When I was in my late teens, I was a true believer in the JWs. I took me several years and several stages to become a nonbeliever. With that, I bacame an agnostic, which I have been for most of my adult life. I am 63. Someone mentioned that he found people of our ilk to be judgemental. I don't judge. After all, I used to be a believer myself. I also do not try to convert someone to my way of thinking, though I will discuss it if they ask. The worst person to talk to, in my experience, is a drunk at a bar who wants to tell me about Jesus.
Posts by larc
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13Is religion and faith not possible for some?
by littletree ini ask this question because i'm starting to have the scarey feeling that i was born "faithless".
other than feeling that babies and flowers are beautiful and miraculous, i have been having the darndest time feeling 100% sure that god exists and cares.
things that religious folks say are "blessings" i just see as the product of human effort and choice, or as stuff that probably would have happened anyway.
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28
Convicted Rapist Brother Thompson strikes AGAIN!
by Nathan Natas inhttp://www.komotv.com/stories/32730.htm
convicted rapist arrested again in u-district attack.
august 24, 2004 .
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larc
SoJ, I wrote the forward to the book by Bergman on JWs and mental illness. (For a shorter version of his finding, see the link that was provided on this thread.) I disagree with Berman on one point. I don't think that the rate of psychosis is higher among JWs than it is in any other group. I do agree with him that the rates of depression, anxiety, pschosomatic illness and suicide are much higher among the Witnesses. __________________________________________________________________________________________ I conducted a survey here regarding the above symptoms. About a hundred people responded. About 75% stated that they had had one or more symtoms while being a Witness. The percent droped to about 33% since leaving the religion. Yes, there are some residual effects, and/or, effects not stemming from the religion. Nonetheless, that is a very significant decrease in symtomatology before and after the JW experience.
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48
Rutherford's Sex Life
by Leolaia inokay, so we learned in recent threads how jf rutherford was seperated from his wife from the time he took possession of the watchtower society, and how they lived apart thenceforth.
so....to quote butt-head, did rutherford ever "get any"?
did he live a purported "chaste life" that russell claimed to?
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larc
I forgot to mention that Berta had known Bonny Boyd for several years before Berta left her husband and moved to Bethel. Berta traveled with Bonny to a convention in Europe, early on, and that is where Berta met Rutherford.
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Rutherford's Sex Life
by Leolaia inokay, so we learned in recent threads how jf rutherford was seperated from his wife from the time he took possession of the watchtower society, and how they lived apart thenceforth.
so....to quote butt-head, did rutherford ever "get any"?
did he live a purported "chaste life" that russell claimed to?
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larc
I have sent information to Farkel which he plans to send here. It appears that part of what I sent him did not go through, so we are trying to fix that. My wife also plans to write up some material based her conversations with my mother regarding Berta. I don't think Berta had an affair for 15 years unless it was an occasional fling at a convention. Berta, was howver, in very close proximity to Rutherford from 1938 when she abandoned her husband in Ohio and moved to Bethel and where she worked directly for JFR. My evidence is all circumstantial, but very compelling in my opinion.
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44
Why do animals die?
by ezekiel3 inas an animal lover, i have some questions jws have never dared to breach (according to a search of jw publications).
if humans die because of inheriting adam and eve's sin, why do animals die?
were animals created imperfect?.
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larc
Onacruse, if there is life after death, it should be reserved for dogs and cats, and perhaps some other critters. People don't deserve it.
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44
Why do animals die?
by ezekiel3 inas an animal lover, i have some questions jws have never dared to breach (according to a search of jw publications).
if humans die because of inheriting adam and eve's sin, why do animals die?
were animals created imperfect?.
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larc
Animals die because everything dies, including people, animals, trees, and garden plants in the fall frost. That is the way it is.
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34
The Purpose of Beth Sarim
by VM44 inbeth sarim, the house in san diego rutherford had built and lived in.. from the proclaimers book, page 76,a few years after brother rutherford?s death, the board of directors of the watch tower society decided to sell beth-sarim.
"the watchtower" of december 15, 1947, explained: "it had fully served its purpose and was now only serving as a monument quite expensive to keep; our faith in the return of the men of old time whom the king christ jesus will make princes in all the earth (not merely in california) is based, not upon that house beth-sarim, but upon god?s word of promise.
but, did the watchtower of december 15,1947 state what was the purpose beth-sarim had fully served?.
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larc
Everything said here about Beth Sarim is true. Let's consider something else. Beth Sarim was built in 1929. Rutherford spent his winters there, while the faithful were going through the Great Depresion. He had two of the best Cadillacs that money could buy, one at Bethel and one at Beth Sarim. What a swell guy he was. Oh, I would like to mention that my mother's aunt was his mistress.
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22
I feel good
by DanTheMan inafter a couple of days away from the board and doing some hard thinking and contemplation about my life, and reading (though i'm not done yet and the conclusion may turn out to be a letdown) a fabulously insightful book called the courage to be, a funny thing has happened...i feel as sane, calm, and alive as i've felt in years, maybe ever.
maybe this is a manic episode or something.
probably not because i'm not really doing anything productive nor am i making any grandiose plans.
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larc
Dan, I have been senile for some time now, but I am still a happy camper. Some day, I might be drooling whilst in my chair in the nursing home. I still will have a grin on my face.
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Old JW books & Apostate literature
by AuSet ini had a funny experience at work the other day.
i'm working at a christian college for the summer as an electrical apprentice....we've been in the library for the last couple of weeks, and i happened to discover several old, old jw books (the old paradise lost book, and many others) right alongside of crisis of conscience, and several other "apostate books" .....whoo hoo, was i excited!
all the jw literature had taped written warnings on the outside of the book covers, saying "do not read for any purpose other than to study the jw religion!!
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larc
I thought I'd mention that my local university, a private Catholic school has the Studies in the Scriptures. All are editions before 1914. Now, that's old.
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23
Ex JW Author To Speak
by Kenneson inon august 1, roy milton, author of truth or consequences, is due to speak at vineyard christian fellowship in downey, california.
he was a jw for some 30 years and this book tells about his journey in and out of the religion.
anyone living in that area interested in his story might like to attend and offer moral support.
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larc
I forgot add. You said folks like myself belittle the believers. Do a search of my posts and find one example. I thought I had covered this ground before.