Posts by garyneal

56

Looking to meet new friends

by little-butterfly in

jw
friends

hello my name is kerri and i was reinstated back into the truth last year after drifting away when i was younger.. im 28 and live in the nottinghamshire area and am looking forward to making new friends all over the world.. hope to hear from some of you soon.

kezx.

garyneal

little-butterfly

Welcome. I hope you stay here for a little while at least.

I understand that this site can be difficult for people who are believers. It can seem pretty hard on Christians but given that this site is made up mostly of former-JW's, it is even harder for witnesses. I hope you do not give up your love for the Lord but I would be cautious about thinking that service to Him can only be realized in the organization.

It has taken me a while to realize that the Jehovah's Witnesses do not have the truth as they claim even though there are a lot of agreements between some of their beliefs and that of mainstream Christianity. That's what makes it hard for me and others like me. For those who are born in to this religion, it is even harder as they were taught all their lives that this is the only source of The Truth TM .

I hope you stay a while and learn a few things. If your concious does not allow it, then I hope you have a good life and remember us in case you wish to return for any reason.

16

Non-JWs in relationships with JWs - tough questions

by JWoods in

jw
friends

i have noticed multiple threads here by faded jws, non-jws, dfd jws, and so on in marriages or relationships with a hard-core jw.. these are some of the most wrenching emotional situations we read about here on jwn.

for sure the jw religion has done everything they possibly can to make life miserable for the non-jw partner.. i wanted to do a thread on the subject in general without putting this on the specific personal threads - a hard, tough, question:.

is it really worth it to live a lifetime in this kind of mentally abusive relationship?.

garyneal

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT TO LIVE A LIFETIME IN THIS KIND OF MENTALLY ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP?

I guess it depends on how bad it gets. My wife and I have been in some pretty bad spots and not all of them are because of the religion. We stayed together. We have considered seperating but we ask ourselves has it gotten to that point yet? Personally, I would always want to try marraige counseling first unless it gets to the point of it being completely unbearable.

IS IT REALLY WORTH IT TO STAY THERE EVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF KIDS?

I love my daughter and want the best for her. Therefore, I have to really evaluate what can be done to save the marraige first. Likewise, if it gets to the point to where no one in the house is happy, then yes, divorce is the final option.

I suspect married people of all stripes go through this at some point. Religion just adds another dimension to the realm of differences coupls have to work through.

18

The effect of this religion on my children & the action I had to take - Part I

by jambon1 in

i have been meaning to tell this story for some time now.

i feel that i would like to share it so that it may serve as a warning to anyone who thinks that the jw religion does not have a negative effect on children.. i have been out of the religion for 4 years now.

i wasn't brought up in the organisation.

garyneal

This is good information for an unbelieving mate of a Jehovah's Witness like myself.

34

'Not defiled by women in fact they are virgins' ??

by Heartofaboy in

.

can anyone enlighten me what these words at rev 14:4 means?.

this scripture was read at the memorial last night to prove the anointed come from the earth but the 'not defiled by women in fact they are virgins' part was glossed over..

garyneal

Good stuff, marking...

21

Me and my Wife like to Swing if anyone wants to join us.....

by Witness 007 in

...........at the kid's playground swings.

i hate the monkey bars since my feet drag on the ground!.

april fools!!!!!!!!!

garyneal

Oh, thanks for the reminder. I got to get my daughter Easter eggs for her school easter egg hunt this Friday.

66

sd-7's whining session 3-30-2010

by sd-7 in

jw
friends

so...memorial tonight, eh?

yup.

sunday was a fun meeting.

garyneal

marking,

I have to go now and get ready for the memorial. Wife managed to invite someone from her class. It will interesting to see how this goes.

31

HOW do you know what you KNOW you know?

by Terry in

remember how certain you were as a jehovah's witness?.

you just knew what you knew was right 100%.

you staked your life on it, didn't you?.

garyneal

I don't know, I think some of Earl Nightengale's speeches ring of a lot of timeless wisdom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgUc7eLXs0s

33

My first experience at a Christian church--for what it's worth

by bluecanary in

i am dating an advent christian (very similar to baptist).

i went to church with him for the first time yesterday.

i was pleased that he wanted me there because it's nice to be included in things that are meaningful to him.

garyneal

I think my favorite type of church tends to be the church that seems populated with people who seem a lot like those of the Jesus people movement.

33

My first experience at a Christian church--for what it's worth

by bluecanary in

i am dating an advent christian (very similar to baptist).

i went to church with him for the first time yesterday.

i was pleased that he wanted me there because it's nice to be included in things that are meaningful to him.

garyneal

The one thing I like about most churches that never sat well with me regarding the KH is that when I told most people in most churches that I attended that I was a Christian and call XYZ church my home, they were warm and welcoming me as a brother.

For years, I was told by the witnesses that my religion was false and that I was not a true christian. I was even beginning to internalize this and was beginning to think that they were right. Imagine my surprise when I found out different. I guess I could not help but to judge them the same way they've judged me.

Perhaps, maybe one day, the Jehovah's Witnesses and mainstream Christianity will come together in unity learning the best that they know from each other. Hey, one can only hope.

33

My first experience at a Christian church--for what it's worth

by bluecanary in

i am dating an advent christian (very similar to baptist).

i went to church with him for the first time yesterday.

i was pleased that he wanted me there because it's nice to be included in things that are meaningful to him.

garyneal

Liars indeed... Or shall I say, they stretch the truth about churches and generalize. I've been to enough churches to know some of the differences of each of the church's practices. Most churches pass the plate around and make it clear that visitors are not required to make an offering. A few churches do beg for money, and beg, and beg, and beg. Fortunately, I have only encountered one church that was like that back in my youth.

Black churches are lively. Watch a Tyler Perry film and you will get an idea. However, more and more churches today are becoming more and more lively in a different sort of way. The church I go to plays loud christian music, others play the older hymns, some have different services with comtemporary gospel and old hymns. Personally, I prefer contemporary gospel myself but some of the old hymns are still pretty nice.