Posts by Apostate Kate

141

Maybe There's a Heaven...

by LittleToe in

i don't often open up discussions on my beliefs or experiences in life, but i feel a need, so please excuse me if you feel it untoward.

neither is this a poxy swan-song, i'm just opening up my heart a little.. today i had cause to reflect on a conversation i had with my [now ex-]wife shortly after my epithany.

everything was so new and unknown.

My first spiritual experience was around the age of 12. I spent much time alone being the child of a single working mother at the time. Being the zealous little JW that I was I decided to read the book of John. At some point in my reading I got on my knees and asked Jesus that whatever it meant that He told Nicodemus in chapter 3, I wanted it. I wanted to be born again.

An incredible peace and light came over me and I was filled with clarity and the deepest joy. When I shared the experience I was immediatly chastised. I buried it deep within my heart and carried on preparing for Armageddon.

At the age of 32 I had another experience with Jesus Christ. My life has never been the same since. My wonderful journey with Jesus has been a blessed adventure. My relationship with Him is physically manifest in my life in many ways.

One way is the miraculous healings. The miraculous ways in which He cares for me. The wounds He has healed. The guidance. The insight that goes beyond the physical. For example;

Monday night I had a vivid dream about a friend that I had lost contact with (neglected to keep in touch) for about 4 years. Tuesday she was on my heart all day. Wednesday I looked through a rarely used drawer and found a phone book from 1996 that had her number in it. I tried the number and lo and behold she still had the same number, HOWEVER, she is moving out of state in less than8 weeks. She is also facing a dangerous surgery this month and now I can support her. I feel responsible that I have not been the friend to her that I should, I feel that God revealed my sin to me and now I can make it right. I can apologize, give her the love and support she needs. She was there for me when I was shunned for my experience with Jesus in 1992. She had been my neighbor. Now I can be there for her.

How could I have known she was having surgery, had lost several members of her family in death, and was moving in 6 weeks after the surgery? I could not have known. But God knew. This type of "mystical" experience is the daily norm.

Those that have had these experinces are nothing new under the sun.

....The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don't know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."~Jesus

141

Maybe There's a Heaven...

by LittleToe in

i don't often open up discussions on my beliefs or experiences in life, but i feel a need, so please excuse me if you feel it untoward.

neither is this a poxy swan-song, i'm just opening up my heart a little.. today i had cause to reflect on a conversation i had with my [now ex-]wife shortly after my epithany.

everything was so new and unknown.

Apostate Kate

{{{{{{{{{{{{LittleToe}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become children of light." Jesus...Joh 12:36

16

Dr. Phil today...

by brianhenke in

jw
friends

one of his guests is a woman who doesn't want to celebrate holidays.. .

Apostate Kate

It's just starting here...how fun. a dub on the boob tube

23

JW Murder Fetish - More LIES!!!

by LeahJasmine in

jw
friends

ok, so i misinterpreted this author's other article, but this one really does go way beyond.

it's "jehovah witness murder fetish (a psychological model)".

i don't think there's anyway that i am misunderstanding this one - he's saying that the watchtower is to blame!.

Apostate Kate

JWs are a death based cult. From childhood I would ponder the glee in which the adults around me would become consumed by at the thought of Armageddon. All those lovely DEAD bodies will prove to the world we were right right right...

...death will be everywhere and the birds will eat their flesh, will serve them right..

....if we kill someone and then kill ourselves, that will end the suffering. No harm no foul. Jehovah just will not remember me in the new system but I'll be dead and out of this door to door misery....

yup ...death cult

31

Persecution Begins on Monday

by compound complex in

dear friends,.

this has been a distressing 48 hours.

i cannot sleep because i do not have freeness of speech.

Apostate Kate

I'm afraid I have lost most everything I have ever written. It had some deep connection to my past. The writings took me back to dark places I had rather to forget. Now is a new time that the walls of the Watchtower are far behind me, and the light that now surrounds my life is conducive to creating again. What kind of art do you create?

