Posts by Giordano

35

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - The Day My JW Faith Began to Die (finally)

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

it was late june of 2001 that i was appointed as an elder at the amazingly seasoned age of 26. a true lifelong goal had been achieved.

i had to be appointed an elder before 30. already, peers were starting to be appointed.

i had to make it.

Giordano

I'd been long out when 911 happened. So I didn't make a religious connection to my own life as directly as some here but when Jonestown happened well that was all about religion, demented for sure but it was about religion. Any of you JW lurkers out there google Jonestown and see what happens when people allow a doctrine to override their own good sense. This is what happens to JWS each and every year except they are not all lying in a field for us to see..... it's hidden away. But this is the reality of that belief.

After Jonestown, I lost any respect I might of still had.

269

The Hubble, Yahweh, the Bible, and faith.

by Nickolas in

jw
friends

there have been several threads in which the views of the universe provided by the hubble space telescope have been discussed.

i guess this will be another one.

there's a new series being broadcast here in canada on the oasis hd nature channel entitled hubble's canvas.

Giordano

Nicholas asking our believeing friends if their belief in a god/creator etc. is relevant or large enough after the wonders we have seen through the Hubble will certainly roil their waters. And referencing the early Christian symbol...... like fish they rise to the bait. As a non believer I am not required to fit my scientific knowledge or lack there of into a template of religiosity. Back a few hundred years it was the prudent thing to do, that or become a crispy critter tied to a stake. Ask Giordano Bruno how that worked out for him. Times have changed. Primitive man and then religious believers owned the universe for 6000 years ........well it's not theirs anymore science owns it now. And believers are no longer relevant when it comes to science try as they might..... try as they must. Because some nice and even smart people kissed the sweet lips of delusion and fell madly in love with that delusion carries no weight with science. Belief in a hopeless cause is just that. A new telescope is being prepared and our knowledge of the universe will once again grow with leaps and bounds and our old gods will get smaller.

"The James Webb Space Telescope (sometimes called JWST) is a large, infrared-optimized space telescope. The project is working to a 2018 launch date. Webb will find the first galaxies that formed in the early Universe, connecting the Big Bang to our own Milky Way Galaxy. Webb will peer through dusty clouds to see stars forming planetary systems, connecting the Milky Way to our own Solar System. Webb's instruments will be designed to work primarily in the infrared range of the electromagnetic spectrum, with some capability in the visible range."http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/

33

"THEY" are here right now. I don't want them to come around again, ever!!

by trailerfitter in

okay ,, this is a question and a confession.

we have had an issue come to a head in this household of mine.

after getting to the bottom of my parners intentions i have given her an ultimatum knowing all too well she will choose the jws over myself and family.

Giordano

On another thread about the blood issue I suggested Googling Jonestown as an example of how otherwise decent people can be manipulated to believe in the need to sacrifice their lives as well as their children. The visual is powerful........ the story is unreal. If you don't know about this incident you AND your wife should. These were not JWS however but the same result is happening in hospital rooms and behind closed doors on a daily basis.

Jesus weeps (old Irish saying).

P.S. For you JW lurkers on this forum please check this out.

27

another sad blood story

by Found Sheep in

so i had a patient this week that needed blood.

as i always do i give the signs of a rejection and pros and cons... she said of course i'll have one since i need it... i just don't understand people that don't!!!

and they would rather die.

Giordano

Google Jonestown, I am not puting the link on here because while it's not gory (lookls like people sleeping) it is disturbing. This is the reality of what the blood issue comes down to. This is what what can happen to otherwise decent people who allow themselves to be manipulated. This happened ONCE in an open field and the entire world recoiled. This is happening every day behind closed doors with JW's and they think this is pleasing to god.

21

Here's What We Know About Jehovah's Witnesses

by AllTimeJeff in

the condensed history set, to the music of the william tell overture.... some guy in the mid to late 19th century named c t russell felt spiritually disenchanted.

didn't believe in hell and other traditional christian beliefs that he grew up around.

so he read a lot, and got exposed to a lot of ideas.

Giordano

Well done!

With one great sentence....you've defined the entire JW construct.

"Like other groups, they will either change (the one talent they really have) or just go away as the bullshit they carry around becomes to heavy to move."

118

School for Congregation Elders

by C.O.B.E.Beef in

jw
friends

i attended the school late last year, and it was an emotional and mental rollercoaster for me.

i was already divided in my heart to say the least.

one of the instructors stayed in my home for the week, and my family genuinely enjoyed his company.

Giordano

He went on to say that if the brothers told him he could no longer listen to Pavarotti, that he would gladly throw it all into the trash. At the time, I thought that he was a fine example of spirituality. Now I look back and shudder to think that a man like this now has one of the most powerful positions in the organization.

