when i expressed my doubts about my beliefs to my parents the other day, my mom said that 'no matter what people do, they are always searching for something.
if it's not this religion, which one will you go to?'.
she gave the example that practically since time began, people have been clinging to hope in some form or another, namely religion.
Aguest-
I just wanted to say I read your story and I'm glad to know you a little better. I love reading the personal stories on here.
Of course I kind of want to say "sorry they treated you this way" but at the same time you are so much better off without them so congrats!
~fmy
then: get up grumpy, shower, go to starbucks, leave magazine to start time, drive to kingdom hall, hope to be able to work with friends in service so we can do just a few doors and then calls and an early lunch.. .
now: get up when i wake up, make coffee, read the boards, read the wsj and sf chronicle, wait for wife to wake up, take dog on a walk and decide what fun things to do in the bay area this weekend.. i love my weekends now!.
zarco.
wow Mouthy, that's horrible! Im glad you are gettting your mail now.
My Saturdays mornings are great because they are different every weekend :0) I can go to the beach, I can get stuff done, I can sleep in, I can make breakfast with the hubby, or watch movies etc etc. I love it.
I have to admit though.... I did sometimes enjoy going out in service if it was with my friends so we could take coffee together and chit chat.
I always hated when someone else arranged the car group and I got stuck with the weirdos. They always encouraged us not to prearrange groups too so they could purposely (I'm just sure of it ;) mix us up with people we didn't like very much. Or with people who didn't have air conditioning or chose not to run it. Ugh, that was the worst!
i havent been active in the forum for some time, but i keep reading your comments every few weeks.
ive noticed that there are many new members.
welcome to jwd!!!
Nice to meet you :0) It's so great to hear everyones experiences. I've been craving it for awhile now. I've read Crisis of Conscience and I'm still reading In search of Christian Freedom. I ordered Steve Hassans Combatting cult mind-control 2 days ago upon the recomendation of Flipper. I'll save the expensive one for later... My poor husband can't understand why I would ever spend so much money on books as I have in the last year ;).
WTWizard said: there is one aspect of living outside the cancer that is actually more work. You have to do your own thinking.
This is just one of the things that stood out to me when I visited family for a Funeral this past April/May. One of my sisters was actually trying to encourage me to be reinstated I think...She said as a single mother she found it comforting that she didn't have to think about so many things. She could look up answers to issues from the WAtchtower instead. I kept my thoughts to myself but I thought it was sad that she thought this could pass for a good relationship with God which is what I'm sure she thinks she has.
Open Mind said: there's got to be some weeping & tooth gnashing going on now that you belong to Satan.
Haha It's so funny how they tell us there's nothing out there for us outside of the Watchtower. how we will be attacked by demons and be so lost and unhappy. As soon as I realized I did NOT want to go back to them I became happy and my depression lifted. I really thought I was doomed for the rest of my life to be a depressed person. Oh, and I've never had any demon incidents..
~fmy
it has come to my attention that a much-beloved poster on this forum has been hurt by the insensitivity shown toward her account of how badly she was treated by the wt.. i realize this is a place where are all welcome, and barring any posting guidelines violations, we are free to air our views without fear of any backlash.. however, please keep in mind that most posters here - yours truly being one of them - view the wt in a negative light.
with all the evidence out there pertaining to its deceitfulness, how can anyone view it otherwise?.
i reached out to you, angel eyes, because i sense that you need a friend.
There are already 7 pages so what's one more post?
There are so many great and different points of view stated and I enjoyed reading them all. I'm one of the unfortunately "uneducated", raised in ex-dubs and I'm still learning so much! Soaking it all up. I had just recently posted something on another thread about how confused I was that AE is always making comments and the society has made it SO clear that witnesses should not be on "apotastate" sites and then I click on active threads and see this..
I was reminded by several posters of what it was like to be an apologist. I was most of my life in converstations with grandma, classmates, workmates etc. Even up to a year ago and I had been disfellowshipped for 3 years. Defended the Dfing process and took full responsibility for why I was Df'd. It was only later when I started to change my thinking and I'm not even sure exactly what got me to start rethinking everything. All I know is that our thoughts can change drastically in less than a year and so in that way I can be a bit more understanding of AE.
The point was made though that she should cool it and take a little more thought before she posts certain things on certain threads. I completely agree with that.
On the point of using scriptures.. I feel like I need to reiterate that I've just began this process less than a year ago and one can only make so many changes at once :0) There I am apologizing.. I appreciate many of the principals I've found in the bible and I've actually read plenty of scriptures that prove to me that the JW faith is false. Even in their own bible. So, I don't think there's anything wrong with quoting scripture. If nothing else, it's got some great principles. Just because most of us are ex-witnesses or fading doesn't mean we all have to stop believing in the bible or in God etc.. If I've learning anything recently, it's that I don't know much at all and we shouldn't judge anyones beliefs. As strange as they might seem, because you never know what you might believe by next year..
~fmy
i never really liked beer, but, i got a hankering for one on the way home from work.
i picked up a six pack of foster's (never tried it before) and i must say, it's prettty danged good.
what do you drink?.
Dissed,
Figured you were considering the 2 Bethelites please crack ;)
i never really liked beer, but, i got a hankering for one on the way home from work.
i picked up a six pack of foster's (never tried it before) and i must say, it's prettty danged good.
what do you drink?.
Dissed,
LOL. Yes, that's what that means. Does my name have a male ring to it?
~fmw
i've recently been thinking about this topic as i've been finding old friends on facebook etc.
that were just gone one day because either their whole family da'd themselves or they had been df'd.
not to mention the friends i lost when i myself was df'd.. most of my life i found this losing of friends normal because it was what i was used to.
Some interesting perspectives.
Thank you all
~fmy
the fact that you were a witness, did it actually "ruin" your life?
?.
Of course not. It's presented challenges, but everyone has those.
three days ago i became aware that my daughter was arrested.
again.. here's a little history.
we adopted this child when she was 2 months old.
Jeff,
I'm so sorry you and your wife have had to go through so much! I can't even imagine. My Mother was adopted and she had/has some major issues that had nothing to do with my wonderful grandparents that raised her. I'm sure you already know but it may be nice to be reminded that it's NOT YOUR FAULT! You are great people for caring so much for her and for her children through all of that.
I'll try to send some good vibes your way. ((hug))
~fmy
in life, i usually trust new people, at least on face value, until i discover otherwise.
yet, my normal belief system is now in doubt.
i've just replied to a thread started by 'goldensky' - an alleged spanish lady with lots of history as an extremely devout jw in spain.
Farkel and AK-Jeff crack me up I'm so paranoid I remove my webcam from my computer unless I am actually using it ;) I'm not worried about elders...just that people will accidentally see me running around in Jammies.
Thanks yellow. That's exactly my point. There seems to be someone on each post that can relate to something I've felt or am feeling!
~fmy
