Posts by MegaDude

20

Why JWs and ex JWs Return to Watchtower

by Victor_E in

jw
friends

with recent events of the wtc bombing some ex jws and inactive jws are returning to meetings and all the customary rituals.

some wonder what could drive such individuals to do such irrational acts.

i will outline some of the factors and i admit that it could be one or more or none of these because in the final analysis only the individual person knows why.. fear: as jws we were programmed to have a pervasive fear of a god that was punitive and blood thirsty with his creatures.

MegaDude

A prominent elder told me if Armageddon didn't come soon, the preaching work would die off. He said people were tired (including him) and that a much longer delay would result in people losing motivation to go to the kingdom hall four days a week (3 days for meetings/1 for service).

As far as what University researchers have discovered on why people join religions, I can only guess: Fear of what's happening in this world, fear of death? A friend of mine who is a therapist said fear of death was the number one reason people joined a religious organization.

20

Why JWs and ex JWs Return to Watchtower

by Victor_E in

jw
friends

with recent events of the wtc bombing some ex jws and inactive jws are returning to meetings and all the customary rituals.

some wonder what could drive such individuals to do such irrational acts.

i will outline some of the factors and i admit that it could be one or more or none of these because in the final analysis only the individual person knows why.. fear: as jws we were programmed to have a pervasive fear of a god that was punitive and blood thirsty with his creatures.

MegaDude

Boy, Victor, that's so true.

My younger brother is still in. We used to be best friends, take trips together and go scuba diving, hiking in the mountains or skiing, drink together, talk. Since I DA'd, those days are gone. I sure have missed him over these years. I consider him a necessary loss though. For him I guess the losses are too great. He and his wife have a great lifestyle, really nice home, expensive vacations. He loves his wife. And he would have to walk away from all of it if he were to begin questioning what The Society teaches. His wife is a militant JDubber. About once a year he will surprise me and stop by my house. The last time he kept saying, "Where am I going to go? The churches are all corrupt and pagan! And I believe it's the truth. I believe it." It was a statement of frustration more than a profession of faith.

Still, he won't read a book or watch a video that exposes the Watchtower for what it is. I have to believe his remaining in the Borg, when his three sisters and one brother have left, has more to do with fear than a love of truth or reality or even God.

21

How did you leave the JW's?

by rhett in

jw
friends

my question for everyone is how did you leave the org?

not really what led up to it but what did you do to no longer be a part of it?.

personally, i think i have to have one of the more humerous stories of leaving.

MegaDude

DA'd under pressure. Would have liked to have faded away and kept contacts with my JW family. Not to be. Rigid elder body said if I persisted seeing my DF'd sister and brother, I would be DF'd myself.
I told them I was going to keep seeing them and handed them a piece of paper saying I was DA'ing myself. They were shocked.

37

Last Post

by joelbear in

jw
friends

i love so many of you so very much.

what wonderful people there are here and how i have rejoiced in our spirits joining.. i have, as i said, given up.

i am disconnecting from this board and from a number of other things in my life.. i am staying connected to mitch.

MegaDude

Joel

I understand the need to get away from negativity, but I wonder what were you expecting to find here. A virtual utopia of happy ex-JWs? Getting out of the JWs is an experience that really throws people in an emotional tailspin of anger, hurt, confusion, and mistrust. Some of us lost family members, spouses, best friends, all of our friends and close acquaintances and all at once. Plus you are the unhappy recipient of a personality that has been molded and saturated with the cult mindset to whatever degree. And there's no justice to be had and no one to pay for your condition to give you some satisfaction. Count me as one of the seething and furiously angry when I first got out. And who do you relate to then? For 30 *&^%$ years I was told people outside the Borg were bird food waiting to happen. It took time to where I could even relate to people who had never been JWs and feel comfortable being around them. And what kind of career do you have? I was one of the true-blue believers that thought not going to college was a good thing. I had a chip on my shoulder a mile high for quite some time after exiting the so-called "truth." Congratulations. You've been the recipient of some "venting" by some wounded people.

Many people here are very sensitive. They have good reason to be. You should expect it. But there are some really great people who are kind, who understand you, who are nothing but supportive and helpful, who can relate to you in a unique way that outsiders who haven't experienced the cult world can. You know who these people are.

Recharge your batteries. Come back when you're rested and ready.

9

HELP - Trip to New York City next month...

by Billygoat in

jw
friends

hey all!.

i've been planning a surprise trip to nyc for my boyfriend neil for several months now and i've just told him about it.

(it will be our year anniversary the weekend we go.

MegaDude

Billyg,

One thing I would want to see that others might not is the devastation left from the WTC collapse. It will be remembered as one of the biggest historical events in history in time to come. I would want to see it with my own eyes, but I don't know how close you could get.

