Posts by tartarus

63

You know, I've yet to meet a JW who can explain this

by Lady Zombie in

i know that has probably been covered ad infinitum on jwd.

so...... if jehovah is omnipotent, then there is nothing he can't do and nothing he doesn't know.. and, according to jws (as well as most other religions), god is love.

therefore he had to have known, even before creating all of creation, what would happen.

tartarus

Ah-h! The mysteries of life. Who knows? The Governing Body of course. They are the channel.

23

I won't be around very much longer.......................

by Warlock in

jw
friends

things are so expensive, that, i no longer eat and i no longer drive.. i won't be around very much longer............................................. warlock .

The head of Russian state-owned oil giant Gazprom recently was quoted as saying the price of oil may go up as high as 250 a barrel. I think he's nuts. That didn't make the news in the western media.

The Russian state loves the extra cash it gets, but the situation is getting from bad to worse for millions of ordinary Russians. All those state billions of revenue drive up inflation. Ordinary Russians pay gas prices as high or higher than Canadians, while the salaries aren't even closely matched. Prices for food already went up because of higher transport costs.

Saudi Arabia - second biggest exporter of oil in the world has probably made a deal with the Russians not to increase production. It was Saudi cheap oil (at 5$ a barrel versus 17$ in Siberia) that contributed to the fall of Soviet Union. That's the real reason we had cheap gas for years - the russkies and the saudies weren't buddy-buddy with each other after Afghanistan. The era of cheap oil is over. Everyone get on a cheap Chinese bike and pedal.

36

Unrealized hopes and dreams - crappy reality of life

by tartarus in

i am thankful to jehovah's witnesses who taught me the bible.

i still believe it is the word of god.

i have studied other spiritual traditions and have compared different teachings and haven't found one that gives such a positive outlook on the future.

tartarus

I've done some of reading on psychology. Explored my sexuality when I left first time. Poked into all the major spiritual traditions, including my own Eastern orthodox and Slavic pagan origins. I still came back. I don't know what trapped me. Maybe the difference was Jah the omnipotent. I still believe in him and talk to him. Whatever helps I guess.

What ruffles my feathers is the "You're either with us or against us". No middle ground. A Russian acquaintance of mine once remarked that Witnesses were just like Communists. He laughed at me, he said even their songs sound like old Communist marches we were made to sing as kids in school. Ironically, the youth wing of the communist party were called pioneers. We all had to be in it. When I first heard some witnesses were called pioneers ( the same word in Russian) a chill went down my spine. I had to check what it meant originally in the dictionary.

"March, together, shoulder to shoulder, united, joyful, praise, communist party( governing body) our leader" - lol, all familiar buzzwords for someone who grew under the totalitarian system. I was offended at the time. Now I think he was totally right. Same mind control, same dream of paradise in a commune of happy people working shoulder to shoulder toward a common goal. What could be more dignified? We saw what happened with Soviet giant with clay feet. The Soviet Union contrary to what some in the West delude themselves with was not defeated, it was brought down by the apathy of the people living in it. They gave up and stopped caring about life 'cause life wasn't improving - work absenteeism, alcoholism, and total despair for the future - that was our crappy reality. So different from the slogans plastered all over. Russians cannot be defeated by anyone else but themselves - they've proven it throughout history beating out pretty much all invaders - Mongols, Napoleon, Swedes, Turks, Hitler and soon the yankees too (lol, sorry my american friends it's a joke). I hope the Watchtower's mindcontrol will crumble just like Soviet state - from apathy and futility of fighting for that elusive paradise waiting around the corner. If Jehovah is really "creating something new" I'll believe it when I see it. Then we'll talk committment.

263

Growing up a gay Jehovah's Witness (My Life Story)

by m0nk3y in

i feel the need to express how i feel and felt about my life as a gay man.

i was brought up from birth as a jehovahs witness.

this has played a major part in my life and it has been a real struggle to get past.

tartarus

Mysterious, appreciate your input. I disagree with you - books can and do change people. What we find here on this site is not a book and yet it changes peeps for good. What you read/input into your brain can and does change you. Can't deny it, dude. I merely want to know if there are those out there who have actually read the book by Nicolosi and whether it had any impact on how they view themselves and their family situation growing up. It certainly had an effect on me. Explaining family dynamics that contribute to homosexuality. I certainly saw it in my family just as was laid out in the book . As I explained I'm probably bi as I had a lot more sushi in my life than gay sex. As you see it's not as clear cut as you present it. Your choice maybe clear to you, but others struggle with theirs still. I want to know if people's minds have been affected at all by Nicolosi's research if at all.

I don't contest that gays have a future, we all have our own .

I'm reminded of Phoebe Bouffe's song from "Friends" :"...and then there are bisexuals, but some say they're just kidding themselves". lol

65

The year the end finally came: the YEAR OF THE BIG LIE

by Terry in

you have to understand three things to comprehend the significance of 1975.. 1975 was the end of the watchtower society as we who lived in the 50's and 60's once knew it.

it would forever change because it was exposed for all the world to see as a group of liars and deceived dupes.. it all began with a baptist farmer named william miller who sat down with only his bible and a concordance and a crackpot idea that a .

a "day for a year" and the gentile times meant something profound which would effect his own day and time.

tartarus

It still escapes me how the scripture where it says that no one, not even Jesus himself knows the exact day and hour wasnt considered. I guess they were just in a hurry to see all those people die in a fiery hell, they missed that simple point. Now after so many failed predictions it's no wonder that they used that exact scripture to justify their failed attempt what not even the Son of Man knows. Never an apology, notice. This reminds me of living under communism in Soviet Union. Communist paradise is just around the corner we were told. How did my family fall into the same trap again? Oh wait, I know, they said they were God's only channel and Jah can't lie. Now it makes sense ! Man-made crap, just like communist utopia !

