i'm new here but not new to researching and questioning the jw beliefs.
i have quite a story.... one that's been haunting me for awhile... but first, i'd like to hear what people have to say about this topic question, please.. -gigi.
I know how it feels to have that question.
I've become fine with not knowing.
I had to learn that it's perfectly okay to say, "I don't know."
You can't be afraid of the unknown. Embracing and accepting the unknown is embracing life, liberty and happiness.
i'm from the south los angeles area and i was wondring who were the '''star'' elders, ministerial servants, pioneers, in your hometown or area?
they could be good or bad too..
during the many years of being a jw, i could never really bring myself to be exited about the co's visit.
this has been an issue that always kept me wondering back to religions.
why could not feel the same happiness that made everyone around me cry during the sunday service?
No d2d in afternoon weekdays; no Sunday fs after the meeting....unless I was given wrong info.
Blondie: The CO still goes in service in the afternoon on weekdays. Usually bible studies or shepherding calls if they are scheduled.
Sunday field service after the meeting is still on, too. I worked in the same car group with the CO's wife on Sunday the last time and he took the group out and then went with the COBE on some shepherding calls.
after all my reading, conversations, study, meditating, video watching, etc.. this for me, could very well be the "end all" topic to clearly define why being a jw is useless.. there is zero scriptural evidence that following the rules of a "governing body" of men is required to be acceptable to god or to gain salvation ( everlasting life in paradise ).. when asked by anyone, this will be my reply.
"show me the evidence".... i don't care if it cries out, "i'm an apostate"!.
whomever hears the comment will not be able to ignore it.
I really wish I could get some yard signs, print JWFACTS.COM on them and then go at like 1:00 in the morning on Sunday and put them on the streets leading up to our Kingdom Hall.
I would get a sense of satisfaction out of it, but I don't know if it would do any good. I remember a guy that used to picket our old Kingdom Hall with a sign that said "1-800-WHY-1914." I never called the number and I doubt anyone else did either.
during the many years of being a jw, i could never really bring myself to be exited about the co's visit.
this has been an issue that always kept me wondering back to religions.
why could not feel the same happiness that made everyone around me cry during the sunday service?
so since i blew up at my family for being self righteous hate mongers, my uncle sent me a huge letter calling my ignorant and uncaring.
to which i exploded back with an email.
may have gone a bit too far on that one, but whatever what is done is done.
I've been trying to put myself in my parent's shoes.
I really think that apostate's families (and friends) actually would prefer us to fake it. They fear having to make that choice between us and the organization, and they would rather us pretend for their sakes.
I truly believe that the only thing holding the organization together at this point is fear.
If all the doubters didn't have the fear of losing their family, they'd come out of the closet. If their family wouldn't be required to shun them, then they'd be able to share with their family TTATT. True, not everyone that hears TTATT will wake up, but I truly believe that without that fear factor, the vast majority would.
Once you remove that fear factor, more people leave, more people wake up, and the organization starts crumbling.
That's why I truly believe they will never "repeal" the shunning practice. The reason they re-instituted it to begin with was because of the hemorrhaging losses in the late 70's and early 80's.
Fear of being shunned is the only thing holding this organization (as we know it) together.
today at work a co-worker of mine and i were having lunch at a nearby establishment.
he is what you would call a c&e christian in that he basically attends church only for the christmas and easter services, though he definitely says he believes in god.. he said that he just recently caught an episode of a crime/forensic show that featured a man from new jersey named john list who was also known locally as the "bogeyman of westfield.
" list became infamous for murdering his entire family consisting of his wife, three children and his mother on november 9, 1971. see below link for more data.. on the tv show the narrator commented there were a few reasons why he did it.
Here's how messed up I used to be:
I actually believed that since the wages sin pays is death, and the only unforgivable sin was 'grieving' the holy spirit, then since I was so miserable I should just kill myself and wake up in paradise. Jehovah would understand. He knows what's in my heart. He knows how I'm suffering and how messed up I am in the head.
Now that I no longer am a believer, though, I don't even think at all about doing something to myself any longer. Why? Because, since I now believe this is all there is, I don't want it to end before I can experience all that life has to offer.
I used to think that not believing in God and having no hope after death would make you miserable and want to just end it all.
For me, it has been the exact opposite.
during the many years of being a jw, i could never really bring myself to be exited about the co's visit.
this has been an issue that always kept me wondering back to religions.
why could not feel the same happiness that made everyone around me cry during the sunday service?
StarTrekAngel: Is this the first CO visit since September for you, or the second?
EDIT: _Morpheus was thinking what I was thinking.
it was recently that i found out that my dad was a paedophile while reading a post on this site (shocker to say the least), but out of something so awful a good thing has occurred.
some on here will know my backstory about how my loving jw parents disowned, but i digress.
thanks to that post i am now in contact with my sister who unbeknown to me is a member of this site and saw my response on the thread about my dad.
under the radar: I remember the thread well.
I was so shocked, I didn't even know what to say.
moley: I'm glad you are reconnecting with your sister! I can only hope that someday my own sister wakes up.
during the many years of being a jw, i could never really bring myself to be exited about the co's visit.
this has been an issue that always kept me wondering back to religions.
why could not feel the same happiness that made everyone around me cry during the sunday service?
