Posts by atpeace

13

Why to people give thanks (prayer) to god for their food?

by sinis in

i find it completely ironic that people thank god for food and clothing, when if you look at the ot in genesis you see how yahweh curses the ground and tells man that he will work his ass off for food, shelter, daily life.

why are people giving thanks to a god who knowingly made life hell to begin with?

couldn't it be said that man works for his own food and that he should be thanking himself?

atpeace

actually i think most of what we do is based on tradition and altered traditions. the book "the power of myths" by joseph campell - he draws the conclusion that our modern day prayers were based on how the Indians would bless the animal they had just killed - thanking it for the life it had just given. interesting book - made me look at many things in a different light!

8

Bookstudy change in all countries?

by Johan Hultgren in

jw
friends

if the bookstudy change is true, will it take place in all countries or maybe just in the united states?

?

atpeace

why the announcement on a sunday? i haven't been to a meeting in probably 7 years - but i remember the big anouncments were usually made on during the service meeting.

14

question - scriptures that prove a paradise earth

by atpeace in

i was hoping for some help on proving that a paradise earth is in fact a true teaching.

i've only found 3 that use the word "paradise" - but not sure if it refers to an earthly paradise.. thanks!.

.

atpeace

thank you all for your comments. i feel like everything i ever believed has been turned upside down. i have a lot to think about, for sure!

14

question - scriptures that prove a paradise earth

by atpeace in

i was hoping for some help on proving that a paradise earth is in fact a true teaching.

i've only found 3 that use the word "paradise" - but not sure if it refers to an earthly paradise.. thanks!.

.

atpeace

i was hoping for some help on proving that a paradise earth is in fact a true teaching. i've only found 3 that use the word "paradise" - but not sure if it refers to an earthly paradise.

thanks!

22

well I finally told someone....

by still_in74 in

jw
friends

i finally told another jw about how i am feeling.

exactly how i am feeling.

she is the only jw i know that wont rat me out and she isnt active herself.

atpeace

wow - what a big step. congrats!

AudeSapere - please, share your experiance with talking to your dad. how did you start? where you afraid of what the outcome would be? my jw father has always been a rational and calm person, and i've been feeling the need to say something. its obvious i have doubts, but i avoid the conversation. i'm afraid of making it worse, or hurting him by telling how i feel, but i'm so tired of the avoidance.

11

How Important is Ritual in Your Life?

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

hey gang,.

how important is ritual to you?.

many who leave the watchtower find ritual to be very healing and meaningful in our lives.. anyone here found the same to be true?.

atpeace

i like this topic alot! i'm not sure if this is exactly the same thing, but all the years growing up in a jw family - i longed for holidays because of the family aspect to it. now that my husband and i are out, there is nothing more than i enjoy than a big dinner at holiday time (really anytime :), with friends. i have expressed a stong desire that when we have our own family we create rituals - like sunday dinners and birthday parties.

32

Well, we went out after the memorial....

by megawatt in

after the memorial, we decided to go out and grab a bite to eat.

my family and i went out with a witness couple that we consider close friends.

for the last couple of weeks, i've expressed my views re: wts to my good friend openly and turns out he had the same thoughts and doubts as well.

atpeace

wow - i'm not speechless, but it hits close to home.

similer things happened to me. my husband was the first to come to grips with wanting to leave and once he did, never looked back. it was much harder for me - i knew how my heart felt, but had doubts if wbts was right or wrong. for awhile i just didn't want to deal with it, especially with our familiy and "friends".

when my husband stopped going for good - and the first district convention he missed - my so-called friends starting treating me like a leper. it was hurtful and disaapointing. but it was the first step in becoming angry and seeing how the organization was. maybe when your wife's friend starts treating her different, as well as others at the hall - it will be a first step to want to get out as well.

it took me many years to come to know my own beliefs and feelings. and to say that i no longer want to be part of it - and it has little to do with the fact that imperfect people can sometimes be mean (which is what my family wants to think).

anyways - hang in there. baby steps. just keep the communication up with your wife - she will get to where she needs to be in her own time and space. its not easy to grasp that everything you were taught and new, are based on untruth and very fickle people.

5

Started Reading Crisis of Conscience

by B_Deserter in

i've read the first two chapters, and it's quite interesting.

franz makes many of the observations i have as well.

upon reading the beginning of this book, i realized something.

atpeace

i just finished this book over the weekend. it confirmed how things are done, though i expected it for some time. it made me feel so sick inside - and i wish i could share it with my family that is still in. but they would never even attempt to read it. i've been out for several years, and when i saw a latest watchtower that said you didn't need to read anything but it - i felt so angry - at one time i would have had this same brainwashing mindset. then i realized, anything i would hear or read outside of the org should only strengthen my faith, what is the society afraid of?

i appreciated how franz didn't say to go out and try to get everyone out - he knows the consequences this would have on those of us who still have family speak to us. i found him very thoughtful and insightful.

the first few chapters were hard for me to get through - the end was so good. especially the updates in the back regarding the new thought regarding "generation".

i have in search of christain freedom - but the size is a little daunting! i've also ordered "captives to a concept" - can't wait to read this one.

6

so why do they do it?

by atpeace in

jw
friends

i'm in the middle of reading coc.

quite the eye opener to things i already suspected.

my question is this - if some on the governing body have doubts, how can they just go along with it?

atpeace

i'm in the middle of reading coc. quite the eye opener to things i already suspected. my question is this - if some on the governing body have doubts, how can they just go along with it? it can't be a money maker, and i can think of a lot better ways to spend my time. any thoughts? i mean, are they just pure evil?

4

question for jw or ex-jw parents?

by atpeace in

i'm curious if while you were or still are involved in the organization - did you ever express doubts, especially to grown children?

or, if you had doubts did you still encourage your family to participate?

in your experience, what would be the best way to start a conversation about what you truly believe?.

atpeace

i'm curious if while you were or still are involved in the organization - did you ever express doubts, especially to grown children? or, if you had doubts did you still encourage your family to participate? in your experience, what would be the best way to start a conversation about what you truly believe?

i've always been interested in this question because many years ago, an elder visited us and made it clear that he had personal doubts, but then made a statement that "sometimes, you just do things for your familys sake." obviously, his comments had a huge impact on me - and i'm quite sure his wife had no idea he had any doubts at all.

i've never understood why having an honest conversation about things is such a taboo. i would want my children to form their own beliefs on things, and even if i didn't agree, at least it would be an open relationship.