Posts by felix a

36

What do you think of Seeker (good or bad)?

by Seeker in

jw
friends

reading farkel's thoughts about being called names, and remembering my own discouragement about the same thing, and thinking about all the posts recently decrying the fighting and bad language, i'm curious to know how my "seeker" persona is perceived here.

i know i have fought with some, made friends with others, so how i am perceived will be varied.

i want to know it all, the good, the bad, the ugly.

felix a

Seeker,

I'll sound off here as well.

I like the person I've come to know through the persona of Seeker. I like the person called Seeker from H20, I like the person called Seeker that I know now and I would venture to say that my opinion will stay the same for some time to come.

Your posts have always reflected someone whom I believe is balanced, intelligent, articulate and thoughtful.

How's that for a love fest to your ego? [8>]

As for your toes being to big... I'm not sure I want to go there.

Cheers and have a great weekend.

David P

20

A Chinese Meal with Fred Franz

by VM44 in

jw
friends

near the beginning of the book, "the orwellian world of jehovah's.

witnesses," one of the authors gives a personal experience where.

he and others were treated by fred franz to a meal at a chinese.

felix a

Some of those Bethelites have money going in, and since their living expenses then drop to nil, they can afford to lease a Lexus if they want to.

Seeker, you are right, some of those who've entered Bethel have come in with a few bucks.

I remember one bro who was making over a hundred "G" a year back in 1984-85 when he and his wife arrived at the house. Had a couple homes and who knows what else. He was pretty well of especially in the eyes of us young buck's who had nothing...

I knew a few guy's in recent years who were day traders in the stock and commodities markets as well before Bethel and they just kept on playing while they were in the house. One of the guys was pulling down very, very serious money doing this.

He was also very generous to his friends and he did try to keep his finacial situation very low key, much to his credit.

Regards,

David P

18

Do Majority of exJWs remain Christians?

by Ray Skyhorse in

jw
friends

do the majority of exjws retain a christian faith after leaving the borg?

does the majority of exjws continue studying the bible on their own or join a new christian group that's less rigid than the jws?

or does the majority say to hell with christianity?.

felix a

Ray Skyhorse,

You asked the following.

"Do the majority of exJWs retain a Christian faith after leaving the Borg? Does the majority of exJWs continue studying the bible on their own or join a new Christian group that's less rigid than the JWs? Or does the majority say to hell with Christianity?"

My personal path away from the JW religion initially maintained a belief in the bible and the Christian faith. However, as I questioned the beliefs that I had held and preached for several decades, I also found myself investigating and questioning the foundation of those beliefs as well. The end result, I no longer hold to a belief founded on the Bible or in the Christian faith.

I understand and can appreciate that philosophically and logically the default position is atheism, that there is no god or GOD, your choice. On this score I have not made up my mind. The questioning continues. If there is a creator I do not believe that it is a being that resembles the God of the bible, unless of course you mean the God that in fact shows very little concern or interest in the welfare of individuals.

I do have leanings toward a belief that there is a first cause, or creator that provided the initial guidance in the creation of our universe. I don?t think we receive any more attention from this creator, than we give to the single cell organisms that share our world with us. As with all things in my life my views and understanding of things along with my opinions are up for review and change

I enjoy and appreciate hearing and reading well-reasoned views and opinions of others beliefs, but I am more concerned with how I live my life and how their beliefs cause them to live their life. Being converted or converting someone to my views, debating the esoteric points of scripture hold very little interest to me and this will probably remain that way for some time to come?

Regards,

David P.

:: The more I learn, the less I know.

3

Anyone read Orwellian World Of Jehovahs Witnesses?

by NikL in

jw
friends

the first "apostate book i read was "the orwellian world of jehovahs witnesses".

i found it in my local librairy and covertly checked it out.

it was a very interesting read.

felix a

NiKl

I've read both the Orwellian World Of Jehovahs Witnesses & Fundemental Freedoms & Jehovah's Witnesses by the Bottingtons. I actually have both of them in my library. I found them to be well written and informative and very, very fair towards the JW's as a critic of the religion.

Off the top of my head there's not much more I can say without pulling the books off the shelf.

Regards,
David P

28

A Question for You

by individuals wife in

jw
friends

just a couple of quick questions, the first directed at exjws - could you ever see any reason for you to return to the organisation?

what would have to happen for you to return?

under what circumstances would you ever go back?

felix a

Why this double posted I have no idea... What was the second one has now been deleted or should I say editied out of existence...

felix a

28

A Question for You

by individuals wife in

jw
friends

just a couple of quick questions, the first directed at exjws - could you ever see any reason for you to return to the organisation?

what would have to happen for you to return?

under what circumstances would you ever go back?

felix a

- could you ever see any reason for you to return to the organization? What would have to happen for you to return? Under what circumstances would you ever go back?

