there have been a lot of christian threads lately, so i thought that i would open a topic for other journeys.
because there is no way i will ever be a christian again because the curtain has been opened and i can see behind it, however i have an open mind and have started some meditation practices.
i have been thinking about visiting a buddhist temple out of curiosity.
An open mind and a diversified journey can be most rewarding.
I havn't 'chosen' anything. I probably will never be a follower of any 'ism' 'ist' or 'ian'. But no longer being a JW inspired me to read up on other ways/beliefs/journeys. The one that most seem to decribe my journey the best was the Tao.
They all were so interesting though. Enjoy your freedom! Enjoy your journey!
Smiles
at this point in your life, do you believe in god or any parts of the bible as being god's word???.
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God= the Eternal, Jesus' daddy, the Creator, Jehovah or simply "god"
No I do not believe in that definition of god.
Smiles
at this point in your life, do you believe in god or any parts of the bible as being god's word???.
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hmmm .... explain what you mean when you say 'god'.
as far as the bible goes. in some ways i think it is a good book. but one to be a guide to how i live my life? No. i don't need a book to tell me what to do and not to do. there is a greater more accurate something inside of me that tells me that.
and historically speaking ... half of the bible i don't believe truly happened ~ just nice stories with some underlying teachings that can be twisted and turned depending on who is telling them.
i am so glad to have these boards so i can keep up with what they are teaching her.
(she lives in ohio with her dad and step-mom....and is surrounded by dubs) i asked her if she had started the new tract campaign yet.
she said .."no, not yet, but people aren't going to like it!
Besides all the other good advice I would just add to make sure she always know that you love and accept her rather she is a JW or not. No matter what course she takes that you will be there for her.
I think as she gets older and may decide during those teenage years to asert her individuality and choose her own road she will know she has an allie in you. That will give her strength to go against the JW norm if she so decides to.
..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).
I left because I finally began to see the hypocrisy clearly. It was months before I felt free enough to date.
However, I don't view half the things that JWs would judge immoral as wrong. That's based on their conditionings which I do not have anymore.
the practice of shunning really is, unreservedly, my main problem with the religion.
i have come to this conclusion after many months out of the org.
there are, of course many, many other things that just pi$$ me off about the religion but this just gets to me, each and every day i live.. and yet, i have never experienced shunning in the manner in which is well documented here.
I know I am probably a bit weird but I don't care that they may shun me. I am neither DF'd nor DA'd but I know that my sister (as well as others) shun me (until they want something). I feel like I don't want them to talk to me if they don't like me or if I am not healthy for them. I really kind of treat them the same way. I don't wish any harm to them and I still have a feeling of compassion in a way. But I have no desire to talk to them or be around them 99.9% of the time. I would not walk by and not say something if we got eye contact though. That's just ass-n-nine.
But a paradox does exist. This year my daughter encountered one of our old 'friends' in school and he told her that he shouldn't be talking to her because we might as well have disassociated ourselves. Mind you this is a boy that in some ways is leading a double life. Now when that happened to her I was outraged. How dare he act like he is better then she is. I think I felt that way though because it hurt HER feelings.
I just reminded to her to remember being in the religion and what it taught. And that it really is HIS problem and not about her. That other people do not define who she is because she is a beautiful soul. And if they can't see that then it's their problem unless she wishes to make it her's in most cases. That helped but I still would have told his double life-ing ass off given the chance. Interestingly though he talks to her all the time now.
Smiles
my daughter has been 'going out' with a black gentleman for the last year.
they are very much in love by the looks of things and have long term plans.. however, opposition has recently come from somewhere i did not expect.
it turns out that he has been very upset with his mother since she made several unpleasant remarks to him.
As someone who has always been more attracted usually to white guys I can tell you that rascism come in all shapes, sizes and colors. There was even a time when I had to set my JW family straight regarding my right to be attracted to whomever I wish.
I am so sorry your family has encountered this. HUGS!!
i haven't been to meetings in a long time (trying to fade).
ever so often i do run into a witness or 2 who are friendly, but reserved (after all i am considered in active).
anyway, my hubby & i are currently working on a letter to send to the society that will more then likely get us df'd or disassociated (same thing i guess).
I love your (jokes) especially the JW Pope one.
I would say just don't answer the door if you want to do things in your own time and in your own way. Who cares if they know you are in the house or not. It's your house and you don't have to open it up if you don't want to. eff 'em.
But that's just my 2 cents.
i'm not criticizing anyone's decision to da themselves...just wondering what the advantages are.. if the whole da thing is something made up by the gb why make them happy by playing by their rules?
how are they hurt by your decision?
why not just walk away?
I have seen people DA themselves for the same reason I have seen others not DA themselves. It just happened to be what was best for them personally. It's what helped them to move on and try to heal.
I didn't DA because when I walked away that was IT! I severed the authority that I had given them over me just by the very act of divorcing myself emotionally and mentally and not doing the JW stuff anymore. That was personally what I needed to do for me ... to toally turn my back on the whole thing. I did feel that DAing or allowing them to DF me was playing their game or submitting to some type of authority over me that I had voluntarily given them. I don't believe in DA or DF nor do I really beieve in the concept of 'apostate' etc. I do honor that in the JW world they would define or judge me as an apostate but I truly could care less how they judge me.
So yes I just walked away. And truth be told I shun them as far as true association goes (family included). They are just not healthy for me and my daughter and our emotional/mental/spiritual growth/ healthiness/happiness.
But I am a believer in "Live and Let Live".
Smiles
about a month ago a movie was on cable called "the village".
it was a freaky movie, and i was a little uncomfortable watching it, but nothing ever happened that made me turn the channel.
turns out there is quite a twist in the end which explained the freakyness.
I saw it at the movies when I was getting out. I loved it so much went out and bought it. Great movie and yes it did remind me of the bOrg.
