Posts by passwordprotected

18

How many ex jw's have become born again?

by digderidoo in

jw
friends

i have been in touch today with an old school friend, after around 20 years.

his mom used to be a jw, but became a christian years before he was born, i always remember him as having a faith, but it was something that during his teen years he put to one side.. anyway this brings me around to today.

we got in touch recently through facebook, turns out he only lives 5 minutes away so i went around today to see him.. we had a great conversation, catching up.

passwordprotected

This sort of thread can be quite challenging as it's not always comfortable admitting in front of ex-JWs that you've become 'born again'.

I would say I've had the 'born again' experience, I know of 3 other local ex-JWs who would say the same.

It wasn't a crazy hands-in-the-air, falling-over-backwards kind of thing. It was a peaceful, warm realisation that all was well, that I was forgiven and that I was at peace. There was no preacher on hand to put his palm on my forehead and babble in tongues (although since then I have been prayed for in tongues - PM me more for info!), it was just me, in my car, praying to God through Jesus. I had no expectations, I just asked God to forgive me and to come into my life.

I fully recognise that this isn't for everyone, and I'm sure those who feel and believe differently recognise that they're outlook on such things isn't for everyone either.

Little side-story; I attended the Alpha Course at a nearby church, and a couple of weeks into it, the guy leading it asked if I remembered someone by the name of Glenda Brooks. I had to think for a minute, but then I did remember, she and I were at school together. She was now his daughter-in-law and was the worship leader in the church that was hosting the Alpha Course I attended. She'd prayed for me years and years ago when she'd learned I was a Jehovah's Witness. She was only about 9 or 10 at the time, but she had faith and relationship with God. We now attend the same church as her, her husband and daughter.

23

Doesn't this quote ring a bell?

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

"when our own thoughts are forbidden, when our questions are not allowed and our doubts are punished, when contacts and friendships outside of the organization are censored, we are being abused for an end that never justifies its means.

when our heart aches knowing we have made friendships and secret attachments that will be forever forbidden if we leave, we are in danger.

when we consider staying in a group because we cannot bear the loss, disappointment and sorrow our leaving will cause for ourselves and those we have come to love, we are in a cult.

passwordprotected

bookmarked, please share this quote.

40

My Resignation Letter

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

i never did post this here.

i am posting it now for posterity's sake.

its been a few years, but, its good food for thought.

passwordprotected

Fantastic stuff, Jeff.

47

New Jehovah's Witness forum on Facebook (w/real JW's)

by middleman in

jw
friends

it's called "jehovah's witness facebook forum".

check it out could be interesting........................ .

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51298429787#/group.php?gid=51298429787.

passwordprotected

Someone has asked what the good news is. The JWs are posting, in reply, the likes of Matt 24:24, Dan 2:44 and Rev 21:3,4. Great verses, all of them, but none of them actually declare what the good news (gospel is).

15

March 15,2009 Watchtower pdf

by bronzefist in

http://www.filefactory.com/file/af192fb/n/march_15_2009_watchtower_pdf.

brzfst.

passwordprotected

I've been downloading it for over 11 hours and I'm on a 20Mbit connection. Can someone share from an alternative site, please?

30

I can reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa, thank you kindly.

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

soon jehovah's witnesses will begin their annual ritual of inviting members of the public to participate with them in the rejection of the emblems representing the body and blood of the sacrificial "lamb of god," jesus christ.. the justification they offer for this bizarre practice is that only those who anticipate heavenly life should partake of these emblems.

since the vast majority of jehovah's witnesses believe their future is earthbound, most of the attendees at the memorial pass the wine and unleavened bread along without so much as a sip or a nibble, and the emcee of the event makes every effort to discourage participation by the unworthy.. witnesses say that the new testament is a message intended, not for mankind in general, but specifically for those spirit-begotten future heaven dwellers.

if that is the case, then jesus' admonition to "keep doing this in remembrance of me" is also directed at the anointed, not at the general hoi polloi who aspire to a terrestrial eternity.. like most of jehovah's witnesses, i reject the emblems, but i reject them because i'm an atheist, and i doubt that the biblical sacrificial jesus really existed.. i find that it is much more convenient for me to reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa while watching the parables of fellow atheist seth macfarlane as revealed by the cartoon show family guy on my tv.. paradoxically enough, i can do this while consuming a pizza and a nice chianti, and i don't have to worry about who else has spread their germs on the cup i'm drinking from.. .

passwordprotected

@ Mary; I woke up very early one day last summer during my exit and saw, very clearly in my mind, the sight of a full KH of JWs all smilingly benignly as they each reject the representations of Christ's sacrifice. It leaped out at me that what they were doing was, essentially, demonic.

I did a bit of research and had it confirmed that passing the 'communion' around a room where everyone refuses it is part of some black mass celebrations. Yes, this did greatly disturb me.

