Posts by The Rebel

8

How to start....

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i think it would be a good idea to start a thread with suggestions on how to start a journey away from the w.t.

obviously circumstances are different for each individual.. my advice is:-.

a) fade gently but with the objective never to return.. b) my opinion on beliefs and theology is that if they are not verifiable and relevant to your everyday life then set them aside for now.. c) if you have spent your life sincerly believing your ministry was helping in the most important work beiing done on the earth, then i would would suggest simply by being ethical in speech and action, will effect others in a positive way evangelizing as a j.w never could.. d.) as for armeggedon, that's simply control by fear.

The Rebel

LoveUnHateExams...

Yes the best position when leaving is to have a life outside the watchtower to enjoy. Otherwise leaving is something like a ruderless ship. As for myself I had my football club, and my boy to share the obsession with. This worked great with getting the wife out, as she saw this wonderful relationship my son and I were having, and even if she could never share the football, she could see the wonderful family we could be outside of going to meetings and on service and then associating with people, many of whom we never really got on with anyway.

And most important of all, I think we both agree how lucky we are to now bring up our child outside of something he clearly hated. He is so much happier now. Made it all worthwhile. So many wonderful moments and love we have had that you simply can't have if you make a boy be something he doesn't want to be.

8

How to start....

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i think it would be a good idea to start a thread with suggestions on how to start a journey away from the w.t.

obviously circumstances are different for each individual.. my advice is:-.

a) fade gently but with the objective never to return.. b) my opinion on beliefs and theology is that if they are not verifiable and relevant to your everyday life then set them aside for now.. c) if you have spent your life sincerly believing your ministry was helping in the most important work beiing done on the earth, then i would would suggest simply by being ethical in speech and action, will effect others in a positive way evangelizing as a j.w never could.. d.) as for armeggedon, that's simply control by fear.

The Rebel

Chook your avetor is of catweasel. ( I watched that as a kid)

Anyway I agree with your point, but I think the problem for me was Armeggedon an instinctive irrational fear I struggled to shake free from. Now I am pleased to say the fear of being controlled by Jehovers "loving" organisation, bought forth a mouse who is now able to exercise his own thoughts, and surprisingly many in my former congregation have an irrational fear of mice.

Thats was an interesting thought, ( I occasionally have them) when I faded I was feared by many in the congregation. The poor little mouse was actually free, and they the giant elephants were afraid of me a mouse and trapped in their cage.

8

How to start....

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i think it would be a good idea to start a thread with suggestions on how to start a journey away from the w.t.

obviously circumstances are different for each individual.. my advice is:-.

a) fade gently but with the objective never to return.. b) my opinion on beliefs and theology is that if they are not verifiable and relevant to your everyday life then set them aside for now.. c) if you have spent your life sincerly believing your ministry was helping in the most important work beiing done on the earth, then i would would suggest simply by being ethical in speech and action, will effect others in a positive way evangelizing as a j.w never could.. d.) as for armeggedon, that's simply control by fear.

The Rebel

Good points Anders.

I should clarify, my personal " fade gently" was complete non attendance, but to decline any explanation too anyone as to why I had ceased attending.

24

The Sadness of the Poet

by compound complex in

jw
friends

i feel a sadness so deep that friends wonder why my art and my blinds remain undrawn.. gone is the muse who promised me solacewhile guys played ball and climbed tall trees.. a blank canvas before me says, "here's your life, where has it gone?".

is it too late to become what imight have become .

.

The Rebel

Hi compound, having read your tale about Marie, I think it's a great shame you never wrote scripts for "Little House on the Prairie". Even Michael Landon was incapable of writing such " emotional onslaught" :-)

8

How to start....

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i think it would be a good idea to start a thread with suggestions on how to start a journey away from the w.t.

obviously circumstances are different for each individual.. my advice is:-.

a) fade gently but with the objective never to return.. b) my opinion on beliefs and theology is that if they are not verifiable and relevant to your everyday life then set them aside for now.. c) if you have spent your life sincerly believing your ministry was helping in the most important work beiing done on the earth, then i would would suggest simply by being ethical in speech and action, will effect others in a positive way evangelizing as a j.w never could.. d.) as for armeggedon, that's simply control by fear.

The Rebel

I think it would be a good idea to start a thread with suggestions on how to start a journey away from the W.T. Obviously circumstances are different for each individual.

My advice is:-

a) Fade gently but with the objective never to return.

b) My opinion on beliefs and theology is that if they are not verifiable and relevant to your everyday life then set them aside for now.

c) If you have spent your life sincerly believing your ministry was helping in the most important work beiing done on the earth, then I would would suggest simply by being ethical in speech and action, will effect others in a positive way evangelizing as a J.W never could.

d.) as for Armeggedon, that's simply control by fear. This fear is why many generations of JWs, have missed their whole life. However if you try living in the moment, you might find that living in this life can actually be quite fun. So instead of being so fixated with the W.T future, why not try a little self-centred perspective?

32

What Happens to Adam and Eve?

by Cold Steel in

in jw theology, what happens to adam and eve?

are they resurrected and become heirs to paradise on earth?

or will they become two of the heavenly class?

The Rebel

I believe the answer is that as Adam & Eve committed a sin whilst perfect they simply now cease to exist and have no resurrection.

The problem I have with W.T theology is how a person created perfect can do something imperfect? The witnesses will answer "free will" . But free will and perfection are clearly not the same thing.

As for the actual sin, in my viewpoint the story is that God gave them a choice. To clarify we're they :-

A) told simply not to eat from a tree.

Or

B) given the choice to eat from the tree, with the consequence of doing so explained.

As the answer is B, how then did they disobey God?

As for the consequences of that choice now, shaping the world we live in today, was this in your opinion even remotely explained to Adam?

583

What is the purpose of life?

by slimboyfat in

while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.

because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".

i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.

The Rebel

It's often interesting to note how our feelings can change about different things, and we can spend so much on this or that, thoughts on what we should or shouldn't have done. Or even thoughts on what we are going or not going to do. But sometimes the purpose of my life is just to let go of all the mental chatter and relax into the here and now. ( not such a simple task)

20

Are quality restaurants even slightly aware of the concept..

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

of providing high quality food?.

personally i prefer the small restaurants with a owner who cooks the food.

often the food is equally imaginative and just as tasty as the more expensive restaurant.

The Rebel

Millie I think the hand written note is all I can afford after that meal, unless I take fresh flowers from the graveyard. I wouldn't, would I? Ummmmm, I am thinking about it....to be continued.

405

Origin of Life

by cofty in

in recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?

as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.

there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.

The Rebel

I am no troll Viv, put your money on that and I will give you a free bet.

Because logic never stops.:-)

p.s if you play chess I am on many on line sites, if you want a game?

20

Are quality restaurants even slightly aware of the concept..

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

of providing high quality food?.

personally i prefer the small restaurants with a owner who cooks the food.

often the food is equally imaginative and just as tasty as the more expensive restaurant.

The Rebel

And the sad thing was, because I told the waitress the food was crap, my wife got pissed off and wasn't talking to me this morning. O.K to be fair the desert was well baked let's leave it there...and I will try to make amends with my wife after work today.