tornapart

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Posts by tornapart

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  10

  Keeping it simple.

  by gingerbread in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as the convention season is upon many of us, i recall my first assembly that we attended during the very beginning of our questioning if this religion that we were raised in was 'right'.

  by really listening to the talks and observing the behavior of the other attendees, we came away that weekend with real focus on uncovering the realities of being one of jehovah's witnesses.. i had, for many years, issues with some basic organizational practices and customs : turning in a time slip, counting hours, re-hashing material over and over, dress and grooming rules, congregational politics/favoritism/discrimination, the 'judicial committee', etc.. at the same time we were researching the history of the watchtower and it's core beliefs : what were the origins of the belief in a paradise earth, the faithful and discreet slave, and (most importantly) the watchtower's chronology/dating that leads to the 1914 conclusion.. to all who are in the beginning of this process, i recommend you keep it simple.

  take one topic or issue at a time and prove to yourself that the watchtower's stance is biblical.

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  tornapart

  I just found reading CoC was enough. In just 3 days I was totally mentally out.
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  23

  Do you "believe" differently from what you "know"?

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  greetings, all those still searching, still wondering .

  .. in one of many faith-related books i have read, i recall the author declaring that there's a difference between what we know and what we believe.

  while i cannot recall the author nor his commentary, i acknowledge that, while i do know ttatt and that the bible in not without error, yet there's a part of me deep inside that holds onto the so-called spiritual.. how is it for you personally as you make the transition from the invisible to the visible?

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  tornapart

  Coco, I feel similar to you. Since finding out TTATT my faith has been rocked and shaken. In the organisation, definitely. In God, sometimes. Especially when reading all the 'atheist' related threads on here. They have certainly given me much food for thought. Yet still, I have a yearning inside me for the spiritual. Is God a part of it? Or is spirituality separate from God but still something as humans we need. Yes, I still believe in God but I think there is something more or something different from the God religion has taught us.

  I enjoy reading books by the author Philip Yancey who has asked many many questions over his life. He bacame agnostic during his adolesence after leaving a fundamentalist religion. The God he now believes in is NOT the God he was shown as a youngster. I find his questioning and the answers he discovers are on a par with my own discovery.

  The questions though continue. Sometimes I put all my thoughts of God and all other questions to one side and just get on and enjoy my life. But those questions still niggle away in the background. I find I can't forget about God, he's there all the time for me, whether I want him or not. He's a part of my life and even if non believers think I'm just another deluded christian, I'm actually happy that he is.

  But he is NOT the God of the WT!!
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  15

  HERE IS YOUR MAP. . . your task is to find the spot which says: YOU ARE HERE

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is your map:.

  1. i suspect the truth isn't what i thought it was.. 2. omg--i realize i've been lied to and duped.. 3. what should i do?--i don't want to lose my wife, kids, family, friends, dog, pet hamster .

  .. 4. what if jehovah's witnesses really do have the true religion and it's simple human error screwing it up?.

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  tornapart

  I got to number 3 but no. 4 doesn't really apply. I'm 50/50 on number 5. And no to 6 and 7.

  I've definitely gone through 1 and 2 but now I feel content with where I am. It's my life, my beliefs (or non beliefs) and I'm free to believe what I want and do what I want as long as it doesn't hurt those closest to me. This for me is where the problem lies.
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  7

  Tour de France

  by konceptual99 in

  1. social
  2. physical

  if anyone wants to see some beautiful english landscapes then get some of the live footage of the tour de france, currently making it's way through the yorkshire countryside.. another good opportunity for a british winner again....

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  tornapart

  Shame about Cav...
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  33

  Getting really for three days in hell

  by cookiemaster in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hey guys, there's another thing i wanted to share with you.

  i know this topic has been discussed over and over again, but it's just so fun to complain about it.

  we're going to the district convention this weekend.

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  tornapart

  I read that in Romania when the ban on the religion was lifted that there had been so many changes in the intervening years that many JWs thought the WT had gone apostate and started their own independent 'real' JW group. Have you heard of this?

