ozbrad
JoinedPosts by ozbrad
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56
Misquote in the Creation Book
by ILoveTTATT inmy dad came into the jw's because someone studied the "creation" book with him.
it pains me deeply that he sent me an e-mail recently saying that to keep the peace with my mom, he will stop communicating with me as much as possible.
i should communicate with him only if i have an emergency.. it upsets me to no end, but i cannot do anything or much about it.
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16
Million Now Living Will Never Die! - Rutherford could still be right
by Zoos inrutherford began the millions campaign in 1918. new light suggests that he was obviously talking about babies who were born that year and now, in 2014 they would only be 96 years old.. .
i was looking through a census bureau report on people aged 90+ in the united states 2006-2008, with projections to the year 2050. according to the chart provided there are about 2 million people just in the united states that are over 90 years old.
we could conservatively cut that number in half to reach the 96 year-olds and then add in the rest of the world's figures.. .
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56
So...Assuming God exists, if he were on trial and you were the prosecutor, how would you present your case?
by androb31 infeel free to skip the intro down to the actual purpose of the thread lol!!.
i'm a born in, 32 years in and almost 6 out.
i've been out of the jw's since october of 2008. i came out due to a variety of factors, blood, historical roots, false teachings etc... my older sister helped me out back in 2008 and i subsequently helped my brother exit and the 3 of us became "born again" christians.. i've been mostly lurking but occasionally posting on jwn for around 5 years.
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11
2 Jdubs at a door
by whathehadas inthis video was posted on a viral site.
there's 2 witnesses who are put on the spot by a very simple and thought provoking question.
i read quite a few of the comments posted on this video and most of the people are critical of the jw and you can tell that some have researched about the cult.
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ozbrad
I had an witness elder at the door today. Told him I didnt believe in talking snakes. But oh he said it was just satan using the snake like a ventriloquist.
Oh I said then why did he punish the snake.
He couldnt answer that one.
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37
Photography and HDR
by ILoveTTATT inas i have mentioned before, i love photography, and specially a technique called hdr.
hdr stands for high dynamic range, and it means the ratio of the "lightness" of the lightest spot in the picture to the darkest.. .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/high-dynamic-range_imaging.
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ozbrad
I'm a professional photographer.
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33
Today I Da'd -Twenty-five years ago. Regrets -some.
by Xanthippe inyes twenty-five years ago today we sent in our da letter.
some regrets, not about leaving the cult obviously, but sometimes when i read about people slowly fading and keeping in touch with family and friends i wonder if we should have done that.
of course it was before the internet in 1989 so we didn't know about people fading.. one day we were driving along and we had been talking about moving congregations because we knew something was wrong but of course we thought it was local.
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ozbrad
Yes it reminded me it's my 30 year anniversary of leaving in a month. I left on my 21st birthday.
Thats a lot of Sunday morning sleep ins.
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44
22 questions from creationists to evolutionists, taken from the Nye/Ham debate
by adamah inhere's 22 questions asked by creationists of evolutionists, on the night of the nye/ham debate: we've got alot of people who can help these creationists out, right here on jwn, so it seems the neighborly thing to do, right?.
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjs538/messages-from-creationists-to-people-who-believe-in-evolutio.
i'll take the easy one..... #22: if we come from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?".
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ozbrad
If man came from dirt why is there still dirt?
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31
Gay for J.
by SuperBoy inso, i eventually decided that this place wasn't the apostate hot bed i was led to believe ;-), (or maybe i am now an apostate!
but i don't feel like one.)..
i was brought up in "the truth".. i loved it.
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ozbrad
Welcome there's a lot of us gays around here just like the general population and shock horror were just like real people.
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9
are there any Dubstep producers out there?
by WillowTrees ini'm trying to find someone that specifically makes dubstep with ableton 9. i have few questions if i could just ask them i'll be out of your hair but i'm really interested and hoping someone is out there that is willing to answer them.. .
me.
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ozbrad
Youtube is fantastic for tutorials.I use Fruity Loops for making songs and I Dj as well.
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4
Interview with an Apostate: Ozbrad
by ozbrad inive been a forum member for a long time but i'm more a reader than a poster anyway here's my story.. tell us a little about yourself and your family.. 50 years old australian.
i'm gay and have been with my partner for 10 years now.
also owner of a cat and a dog i love dearly.. were you a born in or a convert?.
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ozbrad
Ive been a forum member for a long time but I'm more a reader than a poster anyway here's my story.
Tell us a little about yourself and your family.
50 years old Australian. I'm gay and have been with my partner for 10 years now. Also owner of a cat and a dog I love dearly.
Were you a born in or a convert?
