If you search thru the WT you'll see the definition of "apostate" has continued to change considerably. From being opposed to God to opposed to God's Org.to not even being opposed but to now simply not believing. The definition gets broader as fear increases.
onesong
JoinedPosts by onesong
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17
Why do the WT call ex-jw's "apostate"? Even if we still love Jehovah,Jesus?
by booker-t ini was wondering the other day when my neighbor(who is an jw elder) called me an "apostate" for refusing to return to jw's.
when i left the wt i never stopped loving jehovah and jesus i just could not stomach the wt society anymore.
there are alot of us ex-jw's who still love jehovah and jesus and still read our bibles.
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What religions did you seek since leaving? Or not?
by dezpbem ini'm curious how many people on the board have looked into other religions or spirituality groups since they've left the jw.. what have you looked into?
did you join anything else?
read up on any others?
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onesong
Anything and everything that does not exert it's "rightness" or control over my life! Paganism, Toltec,Native American, New Age, Wicca, Buddhism, Taoism- you can learn from them all.
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1st post from a former S.O!
by onesong ini'm 36 yrs.
old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.
, ect.
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onesong
I was both a TMSO and SO :-( But now I'm simple (and proudly) "worldly"!
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Thank you everyone for the warm welcome
by onesong into answer a few ?'s.
yes i have trivialized a lot, but i'm healing so well.
i was just waiting to explode with exploration of all types of spiritualty that secretly fascinated me.i know i was df'd, i was just surprised i didn't get a chance to appeal, i had a great letter waiting.
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onesong
To answer a few ?'s. Yes I have trivialized a lot, but I'm healing so well. I was just waiting to explode with exploration of all types of spiritualty that secretly fascinated me.I know I was df'd, I was just surprised I didn't get a chance to appeal, I had a great letter waiting. Yes I have read dear Raymond books- very helpful. And yes I now detest the status titles, I only used them to show how deep I was.
A quick story. At a meeting last year with the elders (when my questioning began) one of them made the comment that there is a fine line between being objective and apostate. The next day my mother -in-law told me that my sensitivity, openhearteness, and logic would cause me to leave the Org. So ultimately I was being told that if I could be insensitive, closehearted, illogical, and unobjective (very subjective) then I would be fine! The saddest part is that they don't know how right they are.
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60
1st post from a former S.O!
by onesong ini'm 36 yrs.
old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.
, ect.
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onesong
My ?'s started with the "faithful slave" ,being on a body that pushed to form a judicial committee over a young sister's suicide attempt and numerous reports from brothers in a cong. where the D.O. had just visited and hammered them.
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Is Jehovah really gods name?
by dezpbem inin another thread i started someone askedi still believe in jehovah, but now, i'm having doubts about his name???
is jehovah really god's name?
if he wanted his name to be known, he's all-powerful, omnipotent... i know that he has the power to make sure that his name is used correctly.
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onesong
I agree with the thought that God is to magnificient to be caught up in a single exclusive name. It's interesting that what is often called the sound of perfection "ah" (the sound we make without any muscular modification) is present in nearly every name given to the Creator.Ex: Jehovah, Yahweh, Allah, Krishna, Abba, Kahuna ect. For myself , I've been given many nicknames thru my life and consider all of them to be a compliment to me.I think the Creator may feel similar.
Also, it's important to note that there is absolutely no proof that the early Christians, even Jesus himself used Jehovah. It's tucked away in the back of the reference Bible of the NWT that of the 5000 manuscripts that comprise the New Testament the name Jehovah (Yahweh) appears 0 times.The translators made an assumption and added it in. Which is worse, to accuse people of omitting it or adding it?
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60
1st post from a former S.O!
by onesong ini'm 36 yrs.
old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.
, ect.
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onesong
Thank you so much for those of you who have replied. You're warm welcomes have strengthened me already! I've heard thru the grapevine that many cong.'s are experiencing many people leaving recently. Anybody else noticing this as well?
Namaste'
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60
1st post from a former S.O!
by onesong ini'm 36 yrs.
old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.
, ect.
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onesong
I was able to get my wife out, which led to a very amiable divorce. You get to know more about a car you want to buy than your spouse under the rules. The rest of my family is still in and very opposed to me. It's funny, they don't want to hear a word I have to say because it could "affect their faith" yet they're very willing to go door-to-door and affect others faith!
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I just want to be a normal person again.
by toby888 ini don't want to be "special".
i don't want to believe stuff i don't belive in anymore.
i'm tired of feeling isolated from humanity.
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onesong
Leaving certainly can be difficult and scary but the rewards are well worth it. And you're right about the people that join. Having been raised as one I wonder how any relatively happy, healthy person buys it.I guess the idea of living forever is the ultimate sales pitch to those who fear death.
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60
1st post from a former S.O!
by onesong ini'm 36 yrs.
old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.
, ect.
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onesong
Hello everyone,
I'm 36 yrs. old and was a JW for 35.I did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect. , ect. Just about a year ago (when the red sox won the WS-coincidence?) my world began to change. I started asking ?'s (much to everyones fright) and my eyes began to open. After a long and crazy year I was officially announced as no longer a JW. I didn't dissassociate or get df'ed, they just announced it. Some new proceedure. Apparently Jehovah's changed his mind again on some things.
It's obviously been very difficult on my family, the cong. and myself but I feel great. Great to be free of the authority, rules and judgement. For me, I believe that most of the problems with JW's is rooted in the belief in Yahweh, the psycho god the Jews invented. I mean, who can "draw close" to, and love a god who is described in the Bible as "wrathful, jealous,angy, judgemental and a God of War". In the past year I have delved into what the Bible actually says (it contradicts itself everywhere. ex. Gen. 10 says that Noah's sons spread out taking with them their families and "tongues"-the next chapter Gen.11:1"now all the earth continued to be of one language") and explored many other religions. It's astonishing how similar they all are. Peel back to what Jesus, Buddha, Muhommed ect. all taught and it's about love, growth and enlightenment-beautiful ways to live! Forget religion I say-become truly spiritual. Religion is about doctrine and rules (the Pharisees), spirituality is about connecting with the Divine within us, however we want to!
As I said it's been difficult on everyone involved but I now have everyone thinking!