Like so many others who have responded to your post the answer is a resounding NO!!!

Here is a little bit of my reason why.

In my ministry as a witness I would tell people that I had been raised a Catholic, attended the Methodist church occasionally, and even gone to a Baptist private school ever so briefly as a youth. I would then share with them that as a result of what I learned from the bible thanks to Jehovah's Witnesses I had reached the conclusion that these religions could not be God's true religion. I would also regularly make the statement; "If they or anyone could show me from the bible what I believed was not in accord with God's word, then I would change my beliefs."

Well, no one I ever met in the ministry was ever able to do that. At least not in such a way as get through to me. So what made me change my mind about this religion I was raised in from my early teens on? I give credit to life experience, a need to know and truly be able to answer someone?s questions and a diet of near constant reading through my life. By my late twenties I had reached the conclusion that if the Watchtower could quote someone then I could read the source. So I started reading the likes of Bertrand Russell and others and you know what? I soon discovered a far broader range of thought and that the Watchtower frequently misquoted or should I say deceptively quoted these people they would use to support or brace their arguments with. The intellectual dishonesty and the sheer level of BULL SHIT that is organized religion will keep me from ever returning to the fold of "True Believers".

I can say that I do appreciate the sincerity of many that I know including family who are and will in all likelihood remain "True Believers" and Jehovah?s Witnesses. There are many very fine individuals within this religion, but good people do not make a thing true.

If there were any one thing I still miss it would be the friendships that I had. I would place a close second on the comfort of having an unquestioned belief in a God and a religion.

On the other hand, I would still enter a Kingdom Hall for the following reasons: a Wedding, a Funeral or some other familial duty and I would do it graciously.

I?m no longer a Witness, however I am also not disfellowshipped or disassociated. For me those last to points are irrelevant but I will make use of them if need be.

And finally, in order for me to go back as a "True Believer" I would have to have a direct communication from the God of the Witnesses telling me that I needed to go back.

Regards,

David P.

"Currently of the non-christian persuassion."

200

How Many States / Countrys Are Represented Here?

by Big Jim in

jw
friends

i am from houston texas myself.

felix a

Hi Waiting,

The Circe who replied to you is the same Circe you remember from H2O. And she is doing her damndest to get me to grow up... :)

It seems I should read what I write before posting it....

felix a

"If God were condemned to live the life which he has inflicted on men, He would kill Himself."

Alexander Dumas

200

How Many States / Countrys Are Represented Here?

by Big Jim in

jw
friends

i am from houston texas myself.

felix a

Currently living in SLC - Utah... Mormon country... Yeee Haaah!!!!!

Prior to this I was living back in Michigan where I grew up for about a year. And before Michigan I was in Brooklyn, NY for about 17 years.

David P

"If God were condemned to live the life which he has inflicted on men, He would kill Himself."

Alexander Dumas

79

What is G-JOBBING for Bethelites?????????

by JT in

jw
friends

had enough asked :.

if you haven't already related to us the experiences at bethel that you told to your mom-in-law, (or even if you already have told us) could you tell us about what you told her.....and...what is "g-jobbing" (sorry for my naivity) .

i didn't want to take away from sl post about his mother but i thought a little insight into the world of the bethelites would be interesting this am.

felix a

JT,

I think you sent me on a rant once before about our boy Jim Spencer and his G-Jobbing ways... From my friends who've been scammed by the man and the stories they tell he is hard pressed to be a live at all.

I agree that G-Jobbing is a high art form to an acomplished few with connections. While at the house I wasn't all that good at getting any of that outside work or those helpful donations. But I do know that I helped out a few folks from the paint & wallpaper crew after I left.

Had one set of bro's putting up some suede wallpaper in a NYC bar/restaurant that catered to a strictly gay clientel. If I remember right the two bro's made about $300 - 400 each for the day. Not bad pay for 1986.

See Ya,

David P

93

Position on College Changed?

by Maximus in

jw
friends

several have made outright statements and others have suggested that the society's negative position on higher education has changed.

'the society does not discourage higher education where i live.

' worse, 'apostates have made it all up--the society has never discouraged education.

felix a

Black Man,

If you grew up out in the Ann Arbor / Brighton area, it certainly became a little easier to go to college. Howell was a little to backwards or should I say a little more party line area. Though in the late 70's through the mid 80's it was tougher than now.

Drop me a note. Like JT said "We might know some of the same people". I figure between the house and having grown up out in Michigan we may have even met.

See Ya,

David P.