Posts by JWdaughter

16

I QUIT !!!

by Frannie Banannie in

jw
friends

did any of you do something really naughty and forbidden after you left the wts?

i waited almost 6 months, then realized i could smoke because there wasn't anyone to tell me what i can and can't do, so if i wanted to, i could smoke......so i did.

it wasn't long until i began to regret doing that.

I saw an old movie (put on DVD) of me and my twin brother when we were kids with our aunt and uncle yesterday. We were about 4, it was the late 60's or just early 70's and my uncle was sitting there with my brother on his knee, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other, trying to give him a nice cuddle. Every time he turned his face to my brother, he struggled away(apparently to breathe!). You could tell this little stinky(He was a very stinky little boy, trust me!)boy was totally disgusted by his uncles breath. I remember always having a cough and being sick when I was a kid(parents smoked too). You are doing the good thing, and for the RIGHT reason. Yourself! You can afford to go to an international apostafest with all the money you save!

69

Did u want to leave the org bcause u were doing something immoral?

by Will2Power in

jw
friends

..and then sought to justify your leaving the organisation/religion by researching websites like this (to salve your conscience, justify continuing in your pleasurable but unscriptural lifestyle), or did you sincerely leave purely because you discovered certain false teachings, scandals, etc, while still living a moral, christian lifestyle?

be honest now, i mean really honest.

(this is not meant to offend anyone but viewed like a survey).

JWdaughter

No, I left because the org. conflicted with the Bible. I stayed out for all kinds of additional reasons, but that was the orig. kicker.

14

JW's in Interfaith and Local Government?????

by Kenneson in

from roxas city, the philippines comes this interesting article entitled "faith keeps town's gpk program alive.".

"the interfaith communities have become a commendable partner of the local government unit in the greening, cleaning and beautifcation efforts.".

"...the council has chosen rev.

JWdaughter

I bet they don't have to wear suit jackets or nylons in the summer either!

66

Some incredible new publisher statistics and Graphs

by jwfacts in

i have been doing some analysis on the declining growth rates of the watchtower society and they are very encouraging for all ex jws.

i will try to link to some of them below, but for the firefox users or anyone wanting to see the source table they can all be seen at http://jwfacts.com/index_files/statistics.htm.

number baptised compared to increases in publishers and number that have stopped publishing.

JWdaughter

Slimboyfat, you told AuldSoul "Give me a break AuldSoul, I mean are you serious? You will not accept the data simply because it is a few years old?"

You need to remember we are all children of "present truth" and as someone on the board chided recently-"Why go into ancient history?"(Speaking of 1974, I believe). We were trained long and hard not to accept old renditions or facts, because the current information is SO much more reliable:). We are old dogs, learning new tricks is hard!

Shelly

89

The JW phrase I most despise is...

by exwitless in

jw
friends

"need greaters" ugh!!

i hate that phrase and i always have.

we knew a jw couple who applied every year to bethel and giliad until the age cut-off (age 35 or 40?).

JWdaughter

"This wicked system of things"

Funny, I never heard of "need greaters" till I came on this board. I must have come from a very lame congregation.

44

How do you combat laziness?

by AlmostAtheist in

jw
friends

i didn't say "unmotivated" or "lacking direction" or any of the other euphemisms i typically apply to it.

i said what i meant, and i do mean it.. but i can't imagine it has to be this way.

surely there's something i can do to combat it.

JWdaughter

I try not to fight the inevitable and resourcefully try to keep well stocked with bon-bons to meet just such a challenge.

42

After you left JWs how did you work out what you believe now

by awol in

jw
friends

i left jws 10 yrs ago and have just considered myself drifted.

never df'd.

could never go back as i personally found it too hard to live up to.

JWdaughter

Onthewayout said: awol, I think I know what you are saying, JW's are just another cult, so what is the answer. I am early on in withdrawing and fading from the Borg, and I have no idea where I will go eventually. I feel like I cannot trust ANY religion, and it's possible that the entire Bible was written by Hebrew Priests and con-men, not the truth at all. Or it's possible that Fundamental Christians have it all right (or all wrong). I carry my JW thinking when examining "Worldly" things, but I think that will eventually wear off. (Maybe I am wrong, do you still carry it?)

If God exists then- If God is love and ready to forgive, then lead a good life, live by the Golden Rule. He cannot blame us for not recognizing the "Truth" and spending our whole life wrapped up in it. If a person serves God thru the WTS, I think they will be forgiven, and if a person serves God thru any "basically good" religion (Fundamentalism, Buddism, Catholicism, any-izem), or just thru his heart, then God will understand.

I hope that's what you are asking about. Otherwise, don't over-think about it unless you enjoy that.

I'm with this poster-ask the honest questions, but don't worry if you have all the right answers. If God doesn't make it understandable to people who can program computers, maybe it wasn't all written by God! Or at least he isn't blaming you for not getting it. Maybe the Bible is a big test to see if humans will do what they KNOW is right or do the wrong thing because someone in authority tells them to do so.(Some ancient Israelites are in BIG trouble if that is the case) I really think "living a good and decent life" is vastly underrated by most religion. If people honestly did that, instead of starting wars over doctrine and theology, how much better off would this world be? They are all 'convicted' (or SHOULD be:>) of their rightness before God. Who would want to stand in some of their shoes on a judgement day? If we are truly going to be judged-will it be on whether we submit to imperfect men properly?(According to the WT, that is the case).

I guilted out and asked a lot of questions, tried to find a belief system (already in place) that would accomodate me. Ultimately, I kept thinking-what will I be exposing my kids to? I am worried about the VBS I sent my youngest to-do I really want him to get caught up in all that? He loves Bible stuff, but I don't want him to end up being twisted by religion like his Mama.

