Sea Breeze

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Posts by Sea Breeze

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  11

  NEWS❗️: Watchtower lawyer Paul D. Polidoro admits IN WRITING that Watchtower has a "practice of shunning"

  by Nathan R. Koppe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  news❗️ watchtower lawyer paul d. polidoro admits in writing that watchtower has a "practice of shunning".

  do jehovah’s witnesses shun former members of their religion?

  https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1102008083.

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  Sea Breeze

  Thanks for posting this Nathan!
  
  I drifted away, eventually found Christ on my own, and told my parents and brothers about it. They told everyone that I was an apostate and that none of the family could associate with me. They never addressed any of my questions or concerns. While never officially disfellowshipped, ex-jw Christians are singled out for very harsh shunning.
  
  So, while those who "drift away" may get thrown a social bone or two now and then, those who come to independent faith in Jesus are quickly labelled "apostate" AND SHUNNED THE HARDEST because they represent the ultimate threat to the cult. Those who drift into atheism, agnosticism, secularism, and almost anything besides bible-bleieving Christianity - not as much from what I've seen.
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  68

  Do You Think Disfellowshipping Is The Worst Thing About Jehovah’s Witnesses?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the longer i’m out the more i feel that disfellowshipping is cruel.

  i understand the organization tells parents to not even accept emails or texts from their disfellowshipped children.

  while i was a witness they tried to discourage families from association but there was some leeway if it was considered necessary business to interact.

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  Sea Breeze

  I think the worst is scaring the little kids with images and tales of death and destruction. This sets them up for anxiety disorders that can only be alleviated by the cult or other addictions.
  
  Kids brought up where they feel safe are FAR more able to be successful in life.
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  23

  Sadly, This is Real

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

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  Sea Breeze

  They really hate kids..... always have. Always told people to not have them. All the Child Abuse settlements must really chap their cheecks.

  Probably figured that the JWs kids caused this problem, let them pay for it.This also conditions the kids to get ready to get zilch when mom and dad passes away and donates their life' savings to the WT.

  What a fine example of putting the kingdom first .

  They are all under some kind of spell!
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  3

  Unsolicited advice for PIMO JWs who live in anguish and fear

  by Roger Kirkpatrick in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  before one who belongs to another religion can become a jw, one must officially resign from one’s former church in writing.

  many who left their family religion to become a jw have been disowned by their families.

  of course, jws consider this to be persecution.

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  Sea Breeze

  Good points Roger. I have never regretted disellowshipping my family. But, it took me until age 40 until I was mature enough to handle it. I wanted to for a long time, I just couldn't let go until I realized that there was no amount of buffoonery that would be too much to get them to stop worshiping JW.org.

  I was young enough to start my own family ... again. The longer people wait, the more regret they will have I believe. Now I wished I had taken a stand 10 years before I did!

  I pray for them, I just can't stand to be around the arrogance and blindness.I finally grew up and took what life had dealt me like a adult ..... took a while though.

  Glad you posted this. It is a point of view that is not offered very much on this board.
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  6

  Life in Flux, Self-Reflection, and the Bible

  by losingit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has been at least 2 years since i posted, and for the most part, i believe, i left this site on a happy note.

  i had moved on from the drama and confusion that transitioning out of being a jw and into the world meant.

  i was building a happy life with my children.

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  Sea Breeze

  Glad you ditched the alcohol. It arrested my development to a FAR greater extent than I thought. And I only drank twice a week.... always been a good provider for my family. I have been sober for 5 1/2 half months and I'm seeing and understanding the reality of things to a far greater degree than ever before.
  
  Sobriety doesn't always generate good feelings either. And I still get anxious episodes due to early WT scare tactics. But at least it is real and it is my reality, not one I imagine.
  
  I highly recommend getting in touch with your local "Celebrate Recovery" group. Recovery from hurts and hangups happen in the open and in community. Cults and addictions usually require secrecy and isolation.

  Welcome to Freedom. Glad to hear you are taking it seriously. It is a precious thing..
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  40

  Still dont get the friggin birthdays

  by nowawake14 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have read extensively about the origins of birthdays, and i still don't get it.

  but it's not what it means today.. even wedding veils were used to ward off the "evil eye".

  but it's not what it means today.

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  Sea Breeze

  OnTheWayOut is correct. They do it, in short, because they are a cult. Cults use tools such as asceticism as a way for adherents to feel holier than others who are either unable or unwilling to subject themselves to such denials.

  Some adherents will wear their suffering as a sort of badge of honor and may feel that there will be some bigger reward for their self denial.

  JW's are known for not pursuing certain talents "for the Kingdom"..... like sports for example. There is obviously no biblical rule against sports as a way of providing for your family. And many Christians are famous sports figures which brings good publicity to Christ.
  
  But JW leaders put a huge guilt trip on anyone pursuing this because it does not fit with their quasi ascetic lifestyle they promote.
  
  It's hard to keep someone depressed and "barely holding on until Armageddon" if they are a successful public sports figure making millions and praising God for it.
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  40

  Still dont get the friggin birthdays

  by nowawake14 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have read extensively about the origins of birthdays, and i still don't get it.

  but it's not what it means today.. even wedding veils were used to ward off the "evil eye".

  but it's not what it means today.

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  Sea Breeze

  Well let me spell it out for you. It is part a very ancient heretical social position called:

  as·cet·i·cism

  
  

  noun

  1. severe self-discipline and avoidance of all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons.

     
     

     
     

     Acetiscism is strictly condemned in the bible, particularly in the New Testament.

     
     

     Colossians 2:16
     

     Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival [like birthdays] or a new moon or a Sabbath.
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  32

  I sent in my letter - peace I’m out

  by HiddenPimo in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  da haters need not apply - thanks for your support.

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  Sea Breeze

  Welcome to the light.

  I too got to the point where I could not take another breath if I was involved in any way as an enabler of WT culture. Evil requires darkness to thrive. For me, life simply wasn't worth living if I had to fake anything for one second longer and be a part of the darkness. I had reached my end.
  
  Never disfellowshipped, I wrote my "letter" to my father and two older brothers, all elders, and stated the reasons why. The organization that lied to me meant nothing. I remarried at age 40 and had two other children.

  Been 15 years and the rewards still keep coming.
  
  "The unexamined life is not worth living" - Plato
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  13

  Questions for Cart Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a revised list...feel free to add some questions.

  how well do you know your organization's history?

  1. do you know how long watchtower has been predicting the immanence of armageddon and the end of this system of things?

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  Sea Breeze

  Is the WT doctrine of "new light" a blessing or a curse according to Galatians 1: 8 ?
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  10

  I've made my decision...

  by Jeff1 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've only made one topic post prior to this one and for the past two months i've been reading practically everyone's posts.

  im not one to rush into anything so when i found out about the arc, multiple lawsuits, keeping pedophiles hidden, and 587 bc being the actual date jerusalem fell i decided to research everything myself.

  i've always admired the beroeans as they made it their aim to research and see if the things they heard were true.

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  Sea Breeze

  Glad to hear that Jeff. Good luck with your plans!

  Many of the things we learned as JWs are very valuable in life, like :

  1. Honest

  2. Diligence

  3. Making sure of all things

  4. Family values

  But as Jesus warned regarding the Pharisees, “do as they say and not as they do”