  Hope it all goes well for you. I have to go to at least one day to keep the family peace and because I am curious. I can see through all the BS. Fotunately it's inside and comfortable. Think if I was in your place there's no way I'd go!!
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  25

  Updated list of Watchtower RANKS (*not* Classes!)

  by Focus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  23 common or garden bethelite.

  25 common or garden elder.

  58 female child of unbaptized associate; dead unbaptized associate/family.

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  tornapart

  Focus.. you mention no.98, One who attempts to tape a JC proceeding. So what if he/she actually DOES tape and then goes and posts it on Youtube?

  Btw.. I noticed you have a rather large gap between your posts....several years in fact.... what happened?
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  33

  How long have you known TTATT and continued to participate?

  by LostGeneration in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i continue to be stunned by posters reporting on the convention, lamenting the convention, complaining about going in serve-us and meetings, and yet continuing to participate in these activities.. a simple question.

  how long have you done these things, fully knowing it is absolute bullshit?.

  i couldn't handle it for more than six months before i basically outed myself.

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  tornapart

  Well, I've been doing a slow fade since I discovered TTATT which is now 2 and half years ago. I'm probably down to about 25% attendence now. It's mainly to keep the peace with my family, particularly my hubby. I don't know if I'll ever give up totally, I think it'll depend on what happens with my hubby and children. I'm actually having some success with my children (grown), so it's not all bad!
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  5

  Stapelia

  by TD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  stapelia is a genus of south american succulents that make unusual looking flowers:.

  besides the appearance, these flowers are interesting because instead of being pollenated by bees, they are pollenated flies.. so instead of giving off a sweet scent to attract bees, all but one species gives off the smell of decaying flesh.. stapelia blooms are sometimes called carrion flowers for that reason.. (this one was blooming in my house this morning and i had to put it outside....).

  this raises an interesting question regarding the jw faith:.

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  tornapart

  I was wondering the same thing the other day TD, brought on by coming across the 'white egret' orchid.. there's other orchids that are similar, the 'flying duck' orchid, the 'bee' orchid, the 'dove' orchid, the 'monkey face' orchid, the 'fly' orchid, the 'bird' orchid and several others... there's even a 'naked man' orchid!! LOL

  So.. designed or evolved? Not a question I can answer anyway!!

  Love your photo btw, not sure I'd want to smell it though!
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  20

  What was your out of control, sobbing moment with this stupid religion?

  by ctrwtf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have often laughed at public outpourings of emotion.

  just google mike schmidt"s retirement speech in which he loses it and blithers on about his career.

  completely douche chilling.. but to be honest, i had a moment recently when i literally balled my eyes out.

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  tornapart

  I lost a baby, three days old. Two months later I was at the DC. They gave a talk about child rearing and in it suggested not having children (because of being close to the end). I totally lost it. I'm very private and never cry in front of people. But there I was in the middle of a row, unable to escape with tears pouring down my face. I felt so embarrassed, especially when a little boy in front of me turned round and stared. That talk was like a stab in the heart.
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  16

  My First Year of Posting and How I Have Changed

  by James Jackson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i lurked for 2 years on this site before i joined in july 2013. what a roller coaster ride it has been.. first of all, i was a very active jw for those unfamilar with my story having been a longtime elder(21 years), regular pioneer (14 years), convention & assembly speaker, etc.

  i am still an active witness because i am older now, with close to 40 years in the borg with some longtime friends.

  boy how i have changed!

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  tornapart

  Like you I'm still 'in' (so to speak) JJ. I know exactly what you mean about the meetings. Years ago there used to be some kind of substance. Now it's all the same regurgitated stuff. I don't go to the mid week meeting anymore. Can't stomach them and I make sure I know what's in the WT before I go on Sunday in case it makes me want to be sick.

  Think there are a lot of us on here that are still trying to endure it for the sake of our loved ones!