Kate

14

We went to church for the first time...

by megsmomma in

jw
friends

ken...first i saw your post, and i am sorry the church you tried wasn't for you.

i have been out of the jw's for about 7 1/2 years, and just now felt the urge to go to a church again....so take your time and do what feels right for you :) don't give up.....keep seeking, you will find.. so, about our experience...we went with a non-denominational.

we went with a big place...it reminded me of how the jw's assembly halls are...the decor and the seating.....and the ammount of people.

Apostate Kate

It is so refreshing to hear your stories. Megs I'm so happy you had a good experience. I can still remember (which is a miracle since my illness has caused alot of memory loss) that first time I went to a non denominational church after the WT. It was 1992.

The music moved me to tears. The love and beauty of simply worshipping was amazing. The message was simple but well taught from an entire passage, also with the Greek words explained. I did a topical study on the Greek word "light" this months and found several meanings in Greek, to the one word in English. It is so important to do that. A good educated pastor will cover every aspect of a passage, the time, characters, place, culture, and the language nuances. For example, in Hebrew proper names always have meanings. Somewhat like Native American names. Something JWs don't get when use the name Jehovah. They do not understand His nature is His name and He has many names as there are many aspects to His nature. I remember being surprised too when I heard songs that praised Jehovah and the pastor using the name.

A good pastor will tell you that you must not take his word for it but must study for yourself, they will not take offense if after service you have questions or disagreements. A good church will have several charitable out reaches that are truly making a differences in the community, unless it is purely a Bible college or Seminary.

Love~Kate

31

Persecution Begins on Monday

by compound complex in

dear friends,.

this has been a distressing 48 hours.

i cannot sleep because i do not have freeness of speech.

Apostate Kate

...I knew you had to be a hippy....lovely discription, you painted a picture, I can smell the ocean..

Bovine care provider? Nice. I love lambs! We have a small animal sanctuary and promote veganism as a protest to factory farming.

We live in the Mojave Desert. I haven't written in a long time. Thank you for reminding me to get back to my roots.

Solitude-my bird poem

Passions tender hand unbound

Arms that see the tortured fear

raise a flask of nectar Dear

Unto my desert kiss

Vista’s broad and valley wide

many secrets still to hide

Ravens laughter I’ll abide

for now but not forever

Kate

12

Has anyone ever successfully opened someone else's eyes?

by gordon d in

jw
friends

has anyone ever successfully opened someone else's eyes?

.

Apostate Kate

I would rather say I was a tool that was used, my experience being the ladder that some used to climb out of the WT pit.

For some it is purely theological reasoning that helps them. Pouring over twisted Scriptures and looking up Greek definitions. For some it has been WT history. For some it was the UN scandal. The most important aspect to it is love. Are we trying to prove we are right, or are we being truly loving and sincere?

There are some who do not want see. They are happy in their misery and there is nothing anyone can do to help them. That being said, I never give up hope.

17

Concept of Forgiveness..is it an essential element of dealing and healing?

by My MILs worst nightmare, a nonJW in

jw
friends

a famous family counselor/author/lecturer/pastor presented the following opinion about forgiveness during a conference that i was videotoaping.

he said that when an abuse victim finally reaches out, the majority of christian counselors tell the victim to forgive the abuser as a means of dealing and healing.

he asserted that in his opinion this is a very unchristian thing to do since you are asking the victim to do what even god does not immediately do.

Apostate Kate

Yes, Skully that is a great explanation of it.

We can come to forgive those who hurt and abused us. That does not mean we will allow them back into our lives. Forgivness is really hard! I think it is only natural to want justice, but we don't always get the justice we want. That can make it harder to forgive.

We do it for ourselves. Sometimes there are emotions involved, repressed feelings, and we may need to purge the pain if we have not dealt with it. I wrote a graphic fictional story about one abuser that was cathartic. True forgivness also frees us from reliving the abuse and living in the past.

As far as following Jesus, biblicaly it is an essential part of the gospel message.

Ephesians 4:32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

31

Persecution Begins on Monday

by compound complex in

dear friends,.

this has been a distressing 48 hours.

i cannot sleep because i do not have freeness of speech.

Apostate Kate

As I go out into my meadow today and join up with all the beasties, I shall listen for the song of the winged creature while gathering autumn leaves. I love you guys!

Daaang you'd make a really hot hippie CC.

Do you do tofu?

don't eat meeeeee