in my previous post i mentioned that i'm staying in the org because i think i got a sign from god...some of you asked a lot of questions about my sign and even shared the society's view on asking for signs which i didn't know.. i didn't disclose exactly what the sign was.. some of you asked me what it was and even stated that i know that you all would pick apart and prove that my sign was just a frivolous excuse to hold on to the org.. maybe you were right.. so i've decided to tell you all exactly what it was---no embellishments or exaggerations.
i would love to hear your opinions since i'm still in a terrible mess.sometimes i'm 100% this is not the truth then other times i'm 60%....i feel if god was giving me a sign i'd be 100% this is the truth you know?.
so i woke up that morning and organized to go meeting.
"I'm currently trying to understand the 607 thing but i have NO IDEA where to begin."
MSGG - I have written a 96 page thesis on 607BC. It is mainly a cliff's notes version of many of the main points that Carl Olof Jonsson brought up in his book "The Gentile Times Reconsidered". BTW - that is a wonderful book. But it is so factual that it can be difficult to read sometimes (IMO). I am more than happy to send it to you.
in my previous post i mentioned that i'm staying in the org because i think i got a sign from god...some of you asked a lot of questions about my sign and even shared the society's view on asking for signs which i didn't know.. i didn't disclose exactly what the sign was.. some of you asked me what it was and even stated that i know that you all would pick apart and prove that my sign was just a frivolous excuse to hold on to the org.. maybe you were right.. so i've decided to tell you all exactly what it was---no embellishments or exaggerations.
i would love to hear your opinions since i'm still in a terrible mess.sometimes i'm 100% this is not the truth then other times i'm 60%....i feel if god was giving me a sign i'd be 100% this is the truth you know?.
so i woke up that morning and organized to go meeting.
"All I keep asking myself is"How can this be?" I am not a person believing every word. I was not naive."
RVW - First and foremost.....welcome! If you haven't done so....you need to read "releasing the bonds". Steven Hassan explains how easy it is for INTELLIGENT people to get wrapped up in a cult. You don't have to be naive.
in my previous post i mentioned that i'm staying in the org because i think i got a sign from god...some of you asked a lot of questions about my sign and even shared the society's view on asking for signs which i didn't know.. i didn't disclose exactly what the sign was.. some of you asked me what it was and even stated that i know that you all would pick apart and prove that my sign was just a frivolous excuse to hold on to the org.. maybe you were right.. so i've decided to tell you all exactly what it was---no embellishments or exaggerations.
i would love to hear your opinions since i'm still in a terrible mess.sometimes i'm 100% this is not the truth then other times i'm 60%....i feel if god was giving me a sign i'd be 100% this is the truth you know?.
so i woke up that morning and organized to go meeting.
"the Watchtower discusses so many different things that the talks and articles will always apply to someone. Most people can find something in the talks and articles that applies to them - happiness, depression, family life, and on and on."
This is another POWERFUL statement and oh so true. I recall many years ago having a problem in a certain area.....and then lo and behold......out would come a Watchtower or Awake that commented just a smidgeon on it. I looked at it as a sign from God. Or....I'd have a friend that would tell me that he had a specific problem and lo and behold....in there was a recent article in the Awake magazine commenting on HIS problem.
As the poster brought out.....there are so many magazines with so many titles and so many sub articles. Even within a sub article on "remaining faithful".....you can hit on a number of topics such as dealing with doubts, increasing personal study, avoiding "worldly propaganda" etc etc. Whatever your problem may be.....there is a good chance this next magazine or talk may mention it.
Like I said.....those that are looking for a sign will take ANY sign as though it has come from God. When my friend thought his "sign" was answered.....I practically momentarily lived vicariously through him.......thinking "wow......Jehovah answered HIS request for a sign too!" (even though he did not tell me what his "problem" was or what the "sign" was that answered it.) I just believed.....cause...ya know....that's what you're supposed to do.
Not to mention timing. I recall a sister in our hall that was dealing with depression. Her health wasn't the best.....she had lost her job etc. 6 month later....yes.....6 months.....the society writes an article about depression. She and the whole damn congregation thought it was a sign from God. HE was giving her this "food" at the proper time. Nobody seemed to notice that it was 6 months too late for when she really needed it. By that time she had help from family and friends as well as anti-depressant medication.
