Posts by astro

107

I'm a Liar

by Perry in

so, i'm downtown quite early the other morning while still dark and i see a man holding an awake.

so, i pull over and wave him over.

after a few words of cordiality, i ask him why jehovah's witnesses teach that jesus returned invisibly in 1914 when jesus himself said this:in matthew 24:.

astro

wow!

I'm one of the oldies from waaaaaaaaaaay back when.

I come here from time to time to update myself on the goings on of the JW world.

Fred H's posts here caught my serious attention.

If what you write is entirely true,I strongly want to encourage you to get professional help.

All the spiritual assistance you think you are getting will not ever get to the psychological components needed to become mentally healthy.

Denial screams from your posts,as you brush off suggestions to get pro assistance.And consistently on a regular basis.You wrote that you haven't interacted with the elders in your case.I believe you wrote less than a handful of times.SO where is this steady consistent working on your issues. I believe you mentioned frotteurism as one of your problems.This takes active work involving people who are trained about this and other issues you face.Continually brushing that aside,thinking all you need is spiritual help is nothing more than 'magical thinking'.Not a healthy coping mechanism by any means.The help you truly need will not be found with untrained men.You wrote it was 'contained'.Contained is not cured nor is it healthy.What contained is is a powder keg that can go off when you least expect it.These uneducated untrained men are not able to teach or coach you in self-exploration or the coping/life skills needed with problems like the above.They cannot help you cognitively or behaviorally in this.

You mentioned you have been unable to hold a job steadily.All these issues are interconnected and need a pro to assist you in unraveling the tangled ball of abuse in your history.The bible is not a medical treatise and thinking that some mystical spiritual power is going to 'fix' this will not work either.Past behavior is usually a good predictor of future behavior-unless some type of medical/psychological intervention takes place-on a consistent basis.Please re-consider taking active physical steps to address your issues because I fear that old behaviors may return with a vengeance.

72

NEED ADVICE ON FAKING A REINSTATEMENT

by Mary in

jw
friends

a friend of mine who is df'd is seriously considering trying to get reinstated in order to have his family back in his life.

this is not an easy decision because he's fully aware that this isn't "the truth", but the pain of being excluded from normal family relations is really tearing him.

he has two choices: either move away from his family and try and start a new life, or bite the bullet, try and get reinstated and then do the fade.

astro

I disagree with your response wed.

The individual whos is thinking of reinstatement can certainly make new and better friendships out of the org.

No one has to be lonely.Do you think this person is incapable of creating and maintaining relationships out of the org? I don't think so.I know many people who have friendships that equal the love and strength attributed to 'blood relatives'-even stronger and better because they chose these people because of the qualities they needed in their lives.

The lonliest time of my life were the years in the org.My son told me he felt the same.

Especially in view of just how conditional friendships within the org. are. When one can't be totally themselves be able to share and express any ideas they may have..(have to stick to the party line) just what quality of friendships are those?

I have a hard time understanding anyone who would encourage another to re-enter any type of abusive censorious and dysfunctional relationship just because they are related.It's like a slave becoming free,then willingly donning the chains again.Nothing noble in that.

Yes,this is what this pathetic religion/corp. can make people sink too.But in NOT doing so,remaining true to oneself,one takes back the power and control the org.s grip once had on them.

If the person is to keep this 're-newed' family/friend relationship just a 'small part' of their lives,just how positive and satisfying is that? Then what is the real point? That the family can sit with him,talk in jahspeak or shallow generalities because honesty and truth cannot be a part of the relationship? That makes no life enhancing point at all.And that is the point of real love and freindship-to grow positively-become the best people we can be.....this cannot ever happen in such stunted compromised realtionships.

72

NEED ADVICE ON FAKING A REINSTATEMENT

by Mary in

jw
friends

a friend of mine who is df'd is seriously considering trying to get reinstated in order to have his family back in his life.

this is not an easy decision because he's fully aware that this isn't "the truth", but the pain of being excluded from normal family relations is really tearing him.

he has two choices: either move away from his family and try and start a new life, or bite the bullet, try and get reinstated and then do the fade.

astro

Greetings-again

I should have made my above post 'part 1'.

I wanted to make a suggestion for your friend.

Has he considered talking to an exit counselor?

I know we all come out of the borg with some distorted and dysfunctional thinkings.a counselor may be able to help him learn t personal acceptance and boost esteem.These help strengthen our personal foundation of integrity and honesty and character.. Because the flip side of those(if he returned) would be having to deal with feelings of shame,guilt etc.

It would be tantamount to returning to an abusive parent.spouse etc.Something the borg manipulates all to well in many folks.

Again,jmho.....

72

NEED ADVICE ON FAKING A REINSTATEMENT

by Mary in

jw
friends

a friend of mine who is df'd is seriously considering trying to get reinstated in order to have his family back in his life.

this is not an easy decision because he's fully aware that this isn't "the truth", but the pain of being excluded from normal family relations is really tearing him.

he has two choices: either move away from his family and try and start a new life, or bite the bullet, try and get reinstated and then do the fade.

astro

Greetings

I must concur with oldflame,J.Thomas here.

