Welcome R.F.!
I'm glad to see you here examining and researching the facts for yourself. As you mentioned, a loving God would want his subjects to know that they are serving in the proper way.
I used to be an M.S. I was raised as a JW. My entire family are JW's. I left after realizing the Watchtower is not what it claims to be. No matter how sincere they may be, they are not what they claim to be.
I heard someone talking about the LDS church the other day. He said:
"I left the church because I felt that I was forced to conclude that for whatever else it might be, it wasn't what it claimed to be...(I) risked my life for the church."
"I don't think that I can delude myself into thinking, or to make it ok, for my children to put their lives on the line for the 'thing' if it's not what it claims to be. It might be the best 'thing' ever invented, but if it's invented, it's not worth dying for." - Tal Bachman
This applies to JW's as well. Even if living as a JW is the best way of living, if it's invented, if it's not real, it's not worth living.
I lost my family, divorced my wife, and lost all my friends during my exit. It was worth it because I'm now living a life which is not invented. I'm being true to myself.
-M
(By the way, I got the above quote from a Mormon special on PBS. Here is the link:
http://www.pbs.org/mormons/
The Tal quote is from part 18 from about 3:30 - 5:00 minutes.)
Posts by mavie
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64Time to make my thoughts known......
by R.F. ini have lurked around here for a little while and i've finally seen the need to post.
i'm 22 years old and a ministerial servant and pioneer in my congregation.
i'm not really here to knock the organization, but i must admit that there are some things(ex.
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mavie
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Cicuit Overseer and District Overseer came looking for me today............
by RULES & REGULATIONS inlast week was the 2 day assembly.i didn't go to either one.
today,my mom called and told me the the c.o.
and d.o.came for a visit.i've been attending only once a week and no field service in about 4 years.
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mavie
I skipped the MS meeting with the CO during my exit. It was great.
The quicker the better. You will be screwed over by friends and family regardless of how you exit. I would recommend one swift kick in the nuts and be done with it verses 200 punches elsewhere. -
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Count-Down 4: Treasure Freedom
by Amazing injws are slaves of men: perhaps no other verse so clearly epitomizes the fundamental problem with the religious teachings of jehovah's witnesses than what paul said at galatians 5:1: "it is for freedom that christ has set us free.
stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
" (niv) of course, paul had in mind the enslavement to the law of moses.
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mavie
Great post Jim. The scripture in Galatians may help me one day with my family.
Also, say it ain't so! You can't leave! -
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How much have you changed since you left the JWs..........
by fifi40 inthe reason that i ask this question is for two reasons mainly.. firstly, my experience as a jw and within the various congregations i was part of, was that they were a very mixed bag.
there were those who were very devout, studious and appeared to be very humble and placid in nature.
there were those that were very judgemental of others.
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mavie
Things that haven't changed:
Idealistic
Lover of education
Things that have changed:
Easygoing now
Can actually pursue that education I love
More aware of people around me
"I want to live and breathe
I want to be part of the human race."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9I-i-1d0hsI
I'm now a part of the world. Yet not a 'worldly'. That doesn't exist. Life isn't black and white. -
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What's the difference between humans and animals if there is no God
by JH inif there is no god, does this make us the most intelligent animal?.
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mavie
Can I go on a cyber rampage for just a moment?
The core of this thinking really de-values us as individuals.
Stop teaching the money bs and tell them they are created by a loving God who desires to know them intimately!
The question of whether God exists or not should not de-value humans as individuals. I don't consider the relationship valid in any case. Non-theism is unrelated to any intrinsic 'value' a person has. I believe each person creates his or her own reason for living. We make our own meaning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_search_for_meaning
Here is a quote:
" It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."
Do animals do this? Who knows. Can animals ponder their existance? Are humans the only lifeform that has evolved which is able of asking these types of questions?
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Genetic evidence disproves WT DINOSAURES THEORY
by badboy inanalysis of collagen protein show chicken share 5 of the proteins.. i wonder what explanion the jws will come up with.. i know that there is anoher post about his,but i couldn't.
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mavie
I'm pretty sure I dont believe in the bible. I'm just about as sure I dont believe in Evolution.
I'll go with we were put here by men from space to cultivate the planet and prepare it for their return at which time we may meet our timely demise. As we are to primitive and to dangerous to coexist with advanced beings. Maybe a plague will conveniently wipe us out. Or the honeybees will stop polinating long enough to starve us all.
Guyver ( anime ) fan
Human were suppossed to be weaponns but there creators forgot about them or something I never got to see the last episodes
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Actually, Xenu will be coming back for us soon and will chain us around a volcano and blow us all up again. -
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Forum Skins i am making (your thoughts)
by KW13 ini run a technology forum with some friends.
not long ago i showed the aurora elements of these skins for your feedback which was appreciated.
i'm not asking just to get "oh how nice" although that'd be nice lol, i want to know if its easy to read the writing, whether colour schemes (whether ya like or not) match up etc.
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mavie
Aurora Elements is great. Easy to read and soothing. Conducive to spending time.
Aero Leaves is too busy. Maybe try blurring the background? Darken?
Longhorn Elements has white near the top. Hard to read and distracting. Plus the background image is strange.
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Give me a tune to put on my I-pod
by ninja ini have just gotten myself an i-pod with loads of space...i have exhausted my choice of tunes and still have loads of space left 60+gb....so give me your essential tunes you know i will like.....i like every type of music without exception......ideas please
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mavie
Silversun Pickups - Carnaval
Thom Yorke - The Eraser
Death Cab for Cutie - Plans
Ravi Shankar
Elliott Smith - From a Basement on a Hill
Elliott Smith - Either/Or
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The Need To Question Atheism
by The wanderer in<!-- .style1 { font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; } .style2 { font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; color: #0000cc; } .style3 {font-family: verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; color: #0000cc; } --> the need to question atheism this need to question atheism stems from the fact there are some individuals.
on this board that subscribe to such.
the questions stated are not for some.
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mavie
"What is the meaning of life?"
While atheism doesn't proport to answer this question, one can infer a meaning that seems cold and empty. That is, to procreate and make sure our genes carry on to the next generation. However, this question can be answered in another way. Atheism, or religion in general are not necessary to answer this question. Instead, we make our own meaning.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Man%27s_search_for_meaning
I read this book at the suggestion of a close friend. The author was interned at a concentration camp in WWII Germany. He found meaning in the suffering he experienced and observed around him during this time.
Here is a quote from the book:
"It did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us. We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life—daily and hourly. Our answer must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual."
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Counting Time
by Xena ini don't know about anyone else but this could be the source of major contention between dubs in my halls.
you had those who started their time as soon as you pulled out of the hall parking lot (me), those who counted from the first knock at the door or laundry mat visited, and the die hards who didn't start until they actually spoke to someone(my sister).
my sister and i would go round and round about this, i finally just pretended to start my time when she did just to shut her up.
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mavie
I counted from the time I got to the KH as well. I counted breaks. I stopped when I left the KH. I didn't do the pioneer shuffle, instead I tried to work hard. I never understood why the official line was to start your time after the first door you take and end it after your last door. C'mon, with groups as large as 8 at times, you might take one door all day.
That rule is another way to make dubs feel guilty. Classic cult.