To the LURKERS !!

by Prisca 8 Replies latest jw friends

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  Prisca

  Yes, that means YOU!!!

  There's lots of support for everyone here. Some of you lurkers out there may be feeling shy about opening up and posting here. Please don't be shy. Just chose a sign-in name, you can be as anonymous as you want, but feel free to post your thoughts, questions, even just to vent your emotions! We have all been affected by JW life in some way, shape or form. So whatever you have to say, there will be no doubt someone else who has shared a similar experience to yours.

  We look forward to sharing this board with you.
• 

  ozziepost

  And if you're an aussie, we might even invite you to a BBQ!

  Cheers,

  Ozzie
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  Introspection

  Yes I agree with Prisca. There really is no reason to feel shy online. If you can't talk here anonymously, where nobody knows who you are, where else can you talk? I've always been kind of reserved myself, but let me tell you it's much easier to open up online. So please, feel free.

  Mark
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  Gianluca

  E se c'è qualche italiano che mi contatti.

  ciao
  Gianluca
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  VeniceIT

  YA and if you can't think of anything to post, at least visit the chat room where you can find some friends and support. It's a great room, with great people.

  Hope to see more of you there!

  Venice
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  Cheyannesways

  Ok, I'll take the plunge. I am new here. I was never baptised. But was "raised in the truth". I left home at 16. I am now 40 years old and for the first 20 years after leaving home, I couldn't set foot in any church (you all know why). I didn't go to the KH because I didn't like the amount of control that I felt the elders and the guys up at Bethel had over the JW's...I mean over the "little" things...things that are not in the bible that shouldn't be anyones' business, yet they dictated it (ie: going to college, no beards,...oral sex,....etc)... Anyway, I wanted to say hello and not be a "lurker" anymore. I actually did post a couple posts prior to this one, so I was just a semi-lurker. I have a question for you all though. Are any of you "stuck" in what is the "right way" to live? I mean, I am not alltogether sure the JW's don't have the truth...I just "don't think they do", because of the amount of control I see in within their group. Maybe there is no "right" religion....I just wish I knew for sure.
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  kelpie

  Cheyanne

  I think we all have those feelings at times. But what we need to do is look inside our self and know what is best for us. We all know right from wrong. We dont need a religion telling us that, we need to decide for ourselves.

  It is hard to get the ingrainment of the borg out of our skin, its like some black clothes dye that we have touched, it takes ages, no matter how hard we scrub to remove the stain but slowly it fades, little bit by little bit.

  It is the same for the teachings and mind control of the witnesses. Just take it one day at a time.

  Welcome and I am glad to see you have "come out of the closet" so to speak.

  Regards

  Kim
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  Cheyannesways

  Thanks Kim. But "looking inside" has not provided me with any strong answers in the past 20 years.
  
  I did wind up at a Baptist church one cold wet Tuesday night in the outskirts of Dalls, TX. I was "saved" that night. I know ever since then I am more "open" mentally to ideas and concepts that I would have shut out before.
  
  I know "looking inside" though, isn't the answer for me. At least not in its entirity. I have gravitated toward the concept that there isn't really a RIGHT religion, only many good people wanting to serve God. Then those old teachings of childhood from the JW days pops into my head....so I continue being a seeker, wandering ...fairly aimlessly....
  Thanks for your post though.
• 

  sandy

  Hello Cheyannesways and welcome.

  That is exactly my thought. I however go a little further. I wonder is there even a God/Creator? And if so how do we know what religion will he approve if any? This board has been very helpful in challenging me to "think outside the box”. Until reading everyone's posts on here I didn't realize what a small world I was living in.

  Maybe there is no right or wrong answer. Maybe the bible isn't even "God's Word". How do we really know for sure?

  One thing I realized since talking to everyone here is that the only thing I know about other religions is what the Org. taught me from their own publications. We were never allowed to read other religious material for ourselves. We had to take what the Org. taught us about them. And of course their thoughts are going to be bias.

  At this point I have no real interest in religion. I feel they all make money, fame, and power because of our fear of Armageddon.

  If there is one teaching that the Org. taught me that to this day I try to hold on to is the "Fear of God". If God does exist then we are to honor him and fear displeasing him not only because of the power he has to destroy us but also because of his loving kindness he extends to all mankind. Maybe I don't even have that teaching right, who knows. It has been awhile since I was regular at meetings.

  So I look at it this way: I am living a descent life style, I don't cause any kind of harm to people. If God is loving and fair just as the bible says then he knows I am sincere, that my doubts and questions are honest and understandable.