Posts by Seeking agape

18

Photo from Bible Teach book was one of the top posts on /r/WTF today

by Richard_I in

jw
friends

a pic from the bible teach book was posted on reddit's popular /r/wtf subreddit where people post things that make you say "what the fuck" out loud.

this was the photo and you can read the thread's comments here.

it was one of the most-upvoted pictures today on the subreddit.. i visit that subreddit once in awhile and laughed out loud when i saw the thread..

Seeking agape

Hahaha! The comments on that site are so funny!

24

One simple fact about Jesus that MATTERS . .

by nicolaou in

he had a human father.. all those doctrines of redemption, ransom and forgiveness come to nothing in the face of reality.

we need to look after each other..

Seeking agape

Regardless of if he was real or not... The parable of the Good Sam is still a valuable lesson.

24

One simple fact about Jesus that MATTERS . .

by nicolaou in

he had a human father.. all those doctrines of redemption, ransom and forgiveness come to nothing in the face of reality.

we need to look after each other..

I agree! I was telling a friend last night that it doesn't matter if you are catholic or baptist, it's about how you treat people. I was explaining about the parable of the Good Samaritan and how Jesus wants us to help anyone and everyone who is sick, lowly, poor or whatever even if we despise them. I mean the good Sam and the guy who was hurt were from two different religions that hated each other, like really really despised each other. Yet Jesus taught to put those differences aside and to help someone in need. If you saw a member of IsIs or Islam lying in the street, dying, would you help them? I think that's what Jesus was trying to tell us. Be kind to each other you idiots your all just lowlife humans.

16

Caleb and Sophia... Run... They're Alive

by Seeking agape in

.

Seeking agape

I just saw this.... It's truly creepy. So much for not making idols

16

Caleb and Sophia... Run... They're Alive

by Seeking agape in

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Seeking agape

26

Wife wants a Family Study after the special talk...but initially refuses Bible only study.

by garyneal in

my wife asked me to attend the special talk with her because she wants to attend something like this as a family and feels that she "enjoys worshipping together" as a family.

i have not been to church for at least a year and have pretty much abandoned the practicing of my faith but i can remember how i used to want to have a church going family so i obliged.

i feel kind of apprehensive about doing these things because she wants the kids and i to be on our best behavior and has even fussed at me for playing tablet games during other talks.

Seeking agape

So basically if you have a bible based question you should only look for answer in the Borgs publications or by asking an Elder. Because if you look outside of the Borg you might actually find some truth.

You could talk to a mature Christian, maybe one of the local elders. They have a good knowledge of the Bible and have served Jehovah for many years. If you need advice about a personal problem or decision, they would be able to help you since they are nearby, and they know you and your situation.

26

Wife wants a Family Study after the special talk...but initially refuses Bible only study.

by garyneal in

my wife asked me to attend the special talk with her because she wants to attend something like this as a family and feels that she "enjoys worshipping together" as a family.

i have not been to church for at least a year and have pretty much abandoned the practicing of my faith but i can remember how i used to want to have a church going family so i obliged.

i feel kind of apprehensive about doing these things because she wants the kids and i to be on our best behavior and has even fussed at me for playing tablet games during other talks.

Seeking agape

uggh that's super frustrating! Here is an excerpt and a link to the full article.

It explains how we can find answers to our questions by using the publications that “the faithful and discreet slave” gives us. (Matthew 24:45) Page 36 explains that we can use the Watch Tower Publications Index.... You may need to be patient to find an answer to your question. Remember that it is like looking for hidden treasures, so it will take time and effort.
Of course, there are some subjects and scriptures that our publications have not discussed. And at times, the publications may have talked about the verse you are interested in, but maybe this still does not answer your question. Also, some Bible accounts do not explain all the details, so we may have questions about these accounts. We should not expect to find answers immediately to every question. If there is no answer to our questions in the publications, then we should not try to guess the answer. If we do that, we could become involved in arguments about “questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith.” (1 Timothy 1:4; 2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9) The brothers who work at the branch offices or at the world headquarters cannot answer every question about subjects that have not been explained in the publications. But we can be sure that the Bible gives us enough information to guide our life. And the things we do not yet understand give us an opportunity to show that we have strong faith in God and in his Word.—See pages 185 to 187 of the book Draw Close to Jehovah.

Hope this helps you understand what she is brainwashed with!

http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402011767?q=who+can+understand+the+bible&p=par

233

What is BELIEF ?

by EdenOne in

stemming from the 'absentheism' thread, an old question came to my mind.

what exactly is "belief"?.

is it the same to ask: "do you believe in god?

Seeking agape

10

Interview with an Apostate: Seeking Agape

by Seeking agape in

tell us a little about yourself and your family.my parents became jw's in 1968. my oldest sisters came along in the early 70's because my parents thought they would not have to raise them in this "system of things".

are your parents / family jws?.

now we have great discussions about religion, life, the bible, god and my uber dub sister.