But if that's not your cup of coffee, and you want to escape from that for a while, check out this link for ideas:

http://www.highonadventure.com/Hoa98aug/Newyork/newyork.htm

74

In the big scheme of things, Jesus'....

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

...suffering was not so bad.

his "perfection" and understanding of the situation would certainly have mitigated his suffering.. his death was not really death, not in any meaningful sense.

it was a 15 second nap, using bible reasoning.

MegaDude

Alan,

my perception of your attitude is crystal clear. You're a pissed-off angry ex-fundy or cultist with an ax to grind. I would respond to your other ramblings, but it's clear you are too emotionally bent to discuss the issues without going on a "bender." I got tired of that long ago when talking to Jehovah's Witnesses. Very tired. You still have the personality of a Dub. You're just not in a cult anymore.

No, I don't believe the universe was created a few thousand years ago the way the Dubs taught it. Or the way some fundies teach it now.

74

In the big scheme of things, Jesus'....

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

...suffering was not so bad.

his "perfection" and understanding of the situation would certainly have mitigated his suffering.. his death was not really death, not in any meaningful sense.

it was a 15 second nap, using bible reasoning.

MegaDude

Cygnus,

Second that recommendation on "Last Temptation of Christ." Great film.

74

In the big scheme of things, Jesus'....

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

...suffering was not so bad.

his "perfection" and understanding of the situation would certainly have mitigated his suffering.. his death was not really death, not in any meaningful sense.

it was a 15 second nap, using bible reasoning.

MegaDude

Alan,

if you could drop the attitude, I would like to have a serious discussion. I'm not here to be recipient of your obvious anger at cultic religious organizations or fundy organizations. I detest and loath them also. Atheists and agnostics can be just as big a jerk as a militant fundy. There's no exclusivity on that in either group. From the intensity of your posts, your breaking away from fundy religious teaching, be it Watchtower or otherwise, was costly for you. It was costly to me in more ways than one. I'm not anxious to repeat it in guise of another religious organization, Christian or not. If you have something to teach me, I'm willing to listen. But drop the emotional intensity. It obscures the meaningful content that your posts have.

74

In the big scheme of things, Jesus'....

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

...suffering was not so bad.

his "perfection" and understanding of the situation would certainly have mitigated his suffering.. his death was not really death, not in any meaningful sense.

it was a 15 second nap, using bible reasoning.

MegaDude

Poor Alan F. I think it's clear what the "F" in your name stands for. Lol...

If you get your diaper in a wad this quick over a discussion about the sacrifice of Christ, I can't imagine what you would do if somebody cut you off in traffic. I'm sure you were the classic toe the line JW. Too bad you didn't check your militant JW attitude at the kingdom hall door when it hit you on your ass on the way out.
You have an obvious chip on your shoulder. But go ahead and vent away your bitterness if you want. It's not a dead issue with you no matter how much you whine that it is. It still bothers you ... badly. Why do you want to be a militant anti-religious jerk?
You can be anti-religious and logical at the same time. That's no way to live your life, son. Take some needed advice... and chill. You'll enjoy your life a lot more that way.

Wishing you happier days, Alan.

74

In the big scheme of things, Jesus'....

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

...suffering was not so bad.

his "perfection" and understanding of the situation would certainly have mitigated his suffering.. his death was not really death, not in any meaningful sense.

it was a 15 second nap, using bible reasoning.

MegaDude

It's easy to see you get very emotional and upset when someone posts that they respect what Christ did, that they believe in him. Although you have run into your share of brain-dead, Jesus-believing
born-againer fruitcakes, as well as JWs, that doesn't necessarily make the people here who believe in Christ a fundy. You're way offbase there, and your response is emotional rather than logical. When you start off a post calling names instead of your logic, the info you have to share get lost in your emotional reaction.

You recommend reading "Jesus the Magician." Thanks for the recommendation. You're right. You should listen to both sides of the story. I would like to see you start another thread of what you learned from this book.

You said: "Jesus had no choice. He was given his assignment by God. If he refused, God would have declared him a rebel and killed him. Simple as that."

If he was God (Trinity view), then he got nothing extra that I can tell for his efforts. He goes back to heaven and he is fully God again. If he was God, then he made the decision to undergo sacrificing himself. He didn't take any order. If he was not God, but the son of God (JW view), I still don't see what bump in status he got for his trouble. He was already "second in command."

Please start another thread on what you learned from Jesus the Magician. Maybe you could give a brief overview of the best arguments that show Jesus is a myth. If it's as good as you say it is, then I need to read it.