Anything can be a sign from God....no matter how UNtimely it is........if a person wants it to be.
even when i was a devout witless, i always winced a bit when i heard or especially had to utter "jehovah".
it's just one of those uncomfortable words to say like "colostomy", "vagina", or "erectile dysfunction"..
"He gets sad when you masturbate.
He gets sad when you celebrate your birthday.
He gets sad when you sleep in instead of going door to door selling magazines."
He gets REALLY sad when you celebrate your own birthday by laying in bed on a Saturday morning and masturbating.
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i have come a long way during this last year.
This is in and of itself evidence that the JWs are a cult. They control you through guilt and fear.
My heart goes out to you. The guilt you feel will pass when everyone withdraws their conditional "christian" love. Then you'll see just what this organization is all about.
the most important thing you can do is read and educate yourself. DO RESEARCH! Learn HOW to think (the WT organization only tells you WHAT to think). Learn how to critically analyze information. THEN dissect your beliefs. Truth will stand up under intense scrutiny. Falsehoods crumble
in my previous post i mentioned that i'm staying in the org because i think i got a sign from god...some of you asked a lot of questions about my sign and even shared the society's view on asking for signs which i didn't know.. i didn't disclose exactly what the sign was.. some of you asked me what it was and even stated that i know that you all would pick apart and prove that my sign was just a frivolous excuse to hold on to the org.. maybe you were right.. so i've decided to tell you all exactly what it was---no embellishments or exaggerations.
i would love to hear your opinions since i'm still in a terrible mess.sometimes i'm 100% this is not the truth then other times i'm 60%....i feel if god was giving me a sign i'd be 100% this is the truth you know?.
so i woke up that morning and organized to go meeting.
"But was i really preaching what God wanted me to preach?"
Exactly. Witnesses get so caught up in the belief that you must preach. What about Galatians 1:6-9? Are you positive that you are spreading all the right teachings? Does God not care about the truthfulness of the witnesses' everchanging message........so long as they preach SOMETHING? What about Ephesians 4:11? Does that scripture not plainly say that SOME would be evangelizers? Even if you feel that preaching is a MUST.....the bible does not say HOW it needs to be accomplished or who would accomplish it. How do you know that I am not fulfilling the bible's command to preach right now by reasoning with YOU?
Thank you for explaining what your sign was. You are right. You are an emotional mess right now. Your comments make it clear that you can be blown this way and that way very easily right now. Remember something. YOU ARE YOUNG. You have your entire life in front of you. You don't have to make an un-informed lifetime decision RIGHT NOW. Take your time. Do research. Personally I came to the conclusion that the JWs are NOT the true religion. But it took me 2 years of intense research.
Keep in mind that "believers" tend to look for any reason to justify their beliefs. Life is full of coincidences. You happened to walk in on a talk at the perfect time for you to hear about "doubts". That doesn't make it a sign. Go to your local Christian bookstore. There are shelves upon shelves of books filled with testimonials of "signs" that other "Christians" saw that bolstered THEIR faith in THEIR religion. ANYTHING can be intpreted as a "sign".........so long as you want it to be.
i found this letter on dave reekie's blog and asked him if i could write a piece about it.
i am glad that he accepted.. it's so rare to find a real, authentic handwritten letter from a jehovah's witness parent to their disfellowshipped child, so we hope you can read it and show it to any apologists that claim the watchtower society doesn't condone shunning.. you can read the article here.. .
warm regards,.
It should have been signed....."your conditionally loving mother"
even when i was a devout witless, i always winced a bit when i heard or especially had to utter "jehovah".
it's just one of those uncomfortable words to say like "colostomy", "vagina", or "erectile dysfunction"..
I'm with ya
It is true. There doesn't even have to be romantic involvement or even a vague semi-attraction. If a man and a woman are left alone for any period of time....they will have sex. I cannot tell you how many times me and my 68 year old receptionist have done the obligatory horizontal mambo simply due to the fact that we were the only ones left in the office. As soon as that door closes and the last person has left for the day......off come the orthopedic shoes and on goes my alter ego.......Dr. LOVE.
these days i have strong feelings about the recent events.
i mean the child abuse case.
the context of the case makes me sure that our believe is not the truth.
Amen Brother
