Posts by snare&racket

66

What's the point?

by punkofnice in

jw
friends

i mean, i don't want to be miserable or anything, but what's the bloody point of it all?.

since i left the watchtower cult, i have come to realise that god cannot possibly exist...and if a god exists...god is indifferent to humankind as the least.. in 100 years time i'll be gone.

kaput.

snare&racket

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ITTxTCz4Ums

49

I have a question.

by DATA-DOG in

according to jwism, god didn't cause suffering, he just allowed it.

wow, that's really, really, dumb.

to help humans out, jeehoobidoob provided the ransom.

snare&racket

When and why would an all powerful being create a 'holy spirit'....? It doesn't make sense!

Of course it makes sense if you are a human making up the story. Humans can't achieve anything spectacular or beyond natural without assistance, usually in fiction, humans require magic or 'the force'. When ascribing gods miracle acts the writers gave him a magic force, the holy spirit, just as all human writers still do to this day when writing fiction about superheroes or Jedi. Of course, the oversight is that according to the story God was a god already, he would even have to make the Holy Spirit himself, which makes no sense.... Why would he need a third party to come visit an elders meeting when appointmenwt are being made, it's silly, but it makes perfect sense when you think humans invented it.

How did god hold back the waters for the Israelites? ......oh well he used magic/the force/ the Holy Spirit! ......... Doesn't make sense!

18

Ten years out.....

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

i'm not sure how useful this post will be, but i feel compelled to write it.

with many of my older posts, i wrote them with a younger jw version of me in mind.

with this i write it with a younger newly ex jw in mind.. ten years ago i went to my presiding overseer and told him my concerns about wt owning 'rand cam' military stocks, about unfulfilled prophecy and human error in the governing body and the theocratic consequences of such.

snare&racket

Good to see the forum going strong. Lots of new names which is also awesome! The little contact I have with JW's now leaves me believing they are really suffering. They all seem so despondent, worn out and disappointed. Too scared to vocalise the obvious doubts in their mind, they blindly march on with their busy, thankless, JW lives. How sad.

I hope you all find happiness and purpose. Having children is THE purpose of life so pat yourself on the back if you have them, I don't yet and I'm jealous! As for the rest of your life, excitingly, it's up to you to find a purpose. Our years are short and fragile so don't wait too long to decide but also for the same reason, make the most of the blip in time that is our generation....of a generation.....of a generation 🙄

18

Ten years out.....

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

i'm not sure how useful this post will be, but i feel compelled to write it.

with many of my older posts, i wrote them with a younger jw version of me in mind.

with this i write it with a younger newly ex jw in mind.. ten years ago i went to my presiding overseer and told him my concerns about wt owning 'rand cam' military stocks, about unfulfilled prophecy and human error in the governing body and the theocratic consequences of such.

snare&racket

Hello,

i'm not sure how useful this post will be, but I feel compelled to write it. With many of my older posts, I wrote them with a younger JW version of me in mind. With this I write it with a younger newly ex JW in mind.

Ten years ago I went to my presiding overseer and told him my concerns about WT owning 'rand cam' military stocks, about unfulfilled prophecy and human error in the governing body and the theocratic consequences of such. I poured my heart out about 'new light' about the bible translation, about everything that you have read here on this forum and the associated websites. It was about 4 years research all spewed out in one evening.

Overnight I lost everything. Literally I went from being a JW that was clearly having a 'crisis of conscience' to a JW who was no longer welcome, simply by being honest with regard to my concerns. I had been a pioneer, a bethelites and contributed much to the RBC projects locally. My youth was sacrificed to WT and I say that regrettably with whole remorse, but it's true, I was a WT kid through and through.

But I come to write today, ten years on to say...... It's was all utter garbage, it is 100% b.s. You don't leave the organisation and start doubting if it was in fact true , you don't even miss it's teachings! They all seem vulgar, simplistic and violent when you leave!Neither do you miss the daily guilt, the feeling of worthlessness snd under achievement, despite giving it all. Those feelings have simply.....GONE.

It's not without consequence that I was raised in a cult, it affects me most days, but minimally so now. Initially you pine for the people you thought loved you, but this dissipates after a few years as you mature and realise how real life works, how love bombing works and social occlusion in cults. You start pitying and feeling angry on behalf of the mass you left behind, but that too, after a couple of years turns to disappointment at their lack of will to question anything or act on obvious lies and contradictions. Your energy at this point is spent in better things and you shrug at the person you love who whilst throws out JW comments, refuses to engage in reasoned, logical, factual responses or questions in return. You see them embarrassingly close down, get angry in an instant and you see them preparing to fire the 'A' word at you for daring to question the 6 uneducated, middle aged blokes of Brooklyn they will never meet, yet follow to the grave unquestionably.

