Posts by outbutnotdown

25

It's freezing!! I love it!! My backyard rink!!

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

i said it last year and i'll say it again.......... i just love my backyard rink.. .

i taught all of my children (4) how to skate on my backyard rink.

besides that, the life-lessons that they have learned extend beyond what words could express.

outbutnotdown

confusedjw,

Great to hear!! I have good news of my own, too. My kids were with me last night for the first time since I put the rink up. (My three youngest at least.... 7,6,4) They had a blast on the rink.

My 7 year-old scored 7 goals in the one game where he and his friend beat me 10-9. Seven goals in a season is nothing.... now seven goals in a game.... lol .

They're back again tonight, then for the whole weekend. My son is also in a hockey tourney this weekend. Woohoo!!!

Brad (of the "smiling ear to ear as I wrote this" class)

10

What goes around, comes around ...... both ways????

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

when most people use that expression: "what goes around, comes around", it seems to be used more in a negative way.

for example, you find out bob just ripped off something small from work.

you and your co-worker don't necessarily want to rat on him so you use the famous "what goes around comes around" phrase.. but how often do we say it the other way around?

outbutnotdown

And then as far as meeting a challenge well, in my personal experience I've learned the most valuable lessons in my life by the suffering I went through and that is the reward for me.

I agree wholeheartedly with that comment. I guess the point that I was trying to make the most was that sometimes it's hard for us to realize that WHILE the suffering is happening. The greater the suffering, the better the chance to become depressed and then the greater the chance to have irrational thinking like "I deserved it."

On the other hand, some people never learn lessons, and they seem to be the ones who laugh at others' suffering. Six months ago my five year-old daughter started crying (she was truly distraught), saying that she was upset that mommy, (my ex) and her friends, three days earlier, started laughing their heads off when my ex found out that my transmission broke down.

My daughter had no idea what a transmission was of course, she just knew that it was mean for mommy to laugh at her daddy like that. What some people do to their kids!!! Argghhhh!!!!!

Brad (of the "I needed to vent class"..... thanks )

10

What goes around, comes around ...... both ways????

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

when most people use that expression: "what goes around, comes around", it seems to be used more in a negative way.

for example, you find out bob just ripped off something small from work.

you and your co-worker don't necessarily want to rat on him so you use the famous "what goes around comes around" phrase.. but how often do we say it the other way around?

outbutnotdown

When most people use that expression: "What goes around, comes around", it seems to be used more in a negative way. For example, you find out Bob just ripped off something small from work. You and your co-worker don't necessarily want to rat on him so you use the famous "what goes around comes around" phrase.

But how often do we say it the other way around? An elderly lady is $2.50 short for her few groceries, so the guy behind her gives her the $2.50, realizing he'll never get it back. How often do we think, "what goes around comes around", as in that man will reap his reward later?

What about in big things in life where someone is going through hell? Do we automatically think he/she is getting what's been coming to them or do we sometimes think that, IF this person deals well with this challenge, he will reap a great reward later?

What do you think?

Brad

10

I received the answer to my question

by JustTickledPink in

jw
friends

yesterday i had a conversation which i mentioned on another thread but will detail more here.. i left the jws when i was about 19 and drifted and was df'd 5 years ago.

i'm now 30. my issue always has been and still to this day was the fact that my mother basically disowned me.

that has been an extremely difficult concept/doctrine for me to accept.

outbutnotdown

JTP,

I agree that respecting her and her religion is a good idea. I hope she believes you when you tell her you will do just that.

I am not being pessimistic, just realistic, for your family may be emotionally and spiritually more in tune than mine, but here's what happened when I did the same thing:

They looked at it like I was slapping them in the face. In their eyes, if I did not completely come back into the JW religion, I was going against God. I believed differently. They could not accept that we should just agree to disagree the way that I did and the way that it seems like you are intending to view it.

Having said that, however, the attitude that you are approaching your mother with is about as fair as you can be to her. I wouldn't change your approach, just don't expect her to say, "OK honey, that's all I ever wanted." Hope for the best but be prepared for further challenges from her.

Brad

12

which is worse.....?

by undercover in

jw
friends

from time to time some of you post letters/emails, etc that you receive from family/friends urging you to come back to the "truth", jehovah, whatever.

even though the intentions of the sender is misguided, it is apparent that they must have some affection or feeling for you to bother to send the letter.

others get no letters, no calls, no inquiries.

outbutnotdown

I would say that it is worse to not get any letters. But I also never "faded" either. I went out with a big df'ing bang.

