Posts by RollerDave

54

Finding Faith

by Ima Apostate in

how many of you ex-jw kids were able to believe in mainstream christianity after leaving the borg?

within the last year, i have opened up to getting to know god again.

what's funny is that when i prayed for truth and to know god, i knew and had a real feeling in my heart that i was getting closer to something real, but there was still a voice going, "hey, it's me jehovah, and you have rejected me!".

RollerDave

Trev,

I have no intention of getting dragged into a long and pointless debate with you.

Suffice it to say, I believe the preponderance of the evidence I recognize as being valid and am aware of supports my belief that there exists an originating force, I call that force "God."

This is entirely in line with the question posed by the OP

I don't mind answering questions about my faith from time to time when asked in a way I don't object to; But you sir, come off as being "contentious" and I left that behind in the Kingdumb Hell.

Got none for you.

Plus, it's not as if I care.

RD

32

A Touching Heartfelt Experience at The ATM Machine!

by caliber in

a touching heartfelt experience at the atm machine!.

it was a very touching experience that i had this last weekend at the atm machine.

it was about half an hour discussion but what follows is the highlights that i remember most vividly.. it begins with a once a upon a time pioneer partner of my wife (h4o) coming in to the atm.. jw says....how are things going?

RollerDave

AWESOME!

Can I be your brother too? I've run out of brothers of late.

RD

14

JW relatives....ughh

by milligal in

i'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this (sorry it's kind of long): both my husband and i are df'd.

both our families are active witnesses.

his family has decided to shun us 150% (you know what i mean, no phone calls even when you're dying).

RollerDave

I find that they can be absolutely GODLIKE at rationalization.

In good standing and things go well = "You have Jehovah's Blessing!"
In good standing and things go bad = "Satan is testing you"

In The World and things go well = "Satan takes care of his own!"
In The World and things go bad = "You've lost Jehovah's protection"

Oddly enough, the only member of my family that treats me as if I were a human being instead of a stain on the floor is the wife of a PO.

Although, after my mother went through a medical crisis recently and had to undergo surgery, they did make a full-court press attempt at wooing me back.

All the while my mom lies there barely alive because of the blood policy.

No thanks. Good on you for drawing that line, you know what's right and do it!

Kudos!

RD

51

I think I just need to tell the story to someone who will get it?

by aimless in

hi everyone, im new.

i've been feeling a burden on myself for the years that i have been out and i just don't know how to ease it.

i can't talk about the organization or the people in it to anyone... if i try i immediately feel sick and want to close up and just disappear.

RollerDave

Hey Aimless,

Welcome to JWD.

Another great read you might want to consider is "Captives of a Concept" by Don Cameron.

Don't rent too much space in your head to those who failed you in the past, clear out that space for yourself and who you want to be.

$th grade, really. I'm surprised there isn't a "hanging out in playgrounds with candy" ministry these "people" are such predators.

Good riddance to bad rubbish, and congrats on getting out and finding love.

RD

56

What's the BEST thing about being "out" of the "truth"?

by B_Deserter in

for me, it's having friends that i don't have to hide my lack of meeting attendance/service from.

it's amazing how they teach you that only jws can be your real friends, but in reality, it's all contingent upon your religious "performance.

" sure, if you're not going to meetings, they'll try to be "friends," by encouraging you to go back.

RollerDave

Letting go of "US vs THEM" mentality was a big one for me.

also not HAVING to discuss religion all the time. I can now just tell someone to bugger off instead of having to bring them around.

Yay.

RD

40

hi newbie to this great place

by freespirit67 in

sorry this has turned out longer than i thought.anyway i lived the life of a single mother fell away from the organisation,and eventually met a (worldly) guy who is the most loving guy i have ever met,my best friend,lover and soulmate.i was disfellowshipped 4 months ago because we live with each other and plan to get married in september,unacceptable to the society hence my disfellowshipping.it has broke my mum and dads heart and im so so sorry for this,i love them so much,but no longer want or believe in the jw beliefs.

i still believe in god but dont know where im bound as regards my faith,i really do want to have something.

apart from my mum and dad and the shunning arrangement im so happy,the happiest i have ever been in years,and my 2 youngest ones are happy as well..my eldest daughter is 16 and planning on getting baptised in july which is tearing me apart,she is so like me,but is being brainwashed by a certain crowd of witnesses,need i say anymore...my eldest son who is 18 isnt in the truth and feels the same way i do... anyway thanks for this forum and hope to hear from likeminded friends soon.

