I am still in, doing the slow fade, but I am running into the same difficulites that some have expressed here. I am trying to establish some frienships outside the organization, however, I feel there is still a barrier there. So far, none of the few I've come to know smoke or swear, and I realize that in many ways they are no different than JW's, trying to raise their children to be decent human beings, or others learning to adjust to life as a retiree, worrying about their health or the rising costs of living. However, sometimes the conversations seem stilted because they will talk about the holidays, birthday celebrations, politics, or gambling, and I start feeling like a fish out of water. I can't add to the conversation in any way. I have mentioned in passing to many of them that I am a JW, and contrary to what they say at the KH, there has been no negative reaction on that front. Most have no idea what we believe; none of them even knew we don't celebrate the holidays or birthdays. Frankly, they don't seem to care what religious denomination I belong to. Of course, right now these are casual friendships. It's weird, though, because I don't quite feel comfortable around them, and as some have already mentioned, I know I don't belong in the Witness world of wacky thinking either. It is a real worry and concern that I have, that maybe I will never fit back into society, that something inside me has been unalterably changed.
WalkTall
JoinedPosts by WalkTall
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39
Does anyone here ever feel that they don't fit in
by cantleave inyou no longer fit in with the jw's and aren't yet accepted by those outside either?.
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Don't Put That Barf Bag Away Yet
by WalkTall inhttp://www.solomonstarnews.com/viewpoint/private-view/1894-jehovahs-witnesses-open-day
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When the NT references the "word of God" what is it referring to?
by WalkTall inthe nt references the 'word of god' in a number of places.
(for example: hebrews 4:12-the word of god is alive and exerts power and is sharper than a two-edged sword).
it can't be referring to the ot and the mosaic law because those authors writing after jesus's death were trying to put away the old law traditions, and it can't be referring to any of the nt books because many were not even written yet or known to be scripture per se.
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WalkTall
Yes, the thought that it is speaking about Jesus makes sense to me. In the scriptures where I find the phrase 'word of God' (Heb 4:12; Matt 15:6 Acts 11:1; 1 Thess 2:13) it doesn't seem to fit that they are talking about the OT books. The context seems different than when they are quoting from the OT; or when Paul was talking about the Scriptures (OT prophesies) that he felt were inspired. It seems that where this phrase appears, they are talking about something new, something that was replacing the old traditions, so the thought of it meaning Jesus himself would fit.
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WT totally out of Brooklyn
by ShirleyW inbetween my last logon on at 6pm and now 8:40 i received 5 google alerts about the jdubs totally selling all their property in brooklyn .
i've said it before on this site and i'll say it again .
who's pocket does all of this real estate money go to !!!!!!.
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WalkTall
They are planning on building two more huge compounds on large tracts of property recently purchased in upstate NY for millions of dollars. I still can't figure out why they are needed.
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When the NT references the "word of God" what is it referring to?
by WalkTall inthe nt references the 'word of god' in a number of places.
(for example: hebrews 4:12-the word of god is alive and exerts power and is sharper than a two-edged sword).
it can't be referring to the ot and the mosaic law because those authors writing after jesus's death were trying to put away the old law traditions, and it can't be referring to any of the nt books because many were not even written yet or known to be scripture per se.
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WalkTall
The NT references the 'word of God' in a number of places. (for example: Hebrews 4:12-the word of God is alive and exerts power and is sharper than a two-edged sword). It can't be referring to the OT and the Mosaic Law because those authors writing after Jesus's death were trying to put away the old law traditions, and it can't be referring to any of the NT books because many were not even written yet or known to be scripture per se. The WT always uses scriptures that say 'word of God' to mean the moderny day Bible, but what was meant by this phrase at that time?
Thanks.
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The Awakening
by AK - Jeff ina time comes in your life when you finally get...when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity, you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the voice inside your head cries out...enough1 enough fighting and crying and blaming and struggling to hold on.
then, like a child quieting down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and begin to look at the world through new eyes.. .
you realize its time to stop hoping and waiting for something to change, or for happiness, safety and security to magically appear over the next horizon.. .
