Posts by PaintedToeNail

11

Cognitive Dissonance Runs Deep

by vinman in

while it is true that maybe 1 or 2 things woke you up (like myself), it is interesting to reflect on the reality of what you did not believe, even if you were a true believer and would of died for the organization.

here is my list (not a complete list, i'm sure their is more).

what is your list like?.

PaintedToeNail

Oral sex = homosexual sex

Women required to wear dresses - where is that requirement in the bible?

Imperfect minors getting baptized - Perfect Jesus being baptized as a fully cognizant adult

18

Something odd about how Watchtower portrays prayer versus how JWs actually pray.

by Island Man in

watchtower literature often depicts individuals praying with their hands clasped together or kneeling on the ground in their bedroom.. but i don't recall ever seeing a jw praying like that.

i have never seen a jw praying in a kneeling position or with hands clasped together.

have you?.

PaintedToeNail

Juan-You got that right! To me, a blessing was something EXTRA, not the usual like everyone else had, i.e. food, water, shelter, clothing. A blessing would mean an unlikely cure from a serious illness, someone getting a brand new car for free. Many ancient bible guys got riches, extra vigor, longer life, cures and so on. Those were blessings. The others are necessities. If you are supposed to thank god for the necessities received, are you supposed to also thank him for the times he didn't supply them? Such as in times of famine? "Dear Jehovah, Thank you for not providing our daily bread this day. You know that we need bread to survive, yet today we are without. Thank you for your loving blessing."

14

New edition of APOCALYPSE DELAYED

by panhandlegirl in

a new third edition of apocalypse delayed has been released.

this may already have been discussed or may be old news but i just saw it on youtube.

mr penton, the author, says he has included jws attempt to deal with 1914 and their new light on the governing body being faithful and discreet slave in this new edition.

PaintedToeNail

I really need to read that book. Thanks for the update.

6

Heading to the Spain and the Holy Land

by CalebInFloroda in

as part of my journey as a sepahrdic jew, i am off on a journey that will take me to both spain and israel to apply for the right of return offered to me by both nations.. as such i will be absent from this delightful forum during this life-changing odyssey.

till that time we are together again, be assured you are in my thoughts and (for those of you who do not mind) my prayers.. please know you have contributed to me greatly and have helped me much, all of you.

it is rewarding to freely share, discuss, even debate issues here so freely.

PaintedToeNail

Have a wonderful journey of discovery! Be safe.

30

Life after the witnesses, friends, faith etc

by Theburstbubble in

jw
friends

hi everyone, this is my first post so go easy on me :) i have been a witness all of my life (i'm 37) and truly believed it until 3 years ago.

my husband and i had become spiritually weak and over time i began to question more and more until i came to the conclusion that the witnesses were not the true religion but just one of many religions and that if god is there then there are many paths to get to him.

anyway, i've battled with keeping going as my husband still believed and i didn't want to be in a divided household as we have a young daughter and thought it would be very confusing for her (and us).

PaintedToeNail

TheBB-Welcome. You ask questions that are difficult to answer. Personally, I feel much better mentally and emotionally since leaving the JWs. My spouse is still in, which causes a lot of difficulty to my family, as none of the kids want to attend, yet we feel like we are walking on eggshells. We secretly have to celebrate birthdays and so on. My youngest child hates having to keep these secrets, yet loves the b-day celebrations and holidays spent with her uncle, who left before me. I haven't made any friends, I don't know how, which is sad. Yet, I feel full of strength and am far happier than when I was living a lie (no more panic or anxiety attacks for me!). My kids are transitioning well and making friends at school and are involved in extracurricular activities. I have lost faith in a god, and believe in atheism.

It should be noted that I didn't have many friends in the organization before I left. As a person who hated going out in Field Service, I was never on the 'A' list in the congregation to begin with, that was reserved for pioneers, elders and ms.

25

A word of advice clining to their persecutors ...

by SecretSlaveClass in

let me start off by saying i do not presume to have the answers, i am merely offering advice.. i will preface this posting with this, cutting a long story short:.

my sister was raped by a popular jw lad wh's dad happen to be a rock star elder.

in the attempt to fight him off his face was covered with scratches and it was reported to the police ( instead of rape he was sentenced on the lesser charges of sexual battery and assault) but he confessed to having violent, consentual sex.

PaintedToeNail

SSC-Your account of life growing up in apartheid South Africa is riveting. Many years ago, I remember hearing an experience at the KH that told of the Borg in SA. Of course that example indicated that all the brothers loved each other equally regardless of their race, it was the secular authorities who wouldn't let them all associate with each other...it sounds like they didn't want to associate with each other in the first place.

39

So I was enjoying a business trip in down town Bangkok...............Next thing BANG!!!

by cantleave in

jw
friends

so last night i was having a wonderful meal in a very nice restaurant when we heard what we thought was a loud clap of thunder.................. it was a bomb.

yards from my hotel.

thankfully i made a few decision that meant i wasn't in the wrong place at the wrong time.

PaintedToeNail

So happy your missed that terrorist act are are able to continue your journey!

85

"And what happened next was simply unbelievable!"

by Terry in

jw
friends

i always sit in the same spot, just outside starbucks in a vestibule area with a table in the air-conditioned space.

i say "always," but not today.. somebody with two laptops and a table filled with business ledgers was in "my" favorite spot!.

so, i took a tiny wooden table inside the coffee shop on a long padded bench next to 3 other identical tables.. as the clickbait banner ads like to say: "and what happened next was simply unbelievable!".

PaintedToeNail

Well played! I love how you had them verify that the media was accurate about the Catholic Church cover-up and then when they played the persecution-by-the-media card! You forced them to use critical thinking. It would be wonderful to be able to see into their heads right now...

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