In the middle of spiritual agnst, what do you do?

by ginger77 34 Replies latest jw friends

  • AlmostAtheist
    AlmostAtheist
    I miss a sense of belonging.

    Any advice on how to gain inner peace w/o selling myself out?

    I can't tell from your post where you stand on religion in general. If you're so inclined, any church in your area would be worth giving a visit. Like all JW congregations, each has its own personality. If you find the one you visit isn't really "you", just try another one. Gina's not a Christian, but when she still was she poked around in a few and found one she liked.

    On first coming out, some ex-JW's are reluctant to go to a church because they already know there's no "truth" in them. That's only true from our old JW perspective. Give it a chance, if it's what you're looking for.

    Dave

  • Flash
    Flash
    1. Please, huge warning, if you're an angry ex-JW, save your bs advice, I dont' need to hear you put JW's down just to give advice.

    2. I was raised a JW & am still bitter over injustice growing up at the hands of my elder father, and bitter over the abuse of my ex-husband.

    3. I miss my fam, I miss peace, I miss a sense of belonging.

    4. Any advice on how to gain inner peace w/o selling myself out?

    Ginger

    1. You Ginger, like us, are ligitimately angry.
    2. Elders / men / husbands are taught by the Governing Body that they are 'the' authority in the Congregation and in their households being divinely appointed. This often swells them with pride which will cause them to become guilty of doing exactly what Jesus said should not be done...lording it over others, whether in the congregation or in the family. (I was very guilty of this myself)
    3. Jehovah's modern people are very much like His ancient people, especialy during Jesus time. You were either totaly 'loyal' to the Truth as the Scribes and Pharisees saw it or you were an outcast. Jehovah's people today have become very un-loving in how they treat anyone who questions the status quo and doesn't tow the line as expected. Independant thinking is viewed as evil and rebelious. All individuality must be surrendered. Free spirits must conform. Any resistance means your not humble, have become hardend or an apostate...which means you will be marked by all and shunned.
    4. Maintain a strong relationship with Jehovah on your own, express yourself freely to Him in prayer, be totaly honest with Him in what you like, dislike, want and need. See the Organization as it really is...warts and all. Don't be an apologist for the Society, be true to yourself, remember how Jesus condemed the Organization of His day. Accept that you wont be popular with the congregation but that you are loved by Jehovah and Jesus.
    Best Wishes!
  • JamesThomas
    JamesThomas
    I was raised a JW & am still bitter over injustice growing up at the hands of my elder father, and bitter over the abuse of my ex-husband. I miss my fam, I miss peace, I miss a sense of belonging. Any advice on how to gain inner peace

    Welcome Ginger.

    Look at your words and you will see that you are a prisoner of your mind. Drowning in thoughts.

    There is no sense of peace when thoughts are our reality and focus, for they are not the actual present moment of life expression, but rather abstracts and distortions.

    We need to clearly see how thoughts create angst, and then see the wisdom in being silently present with life rather than thoughts.

    Be like this guy

    alt

    j

  • Perry
    Perry

    Jesus pictures

    Or be like this guy and make suffering your servant.

  • JamesThomas
    JamesThomas

    No offense meant Perry, but lions are real and their eyes reflect the actuality of silent, inner-wisdom and alive-presence in the moment. Jesus, is a mythological creature created by minds in need of a saviour because they have lost touch with what the lion has in abundance.

  • chrissy
    chrissy

    Hi and welcome ginger77,

    chrissy78 here, who feels your pain all around and understands your search for inner peace while trying to avoid selling yourself out. You too may eventually cross paths with some of that anger that so many "bitter ex-jw's" around these parts are/have experienced.

    Hope you find peace.

  • bebu
    bebu
    lions are real and their eyes reflect the actuality of silent, inner-wisdom



    No offense, jthomas... but do lions actually have "silent, inner wisdom"???... They have as much wisdom as other general animals, but have larger pupils and a few more teeth and claws. They live more in the moment because they have no choice in the matter, not because they 'wisely' choose it.

    However, Aslan is a lion...

    bebu

  • John Doe
    John Doe

    What do you mean by selling yourself out?

    I think I understand your spiritual angst. I was also raised as a Witness and I'm still grappling with what to believe. Some things that have helped me has been to study history and discover that every issue we deal with has been dealt with eons ago. Studying other religions also helps. I'm agnostic now, but I find studying faiths interesting, and I believe every one has something of value if we know what to look for. I don't think that considering positive aspects of religion constitutes selling out.

    Most of all, though, what helps me is to accept that what I determine of conclude will have no bearing on anything, that the same questions will be asked when I'm gone, in short, that spiritual angst is not worth losing sleep. Find something that brings you joy, and pursue such courses with a passion. What have you always wanted to know? What skills have you always wanted to acquire? What kind of person do you want to become? Answering any of these questions in meaningful way will require experimentation and work. In an honest pursuit of these matters, spiritual angst becomes much less important--a mere fog during the dawn of understanding, that lifts as we live further into our day, searching for the sunlight. Carlyle says to lower your expectations to nothing, and you'll achieve infinity. In math, the limit as we approach division by zero is an ever expanding asymptote--the gist of Carlyle's argumentation.

    Nothing I've said will be the answers you seek, as your question is one that you must answer with your own heart and mind. That answer will be the only one that matters.

  • TheListener
    TheListener

    Welcome Ginger. I'm still an active witness. If you have specific questions I'd be glad to answer them. Of course, you may not like my answers.

    I've struggled with finding a sense of purpose and belonging that is separate from my witness roots. I feel that I've been successful. Of course, some days are better than others.

  • xjwms
    xjwms

    Ginger

    W E L C O M E

    Just for the record, ... I have more peace, not being an active witness. I finally feel like I can live, .. without: Guilt, Fault, and Blame.

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