"So, so, so, so...... dumb! "You will hear yourself say....not them,,the old you that once acted in exactly the same way!

This forum is a welcome refuge and resource and if you look back through the decades you will see a trend of personalities, coming, going, being core contributors for some years whilst they repair the wounds and establish a real life, then they move on. This is how I have experienced this forum too. If you feel almost addicted and dependant to this place after leaving or starting to question, don't worry it's a safe haven and it wears off as you strengthen and rebuild your life. This place is an emotional crutch and in being such a huge help, it takes some time to walk away from.

Starting over in life is difficult. I highly recommend getting back into education and trying hard at the life goals you had as a youth but dismissed/were denied. Anything is achievable, it just requires effort, determination and self belief. From experience, not one prayer or contribution to WT is required. Neither do you have to sell your soul to Beelzebub. People in the real world will get on with 'real life' and have done for thousands of years, without telling stories of prayer magically bringing tax returns on the day of s bill or spare shoes or boxes of fruit and vegetables. People work hard and are rewarded for such. Go to school, work hard and you get to pick a job with a higher probability, it's as simple as that.

I think the largest two issues once you leave that seems somewhat persisting, is the loss of people such as family and friends and your interaction with new people. As for the people that shun you, that's their call not yours. I personally make an effort to say hello, via FB, email or otherwise to people I was close to and family at least every year, some respond some don't. But you can't make someone talk to you and if they have chosen to follow a cult with primitive, draconian doctrine, all you can do is pity them and be glad you escaped.

As for new people in my life, I find this hardest. I don't give as much of myself as I used to. In my job we rotate in roles regularly and I work with different teams. They tend to be very social and outgoing. I am no hermit, but I don't connect with them as other do for sure. I have put it down to seeing all those friends lost over night, people I loved for years, all that time and effort and friendship, gone in an instant. It hardened me and it's a sad consequence, but a real one.

My first post-JW relationship has been fun, but difficult. She's religious, I'm not. In fact she is in a very similar belief system to the witnesses and I'm the naughty non believer mate. It's an ironic and bizzare position to be in and I hate it....... but this is life!

i guess I want to convey that..........everything works out.....it all ends up being ok...

if you are at the point of thinking of leaving or even daring to question what you believe, I'm sure you are terrified, I was. But .........it's ok this side of the wall! More than that.... It's actually very, very, good, you have freedom of thought, action and spirit. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean drugs, alcohol and jail.... I'm a better human being now than I ever was as a JW praying for the world to end so we could live in log cabins on someone else's hard earned land. But if you fancy drugs, alcohol and jail, then it's yours for the taking! The most empowering thing about leaving is the freedom and recognising just how tight those WT chains were on you and your loved ones.

Oh yeah, you won't believe how BANANAS the beliefs were, once you leave........ You will have a new appreciation of just how duped a person can be! No more head scratching when you see celebrities and people believe in the alien overlord Xenu..... You once believed a linen salesman in Brooklyn was a prophet........ Oh and he has some 'miracle wheat' he wants to sell you.....

Lastly ....what is left to believe? What's true? What's the true religion? What happens when we die? Wow, it feels so good to say 'I/we don't know' ...... Some religious people may mock you for this, but be weary of anyone that claims to know things that everyone else on earth doesn't, especially when the info is in exchange for money and/or obedience!

Enjoy reading world history, the history of religions, devour the history of the bible! Who wrote it, where, when, why, how? if you really want the truth, you can only trust your motives in finding it and it's quite exciting to go find it.

I'm an atheist. I'm pro-science. I believe in evolution and I am fascinated with abiogenesis and the early universe. I don't have the answers, and it feels great to admit it!

hope this helped someone,

snare x

6

The GOD of the OT a great guy..

by James Mixon in

leviticus 21:18-20 can not approach god.

a man blind or lame, who has a marred face.

or any limb too long (wth any limb too long), a broken foot or hand, hunchback or dwarf.

snare&racket

Read the whole bible, watch as your indoctrinated, unsubstantiated Santa Claus like imagined persona of God, evolves by every verse read into Donald Trump.....with magic powers.

20

My First CLAM Meeting

by The Searcher in

i carried out my monthly "cover" visit to the k.h.

tonight.

as previously discussed on this forum, the clam meeting is just a rehashed, recycled, reshuffled, & rebranded ministry school and service meeting.

snare&racket

Sounds clamtastic..... Wish I'd never left now! a

hhhhhh wait, no, no I am still glad I left. My mistake!

