Posts by CeriseRose

19

May 1st Watchtower.

by mouthy in

i dont know if this has already been posted .sorry if it has.

i understand the above wt in letters to the readers takes time to tell all that the holy spirt is not a person ( still a thing like electricty).

it cannot believe they can tell the people that they cannot be indwelt by the holy spirit .but they can believe they can be indwelt with demons.....go figure that one.!!!!.

I was curious too, not just Mouthy, but how do all of you get your hands on new WTS publications? not that I particularly want to, but I know 90% of the people in this territory and would have trouble just getting one even in street witnessing....I'm amazed at y'all. hehe,

I haven't read the May 1st WT...but the holy spirit as 'electricity' is what they were still teaching as of January. What I never understood was the semantics about asking for a "portion" of holy spirit (because we are not to presume to ask Jehovah for a specific amount of it; it's up to him to determine how much we need/are worthy of receiving).

Also, in Acts it indicates that the holy spirit was upon these ones, and they could speak in tongues...what difference is that from demon possession where one speaks gibberish? Maybe the demons are merely 'bad voltage'...

Y'all make good points. Part of me wants answers and part of me would rather remain ignorant to all religion right now. Just the space I'm in, I guess.

edited: I got a giggle out of this: I posted part of this to my boyfriend, because I love the turn of phrase: "The demons not marterializing is more "this is what you should believe" it protect them from answering for where 300 million seething demons hang out." His reponse was "Starbucks?". ROFLROFL

41

Why do you keep posting here?

by ScoobySnax in

jw
friends

you know i like to post these dumb'uns but i was thinking this tonight as i sat here thinking what to post.

then i thought to myself, why am i sitting here "wondering" what to post on a forum like this.

i think i get more than the fair share of stick here for posts i have made because of what i do post, and i can live with that.

CeriseRose

As so many things "ex-JW" comes back to labelling. I'm always interested in how people define themselves (I'm Todd's Mom, Julie's Dad, Mark's wife, etc.). I think in this situation both Minimus and Joyzabel are correct, but only if you look at it from different standpoints.

From a pure semantics, Minimus is correct. Most of us were JWs or identified as JWs and now we don't, so ex-JW from that standpoint is correct.

But what does ex-JW mean? What is the connotation of the label? For some, it defines them, and could possibly limit the healing and growth necessary to truly leave the org if that's what they want. I don't think it's so much denial on Joy's part as wanting to be free of a term that limits her definition of herself (of course, I'm only going by what I'm reading and certainly am not speaking for Joy, simply trying to make a point).

Labelling by it's very nature doesn't always foster change or portray an accurate picture of the person we are. I don't call myself an ex-JW, personally, because that would denote in my mind that all I was was a JW. I am a person who is many different things, and have evolved over the years. My JW experience was part of that, as was my upbringing, my parent's divorce, my successful and failed relationships, my work and school (life?) experience, and my parents' deaths. All of these things became facets of "ME" and that is a work in progress.

So while I understand how others might define me as ex-JW and would be correct on the most basic level, it really doesn't explain who I am, or the composite that makes up me.

Just my 2 cents.

24

Has this happened to anyone else?

by EyeDrEvil in

jw
friends

ok, this may sound silly and trivial.

but, i need to know if anyone else has had a similar experience.. as a result of facial hair (a goatee and mustache), i was relieved of my incredibly important.

later, i felt like i should send the elders a thank you note for their wake up call to the fact that i was in a very messed up religion.

CeriseRose

Well since I'm a light skinned and fair haired female, I haven't really had many problems with facial hair. Of course as a JW I didn't get to hold the mike or offer public prayers anyway. ;)

I have known people on both sides...some who had the beard and others who didn't. Some retained their privileges, and others did not. The really odd thing was this was in the same congregation. I guess it was elders' OPINIONS on the right way to deal with it and not completely the WTS' stand on it.

