One time, while at a district convention, I was so constipated. You know how it is, after all those hours of driving. Well, about half way through lunch an elder came up to me and said, "we need to speak right away." I was so stressed at this comment, that I found it caused me to need to go to the bathroom. So I went to the restroom and had a great session, if you know what I mean, and when I left the restroom I felt that "refreshing" feeling, I think others always mentioned.
spiritwalker
JoinedPosts by spiritwalker
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27
Did You Ever Feel Refreshed As A Jehovah's Witness???
by minimus inthe "truth" is supposed to be sooo "refreshing".
the publications talk about how "happy and refreshed" witnesses always are.
was that your experience?
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Apostate organizations, will they take down the religion?
by spiritwalker inone of the main themes i have noticed to former jehovah?s witnesses boards, is the mentioning of apostate jehovah?s witness organizations and publications.
while i realize the reason behind these organizations, i also see them as far less powerful then many would like to think.
not that their efforts are wasted, as i know many take a lot of passion and time to their work.
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spiritwalker
Lady Lee
As I have said on other post. I read other former Witness boards and choose to post here, as I feel the group is larger and has a more varied response. I have found that some other boards tend to lean one way very strong and no balance. So if you find my comments on the Ex-Jw board is a general statement about the whole online scene.
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Do you see yourself or others in this list?
by spiritwalker inas a long time poster on other message boards.
i have often noticed, that despite the topic, there are always certain personalities on each.
i guess it is kind of like the congregation, in that no matter what one you were in, there were characters that matched up with the one you left.
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spiritwalker
As a long time poster on other message boards. I have often noticed, that despite the topic, there are always certain personalities on each. I guess it is kind of like the congregation, in that no matter what one you were in, there were characters that matched up with the one you left. So a long time ago, me and another poster made a list of personalities that are on message boards and kind of kept it updated. This is not centered around religious message boards, just more of a general topic. See if any of these fit here. It starts with the more positive and works it?s way to the most negative personality.
The Intellectual : This is the poster that never comments without something to back it up with. It might be articles, links, definitions, and even pictures. There will often be quotes from well known names and even comments to the affect, "please feel free to research this on your own."
The Debater : If there is a debater in the room, then make sure your facts are right. The debater will look to support the opposite side and often does so in a very good way. Although, they can be very frustrating to, "the teacher", as they bog conversations down in technicalities.
Neutral Poster : This is a poster who comments in brief neutral ways. Someone who never really seems to be 100% convinced on anything, and enjoys reading and just commenting without having to take sides. Often seen saying, "please tell me more, I am enjoying the conversation."
The Teacher : The is the person who takes it upon themselves to teach others what they already feel they know. It does not mean that what they know is right, but that what they know is something they think others should accept too. The teacher is very intimidated by "The Intellectual" and very frustrated by "The Debater." They do teach good things, but sometimes they need to remember to learn a little more at times too.
The Student : Teach me, teach me. Is often the cry of the student. They want to learn more and often post questions about, "why is this" and "should I do this?" They don?t say much to others, as they want more said to them. They often cause problems with "the teachers" as there will often be many schools of thoughts with "the teachers" and they will be upset that their words were not listened too or praised enough.
The Fluffer : Basically, they post nonsense that keeps the room moving and never really do enough to hardly even be known. They fluff, plain and simple.
The happy poster : Oh golly, oh gee, life is just so great and I want to say happy things to everyone and put a positive spin to everything. I don?t know how you could be down, when the world is so wonderful. Happy happy, joy joy. I am smiling at all times.
The Referee : I want peace and I don?t take the time to understand why people debate. I just want peace and will stress that at all times. I will e-mail people to calm down, when they are not really upset and I will never understand the difference between an argument and a debate. I am often a little bit of a control freak.
The Know-It-All : Always seem to answer everything with something. Not always right, not always wrong. Yet they seem to know a little about everything, and not enough about anything. Don?t tell them that though, as they know a reason as to why you are wrong. "The Debater" will waste a lot of time with these posters.
The Angry Poster : Life sucks and I hate everything and everyone. Everyone wants to hurt me and make my life harder then it already is. So I plan to hurt others before they can do it to me. I will fight about every little subject to the end and I will not forget anything negative said against me. I will do extreme things too. Like bad mouthing you to others in e-mail and making things up. I will post about you on other message boards and leave out anything that makes me look bad. I hate "the happy poster" and I hate "Fluffers", and I especially hate "the Debaters" as they are always trying to make me look foolish.
The Moronic Supporter : I am the person who has friends online. I support them in what ever they say and do. I don?t care that their information is wrong and that others said something that made more sense, I just chime in with comments like "you sure showed him" and "your comments are always so right." I cause most flame wars, as I come out of the blue with this support, that makes no sense and upset people who really wanted a good conversation. "The Intellectual" will not speak to me, and often ignores my comments. I will not see the error of my ways and I love to add more and more support to my friends as time goes on. If it upsets you, I figure it is because I am so right and you are so wrong. Although, I have no clue what is really going on anyway.
