Fernando

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Posts by Fernando

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  53

  questions

  by DanielC in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i've been dating a jw girl for about 4 years and we've recently had a lot of issues with the fact that her family doesn't like that i'm not a jw.

  i've been looking into the religion and am interested in it.

  but is it wrong to join just so i don't lose her?

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  Fernando

  Is it just me, or why do all the Pharisees in Londo's video look less evil than the GB?
  
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  10

  Interview with an Apostate: Seeking Agape

  by Seeking agape in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  tell us a little about yourself and your family.my parents became jw's in 1968. my oldest sisters came along in the early 70's because my parents thought they would not have to raise them in this "system of things".

  are your parents / family jws?.

  now we have great discussions about religion, life, the bible, god and my uber dub sister.

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  Fernando

  Hey JWINQUESTION.

  Maybe I could share a thought or two whilst you are waiting for seekingagape.

  I was deeply moved by the liberating gospel of grace and its teaching on imputed righteousness and imputed holiness as "free gifts" from God.

  And seeing the Pharisees' bad reaction to the gospel in their own publications was simply further confirmation.

  The gospel was specifically designed to set us free from religion (including self-righteous legalism and moralism).

  If you still use the wt library I can send you a 1-page summary of the gospel therein.

  Greetings

  Fernando

  SEQ, Australia
  
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  48

  The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

  by paradisebeauty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

  i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

  over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

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  Fernando

  Thank you for sharing your experience paradisebeauty.
  

  My awakening was far more gradual but still very challenging.

  You are doing very well under the circumstances - I'm ever so slightly jealous, in a nice way of course, and very happy for you.

  Yup, stay away from the hounders/Pharisees.

  Take your time, and enjoy the journey as much as you can.

  If and when you want like-minded friends on the journey we'd be delighted.

  Mr & Mrs Fernando

  SEQ, Australia

  PS - Your English is pretty good.
  
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  53

  questions

  by DanielC in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i've been dating a jw girl for about 4 years and we've recently had a lot of issues with the fact that her family doesn't like that i'm not a jw.

  i've been looking into the religion and am interested in it.

  but is it wrong to join just so i don't lose her?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Fernando

  Hey Sauerkraut

  The specific type of gnosticism I am referring to is that salvation is based on obtaining (special) knowledge (gnosis) that only the Watchtower has (supremacist).

  This can be seen where the Watchtower has altered John 17:3 to read "knowledge" instead of "knowing" (relationship).

  NWT (John 17:3) . . .This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.
  

  RNWT (John 17:3) . . .This means everlasting life, their coming to know you, the only true God, and the one whom you sent, Jesus Christ.
  
  
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  18

  Excellent article: Inherited Religiosity: What it means for how nost 'Believers' believe

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  inherited religiosity: what it means for how most believers believe.

  by yoginder sikand.

  03 april, 2012countercurrents.org.

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  Fernando

  Great article. Thanks for sharing and bumping.

  Yup, I was a third generation born-in, and yet somehow I was conned into believing I was thinking and reasoning for myself and that members of other religions were not.

  Of course I only now know what thinking and reasoning for myself look like.
  
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  28

  Do You Think Humanity Will Ever Be Completely Free From Religion?

  by InjusticeSystem in

  1. social
  2. current

  i realize that many here still have a form of spirituality or faith, and i mean no disrespect to those individuals.

  i suppose i am posting this question to those, like myself, who have come to the conclusion that religion in general is a major hindrance to the progress of our species and needs to be put aside so that we can advance to our full potential.

  so my question is, do you think this will ever actually happen, and how do you think we can get there?

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  Fernando

  Hey InjusticeSystem.

  Thank you for your thoughtful approach.

  500 years ago the unthinkable was achieved: "freedom of religion".

  Now once again factors are in play which could deliver the next unthinkable: "freedom from religion".

  Yes, humans generally do yearn for spiritual union or connection, but are cheated by religion.

  Personally I identify as SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious) and enjoy a vibrant faith and spirituality, based on the liberating gospel message, and quite apart from any religion/ists.

  The younger generation are a lot smarter than we were, and not quite as easily duped by religion as we were.
  

  Greetings and best wishes

  Fernando

  SEQ, Australia
  
• 
  53

  questions

  by DanielC in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i've been dating a jw girl for about 4 years and we've recently had a lot of issues with the fact that her family doesn't like that i'm not a jw.

  i've been looking into the religion and am interested in it.

  but is it wrong to join just so i don't lose her?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Fernando

  Welcome to JWC Daniel.

  Your questions and discussion are also most welcome.

  All of us would like to be of any assistance we can in such a life changing decision.

  From a (SBNR or Spiritual But Not Religious) believer's perspective if you would like to develop faith and spirituality, religion is not the way to go. Religion and spirituality are antithetical or opposite.
  

  Finding a believer to talk to who has the gospel message in their heart and on their lips is the way to go.

  I would start with the gospel according to Paul, and especially starting with the book of Romans.

  Religion is a bad road to go down. And the Watchtower is one of the worst religions of the lot. The Watchtower has deception down to a fine art. The Watchtower is 500 years behind the Catholic Church in terms of mending their ways, especially in the area of incest and pedophilia.

  A life in the Watchtower always ends badly. Please do not even consider it.

  In essence the Watchtower will lead you onto the wrong playing fields: doctrinal ethnocentrism, legalism, moralism and Gnosticism (PM me if you'd like me to unpack these).

  The playing field where the real game is on is the unabridged gospel message.

  And it would be wrong to get your girlfriend and her family's hopes up that you might be interested and join their religion.

  That having been said you and and your girlfriend could potentially benefit from privately making a study of the gospel or "Good News" in the electronic Watchtower library. I'd be happy to provide a 1-page summary/map/framework. What you will find in print differs markedly from what is allowed to be taught, discussed and believed. The Watchtower and their hierarchy are rabidly hostile to the gospel or "Good News" but will deny it. Their deception is easy to spot if one is very intimate with the full gospel.

  The issue is largely about control over others. Specifically clericalism, sectarianism, denominationalism, magisterium and hierarchy. All things that the gospel directly challenges. (Once again PM me if you'd like me to unpack these).

  Best wishes

  Fernando

  SEQ, Australia
  
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  64

  Shutting down the Judicial Committee "invite".

  by kairos in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  judicial committee invitation comes, with be there or be square consequences.. ( come or we will df you ).

  what are the sure fire, tested and true tactics that will keep the elders off your back?

  ( for good ).

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  Fernando

  Moving to a foreign language congregation (in another country) seems to be one useful option if circumstances permit.
  
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  12

  Questions that keep me awake at night . . .

  by Slave4_38y in

  1. social
  2. humour

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  Fernando

  What is dark matter?
  
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  13

  Sick to my stomach

  by Ghiagirl in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  who do these people think they are!

  ?i have only been on this site for a couple months, and dealing with all the reactions of jws to my being removed as a publisher(for the second time) and my husband being df'd.

  lucky for me i have 2 sets of grandparents that still support my life whatever i do as well as some aunts uncles and cousins.

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  Fernando

  Ghiagirl, it certainly takes time to adjust to the profound realisation that these people are not who they claim to be, but in fact far worse than the biggest target of their relentless condemnation namely the Catholic Church (and Christendom as a whole).
  

  (Check their Watchtower printed indexes under "Catholic Church" to see the sheer scale of their obsession.)

  Best wishes, to you both, on your detox and journey to freedom.

  Fernando