Posts by Mulan

108

What drives exJWs to atheism?

by ros in

jw
friends

a significant number of former jehovah's witnesses come out of the watchtower still believing the bible and considering themselves christians.

most coming out are in a serious state of bewilderment, and they look intently and sincerely for something to fill the huge void of lost religion, lost family and friends, and lost fellowship.

they seek some viable spiritual association with others of like mind while at the same time having become very wary of any organized religion.. what is it that eventually draws so many of us (not me) to agnosticism or atheism?

Mulan

Excellent post, Sunshine. I agree with you too.

My feelings are that the Jehovah I used to worship is not God. My brother calls him "Hitler in the sky"........but he is an atheist too.

My God is loving and kind, and doesn't demand the constant sacrifice, and undying 'worship' and continuous communication, that Jehovah required. I am totally turned off by that name now.

I don't call my father by his name, but he is Dad. So God is Father, and that's that. My Dad let me grow up, and not need to ask his advice on everything, but if I were to want his advice, he is there for me. Bill Bowen has made some good points about that subject. Maybe he will post it one day. I totally agree with him. (Maybe he did it already.)

Marilyn (Mulan) who is coming around to thinking HE really is out there. Boy, it's been a long journey.

108

What drives exJWs to atheism?

by ros in

jw
friends

a significant number of former jehovah's witnesses come out of the watchtower still believing the bible and considering themselves christians.

most coming out are in a serious state of bewilderment, and they look intently and sincerely for something to fill the huge void of lost religion, lost family and friends, and lost fellowship.

they seek some viable spiritual association with others of like mind while at the same time having become very wary of any organized religion.. what is it that eventually draws so many of us (not me) to agnosticism or atheism?

Mulan

My opinion: Arguing, or discussing, whether God exists is as pointless as discussing whether the Trinity is a true teaching of the Bible. Neither side is likely to convince the other. The only one who might make a decision is one who is unsure of either viewpoint.

I just had to say that. It seems everyone just goes round and round, like arguing the Trinity at the door.
Marilyn

25

IS THE WTS a PROVEN FRAUD?

by Amazing in

jw
friends

jw defenders often claim that those of us who left the wts are shipwreaked in our faith and have succumbed to apostate thinking.

of course we challenge this with our knowledge of watch tower teaching and history, but they still fail to get the clue.

they are caught in the mend-controlling of the watch tower and accept without facts in evidence the label placed on us of apostates.. what are the facts that prove the watch tower is a fraud?

Mulan

Good grief, You Know. Do you really believe they predicted the Great War? They didn't, not even close!! It doesn't vindicate them one little bit, that the war broke out. They predicted it would bring the end to things as they knew them, and they would all be "taken home to dwell with the Lord in the air." And they also predicted the full establishment of the Kingdom, to take the place of all world governments on the earth." (not invisibly, YK) Studies in the Scriptures, Vol 2 states "within 26 years all present governments will be overthrown and dissolved...the full establishment of the Kingdom will be accomplished by AD 1914."

12

Do YOU know how to WAIT?

by Roamingfeline in

jw
friends

this is the title of an article in the sept 1, 2000 watchtower, which a jw brought to my door this morning.

my husband answered, and it was very apparent that the woman was brand new to door-to-door work, and her companion was encouraging her.

it was saturday "push the mags" day, and so hubby asked if she had any technical mags... he loves to play with them when they come to the door.

Mulan

We have a close friend, who has been out of Bethel for over 20 years, but used to be on the writing staff, and wrote some of the books, now not being used, of course, and lots of WT articles. One day, one of our other friends showed him an interesting article in the WT (2000 issue, maybe October?) and he looked it over, and said "I wrote this, word for word, back in 1972, I believe." That was such a hoot!! They just keep recycling. His books are not to be read, but the WT articles can be reused. hahahahahahaha But then, he isn't df'd or da'd either.
Mulan

"Tell your kids often how terrific they are."

80

Funny story about VeniceIT

by Mulan in

jw
friends

by popular demand, i am yielding to pressure, to tell a story about our very own veniceit.. in march, venice and her parents were visiting us here in washington state, and we all had dinner at our daughter's home one evening.

(my daughter posts here as princess) princess's son, 4 years old, was quite taken with venice and was showing her around the house.

he was going up the stairs ahead of her, and turned around, face first at her rather, ummm, er, ample?