Seeking agape

Stirred, I hope your Fog eventually lifts for good and never comes back. I know what you mean about "fog", sometimes in my quiet moments in life I will experience this doubt/guilt about my actions but I usually find my self coming to this site or others to remind myself that if God had an Org he would never let so many people suffer and be hurt by the Orgs policy and procedures. Bible beliefs aside, if there is a God (and I do believe) he would never claim the JW or any other religion as 99% have caused damage, pain or whatever else to people's lives. God loves people not buildings...

Thanks for letting me know about the Tahoe meet up. I will look it up.

And thank you for everyones encouragement. It means a lot. I visit this site a lot but I rarely sign in or comment on posts. But I feel like I know a lot of you here and really feel like I'm part of a community. I'm just the shy kid in the corner.

10

Interview with an Apostate: Seeking Agape

by Seeking agape in

tell us a little about yourself and your family.my parents became jw's in 1968. my oldest sisters came along in the early 70's because my parents thought they would not have to raise them in this "system of things".

are your parents / family jws?.

now we have great discussions about religion, life, the bible, god and my uber dub sister.

Seeking agape

Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

My parents became JW's in 1968. My oldest sisters came along in the early 70's because my parents thought they would not have to raise them in this "system of things". I came long in the late 80's...Woops. I have been fading from the Org since 2013. I've been mentally out for about 8 months.

Were you a born in or a convert?

Born In

Are your parents / family JWs?

My Dad is out mentally. My mom and one of my siblings are still in. I have a sister that's out and my husband has always been a "un-belieber"

How many generations have been JWs?

I guess I would have been the second?

Did you hold any position in the WTS? (MS, Elder etc...)

Not allowed to cause I'm a woman. I auxiliary pioneered once and got dreadfully sick because I was trying to work full time, raise a child, deal with my cheating husband and pioneer. So yeah I never did that again.

Did you *really* believe in the bible, in spirits (angels, demons)?

Yes and I still do.

Did you get baptized? When and why?

I got baptized at 22. I had a baby at 19 and wanted to come back to the "truth" Had a heck of a time trying to get someone to study with me. They literally sat down with me and asked "are you just coming back to the truth because you want material things from the brothers and sisters who pity you...."

What was the initial trigger that made you start questioning things?

See above... They also tried to prevent me from marrying my baby's father because he wasn't baptized and I was.

Never treated right by anyone who was "my friend" essentially being back stabbed or taken advantage of for what I could offer them. Being there for them when they needed a shoulder to cry on but when i had a problem they weren't there or "that's what happens when you marry an un-belieber (spelled wrong on purpose)

My husband was cheating on me with two different women. One of these women text me pictures of him with the other other woman and told me everything. I went to the Elders and they told me I DID NOT have grounds for divorce unless my husband would admit to me that he actually had intercourse with one of them.

BUT WAIT IT GETS BETTER. A year later from this meeting with them I found out my husband was on a dating website and had actually met a couple of these women and dated them. Again I found out, did some snooping and called one of these women and she told me everything. So I went to the Elders again....Do you think I had ground for divorce. NOPE, not till hell freezes over. Sorry still not enough proof. But they did end the meeting with "be careful and make sure that you use protection so you don't get an STD"

BTW I am a very attractive woman...Not that ugly women deserve this kind of treatment, no one does. But I just wanted to put a disclaimer that i'm not some Ogre...I'm 5'1, Slender, Blonde hair, blue eyes, young, smart. Just PM me if you want a date. Just kidding....Anyways.

Where did you find information? Internet sites? Books?

I was really depressed a strugling to find a way to live and I lwas praying for help and I literally typed in JW Struggling which brought up the JWStruggle website. From there I was hooked on You Tube videos...SHOUT out to JOHN CEDARS, JW STRUGGLE, ONLYINCHRIST, LONDO MOLINARI, AND EVERYONE ELSE who takes the time and energy it takes to make those videos. They are life savers. From YOUTUBE I found out about COC, In search of Christian Freedom, Captives of a Concept, Escape from Paradise, Apocalypse Delayed, this forum, and Borean Pickets.

How difficult or painful was the process of leaving?

It was fairly easy since i felt like everyone was an asshole anyways. I just slowly stopped going and turning in field service time. They used to call me for my "time" but they haven't called me in 4 months. Whatever...I guess they don't think i'm worthy to turn in time anymore. FINE WITH ME

Was it a big dramatic exit or a careful quiet fade?

Careful quiet fade. I came "out" to my mom last week before the memorial. She is totally fine with it, she said I really don't want to talk about religion, we can just be family. My one sister who is still in (and is an UBER dub) doesn't know, but she suspects.

Did you convince anyone else to leave with you?

My Dad. But he had actually started to fade before I did. Now we have great discussions about religion, life, the bible, God and my UBER DUB sister. He's in his 70's so I am grateful that I get this time with him to really get to know him and discuss these things with him. He's been my greatest mentor. I feel so LUCKY that 90% of my family really support me.

How were your family relations affected by your decision?

