Posts by Steve Lowry

16

I've learned that . . .

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

someone gave me a little book many years ago that was nothing but one-line sentences, starting with the words, "i've learned that .

" and followed by the age of the author.

some of these little sentences were hilarious such as; " i've learned that if i turn my ice cream cone upside down, i don't have an ice cream cone anymore.

Steve Lowry

( "I've learned that no one nor any group has total truth, regardless if they say they do." Age 50)

" I've learned that most people that make such claims have not explored ALL groups !"

An interesting perspective Carmel, but I believe an inaccurate one. No ONE has total truth. There is no philosophy (religious system, etc) which contains total truth. Some truth can be found in individuals (or groups), but not total truth. Some have more truth, and some have less, but none have all. We all want that though, don’t we? We want to believe we can go to one place (individual, group, etc.) and get all truth. That way we don’t have to keep looking for it. This part of the human condition is what I believe makes for fertile ground for organizations like the Watchtower Society and other cultic groups. Once people are convinced that the group (or individual) they’re following has all truth, they stop searching for it and are lost in their worship of the source. No, I respectfully disagree with you that there is some group or some-one "out there" that possesses all truth. It cannot be discovered or "explored" (as you say), because it simply does not exist. And if you believe it does, then I believe you’re setting yourself up for a fall. But, that said, I respect that everyone must choose his or her own path.

38

Do you think this is for real

by skyman in

jw
friends

a few weeks ago a man that live near my house wrecked his car and was killed about 5:45 am.

the mans friend my partner in business was at my house at 6:00 the go hunting on my place.

after he went hunting he left to find what had happened to his friend because he had not shown up.

Steve Lowry

Well, I don't know about speaking with the dead, but I have had experience with speaking with the spirit realm. There IS something there, I just don't know what it is exactly. Speaking with the 'invisibles' is not something I ever wanna do in this life again, so I understand your wife's concerns.

70

Is it all downhill after leaving JW's?

by lynnmelo in

jw
friends

i know many people will get angry at this, but i had to share some observations i've had since i discovered this board a couple of days ago (see my original post under "why all the venom?").

i'll be very honest and say that i was hoping that i would discover that the jw's were wrong about some things, including the so-called "apostate" sites (i have been recommended to some internet sites and some books that i plan to investigate further).

i was hoping to find that people really didn't need the jw's "spiritual food" to remain true to god.

Steve Lowry

"a very interesting comment Steve, you probably become what you always really were."

Well, its a work in progress of course. But at age 50, I have learned the value of the old saying, " To thyself be true!".

70

Is it all downhill after leaving JW's?

by lynnmelo in

jw
friends

i know many people will get angry at this, but i had to share some observations i've had since i discovered this board a couple of days ago (see my original post under "why all the venom?").

i'll be very honest and say that i was hoping that i would discover that the jw's were wrong about some things, including the so-called "apostate" sites (i have been recommended to some internet sites and some books that i plan to investigate further).

i was hoping to find that people really didn't need the jw's "spiritual food" to remain true to god.

Steve Lowry

"I should have indicated that it seems to me that many people who formerly believed in the bible and God no longer seem to believe in either once they leave the Jehovah's Witnesses. As many here have indicated, that is their choice, but on my end, I'd never want to have that happen to me, which is why I posted my concern.'

Never be afraid of where your mind can take you.

16

I've learned that . . .

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

someone gave me a little book many years ago that was nothing but one-line sentences, starting with the words, "i've learned that .

" and followed by the age of the author.

some of these little sentences were hilarious such as; " i've learned that if i turn my ice cream cone upside down, i don't have an ice cream cone anymore.

Steve Lowry

I've learned that doing the right thing isn't always the smart thing, but doing the right thing is always right." Age 50

16

I've learned that . . .

by Steve Lowry in

jw
friends

someone gave me a little book many years ago that was nothing but one-line sentences, starting with the words, "i've learned that .

" and followed by the age of the author.

some of these little sentences were hilarious such as; " i've learned that if i turn my ice cream cone upside down, i don't have an ice cream cone anymore.

Steve Lowry

Someone gave me a little book many years ago that was nothing but one-line sentences, starting with the words, "I've learned that . . ." and followed by the age of the author. Some of these little sentences were hilarious such as; " I've learned that if I turn my ice cream cone upside down, I don't have an ice cream cone anymore. Age 8". And some were very wise such as; "I've learned that losing my job at age 55 was the best thing that could ever happen to my life. Age 60". Anyway, I thought it might be interesting to hear what you here have learned, using this format. You can add as many lines as you like of course. No rules. You don't have to state your age if you don't wanna. Here's one of mine:

"I've learned that no one nor any group has total truth, regardless if they say they do." Age 50

60

Real Men!

by Legolas in

jw
friends

ok from almost thread!

