just thought i would share this.........a brother who used to be a mercenary before he came into the truth gave the talk at the hall yesterday and he said that the bible was like jehovah's cv.....it told us everything about him.....so we can really know him.. he also said with all the governments and all the rules and regulations in the world, and nothing working at the moment, we should appreciate that jehovah only has 2 laws.............love him above all other things, and love our neighbours..........if only the whole world obeyed those 2 laws there would be peace without the need for armageddon................so its all down to humans why things are going wrong.. if we abandoned the planet tomorrow the earth would repair itself and there would be peace and harmony in nature.......... man has really messed up.. thank goodness we have had the chance to know jehovah and have a hope for the future!!.
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Hi Violet, I'm a rare poster but would like to welcome you to the board. The 2 points you mentioned are very important ones. I know many people who are not Jehovah's Witness, that implement those principles into their lives. Loving our neighbors should be unconditional, whether they be JW, Muslim, gay...
Non judgement and love, are truly godly qualities.
i was just wondering if any of you took time to speak openly about being an ex-witness.. sometimes, when it came up naturally, i told some of my friends; in other cases, i felt really uncomfortable talking about it.
in fact, it's a little strange, but i felt more comfortable telling casual friends rather than the people closest to me.
i often felt like it was a huge revelation to make, often to find that people weren't really that shocked.
For years I wouldn't mention it to anyone because it didn't seem to matter. Most of my friends knew I was raised in the Borg but many had no idea what that meant. "Ah... you couldn't celebrte birthdays of christmas." That's all they knew.
Since I've been mentally 'awake', about 4 months, I want to talk about it more. I've told a few people how I've been working through my JW upbringing and I can't believe the response I've gotten. Shock, disbelief and a ton of sympathy. One guy I told has a JW brother he lost to the cult and was so excited to talk to me about it. It's makes me feel better, to know people expect me to be more messed up than I actually am.
while waiting for the bus yesterday, i overheard (wasn't trying - but due to his volume, impossible to avoid) a guy on his cell phone talking to someone about his likely imminent dismissal from his employment.. but he then went on to say that he had full confidence that god would take care of him, and he wasn't worried at all about finding new employment.. then i got home, watched the news, and found out that 4 million kenyans are in danger of starving to death because of a year-long drought there.. so i got to thinking - how exactly does god set priorities?.
the guy at the bus stop is not the first christian i've heard express his confidence that god chooses to intervene and help in the lives of individual believers.
he saves them from car wrecks, he helps them find jobs, he lends some sort of invisible emotional support to help them cope with the death of a child, and so on.. on the other hand, millions of people suffer excruciating pain for months or years before finally dying covered in mud with flies crawling on them - no relief from god in sight.. why does god help one middle-aged guy who's never been hungry in his life find a new job in time so that he doesn't miss his $3000 mortgage payment, but not send a little rain to help a land where millions of people are already living in misery and filth?.
I do not believe in the Bible as a source of guidance. I understand that it serves to guide many, but not I. I do believe in God, however I'm not sure what form a Creator takes.
I listened to a program on the radio with this physisist from India, who believes he can scientifically prove the existence of a creator using quantum physics. He also can find scientific proof that our mental abilities and perceptions have a profound impact on the matter that surrounds us. It was very interesting.
What if, this man at the bus stop looking for a job, has so much belief in God's ability to help him, that he will set out with assurance to find himself one. The power of his thinking and the uses of his resources maybe what lands him his job, but what role did his belief play?
People in third world countries have suffered atrocities most can not fathom. They may call on God for assistance, but how much do they really believe their prayers will be answered, given what they have seen and the conditions they live in. Perhaps it is the power of the belief system that brings out the experience or qualities of God within us.
i realize i'm a bit quiet here, and most if not all won't remember my story, so here is a brief synopsis.
i recently decided that i'd rather pursue life rather than a future life promised but not realized.
i was fortunate enough that my husband agreed in that he didn't want any man telling him what he had to do, or how to live, and so left with me.
Wow! Felt waves of nausea reading your story. Manipulation, denial and blame. What will come, will come. It's all part of the process. Good luck to you.
i've never smoked tobacco or a joint in my life!
i know some regular pot smokers and they're pretty cool people.
they typically say pot is better than alcohol and that it should be completely legal.