What a sad situation. Having to lie and be dishonest is not going to gain a real family realtionship.What it does achieve is keeping that person more alone. Alone in the sense that it keeps the real person hidden.Hidden because one can't express or share the real person within. Bonds can't be deepened,but remain on a shaky shallow level.Positive growth and change are impossible-and isn't that how we are supposed to learn? By our honest and positive interchanges with our loved ones and the world itself?

I'm not using hyperbole here but to imagine the distorted dynamics in this situation creates and perpetuates self abuse.

Betrayal of the self comes at too high a cost. With dishonesty as basically the foundation in having these people in one's life will not survive.

The foundation of honesty is being true to yourself-no matter what others may think.The virtue of honesty is valuable in and of itself.

Just mho fwiw

113

Question: Demons

by ladybug25 in

growing up, i remember hearing stories from my own parents and others in the congregation about experiences with demons.

sister x wore a t-shirt that she purchased at a second hand store and the demons attached themselves to the shirt and gave her problems.

certain movies and/or cds would give a family problems.

astro

Thank you for that info Jeffro.Much appreciated.T

113

Question: Demons

by ladybug25 in

growing up, i remember hearing stories from my own parents and others in the congregation about experiences with demons.

sister x wore a t-shirt that she purchased at a second hand store and the demons attached themselves to the shirt and gave her problems.

certain movies and/or cds would give a family problems.

astro

Well stated jeffro!

Correct me if I'm mistaken here...wasn't ergotomine poisoning related to the Salem Witch trials as well????

170

Let's just get something straight about 1975.

by WTFBBQPWNT in

jw
friends

nobody ever said that the end was coming in 1975.. all the hype about this date that has continued all the way down through today came from a talk in the early 70's by fred franz.

in this talk, franz pointed out the significance of the 7 creative days and how they correspond with 1,000-year time intervals.. he then said, "could the end come in 1975?

there's so much wrong with jehovah's witnesses from their rigid legalism to their faux love, but let's call a spade a spade about the 1975 thing..

astro

Typical ignorance again from the guy who writes about getting 1975 'straight'.Honey,I was there along with a lot of older folks here.

It was stressed in the talks,experiences were gone over and over about those selling their homes etc.I remember stay alive till 75...

It was stated in many ways and forms thru talks etc.Every baptized person understood 1975 to be THE year.

You weren't there.You're obviously very young........one thing you are consistent about is making a fool of yourself. lol

113

Question: Demons

by ladybug25 in

growing up, i remember hearing stories from my own parents and others in the congregation about experiences with demons.

sister x wore a t-shirt that she purchased at a second hand store and the demons attached themselves to the shirt and gave her problems.

certain movies and/or cds would give a family problems.

astro

Well said Derek!

There are other mental processes other than sleep paralysis that can affect the mind-reinforcing a delusional belief(demons).

When people say others experienced this with them etc. folie a deux comes to mind.Shared paranoia and psychosis is not a rare event.

With the superstitious groundwork already laid one can easily fall into this.I find it interesting that some people automatically believe it's demons.They don't seem to even want to learn that there are alternative explanations.That's where the lack of critical thinking skills shows up-thanks to wts indoctrination.

There are many disorders and diseaeses of the mind that explain these events. I would encourage those who think this stuff is real to broaden their minds and perspectives.SUre it takes some research and work but it's an excellent method to begin divesting oneself of superstitions etc.

53

how many atheist and agnostics on this site

by dannygwalsh in

jw
friends

hi everyone just a question to satisfy my curiosity , and if you are a non believer are you happier for being so

astro

well said GaryB!!

I am an atheist and a generally happy person.

It has opened my mind and I have learned so much,thanks to being able to critically think again.

It has freed me from stupid superstition,allowed me to view myself and the world around me in a rational sane manner.

It helped me learn what real personal responsibility is as well as global responsibility.Once an individual can get rid of the limiting ignorance that is entailed by 'believing' a sense of real freedom is achieved.

I could never put myself in the stopthink mental mode that any religion requires again.

113

if an atheist does something good...

by DannyBloem in

.

if an atheist leads good life with high moral standards, because he choice to do so and thinks for logic it is a good thing, does it not mean much more then when a theist does the same, because his gods tells him to do it?

what's your thoughs on this?

astro

Wow!

Lots of erroneous assumptions here regarding the atheist,let alone downright ignorance of the 'atheist worldview'.

The arguement that morals come from god are ridiculous.The burden of proof is on the individual to evidence a god even exists first.

It is through the forces of biological and social evolution in societies that have created moral codes and principles.Issues of self-interest,rational consideration,compassion,similar human needs,interactions with others and the world are factors.No mythical skydaddy is needed to achieve this.

I'm curious as to why pedophilia was brought up ..as a comparison?Intimating the atheist would not know this to be repugnant without someone/thing telling them so? Kind of says something about one making such a comparison.Would they need it dictated/told to them that it is abhorrent? Sophmoric thinking there.As well as evidence of narrow and close-minded thinking.

I ssee some here haven't a clue about the atheists 'worldview'.It would help if you understood it factually rather than operating under error and ignorance.

The atheist makes positive moral decisions based on good will and personal responsibility-not at all in conjunction with 'reward and/or punishment the absolute theist does.

KidA,Fd Skeptic! Great posts!!