62

Brooklyn news on sending the elderly packing

by I am a Bible Student in

johnny the bethelite on this program talks about the older bethelites being targeted by watchtower.they are getting rid of those at bethel who are 65-87 years old, some being anointed even the widows of former governing body members who gave decades of loyal service time to the watchtower organization.. the reasons the very elderly are being expelled are money in that for their age range they cost so much to cloth, fed, and medicate, having problems from high blood pressure to dementia.

they include persons such as sister henschel whose husband had been a watchtower president and marian sydlik whose parents are long dead.. https://soundcloud.com/rick-fearon/jan-16-2016-johnny-the-bethelite-watchtower-insider-host-his-radio-program-from-brooklyn-ny .

snare&racket

"And you will know them by the love they have amongst themselves......"

now pack your bags......

9

As another Xmas approaches...

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

i hope everyone here is well and staying strong x .

another year, another year with no armageddon.. i have noticed the jw pals and family become more frenzied of late, small things in the news wind them up and make them more hysterical than ever.

the events in paris were horrendous, but to a jw they mean the end is near...........why wasn't it near when chechnya was in the shit?

snare&racket

I hope everyone here is well and staying strong X

Another year, another year with no Armageddon.

I have noticed the JW pals and family become more frenzied of late, small things in the news wind them up and make them more hysterical than ever. The events in Paris were horrendous, but to a JW they mean the end is near...........why wasn't it near when Chechnya was in the shit? Or Kosovo? Or Tibet? Such small minded, localised thinking that sums up nicely the danger of being uninterested in information and world events. An old JW pal of mine attempted to highlight the events in Paris (in case I missed them?) in the context of the world going to hell.... I brought up Ghengis Khan raping, pillaging, head spiking and murdering his way across the world and how it was neither new or prophetic, we went on to talk about cars.....

I was fortunate enough to bump into two pioneers in the high street in Cardiff. They were very grumpy and found my friendly open nature very threatening, they told me they were in a Chinese congregation here. I asked how it was going? Terrible they said! I asked if it was likely because of the Internet and access to information..."Maybe. But we think it is because they have all become materialistic now!" was the answer. I asked them if they were not happy to see hundreds of millions of people now have access to the same way of life we have enjoyed for decades? Keep in mind they were well dressed, capitalist to the end without realising it, true ....consumers. They just shrugged.

So another year goes by, the world changes, the Watchtower and JW's are more defensive, more fanatical than ever. It is almost like, as the world, the REAL world, holds up a mirror for them to see just who they are and how they are behaving, their answer is to retreat into a more bizarre stance. They wear the coat of "odd ball" with open pride now. It really is quite a different religion and different attitude to what I grew up with. Far more bizarre and strange......almost creepy.

But enough about my insignificant thoughts and observations, I hope everyone here is ok. I have not been here very often at all. I came to look at the RC findings and they are very telling.

i also want to wish and hope everyone has an awesome Christmas. If you have kids and are wondering whether this is they year to have that first Xmas or not...... JUST DO IT! Every Christmas lost is lost forever, that's a year with your kid you can't get back. As a JW kid who left and grew up, trust me, they all count.

To everyone who is having Xmas, have an awesome time, get the dec's up, get the lights up, get the prezzies out! Go mad!

The people here are some of the bravest, smartest, strongest and ironically funniest, I have met. Be proud of who you are, what you have been through and what you survived this Christmas !

Have an awesome holiday season xxxx

snare X

75

Australian Royal Commission Findings released

by Mephis in

will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (angus stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them.

in short, absolutely damning.. not been through every submission myself yet.

available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx.

snare&racket

In 2015, everybody has access to largely, as much information as they want. I am sorry but I have little to no sympathy for anyone associated with this organisation anymore. Ignorance is no longer an excuse. World governments have found the individual leaders disinterested in the abuse of children within. World governments have found their practices dangerous, cold and highly controlling.

Bleat on about how this is Satan speaking through his governments sll you want, but to believe that you have to ignore the child abuse we all heard about, knew about, and find shameful. You have to ignore the distant, cold and controlling nature of the hierarchy within this belief system. To question is too much as a JW, worse, to merely doubt their right to power in the governing body, is a thought crime.

if you remain, or worse, keep your children within this debacle of ignorant and dangerous doctrine, I really have no sympathy left for you, it is all for your children whom you are mentally, psychologically and physically endangering.

The Watchtower Organisation.....The Jehovah's Witnesses......JW ORG.........are all clearly and now evidently recognised as a dangerous places to be.

Snare

107

Brother who works on JW Broadcasting gave a 20 minute talk, said something big is coming next month.

by wifibandit in

via /r/exjw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lc7vhu8l88k.

snare&racket

Armageddon has started ................... Invisibly.