Posts by Doubting Bro

36

LURKING JW: Thinking of leaving? Learn from my experience.

by SnakesInTheTower in

jw
friends

"mental wondering in the wilderness"... uh oh.... it's a long post from snakes.... lol.

yep... i think that is the best way to describe where i am at in life right now.

if you have read my past posts (mostly in the private section) you know some of my history as a life-long (now former) witness.. i have been away from the jw religion, for all intents and purposes, since dec. 06, though it was not until sept 07 that i stopped attending meetings.

Doubting Bro

Snakes,

Great thread. I can understand a bit of what you're going through. Its part of the normal process and while that doesn't make it any easier, at least you know you're not the only one that has those feelings. I too am finishing my degree (just a few more classes to go!!) and we're around the same age. A few years ago when I started realizing that the WTS isn't "Gods channel", I started slowly withdrawing from my JW friends. Like you, I haven't really replaced those folks and turth be told, they really weren't that close. My wife & I have a great relationship and that's really the only thing that has kept me sane. However, I really don't share with her the pain of losing my religion although I have shared my doubts with her. Its really no-mans land but that's road I've chosen to walk.

I'd encourage you to keep "your eyes on the prize" (sorry I couldn't resist). Throw yourself into your school work and continue getting good grades (which I'm sure you're doing). Once you finish, get the hell out of Dodge. I think you said you're looking at what, 6 months? You can do it. Then, you can really start building a life. When you land at your new home, go in with the attitude that you are going to meet and make good friends. Get involved with the community, join a club, go out with coworkers or neighbors. You'll figure it.

The great thing about these discussion boards is that you can vent even if its just reading others posts. Continue using it as a lifeline. I'm available if you ever want to talk.

28

"But there are always new ones coming in"

by Farkel in

if you've read, seen and heard as many sickening statements uttered by watchtower leaders as i have, you'll probably agree you tend to get jaded by them after a while:.

russell claiming his books were more important than the bible.

rutherford boasting that armageddon coming in 1925 was as certain as the flood of noah and virtually "indisputable.".

Doubting Bro

I completely agree and really think the statistics driven culture has the most to do with that mind set. People rely on religion for a variety of things but the number 1 reason (at least in my opinion) would be for comfort in times of distress. Yet, at this basic level, the WTS has proven time and time again that they are woefully inadequate. If there really is a God that is concerned with human activity, I would think he wouldn't be very pleased with the WTS.

36

I wanted to scream at the Elder Sunday morning "you are a lying !!!!!!"

by TooBad TooSad in

my wife wanted to go visit some friends at another kingdom hall so i tagged along.

to keep her happy.

the elder giving the "public" talk brought up the 1975 myth.. he said, as he looked around the audience, "it looks like there are not a lot of brothers.

Doubting Bro

I was a very young boy then but I distinctly remember being very afraid that the big A was going to start when I was at school and that I would be separated from my parents.

I think JWs that joined after that time tend to not believe that the WTS was pushing that date hard but even as a little boy, I remember the fear mongering.

What I didn't realize is that the media picked up on the WTS's prediction that the world would end. Those newpaper clippings are the first time I've ever seen that. Great post.

89

the high cost of divorcing a JW............

by oompa in

divorce is hard for everyone, unless the person is just jumping for joy to get out it.....but even then it can be rough....and you lose half your assets.....some people stay in bad marriages just because they can not afford to be divorced........ but esp if you are a born in jw.....you know what is so unfair compared to normal non-jw divorces????

?....what is so fukkin unfair?!?

!.......that you lose all your friends and family!!!!

Doubting Bro

about the only "bad" things she does is some sex stuff and likes R rated movies

Hey, that's something! My guess is that she's even more hard core to attempt to offset you, especially with the therapist.

Cooking & travel are good hobbies and something you can build on. If you guys are truly in love, then I'm thinking you'll both find a way to make it work. But, you both have to feel that way or else it won't stand a chance. No easy answers, that's for sure.

89

the high cost of divorcing a JW............

by oompa in

divorce is hard for everyone, unless the person is just jumping for joy to get out it.....but even then it can be rough....and you lose half your assets.....some people stay in bad marriages just because they can not afford to be divorced........ but esp if you are a born in jw.....you know what is so unfair compared to normal non-jw divorces????

?....what is so fukkin unfair?!?

!.......that you lose all your friends and family!!!!

Doubting Bro

oompa,

I've read this thread and am sorry you're going through this. I'm sure it must be very difficult. A few observations:

1 - Seems like you think you're wife is a great person, but your marriage lacks the chemistry you are looking for. Did it ever have that "spark"? If so, then there's a chance you can get it back. I seem to remember you posting about going to counseling. Is that working for you at all?

