Posts by Tenacious

57

The Bible Gods Word or Mans

by azor in

i remember studying this book years ago and how it impacted my belief system.

i no longer believe the bible is god's word.

however i do have a couple of lingering questions on this subject.

@ azor, Finkelstein, and truthseeker100 - You all make valid points. I understand this discussion can be tiring and debated for hours on end. There are certainly points that even make me question the validity of an intelligent creator. For example, ancient designs and writings and also the fossil record.

What you point out 'azor' is definitely one of those conundrums. That this intelligent being never had a beginning. Finkelstein points to the meteorite that seemingly points to being the dinosaur killer. And then there's truthseeker100's comment on deadly viruses wiping out millions. These questions hold valid arguments I agree.

Let me also add 'fukitol's' comment on God's moral standards. The pillaging and murdering of innocent women, men, children, and babies, ranks up there with some of the most horrific crimes being perpetrated even today. This is one of those arguments that I also have a tough time reconciling with a beautiful loving Creator.

Sometimes we see a cup half full and others see it half empty. Therein lies the fundamental reason separating our opinions.

57

The Bible Gods Word or Mans

by azor in

i remember studying this book years ago and how it impacted my belief system.

i no longer believe the bible is god's word.

however i do have a couple of lingering questions on this subject.

Tenacious

If God did not exist, how does one explain how thanks to the perfectly positioned Moon the Earth is tilted just slightly enough to give us the four seasons? How about the Coriolis effect which allows for rest and night/day? And also how this effect allows for the water cycle in order to keep the land watered and humans can grow food? How about the Moon and how it affects the oceanic tides? How about not having the moon and seeing our days shrink down to about 8 hours instead of 24? How about the moon providing just enough light for us to see at night?How about gravity and keeping us on the ground? How about the Earth being perfectly positioned away from the Sun so that we don't either burn up or freeze to death? How about our bodies and how they are perfectly controlled by the brain? Our circulatory, vascular, and organ systems? How is it that all of these things are fully automatic without us having to do anything? How about the amazing way the kidney's function in filtering the impurities from our blood? There are many more things that point to someone having designed it and created it.

With all due respect, everything points to an intelligent creator.

90

to date JWism has defined my life and i hate that TRUTH

by oompa in

jw
friends

and i am finding the adjustment to the real world far more difficult than i ever imagined...i f...it has been about five years since i totally woke up to the fraudulant nwt and then all my other doubts i had carried for years were proved true as well.

but almost all of my few friends are exjw or slack jw's and i feel so isolated...my sons friends are mostly exjw too but not their gf's and they have way more normal friends .

how have you done at replacing lifelong friends and family?

Tenacious

Thank you Tenacious for bumping this thread. Eric was a friend of many on this site. His pain was real.

I only wish I could have met Eric. The pain he endured really must have consumed him. Prior to joining this forum I would drop in and observe his and other's comments on different topics. What specifically called my attention about him was his avatar. As a fellow human being, I wish I could have been there for him. But I understand why he isolated himself. Many of us tend to do the same. The amount of anger that comes to me just knowing that Eric is dead as a result of the Org policies is incredible. And I didn't even know him. I guess because I know how the Org continues to perpetuate these rules and policies where if anyone awakes they might end up doing the same.

90

to date JWism has defined my life and i hate that TRUTH

by oompa in

jw
friends

and i am finding the adjustment to the real world far more difficult than i ever imagined...i f...it has been about five years since i totally woke up to the fraudulant nwt and then all my other doubts i had carried for years were proved true as well.

but almost all of my few friends are exjw or slack jw's and i feel so isolated...my sons friends are mostly exjw too but not their gf's and they have way more normal friends .

how have you done at replacing lifelong friends and family?

Tenacious

I'm bumping this thread as a testament to those that still do not believe the Org can lead you to do the unthinkable. The thread author 'oompa'/Eric committed suicide due to the overwhelming emotional pain and turmoil from having his life turned upside down by the rules and policies that the Org deems scriptural when in fact they are not. Yes, shunning. The ultimate mental torture imposed and adhered to by devoted members that guarantees they will be saved and loved by Jehovah.

Ask yourself. Is this loving your enemy? Is this having mercy? Is this loving thy neighbor? Jesus adhered to these statements. So much so that he made the very human act 'to love one another' a commandment second only to loving God!

I never knew Eric and I can't possibly begin to understand how he must have felt during that last hour of his life. What his thoughts were, what his reasoning was, how he felt about the Org, his wife, his family, and those brothers who considered him a friend. I do know this. And I'll state this emphatically. If you are a practicing 'brother' or 'sister' and truly delude yourself into thinking you are merely carrying out the Org's policies.

Think again!

Eric's blood is on your hands. You are guilty!

