esw1966

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Posts by esw1966

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  52

  My wife says "They miss you at the Hall"

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  she comes home with "sis.

  curious says she misses you.".

  "tell her i am right here, a phone call away.".

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  esw1966

  I love the comments on this as well.

  I havn't gotten the we miss you yet and it's been two years. I finally talked to my dad on the phone after a year and a half and right away he started with, 'You've been a very bad boy...'
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  17

  The difficulty of recovering from JW teachings

  by DT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's difficult to free yourself from years of cult influence.

  i'm concerned that i may still be suffering from hidden assumptions that i haven't considered.

  i'll have to examine my thinking for the rest of my life, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.. it would be easier if we could reject everything we were taught, but that's not really possible.

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  esw1966

  My new worldview: That Jesus came to earth to do for us what we could not do on our own. We cannot save ourselves from sin. It is our faith in what Jesus accomplished that we have everlasting life. We are meritted righteousness and the holy spirit begins to change your heart and your actions.

  So, this worldview helps me because it tells me that on my own I am not able to work for salvation but it comes as a gift. Therefore, I am able to forgive others around me and to show them love as they have shown me love.

  The relationship with Jesus is one of love. He loves me. I love him. I know that he will work out good for me in my life regardless of where I find myself. I am confident about my future and I know that the troubles I may go through are for a reason which I can learn from and I can look forward to the days ahead when I will be set free from them. Each day is exciting. I know that he has a plan and a purpose for me and I anxiously await to see what it is.

  This from a person who came into jw as a 9 year old and left 30 years later. As a jw, I was a sinner and I was going to pay. I was depressed! Why not do the bad, I was going to pay for it anyway if I tried my best or not.

  I feel as a jw I was never truly loved for who I was, but for what I did. I don't even believe my parents unconditionally loved me. I believe all my relationships were abusive, including the religion. Finding love and feeling loved and being forgiven and having eternal life is awesome!

  I remember when my present wife told me that she would always love me no matter what, I told her, 'That's a bad idea!' My life has never been the same since!!!
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  19

  My conscience

  by civicsi00 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've only been on this forum for a short while, but i love it here!

  i have a question for everyone.. first of all, about a year and a half ago, i got on the internet to search for some jw forums.

  i didn't find any right away, but what i did find was information about the wt and all of its inconsistencies.

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  esw1966

  Welcome to the board! It's good to have you here.

  I cried when I realized jw was wrong and my kids and family were still in it and there was nothing I could do to help them.

  So, I tried to beat them at their own game. I tried to understand the true Gospel and use the Bible and only that to help them. It turned out they wouldn't even read the quoted Scriptures I sent by email from their own Bible to them.

  I see grace and love as the key to spreading the gospel. You can't change someone's mind who isn't interested in truth. By showing them love even when they are acting poorly makes them think about their own actions. I find that if I take the high road they always take the low road. Sooner or later that has to make them think.

  I stay true to my beliefs. I interject things if I ever get the chance.(which is like twice a year.) Show love and ask them questions of a simple nature that gets them to think. They need to trust you and want what you want before any bigger steps can happen. I say kill them with kindness. They will figure it out that they don't deserve your kindness by their own actions. Hopefully, sooner than later, it will have them asking their own questions.

  I hope it works out well for you!!! Life has been awesome since I left two and a half years ago! The hall was my life. It was my family. I was totally a believer. Then I hit bottom and tried to make sure of things and I found I had fallen for a lie. I realized that the whole gospel is that Jesus did everything we couldn't and that by our faith in what he did for us gives us everlasting life! It's called grace and it's free, a gift. It's pretty awesome! A real life changer! No more treadmill, but a relationship that grows.
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  40

  Did you read the whole Bible when you were a JW?

  by outofthebox in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  after an informal poll in my congregation (and many awkward responses) i found out that almost nobody had read the whole bible ever, not even the elders (surprise!).

  brothers and sisters with 20, 30, 40 and 50 years as jws don't know what the bible says.

  so, if god decides that a test is coming, will they pass it?

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  esw1966

  Read it through twice on my work lunch break.

  It felt great. I felt all spiritual and all....

  No eyes opened though. Some questions MAYBE, but really I viewed everything through the Society's eyes and couldn't see it as applying to me.
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  25

  Have a great 08 everybody!

  by changeling in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's new year's eve where i live and i want to wish all of you peace and happiness in 2008!

