Crooked - just in case you think this is far fetched, let me say a couple more things. First of all, you may only get this in brief moments in the beginning, this fresh view being free from the emotional entanglements - that's enough for now. Second, remember what Jesus said about being like a young child, that's what I'm talking about. It's a matter of seeing through the eyes of a child and questioning from a very innocent point of view. In any case, know that you're not alone here - there's a lot of support.
Markfromcali
JoinedPosts by Markfromcali
-
29
Poll: Anyone thought they sinned against Holy Spirit? Any anxiety or anger?
by SAHS incertainly not that i would ever imply that anyone would have sinned against the holy spirit, but i was just wondering how may people either think they may have done this, or in the past thought they may have, or if they felt they were ever a victim of that wt scare tactic.
if so, did you at some point in your life feel anxiety over it?
did you ever feel anger about being misled into thinking you had when you realize now that you really couldn?t have (at least by that time)?
-
-
-
29
Poll: Anyone thought they sinned against Holy Spirit? Any anxiety or anger?
by SAHS incertainly not that i would ever imply that anyone would have sinned against the holy spirit, but i was just wondering how may people either think they may have done this, or in the past thought they may have, or if they felt they were ever a victim of that wt scare tactic.
if so, did you at some point in your life feel anxiety over it?
did you ever feel anger about being misled into thinking you had when you realize now that you really couldn?t have (at least by that time)?
-
-
Markfromcali
I don't know about sinning against the holy spirit, but at one point when I was living on my own, away from JWs I felt at this particular moment I lost the holy spirit. It was pretty intense.
Crooked - I would recommend one very simple thing, which is to ask the question do I know this is true? See it carries the sense of inquiring and not so much an aversion like this is bad, or I am bad - which makes you shut off your mind and sends you running in the opposite direction. It's just an honest interest in what is true, but not having to come up with an answer. Even though not knowing the answer may seem like an insecure place to be, it's really not because you don't know that there is anything to be anxious about, if you go deep enough with it. When you get to that point then you can see everything with fresh eyes, and not through the eyes of fear.
-
55
Apostafests: Sorting out The Men from The Boys.
by Englishman ini've been to a fair few fests now.
loads of 'em in fact.
great fun they were too.
-
-
Markfromcali
This is a good point. Has anyone noticed whether those who disappear were regular posters online, and if their posts revealed whether they were just wavering, or what?
It's important to point out that after leaving everyone just goes in different directions, so the group may be a mixed one and that certainly wouldn't sit well with someone that's still close to a timid JW. Although those who have been out for a while may just want to party and have a good time, it would be good to keep in mind that some people probably need to connect and be given more individual attention.
Frankly I'd say they just need to know they are cared for.
It would be easy to revert to the JW mindset to some degree and not want to have anything to do with these heathens, but it would be hard to make that kind of judgement if they knew it's more than just a party, if they knew we have their best interest in mind.
-
48
"The World As I See It"
by onacruse ineinstein:.
i do not at all believe in human freedom in the philosophical sense.
everybody acts not only under external compulsion but also in accordance with inner necessity.
-
-
Markfromcali
Yes, after all if there is no such self in the first place,
IN MY VIEW this is the worst horse manure spiritual people have ever come up with... while the self you may know may not be your true self, to say that no self exists is just plain stupid.... if there were no selves,then you would not be discussing this with me.Thanks for fleshing it out.
Right, I'm sure you know many, online if nothing else that just basically use this as an excuse for being idiots basically, (well there's no self anyway, so la la la) which is really just a matter of indulging in the false self with the idea of no-self. It's one thing to say it is not the true self, but the absolute of no self period is something else.
often overlooked in buddhism, the buddha said there is no self, but he also said there is no no self either.... and my understanding is that we are like a dreamer who has never known a waking life, the only things we do know are our own minds inventions, symbols, dreams... so anything we know of our self is not our real and true self...only the symbol of it... and the accuracy of the symbol to the reality is not testable. The fact that you experience and feel and care is more than sufficient to show you have a true self.... but not one that you can know any true nature about.
"Knowing" is by nature relative as it is a function of the small mind, you can only be that true nature - which of course you already are. The only question is if there is a recognition of that, which is about as good as it gets. If it is about experience and being, then it isn't about any intellectualization at all. Of course, this is it too, all this intellectualization that we're exchanging - but is in itself not it, if you catch my drift.
I imagine your first message might be an effort to be subtle, maybe due to the context of this board, but if not I wanted to be 'encouraging' for lack of a better word. Sometimes the only thing that stands in the way is that hinderance of doubt, but it doesn't have to be.
