Posts by freemindfade

49

A philosophical question .... what does the word God mean to you personally ?

by Finkelstein in

to myself it means to seek knowledge and understanding of are selves and the world in which we live.. unfortunately history has shown whenever one tries to connect to god and of his knowledge through men who say they themselves are connected to god through spiritual wifi ie.

gb members of the jehovah's witnesses for example, one usually ends up finding a accumulation of only man's acquired knowledge.

over thousands of years of trying to connect to a god(s) for help and answers, mankind has eventually relinquished himself to seeking answers through scientific investigative acquired knowledge of the world in which we live in.

freemindfade

"God" is a convenient place holder to fill in gaps. If you believe the Abrahamic religions it had been told to you what it is. But before monotheism there was polytheism. The god idea was not so standard as the one guy who did it all.

If we encountered a far more advanced civilization than us from another solar system they would likely seem "godlike" to us. God wasn't lonely and created man. Man was lonely and created God. Its a blanket answer to "I don't know" or "I don't understand". An interesting exercise in imagination it has been hijacked to be more than a myth and gap filler.

57

Any ExJw Millenials here? If not which Gen do you fall under?

by Hidethevelociraptors in

jw
friends

if anyone had to guess, what do you think the average age of the community actually is?.

are more millennials actually waking up or is it pretty even amongst previous generations as well?

.

freemindfade

They promote piracy

oooooooo, pirates! Don't worry juandefiero

Most people love pirates

arrrgg!

121

Hey ya'll! My first post. Please help. In need of advice/comfort.

by Stepford Wife in

jw
friends

hey ya'll!

i have been lurking for years on this site and others but never had the courage to post anything.

actually i was afraid of posting on an apostate site in the event i was wrong.

freemindfade

A warm welcome

keep exploring your freedom

What can they do to me if I have not committed any sins?

Nothing. Deal with them in the context of their small world. You don't have to tell them anything. Just tell them you are happy and fine, and nothing is wrong. Do not play into their games.

What will they say?

they will show false concern, "we just want to check and see if everything is ok" (pink elephant in the room). If they don't hear something that will give them any info they may be a little more forthright. Just maintain that you are better than ever and thank them. Hopefully (every body is different in ways) they will step off

Our daughter told me recently she also does not want to go and I told her we can stay home together. Is being inactive something they can shun me for?

No, but it may happen from closest friends and family. But there will be no direct decree to shun you, but it will happen as a byproduct of peoples self righteousness. I counter-shun, I invite witnesses over to my house constantly and show them a kind of friendship that is real and genuine. So they may feel weird but they are starting to not care i believe. Just don't act like an outsider, that is their weapon never play into it. Be confident and strong.

My husband said they will remove him as an elder if I do not begin to go to meetings. Is that true?

Depends on the hall, tell him to grow a pair. (no offense, but you understand)

47

Thought control - sexual fantasizing is wrong - May 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

>>the bible reveals that jehovah issaddened when people pursue a wick-ed course and ‘the inclination of theirthoughts is only bad all the time.’ (readgenesis 6:5, 6.

) from this we can per-ceive that sexual fantasizing is wrongbecause it can lead to serious sin that isforbidden in the scriptures and is out ofharmony with jehovah’s way of think-ing.the disciple james wrote: “the wis-dom from above is first of all pure, thenpeaceable, reasonable, ready to obey,full of mercy and good fruits, impar-tial, not hypocritical.” (jas.

3:17) beingaware of this, we should be moved toreject entertainment that fuels impurethoughts and inclinations.

freemindfade

And here is the Simplified Version of the May Watchtower, and well, probably every other Watchtower from this point forward:

Isn't that the truth, they can take an article on anything and find a way to bring up watching porn.

47

Thought control - sexual fantasizing is wrong - May 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

>>the bible reveals that jehovah issaddened when people pursue a wick-ed course and ‘the inclination of theirthoughts is only bad all the time.’ (readgenesis 6:5, 6.

