jws and the lack of high emotional states
the wts capitalizes on a couple of mood states.
the biggest is fear.
An Elder once took me aside and said: 'we'd like to see you being more serious, as we've noted you seem to laugh after the meetings when associating with people' !
I was a complete emotional wreck after coming out and I obviously share a lot with others here who have had to re build/learn, how to feel things again, going from being completely shut down and not feeling anything to having such high's and low's.
CS 101
i have read a lot of text and story's about people that leave the jw's and this appears to be pretty much all that's being talked about.. i assume you believe that you have done right by your opposing stand to the jw's because you believe you have been done evil (or have seen jw's do evil) and probably right so.
do you people still pray to jehova and study the bible (on your own for once) as to get to know jehova's purpose for us?.
i wonder about this because i fear that you might "revert" back to the common western culture (assuming you live in one because you'r after all reading this over the internet) which i appal and detest in very many of its motivational aspects (that is, the motivations of its people) that are crudely speaking, selfish and ultimately, in the generations long run destructive.
'And for reference, if i havent been understandable, in my opinion America (and the western culture to a lesser extend) is the great babylon epicenter along with 99.95% of its population and this thought kindoff saddens me.'
Funny that the Bible Students (JW's) started in that very epicenter!
CS 101
there were always snobs in every congregation i ever attended my entire life.
when i was a teen and attempted to associate with other teens that were daughters of elders, because it was what my parents wanted, i had the hardest time trying to find anything at all to talk about.
for the most part all they wanted to do was gossip about others in the congregation and boast about their personal triumphs in field service or even worse; lets rehearse for our ministry school assignment.
I wasn't the snob type as i was a weaker one, but I still had my judgemental side, more cause I was doing stuff i didnt want to when others didnt - seemed so unfair to me!
CS 101
i'm so used to getting dumped myself, now the situation is reversed i'm not sure what to say.
i don't want to do the chicken shit thing and ignore her.
i think she is a vulnerable girl.
Never an easy one is it, I think you can either be very direct and say you see no future in this or when talking to her say things that imply your not intending to settle down and want to go out with different friends and so on. Perhaps you can use some of the let downs that have been used on you in the past?
CS 101
first off, i did not write this.
i found it on the net.
i think this guy made an interesting point.
Could it be because it was considered in acient times blasphemous to speak or write/read outloud gods name. Wasn't it removed from ancient scrolls? So God allowed man to change his 'thoughts' as written in the Bible? Seems to blow a hole in the inspiration of it! CS 101
i've been lurking for a while so thought i'd introduce myself.
i'm in my late teens and left the jws just before i left home.
i used to know what absolute belief was, but never got baptised because i didn't feel any love for god.
Welcome here and nice first post! Seems to me your mind is well able to think and reason, something a lot of us have struggled with. Wish you well on your journey
CS 101
ok advice needed.
i am currently separated from my husband, have 2 children and we will end up divorcing.
i have met a man at work that i am getting a crush on.
When emotions get involved its difficult to take a logical choice. The strictist logical answer is give yourself time to get over everything, but then nothing is ever so clear cut is it. Its nice to be wanted and have attention returned to you, so thats only natural for you to have that need. I really think despite advice people give us we tend to do what feels right to us anyhow. Sure it could bring its own stresses or it could make you happy - who knows, only you know if your ready to handle the responsibility of another relationship and whether you need time alone to sort out your head. My only advice is to think about it, and dont jump in with both feet until your ready.
Wish you well
CS 101
while talking to my teacher today we talked about excommunication.
i told her i thought it was mean to not talk to those members which have been excommunicated.
she told me; however, that those who leave the church should be punished.
The thing is we should all make up our own minds with our OWN christian conscience whether or not we want fellowship with someone or not. We are usually being asked by the elders through an announcement that someone is to be shunned, and yet we have not established for ourselves the validity of that action with the person themselves, is that right? Is that Christian?
If someone was promoting something we condemned chances are we would avoid them, but if they simply choose to believe something else or live another lifestyle without being part of the congregation, it makes no sense to shun them (ie punish them). It really stems from the delluded claim that the Witnesses are God's only true religion, which after research you will realise they are far from being.
CS 101
first off, i did not write this.
i found it on the net.
i think this guy made an interesting point.
After reading the Davinci Code, you wonder how much faith we can really put into anything. How much of the history we have can be proven? The example you site about God's name is quite significant, seeing as though the witnesses say God preserved the Bible and the group of followers he aparantly chose have adopted his name, surely he would have wanted his real name not some ancient English version of what it could be? How would we feel if someone constantly addressed us incorrectly, I know when my name gets abbreviated sometimes it irks me!
CS 101
at this stage of "coming out" of the "truth", would it faze you if you were disfellowshipped?
You can bet once the rumour mill has started, people would know why your out anyhow, the announcement will still start the gossips off, with the same result - shunning
CS 101
