Posts by tornapart

155

Survey: How long were you in the cult vs what year you were baptized

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

hi people,.

i want as much data as possible on the effect of the internet on the time captured by the cult.. please answer the three following questions about yourself or about someone you know (for example, if your parents or grandparents were jw's and left).

1) were you raised as a jw, or did you convert?.

tornapart

1) Raised

2) 1973

3) 2011

Time in: 38 years

and yes if it wasn't for the internet.........who knows?

26

Which Spiritual belief system or non belief system is right for you?

by Giordano in

we have done this before but we have a fair number of newbie's on this site and some are struggling with the question about other belief systems and non belief.

where are you now in your own mind?

here's a quiz http://www.selectsmart.com/nontheism/ that is pretty accurate, at least in my case as to where i am at this point in my life.

tornapart

Oh dear... I call myself a christian and yet apparently I am an agnostic with buddhist leanings... my top one was strong agnostic 100% ..... how did that happen? Maybe Cofty is right in his 'really, really really don't know'.... LOL

475

What is the alternative to JW?

by Formerbrother in

i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.

im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?

the the bible is word?

tornapart

Formerbrother, a few years ago I found myself at the stage you are at. It's been a long slow process and what I've discovered is that there are no clear cut answers to anything. The more questions you ask, the more questions there are. One of the things I dislike most of all about JWs (and my family are still in, and I occasionally still go) is the dogmatism. The belief that they have ALL the answers and no-one else does. I'm still a believer in God and Christ but certainly have no faith in what men teach. Especially when it conflicts with Christ's teachings... and if you look closely, what the WT teaches is way off what Christ taught. Keep asking questions, don't fob them off because they don't fit, open your mind to new ideas and new ways of looking at things. It may make you feel as if the rug has been pulled from under you and that there are no foundations anymore and you feel a little lost but this is simply because we have been duped into putting our trust in men. Trust your own instincts, follow your heart and you will soon discover your own way, whether you stay a believer or not... it has to be what you want and not what someone else has told you to believe. It's a process and may take a long long time, but enjoy finding out!

72

CEDARS (Again) Is it really about religious beliefs?

by Listener in

jw
friends

john cedars has posted his latest blog "the trouble with apostates (and why it shouldn't put you off becoming one)".

i acknowledge that he is entitled to his opionin just as we are ours but i am disappointed in some of his comments.. at this stage i'll try to be objective about it.

he is defending his own position after all.. what bothers me most is his comments about athiests and christians which he seems to identify as being in conflict with each other.

tornapart

I think one of the biggest problem we all faced as JWs was intolerance. JWs are like many other fundamental religious group, very intolerant of others views and opinions (unless they think they can convert them).

It can be quite hard for ex-JWs to dump this state of mind and some who become activists can keep this mentality for a long time. ie their view is right and everyone else is wrong. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and opinions, they are not entitled to force those beliefs and opinions on others. After all isn't that what we all escaped from?

12

New song, "Who We Stoning Today" For my good friend Eric on JWSTRUGGLE.coom

by Greybeard in

jw
friends

i wrote this song after watching eric's judicial stoning.

i used the words he spoke at the beginning of his video and added more words... here is to you eric, thank you for all you help at jwstruggle.com .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjkxp1tc4t0.

tornapart

Hi Gregg, it's great to see you doing so well. :D I'm sure Eric's going to love this!

He's been such a huge support to so many of us 'Strugglers', near and far and has been a great friend and help to me over the last 4 years.

Great song and great voice!

31

The Thief of Always

by YinzerDad in

prologue... .

a brief precursor about myself.

i've been lurking around for almost 2 years.

tornapart

Welcome Yinzerdad, you make some fine points and the book is a very interesting comparison. I would say as the others have, being almost twice your age and feeling very down about the wasted years, you have many years still ahead of you. You have a child and that alone gives you a passion for life. Bringing up children is the most wonderful experience there is. Don't waste it. Children grow fast and before you know it they are grown with children of their own. Spend valuable time with your child, playing, exploring, learning. try and see life through their eyes and make wonderful memories with them. Enjoy life with your child and give them the childhood you never had. It's never too late!

14

I'm lost.

by Mandy97 in

war, terror, the end.

tornapart

I found this survivors account on facebook very moving, as have many thousands of others. Amidst the terror and carnage there was some human kindness and true courage.

survivor's story

30

The Captive Mind of a former bethalite.

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i see years of acute economic crisis ahead for the w.t.

this is evident with letting go of " volunteer" bethalites throughout the world.

but my thread is on the consequences to the individual, and the organisation of letting " volunteer" bethalites go.. so what happens to the captive mind of the former bethalite when they are let go from bethel?

tornapart

Some of the best apostates are ex-Bethelites ... Randy Watters (Freeminds), Barbera Anderson (Watchtower Documents), Bill Bowen (Silent Lambs), Paul Grundy (JWfacts), Richard E Kelly+Brock Talon (wrote great books), Eric Bottorf (JW struggle).... I think when they've been right at the heart of the Borg and seen things the rest of us don't see (and it's supposed to be the 'House of God), it sets alarm bells in the brain. They try and keep them quiet and ignore them but a point comes when everything changes for them. Being sent home with a 'keep warm and well fed but you're not our responsibility anymore, despite the fact you have worked your butt off for us and now you are penniless'.... I think there will be several more brilliant apostates to come in the future that will do even more damage to 'God's Organisation',

11

Do I count my time for this?

by username in

http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2101981.

on page four you will see the active witness, its unmistakable by the lack of any structure in this persons post.. my username is mebiscuit, i decided to reply to the active witness post ;) .

tornapart

Interesting. You made some great arguments username. Just one slip though. The minimum requirement for FS is about an hour , not 10. (Even 1/4 hour if you're elderly and infirm). The average time in my cong atm is about hours.

63

Pop Trivia

by Simon in

so many serious topics lately ... so for anyone who wants a break, it's trivia time and the subject is pop music.. which act is the only one to have a top 100 hit both before, during and after the beatles had theirs?.

no googling.

if you guess, you also need to add a trivia question for others to answer..

tornapart

LOL... she's great!