Posts by sizemik

30

Why are you a Christian?

by GeneM in

i was having a discussion elsewhere on the internet about why people believe and why people don't believe in god.. i am of the opinion that people believe in god, not for evidential reasons, but instead because they have some emotional feeling that god exists.

no amount of logic will make someone like this stop believing (any more than trying to talk someone out of being in love).

the same goes for athiests.

sizemik

the difference is that believers have made a committment to believe and they actively choose to believe.

This I agree with.

I think the road of unbelief runs concurrently alongside the road of belief

This I don't

30

Why are you a Christian?

by GeneM in

i was having a discussion elsewhere on the internet about why people believe and why people don't believe in god.. i am of the opinion that people believe in god, not for evidential reasons, but instead because they have some emotional feeling that god exists.

no amount of logic will make someone like this stop believing (any more than trying to talk someone out of being in love).

the same goes for athiests.

sizemik

I think our natural state is to be at variance with ourselves and with the world around us.

I agree . . . belief in God is the default position, so needs no rationale. As soon as rationale is sought . . . belief goes *POOF*

If you want to believe don't rationalise . . . just have faith.

24

How often do you visit the grave site for your deceased Loved ones?

by jam in

jw
friends

as a ex- jw you would think most jws would visit their.

love ones grave site often.

why, because of the belief.

sizemik

Never . . .

My Dad died in '84 . . . my Mum's still alive somewhere. I was never really part of my family even as a kid . . . my two twin (older) sisters were the stars of the show. My Father and I barely spoke in 23 years . . . Mum was always busy doin' her thing.

I haven't spoken to any of them in years, and don't care if I never do . . . and no, they were never witnesses, just a crap family.

A grave site means little to me . . . very old memories of my G'Father and G'Mother is all I have, and I visited thier graves 22 years ago. It did nothing to enhance the memory so I never did it again.

26

Just wanted to say hello

by Suraj Khan in

i've only very recently discovered this site and have been reading many compelling personal accounts and testimonials.

i'd like to share my own as well.. i was born into 'the truth' in the early 1970s.

along with my several (fleshly) brothers and sisters, i went through the usual travails of a witness boy - not celebrating birthdays, not pledging allegiance to the flag, not singing christmas carols in the class chorus.

sizemik

Well done for trusting yourself . . . very few of us did at the start, and dragged things out hoping the doubts would eventually be answered.

They never were of course . . . all they did was compound.

Welcome to the forum.

36

Mental Illness & Suicide In the Organization

by What Now? in

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this topic has been discussed before ... i just wanted to put my two cents in.. i will start off by saying that of course mental illness exists outside of the organization.

sizemik

It's a mind-controlling cult . . . we need to allow for that.

If someone else grabs the steering wheel of your car while you're driving . . . you're possibly gonna take some damage.

Same when someone else grabs the steering wheel of your mind.

I knew of 10 suicides . . . and came close myself.

36

Today's WT: A Warning To You Loyal Witnesses

by metatron in

jw
friends

it happens without warning.

you have a stroke.

you get ms. you are in a car accident.. they put you in the hospital.

sizemik

Fair call Steve2

I've also seen an elderly sister get all sorts of assistance from ex-JW rellies and the Elders not saying a word. (it means work they no longer have to do). The problem in this case was that she was out of da troof inside 12 months LOL.

26

Got to Make an Elder Squirm the Other Day

by xelder in

i heard from a very reliable first hand source that an elder in a nearby congregation was talking about my views of the organization.

so, i called him.................................................................................................. me: hello m. this is xelder, i heard that you had a conversation with h. the other day.

any idea why i might be calling you concerned about what was said?.

sizemik

Yeah you've hurt some pride . . . and we all know how Elders smart over that.

Nice going though . . . it was good while it lasted.

11

Why Do Former Atheist Scholars Turn Deist Or Theist?

by Bubblegum Apotheosis in

atheist becomes theistexclusive interview with former atheist antony flew.

http://www.biola.edu/antonyflew/index.cfm .

what changed in anthony flew's mind that moved him into thinking there might be a god?

sizemik

Haven't you heard . . . EVERY believer was once an Atheist.

94

If you got apostate vids on Youtube take em off now!!! Legal Dept to Sue!

by smithmandy1 in

i've posted this on the wrong section so i'm posting it on here cos its sort of to topic as i know many of you have vids on youtube.

legal department are beginning legal action against google and its uploaders regards to apostate vids that slander the watchtower and/or contain copyrighted material!!!

my hubby knows people who know so heres my warning lol.

sizemik

Have any youtube vids been posted regarding this?

36

The real truth is that you know you've recovered when you stop caring about JW's

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

it's perhaps sad, but perhaps a bit of wisdom to come to realize how insignificant jws really are.. .

you finally get to the point where you don't even care what happens to the borg one way or another.. .

this said after almost four years..

sizemik

I feel a bit of an obligation . . . I don't mind admitting it.

I knew quite a number who took their own lives. Two in particular, I could never forget them if I tried. Sam . . . a teenage kid with unbelievable talents and a heart of gold. I grew to love him like a son . . . even though I have 3 of my own.

The other was Phil, my best friend. He's still the finest human being I've met. For a man of such humor, intelligence and strength to go like that means he was dealing with some real serious shit believe me.

I'm ex-JW, always will be. I can't cure cancer, make the deaf hear, or restore sight . . . I don't know how. But being JW is something I do know about . . . I know it as well as anybody. And if there's another Sam or Phil somewhere I want to know and be involved . . . because I believe I can offer something of value. It's not guilt or anything . . . it's because I can, and it feels right. "Phils" and "Sams" arrive here regularly . . . I have quite a few ex-JW friends aroung the country. Helping out in some small way makes me feel good.

The contributions from some of the more intellectual posters and deeper thinkers on this site I wouldn't have missed for the world either. I think the negativity we carry as ex-JW's belies the real value of how some have responded to "the change" . . . but some are asking the right questions, and getting the right answers. Being among an ex-JW community has been one of the most positive, stimulating and productive things I've done in recent times . . . why ditch it?

I question the validity of "moving on" in a total sense, as being necessarily healthy . . . since you've gotta let something die to do it. Doesn't sound like much of a recovery.