See above. My uber dub sister will corner me every six months and lecture me about Dub stuff but I usually can maneuver my way out without "outing" myself to her.

Were you or are you still being shunned by those who didn't leave?

Nope. My "friends' weren't really friends anyways. I remember thinking to myself at the beginning of my fade "it really won't be that different if I do get disfellowshipped because I don't have any true friends in the Org."

How long have you now been out?

6-8 months officially but have been on this journey for a couple years

Was there anything you looked forward to doing when you left?

Not going to the boring meetings anymore. Doing what I want on the weekends without guilt. Putting my son in each and every sport his heart desires. Making real friends.

What are you most proud of achieving since you left?

Going back to college and being a better parent to my son. Giving him a real foundation for his life

Is there anything you miss about life in the congregation?

uh no

Red pill or blue pill? Do you regret waking up to reality at all?

umm not sure, sorry don't watch movies. But no I don't regret waking up at all. I'm so much happier and less stressed out.

Did you become an atheist or transfer your faith elsewhere?

I'm still Christian and have a strong faith in God and Christ. I go to a non denominational church. But I will never be one of those judgmental christians agian. I know that some people think that religion and judgment can't be separated but I know whats right for me and i will never put those same requirements on someone else. If you want to believe the same as me, great, if not thats ok too. I love that we can all be individuals and still find common ground.

How do you now feel about religion in general?

EH. It has it's place. Any religion that teaches hate, violence or anything else that is harmful to society is bad. A religion that teaches love, acceptance, charity and good works is okay with me in my book.

Do you feel any guilt celebrating xmas or birthdays or doing any other JW "no-no"s?

NO. My in-laws (yeah i know I never divorced him, but I love that cheater. We are working on things) My in-laws are awesome regular christians and have always accepted me and are thrilled to do holidays with us now.

Have you attended any face-to-face meetups of ex-JWs?

No but I would love to if there was ever a meet up in California

Describe your circle of friends - mostly other ex-JWs or regular people?

A good mix of both. Co-workers, my friend who is disfellowshipped, an fading jw who is confused, and a few other wonderful people that i have met through my sons sports and work.

Do you tell people about your JW past?

Sure, if they ask.

Do you feel animosity or pity toward current JWs?

Pity

How do you respond to witnesses when they call at your door?

I just let my pit bull in the front yard before they get to the gate.

Storm the barricades or tend to the wounded? (do you favor activism or support)

Tend to the wounded. If you storm the barricades they just put their defenses up and you can do more harm then good.

What do you think is the most effective approach to reaching people still in?

You tube videos, forums, blogs, websites. If a JW has the mind and heart to wake up they will probably start my searching the internet.

Do you think the WTS can or should be destroyed, will continue on as-is or grow / change?

Goodness, I don't know. I believe everyone will answer to God in the end. I hope he handles things before then but if not I believe they will have to answer for the pain and suffering they cause in the end. I hope JW's wake up and leave but I doubt that will happen. I can see the Org shrinking...it already is. But it would only be my uneducated opinion on what really might happen

How has your life been impacted by your JW past?

I grew up in fear that I wasn't good enough to be loved by God. That Armageddon would be here any day now. So I started doing drugs at a early age. Never went to college b/c you know the end was coming. Got pregnant at 19. Had really low self esteem until I left the org.

Are there things in your life you blame the WTS for?

My low self esteem that caused me to make really horrible decisions in my young adult life.

JW upbringing - a protection or a curse?

A CURSE

How do you fill your time now it's not filled with meetings and field service?

College, my son's sports, work, friends, family, traveling, reading and anything else I want to do.

Do you still have an interest in JW beliefs and doctrines?

It's fading... I care less and less as more time passes. I really like learning more about the JW history though, because that's not always changing so it's easier to remember.

How much of your time is still spent on JW related matters?

1 or 2 hours a week looking at this and other forums and youtube videos. I used to spend 10-20 hours a week researching, reading and watching Youtube videos. I was addicted I had to cut back, it just wasn't healthy to spend that much time focusing on something I wanted to get rid of once I realized it wasn't the only truth on earth.

What do you think of the ex-JW community?

Love you guys. It's like a big family. Some of you really get on my nerves but I still love you and appreciate your efforts.

Do you see yourself still being associated with the ex-JW community in 5 or 10 years time?

To an extent

Do you fear the future?

NOPE

What advice would you give to anyone starting the journey of leaving the WTS?

Read Read Read. Research, watch videos, pray, meditate, and reflect on what you really want out of life.

What would you change in your life if you could go back and talk to yourself?

Don't have unprotected sex and don't drink so much diet coke.

Do you have any regrets about life since you left?

No! I'm so happy to be out and going to college and living a full life.

Can we read your life-story anywhere? (links to online or books)

Uh No...sorry I'm not that interesting

Want to share your own story? Please use the Interview with an Apostate: Template and post it in the Personal Experiences & Reunions section with the title "Interview with an Apostate: [your name or alias]"