Alcohol was illegal at one time, does that make it bad? I might have stayed in the Borg much longer if I hadn't started smoking pot. It's always helped me with reflection. I've made some of my best decisions high. Sometimes I smoke everyday, sometimes I go weeks or months without it.
Personally, the last thing I want is the government to start regulating and taxing my weed. Price will go up, quality will go down...
I live in Canada, and I think it isn't viewed as critically here. Legalizing it would significantly decrease the amount of drug related crime that happens. The dealers here trade it across the border for the harder stuff. Pound for pound. There are also medicinal growers here, and you can get a prescription from your Dr. for medicinal weed. Compassionate Care they call it, and it's used to treat cancer, arthritis patients and others who suffer from chronic pain.
The world would be a calmer place if everyone smoked a bowl once in awhile.
i've been a lurker in this site for some time.
i am not a jehovah's witness, but was here because i wanted to know more about the organization, since i am in love with a jw woman.
she recently rejected me, on the grounds that "she would not risk her relationship with jehovah for someone who would die in (snap fingers)".
A run in with an old JW love was how I ended up on this forum. A long time ago, I was out of the 'truth', he was in, but we were seeing each other secretly. Of course, someone ratted us out and he got pulled before a JC. He begged me to meet with the elders but I refused. I was adamant that there was nothing wrong with us dating and it was absolutely nobody's business but the adults involved. He was consumed with guilt and it faded fast.
I saw him awhile ago, and lots of bottled emotions resurfaced. We text and talked a bit, he's still single and miserable. He's been messed over many, many times in this Borganization. As soon as I encouraged him to talk about it, he put on the breaks and refused to speak to me. I couldn't believe the fear based reaction he had! I'd forgotten, or tried really hard to block out the amount of control that went on. What the hell kind of religion make people behave like this?
I did the research and found the answer. I've always lost to this cult. It'd be great to believe that love conquers all, but the hold of the Borg is just too strong.
elders love to counsel people.
it feeds their ego.
over the years, you must've been counseled on different things.. when i was almost of age to become a ms, an elder counseled me for my "lack of seriousness".
Most of the counsel would come by way of talks. I remember rolling my eyes on many occasions thinking..."Guess who this one's for?" Personally, I was cornered for: listening to Micheal Jackson, using hair product, too tight clothing and having a single brother in my apartment.
I was long gone by the time the latter rolled around and can't believe they expected me to show up for the JC. I can just imagine the questions they would have asked... sick, demented pervs!
sign this petition!!
dont let our granma leave us!!!!!
dont go mouthy!!!
Your posts are so helpful... you don't even know. Well, maybe now you do
i have been having doubts for years about the org, but it's mostly been just the past couple of months that it's really all unravelled for me.
i'm at that stage now where i don't know what i believe about anything...esp about what happens when you die.. and maybe it's just cause i never had to think about death before (was always countin' on that resurrection in paradise earth!
), but lately i can't stop thinking about it!
I recently visited an elderly sister in my mother's hall. I was never baptized so still see a few active JWs. She is in her early 80's, her husband died 3 years ago and you can see that she is still trying deeply hurting over the fact he is gone. She wan't prepared for it, because he wasn't supposed to die. Paradise hope or not, the pain of loosing someone that close to you is going to be felt.
JWs are denied the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the aspect of death. As Jeff mentioned, I really want my kids to understand that there is a circle to life. Death is inevitable, and will happen to us all, good or bad.
An ex-jw friend I recently reconnected with recommended this book to me. Talking to Heaven by James Van Praagh. It deals with the idea of life after death. Mentally, I am not ready to wrap my head around this concept but he swears by it. Told me after reading it, you'll never fear death again.
hi jwners.
ive been a lurker for awhile, and have learned so much from your experiences, wisdom and humor.
i still marvel at the reach of sadness suffered by so many on this forum.
Thank you for all the responses. I know, I am venting a bit... but am really looking to find forgiveness. The more I read, the more I learn that where fallible men are involved, and mind reform... sh** happens. I've always tried to approach people without prejudice and with an open mind, I'll have to do the same here... eventually.
And yes BTEB, I was an english teacher at one time. Not a very good one mind you. I did more chatting then grammar teaching.