2 - You obviously don't want to hurt her. But, is she really happy in a loveless marriage? Either way, it hurts.

3 - Was the WTS really the only thing you had in common? If that was it, then it seems like a marriage of convenience.

Bottom line - you have to ask yourself, is dealing with the WTS crap worth staying married. For instance, in my case, it absolutely is. But, many times it is not. Losing friends and family sucks, (actually, there are a few family members I wouldn't mind shunning me LOL) but you can make new friends. Losing the love of your life over a silly religion, to me thats simply too much.

By the way, if we lived closer, I'd love to get in on that golf game! Hang in there bro.

14

PO's wife told me Jehovah's holy spirit is with my hubby and I...

by cognac in

jw
friends

first of all, we haven't been to 1/2 the meetings... i guess she hasn't noticed.

anyways, some things have worked out very well for us (not spiritual or religious) and she said that jehovah's holy spirit was with us.

she asked if we had been praying to god for these specific things.

Doubting Bro

Just had something similar happen where a person said that Jehovah was blessing them because they sold their house right before the housing market crashed. My response, God must hate me because I ended up buying a house at the top!

110

A truly creepy 2007 public talk by Ciro Aulicino - You Will Be With Me in Paradise

by Tatiana in

i searched for this here and didn't find any posts about it.

i just found this while searching for info as i was debating a jw on another site.

this is the most mind-blowing, spaced-out, insane bunch of mess i've ever heard.

Doubting Bro

You have to wonder why the WTS even lets some of these guys speak. I would think even hard core JWs would think this is over the top. Also, wasn't Ciro the guy that gave that crazy talk after 9-11 that identified the radical Muslims as the "king of the north"? Ciro was editor of the Awake when the WTS became a registered NGO with the UN, right? Maybe the boys in Brooklyn let him speak to deflect that decision as one made by a renegade?

18

What will the WBTS do about the youth problem?

by easyreader1970 in

jw
friends

many youngsters, even ones brought up in "the truth", are leaving the organization, some never to return.

they're not doing so because they want to party or gain wealth (as the society would have you believe) but they are doing so because they are not stupid.

it is no longer 1974. people have much more information at their fingertips these days and nobody is closer to the signal of the internet than young people.

Doubting Bro

I agree that the recent meeting changes were an effort to make life a little easier for the elders. Conducting the CBS was a pain for many, now they only have to do it maybe once every 4-8 weeks (depending on how many elders there are). Also, the TMS parts that were cut were ALL handled by elders/ms. So, less parts to work up.

The last CA had a part about "reaching out" because there is a huge need for local leadership. However, many burned out elders that I've spoken with have no intention of "serving" again, even if they believe the religion. I'm sure there are also those that simply don't believe any longer but continue to attend for various family reasons.

I'm sure the WTS is aware of the problem not only with those stepping aside, but the fact that many elders are elderly. You simply can't get the work out of the old ones that you can out of the young one.

There are still men wanting to attain that position. In the congregation I attend, they just appointed someone in their late 20s as an elder. The difference is that you used to see that fairly frequently and in the last 5 years, that was the first person appointed. The ms pool is very thin and seems to me to be filled largely with folks who will never be able to be promoted to elder.

My guess is they will eventually need to start consolidating congregations in the next 10 years to make up for the shortfall.

54

Last bookstudy group this week I think there will be great sadness in the

by eyeslice in

jw
friends

tuesday sees the last group bookstudy for many.

i know the group that my wife attends will be having a bit of a party afterwards.

even my son ,who is 17 and has not attended the meetings for the past 6 months, says he wants to go on tuesday.

Doubting Bro

This week is the one. The week of 12/29 goes to the new program.

14

Whats Your Level of Maturity? Spiritually That Is.....

by AllTimeJeff in

on a recent essay i posted here re: gilead, i made reference to the fact that a "mature" person from the jw/gb point of view is one who accepts without question the teachings of the governing body of jehovah's witnesses, whereas "immature" ones question the teachings of the gb.

i used this as a reference point concerning the gb's cynical use of the bible.

but it seems to have struck a chord.

Doubting Bro

Jeff Love your posts. I was always known as "spiritually strong" (in other words, fully assimilated). However, now that I'm a loser x-elder who never comments, it is interesting to see how the folks that once considered me "mature" now consider me "weak". If I actually believed in the JW theology, then yes, it would bother me. Maybe on some level it does because I do feel the need to throw around my knowledge of JW theology when someone says something not in line. However, I know more about the Bible since waking up then I ever did as a loyal JW. So when "friends" suggest that I couldn't "cut-it" as an elder and that I'm somehow deficient, I just laugh it off. Hey, at least I'm not brainwashed by a cult anymore!!