Posts by Steve Lowry

21

When is it gonna stop?

by Obviously Secret in

jw
friends

i was just thinkin awhile ago.

alot of people stay in this kind of social group, anti-witnesses perhaps, for a very very long time.

i was just wondering, when you all think it will be totally over for you?.

The Watchtower Society experience is a part of my personal evolution and will always be a part of me. It?s not something I deny. I embrace it. It has taught me a lot of life?s lessons (through bad example most usually) that I have carried throughout my life. As to coming here to this forum, for me it?s great fun most of the time. And those times I can give an encouraging word or two to those who are struggling with the JW experience, I feel a kind of responsibility to help show these dear ones the way. Not my way necessarily, but the way away from the Watchtower Society. It gives me a good feeling knowing that I am in a position to help others to see, and its quite exiting to witness those actually see for the first time the real truth.

Steve

108

Sad News...

by Sentinel in

jw
friends

my mom had her valve replacement and triple by-pass surgery today.

the operation lasted five hours, and they had just gotten her to her room at 8:00pm when she went into cardiac arrest.

the doctor tried everything, even opening up her chest and massaging her heart.

Steve Lowry

Sentinel,

I haven't lost my (JW) mother yet, but it won't be long now, as she's getting up there in years. When the day comes, I won't be giving an elder or any other JW any words to express over my mom. I don't recognize the Watchtower Society in any capacity so therefore anything they may decide to say over her are meaningless to me. And obviously I won't be attending Kingdom Hall services for her.

You have to do what helps you through this difficult time. And if that is giving a JW something to read over your mother then you should do so. But if you are struggling with whether to do this or not, then I would then say, don?t. Your mom isn?t really there anyway. She is much more alive in YOUR hearts and minds (you and your siblings) than any JW who may happen to be physically closer to her body during a service. Hold your own services for her. If she?s looking over, I?m quite sure that it will be with you and your family wherever that may be, and not with those at the Kingdom Hall.

May God bless and sustain you through this difficult time.

Steve

41

Will I die at Armageddon?

by sinamongurl in

jw
friends

the anwser is: know one really knows but jehovah.. i have been df'd for 3 years now.

i still struggle with: "should i go back cuz i dont want to die" .

but then its not really for the "right" reason.

Steve Lowry

The fallacy with that statement is that you think "God" and "Armageddon" are mutually inclusive. It is easily possible to have a deep faith in God and a trust in God's goodness so perfect that even the IDEA of Armageddon is something that cannot be believed.

I don?t know about that farkle, but I cannot say with absolute certainty that God and Armageddon are mutually exclusive either. Many people who aren?t Jehovah?s Witnesses and who are Christian believe in the ultimate battle between good and evil as portrayed in the bible (Armageddon). As to believe in God with the possibility that God is too good to even consider the idea of an Armageddon?s is a nice thought (and I?ll concede is even a possibility), but it does rather exclude the bible?s authenticity at least on this one point. I suppose one could still believe in the bible but explain away Revelation?s apocalyptic end as a spiritual metaphor, but I think that would be stretching it a bit. For me, I?m really not all that sure I believe in the bible anymore anyway. Still pondering that one.

Actually you and I are more in agreement than you may realize when it comes to God. But, unlike you I haven?t completely dismissed the idea that somewhere in the future He may have a plan to stop the madness and the inequity of life and give mankind a second chance. I dunno. This maybe ?pie in the sky? thinking, I realize that. Anyway, my point to sinamon was actually pretty close to yours in that what I am saying is to trust in God to the point that if there is an Armageddon or there is never going to be one, that He will carry you through any circumstance, by His love and His Grace. I really believe that.

"I suggest for all of those leaving the Watchtower: leave WatchtowerGod(tm) behind too, and find yourself a better God. That's pretty easy to do, you know. It would be nearly impossible to find a WORSE God than WatchtowerGod(tm)."

I know exaclty where you?re coming from on this one. But this is a foreign concept and is way too advanced for someone who has just recently come out of the Watchtower Society. Of course there?s only one God, its just that He has been so badly misrepresented to the JW by the Watchtower Society that they practically have to start over in understanding who He is, and that ain?t an easy thing to do. It just takes time.

41

Will I die at Armageddon?

by sinamongurl in

jw
friends

the anwser is: know one really knows but jehovah.. i have been df'd for 3 years now.

i still struggle with: "should i go back cuz i dont want to die" .

but then its not really for the "right" reason.