The Anarchists : I am here with one purpose and one purpose ONLY! To cause trouble. I am here to attack people for no reason, post shocking comments and to carry on flame wars that should have ended by now. I may even be another poster, posting under a different name to have fun. Don?t ever underestimate me though and think I am your friend. I am tricky, sneaky and am here to make things terrible. That is what I want. I am often called a troll, but I stay under the level enough to not be banned right away.
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Apostate organizations, will they take down the religion?
by spiritwalker inone of the main themes i have noticed to former jehovah?s witnesses boards, is the mentioning of apostate jehovah?s witness organizations and publications.
while i realize the reason behind these organizations, i also see them as far less powerful then many would like to think.
not that their efforts are wasted, as i know many take a lot of passion and time to their work.
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spiritwalker
One of the main themes I have noticed to former Jehovah?s Witnesses boards, is the mentioning of apostate Jehovah?s Witness organizations and publications. While I realize the reason behind these organizations, I also see them as far less powerful then many would like to think. Not that their efforts are wasted, as I know many take a lot of passion and time to their work. More that the power they think they hold, is just not there. Why do I say this?
As a former Witness, I have had enough time to learn what the real world thinks of the Witness religion. They do not think it is a religion ran by God, they do not think it is perfect and they do not think it is the one true religion. In most cases, they think it is a small religion that is basically a cult. Being such, they see this cult as something they expect the worse from and not something wonderful and inspiring. So when apostates write books and are seen on news programs exposing the Witnesses, it only enforces their existing negative impression. Why then, as a former Witness, do they seem so much more powerful to you?
Well it can be summed up in one thought, familiarity. You are familiar with the Witnesses and their life-style. You know from years of association, with the Witnesses, what kind of image they think they are displaying and some where down the line you thought others really felt that way about them too. Mostly, because you heard examples on stage and read of examples in publications, of people saying such wonderful things about the Witnesses. Yet, did you ever wonder why these people did not become Witnesses? It was because, despite their positive comment (that could have been censored and edited) they knew the religion was a cult.
In my circle of friends, I know teachers, employers and other professionals. I will tell you, many of these people will say, "Witnesses are often good students and good employees. They are hard workers and often very honest." Yet does this mean they have a positive opinion of the Witness religion? No, in all cases they see these as morals taught to the children that could easily be mentioned about their other students and employees, as well. Yet the other employees and students have not been as open about what religion they are, as the Witnesses have been. So it kind of makes the classification easier with the Witnesses. However, I have also learned, that many of my friends have very high and higher opinions of Mormon children and employees too. You will never see that in a Watchtower.
So am I saying that Apostates are wasting their time? In some ways, yes. Only though, if they are getting into the effort with the faults hope of thinking they are exposing something to the world that is simply not new. If they think the world revolves around the Witnesses, they would be wrong. If they think the general public even cares about the Witnesses, they would be wrong too. They are seen as a cult, they are expected to show cult problems and traits and they expect nothing less. So who benefits from these Apostate efforts?
Former Witnesses are often in a inner mental battle of trying to convince themselves that the organization is really what the world already knows. They want to hear others give examples and they want to see others history in writing and in media, to see they are not alone. So that they keep themselves strong enough, to stay away and not return to the thing that gives them so much trouble. Yet, because we as humans, see the universe orbiting us. We start to convince ourselves that what is so important to us, should be as important to others. An easy mistake to make, as it is our cause and history and it has personal meaning to us. Especially when you realize how much the religion was your whole life. Just don?t fool your self and get frustrated.
When you read about something the Witnesses did, exposed into the main stream media. Don?t sit there thinking, "this is going to take the organization down and show the world I am right." It wont! Apostate groups were around in the time of Russell and there was only a few thousand members then. Apostates will always be in the picture and they will always be exposing what people expect to see from a cult, yet they will not take the organization down. That will only happen when an individual inside the religion, leaves for their own reason and takes it down themselves from inside as one person.
I am convinced, that in a hundred years, there will be the Witness religion in some form and there will be apostates with a new message an a new exposure of problems to broadcast and I am convinced that there will be former Witnesses that think the world will be surprised, and I am convinced that they wont be. Why? Because it is the same in the past, the present and why not then, the future.
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I have a hard time blaming the Watchtower
by spiritwalker in" if the watchtower said it, and the men on the platform preached it, then it must have been true.
so it was very hard to accept as an adult, that they were wrong.
i blame myself.
