Welcome to the board. There are many people here who can relate to your story. There are many in different stages of realizing the truth about the Truth, some faded out gradually, some disfellowshipped and some still active. Please enjoy the complete freedom to express your thoughts and ask questions. This be the place!
whoknows
JoinedPosts by whoknows
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49
New "apostate" here! Recent WT study- 'We may ask you to do something that may not understand' (basically- DO IT)
by 20+wastedYRS ini will get to the big shocker that i read within the last year or two in a wt study article, so please bear with me... i am new to this forum and have been reading postings for several days now, and can relate totally to many of the issues that many ex-jw have.
i was raised "around" the truth and although my parents were never "dipped", they wouldn't allow us to celebrate holidays or stand for natl anthem (not that i care now).
so i basically had many of the pressures and stress that witness kids had growing up, but with no spiritual support, as we attended only a handful of meetings while my parents studied when i was 5or6.
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The disconnect effect
by truthseeker inthis is kind of hard to put into words.
i have faded for over a year now and have moved on with my new life.. i still have friends and family who are jws that i care for very much.
i don't say anything to them about jws and they don't know i no longer believe and miss meetings.. i am in contact with them because they are nice people even though they would shun me in a heartbeat if they found out about me - but - this is where it gets tricky.... i find the more things i do that are in opposition to jw rules and regulations, nothing bad mind you, the more disconnect i feel towards my jw relatives and friends.
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whoknows
My husband and I were fading for two years and during that time we had a few social encounters with jws who didn't seem to know that we no longer believed. They spoke to us like we were in the club. I found it extremely uncomfortable. I just could not longer handle the secret code language and holier than thou attitude towards the rest of humankind. Now we are df'd - so no problem!
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A question for all ex jws AND JW's here, btw I'm new too
by EndofMysteries inso far quite dissappointed from what i've seen.
this is very very important, first i"ll address the non/ex jw then i'll address the jw's (jw's scroll down if don't wanna see the first part).
i see so many who have concluded that it was not 'god inspired', a lot of what is being done, and their conscience told them that many things conflicted with jesus teachings and the bible.
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whoknows
It was reading the Greek Scriptures (or New Testament) with an Interlinear translation, Wycliff Bible Commentary, bible dictionary and a few other translations of the Bible that caused me to come to the conclusion that what was taught as "true Christianity" at the Kingdom Hall had very little in common with what is taught in the Bible.
Just a few thoughts:
Jesus said:
"call no man leader, for one is your leader"
"No one can come to the father except through ME" (not a man made organization that claims that only through association with them can salvation be had)
Jesus said (to paraphrase) "If they tell you I am in the mountains (invisible) DO NOT BELIEVE THEM". Jesus taught that when he returned EVERYONE would see it.
The book of James that we were hit over the head with so often at meetings (faith without works is dead) is about CHARITY - material giving to those in need! What if Jesus really meant what he said when he said if you feed the hungry, take care of the sick, etc. you are doing so to me?? Those charitable works are the ones that the evil churches are accomplishing, not Jehovah's Witnesses.
Consider that the whole tone of the NT is that salvation comes only through faith in Jesus, you can't earn it, it is a gift. Men cannot give it.
By the way, I left two and one-half years ago after much study and contemplation, and I am still married to the same man for 36 years and I am basically the same person I always was - except that now I do not believe that the way to solve the earth's problems is to slaughter 6 BILLION men, women, children and babies.
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"To Verdener" DVD: Now available at a Blockbuster store near you?
by inkling inif anyone has yet to see the excellent danish jw-themed film .
"to verdener" ("worlds apart"), check your local blockbuster!
last time i was in there, i saw the dvd on the shelf, with a .
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whoknows
I agree with OTWO - it won't win the best picture academy award, but it is totally worth seeing and sharing with ex-jws and any jws that are open minded enough to watch it. There is SO much to identify with and so many cultish aspects of the WTS that are undeniable. I'm calling Blockbuster right now.
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Evil lying Manipulators OR Captive Duped Slaves Duping Others (or some of both)?
by OnTheWayOut ini see many threads that address this issue, but i still don't have a clear thought on this.
so i want your help.. the governing body misleads the members- no doubt.
they do change some of their history to make the wt organization look smarter or better-guided by "jehovah.
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whoknows
Amazing information - bttt
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Worlds Apart
by Dagney inoh man!
my g/f said she saw it on the sundance channel last night!!.
http://www.sundancechannel.com/films/500535524.
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whoknows
I saw it when it first came on Sundance Channel and I highly recommend it. Considering the cultural and language difference, I think it is pretty realistic. It is the most sophisticated anti-witness movie I have seen. Well, the only one that I have seen. The characters are sympathetic and attractive. For me it was mesmerizing. It was Denmark's submission to the Academy for best foreign film, but they didn't get the nomination. It is only available in European DVD format, if anyone knows how to get it for use in the US, I would love to know how.
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Emailed Talk From Governing Body Member Last Weekend
by tryingtoexit inwhat's good a-ebody??
just thought i'd share this email with yall real quick.
it still amazes me that i was a jehovah's witness for 27 years and never thought twice about these types of talks other than i need to make sure my act is together when the end comes, and now i can't even read/hear it without getting mad.
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whoknows
I can smell the fire and sulphur right now.
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Hi, Im newly out
by carpediem innice to be here and look forward to meeting you all.
i made a very sudden exit from 'the lie' approx 5 months ago.
was going to try and slowly fade but couldnt do it.
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whoknows
Welcome. It is nice to begin using your mind again, isn't it? Enjoy your freedom from the "lie". (I like that)
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90
Farkel Writes a Book?
by Farkel inseveral years ago i was contacted by a well-known (actually famous and well-published) professor from the university of california at san diego and we had lunch.
he bought lunch.
doesn't everyone write books to make a whole big bunch of money?.
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whoknows
I'm still waiting for the book too! You promised!!! I laugh out loud at everyone of your posts - I love the semi-serious ones, the totally sarcastic ones and little snippy ones, now stop whining and write the damn book!!!
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How Can an Elder Fade Successfully?
by tjlibre inim working on my exit strategy out of the watchtower org.
ive set my mind to be out by the end of 2010 or mid 2011. .
id like to avoid getting df and disassociating my self is also an undesirable option.
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whoknows
I can tell you one thing NOT to do if you really want to fade. Do not speak about your doubts to any of your friends, even your closest friends. The gossip gets started fast that you have apostate ideas. It didn't help that my husband was an elder for 26 years and in the same area. Two years after becoming inactive and having no contact with our former JW friends, we were df'd for apostacy. You can always fight that accusation, we just chose not to, declined to attend our judicial meeting and told them to do what they were told to do.