this is a serious question.. i know people that hear/feel god (and see postings about people's experiences), but i have not experienced this.
i have never heard anything audibly (or otherwise) nor "felt" anything inwardly.. i've prayed, read, quieted my thoughts, etc...but still nothing..
Cofty...without the lord..... telling you how to behave the streets would be over run with savages. Goodness... the looting and pillaging Aguest got up to.... before the lord spoke to her is unspeakable. But how can you......... who manages to behave yourself without..... divine............. direction ........even begin to understand the true nature of............the.........human..............condition. You bloody simpleton.
Mushypeace be with you. (Bachelors minted or chip shop preferably)
as jw's we are taught that we are better than others; that we are almost superior to them.
after finding out ttatt, and realizing that others are actually smarter than me, i feel quite small and insecure about myself.
how do i start friendships with people i knew (sort of) for years, who i was trying to convince that the end is coming soon?
Coming from someone who is a complete wallflower in social situations, I think you just have to find a way to laugh at yourself about it. If you know that they know what you used to think then you might as well joke about it. Or run away and make new friends.
Seriously, I think the fact that you are humbled shows that you are a kind person and have grown. Your past makes you interesting. And I know I am drawn to interesting people so suspect other people will be as well.
it appears so (may you all have peace!):.
http://firstchurchofatheism.com/.
http://www.factschurch.com/.
You have to define what youmean by 'religious' and 'religion'. Or the dictionary definition you prefer. Then some discussion as to why some people who do not believe in a god fall into this category.
completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.
i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).
my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.
Thanks DG. Just out of interest - where do you live now?
this is a serious question.. i know people that hear/feel god (and see postings about people's experiences), but i have not experienced this.
i have never heard anything audibly (or otherwise) nor "felt" anything inwardly.. i've prayed, read, quieted my thoughts, etc...but still nothing..
Indian Larry
I sympathise with your point and have often thought whether some of the discussion here would scare some lurkers off. But then do you think they are going to be less scared off by people declaring that Jesus speaks to them and tells them the bible is a load of rubbish? Just a thought. I have changed my mind on the scaring people off argument. If people having a laugh when they are debating with each other or even engaging in heated debate scares them off then they are not ready to leave. What they will find if they keep digging is a community that is divided but together. We are an eclectic bunch and I think the best way to get those who are ready leave to make that final step is to show them what a colourful, scary and challenging bunch we are. If you are not prepared to get shot down in flames, dust yourself off and fight your corner then you are not ready to leave.
completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.
i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).
my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.
Apostatethunder - I always would put my children's interests above my own, which is why I am still here. I had step mothers myself and so would not do that to my own children. My children have the same right to be with me as much as their mother. As dreamgolfer (I am in Scotland btw) says it is not healthy for the children to have a toxic relationship visited on them. If we are both happy we will undoubtedly be better parents. Just trying to find out how that can happen. But the thought of no love, closeness, support and affection for at least the next 15 years is hard to even consider. But if that is the sacrifice that gives my children the best childhood that the current situation can offer then so be it. I don't know if it is yet and all the comments from people who have gone through similar are really helpful so a big thank you to you all.
i've finally get my hands on a pdf of one of the two newly released brochures, this one entitled "who are doing jehovah's will today?".
here's a link so you can download your own copy.... http://www66.zippyshare.com/v/98881625/file.html.
predictably, the brochure is extremely vague on key topics.
I picked up on "Universal Sovereign". Bit of JW speak that I had forgotten. Made me smile for some reason in a "you frigging idiots" sort of way
completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.
i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).
my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.
So let me get this straight Aguest. It was all your husband's fault then? Interesting that. Well, guess we only have your word. Sure if we spoke to him we would find there would be two sides. Maybe you were not the wife you could or should have been?
Aguest, we have had a couple of run ins. Many people here think you are great and I am sure you are a lovely person and mean well. But sometimes you should know when to just not post because accusing someone you don't know who is feeling isolated and just looking for some support of being a liar is just so low I don't know how you sleep at night. Because I have so much incentive to lie haven't I because I am such an attention whore on this board. Or maybe I beat her and am just trying to leave a trail should I finish her off to prove how awful she has been. Or you know what, maybe you should just accept that I am telling the truth. How did you feel when nobody believed you?
You say 'peace' out of one side of your mouth whilst saying 'you lieing bastard' out of the other.
completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.
i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).
my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.
Thanks Cofty - and I will get in touch I promise. Scottish summer holidays have started and trying to get out of the house is a bit of nightmare but will make the effort. Hope your feeling a little better.
completely non-jw related this but value the diversity of experience and viewpoint on this forum.
i am going to sketch this out quick as i can but please ask any questions if the gaps need filling.. as some may know, i have been married for 12 years with two children (8 and 4).
my wife stopped work when the eldest was born and has been a stay at home mum since.
rebel8. Thanks - this is the sort of experience that helps make me to come to a decision. Any 'residence' in the garden would be classed as part of this house so hoping that would not be an issue. Will check that out legally before doing anything though.
I think that your take on your childhood that it was your mum's behaviour that was the problem is interesting. Aguests post made me really angry. I did not post wanting people to side with me, but littered through her posts are suggestions that this is at least partly my fault ("it takes two"). My wife is emotionally abusive. Full stop. I have acted as her punching bag for years. Case in point was the last few mornings. She has got up and just cold shouldered me for most of the day, snapped at me whenever I open my mouth and moaned about anything she could. I never bit back and just took it. Last night I said calmly that if this is going to work she has to at least treat me like a human being (or a work colleague). She acknowledged that she had behaved badly and said that she thought the situation was awful and none of it was directed at me. I said that it felt like it was directed at me and the way she behaved was her choice. I could only tell her how it made me feel. She then explodes and says that I was saying she was horrible all the time.
You know Aguest, when a woman is being physically abused by a man would you say: "Again, there are two sides. Could be you're a difficult woman to be married to (no offense; they're out there, too)"
She is not always awful - sometimes we get along fine. Just as is the case for most abusive relationships I guess. I try desperately not to argue but just as the woman who is beaten by her husband sometimes you fight back. And in just the same way as with physical abuse sometimes the injured party has to get out for their own sake as well as their children. I'm sorry, but your attitude just stinks of "well, all men are at heart selfish bastards really. She would not be behaving like this if only you were a better husband." Just to make it clear, this is some things I have done or do to try to make my wife's life easier:
I don't ever list these things to her as 'look at what I do for you' and I am not listing these things to say 'look at what a great guy I am' but rather I was just peed off with your suggestion I should be doing more. I'm also just saying that I try really hard to be the best husband and dad I can be.
I could earn a lot more money doing other stuff but always valued my family much higher than financial things. I am not saying I am great - we all have our problems that we want to work on and improve ourselves. But I thought that part of loving someone was about accepting their weaknesses and supporting them should they want to change. I am sure there are loads of dads out there that do exactly the same, put up with the same shit, then leave and society still sees the wife as the innocent party.
Rant over
