on the thread about 'moving on after leaving the witnesses', it brought to mind how hard it is to build new friendships .. for me i have been out for a little over three years .
i knew before i quit that it would be important to fill the void that would be left when old "friends" began dropping us .
lucky for me i worked with some very fun out going people at my job .
Troubled mind, i'm showing a pm from you, but i can't open it for some reason. New member i guess.
I'm going to open a thread in the members only section, where we can discuss this in private.
What's happening to your husband is exactly what's happened to me in the past.
i read a lot of the topics and subjects in this forum, and can't help but to ask, if the witnesses ideas are not the way, then which way is?.
i was a witness for over 25 years and have been out of the organization for over 3 years now.
yet, i have a hard time seeing anyone else's way as the right way to go.
How is it possible that you could care less about the false predictions of the wt? A false prophet is a false prophet and if you are a believer in God you would care deeply about ever having followed a false prophet.
Good post carla.
Mary, i don't know how far back you go, but the entire pulse of the WBTS in the 80's was based on 1914, and the last generation. My whole preaching experience during the 80's was based on 1914.
Then when that last generation passes away, and they start saying babies that were alive in 1914, ect., ect., ect., then all of a sudden they recieve "new light".
No thanks, i'll pass.
I thank God that i escaped with family intact. From what i've read on here, i'm one of the lucky few.
dumbest:.
once in a public talk i heard the speaker say that you get sunburnt more easily when you are in the mountains because you are closer to the sun.. .
funniest:.
A brother mentioned in a Talk the Rock Band AC/DC, and warned us that stood for "Against Christ / Devils Children".
Really.
i don't know the talk # but the most boring talk title ever had to be "who are qualified as ministers of god?".
next came "parents - are you building with fire-resistant materials".
Outline number 13 "A Godly View of Sex and Marriage"
My dad gave that talk while he was an elder.
At the same time he gave that talk he was having an affair with a sister in the congregation.
I wondered why he squirmed so much thru that talk.
i thought i would enjoy a few hours cathing up on events on the board.. i purchased a kebab pizza and opend a cold beer.
unfortunately i put my cigarette butt out in the newly opend beer can-.
okay by my standards thats not dumb...but has anyone done a dumer thing whilst on this board?.
I decided one day to save money and change my own oil on my truck. I purchased 6 quarts of oil and oil filter. Went underneath truck and took off oil plug and oil filter. Put in new oil filter and put in 6 quarts of oil. Took dip stick and it showed no oil on dip stick. I looked underneath truck and found all the oil on the ground. I FORGOT TO PUT THE OIL PLUG BACK IN.
You didn't used to be a C.O. did you?? J/K
The dumbest thing i ever did was take 20 years to fade.
Should of jumped that ship 20 years ago and never looked back.
first one in at least 5 years.......wife does not want to sit in and i just told her if she does not, then i am not either.....this loss of faith thingy has really been rough on our marriage.......i have decided to not bring up a single issue i have........i will relate to them my illustration of the taxi driver who keeps giving out bad directions i posted yesterday.......i think what will surprise them maybe is that my loss of faith goes way beyond wt.......i have lost virtually faith in the bible and god......one has already told the "first place to start is to get going to the meetings again!"....lmao!!!.........
i hope their programed brains can grasp that maybe you need faith in a god first.....then find out what method (or book) he is using to educate us if he wants to....and then if you feel the need....look around to find out if there is a group of folks who all have similar beliefs.........this should be interesting...........oompa.
Oompa,
I can't imagine ever going back after i found out the real "truth".
After reading your post, i was darn near overwhelmed with the sacrifice you would be willing to make for your wife, and that i understand completely.
I was at that crossroads last year, and was determined to keep on going and never turn back. Luckily for me, my wife took my hand and started that journey with me. If she hadn't, i may have lingered, but not for long i don't believe. Hard for a man to be something he's not.
In your case, doing it for your wife, and your marriage, i respect that very much, and wish you well.
after more than 20yrs without a relationship....after more than 5yrs without hearing a word from her, i called.. out of the blue, i just called.. me: hi, mom, it's me lisa.
mom: oh, hi.. me: well, it's been a long time, i just wanted to check and see how you and dad were.. mom: we're fine.. the conversation ranged from, the weather, my husband, my children and grandchildren, (whom she's never met) my animals, gardening.
we talked about how dad was doing now, (after a stroke) how he walks with a cane, and uses an electric wheel chair when they go to walmart.
Lisa,
Being new to the forum, i don't know your situation personally, but i know all to well why it is what it is.
Mind control is a powerful thing, and they don't even realize it.
Not a day goes by that i don't tell my kids (both grown) that i love them. Not a day goes by that i don't tell my wife i love her.
Me, an inactive nobody that will never set foot in a kingdom hall again.
Go figure that.
Hope things continues to progress well with your mom.
are you that much different now?.
I would like to think i'm still the same guy on the inside. I cared about my friends then, and i care about my friends now. Only difference is my "worldy" friends return the favor. The only thing really different now is my view of elders. I used to hold them to a higher standard, look up to men that held that position.
Not any more.
On the outside i've changed a bunch. I would rather not go into details, lest i be hunted down.
this question is for those who have attended another church since leaving the jw's.. i have considered attending a local church, firstly out of curiosity and secondly because i do enjoy discussing the bible with people and learning new thoughts on scripture.. the only thing that stops me though is crossing that line.
i guess it was a bit like when i first posted here, it took me ages to pluck up the courage and now what was the big deal?.
did anyone else have this feeling before attending another church, that feeling of crossing the line of no return.
I have no interest whatsoever in any organized religion.
Do i believe in God? Yes.
I still offer prayers of thanksgiving. I'm especially thankful i was able to escape with my family intact.
though i've never been an elder (thank god), i was raised by one and know several.
it has been my observation that there is a tremendous amount of politics on bodies of elders.
this is probably not a news flash to most of you.. there is a saying that "academic politics are so bitter because the stakes are so low.
@snakes: I love the Youtube/Survivor idea. Get a bunch of guys in polyester neckties and short-sleeve dress shirts in a room arguing over whether to have the pre-memorial "spring cleaning" at 12:30 or 1:00 on Saturday...
That, or the arguement about planting pansies around the sign out front, and whether or not it distracts from Jehovahs name.