RollerDave

Welcome to JWD!

Never mind the mess, it's hard to get a window washer in here. Something about "bad association."

RD

49

Long list= Brothers who have ripped you off! $$$ has this happened to you?

by Witness 007 in

1. the elder i was in a bissness with decided a hand shake was not a contract, and paid me $500 dollars instead of the $3,000 he should have....i felt so stupid, but quit with him and treated him like a disfellowshiped person since....also he would pay me half a days wage when i worked from 8am till 3pm ???????

when told about this he said sorry but "couldn't work out how to re-emburse the lost hours.".

2. my elderly mum sold some furniture when moving, to a sister who promised to pay from her single parent pension in small installments........nope!

RollerDave

Drew Kabanuk.

Slumlord Extraordinaire, false witness under oath, closet birthday celebrator, but moves around a lot so no particular body of elders thinks they can act on him even if they DID believe non-baptized persons over such a fine upstanding pile of puke.

Oh, ditto for his worthless mother Donna.

I am well rid of such "christian" association.

Can ya feel the Love?

RD

54

Finding Faith

by Ima Apostate in

how many of you ex-jw kids were able to believe in mainstream christianity after leaving the borg?

within the last year, i have opened up to getting to know god again.

what's funny is that when i prayed for truth and to know god, i knew and had a real feeling in my heart that i was getting closer to something real, but there was still a voice going, "hey, it's me jehovah, and you have rejected me!".

RollerDave

Wow.

Now I remember why I don't post so much anymore.

Who has the energy to parry and defend against the constant onslaught of atheism on this board.

I admire Burn for putting forth the effort, but I am no longer up to the task.

I kinda find it similar that the JW's load the language by calling their particular belief system "the Truth" and atheists try to lay claim to the term "reason."

As if no "reasonable" person could have faith. Then they talk out of the other side of their mouth and say they are happy for you that you've found something that works for you, but the condescension shows through.

It's a bigotry of talking in normative form. very discouraging and intolerant, but I digress.

I have faith, but no religion. I am somewhat distrustful of man made organizations after escaping the B0rgtower. Like you, I was never dunked so they have to find their own individual reasons to shun me.

I don't make it very difficult for them.

I have lately been opening up to holidays and beliefs I once found intolerable and I certainly have this board to thank for that.

I think my SO, Becky might like to attend a church and think that maybe, at long last, I might be ready for it.

I don't know though, it is possible that thanks to my JW upbringing, I may never feel truly at home anywhere.

RD

23

The problems with my JW family

by Ima Apostate in

this may be a rare thing on this board, don't know, because this is my first post, but i was raised jw and officially 'checked out', in my own mind, at 14 or so, because it just didn't make sense that god would destroy so many good people who are wholeheartedly trying their best to please him and worship him in truth.

i actually did not pray or give god a passing thought for 12 years or so because the god i had been raised to know was no one i wanted to worship.

but here in the past year something brought me around to him.

RollerDave

Welcome Ima!

I'm sorry you had that experience and that your dad failed you so miserably.

It is a very good thing that you are able to protect your young ones from his poisonous mentality.

I'm also glad you were able to rediscover faith. Don't let anybody take that away from you.

Not posting much, but still here,

RD

25

the unabashed aggression of Scientology

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

the unabashed aggression of scientology.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocw90w44boc&feature=related.

you think ex-jws being shunned is bad.... there are bigger things out there!.

RollerDave

Official Scientology teaching is that if someone opposes L Ron's tech, they are by default a criminal.

The mantra "what are your crimes" is spouted at opposers because if they commit the 'crime' of being a suppressive person they undoubtedly have other crimes.

Just think back to the stuff Tom Cruise said, "when you get tired of being a criminal" come to a scientologist and learn.

If you want to know how much worse the scientologists are than the JW's, go visit 'operation clambake' or wiki 'operation freakout' or 'paulette cooper'

It is a truly bizarre world we live in.

RD