Transitions after leaving the borg..experiences?

LyinEyes

I am just going to put this out here to see how you all feel about this.......... here goes..............

Do you think that being a JW , especially raised in it, has taken away your chance of ever trusting yourself ever again in regards to what you believe in?

I mean , you can read books, many by very educated men/women, you can read every Bible printed, you can read every self help book, but do you find yourself at times just not caring anymore? I mean once your trust has been broken, what is the point in reading another man's version of what truth/reality is?

I used to have this great need after I left the borg a year ago to find a religious belief again. Now I am just searching for some kind of spirituality, in some kind of form. It may not be God the creator as I was taught, it could be one day I will find a place that I feel comfortable in. Right now, I pretty much don't think there is any right or wrong, and would love to accept that for what it is . I know it is all mind conditioning , learning to accept that you don't have all the answers. But only being out of the evil, EVIL borg, I think I am still going thru transitions here.

I would like to hear some feedback from some of you that have been free from the borg, longer than I , and maybe tell me how long it took for you to feel a calm sense of peace . I know there is not absolute knowledge and peace, but an acceptable amount to learn to take life's milestones in a way that doesnt throw you spinnng out of control.

DIM

My wife and I have only been out for 6 months, but right now we don't know what to believe. I don't think we'll ever get involved with an organized relgion ever again...as for our belief in God...not so sure about that either. We just don't know anymore. We can't believe we ever bought into the lies of the witnesses.

Faraon

I now guide my life to do things because they are right, not because of a reward or punishment from a non-existing god. I follow my conscience. I started to investigate other religions, until I came to the realization that when there are two contradictory statements, either

only one is true

or

both are false

but two contradictory statements can not both be true.

Read, visit logic and freethinking sites. Search your engine for bible contradictions, Logic, Freethinking, etc. You'll never regret it since you'll be free from all this do-do.

Edited to revise and add not after statements on previous-to-last sentence

Edited by - faraon on 2 September 2002 17:24:54

songmistress

(((DeeDee)))

I know just what you mean. I have been gone for six years physically, but I was heading that way for years before that. As far as the peace. I feel no peace when I am on a frantic search for answers, but feel the peace when I am able to let go and just let happen what the Source of All reveals to me. (this is the closest I can come to a description of God/dess). The peace or lack there of does come and go, but it is getting better every day. Each day I strive to connect with the Source and find that if I can keep it simple, it goes much better.

In my mind, there is a difference between spirituality and religion. Spirituality has more to do with who you are and religion is more how you choose to make expression.

My view on religion or any other way of expression is a lot like the parable of the blind men and the elephant. Each one described the elephant based on the part they were touching, while none of them were able to get a complete picture.

I mentioned in another thread that I think we are spiritual beings having a human experience. We have to determine what we are here to learn, remember, experience, ect, and that is very different for every one.

I hope this makes sense. If not just question and I will clarify.

Blessings and success on your journey

Cheryl

outoftheorg

Hi lyin:

Contrary to not trusting myself , I no longer trust anyone but myself as regards religious beliefs. I have read enough to decide that our relation to God is private and there is no need for an organization. However an organization could be enjoyed if it supplied the fellowship we require.

I no longer view the bible as an infallible book from God that is correct in every way. I have come to the point of knowing that neither I nor anyone else can have all the answers. This said, I settled on living the kind of life I feel is acceptable and good to most. I believe there is a creator. But doubt that this creator is anything like the God of the bible or others would have us believe.

So- feeling as I do, religion and ones adhering to one is not of any importance to me any more. I am satisfied in living a decent life and enjoying life without all the various requirements that others would just love to put on me.

I was raised in the borg and view this as an extreme hinderance to ones life and the having of a happy or fulfilling life. When I left the borg I did not make any wild changes in my life. I just got rid of the wbts and their influence.

Don't know if this answers your questions but it is what comes to my mind.

