The more I hear urban legends (aka "experiences") the more I learn they are BS. This story either never happened, or it has so been changed as it's been told from person to person. What if the person 'returned' to avoid shunning by family, but still never believed? He is not 'happy with life'. What does this mean? I'm happy with life after leaving the JWs!
Robert7
JoinedPosts by Robert7
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51
I Was Offered A Bible Study By The Elders
by minimus in2 elders, the cobe and his sidekick, a former bethelite and a young ms (elder in waiting) stopped by my mom's home while i was visiting with her.
they were very congenial and eventually asked me if i got invited to the memorial and whether they could arrange a future visit with me and a possible study.
i thanked them and told them i appreciated their invitation but that i was going to "pass at this time" but thanked them for their concern.. they recited a "wonderful experience" about a young man that was raised in the "truth" but wanted out so he decided to go to asia where he could not be found by witnesses.
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If You Celebrated Lent What Would You Give Up For 3 Months?
by minimus ini can't think of anything i'd voluntarily give up..
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Robert7
Minimus, trust me, I tried giving up something I already hate, but my wife wouldn't allow that :) So beer won. I got screwed on that one :)
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If You Celebrated Lent What Would You Give Up For 3 Months?
by minimus ini can't think of anything i'd voluntarily give up..
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Robert7
My wife started a tradition of "secular lent" where we all give up something with the goal of improving our lives in some way (so it's completely NON-religious). So the fact it's Lent is just convenience, as we could have done this any time...
Anyway, my wife is giving up sugar (reasonably speaking) and I'm giving up beer. Both are quite difficult (I like beer), but not impossible, but that's the point. Both are empty calories, and when combined with our workout routines it will mean better health, and we will feel better.
I gave up beer for about 2 months last year with an improved workout, and lost 20 pounds in 2 months (and I'm not even overweight) so I hope I can do the same this time. Wish me luck!
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"9/11 was in fact....an Attack on Jehovah's Organization!!"
by RagingBull ingood day,.
this week is the super special week of activity with one of our favorite jw celebrities...the circuit overseer!!!.
in last night's talk, he gave sooooo much encouragement...just hearing him made me want to fall to my knees and worship him!
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Robert7
I agree that it's likely completely BS. This is just another one of the famous JW urban legends. Makes them feel special.
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When you read this sundays "Holy Spirit" Watchtower:
by Lore inmentally replace the word 'spirit' with 'magic'.
14 jehovah has equipped us to resist the spirit.
of the world.
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Robert7
We had a few elders and MS's that would ask for an extra portion of holy spirit. That NEVER made sense to me. Seemed so illogical to get an extra portion of something that is infinitie and all-powerful... dissonance at its best...
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I can't believe this
by truthseeker1969 inyou all know i was in the uk settling estate issues and that the elders 'wanted to chat with me".. well i left before they could have the meeting i arranged on my "free day".. they turned up at my mothers home and were livid that i had gone, but here is the kicker.. brother heavenly described me as a potential apostate for what i had done, which sent my brother over the edge and he demanded a retraction and apology which they quickly gave him.
he intends to speak with the co when he comes on the matter.. it gets better, elder ballbag actually said "apostates do more good for the congregation than they think.
they pull those who should not be part of the org and clean the congregation" .
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Robert7
"apostates do more good for the congregation than they think. They pull those who should not be part of the Org and clean the congregation"
It's all a numbers game, and nothing about the individual. So much for the lost sheep parable.
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Robert7
There were two occasions where my wife and I spoke to the elders about our doubts. In both cases they were the same 2 elders who knew us pretty well, and seemed on the fence themselves considering we didn't get DF'd or even talked to after my wife told them the following:
FIRST SHEPARDING CALL
When I told my wife I was no longer a JW, she very much still believed. So she asked 2 elders to stop by and address my concerns. I said the following, in a mild manner since I still was afraid of being DF'd at that time. Note at this time I was still on the fence and was genuinely hoping for some good answers, but I knew they wouldn't have any.
- I researched and printed out articles on some WT flip-flopped doctrines. I said how can I put 100% faith without question with new things coming out, if they changed in the past. I am forced to have to analyze everything since they don't have a great track record and cannot be trusted 100%.
- I brought up 1975.
- I brought up the UN scandal.
I had a few other things too... So their response "You need to research on your own why we need an organization". That's it! They pretty much avoided me since then. This did a LOT to open up my wife's mind... She had hoped these elders would open up my eyes, but they did nothing and had no answers!
SECOND SHEPARDING CALL
About 4 months after the previous visit, my wife herself was mentally out. So one evening the same two elders stopped by my house when I was out of town. She was very blunt and said exactly what was on her mind:
- She does not believe in the JW faith anymore
- She does not believe in any authority of the "Faithful and Discreet Slave" and doesn't believe they are spirit directed
- She said the JWs are a cult, that the JWs match 99% of the definition of a cult. (Their response was 'cults have ONE leader' therefore we're not a cult)
- The JWs being selected in 1919 was crap, and back then they believe Jesus already arrived in 1874
- There is no graceful exit from the JWw, that if they are going to DF her, she'll DA instead!