) from this we can per-ceive that sexual fantasizing is wrongbecause it can lead to serious sin that isforbidden in the scriptures and is out ofharmony with jehovah’s way of think-ing.the disciple james wrote: “the wis-dom from above is first of all pure, thenpeaceable, reasonable, ready to obey,full of mercy and good fruits, impar-tial, not hypocritical.” (jas.

3:17) beingaware of this, we should be moved toreject entertainment that fuels impurethoughts and inclinations.

freemindfade

Your most powerful sex organ is your brain. If you are constantly trying to censor it you are going to have problems understanding and enjoying sex and probably make yourself crazy!

57

Any ExJw Millenials here? If not which Gen do you fall under?

by Hidethevelociraptors in

jw
friends

if anyone had to guess, what do you think the average age of the community actually is?.

are more millennials actually waking up or is it pretty even amongst previous generations as well?

.

freemindfade

I think someone even used the term dignified.

yep... it used to seem unique, deep, and special. Even if that wasn't the real case it had the aura of such.

Now it feels like a cheesy mega church. in 2014 I really came to terms with getting out of it. i went to the international convention and was fully aware they had turned the corner fully to mega-fundie-chruch.

But the social importance doesn't change especially when you are raised in it.

11

New way to fade?

by dothemath in

a brother in a local congregation has successfully faded, no announcements or judicial hearings that anyone has heard of.. his immediate family are all out, but they have lots of family still in.. if he had joined another religion, or the army, or put up christmas lights, likely the elders would be hounding them like crazy.. but no, he has accepted evolution(it seems to be common knowledge).. i would have thought this would be a disfellowshipping offense, but lots of time has passed, and they just leave them all alone..

freemindfade

I have taken a similar fade. i have no need to preach what I believe to the JWS. If anyone questions my beliefs they are told "I believe everything I know to be true". The end.

Some people knew at one point about me being atheist and it got around. A lot of family shunned me, but no actions. I really think the organization has hit an apex and is going to start declining, that being said I don't think the bro's are chomping at the bit to kick people out, on the contrary they may be getting a little nervous.

57

Any ExJw Millenials here? If not which Gen do you fall under?

by Hidethevelociraptors in

jw
friends

if anyone had to guess, what do you think the average age of the community actually is?.

are more millennials actually waking up or is it pretty even amongst previous generations as well?

.

freemindfade

I guess I'm technically a Gen X'er, since I was born in 1979. I only recently started reading the ex-JW reddit forum. (like a month ago)

Wing commander are we the same person?

57

Any ExJw Millenials here? If not which Gen do you fall under?

by Hidethevelociraptors in

jw
friends

if anyone had to guess, what do you think the average age of the community actually is?.

are more millennials actually waking up or is it pretty even amongst previous generations as well?

.

freemindfade

sadly I don't see many or they rather lurk at the moment.

One strength of Millenials is the value they put on their social circles and teams. This could hold many in, regardless of what goes on with the organization, it is a social network and carries a lot of value to your generation.

Gen x can be fiercely independent (sometimes to our own headaches). I think this has empowered a lot of us to wake, even though we grew up in an era that i believe beat the Armageddon drum WAAAAY louder. The literature was loaded with end of the world images, we had the revelation book, we lived during the end of the cold war. So I think we were hit with a lot of Fear Obligation and Guilt (FOG) that made learning TTATT thee most frighting thing we could do. that made it slow for us, but once we learn its hard to not be vocal as you said.

And I think you should start your own you tube channel. There was another young couple on their Christian and Katja, I assume they are millenials and their delivery was great. Very refreshing and good for others to find you are starting to lurk and doubt. So i would seriously consider it if i were you.

19

Identity Theft

by Jerryh in

jw
friends

this forum offers the stories of folks with as many variations as there are folks and a “great crowd” of lurkers whose stories may never be offered.

i am an outsider with a broken heart for some insiders that i love more than they know.

after reading nearly every “apostate” book ever written, lurking, being worn out searching the wt cd, i have come to an idea that i present for your appraisal..

freemindfade

Just never stop expanding your mind and learning as much as you can, even if it is critical of any beliefs you currently hold, intellectual honesty is a never ending search.

Just remember belief won't change facts, but as long as you stay rational facts should change your beliefs.

FMF