I felt compelled to write something down after reading a bit of this article in the Nov 15th, 2008 WT.
Help Those Who Stray From the Flock
Paragraph 2
“Discouragement, health problems, or other factors may have weakened their zeal and caused them to become inactive.”
My zeal was never weakened and I never became inactive. I chose to leave a controlling religion I discovered to be using dishonest quotes in its published material.
An honest evaluation of my faith forced me to conclude differently than the Watchtower, nothing else.
“However, only as part of God's flock can they enjoy the serenity and happiness that David spoke of in the 23rd Psalm. For instance, he sang: "Jehovah is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing." (Ps. 23:1)”
When I made the decision to leave, as painful as it was to lose every social tie I had depended on for my entire life including my family, I felt an immense sense of serenity and deep inner happiness. I was finally allowing myself to be who I was. I was acting in accord with all the information I had about how to live an ethical, responsible, and spiritual life.
Since that point this feeling has only deepened. Fulfilling my dream of attending college and acquiring a degree has been a source of deep joy. Viewing others as attempting to find happiness in their own, valid way, not as another soul to be saved, has also deepened this feeling of contentment and serenity for me. Happiness does exist beyond the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Posts by mavie
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3Nov 15th 2008 WT Personal Comments
by mavie ini felt compelled to write something down after reading a bit of this article in the nov 15th, 2008 wt.
help those who stray from the flock .
paragraph 2 .
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mavie
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mavie
Thanks! Do you happen to have the 2008 Awake and 2008 WT Public issues as well?
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You gotta check this guys photos at Bethel, etc ....................
by WingCommander ini came across this local guys photo albums on flickr while searching for someone i know.
found them, and then this guys albums.
apparently he's a "pro" if you can call taking photos of local girls' sports teams, witness weddings, dc's, and bethel photography.
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mavie
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sjhfoto/3034845615/in/set-72157608812649711/
I'm speechless.
Overall, the captions seem very adolescent. Not surprising considering JW literature and culture towards education and the enormous amount of sexual repression around Bethel. I could feel the stifling environment settling in around me as I viewed this.
Thank God my application was rejected. -
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More proof of Global Warming
by BurnTheShips inpeople freezing to death.
o fortuna!.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081222/gpg0101/81222109/1207/gpg01.
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mavie
About the meteorologist on Fox News cameo-d posted:
1.) He is a meteorologist, not a climatologist. His expertise is weather, not climate. Look it up if you are unfamiliar with the distinction.
2.) The news anchor compared carbon dioxide to water vapor. The meteorologist did nothing to correct him. CO2 = 1 carbon + 2 oxygen. Water vapor (aka H20) = 2 hydrogen + 1 oxygen. Not the same. Both contribute to the greenhouse effect, but they are not the same. LOL. -
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More proof of Global Warming
by BurnTheShips inpeople freezing to death.
o fortuna!.
http://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20081222/gpg0101/81222109/1207/gpg01.
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mavie
As global temperature rises there will be more evaporation over the oceans and therefore more precipitation and snow in areas favorable for rain and snow in the first place.
Think about it.
If anything the original post strengthens the case for global climate change. -
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Obama IS Osama..TEH GR8TEST CONSP1RACY TH30RY EVAR!!!!
by BurnTheShips inthis may surpass the "bush did 911" meme.. oh man the next 4 years are going to be entertaining....... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcxhcmyn8ru.
to be fair though, this makes more sense than the bailout schemes floating around congress lately--and they should have been bombing chicago instead of afghanistan.
and well...this settles the hullabaloo surrounding obama's birth certificate also.. we were treated to all the lefty idiots come out of the woodwork the last 8 years.. "begun, the clone wars have.".
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mavie
BA, you are scaring me. Really.
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Last Temptation of the Christ
by mavie ini just discovered this film for the first time tonight.
what an amazing piece of work!
the portrayal of jesus and judas as men who both wanted freedom from roman rule yet were vastly different in their approach was thought provoking.
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mavie
The portrayal of Judas merely carrying out Jesus wish to be crucified makes so much sense when you consider the Biblical account, especially the Last Supper where Jesus tells Judas to get done what he has to quickly.
In "Christ" they both wanted the same thing and struggled with the best way to go about it. What a great way to illustrate the struggle between flesh and spirit we all face. Judas literally wanted to free the Jews first in a fleshly way, Jesus in a spiritual way.
However I keep coming back to Jesus rejection of the things of the world. It was a sort of non-attachment. Live in the moment for this is the Kingdom of God. What a great message. -
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What convinced you?
by heybaby inas far as doctrine goes, what finally convinced you that this isn't the truth?
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mavie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_core#EPICA.2FDome_C
720,000 years of ice in Antarctica? Think about this and the Biblical Flood. -
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Last Temptation of the Christ
by mavie ini just discovered this film for the first time tonight.
what an amazing piece of work!
the portrayal of jesus and judas as men who both wanted freedom from roman rule yet were vastly different in their approach was thought provoking.
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mavie
I just discovered this film for the first time tonight. What an amazing piece of work!
The portrayal of Jesus and Judas as men who both wanted freedom from Roman rule yet were vastly different in their approach was thought provoking.
The constant battle Jesus had to wage against the desires of the flesh throughout the film showed him to be very human. I found this refreshing.
I was reminded so many times during this film of parallels in Buddhism, especially when Jesus was tempted in the desert. Mara tempted the Buddha to hang on to the things of this world many times. The Buddha rejected them as they were not really his to begin with and were temporary similar to Jesus rejection of a family, power, or heavenly kingship. Jesus insight that the Kingdom of God is already here reminded me of the Tao. Everything is contingent and dependent on everything else. The Kingdom of God is what we make of our time here and now.
Pauls meeting with an elderly Jesus was realistic. Paul was simply taking advantage of our need for something greater than ourselves.
One more thing. Of course Judas was doing his duty betraying Jesus. Hello? Omniscient being?
Bravo Mr. Scorsese. -
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Something Very Big May Be Happening
by metatron inhttp://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/page/content.detail/id/503045.html?nav=5008.
local papers report this, not national news.
speculation: either plans for martial law, in the event of economic collapse ( something rumored to be discussed discretely in congress, if the bailout fails) or pakistan's nukes.
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mavie
I like cheese.