is there anyone out there who remembers being taught by the wt that love of the self was sinful?
if so will you please point me to a piece of literature which contains that teaching, preferably a scan if possible.
i have a vague memory of hearing something along those lines as a child and don't know if it was part of jw teaching or just something my family taught us.
Self sacrifice, self sacrifice, self sacrifice!
My own interpretation that I brought away from that was to not love SELF, all others ahead of self.
On the other hand, Love your neighbor as you do yourSELF.Luke 10:27 He who loves his wife loves himself. Eph. 5:28 NWT
I can no longer sacrifice SELF.
i've heard in comments here that after 6 months of being "inactive", you're no longer counted and/or taken off "the rolls".
to what degree?
locally or at hq too or both?.
I'm not sure WHO I am anymore. I was an married at 18, husband was appointed an elder at 25, mother of three, now adult children. Seperated but not divorced after 28 years of marriage. Considered inactive in truth, but still attend meetings. I spend time thinking about what I beleive, what I dream of, what my future will be. I tend to waver between life long WTS beliefs, my own gut instinct.
I have a long way to go!
on christmas eve i got the chance to get together with an old friend, also an ex-witness, who was visiting from new york.
his life has been something of a hedonic treadmill and only recently has gotten off of it to find, as i like to call him, the sensitive new age jesus.
well, anyway, we got on the subject of sex and relationships.
I hope this friend of yours stands on his own! I hope that the decision he ultimately makes is his, and his alone! I hope he gives it time, and encourages his friend to do the same. It would be easy to say, "what a great opportunity" here we go! Reality of life is quite different! Emotions can't always be predicted!
I was pressured by my married psychotherapist to let go of long held moral values. Whether those values came from religion, family, society, I needed to evaluate these long held values for myself! His belief was that man/woman was not meant for monogymy. I had desires for this man, I spent two years in therapy with him. I thought we had a deep connection. The emotional fallout from this experience cannot be fully conveyed! I won't even try.
I wonder if this girl/woman was raised JW. I wonder her age. I wonder what is behind her decision. I ultimately wonder if one or both will be hurt by this seemingly "great opportunity".
when i saw the e-mail about the brothers in sri lanka who were safe at the kingdom hall because they were on the east side of the island, and the two brothers who were out in service and jehovah protected them because they weren't at the beach, i couldn't help thinking about some articles i read several years ago.. one was about a severe tornado in elkhart, indiana, and the watchtower stated that the brothers who attended the meeting that day were spared.
however, some who stayed home were killed by the tornado.
i'm inclined to think that it was the "palm sunday" tornado that struck indiana and michigan back in april 1964. i can't find any information that goes back that far.
I have always had a problem with people who believed they were blessed by Jehovah. It really makes NO sense to me. It really hurts when it is reported that Jehovah saved someone, it makes me hurt for all who weren't saved. It is very similar to those who say that God took their loved one to heaven, while leaving family members here on earth to grieve. I really don't think that God involves himself this way. Life/death happens. LIVE.
news
jehovah's witness accidentally eats candy cane .
above: kimberly flemmel mourns her excommunication from the jehovah's witness congregation after eating a candy cane .
This is either a joke or an urban legend! I don't believe it for a second. I live very near to Seattle and I will be checking the names for authenticity. I have several friends who buy holiday candy, when it goes on sale for 50 to 75% off. I hope ones on this board are at least capable of not believing every rotten story. If it is true....I am truly concerned!
... on the watchtower society.
i am not one who will ever bother to waste my time heaping praise on the jw religion as though it were some kind of improvement on society.
i have no qualms in saying that it was, is, and always will be a dangerous religion ?
I really enjoyed your post. I was raised in a divided household. It was confusing. My father hated the witnesses and actually made life very difficult for us all. I honestly have more anger towards him for his behavior then I do for my mom. By the way, they are still married after 54 years. I have good and bad memories. We were outcasts in many ways, because of my father. He did not allow us to attend meetings until we hit the teenage years and realized their control would be more affective then his!
Our legacy....us four kids have nine marriages between us. My brother is on his forth marriage, he is Df'd and is now a Mormon. My sister is on her third, is active in the org. My other sister married a extremely abusive man, was married six years, divorced and has never dated in 20 years. I was married for 28 years, my family looked to me to show them the way. They didn't realize that my elder husband and I were alcoholics, just trying to hang on. We are now seperated and awaiting divorce.
I have no idea what life would have been like in a family of spiritual unity, or if religion hadn't been a part of our family at all. We all seem a bit srewed up!
i was wondering if you all use other forums or just this one.
i have three that i check into on a daily basis.
i found a web site for sexual exploitation by the helping professions.
I was wondering if you all use other forums or just this one. I have three that I check into on a daily basis. I found a web site for Sexual Exploitation by the helping professions. It is the Advocate Web. It has literally saved me, to be able to go and talk with others who have experienced what I have. I try to support others with my experience, and help them overcome the confusion and depression that comes with exploitation.
It seems that this is what is offered here as well. For the most part, support and understanding.
i attended the meeting today, hoping for some encouraging words.
i arrived while the prayer was in progress, i waited, then found my way to a familiy i enjoy and sat with them.
the speaker was visiting from another congregation.
Dear 95stormfront,
It doesn't take BALLS, I'm not sure what it takes. I only know that it affected me and continues to. Every organization has bad and good. For the most part these people are caring and good. I agree there are those who are quite literally EVIL. I have been associated with this organization for 40 years, I have heard it all, nothing surprises me anymore. I am confused! I don't know what to do. I take one day at a time. I read alot. I use my brain, I question. Please be patient. When I share my thoughts, I know it triggers anger in some, I understand that. But if I shared these thoughts with those who still associate with the org. I would experience anger from them as well. i just want to sort this all out. I'm sad, really sad. I don't know where i belong anymore.
Peg
i attended the meeting today, hoping for some encouraging words.
i arrived while the prayer was in progress, i waited, then found my way to a familiy i enjoy and sat with them.
the speaker was visiting from another congregation.
I attended the meeting today, hoping for some encouraging words. I arrived while the prayer was in progress, I waited, then found my way to a familiy I enjoy and sat with them. The speaker was visiting from another congregation. Right away I noticed a condescending tone to his voice. I wondered if my attitude had become so bad that I wasn't able to see good in others anymore. Then in his talk he began speaking of the world. He said that they didn't care what happened with the Tsunami. He said that they just go on with their lives as if nothing happened. There is no real love in the world. I was at first shocked with his words. I turned to the sixteen year old girl next to me and said "that is a out right lie". She agreed with me.
I wasn't sure how to handle my anger. I considered walking out. I didn't want to upset the family I was with. I thought that after the meeting I should confront this man. Tell him that his comment was inappropriate and a lie! I did neither. I just feel sad, and scared about how every thing has changed for me. I did come home and tell my 21 year old daughter how upset I was about that comment. She too agreed with me. Later, I began writing to this forum to share this story, my daughter came down stairs and I quickly turned off the computuer. I'm not ready and I am not sure how she will feel about me visiting here. This is a difficult time.