- There are many more other religions who preach, and do it MUCH more effectively, so JWs cannot say they are so special that they are the only ones doing the preaching work
- It's crap that you cannot investigate your own religion even though they tell others to do the same
- The book study change was BS since they always have said how IMPORTANT it is to meet in homes, to prepare for the tribulation, etc.
All this, and they again had no real answers. All the standard responses like "we need an organization", "look at the motives of anyone who has something negative", but not a single good answer.
So we were lucky. We easily could have been DF'd, and are glad we didn't only to keep association with the few family members still in.
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Did Jesus sacrifice really mean anything?
by highdose insuspending for a minute the realisation that it never happened and instead looking at it as a beliver would.... jesus had to endure a painful death, yes.
but he knew that he would only be dead for three days and that afterwards he would get reserected and be able to mind f**k around with those who had put him to death.
and then he would live for ever in a brand new body!
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Robert7
Highdose, I agree. I used to struggle with the value of Jesus' death. Really, he took a 3 day nap. How was this the ultimate gift for mankind? If you take the emotion out of all of this, the reality is that it's pretty insignificant in terms of the sacrifice. We even asked elders about this, and never really got any good answers in my opinion.
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Robert7
Saw a great article recently that is great advice for all of us: http://exposingthetruth.info/top-five-regrets-of-the-dying/
Top Five Regrets of The Dying
By Bronnie Ware on November 30, 2011
For many years I worked in palliative care. My patients were those who had gone home to die. Some incredibly special times were shared. I was with them for the last three to twelve weeks of their lives.
People grow a lot when they are faced with their own mortality. I learnt never to underestimate someone’s capacity for growth. Some changes were phenomenal. Each experienced a variety of emotions, as expected, denial, fear, anger, remorse, more denial and eventually acceptance. Every single patient found their peace before they departed though, every one of them.
When questioned about any regrets they had or anything they would do differently, common themes surfaced again and again. Here are the most common five:
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made.
It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.
2. I wish I didn’t work so hard.
This came from every male patient that I nursed. They missed their children’s youth and their partner’s companionship. Women also spoke of this regret. But as most were from an older generation, many of the female patients had not been breadwinners. All of the men I nursed deeply regretted spending so much of their lives on the treadmill of a work existence.
By simplifying your lifestyle and making conscious choices along the way, it is possible to not need the income that you think you do. And by creating more space in your life, you become happier and more open to new opportunities, ones more suited to your new lifestyle.
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.
Many people suppressed their feelings in order to keep peace with others. As a result, they settled for a mediocre existence and never became who they were truly capable of becoming. Many developed illnesses relating to the bitterness and resentment they carried as a result.
We cannot control the reactions of others. However, although people may initially react when you change the way you are by speaking honestly, in the end it raises the relationship to a whole new and healthier level. Either that or it releases the unhealthy relationship from your life. Either way, you win.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years. There were many deep regrets about not giving friendships the time and effort that they deserved. Everyone misses their friends when they are dying.
It is common for anyone in a busy lifestyle to let friendships slip. But when you are faced with your approaching death, the physical details of life fall away. People do want to get their financial affairs in order if possible. But it is not money or status that holds the true importance for them. They want to get things in order more for the benefit of those they love. Usually though, they are too ill and weary to ever manage this task. It is all comes down to love and relationships in the end. That is all that remains in the final weeks, love and relationships.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.
This is a surprisingly common one. Many did not realise until the end that happiness is a choice. They had stayed stuck in old patterns and habits. The so-called ‘comfort’ of familiarity overflowed into their emotions, as well as their physical lives. Fear of change had them pretending to others, and to their selves, that they were content. When deep within, they longed to laugh properly and have silliness in their life again.
When you are on your deathbed, what others think of you is a long way from your mind. How wonderful to be able to let go and smile again, long before you are dying.
Life is a choice. It is YOUR life. Choose consciously, choose wisely, choose honestly. Choose happiness.
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What was the first thing you did...
by OneDayillBeFree inwhen you left the man-made organization currently known as the wtbts??.
and for those still "in" but mentally "out" what have you started doing thats against the silly, stupid and non-scriptural watchtower policy/law/rule??.
i know the question has been made before on another thread but i couldn't find it and also there's been quite some growth in new ones here to jwn, so just wanted to see if we could all share some lovely/funny/random experiences.
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Robert7
Tearing up my blood card was one of the first outward things I did as a start out. Next was registering to vote, and actually voting! Also donated blood, and still continue to do so... celebrated my kids' birthdays, and x-mas...