witnesses you know are the exception, not the rule. You are looking at them from the sidelines, I on the other hand was fully involved with them for over 25 years, and I still have family that's fully invested with them. I know what I am talking about. And of course they are going to say that they are not trying to convert, they all say that (I used to say it) they don't want to turn people off, but their main goal is to convert. You seem to speak with authority over matters that you don't fully understand or have ever been involved with. You are basing your reasoning on your friendship with these particular Witnesses. Sorry to say this, but either they are not being forthright, or you are listening to what you want to hear. Everything I said in my previous posts is absolutely true. There are literally thousands upon thousands of current, and former Witnesses that can attest to everything I've posted. A simple web search can verify EVERYTHING I've said.

I think that 25 years of being one of them, studying their religion, fully knowing their practices and having met thousands of other practicing Witnesses and being a leader in their religion, makes me qualified to speak of what I have dealt with first hand.

I'm glad you enjoy the company of your friends and that they don't pressure you. But again, they are the exception, not the rule. It's good that you defend your friends, but don't defend their religion. Their exterior facade is nice, but their core beliefs and doctrines are a whole other matter.

As far as the question of Prince being a real Jehovah's Witness, the answer is no. Too many details to get into, but just basing it on him wearing makeup, dressing the way he sometimes does, and the double entendre of some of his current songs (Screwdriver), Prince would have been called before their religious committee and expelled faster that you can say Dreamer.

Anyway, to each their own I guess. Peace.