How many here are still active JWs? If not.....

by Leander 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  SEAKEN2001

  I have heard the "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater" analogy over and over and how "sad" it is that people lose their "faith" in God or Jesus. Well, I have to tell you, when I left the JW's my "faith" was stronger than it was at any time prior and I firmly beleived that Jesus was using the Holy Spirit to guide me away from that twisted imposter of Christianity. Now I would like to tell you that after having allowed myself to think and reason on my own I see no need for such "faith". It was all in my head. It served it's purpose for me and now I am free of such nonsense. You can feel "sad" for me if it makes you feel better. But I can tell you I am infinitely more spiritual and more fulfilled than a faith in Jesus or God ever made me. I have grown up and now live my life in full alertness to what is really happening around me. No fantasy figment of my mind is deciding things for me anymore. I now am taking full responsibilty and I don't have my daddy or mommy to run to for help anymore. From what I can tell so far neither Jesus or God are taking it personally. They seem just fine in letting me live my own life without their interference. Isn't that "sad"?

  I hope that one day your "sadness" will be better spent. What I'm saying is that there WAS NO BABY in the bath water. All that dirt in the water came from my own fingers and from my own brain and ears. Why don't you spend your energy freeing the real babies of the world from ignorance and teach them how to tell the difference between fantasy and reality?

  BTW, sorry about contributing to going off topic. Now, back to your regularly scheduled programing...

  Sean
• 

  Mulan

  Great comment, Sean. Once again, I will have to say "ditto" to what my cousin, Sean said!!

  Marilyn (aka Mulan)
  "No one can take advantage of you, without your permission." Ann Landers
  
• 

  lastcall

  Roybatty, you make some very good points- - enjoyed your story. But I totally understand where Biggs is coming from. I think he just wants to leave on his own terms. If you can fade and still be free to talk to family and "friends" ( what an awfull shame that it's that way), I think that's the best way to go, for many anyway. Me --I stopped going about 6mos ago, although I did go to the memorial -- big mistake. The C.O. and an elder came to my house 2 weeks later, we had been out all night at a party. I was awoken by my son saying, "Daddy those people you know are here", they came in, we talked for an hour. Not exactlly in the condition to talk about my "doubts", but we did. I don't think they will be around for awhile :). I was a little coy though, really don't want to get da'd. It would be a pain in the ass.
• 

  Bona Dea

  Hi Leander,

  My situation isn't a whole lot different than yours except none of my family are baptized JWs. My husband is a fervent believer in everything they teach. He hasn't mentioned becoming baptized but it would not surprise me if he does this year. We studied with the witnesses for many years and even behaved as the average dub but I (and I think my husband, as well) never felt quite "ready" to take the plunge. I, personally, feel like baptism is serious business...and I was never willing, I suppose, to commit to that.

  Anyhow, I had read many negative things about the org but made excuses for them and justified their reasoning on certain doctrines/rules in my own mind...because I needed to believe that I had finally found "the truth". But deep down, I think I knew all along. It wasn't until I read the whole UN mess and silentlambs.org, that I snapped out of it, and took a good long look at all the things I had been taught and all the "negative" things I had read. And I'm still looking...

  I too, am having a hard time believing in the bible at this point, as well. Just one small reason being, if this was truly God's word how is it so many can find different "truths" within...and we are supposed to just "know" whose truth to listen to. You'd think that, especially considering the consequences of being wrong (annihilation, destruction), that our "loving" heavenly Father could've made things a little more easier and plainer for us to understand. There are a ton of other reasons why my faith in the bible has began to dwindle but too many to go into here.

  My husband is still going to the meetings, it seems now (since I did a u-turn) more so than ever. I don't go at all...except when he gives a talk. We have children and we have reached a fair compromise concerning them. So, we are working through this. It is awkward and hard at times, however. I believe he knows the truth about the truth, deep down, but he isn't ready to let it go. I think we all have to work that out for ourselves.

  I wish you the best.

  Bona Dea

  "Half the world is composed of idiots, the other half of people clever enough to take indecent advantage of them."
  -Walter Kerr
• 

  zanex

  "fading out" hmmmm damn if only my dad wasnt an elder...that might have helped back when I was leaving the borg. I left one day and the only time I came back was to meet with that damn judicial comittee, go to the df announcement and walk out to the parking lot to light up a ciggie. I never looked back...easy it wasnt but worth every freakin minute.

  -Z-
• 

  justhuman

  There many things that some of us are still active JW. Personally I believe the most hard of all is family ties.

  My personal experience shows that is a very painfull procedure. Although I tried to find my way out, still, I can't just walk away. What I decided to do is just going at the Sunday meeting only, and I just report field service 1-2 hours a month. I'm sure that by leaving WT I will cause more problems to my elderly parents, and then my wife. I tried to reason with them, like the matters of organ transplants, and Rutherfords stupid beleives, didn't work out.

  I do still believe in God and Jesus although I do not accept the Old Testement completly. My research showed to me the following, and you can check for yourselves:

  1.Human history is thousand years old not only 6000 years as the W.T.
  says.
  2. Ancient record tablets show that the Egyptians go back in written history 7000 years, China the same, and Greeks at least 10,000 years.
  There are in the Greek Orphean Records astronomical Observations, that they are going at back at least 12.000 of history. So the question is: How Greeks knew all these observations if they weren't present to see them?

  Also in Greek mythology if I can name it like that, shows that they were 3 world wide floods, not one as the bible says. This floods were as a result of the melting of the ice, and the earths axes have been declined the way they are know. That is why in the Orphean records, and in Hommers Odysea, and Eliada, we have only two seasons not four. Greeks knew the earth was round long before the Bible statement that is why have Greek Ancient ships and vessels in the Amazon river. We have the same writting that the Greeks were using before 7000 years ago it is found in the Inkas civilazation, and in many other places in the world.

  And another question: if the pyramids were build 100 years before the Flood how can they remain with out any damage since the flood covered all the earth. And how is possible in only 1500 after Adam to have this kind of Civilazation.

  Also I couldn't accept the fact that God choose Israel to be His people. What kind of God orders the slauttering of every living
  soul in one place, and in the other place kill all males and keep the females for reproduction? doesn't make sense does it. The history of Israel was a very violent one, and still is. And the Watchtoweer follows the same pattern. Believe us or if you don't DIE.

  Hope that I have helped you with my tips.

  justhuman