yes, today is the forum's 15th birthday!.
i never thought for one moment that it would survive this long or have so many people post so many great subjects over the years.. it is still humbling when i get pm's or emails from people expressing how the site has helped them and of course thanks goes to all the posters who have shared their experiences and make helpful and supportive comments to others who are in the sometimes difficult process of learning the real truth about 'the truth'.. the site has gone through several different incarnations over the last 15 years running on different platforms, different databases and different hosts but we've been able to keep all the old topics.
the current site is still being developed and i'm hoping to push another major upgrade soon.. i also may have some other news to share soon about the future of the site so stay posted.. until then, here's the the next 15 years!
Happy birthday, and a big thank you to Simon and family for this enduring labour of love, that generously serves thousands without a Watchtower agenda (glory, power, control, authority, money, property, worship).
Thank you for a safe space where we can journey with others whilst restoring our sanity.
Long live JWC.
jesus ate with common sinners declaring that they were in (matt 21:31).. jesus denounced religious leaders declaring that they were out (matt 23 esp v15).. still the watchtower persists in making their own determinations, according to their own rules, who is in and who is out (prov 17:15).
.
this is why the apostate watchtower ruling religious clergy class and hierarchy surreptitiously and contemptuously hate and obfuscate the unabridged gospel which teaches that a right and clean standing is imputed on the basis of grace (faith) and not merit (works).. are their similar instances that come to mind for you?.
Great examples Vidiot. Keep them coming if you can.
Some might say though that "filtered" is a kind euphemism for "twisted".
i am totally new to this.
i was raised as a jehovah's witness.
i made it my own at the age of 5. i was a "true believer ".
Welcome vinman.
Our family was introduced to the transformative and liberating unabridged gospel of grace at the end of 2005.
This remains our preoccupation and passion to this date.
We walked out for good mid-2009 and now identify as SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious).
It took around 3 to 4 years after quitting the Watchtower to largely get over the exJW preoccupation.
Blessings
Fernando
PS - Many here suggest and have found that questions work best with family members as it gives them the opportunity to make up their own minds and come to their own conclusions (a luxury you yourself have now enjoyed). Praying about the right questions to ask is priority. Many here can also suggest questions. My bias is toward questions related to the "Good News" or gospel in the Watchtower's own publications. For example: what is the "plan of salvation". Please feel free to PM me if you'd like to chat further.
jesus ate with common sinners declaring that they were in (matt 21:31).. jesus denounced religious leaders declaring that they were out (matt 23 esp v15).. still the watchtower persists in making their own determinations, according to their own rules, who is in and who is out (prov 17:15).
.
this is why the apostate watchtower ruling religious clergy class and hierarchy surreptitiously and contemptuously hate and obfuscate the unabridged gospel which teaches that a right and clean standing is imputed on the basis of grace (faith) and not merit (works).. are their similar instances that come to mind for you?.
Jesus ate with common sinners declaring that they were IN (Matt 21:31).
Jesus denounced religious leaders declaring that they were OUT (Matt 23 esp v15).
Still the Watchtower persists in making their own determinations, according to their own rules, who is IN and who is OUT (Prov 17:15).
This is why the apostate Watchtower ruling religious clergy class and hierarchy surreptitiously and contemptuously hate and obfuscate the unabridged gospel which teaches that a right and clean standing is IMPUTED on the basis of grace (faith) and not merit (works).
Are their similar instances that come to mind for you?
is good calling me back or am i just letting my emotions get the best of me?also i really want to be closer to my jw family.
btw i was never baptized and i consider myself a born again christian i go to a baptist church and wath televangelist and i have expirenced gods presence like never before but sometimes i get fearful and think "what if jws are right and i'm wrong" than i'm screwed!but if there wrong and i'm right it doesn't look to good for them.. i would prefer if nobody posted "god isn't real" type comments.
i truly believe he is real but i respect why some are atheists..
Dear yogosans14
A relentless pursuit of the "unabridged gospel" has give our family a lot of clarity and peace in this space.
Once you are thoroughly intimate with the whole gospel, especially according to Paul, you will see clearly how deviant and devious the Watchtower is.
