Okay Aude, perhaps I'll 'borrow' some traditions? Is that better? Lol.
Lev11233
JoinedPosts by Lev11233
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First Christmas
by Lev11233 inthis year, i have decided that i am going to celebrate the christmas season in my own way.
even as a witness growing up, the two-month period of november and december had always been my favorite time of year.
something about all the pretty lights and decorations and the general spirit of goodwill always appealed to me.. i went shopping for a christmas tree the other day, but that's not what this post is about.
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11
First Christmas
by Lev11233 inthis year, i have decided that i am going to celebrate the christmas season in my own way.
even as a witness growing up, the two-month period of november and december had always been my favorite time of year.
something about all the pretty lights and decorations and the general spirit of goodwill always appealed to me.. i went shopping for a christmas tree the other day, but that's not what this post is about.
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Lev11233
This year, I have decided that I am going to celebrate the Christmas season in my own way. Even as a Witness growing up, the two-month period of November and December had always been my favorite time of year. Something about all the pretty lights and decorations and the general spirit of goodwill always appealed to me.
I went shopping for a Christmas tree the other day, but that's not what this post is about. I want to start my own traditions, and I was wondering what things some of you may do during the holiday season. Perhaps I'll steal some of those traditions. Heh.
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The Holiday Thread
by SweetBabyCheezits in[i'm sure this thread comes up several times a year by us noobs but it's new for me.
btw, i'm not advocating or opposing the celebration of holidays, just giving a perspective we've taken recently.].
okay, so before we got df'd a few weeks back, we weren't sure if we were going to start celebrating holidays... for a few reasons:.
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Lev11233
I'm actally shopping around for my first Christmas tree right now. I'm not sure if I want to get a real tree or a fake one, and I'm not sure how I'll be able to control my cat around the tree, but I am super excited to start my own holiday traditions.
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First Post
by Lev11233 ini was born and raised into a very loving family of jehovah's witnesses.
even though my dad was always working overseas, my mom kept my sister and me "spiritually strong.
" i progressed very rapidly in the organization.
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Lev11233
Actually, I'd rather send the letter and get it over with. Becoming more politically active in the way I want will undoubtedly make me slightly more visible than I currently am (not at all), and I don't want to run the chance of some elders knocking on my door asking why I was seen on the news acting decidedly non-neutral.
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"Birthdays rob the glory of God"
by sabastious inhumans are unique.
each one is unique in his/her own regard.
like your thumbprint, your life is unlike any life in existence.. .
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Lev11233
I don't mean to hijack this thread, but as it seems there is a rather lively debate going on here, I thought I would try to lighten the mood.
I celebrated my birthday for the first time this year. I really didn't know what to do with myself. My girlfriend asked if I wanted to have a big party, but I chose to keep things small, instead. All those years of indoctrination left a big (bad) impression on me. A little at a time, I guess. Lol.
Okay, back to the debate.
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First Post
by Lev11233 ini was born and raised into a very loving family of jehovah's witnesses.
even though my dad was always working overseas, my mom kept my sister and me "spiritually strong.
" i progressed very rapidly in the organization.
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Lev11233
St George, when I graduated from high school six years ago, I told my parents I wanted to go to to college. Their response was very typical:
"He's going to go to college and leave the Truth!"
Lol. So I didn't go. Taking a History 101 class, though, has opened my eyes to some revisionist history taking place in Brooklyn. Most notably, the history of the first century Christians. A history of which I was already well aware, but it was nice to get it confirmed by someone who actually knew, you know, history.
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First Post
by Lev11233 ini was born and raised into a very loving family of jehovah's witnesses.
even though my dad was always working overseas, my mom kept my sister and me "spiritually strong.
" i progressed very rapidly in the organization.
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Lev11233
How is your relationship with your family?
Like I said, I haven't really spoken to them. My dad drops by my job every now and then to check up on me, but I've intentionally kept my distance from them. I do love them very much, though.
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20
First Post
by Lev11233 ini was born and raised into a very loving family of jehovah's witnesses.
even though my dad was always working overseas, my mom kept my sister and me "spiritually strong.
" i progressed very rapidly in the organization.
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Lev11233
I was born and raised into a very loving family of Jehovah's Witnesses. Even though my dad was always working overseas, my mom kept my sister and me "spiritually strong." I progressed very rapidly in the organization. I was baptized when I was 15, I immediately started to auxiliary pioneer, eventually started regular pioneering, I held many "privileges" in the congregation, I was very close to being appointed a ministerial servant.
And then I just stopped attending meetings.
I don't know if doubts had started to form, but, for whatever reason, I just stopped going to meetings with any regularity. At one point, the only meeting I attended one year was the Memorial.
I always taken to heart the scripture at Galatians 6:1, which speaks of those with "spiritual qualifications" coming to the aid of those in the congregation who may be taking false steps, even "before he is aware of it." In two years of not attending meetings, not one time did an elder call me or knock on my door (even though the presiding overseer lived next door to me and another elder lived across the street from me). I would get the occassional mass email from my book study overseer informing the group of the upcoming snack night (we really did love our snack nights, lol). But nothing more substantial than that.
Then came October of last year.
Two elders knocked on my door--my book study overseer and a young elder close to my age with whom I had regular pioneered. Thinking that they were nothing more than a "shepherding call," I invited them inside. After just a few minutes, it became abundantly clear that this was no shepherding call. After almost two years of irregular meeting attendance, the body had sent them to investigate me on suspiscion of wrongdoing. And I hadn't even done anything wrong! I flatly denied everything, and though they said they did, I'm pretty sure they didn't believe me. After they left, I remained bitter, resentful, and angry.
I have not since stepped inside a Kingdom Hall.
Nothing more came of that visit. I have since written a letter of disassociation, but I have not sent it. I don't know why. I have intenionally not spoken to my family, preparing myself mentally and emotionally for what would happen should I send that letter, I guess. In the meantime, I am now in a two year relationship with a "worldly" girl (I always thought the term "worldly" made everything seem naught, lol), and my dream of going to college has been realized. Independent thinking seems to be a de facto requirement of college education, and it has taken me awhile to "de-program" myself from looking for the answers in the "obvious" places. I am currently a double major in Broadcasting and (wait for it) Political Science, hoping to one day work for a political campaign or as a political correspondent.
Thanks for allowing me to vent.