I feel much more serene now that I have decided I don't have to KNOW. I can rest in what i understand. And the rest is where the grace of God needs to come into play.

BTW, I still understand where JWs are coming from (25 years after leaving) and I understand the mind-set. I even have the same reaction to crazy 'worldy' stuff (sometimes even on this board). Yet I find that I see it from another side. A compassionate side, one that knows we do not all have the same background, experience, parents, race, income, nationality. And one that knows we are not finished yet. None of us(including me!)

You are not finished yet. You don't need to have all the answers. I think asking them counts for alot. It took me over 24 years to realize that i don't have the answers, but realizing that has been more freeing than if someone gave me a book with all the answers in it (wait, the WT has claimed to do that, haven't they??)

42

After you left JWs how did you work out what you believe now

by awol in

jw
friends

i left jws 10 yrs ago and have just considered myself drifted.

never df'd.

could never go back as i personally found it too hard to live up to.

JWdaughter

I could give a long list of churches and philosophies that occurred to me. Leave out scientology and everything else was at least looked at(in one branch/sect or another)I joined the LDS church(I still like them, don't care what anyone says-they have more evidence of fruits than many churches and were nice folks)learned more about or attended services for: Judaism, Amish/Mennonite, Moonies, regular Christians, fundy christians, holy rollers, mainstream, catholic, etc. Probably would have considered Orthodox, but I don't speak Greek. I know I left some out. I loved my SB congregation until they grew a great big building and then cancelled the food bank program. How messed up is that? Well, the whole place went to heck after that. (I am now about to start working at a diff. local foodbank at the church down the street from me).

After a long consideration about why I was disinclined to find a new 'church home', I realized that my doubts were much more fundamental than any individual church (I always favored the Christian groups), but more in my view of God. I started not liking him. Which of course guilted me out cause I totally believe in him.

In reconsidering the OT and NT, things were not gelling for me. Not just the stuff that is answered in the FAQs of a bible site, but more the overall outlook of this almighty God. The way he treated people, head games, wars, punishments, commandments(not the biggies, but go therefore and kill all those folks in Jericho), some of the actual contradictions(which are not as smoothly covered as some scholars would like to portray). Maybe those Jesus seminar people were on to something-I don't know. I believe there is a God and I believe that there are truly worthwhile things in the Bible. I don't believe it is all inspired.

I wrote a post a while back (My epiphany), in a nutshell, if God is better than me, he didn't write that singlehandedly. And I am NOT going to buy into the theory that "If God is all powerful, how would he let his word be distorted?". No good God is advocating rape and baby slaughter-even if they are the most evil little babies ever(!)

So I guess,like the rest of creation, I am making up a God to suit me. I think though that there are a few truths that come through in all religion and maybe those are the ones that need the attention. Care for those that are weaker than you. Love each other, be kind to each other. Don't pick on someone just because they don't think like you do or act like you do. In my religion-God could not ever be used to justify war. (which is not to say I am a pacifist-but if I am fighting for something, I am not justifying it by invoking God) There is more, but its after midnite.

8

Roll call - scholar? thirdwitness?

by Jeffro in

scholar and thirdwitness seem to have disappeared.. scholar hasn't said a word since being unable to provide a single reference from the society's literature, despite his claims that such references exist, to indicate anything other than speculation that places the return of the jews in 537bc.. thirdwitness hasn't been able to provide any valid rebuttal - hasn't even tried - to the analysis i have made of his (he claims to be the author) 607 website..

JWdaughter

That is a truly sad little site! My goodness-why bother if no one is allowed to say anything but "all those evil apostates are wrong wrong wrong!!! and the WT is TRUE as TRUTH can be. NEVER question out loud (or you can consider yourself an apostate!) Don't go ahead of the organization! Their reactions to Greg Stafford's limited return to the cong. was about 99% to the effect of "How lacking in humility" Like the man can't have serious doubts, express them and reserve the right to re-think them on his OWN terms! I could not believe it. I have many divergences in thought with Mr. Stafford, but I respect the fact that he addressed the issues and acted upon them at all (can you imagine the fallout he got when he stated his doubts???-gotta sympathise with the man!) Anyway, these are people who should be shouting to heaven that he is even considering returning to that ugly mean spirited place with butt killer chairs, and they instead complain that he doesn't have his tail between his legs in abject humility. Sad sad sad.

21

What is the WTS up to?

by headmath in

i was thinking last night that the wts is acting suspicious like.

remenber the letter a few months ago to have emergency supplies ready and contact numbers ect.

then the end of religion tract, then the km on blood.

JWdaughter

" I was thinking last night that the WTS is acting suspicious like. Remenber the letter a few months ago to have emergency supplies ready and contact numbers ect. Then the end of religion tract, then the KM on blood. I looks like the WTS is bracing itself for some dangerous event. I think maybe the WTS has been sucked in by Micheal Drosnin's book "the bible code". In that book he claims that 2006 is to be the year of destruction. As far as prophecy goes Drosnin will be no better at predicting future events than the WTS is. The WTS is keeping something SECRET, it is just a nagging feeling I have. They can't afford another 1975 scenario so they are keeping quiet about it this time"

I think that if anything, the WT is setting itself up for some more self-inflicted persecution. Look at how well Islam has been talked up since some extremists started destroying buildings and subways and stuff! Probably more people have heard of David Koresh than have heard of JWs, know more about his nutty practices. Look how much we have been learning about Islam and LDS fundamentalists lately! Most remember a bit about the Rael movement.Who cared about Scientology til Tom Cruise picked on Brooke Shields and jumped on Oprah's couch? (we had heard of it, but went under the radar)

They are up to something-but they always are. Corporations are always about 'growing the business'. And in the case of this one-you know they don't really care who they hurt when they do it.