If you were smart enough to come on here and peruse to try and convince yourself that the Org is in fact 'The Way' don't kid yourself. If you still attend and participate, you are just as guilty as those that drove this kind loving man to his death. You are not exempt. You can try and rationalize all you want, but when judgement comes, you won't be spared. Try as you may, you are inconsequential to the GB and the Org. You are merely a pawn in a much sinister power plan.

You are nothing without accepting the truth and what scripture truly teaches.

Rest easy Eric, you feel no more pain, you are quietly sleeping now. I hope to see you soon my fellow loving neighbor.

19

Introducing my self

by WasOnceBlind in

i stumbled upon this site about a week ago while googling a question.

the question was "why can't jw's have beards?

" i read the responses and realized the truth in them.

Tenacious

My dad would always be talking about how Jehovah didn't want anyone serving him just because they felt like the were being forced to.

Yeah, that would be about 95% of the members. They are forced either directly (spouse, children) and indirectly (mom, dad, friends).

....a JC was created, I wasn't DF'ed because I hadn't actually done anything but was told either dump my fiance or be publicly censored.

I would have laughed my head off and probably rolled on the floor in front of them. Of course, that's today.

17

Just another experience

by bradford in

i just wanted to add another piece to the puzzle that is the exile from the organization.

a little background about myself first.

i was not born into the religion, technically.

Tenacious

but at the same time asked to have all my privileges revoked, no longer a reader, no talks, no prayer at meetings, no doing the sound, etc. They were fine with that but clearly disturbed at my though process.

Wow, this sounds so much like my situation as well. I also gave up everything as I knew I would one day have to walk away. The same as you bradford, brothers started shunning like I had the plague. It was actually quite funny to see. Up until a few weeks ago, many have started to come around again. I look at them with a big smile that says 'get the **ck away from me you hypocrite'. Those that do manage to make it to the handshake get a very cold icy look that has 'you two-faced **cksucker' written all over it. These are people that are supposed to be there for you when you are down spiritually but instead they chose to look good by avoiding you. What a sick **cken organization. Just sick. I hope one of these days to put up my story when I have plenty of time on these boards. Welcome and hope everything turns out good for you and your wife. I wish you the very best my man. I truly do.

104

The Secret is out....but nobody cares

by MrTheocratic in

i've been looking on this site for some time but never posted.

i'll give a little about myself, but not too much.

i'm a ex-bethelite ( brooklyn )and currently serving as an elder (10 years) (thinking about stepping down) on the service committee.

Tenacious

Some even have respected positions in the organization that makes them like little gods.

I believe this to be the case in many congregations. And the organization continually uses the "privileges" card time and time again to get brothers to submit without questioning. And like you said, once brothers start to taste a better life outside the WTSB mentality such as having a nice home, good career, good things, there's no need to fulfill the power role in their minds, although I will admit that even then some brothers need to find a way to fulfill that power trip over people. It's all psychological and the WTSB plays it beautifully. They can string along brothers especially the newly converted that don't know the historical failures. I'm glad the WTSB was stupid enough to put most of their literature all on one program for those that seek to find the truth. That coupled with the internet will be the decaying factor.

19

Who's behind the WT / JW.org?

by elkatire1980 in

i have always thought that the members of the governing body are just a decorative elements in the visible cusp of the organization.

i have read conspiratorial topics about who really rule, but they are not visible.

the shareholders of the corporation?

Tenacious

I don't personally believe there is someone behind the curtain pulling the strings.

If you are interested and believe the theories, look into The Watchtower and the Freemasons by Fritz Springmeier.

It's an interesting read but a bit far fetched.

14

God's supposedly chosen earthly organization (WTS/JWS) doesn't pronounce or spell god's name correctly !!!

by Finkelstein in

this came up on terry walstrom thread topic recently and i thought it would be good to explore this further.

the jws are quite boisterous and arrogant that they use the proper name of jehovah as the divine name of god.

but a little investigation discovers something quite different.

Tenacious

I don't understand how God being the almighty could not have seen this (our modern day) and planned for it so that his name, his proper name, be sanctified just like Jesus said it should.

The translation of the scriptures or should I say 'the accurate translation of the scriptures' is something that I'm having a hard time reconciling.

49

jwtalk...wow. just...wow.

by HeyThere in

so i was lurking on jwtalk after trying to read the thread on there about the broadcast about the conti case...and holy moly there are some bat ish crazy talk on that site!

they also blocked the thread about the broadcast, lol!

they are scuuuuured (scared).

Tenacious

I'm not surprised that some would resort to conspiracy theories regarding the Conti case and other pedophilia cases. Members that are deeply involved and are willing to lay down their lives for the GB without batting an eye are the ones that refuse to believe what's right in front of them. Their mind conditioning is beyond reason.

I guess in my state a former elder that is now serving 25 years for pedophilia must all be made up as well. Oh, and so are the two victims who were initially silenced and are now victims must all be part of the conspiracy theories. What was I thinking! What a joke.