44

Do you believe in Ghosts?

by Thechickennest in

jw
friends

just curious.....what is your feelings post witness about the super natural?

tartarus

Both angels and the other kind. Had an experience when some one touched me and lead me. Actually led me all the way back to the Kingdom Hall when I prayed to be returned to the flock. But it hasn't happened again though, too bad. I felt I was lead by the hand of the Almighty Jah. I might have been psychotic though too. Could have been those antidepressants I overdosed on a week earlier still in my system. Definitely felt evil spirit presence in my life at some points. Especially when I sparked a reefer. At times smoking a joint was an uplifting and spiritual experience however, sort of like being close to Jah, Ya man, fuh real, Can't smoke anymore though as it empies the fridge in one night and makes me psychotic. I believe in ghosts and angels.

36

Unrealized hopes and dreams - crappy reality of life

by tartarus in

i am thankful to jehovah's witnesses who taught me the bible.

i still believe it is the word of god.

i have studied other spiritual traditions and have compared different teachings and haven't found one that gives such a positive outlook on the future.

tartarus

Thanks for your kind words of support and wisdom y'all. I was never much of a preacher to be honest. I found the preaching more of a public display of pretend righteousness and an exercise in futility. I liked talking and sharing the Bible informally or referring to some Bible history fact in casual conversations so as not to annoy people needlessly early weekend morning. I loved the Bible's message of paradise. I grew up without a dad so Jah become the real father figure I never had. Moving on is sure hard. I've been back and forth before. I don't think I'll come back this time.

263

Growing up a gay Jehovah's Witness (My Life Story)

by m0nk3y in

i feel the need to express how i feel and felt about my life as a gay man.

i was brought up from birth as a jehovahs witness.

this has played a major part in my life and it has been a real struggle to get past.

tartarus

Thank you for story monkey. I feel for you. I've struggled with being attracted to men and still do sometimes. I've lived the gay lifestyle had a boyfriend and all and gave it up. I'm not a practicing Jehovah's Witness at present but I was on and off for a while. I think it's really the reward of everlasting life and the possibility of "being cured" of homosexuality in the future paradise that can attract a gay man to the Witnesses teachings. Having a normal life, family, kids, being a daddy, having a future like the majority around us.

I was more bi than gay to be correct. The gay thing wasn't me though. I found it to be a depressing and lonely experience devoid of anything close to spirituality I had while I was a practising Christian JW. Maybe I was wrong , I don't know. Time will tell whether I was right or wrong to abandon it. Joseph Nicolosi's book "Reparative Therapy of Male Homosexuality" helped me sort out some of this sex confusion I had. I wonder if you, monkey or anyone else had the opportunity to read it and if you have what's your take on it?

P.S. some of his research is at www.narth.com

53

The Friends Ain't So Friendly

by StAnn in

jw
friends

i've been thinking.

a lot of posts i read here say things about how the jws are all victims; how people feel so sorry for them; how people believe that the jws they know are really good people who are trapped in a lie.

then i read a lot of other posts about the cruel things the jws do, like shunning, ignoring df'd people on the side of the road with a flat tire, refusing to be charitable to their fellow humans, delighting at the impending deaths of millions of people, and blaming all of their coldness and heartlessness on the fact that they're just following orders from the gb.

tartarus

wasn't there a Simpson's episode about that? Them buzzing each other at a shrink's office, what a loving family.

36

Unrealized hopes and dreams - crappy reality of life

by tartarus in

i am thankful to jehovah's witnesses who taught me the bible.

i still believe it is the word of god.

i have studied other spiritual traditions and have compared different teachings and haven't found one that gives such a positive outlook on the future.

tartarus

I am thankful to Jehovah's witnesses who taught me the Bible. I still believe it is the word of God. I have studied other spiritual traditions and have compared different teachings and haven't found one that gives such a positive outlook on the future. You have to admit its an attractive sales pitch the Bible makes. However, I have a problem with the conditions, the fine print, the details. And devil is in the details as we know. I have been through the lowly lows of life so many times that I didn't want to live at all. Nevermind living forever. Paradise life wasn't even in the picture. At this point in my life I find myself still praying, hoping and wishing for it, but not really believing it will ever be here. All the signs are there on the world stage, life is getting harder (especially if you're uneducated witness with no employable skills like me). I'm interested in knowing how others are finding their life without the possibility of living forever (or still believing it'll happen anyways in some distant future). And how do you deal with the present reality without having the Watchtower as a support system if you're out or on the way out (or still attending, but tired of "waiting of Jehovah" to solve all your problems)?

Maybe it's too much for one post. I'm finding it hard to move on. Having come back once, I'm not inspired by the growth (only the poor and the immigrants seem to show any interest at all) or the conditions under which the watchtower "allows" us to exercise our christian freedom. Those who do well in life are really content with the present and don't care about the world's future, just their own. I wish I had in past showed the same attitude that I once condemned - live for the present and not worry too much about what will happen hundred years from now (humans don't live this long anyways). Has this worked well for those of you who have left years (decades) ago? Do you still miss "the dream" that you once yourself pitched to others as the solution to all their problems?