to all my new friends, i need some advice.
as i posted in my original post i am not disfellowshipped, i just did a fade as i believe everyone here calls it.
i have great parents who are still part of the organization, and do not pressure me, but at the same time i must live a lie, and they have no problem with me living a lie, as long as they are comfortable.
Since you asked for opinions, I will give you mine. Please know I respect whatever difficult decision you feel you must make.
In short, I blew up the bridge, left my "cushy" JW position and family to find me and be me.
So guess what my advice is? 
But we may not be alike. However, from the tone of your first post, I would 100% agree with your wife. She sounds wise.
how do you read?.
i find myself attracted to certain authors and book series.. which reminds me, i need to download the grapes of wrath.. i love steinbeck's writing of historical fiction.
looking into the history of frontier america is so interesting when written in story form.. i read from most genres.. what's your poison?.
do they both lead people away from god?.
I agree with NC. I don't worship god because I was told a lie about god. I don't believe in god because there is no evidence that a god who should be worshipped exists. I also believe that if god does exist, she would totally understand why I would be skeptical. My first question would be, "Where have you been?"
You know, if I know someone has been lied to, I point them to where the truth lies. So, if god exists, don't tell me I was lied to, and don't tell me the evidence is there. Show me. And then let me read it.
do they both lead people away from god?.
I think that the spiritual journey doesnt end with atheism.
I view atheism as a stop on the way to a better understanding of self. When that happens, people tend to be better able to define "god" for themselves better.
Because atheism starts with a more accurate premise, I think it is a better place to start with (not seeing god) as opposed to organized religion (assuming the existence of god)
Who here has seen god?
How many assume the god that they were taught to believe in is the true god?
I don't think that atheists and theists are on the same team, simply because one place starts at a more honest point than the other.
greetings my fellow fans of the frozen pond and old-time hockey.. it's time for the playoffs beard!.
so let's pick 'em.
who will be drinking from lord stanley's mug this year?
And by that I mean Philly likes to play a certain way so they can't gripe when it comes back on them.
I need a beer.
greetings my fellow fans of the frozen pond and old-time hockey.. it's time for the playoffs beard!.
so let's pick 'em.
who will be drinking from lord stanley's mug this year?
greetings my fellow fans of the frozen pond and old-time hockey.. it's time for the playoffs beard!.
so let's pick 'em.
who will be drinking from lord stanley's mug this year?
we're already being innundated with the drivel that is the us political process.. propaganda, right and left.
no one wants to discuss or debate, they just want to shout in each others faces.. so, here's the rules:.
you can discuss politics as long as you are discussing things.if you just post copy-and-paste propaganda it will be deleted.if you post it in anywhere but the politics area it will be deleted.if it's the inane "obama can't prove he was born" or "romney is an alien" crap then it will be deleted.if you repeatedly violate the above, including trying to get threads shut-down, then you will be deleted.this has been a public service announcement on behalf of the "i dont' give a shit, the government always gets elected" party.. .
While I think its healthy for former JWs to discuss politics, I don't think that abusive opinions or abusive posters should be tolerated.
i have been on this site daily, almost from its beginning, since i left the jws in 2001, but i have been more of a reader than a poster, as you can see from my post count.
i know few here know me, although i know many of you through reading your posts.
maybe it is not right to ask for support, when i generally stay quietly in the background of this forum, but i want only to speak a human misery of the deepest kind.
he is one of my favorite posters, i look him up from time to time.
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