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WalkTall
Love this thread!!! Thanks to everyone for their insights.
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Are JWs attracting more and more off-center people?
by undercover inthis thread is prompted by the thread about a jw woman who disprupted a funeral.
i don't know the details as i can't view youtube from work, but it did get me to thinking.... over the last couple of decades, at least, i've noticed that more and more 'fringe personalities', for a lack of a better term, have infiltrated the ranks of the everyday jws.
true, jws are themselves a fringe element to normal society, but even within their own communities, there used to be a sense of normalcy, or at least seemed to be.. has the cultic message of the wt society started attracting people with different thought processes over this time period?
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WalkTall
When the whole Heaven's Gate thing went down, I saw a video of those who joined. I remember thinking that many of them had somewhat of a normal existence before they joined the cult, but now they were spouting crazy stuff in all seriousness. What scared me at the time was that I wondered if that is how people looked at me. It was one of those thoughts that you push into the back of your mind because you don't want to believe that you yourself are in a cult. I'm not like them, I'd never eat poisoned pudding!!
I joined at a young age. I was a shy person and I was pulled in by the love and acceptance. And everyone seemed so happy and friendly. It didn't seem crazy like those other cults. It was only after years of growth, maturity, learning, and observation that I came to realize that I indeed had gotten sucked into an off-centered world, and that crazy comes in many forms. No, I was not asked to eat poisoned pudding, but I gave up my life all the same. But, by then, I was in too deep.
I do consider myself a normal person, but one who fell for a con. Yes, I had my years of blindly following and now I look back and wonder how I could have taken such a leave of my senses. I think it's partly because of the 'keep them busy' game. You get so involved in all the activities you don't have time to think. But one day I did, and I woke up. And I think those that do or who know that something is wrong, even if they stay for family reasons like me, are the only normal ones left.
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How did you feel when they let a 10 year old boy stand up on the podium and a sister couldn't ?
by RULES & REGULATIONS inone thing that really bothered me about the ministry school was letting a little boy around 10 years old read an outline and scripture.
he faced and addressed the audience.
he was actually teaching.
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WalkTall
This is the kind of stuff that makes me realize that normal people would never join this religion. There are so many things about the organization that makes me livid and this is one of them. Beyond that, the way women are demeaned also makes me embarrassed that I ever voluntarily joined this lunacy.
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Sisters told they strictly can't wear slacks to Meetings to keep them submissive! Why?
by Witness 007 inyes slacks and pants on women are evil.....the first step to wanting to be elders or even worse lesbians!
so the watchtower in it's wisdom put a strict bad on women wearing pants at meetings, even in siberia or alaska where it is freezing cold....i qoute the governing body who said: "we need to show these sisters who wears the pants in our congregations...literally.".
in the 70's when it was all the rage, my mum tried wearing slacks to the hall....."go and get changed" said the sister who studied with her.
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WalkTall
Denim skirts are discouraged (no longer allowed) for meetings and service either.
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Are JWs attracting more and more off-center people?
by undercover inthis thread is prompted by the thread about a jw woman who disprupted a funeral.
i don't know the details as i can't view youtube from work, but it did get me to thinking.... over the last couple of decades, at least, i've noticed that more and more 'fringe personalities', for a lack of a better term, have infiltrated the ranks of the everyday jws.
true, jws are themselves a fringe element to normal society, but even within their own communities, there used to be a sense of normalcy, or at least seemed to be.. has the cultic message of the wt society started attracting people with different thought processes over this time period?
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WalkTall
You are all hitting the nail on the head. I look around at the hall (as in every one I've ever been in) and there are maybe two or three people, if that, that I would choose on my own to be friends with. The rest are loons, leeches, or lobotomized. Wow, that was harsh. Let me just say they are not my cup of tea.