What would be your top list of books that have influenced you to be at the point where you now are in your life? For me so far it would have to be Awaken The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins, Crisis of Conscience/In Search of Christian Freedom by Ray Franz and Understanding Cults and Mind Control by Steve Hassan.
sweet pea
JoinedPosts by sweet pea
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Recommended Reading
by sweet pea inwhat would be your top list of books that have influenced you to be at the point where you now are in your life?
for me so far it would have to be awaken the giant within by anthony robbins, crisis of conscience/in search of christian freedom by ray franz and understanding cults and mind control by steve hassan.
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What Was Your Social Life Like As A Witness?
by minimus inmy (ex)wife and i asssociated with a few other couples and was considered "popular".
how was your social life?
did you have much of one?
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sweet pea
Growing up as a witness in a congregation with no peers the same age, most of my friends were dotted around the circuit and so social events tended to be all over the place. Once I could drive it was a lot easier to have a more active social life but the petrol!! I always used to think people were a bit sad having to travel anything up to 100 miles to go to a party, I could never be bothered to go that far. When I eventually got married our social life became that of a couple's and we tended to socialise with a few other couples and be invited to congregation events but sadly, we invited many from the hall for meals and association but it was rarely reciprocated, either they secretly didn't like us, felt we weren't "spiritual" enough or were intimidated by our house and cooking! Who knows?! Kids came along and that naturally changes things for a while but due to our recent decision to leave people are avoiding us altogether, so our social life as witnesses has dropped off the cliff. However, I always had a couple of good friends who weren't witnesses and this has made leaving a little easier. I am very sad to find out that these friendships have been conditional but know that most JW friends are under mind control so it's almost not their fault. Advice to lurkers? Make as many friends as you need NOW to help make the break easier when you do go. Friendships of 30 odd years can be replaced but it takes a serious amount of time and effort. It is so refreshing though to have friends that truly accept you for who you are and not for what you believe. I do feel though that even if JW friends don't cut us off it will be very hard to stay close due to the differences in beliefs, it's inevitable as they cannot be 100pc honest relationships and who wants to feel restricted in their speech with one's best mates?
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New Stupid Assembly Rules
by WTWizard ini have heard on this discussion board numerous rules that apply to upcoming a$$emblies.
some are designed to stop people from meeting the opposite sex; others, to make sure everyone is always ready to recruit new members into the scam.
i heard that some km inserts have been urging those whose congregation has cleaning assignments to sit in the section that they are assigned to clean.
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sweet pea
It's all very sad - I am sooooooo pleased that I will not be attending this year for the first time in 36 years - hoorah!
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Can someone answer this for me re Anti D
by fifi40 ini have just been reading minimus thread about jws tight to practice their religion and there was a lot of talk about blood transfusions.. so something i could never fully understand is the anti d immunoglobulin injection which is given to rh negative mothers during and after pregnancy.
i am rh neg and i received this after each pregnancy and was led to believe it was a conscience matter, and yet it is made from blood collected by human blood donors............was i wrong to have it (to clarify i was a jw at the time)............was it a matter of conscience....and if so what is the difference between that and a blood transfusion, if they both come from other humans blood.. fi.
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sweet pea
Hi Fi - I was in the same position as you. With my first child a sister kindly looked out a QFR that said it was definitely a conscience matter but that if one's conscience forbid it then one should seriously consider not having anymore children - well we didn't want to stop at one child so I went ahead and had the injection (but only after my baby was born, not at 28 and 32 weeks as has become the practice now). After my second child, who again was a Rhesus positive baby I went for it again. It's perfectly fine. Don't give it another thought. Hope all is well with your bambinos.
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Why are works of the law so important to the WTS?
by RULES & REGULATIONS inpaul states in galatians 2:16,. .
"knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of jesus christ, even we have believed in jesus christ, that we might be justified by the faith of christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.
did you ever wonder if you were just an employee of the wts?
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sweet pea
Because they've changed all the scriptures that say "believe in the Christ and you will be saved" to "EXERCISE FAITH in Jesus and you will be saved" and so they have to have a whole load of burdensome works to make you feel like you're exercising faith!!
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One To Get Them Thinking...
by sweet pea inbesty and i told my best friend last night we had decided to stop going to the meetings (mainly due to exhaustion/heart not in it/few organsiational issues in the news had bothered us etc, etc).
she was disappointed but felt that we should do what's right for us - she would only have a problem with us if we went down the 'apostate route'!
further into the brief discussion we had besty asked her a classic "how would you know if jehovah's spirit had been withdrawn from the organisation" - she thought about it for a moment and concluded that zero growth would possible be a sign - we didn't have the heart to tell her that taking into account the drop out rate/population growth that that is precisely where the borg is right now!!
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sweet pea
Besty and I told my best friend last night we had decided to stop going to the meetings (mainly due to exhaustion/heart not in it/few organsiational issues in the news had bothered us etc, etc). She was disappointed but felt that we should do what's right for us - she would only have a problem with us if we went down the 'apostate route'! Further into the brief discussion we had Besty asked her a classic "HOW WOULD YOU KNOW IF JEHOVAH'S SPIRIT HAD BEEN WITHDRAWN FROM THE ORGANISATION" - She thought about it for a moment and concluded that zero growth would possible be a sign - we didn't have the heart to tell her that taking into account the drop out rate/population growth that that is precisely where the Borg is right now!! Besty and I reckon that we should all be asking our nearest and dearest this innocuous, thought provoking question. Up for the challenge?
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My email to the congo....
by truthsetsonefree innow that the time has past i can give up the surprise that i sprung on the elders before my da'ing announcement.
i emailed the entire congregation!
or at least as many addresses that i had which was most of those who use email.
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sweet pea
I think that most people will totally shut down their reasoning processes and label you an apostate for ever more with this act, however, you've done it now and it was the right thing for you to do, your motives are only good. It's just such a shame that this cult doesn't allow people to use their minds and even their gut feeling is smothered. On the positive side though you really never know what seeds it will plant and I have just contacted someone who wrote me a similar letter some 12 years ago so never lose hope, you may be a lifeline to someone one day.
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Does Anybody Read The Bible Here Anymore???
by minimus ini don't.
it's not that i won't.
funny thing, is i've collected over 100 different bible versions and translations..
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sweet pea
Yes, I still believe if everyone lived by Jesus' commandments, the world would be a better place and I think it's a good standard to raise your kids by. I've recently acquired a Life Application NIV study bible and the commentary is excellent. My favourite translation is the living bible and I also have a Good News Bible and one NWT for ol' times sake (just to check out how the Borg has mislead us!).
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Elders and their wives/families
by sweet pea ini used to wonder just how did elders and wives cope with all that the borg demanded from them (late meetings after the meetings, shepherding, attending/items at assemblies, ministry etc, etc)- did you guys ever feel resentful or sad that you weren't spending more time with your soul mate/family?
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sweet pea
I used to wonder just how did elders and wives cope with all that the Borg demanded from them (late meetings after the meetings, shepherding, attending/items at assemblies, ministry etc, etc)- did you guys ever feel resentful or sad that you weren't spending more time with your soul mate/family?
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What is the best thing you have done since leaving the truth?
by mtsgrad inas a fader i felt delighted at clinking glasses at a pub.
it may seem trivial but it meant a lot to me.
what is the best thing you have done since leaving the truth?.
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sweet pea
So far, throwing a birthday party for my son!! and going to his little mates parties as well - what lovely worldly friends we are making! :-)