Outoftheorg

willdabeerman

ive been out for about 4 yrs now. i was raised a witness and cant believe how stupid i was. i cant believe i was actually stressing on stupid things. still just now realising how much of my 25 yrs on this earth was wasted. i WILL NOT ever get involved with religon again. and as far as my parents go, they dont like me anymore. they spent my whole childhood rasing me to be a witness. dont do this ,dont do that,making money is bad.u cant go out on the weekends becasue ull only get in trouble.u cant have fun with any friends but those in the org.dont drink.dont smoke.dont join the military.dont do anything natural unless the wts. says its ok.and for what?. for nothing. as soon as i realised whats up all that training they did only led me to do the exact oppisite when i was free. and now that i am free i do alot of the oppisite,i party, i drink, i smoke, i have a job that was "bad" in the eyes of the elders that actually pays the bills, my mon,thurs nights are free again.i dont have 2 stress about getting off in time for the meetings. i dont have 2 wake up on sat morn. and go out and embaress myself by annoying the hell outta people.im free dammit,free i tell ya!!!!!!!!!!! man it feels so good.just like i got realesed from prison..so on that note im gonna go get me an ice cold budweiser....later on peeps.

LB

maybe tell me how long it took for you to feel a calm sense of peace

We haven't found that and don't expect to. The trust was broken. We were lied to and we were stupid enought to buy it. Since we came in as adults we can't even blame our parents for it.

stupid stupid stupid man that I am

For us we just deal with it. I honestly don't know what to believe from one day to the next.

Larry

LE - "You yourself said it" :)

"

what is the point in reading another man's version of what truth/reality is?" Your truth is just as good as the next persons.

"I pretty much don't think there is any right or wrong, and would love to accept that for what it is." Such a deep concept - 'it is what it is.'

"I think I am still going thru transitions here. " The transition is life long.

"I know there is not absolute knowledge and peace." Amen to that!

Yes LE, it sounds like you will be ok

In answer to your question about trust - Well, when I did my research on the BORG, I didn't stop there. I discovered just about everyone deceived me - The History I learned in school, Corporate America, Politics, Religion, and My family. For a while I felt resentful towards just about everybody - Damn, I'm a grown ass man and I'm opening my eyes to everything in my 30's.

Now that I caught up on most things I take things in stride. Beside myself, the only thing I believe in is a Creator, everything else is speculation. That, of course, is subject to change at any time :) "

... there is not absolute knowledge."

Peace - LL

Joyzabel

Hey Dede,

I love reading your questions, they are thought provoking and happens to be what Im thinking about sometimes.

I think whether we grew up as a jw or converted, what kept us belonging for so long was the security, the certainty about what we believed. Now that we found out it was based on lies and twisted scriptures that feeling of security, certainty is making us feel lost at first. But you summed it up well when you said: how long it took for you to feel a calm sense of peace, THAT calm sense of peace feeling is one we have to work for now. And it does take time. That is what living life is all about, imho, finding that peace. But when we find it, it never will be a delusional one like we had before.

All I can say is keep looking, keep sharing, keep healing and keep your eyes open.

Hugs,

j2bf

ps I love reading everyone's comments too. I can agree with so many of them.

Francois

I've been out for just over 25 years, and my best advice is to "enquire within." If you can get confirmation for what you're thinking from that "small quiet voice" then you're likely on the right track. Each and every time I've ignored that small still voice, I've regretted it big time.

The words and opinions of other people mean nothing to me, zip, nada. "The kingdom of heaven is within you," and when it quietly has it's say, that's the direction I head myself in. It's a variant of "Be still and know that I am God."

I have followed and/or put faith in my last man, men, or organization of any kind. And should I happen to be wrong 1) it will be MY responsibility, and 2) the God I believe in is very likely to forgive, seeing that perfection is my goal, not mine my right of attainment just now at this point in my evolution.

This approach and attitude has given me great peace over the years. I hope you find yours.

Sincerely,

Frank Tyrrell
Atlanta, GA

Transitions after leaving the borg..experiences?

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