37

Choosing Death (for born ins)

by brinjen in

it's a powerful weapon isn't it?

death.

it was used on all of us at one stage when we were inside of that cult.

passwordprotected

@ WuzLovesDubs - great analogy.

37

Choosing Death (for born ins)

by brinjen in

it's a powerful weapon isn't it?

death.

it was used on all of us at one stage when we were inside of that cult.

passwordprotected

Our former BSO, when I told him we weren't coming back to the meetings, said the following;

Well, what appeals to me about Jehovah is Jehovah gives you choice, you've got life or death, you know, you've made the choice, so you just have to live with the consequences. Jehovah doesn't force you to do anything so if you've made the decision to turn your back on Jehovah, then that's your choice.

This is the JW way. Reject their organisation and you've rejected Jehovah. Reject Jehovah and you've chosen death.

However, didn't Christ die so that men of all sorts would be saved? Didn't Christ come into the world to demonstrate God's love for mankind, dying for sinners? Doesn't really square away with the life/death option JWs feel they are constantly presented with.

30

I can reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa, thank you kindly.

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

soon jehovah's witnesses will begin their annual ritual of inviting members of the public to participate with them in the rejection of the emblems representing the body and blood of the sacrificial "lamb of god," jesus christ.. the justification they offer for this bizarre practice is that only those who anticipate heavenly life should partake of these emblems.

since the vast majority of jehovah's witnesses believe their future is earthbound, most of the attendees at the memorial pass the wine and unleavened bread along without so much as a sip or a nibble, and the emcee of the event makes every effort to discourage participation by the unworthy.. witnesses say that the new testament is a message intended, not for mankind in general, but specifically for those spirit-begotten future heaven dwellers.

if that is the case, then jesus' admonition to "keep doing this in remembrance of me" is also directed at the anointed, not at the general hoi polloi who aspire to a terrestrial eternity.. like most of jehovah's witnesses, i reject the emblems, but i reject them because i'm an atheist, and i doubt that the biblical sacrificial jesus really existed.. i find that it is much more convenient for me to reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa while watching the parables of fellow atheist seth macfarlane as revealed by the cartoon show family guy on my tv.. paradoxically enough, i can do this while consuming a pizza and a nice chianti, and i don't have to worry about who else has spread their germs on the cup i'm drinking from.. .

passwordprotected

@ unclebruce - you make a good point. Whenever I tell Christians about the fact that JWs all refuse the bread and the cup they're visible horrified. One woman broke out in goosebumps and shuddered when I told her. They recognise that to refuse the 'emblems' is to, in effect, deny you want any part of the sacrifice of Jesus.

Now, with respect to the atheists on this thread, refusing the 'emblems' is a big deal within Christianity and there is talk - as unclebruce points out - that links the refusal of the memorial 'emblems' at thousands of KHs around the world and the activities at a black mass. Which is pretty disturbing.

30

I can reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa, thank you kindly.

by Nathan Natas in

jw
friends

soon jehovah's witnesses will begin their annual ritual of inviting members of the public to participate with them in the rejection of the emblems representing the body and blood of the sacrificial "lamb of god," jesus christ.. the justification they offer for this bizarre practice is that only those who anticipate heavenly life should partake of these emblems.

since the vast majority of jehovah's witnesses believe their future is earthbound, most of the attendees at the memorial pass the wine and unleavened bread along without so much as a sip or a nibble, and the emcee of the event makes every effort to discourage participation by the unworthy.. witnesses say that the new testament is a message intended, not for mankind in general, but specifically for those spirit-begotten future heaven dwellers.

if that is the case, then jesus' admonition to "keep doing this in remembrance of me" is also directed at the anointed, not at the general hoi polloi who aspire to a terrestrial eternity.. like most of jehovah's witnesses, i reject the emblems, but i reject them because i'm an atheist, and i doubt that the biblical sacrificial jesus really existed.. i find that it is much more convenient for me to reject the emblems from the comfort of my sofa while watching the parables of fellow atheist seth macfarlane as revealed by the cartoon show family guy on my tv.. paradoxically enough, i can do this while consuming a pizza and a nice chianti, and i don't have to worry about who else has spread their germs on the cup i'm drinking from.. .

passwordprotected

It really is incredible for a so-called Christian religion to go to all the trouble to arrange an evening where they have the proper unleavened bread (usually matzo), the proper unfortified wine, they've calculated the exact time of sun-down, they've done a mass leaflet campaign to invite as many people as possible and then on the evening they all refuse the bread and the cup.

They even criticise the churches of 'Christendom' for remembering Christ's death more often than once a year. Yet in the churches of Christendom, Christians actually take the bread and the wine, as per Christ's command. No, they may not use proper unleavened bread or the right type of wine and they may not wait until after sun-down. But, when presented with the symbols of Christ's ransom sacrifice, they actually take them.

Did any of you guys fully appreciated and engage with the impact of Christ's death for sinners when you attended the memorial?