Mulan

Careful guys. Vennie is getting pissed! But, in a friendly way.
Marilyn (Mulan)

6

A bible study? Me? Well... okay!

by COMF in

jw
friends

i'm gearing up to get out of this protected, "inaccessible" apartment complex with its remote-cammed, sensor-driven gate and security patrol.

i'm moving to a house.

one in a residential neighborhood, with other houses around and a 7-11 on the corner and a mall a few blocks away and couples on saturday walking very slowly carrying bookbags.. i was reading roamingfeline's post, "do you know how to wait," in which she described an encounter with a new, nervous witness.

Mulan

Someone posted a similar idea last week, I think. I love it, but no one ever comes to our house, because they know WE LIVE HERE!!

Anyway the idea was to accept a Bible Study, and prepare well of course, and ask questions. Get them to think, and research. Take them out the back door, so to speak.

This kind of worked on me, indirectly. When I was pioneering in the early 90's, a young man showed very great interest. It seemed he was a Baptist Youth minister, and very sincere, ......or so we thought.
He had a long list of WT volumes he asked to see, along with the 1975 Yearbook. We gave him the yearbook to read, and looked up the articles he wanted to see in the WT. All of them contradicted each other. I showed them to an elder, who of course wanted to know where I got such a list, and I told him........a man I was calling on. THis elder was one of the ones who was talking to my husband about his questions about things, unbeknownst to me. He suggested I write the Society, but I didn't. I kept the info deep inside until it wouldn't stay buried. When I knew that my husband and the other elder were discussing this stuff, I brought it all up, and eventually caved in too. So this stuff works. There was more, about a bad quote in the Trinity brochure, that this young minister found the original book quoted from, and showed us how it misrepresented what was actually being said in the book, by all the .......... in between words. Anyway, just sharing.

31

TRIBUTE to a CIRCUIT OVERSEER

by Amazing in

jw
friends

over the years, circuit servants and then circuit overseers came and went.

i can only recall a handfull because the rest were unimpressive or i was not real active during the visit of some.

most cos that i recall were humdrum with perhaps some single interesting feature or personality quirk.

Mulan

I remember him from DC's too. He served the circuit North of us, Everett to Bellingham, and I thought they would cycle him to us, but they never did. My niece, had grown up in a congregation in Eureka California, and knew him from then, so when she was in Marysville WA, she got him again. She loved him. It seemed everyone loved him.

But, I loved the Circuit overseers too, until my husband starting telling me some of their personality flaws from elder meetings. Some of them he particularly hated and called them egotistical martinets.

31

TRIBUTE to a CIRCUIT OVERSEER

by Amazing in

jw
friends

over the years, circuit servants and then circuit overseers came and went.

i can only recall a handfull because the rest were unimpressive or i was not real active during the visit of some.

most cos that i recall were humdrum with perhaps some single interesting feature or personality quirk.

Mulan

Was it Angelo Manero (or Manera)?

Thanks AP, for remembering Mary. Hilda must have been another wife. I know there was one.

Anyone remember Werner Fuhrer? His wife was Zona.
Some of the wives had odd names. I used to think it
was a prerequisite, when I was a little girl.

5

Anyone know whats happening in Irlam ?

by Simon in

jw
friends

apparently, lots of stuff is going on... elders moved around and sent packing elsewhere, butts kicked etc.... i'd love to think it was the stink i caused and the complaints i made that were taken seriously and investigated but i generally try to be realistic.... but who knows?

maybe the co is an honest guy who does want to see things done right?.

whatever, i will find out and then being the horrible person i am, gloat over it.

Mulan

I have to ask. What is Irlam? I am missing something here.

"Tell your kids often how terrific they are."

80

Funny story about VeniceIT

by Mulan in

jw
friends

by popular demand, i am yielding to pressure, to tell a story about our very own veniceit.. in march, venice and her parents were visiting us here in washington state, and we all had dinner at our daughter's home one evening.

(my daughter posts here as princess) princess's son, 4 years old, was quite taken with venice and was showing her around the house.

he was going up the stairs ahead of her, and turned around, face first at her rather, ummm, er, ample?

Mulan

I was only giving the guy a definition, Ven.

Everyone is really enjoying this thread too.

What are you going to do, sneak into my trailer,
when we're all camping?

Ha hahahhaha