My feeling on it is, if there is a God (still not sure how I feel about religion now that I'm out), if he had a problem with men having hair on the lower half of their face, he'd have made it so you wouldn't get it. Right? I mean, omnipotence has to be useful somehow and if God doesn't want facial hair on men, then it's up to him to control it.

My 2 cents. heh

8

Peevishness

by CeriseRose in

jw
friends

i feel peevish.

my friend who is still a jw brought over her taxes and related bookkeeping things today.

we had a chat...not theocratic, but it had some history on things that went on when i was a jw.

CeriseRose

Six: BUSTED! I've been watching film adaptations of early 1800's literature again. I love that word. Soooo much. *giggles* And yes, it's a positive thing. Badger: No worries. I can understand how knowing the way JWs are *supposed* to be with people who have left, it might be confusing as to my status. I got freaked that the WTS could do something *else* to me. hehe ;)

8

Peevishness

by CeriseRose in

jw
friends

i feel peevish.

my friend who is still a jw brought over her taxes and related bookkeeping things today.

we had a chat...not theocratic, but it had some history on things that went on when i was a jw.

CeriseRose

Yes, it was almost like she was testing the waters. She mentioned how someone she knows feels JWs are a cult (waits for response) and a few other hot buttons. She is so not the type to do that so I'm thinking it was just chatting. However, it did leave a weird feeling.

Badger what do you think could be coming? I'm disassociated so I'm not overly concerned...*they* can't do anything to me. And when I DAd I was prepared to never talk to a JW again, including friends. She is continuing the friendship through a business relationship. If she breaks that I'll understand and it would be okay. (Well, not overly okay but I'd live...as I said, I was expecting to be out of contact with all of them when I left...)

Ah well. I guess it's all part of it, as you've said.

8

Peevishness

by CeriseRose in

jw
friends

i feel peevish.

my friend who is still a jw brought over her taxes and related bookkeeping things today.

we had a chat...not theocratic, but it had some history on things that went on when i was a jw.

CeriseRose

I feel peevish. My friend who is still a JW brought over her taxes and related bookkeeping things today. We had a chat...not theocratic, but it had some history on things that went on when I was a JW.

Last time I talked to her, I didn't know what I did about the WTS. I thought I'd be back. Now I know I won't be. I don't want to have to explain, or talk about it. I just want to disappear (I'm good, no, excellent at avoidance).

So the visit left me feeling peevish, out of sorts. I know it won't last...it's just icky while it's happening. Bleh.

Just needed to share. Carry on.

35

I did it!!!

by joelbear in

jw
friends

well, this week i become a college graduate.

thanks for all those who offered encouragement over the years.

it meant a lot to me.

CeriseRose

Congrats!!!! It's an awful lot of hard work and I hope it brings you all that you wish!

19

The Celts in tears and does not know why

by Celtic in

jw
friends

will a more trusted friend meet me in chat in a bit for a conversation?.

i'm so sorry, i don't like burdening any of you down with my inner soul sadness.

i don't even know why i'm crying, tisn't allowed when your'e 6'5" plus, but tonight i am.

CeriseRose

I'm sorry that I didn't see this sooner to sit in chat and return the huge favour you gave me when you let me bawl and bawl. I'm sorry you've been hurting. All I can do now it to hope for you that you're sleeping well and offer my *hugs*.

11

My bizarre last few days...

by CeriseRose in

so i basically spent last week hibernating with my english lit books and studying.

i had 3 essays to finish (one left and i'm slacking horridly on it) and my final exam last saturday (i think i did reallly well!

yay!).

CeriseRose

oh, excellent! thanks for the link.

11

My bizarre last few days...

by CeriseRose in

so i basically spent last week hibernating with my english lit books and studying.

i had 3 essays to finish (one left and i'm slacking horridly on it) and my final exam last saturday (i think i did reallly well!

yay!).

CeriseRose

You know, it's funny, but I went to a lot of effort to make sure my house was cleaned up and to make sure they both have known that I'm doing good. Not just 'okay', but good.

I hope that works.