Your right Jeremy. Reading all of the stories about Bethel on this site and Freeminds I was struck that those who were able to advance to higher positions were those they (the Powers that be) could trust to toe the line. One overseer at Bethel actually explained to an outside freelancer they called in to help out with some illustrating problems that they could not use an expensive piece of printing equippment until they found someone who 'was spiritually mature' .

And it is like the old Soviet Union or China under Mao.

Great Post C.O.B.E you brought some heat!

140

Why So Many Young People Are Leaving The Watchtower

by Jeremy C in

i have been giving a lot of thought to the young people who are leaving the watchtower organization in recent years.

last night, i was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the watchtower.

one factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization.

Giordano

Jeremy, like my favorite youtube video I have to come back to your post over and over again.

I mentioned the Mormons before as did others. For a religion that has a number of wackadoodle beliefs they are still better run and better educated then witnesses. It's amazing to me how far in front of the JW's they are by whatever standard one wants to use. If I could have changed anything I think I'd rather be an ex mormon then an ex witness....I'd be better educated (they have five universities) and a football team to cheer on. Of course the coffee and booze thing would have been a problem.

The only good thing about the society is they drove me to drink............ and I never thanked them for that!

48

Went to my first meeting today anonymously!

by TimothyT in

hi everyone.. jack and i decided we would go to his local kingdom hall this morning.

although i have no interest anymore in being a jw, i think its still nice to have regular bible discussions, etc, which can give you something spiritual to think about each week.

i love it and i think its damn good for you.. today, jack and i walked in, a little nervous, but were greeted and welcomed like friends.

Giordano

Hi Timothy and Jack thank you for sharing,

If I was gay I would see no point going in going to or joining any church that preaches against Gays. So the first thing I'd do is Goggle gay friendly churchs. I am also sure there are on line forums for religious minded gays as well. Grow your spiritually among those who accept you just the way you are and share with us what that experience is like.

140

Why So Many Young People Are Leaving The Watchtower

by Jeremy C in

i have been giving a lot of thought to the young people who are leaving the watchtower organization in recent years.

last night, i was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the watchtower.

one factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization.

Giordano

And Yet...........When I was a witness during my high school years it was definitely because of the younger witnesses'. We would go out after meetings for soft drinks or pizza and talk and laugh. Darn it if they hadn't been around I would never have gotten so involved. Teens always find a way to be teens. But being DF, excluded from your peers........ was frightful. Our rebellions in those less restrictive times were numerous but minor. Later, living in an area where the need was great, married (we will celebrate our 48th anniversary this year) We purposely drifted towards 'casual' witnesses who had other interests. Eventually we were able to relocate and we left the religion. No more meetings no more door to door. Last night my wife and I were sitting on our porch when two young Mormons spotted us and started to go into their spiel. I interrupted and told them I wasn't interested. They were filled with the holy spirit and wanted to know why.....I told them I didn't like cults. They bristled and I had to smile. "Your lucky," I said to them, "You only have to put up with this crap for two years".

140

Why So Many Young People Are Leaving The Watchtower

by Jeremy C in

i have been giving a lot of thought to the young people who are leaving the watchtower organization in recent years.

last night, i was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the watchtower.

one factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization.

Giordano

Nice post, good thoughts. The JWS is a 19 century religion and children back then were expected to be seen but not heard. Women as well and really nothing has changed with the JW's. They don't understand how their human resources should be treated. The Bethel stories we hear on this site and Freeminds make that point.

I wasn't a born in so I had a normal life up to age 13, birthdays, Christmas, school friends, no meetings. Then for the next 10 years I was a JW, it wasn't my choice, then for a while it was my choice, then I met my wife and after a while we decided to walk away. We had both experienced a life before becoming a JW and didn't want to raise our child as a witness.......... of course it helped that we never really believed most of the crap they taught.

At this time I don't really know the mind set of born-ins. How or When the 'awakening' takes place that allows them to walk away. I suspect that the unchanging banality of JW beliefs and the meetings must contribute to the dissatisfaction. As well as the resentment of a restricted childhood. No after school contacts, no higher education, wasting time in service. The embarassment factor growing up, the flag issue, music issues, party issues , lack of school sports, forbidden to join the Boy Scouts, knocking on a school mates doors in service....................I always felt that I was playing on a losing team. Finally getting out was a relief.

I also wonder if born-ins see the religion differently then converts and if that isn't part of the process.

I also think that if members were allowed to step away without fear of shunning that half of the witnesses would fade out.