Born in. My parents were converted in the first year of their marriage.
Are your parents / family JWs?
Parents and brother still in sister disfellowshipped.
How many generations have been JWs?
Is that overlapping generations? 2nd then.
Did you hold any position in the WTS? (MS, Elder etc...)
Nothing nil nadda.
Did you *really* believe in the bible, in spirits (angels, demons)?
No
Did you get baptised? When and why?
No managed to avoid that bullet till I left on my 21st birthday.
What was the initial trigger that made you start questioning things?
I had a conversation with another kid once and I remember saying 'If god didnt create it then who did? and he said 'Who created god?'
Where did you find information? Internet sites? Books?
There was little info around when I left in 1984
How difficult or painful was the process of leaving?
I always wanted out just needed an excuse.
Was it a big dramatic exit or a careful quiet fade?
I had just turned 21 and bought myself a birthday gift of a hifi video player. I was in my bedroom playing a video and my father kicked down the door and started screaming about the evil rock and roll that was playing on the tv.
They had previously burned most of my record collection (500 albums 3,000 singles) after a convention on records having backward masking. Better safe than sorry they said.
I said that's it I'm leaving and I'm leaving the witnesses as well.
That was it I was out of there. Luckily I had a job and could support myself.Did you convince anyone else to leave with you?
No
How were your family relations affected by your decision?
Strangely enough they let me go. No elders even talked to me.
My mother helped me find a flat.
I wasnt out at this stage with my sexuality. It would be another 5 years before I lost my virginity.Were you or are you still being shunned by those who didn't leave?
My mother still talks to me but shuns my sister who was baptised.
Our relationship is however strained because of my gayness.Although she acknowledged my partner the other day via email which shocked me.How long have you now been out?
Of the closet years darling. The JWs 29 years now.
Was there anything you looked forward to doing when you left?
Gay sex.
What are you most proud of achieving since you left?
Gay sex.
Is there anything you miss about life in the congregation?
Nothing. I used to find spending 30 mins in the toilet staring at the wall more interesting than the talks.
Red pill or blue pill? Do you regret waking up to reality at all?
I regret nothing.
Did you become an atheist or transfer your faith elsewhere?
I think I was always an athiest.
How do you now feel about religion in general?
Why hasn't it gone away yet? Talking snakes arent real.You can't lose your superpowers getting a haircut.
Do you feel any guilt celebrating xmas or birthdays or doing any other JW "no-no"s?
Birthdays dont mean much to me still and we dont bother with xmas not being a xtian an all.
Have you attended any face-to-face meetups of ex-JWs?
A ex bethellite is in my social group other than that nadda.
Describe your circle of friends - mostly other ex-JWs or regular people?
I know a lot of gay folk strangely enough but have many friends.
Do you tell people about your JW past?
Only as horror stories on halloween.
Do you feel animosity or pity toward current JWs?
Pity
How do you respond to witnesses when they call at your door?
I had an hour long discussion with a couple of JW girls on the history of the gospels and they left hurriedly when we got onto discussing the flood story.
Waste of breath really. Last lot I saw I was washing the car outside and they just said 'Hi' and kept walking. Jehovah must have steered them away.Storm the barricades or tend to the wounded? (do you favor activism or support)
You got yourself into this mess.
What do you think is the most effective approach to reaching people still in?
Read a book beside the bible.Having said that just reading the bible should make you an athiest.
Do you think the WTS can or should be destroyed, will continue on as-is or grow / change?
I thnk they're like Scientologists and lie about their numbers. Other than that its slow death by internet.Imformation is a powerful tool.
How has your life been impacted by your JW past?
My leaving school after year 10 at age 15 hasnt helped.
Are there things in your life you blame the WTS for?
See above answer.
JW upbringing - a protection or a curse?
My angry violent father certainly wasnt a protection.
How do you fill your time now it's not filled with meetings and field service?
Gay sex.
Actually I'm a professional photographer http://www.flickr.com/photos/bardlee/
and I Dj http://tinyurl.com/a6j687fDo you still have an interest in JW beliefs and doctrines?
no
How much of your time is still spent on JW related matters?
Besides this forum not much.
What do you think of the ex-JW community?
Varied like most things in life.
Do you see yourself still being associated with the ex-JW community in 5 or 10 years time?
Once an exjw...
Do you fear the future?
Beside global warming and extremists getting the bomb no.
What advice would you give to anyone starting the journey of leaving the WTS?
Sunday morning sleepins rock.
What would you change in your life if you could go back and talk to yourself?
Don't believe your parents know everything.
Do you have any regrets about life since you left?
I wish I'd stayed in school longer.
