Posts by freemindfade

55

Some thoughts on the new midweek meeting

by Saltheart Foamfollower in

the new midweek meeting has been running for a month now.

here are my thoughts on how it is going so far:.

1) elders are looking frazzled from being on virtually every meeting and having to prepare unfamiliar formats for items.

freemindfade

Listen obey and be bored.

I intended to attend the first one for curiously reason but missed it. I have not/will it be attending any others.

Lurkers wake up. I am starting to think the gb wants everyone to go away out of dicomfort or apathy.

54

"Even if it isn't the truth, it's still the best way to live"

by Simon in

have you heard that old chestnut?

i have.. typically it's the last resort when you have dismantled a jws beliefs and they have no way of defending them.

they know they are beat so they come out with that one.. its effectively an admission that you are right and they have no argument but they are still going to attend meetings because they like the social club.. what a lame way to defend your faith..

freemindfade

I was thinking about this this morning.

The Jehovah's witnesses have once again given their own internal definition to the word "Best"

"being a witness is the best life possible".

It is not. "Best" itself is really subjective. What the JW life is, is a relatively safe life, without guarantees of safety mind you. Without getting into the semantics of the things that make it unsafe (blood refusal, mental health issues, child molestation), just roll with this for a second.

Its not even the safest way of life. Just very safe or conservative. Yes if you adhere to its rules (that not only they adhere to btw), you may avoid some risky behaviors. Also you have a support system of sorts around the world and so on. Yes there is a level of safety being in this religion, I can now admit that. but does safe/conservative = best?

Well to coin my own JW style illustration... the safest way to travel around might be in a tank, but is it the best way to travel in everyday life?

54

"Even if it isn't the truth, it's still the best way to live"

by Simon in

have you heard that old chestnut?

i have.. typically it's the last resort when you have dismantled a jws beliefs and they have no way of defending them.

they know they are beat so they come out with that one.. its effectively an admission that you are right and they have no argument but they are still going to attend meetings because they like the social club.. what a lame way to defend your faith..

freemindfade

they are the same as everyone else - good, bad and indifferent

true statement, I have witness friends I love dearly and they are amazing people.

one of my favorites...

Image result for good and bad takes religion

20

My Story

by Freeandclear in

just thought i'd introduce myself and share my story.

up front, i'm not bitter.

okay now that that's out the way..... i first heard "the truth" when i was about 14 years old from a friends mom who was studying.

freemindfade

Rant as much as you need and when you need just be patient with yourself and try to find some good friends that fit you personality in the EXJW world, they can be life savers! And know that we are all types out here with one big thing in common.

17

If you went back in time, would you be a god?

by Simon in

we just finished watching outlander which is about a woman who goes back in time ~200 years from the end of wwii.

she ends up in the scottish highlands in the middle of the jacobite uprising.

it's a great show although the last episodes were a little graphic (they make game of thrones seem like sesame street).. but it got me thinking ... if you went back in time would you in fact be the 'god' you may imagine because of your knowledge of modern technology and the future?.

freemindfade

If we met a civilization from another place in the universe that has been around far longer than us, they would likely seem very god-like to us.

54

"Even if it isn't the truth, it's still the best way to live"

by Simon in

have you heard that old chestnut?

i have.. typically it's the last resort when you have dismantled a jws beliefs and they have no way of defending them.

they know they are beat so they come out with that one.. its effectively an admission that you are right and they have no argument but they are still going to attend meetings because they like the social club.. what a lame way to defend your faith..

freemindfade

Yes and I almost consciously (not subconsciously) believed it.

We even used to have an elder (PO and later COBE) say even if it wasn't the truth he wouldn't choose any other way to live.

poppycock!!

Witnesses think they are morally superior, but that is only in the context of the Bronze Age Goat Herder's Guide to the Universe also known as the Bible. According to actual human rights, mental health, and so on, they are a horrible organization and a horrible way to live.

Every totalitarian movement must have some redeeming qualities they can claim, it doesn't excuse the damning qualities though. its not ideal. I can count the good things being a JW did for me on one hand and they are not the only place you can get those things.

20

My Story

by Freeandclear in

just thought i'd introduce myself and share my story.

up front, i'm not bitter.

okay now that that's out the way..... i first heard "the truth" when i was about 14 years old from a friends mom who was studying.

freemindfade

So that's my story. I'm happy to be free from the shackles of "The Organization" but I'm also sad about the fact that I no longer have the answers to all life's questions or a wonderful delusion of a Paradise Earth (The ultimate sky cake).

Most of us experienced that sinking feeling, but keep exploring and learning its really not such a bad thing. Not having all the answers is normal and its not so bad. And without that "promise" of the perfect fix for everything, right now you have everything to live for, each day is special, you are going to find life is far more beautiful this way.

32

What are the biggest holes in the ransom sacrifice?

by Half banana in

how honest are the proponents of jesus as the ransom sacrifice?.

curious to see what type of response there is on a topic like this or does their study only seek to confirm their preconceptions and ignore uncomfortable facts?.

freemindfade

Ransom sacrifice = child sacrifice, think about it.

par for the course in the Abrahamic death cults.

53

Finally posting and I'm FRUSTRATED!!!

by stephanie61092 in

okay, i'm about to engage in a major word vomit.

just giving you fair warning as your time may be better spent somewhere else.. so, i'm sitting on my lunch break, bawling my eyes out, and writing on this forum to people i don't know yet probably have a great deal in common with but at the same time, used to scare the daylights out of me.

for years, i would come across this forum and 'lurk' awhile if you will, or see things on youtube.

freemindfade

Take a deep breath,

the pressure of this thing (jw organization) is painful. You are here now and broke through by sharing this. So take a breath and come here to vent and protect your sanity. We can't control the had we were dealt only the way we play it out, so this hand, its time to play smart. You are about to own the rest of your life, but you may need to go through some serious detox!

Welcome

FMF

32

What are the biggest holes in the ransom sacrifice?

by Half banana in

how honest are the proponents of jesus as the ransom sacrifice?.

curious to see what type of response there is on a topic like this or does their study only seek to confirm their preconceptions and ignore uncomfortable facts?.

freemindfade

1. Jesus isn't real...