Just curious if any x witnesses like me find some other x witnesses a bit shocking in their attitudes and ways. It could be anything. For example, turning to atheism or severely lacking the fruits of the spirit like love and kindness ect. The swearing that might be used by some even though there are excellent secular reasons why swearing is not a good idea for example, or a general lack of empathy for others, or even arrogance. Perhaps it is something more subtle like having a closed mind, or acting overly religious even though not being in one ect. Alternatively perhaps the opposite is apparent in that some become nicer people. In the last board I was kicked out of, it was made up mostly of x witnesses but they had become convinced they were not part of organised religion, but had literally all the trappings of organised religion including expulsion, even though it was not all organised religion as an entire entity that had hurt them, only JWs. Any thoughts?
Do some x witnesses shock you despite being one?
by Seraphim23 103 Replies latest jw friends
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Terry
When I gave up looking at my fellow man through the microscope of indifferent judgement I stopped being shocked.
We don't know what is happening in other people's lives at the level that motivates their actions.
Ex-JW's have been abandoned and disgraced. We have been snubbed, labeled and banned. Our best friends hiss at us like cats.
What that does to you is something that affects each person differently.
It is a monstrous wound. Some carry its imprint as a scar on their heart. Others feel it elsewhere.
It is best we leave the door to our compassion and understanding ajar when dealing with our fellows. We all need safe haven now and then.
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Comatose
Excellent as usual Terry.
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Designer Stubble
I am not easily shocked, but what saddens me is that so many remain in the "bitterness phase". In the early internet days (90's - BBS) I went online to research my doubts and immediately bumped into one bitter forum after the other and decided that the WTBTS was right about apostates and left researching my doubts at that. 15 years later at the 2008DC I was once again triggered to research my doubts (following the shunning of minors in the God's Love book as a part on apostacy in which an apostates name was given and I checked his blog real-time on my smartphone). This time I found www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com a positive site in which I now found many like minded ones. I decided to read Ray's Crisis of Conscience, which too had zero bitterness. Upon finishing this book within two days, I decided to leave the organization. Without bumping into bitterness of many, I probably would have been out 15 years earlier.
Since then I have become and informed Atheist and aim to lead my life as a Secular Humanist - of which I am quite proud.
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Heartofaboy
The swear words some use.
Some really good threads develop that I think would be suitable for relatives that are still in but now seriously questioning their JW beliefs.
Then bad language is used which means I daren't show it to them without a lot of editing.
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cantleave
Why do you find atheists shocking?
Is it shocking that we have abandoned the myths and legends that have caused so much bloodshed and hate?
I am more shocked that people still use the words of ignorant goat herders to guide them.
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mrsjones5
I'm more shocked by some so-called believers. Last year one called me a bitch on ths very board. It was shocking (well not really considering who said it) but I did not return in kind. I'm still amused by it.
I'm not even shocked by this topic. Some folks just can't let go of the us vs them thing I suppose.
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BobFlanagan007
Why would you be shocked that an ex-Jw, such as myself, would turn atheist?
When I was leaving the org one thing I did was research the history of Bible. This research quickly proved the Bible to be no more than an arbitrarily compiled collection of unattributed mystically writings supposedly inspired by a long silent sky god who offers no other evidence whatsoever for his existence.
On the other hand there proved to be overwhelming evidence that evolution is a true demonstrable fact.
Faced with this, and the fact their is no rational reason to believe any other religion is true, what other choice had I other than to choose atheism?
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AuntBee
Terry - you should get a webcast - 5 minutes a day - "Daily Reflections by Terry" (for any faith or non-faith) read with soft music playing in the background.