Then, and only then, ask any JW a couple of questions:
Drop me a PM if I can be of any further help.
Blessings
Fernando
i don't know where to start.
i got married a year and half ago.
some months into the marriage things where discovered.
Sorry for the difficulties you and your partner are experiencing PLAYGROUND.
A good Psychologist will explain that sometimes some of our stress and anxiety is caused by "cognitive dissonance".
This occurs when there is a conflict between our behaviour and our beliefs.
You may have been taught a set of so-called "absolute" beliefs which are shaping your worldview. Sometimes such beliefs are truly unhelpful.
You are not in trouble with Jehovah unless you are a Pharisee (read Matt 23).
God does not expect you to remain in an abusive relationship that has no prospects.
So how does one become like the Boroeans: willing and able to examine our beliefs, and make adjustments?
CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) can be very helpful.
Personally I also found Bible study very helpful - specifically on the "Good News" according to Paul (especially in the book of Romans, and especially how a right standing with God cannot be earned, deserved or paid for, but is instead IMPUTED to those who believe and follow Jesus instead of Pharisees).
was life that bad for you?
we are really sorry...
I was a third generation born-in (mid 60s).
Religion I believe is a toxin. The Watchtower strain is particularly virulent.
Religion by design also hides the solution to societal ills.
On both counts it is responsible for significant dysfunction in my father's and my childhood homes, as well as unspeakable dysfunction in my wife's childhood home, plus unspeakable injustices directed at our family.
My father was infected by the 1975 virus by Bethel heavies, whilst working at Bethel.
He took the failure very hard possibly because of the denials and blame game that followed - he was there and heard it all firsthand from the arrogant, self-assuming and lying horses' mouths.
are you crazy?.
you find yourself 'awake' to the truth about the 'truth' and all you do about it.
is sulk?
I do believe it can be done Terry.
As you say, it does take planning, strategy and effort to set prisoners free.
At the end of 2005, our family was fortunate to have been introduced to, and to have pursued, the solution rather than the problem/s (which we had been well taught to rationalise with thought stopping platitudes anyway).
This allowed our whole family to remain loyal to the Watchtower whilst studying and being changed by the liberating unabridged gospel (morsels) in their own publications.
We quite naturally (organically) and gradually grew apart from the Watchtower.
Mid-2009 our whole family walked out intact for good.
Only then did we begin to discover how deceptive, corrupt, rotten and apostate the Watchtower ruling religious clergy class, hierarchy and organisation really are.
do we understand these three words: worship, idolatry, and blasphemy?.
most christians have a vague notion of worship, idolatry, and blasphemy already, but.
a clear definition is necessary.. we must take care to differentiate, however.. how the words appear in original language and how they are defined today might be at odds.. ____________________.
Terry you have a great way with words and logical reasoning.
Human society is desperately in need of the wisdom of mature older persons.
I am often reminded that the transformed Nelson Mandela's career only started at age 75.
Best wishes wherever your remaining years on this great planet of promise and hope take you.
Fernando
"you are from your father the devil" (john 8:44).. "identity is everything".. is that maybe what jesus was in essence also saying when he spoke to the self-appointed religious leaders of the jews?.
that they were not who they claimed to be.. as evidenced by their fruits.. is this why the hypocritical watchtower works so hard to hide and misrepresent its rotten fruits and hence true identity, even to the point of "assassinating" those (millions like ray franz) whose ethically and morally stricken conscience causes them to dissent/question/doubt/resist/fade?.
what do you think about any of this?.
"YOU are from YOUR father the Devil" (John 8:44).
"Identity is everything".
Is that maybe what Jesus was in essence also saying when he spoke to the self-appointed religious leaders of the Jews?
That they were not who they claimed to be.
As evidenced by their fruits.
Is this why the hypocritical Watchtower works so hard to hide and misrepresent its rotten fruits and hence true identity, even to the point of "assassinating" those (millions like Ray Franz) whose ethically and morally stricken conscience causes them to dissent/question/doubt/resist/fade?
What do you think about any of this?