"real" men drive trucks or suv's, no exceptions!

i put my lipstick while diving, if i have to!

Steve Lowry

A real man knows he's a real man, regardless of what he drives. Come on now.

A real man is one who takes care of his family, no matter what.

A real man isn't afraid to apologize. He knows that can make him stronger, not weaker.

A real man is flexible and not threatened by different points of view.

A real man doesn't return harsh words for one's recieved. He's above that kind of thing.

A real man realizes that being kind is not a weakness.

A real man can admit when he's wrong, because he know's life is simply a lesson that never ends.

Oh yea, and a real man can pee into a bottle and drive at the same time! (Smile)

70

Is it all downhill after leaving JW's?

by lynnmelo in

jw
friends

i know many people will get angry at this, but i had to share some observations i've had since i discovered this board a couple of days ago (see my original post under "why all the venom?").

i'll be very honest and say that i was hoping that i would discover that the jw's were wrong about some things, including the so-called "apostate" sites (i have been recommended to some internet sites and some books that i plan to investigate further).

i was hoping to find that people really didn't need the jw's "spiritual food" to remain true to god.

Steve Lowry

"I was hoping to find that people really didn't need the JW's "spiritual food" to remain true to God. However, what I've observed in my short time here has sadly shown me that they might be right."

Think of the Kingdom Hall as a kind of prison for a moment, and the all JW's inside as its inmates. All eat at the same time, all go to sleep at the same time, and all wake at the same. All eat at the same place. All must obey the strict orders of the prison authorities, as the inmates have lost their ability to make almost all personal decisions. Now, one day an inmate is paroled and must go out and discover (or rediscover) the world he will live in. Whatever decisions he will make or whatever he will do in his life from that point on is a plus, as long as he doesn't go back inside.

Some former JW's become atheists, some become avid Christians, and some agnostics. But they are all on the outside learning and making their own decisions about the paths that they will take, and not being told what to believe. To say that if a JW leaves the Watchtower Society he will not "remain true to God" is a misnomer. This statement presumes that being a JW and swallowing the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society’s "spiritual food", actually is the correct diet to be true to God. I don’t accept your premise.

If people leave the WBTS and become atheists, then in my opinion, that is probably what the believed to be true all along. It’s just that they weren’t free to be able to discover how they really felt about it. Better to be free and "wrong" than to be imprisoned and "right". True freedom and inner peace, come from knowing who you are. And sometimes people have to leave a totalitarian group like the WTBS to discover who they really are and who they want to become.

Steve

42

Do YOU Consider Yourself An Apostate?

by Golf in

jw
friends

i find this labeling insulting and misdirected.

i have been lied, deceived/tricked by a group of men posing as god's direct channel of communication.

when a group of men heightens the expectations of a world change to happen in 1975 (armageddon) to its' adherents and nothing occurs and then blame their adherents for thinking such thoughts, this is outright deception.

Steve Lowry

I always get this confused. Is it apostate or apostrate? I think I consider myself apostrate! (Smile)

19

Any Quick Advice For Those With Doubts in the Watchtower?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

hey all,.

let's say you meet someone and they say that they are a jw, but they are having doubts about it.

they are doing some research and things just aren't adding up.

Steve Lowry

"You can see they are on their way out. What advice could you give them to make their immediate future as unstressful as possible?"

For you that visit here and are who considering leaving the Watchtower Society (as in this thread), I think leaving is kinda like the experience of moving to a new city or different part of the country you have never lived in before. You can plan for it, you can try and imagine every possible scenario, but ultimately there will be things and experiences you cannot foresee, both good and bad. Each person must decide for themselves their exit strategy, as we all have somewhat different situations. That said, my advice is to follow your heart and prepare as much as you can for any outcomes. If you have family within the WBTS, you may loose those relationships, but keep in mind, you will also gain new ones. For some this is too high a price to pay. For others, there is no price high enough to keep them in a totalitarian religion they no longer believe in. I can tell you that the day I decided I would no longer be a JW (it was the evening during the Friday night meeting), and I walked out the door (during the meeting) was the most freeing moment of my entire life! I knew that being a JW was not who I was and I had to explore the world outside of the four walls of the KH. That was twenty-five years ago and I have never regretted that decision. I think that once you decide to leave (in your mind), you need to go about doing it. Every former JW I have ever talked with says they also felt the same feeling of exhilaration of freedom when they finally decided to leave.

I don’t know how to make leaving as "unstressful as possible". I guess I would say to focus on the positives. There’s a whole lotta great experience's ahead of you once you get out there and start experiencing life. You have to find your line of demarcation and act on it when the time is right. Good luck!