Steve Lowry

Ok, Deb, I vote for my answer . . . uh, infinity! (kinda reminds me of junior high school . . lol)

All kidding aside though, farkles point of view doesn?t really take into account those who still choose to (or need to) believe in God after they leave Watchtower Society. And people who are struggling with leaving the Watchtower Society are very often hurting and are usually searching for God and are in need of encouragement in this area. They need to know that God still exists for them (cuz He does) and is available to them and that they don?t have to belong to the WBTS to know Him. Remember, the Watchtower Society tries it?s best to convince the wayward JW that he or she will die and not be resurrected if they aren?t a JW at their death, or during the ultimate battle of the end of time between good and evil. This is something that weighs heavily on the mind of those who leave. In time he or she will realize this is not true, but in the interim, they need to be encouraged.

Will Armageddon come? I kinda doubt it. But I dunno. Are you so sure it won?t? Really? Well, if it does I am assured that God knows me and He will save me. (For the recently departed JW, he doesn?t realize this.) Is Armageddon a bunch of apocalyptic crap? Maybe it is, I dunno. I know the Watchtower Society uses it this way to keep the JW inline, that?s sure. But my point to Sinamon is that God does exist and He will be sure and show her the way in how to lead her life to its ultimate end, whatever that end may be. The JW considers the Watchtower Society as a kind of insurance policy, and I really don?t think God works like that.

I don?t have all the answers. I just know that God loves me, and that is enough to sustain me through any trial. Armageddon be damned.

Steve

41

Will I die at Armageddon?

by sinamongurl in

jw
friends

the anwser is: know one really knows but jehovah.. i have been df'd for 3 years now.

i still struggle with: "should i go back cuz i dont want to die" .

but then its not really for the "right" reason.

Steve Lowry

LOL, deb. K, so I vote for my answer again!

41

Will I die at Armageddon?

by sinamongurl in

jw
friends

the anwser is: know one really knows but jehovah.. i have been df'd for 3 years now.

i still struggle with: "should i go back cuz i dont want to die" .

but then its not really for the "right" reason.

Steve Lowry

Well, I vote for MY answer!

41

Will I die at Armageddon?

by sinamongurl in

jw
friends

the anwser is: know one really knows but jehovah.. i have been df'd for 3 years now.

i still struggle with: "should i go back cuz i dont want to die" .

but then its not really for the "right" reason.

Steve Lowry

sinamon,

Here's the way I see it. Focus on building your relationship with God and learn to trust Him for the ultimate outcome of your life. We all too often think we need to belong to this or that group so we can be "protected" when death comes. Learn to trust God by living with Him everyday, and you'll soon realize that His love for you isn't going to simply allow you to perish because you're not a JW when Armageddon arrives, if it ever even does. Also, you must keep in mind that this is just a scare tactic which such groups use (as the Watchtower Society) to keep the rank and file follower inline. You probably don?t see it this way right now, but you will in time.

Steve

108

Sad News...

by Sentinel in

jw
friends

my mom had her valve replacement and triple by-pass surgery today.

the operation lasted five hours, and they had just gotten her to her room at 8:00pm when she went into cardiac arrest.

the doctor tried everything, even opening up her chest and massaging her heart.

Steve Lowry

When I think of someone who passes at the age of eighty years these days, I ponder about all the things they saw in their lifetime. Most people eighty years ago didn't have electricity, or running water or a lot of things that we take for granted these days. Yet they had simplicity and clarity which we have very little of these days. Your mom saw World War Two and the peace that followed. She experienced the crash of 29' (she was just 4, but she still went through it) and no doubt like so many Americans learned about the value and strength of family. She saw aviation practically being born. Television and microwaves came into existence in her lifetime, as well as countless other inventions. She saw incredible breakthroughs in medicine. She witnessed the dawn of the nuclear age. She watched as the Industrial Revolution took hold. She saw major arteries and interstates shape the landscape, where there were once only dirt roads. She watched as this country grew in to a world power.

Of all the generations that have come and gone, I think you mom?s saw and experienced the most. It saddens me to see this generation pass away. My dad is also 80 and he takes all these same experiences with him when he passes on.

I?m truly sorry for your loss.

Steve

27

Finish this Sentence- JW's are good liars because.......

by doodle-v in

jw
friends

.

because they are brainwashed into thinking that "distorting the truth" is ok in circumstance involved in defending their faith-theocratic warfare.

they constantly lie to themselves about what kind of person they really are and deny themselves life's pleasures-hence the "double life syndrome" lie to friends at school, lie to elders, lie to people in the cong.

Steve Lowry

. . . because they believe they are above the truth.

38

The Watchtower guilt machine is indeed a powerful tool

by Nocturne in

jw
friends

i haven't posted as much here as i've wanted these past few weeks, but i've spent most of my time lurking here, or in chat.

for the last few 2 months roughly, every meeting i attended became extremely painful to endure, such that i would come up with excuses to miss as many as possible.

but there are 2 events that really gave me a swift kick to wake me up and realize that things had to change.

Steve Lowry

If you still believe in God without the WT then ask Him for help. His grace is unbelievable.

Best advice in this thread, Noc.!