But I still think it would be better to know that people care. That way you can at least say that you care back, but that you respectfully disagree with their teachings and you can allow them to do the same.

Yup, IMO, it's better to be bothered by a misguided JW than it is to never get anything.

Brad

15

The Bible Encourages Drinking/Getting Smashed out of your mind

by proplog2 in

jw
friends

proverbs 31:6 "give intoxicating liquor, you people, to the one about to perish and wine to those who are bitter of soul.

let one drink and forget one's poverty and let one remember one's own trouble no more.".

does anyone here know how to integrate this idea with the other scriptures on alcohol?.

outbutnotdown

Looks like the folks back then didn't know that alcohol is a depressant. Not exactly wise advice to give to someone "bitter of soul".

Brad

14

Ten Signs you're a fundamentalist christian

by IronGland in

jw
friends

10 - you vigorously deny the existence of thousands of gods claimed by other religions, but feel outraged when someone denies the existence of yours.. .

9 - you feel insulted and "dehumanized" when scientists say that people evolved from other life forms, but you have no problem with the biblical claim that we were created from dirt.. .

8 - you laugh at polytheists, but you have no problem believing in a triune god.. .

outbutnotdown

Very good post, Irongland. Really makes you think.

Brad

66

Why I am leaving JWD

by logansrun in

jw
friends

i'm leaving this forum...at least temporarily.

as i mentioned in conversation over dinner at the chicago apostafest, my upcoming school schedule (which begins next week) combined with my workload will make it very difficult to be an active member on this forum.

perhaps i'll check in occassionaly when life is a little slower but for now i'd better distance myself from the on-line scene or else the other elements in my life will suffer.

outbutnotdown

I can though,someday,when I have the courage and circumstance,break the cycle,and love my kids unconditionally,not based on money or religion,or looks,or faults------and do everthing in my power to help them,without forcing idealogical crap down thier throat.

Logansrun,

While I do believe with your basic philosophy as you stated it in your original and second post on this topic, I think others here are saying pretty much the same things, just differently.

Stopthepain's quote above is just as valid as your "Just let it go" quote. Seems to me that he/she has taken a negative (of NOT being shown unconditional love) and recognized that there is a better way to go through life. His/her recognition of the poorer way to "love", IMO should be misconstrued as a lack of letting go on his/her part.

Some would even make the point that he/she must be a pretty damn good person to have "broken the cycle", despite the odds against it sometimes.

Brad

42

Today's Daily Text.... A Direct Attack

by Doubtfully Yours in

out of pure curiosity, not because i read it daily, but i read the daily text today in the spanish little booklet.

i found it to be a direct attack to 'apostates' in the internet.. can someone scan it and print it here in english?!

pretty please!!!.

outbutnotdown

the difference between "us" and them is that we just share our experiences and express our feelings and opinions about them with no ulterior motive. and as everyone knows, every motivation from them is an ulterior one.

Well put!! If someone is a thief (and I think most here would agree that the WTBTS stole our free thinking while we were following them) should a person be considered to be attacking that thief if they are simply pointing out that their actions are unfair and unhealthy?

Seems to me that pretty much all the people here do a pretty good job of keeping their "attacks" on them in check. This goes along with the logic that once a person has been returned his freedom, happiness falls into place by itself.

Brad

25

It's freezing!! I love it!! My backyard rink!!

by outbutnotdown in

jw
friends

i said it last year and i'll say it again.......... i just love my backyard rink.. .

i taught all of my children (4) how to skate on my backyard rink.

besides that, the life-lessons that they have learned extend beyond what words could express.

outbutnotdown

confusedjw,

My sons are 10 and 7. My daughters are 6 and 4. Last year, my four-year-old (then 3) learned to skate on her own. I was SO proud.

My 10 year-old has been raised by my ex mother-in-law (who is a JW) and hates sports due to that. My seven-year-old son just loves hockey.

It is very nice to hear stories like those of your son. It's never too late. Of course I consider hockey as simply being a means for my children to express their deepest emotions. I just want them to feel OK about expressing those feelings. Thanks for your thoughts.

Brad