  .

  changeling (((((((((((((((((jwd)))))))))))))))))

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  esw1966

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
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  15

  Happy New Year to all JWD forum....

  by justhuman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i would like to wish you all on this forum a happy new year, and hope that this new year will bring everyone better days, but most of all .

  love.

  health.

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  esw1966

  HAPPY NEW YEAR!
• 

  For any facebook fans...

  by esw1966 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you care to join, you sure would be welcome!.

  ex-jehovah's witnesses who are now born again.. http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6080429093.

  if not, thanks for listening!.

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  esw1966

  If you care to join, you sure would be welcome!

  Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses who are now born again.

  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6080429093

  If not, thanks for listening!

  Ethan
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  26

  Is Iran's President Announcing the Emergence of the Anti-Christ?

  by Perry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  his speech to the un today was extremely religious.

  he made repeated references to a savior who would soon bring peace.

  did anyone else get the heebie-jeebies that listened to his speech?

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  esw1966

  This guy has me concerned as well...

  I have heard that his religious beliefs state to him that the world must be in chaos before his Savior can come to earth to fix it. It is his belief that he must make this chaos in order to see his Savior come in his life time. Therefore, he wants to wipe out Israel and U.S.

  Seems to me he is getting away with dangerous talk with few paying attention and many wishing to turn a blind eye as they are so sick of warfare and terrorism.

  As far as the Anti Christ goes, I have heard that many feel that Christ returns to gather his own before the Anti Christ becomes apparent. So, we do not know who the Anti Christ is until after the rapture.

  Will return just before the end of the world

  His appearance will be preceded by a number of prophetic events during 3 years of horrendous world chaos, tyranny and oppression

  Will escape from Madina to Mekkah, thousands will pledge allegiance to him

  Will rule over the Arabs and the world for 7 years

  Will eradicate all tyranny and oppression bringing harmony and total peace

  Will lead a prayer in Mekkah which Jesus will be at his side and follow in

  This is similar to Christianity's beliefs of who and when the end comes. Anti Christ comes before the end of the world. Christians think after the rapture there will be great tribulation which goes with 3 years of horrendous world chaos. Christianity thinks the world will see the Anti Christ as the Messiah equalling thousands will pledge allegiance to him. Some feel the great tribulation will be for 7 years which would be this man's reign. The Anti Christ will bring peace and accomplish more than any other leader has therefore bringing harmony and total peace. Jesus doesn't pray with the Anti Christ but will finish him off. Interesting...
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  12

  What was your book study like?

  by reneeisorym in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember going to this lady's house who insisted on it being boiling hot!

  it didn't matter if it was winter or summer -- she either refused to turn on the air conditioning or had the heater on full force!

  my dad always hated it because he had to wear his coat while he conducted even though it was 90 degrees.

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  esw1966

  I always wanted the book study to be more than it was. I wanted friends. I wanted closeness. I wanted it to be RELATIVE and meaningful.

  I used to HATE hearing a lame question with an obvious answer that you would have to wait FOREVER to have someone raise their hand to say Jesus or Jehovah or yes or no.

  It was just read the paragraph, ask the question, read the answer, and then maybe look up a Scripture.

  The point in going to the meeting was answer so I'd look spiritually strong; have the kids answer so they would grow up to be good jdubs; and try to make good connections with the upper ups so as to be viewed as a pillar in the hall.

  It was all works! Shallow at that and lame... It had such little depth. It never reached the heart.

  I used to dread going to meetings toward the last year. I just LOVE going to my churches nowadays! They just do so much more for me than any jdub meeting ever did or could. I think it is because it lacked soul and heart and God! It was always a treadmill and never nurturing and loving.
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  10

  Can you be grateful for the lives of your kids but not grateful to god

  by jambon1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this may or may not make sense.. i am an atheist.

  i have issues with there not being a creator because of the beuty of life and especially my children.

  but, for me, their are just to many negative things about 'creation' to be 100% about this belief.

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  esw1966

  But who do I owe my gratitude to?

  My opinion:

  As an atheist, I wouldn't think you would need to be grateful to anyone. It is a by product of life and action. Just another function of the circle of life.

  From a Christian standpoint, I would think that you would view children as a gift from God and therefore your appreciation for the gift would go to God. Children would be viewed as a blessing.

  I would find the whole question that you are asking, "Who do I owe my gratitude to?" as a proof in itself as there being a Creator God. Without God, why the question of gratitude? If there is a concern about if you should or shouldn't show gratitude then there is a deeper burning question inside you and the nudging of the fact that there is a God who wants to know you and be known by you.

  My thought...