-
122
Do you fear death?
by onacruse in.
the ultimate test of our existence: termination.. i don't fear death...no reservations, no nightmares.. craig
-
-
Markfromcali
Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu,
Buddhist, sufi, or zen. Not any religionor cultural system. I am not from the East
or the West, not out of the ocean or upfrom the ground, not natural or ethereal, not
composed of elements at all. I do not exist,am not an entity in this world or the next,
did not descend from Adam and Eve or anyorigin story. My place is the placeless, a trace
of the traceless. Neither body or soul.I belong to the beloved, have seen the two
worlds as one and that one call to and know,first, last, outer, inner, only that
breath breathing human being.-Rumi
-
29
New Gal saying hi to everyone
by betty boop inive been logging on to the website for awhile but have only been reading.today ive decided to extend my hello to all of you and to thank you for helping me out in confirming a decison i shouldve made years ago.
i left the j-dubs last august (by fading) and i feel so much happier in my life.
i can say bless you when someone sneezes, i can go to a birthday party, put a x-mas tree up, and have sex guilt free .
-
-
Markfromcali
Hi Betty,
It sounds like you're doing pretty well for being out for a short period of time. As far as the doubt is concerned, this is what I'd recommend: You are now free to do all these things as you said, but remember the biggest freedom you have is the freedom of your mind. The things you listed are enjoyable, but they are miniscule in comparison to a free mind. Exercise your freedom of mind fully, and in time you'll find such thoughts have no hold on you at all, if they even still exist.
-
28
New Wave JW's . . . I sort of got a chuckle out of this one.
by Corvin inthe apostates over at e-watchman's forum are dillusional .
first class spiritual nutjobs, if you will.
we know they do not consider themselves to be apostate, but they believe they will do the most good by staying in the organization so that when the foundations of the society are shaken, and they believe it will happen soon, they will be there to aid and comfort the jw's who don't know what to do or where to go.
-
-
Markfromcali
It's the new Tide with Colorsafe Bleach!
Whatever you feel about them, it would still be an organization run by men - just different men. Same mentality, even if they know not what they do.
-
9
Hey, on school I must have a talk about Jesus!!
by Cadaver ini and a friend of mine must have i talk on school (for filosophy) about 'jesus'.
anyone have idea's about how i can do this talk?.
cad.
-
-
Markfromcali
Well if it's for philosophy class, you're gonna have to do it on his teachings and not so much on the historical aspect and such. Whatever you do, speak from the heart and do your research so you can speak with authority, remember a big part of it is delivery too. And given it's for philosophy class, you don't have to take the official Christian position if that's not your take on it, I would imagine you have a lot of lattitude.
-
9
Strangers to the Past. Would You Agree.
by Blueblades in.
would you agree that whether in the dark ages, the middle ages, the age of discovery, the industrial age, the atomic age, the space age, the events of the day are essentially repetitions, variations, elaborations or extensions of the past, and life on earth, the overall course of humankind, human nature itself and mankind's relationships with one another continue very much the same as they were in the past.. would you agree that what appears momentous, even stupendous, to one generation is not to the next, and rarely figures in the daily thoughts or concerns of people living in such later times.. would you agree that the past fades from human thoughts that are immersed in the present and grappling with the future.. would you agree that the only genuinely complete change would only take place if, and this is a big "if",some power beyond humankind, "god" if you will, actually someone who is not a stranger to the past and is a competent judge of the present changes the cycle of human history for the betterment of all mankind.. otherwise our children's children will follow in our footsteps as to being strangers to the past.and we will also fade into the past as forgotten by those immersed in the present and grappling with the future.. as many have posted here, we are stuck in the present, discussing recent past events, and trying to make sense out of what the future holds for us.. i don't know why i am posting this except that my mind is restless and spinning going nowhere fast.does this happen to you?has 30 something years in the watchtower brought me to this point in my life?i am in a holding pattern trying so hard to flush 30 years out of my mind.. blueblades.
.
-
-
Markfromcali
I don't know why I am posting this except that my mind is restless and spinning going nowhere fast.
That's what minds tend to do, until you realize you are not your mind. By this I mean not identified with your existing thought structures, then the real power of mind comes through.
I would point out what would need to happen is just breaking through the cycle of cause and effect, it's simply a matter of actually choosing and directing life instead of being pushed around unconsciously.
-
1
Trick or treating as a JW on Halloween
by Markfromcali inof course you have to atleast be able to pass as a teenager, but imagine being dressed up as a publisher and opening your bookbag at the door going "trick or treat!
" and why not, it's as good as any other ghost or demon.
and of course, it's an opportunity to give a witness, about the witnesses.. i used to have a similar idea like dressing up as santa and trick or treating or something.. anyone remember what that was?.
-
-
Markfromcali
How about it? Of course you have to atleast be able to pass as a teenager, but imagine being dressed up as a publisher and opening your bookbag at the door going "Trick or Treat!" And why not, it's as good as any other ghost or demon. And of course, it's an opportunity to give a witness, about the Witnesses.
I used to have a similar idea like dressing up as Santa and trick or treating or something.. Anyone remember what that was?