esw1966

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Posts by esw1966

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  25

  letter from my parents

  by thebiggestlie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  nicholas,.

  just want you to know how much dad and i love you.

  we love you so much that we dont ever want anything bad to happen to you.

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  esw1966

  I think that you know what you need to write. I find that most times I am overwelmned with words and I can never stop writing.

  Tell them the truth. Tell them you love them and that you are not leaving them, but that you do not agree with 'their truth'. That just because you do not believe as they do that you are not leaving them. That you will always be there for them, but there is a road that YOU must follow and it does not follow theirs at this time.

  That true love is long suffering and selfless and that you hope that they are able to show that love during this time toward you. That you will always show it to them despite your seeking your own truth and your own journey.

  Your words will be best. Give them the truth. Ask them to respect your views as you respect theirs. Ask to be able to disagree without being disagreeable. That even though you don't see eye to eye on everything that they will be able to show you real love as described in the Bible.

  Good luck!
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  25

  letter from my parents

  by thebiggestlie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  nicholas,.

  just want you to know how much dad and i love you.

  we love you so much that we dont ever want anything bad to happen to you.

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  esw1966

  Stay the course my friend. They do love you, but are misguided and attempting to guilt you into their agenda. Follow their advice about goals, just make sure they are your goals(spiritual or otherwise) and not theirs.

  I agree. It is great to hear that your parents love you, care for you, and want the best for you. Unfortunately, they are deceived by men.

  Be smart. Choose your friends and your actions wisely. Don't be sucked back in by guilt to a group dominated by man to their own injury.

  My experience after 30 years of jw is that they are flat wrong in their religious beliefs. There is something much better out there. But remember that life is full of decisions and you will have to answer for the decisions you make. In your gaining independance from a cult, do not make wrong decisions that will hurt your future and give the jdubs a way to say 'I told you so.'

  I have always found that by playing the moral high road with jdubs, they will always play the low road. I say, beat 'em with kindness and do good and you will prevail.

  The crazy thing about their 'love and interest' for you now is that in a moment it can all turn to silence and shunning and anger and hatred. They are very fickle. Their conduct exposes their heart and motivation. It has nothing to do with God.

  Good luck! Hang in there! Follow your heart and your gut. Do good.

  Ethan
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  55

  DO NOT CONTINUE SENDING EMAILS TO ME OR ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME OR MY FAMILY.

  by esw1966 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  isn't it 'nice' to finally get letters from home!?????.

  this is the entire letter written to me by my sister:.

  "do not continue sending emails to me or attempt to contact me or my family.".

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  esw1966

  Isn't it 'nice' to finally get letters from home!?????

  This is the entire letter written to me by my sister:

  "DO NOT CONTINUE SENDING EMAILS TO ME OR ATTEMPT TO CONTACT ME OR MY FAMILY."

  Her husband is an elder. They are basically fanatical jdubs.

  I have written her for over a year now and I finally got my first letter from her!

  Isn't it funny how they call bad - good and can view the above response as being Godly?

  Any thoughts on how I should respond to such 'love'?
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  9

  Finally!

  by JWdaughter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we finally got the house on the market and within 8-9 days we had a offer.

  kind of lower than what we want, but in light of school starting in 1mo.

  and a very long commute not to mention the housing market.

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  esw1966

  Congratulations!!!
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  13

  Why is the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than John the Baptist?

  by esw1966 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  matthew 11:11 - i tell you the truth: among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than john the baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.. if all who hope in christ go to heaven, what makes us better than john the baptist?

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  esw1966

  Helpful....

  So, there is the 'friend' of the bridegroom. And even though their destiny is the same they are different because of the time period they were living in? David will be in heaven, but his faith was in God and not specifically Jesus and so his calling is different in that his hope was well placed but not specific? He was thus a friend of the bridegroom because the bride hadn't been called up until this point?
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  8

  What happens to Christ after he subjects himself to God?

  by esw1966 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  1 cor 15:28 - when he has done this, then the son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that god may be all in all.

  what happens to jesus at this point?

  if he is part of a trinity, does he meld into god and disappear?

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  esw1966

  1 Cor 15:28 - When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

  What happens to Jesus at this point? If he is part of a Trinity, does he meld into God and disappear? Does he fade into insignifigance? Is God at that time Jehovah again? How does that all blend?
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  13

  Why is the least in the kingdom of heaven greater than John the Baptist?

  by esw1966 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  matthew 11:11 - i tell you the truth: among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than john the baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.. if all who hope in christ go to heaven, what makes us better than john the baptist?

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  esw1966

  Matthew 11:11 - I tell you the truth: Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

  If all who hope in Christ go to heaven, what makes us better than John the Baptist?
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  26

  THIS IS MY STORY (And I'm Sticking To It)

  by snowbird in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i joined this forum on 1may2007 with a promise that i would tell more about myself as time went on.

  well, here goes.. i was born and raised in the black belt of alabama in wilcox county.

  it is supposedly called the black belt due to the color of the soil, but i have a strong suspicion it is also due to the fact that there is such a heavy concentration of black people in the dozen or more counties that make up the black belt.. my parents were sharecroppers which was simply a form of whitewashed slavery.

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  esw1966

  Love your story!

  Congratulations in finding your freedom from enslavement to an organization!

  I found my freedom about the same time you did! I LOVE it! I'm going to a local community church and it is awesome!

  Ethan
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  49

  How Would You or Did You Leave The Organization??

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  by choice, with a little help from the elders, faded slowly, disassociated????

  how'd you get out?

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  esw1966

  I left the org kicking and screaming to stay in!

  I got df'd. For the SECOND time! Lost my family and marriage and children. So, I ventured into the world to find truth and to figure out some way to get my act together to be the good boy I was supposed to be.

  I left all I knew in Green Bay, WI and lived in my van on the streets of Manhattan, NY near Union Square for two months. Then went to Bellingham, WA.

  I called the elder who df'd me to see how my wife and children were doing. If they were well and if they were better off without me or if I should come back for them. He said that they were at all the meetings so they must be okay, but THAT HE HAD NEVER TALKED TO HER ABOUT IT!

  I was TICKED! Here the 'shepherd' of the flock who was in charge of my df'g never even ASKED her about how she was doing after 6 months! I told him, you are making me question my faith! He said, I'm sorry. What a JERK!

  I called a local elder to see if his reaction was proper. The local elder supported his comments and told me that I was trying to pit the two against each other and that he wouldn't do that. COWARD!

  So, I started investigating. I started questioning.

  I was in SHOCK! I couldn't believe I had been wrong all those years! (30) Then came my sad realization, I had trained my 3 daughters to BE that. I contributed to their lostness! I cried!

  Months later I was listening to every sermon I could get on my ipod to figure out what was true and not. Now I am born again attending 2 local community churches, Cornwall Church and Christ the King Church in Bellingham, every weekend. I LOVE it! It is so healing!

  I am happier than I have ever been in my life. Now, I weep for my family and try to figure out how to help them....

  Thanks forum for helping me get my balance and clarity! It seemed so bad to come here in the beginning. Now I see it as my therapy in getting jw teaching OUT! I work hard at that too!

  Ethan
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  23

  I have a favor to ask of all of you.

  by lv4fer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my hairdresser has been diagnosed with lower bile duct cancer.

  she is 21 years old and a wonderful girl with her whole life ahead of her.

  she needs your prayers.

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  esw1966

  My prayers are with you Raeann!