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spiritwalker
Okay, Okay, Okay!!! I get it. Some people feel more comfortable with blaming the Watchtower and not feeling responsible for their actions and some others, don't (like myself). What I find interesting, is that the ones who seek to blame the Watchtower for everything. Seem almost offended that others feel different and are willing to accept blame for themselves. Blame, such an interesting word. When I here it, I think some form of guilt and not coming to terms with my own life and history. Guess that is why I do not need to blame anyone, as I am comfortable with all I have done. I don't blame anyone and I can move on, without anger dragging me back to some organization that is just not as powerful as some here would have you believe. Oh well, seems I have something inside that others don't.
As a side not, to villianize the Witnesses as some big bad guy and completely ignore the guilt of Christianity as a whole. Is not moving on. Christianity as a whole, is sick and pulls progress of humanity down to a level I think we should have moved on from by now. If you have not figured it out, I am a little anti-organized religion with a special spark for Christianity.
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I have a hard time blaming the Watchtower
by spiritwalker in" if the watchtower said it, and the men on the platform preached it, then it must have been true.
so it was very hard to accept as an adult, that they were wrong.
i blame myself.
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spiritwalker
Spiritwalker, you've done just as I stated above. People have become offended because their history with the WTS brings back many terrible memories
Actually, what I have done is step on to people's comfort zone. As some former Witnesses feel better with blame then responsibility. It is not all negative, but perhaps it is not the strongest course of healing either. I am pushing it a little, in that I keep responding and making my point over and over again and to some that is annoying or to much. The thing is, I never once in this thread said that people are terrible people for doing what they did. They could have been wonderful people and not all Witnesses are bad people, in fact many are great people to know. Yet we just have to sit back at ome time and say, "you know, I did do those things and I decided to do them and I am responsible for them." It has nothing to do with children and like I said many times, there are exceptions to everything.
This sums up what I mean here, posted by another poster
I think it is important to embrace personal responsibility rather than continually play the victim and think how others have wronged you.
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I have a hard time blaming the Watchtower
by spiritwalker in" if the watchtower said it, and the men on the platform preached it, then it must have been true.
so it was very hard to accept as an adult, that they were wrong.
i blame myself.
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spiritwalker
It's funny, AlanF has you guys (Spirit Walker and Phantom Stranger) totally cornered, and all you can do is roll on your backs and pee all over yourself.
Why don't you answer his questions?
You know why, because you would have to admit you are wrong!
Sad really?
Yes, it is sad. As a poster on many other type boards I do so readily see certain behavior coming through in many discussions. One such behavior is the open ended comment, that is presented in a way that it implies that the person has made a point and yet, they haven't. (Would you care to bring up rape and abuse? or perhaps how this does not apply with children?) I have honestly never seen such a pride issue so strong as this issue of admitting you are responsible for your actions as an adult. I guess some of us are just a little more secure with that statement, then others, and we don't have to make a statement that does not detail anything to make our point. Especially, when I have repeated it over and over again. Yet, does it even matter? No, because message boards should not change someone's mind and be a center for moral code and discussion. They should just be a place, where we use our minds.
As a side note, define cornered? I never once felt my opinion has changed and lost merit from the beginning. I started at the same place I left off and only seen some serious dance moves of people trying to act like I am wrong. When a lot know I am right. Personal Responsibility, I just love those two words. Do you? Because if you did, you would see it's value and not see it as something to deflect on to others. Honestly, the way this minority of former Witnesses seeks to blame the Witnesses for everything, makes me sad. I seriously doubt the healing value of a board that revels in the blame game. I am glad to see that some got my point though, because it was not exactly in Bible code.
Oh well
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Would You Like It If The Elders Called You To See How You're Doing?
by minimus ini read how some seem to complain that the elders never visited or even made 1 call to see how they were doing.
would you really want the elders visiting and calling you at this point in time?
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spiritwalker
If they could find me, sure! Wouldn't mind at all. I would probably talk about fishing, hunting, the family and when religion came up. I would discuss the connection between Greek myth and Jesus and how religion evolved from one religion to another, in a common habit ancient humans used called, "trading and bartering." I will give you this belief, for this belief, so that we can live in peace. Yes, it happened!
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spiritwalker
9 and 10 Americans remember we kicked the Britain's butt in 1776 and won our freedom. Which means, 10 and 10 Americans do not have to care what a Britain thinks.
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I have a hard time blaming the Watchtower
by spiritwalker in" if the watchtower said it, and the men on the platform preached it, then it must have been true.
so it was very hard to accept as an adult, that they were wrong.
i blame myself.
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spiritwalker
As a side note. WOW! Thanks for all the responses to this thread. I had no idea this one would get this big and with a new member posting at that. I just wanted to add, that despite some who might take issues like this in a personal insulting way. I think discussion on anything is a great freedom.