Realizing I am a good person because it's who I am and not because I am being bribed by some promise of a heavenly reward is the best feeling ever. I live to live and it shows. I can do things for others because I want to. I don't have to feel angry at an absent deity when I see horrible things happen...I mourn the pain and loss without having to deal with the infuriating "whys". I can bask in the glow of joy for what it is...joy. I am finally living and not "waiting" for something to happen.
joyfulfader
JoinedPosts by joyfulfader
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Coping With Atheism (Long-ish Post...sorry!)
by humblepotato inlong time lurker (2009-ish), first time poster.
first of all, i want to say thank you everyone who contributes to these boards and provokes stimulating conversations and thought processes.
all the opinions and different perspectives are very enlightening.
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joyfulfader
Yes. It was a lot of wasted time...something I have had to come to terms with. I was born-in and knew no other way nor could I imagine it was possible that I would ever become a happy atheist. At pioneer school I was engaged and ecstatically happy so I can still feel the memories of the fleeting joy I had in that moment in time. I'm 42 now and happier than I have ever been. I learned so much the hard way in my 30's. Sadly some of those people from pioneer school that left never escaped the clutches of mind control as I did. They are "out" but harbor a bit of fear that perhaps the witnesses are right after all.
40's is my do-over :)
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joyfulfader
I was looking at a photo from my pioneer class back in 1993. It was a big one with about 45 people. So many left while I was still in over the years. 2 committed suicide, some got divorced and several died of illness and old age. I saved my pioneer book mainly because of the personal messages and signatures (like a high school yearbook). It was a happy time back then when I felt like my sacrifices mattered. Ironic how so many of us ended up leaving. I still read the messages on occasion. -
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Questions that were never answered for me
by WasOnceBlind ini have always been a very rational and thoughtful person.
there where always questions i had growing up regarding things i was taught.
of course asking questions while being a jw is a big no no!
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joyfulfader
I always thought the same thing about Jesus' sacrifice. I never saw it as a compelling piece of evidence that it meant God had love for mankind. I have had discussions about it with various people of different faiths yet 3 days is apparently long enough for them. Yes his manner of death was bad but how can it be a real sacrifice if he didn't permanently give his life in payment of the so-called ransom? No offense to those here who continue to have faith, but I feel so much more at peace as an atheist...
All those other questions are just the witnesses' attempt at standing out as "different" and showing they alone are god's "true" chosen ones.
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Article: Reveal News-California court guts child abuse ruling against Jehovah's Witnesses
by AndersonsInfo inhttp://www.revealnews.org/article/california-court-guts-child-abuse-ruling-against-jehovahs-witnesses/.
california court guts child abuse ruling against jehovahs witnesses.
topics: religion / religion and government .
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joyfulfader
I read this and feel physically nauseated. And they will no doubt be saying that they let Jehovah fix it. They play by their own rules and condemn everyone else who uses those same rules. That letter of recommendation would be enough for me to see the unconscionable nature of the cult if I didn't already know they were vipers lying in wait. -
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Attending memorial tomorrow?
by Ghiagirl inthis is my first year i will not attend memorial.
to be honest if it wasn't for my husband i would probably be going still.
he says what's the point, don't be one of those people who doesn't give a sh** but just shows there face once a year.
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joyfulfader
Much to my chagrin I found out from my best friend who knows TTATT and has been inactive for years who has family still in that an elder who I haven't heard from in 3.5 years is trying to find my new address and phone number to invite me. This elder even traveled 30 minutes to another county to check at one of my old houses which has long since been sold (5 yrs ago).
I have been next to elders and others in line at stores and am ignored although I am not DA or DF. No idea why now...doesn't matter. IF they find me which would be rather difficult, I will make sure they know that any sneaky means of tracking me down are unacceptable and that I will contact them if I ever want assistance from them. They need no information except "no thank you...ever."
So no Memorial again for me. Missed Memorial #4!!!!
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Yet Another Putdown of Women! – KM March 2015
by SAHS inthis weeks service meeting part (week starting march 23, 2015) in the our kingdom ministry under the heading meetings for field service that accomplish.
their purpose includes a little sub-article entitled when a sister must conduct.
the direct link is: http://www.jw.org/en/publications/kingdom-ministry/ click the little document download button under the one labeled km15 03-e us and then choose a format (pdf looks best)..
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joyfulfader
20 plus years ago during my first stretch of pioneering, I was assigned on the board by the elders to conduct 3 specific days per week. No brother was ever out and they wanted to be sure we were prepared and had proper head coverings ( not the paper towel from the bathroom that some had resorted to lol) I'll never forget the time my good friend who was reproved at the time came in late and to his embarrassment I said "oh, a brother is here!!" and went to move as he tried to discreetly wave for me to ignore him. I only remembered his predicament as I was making the broadcast. All it did was embarrass everyone in attendance and I was quite capable at handling the group.
Even years later during stretch #2, I was the only "sister" to receive her own special territory for the big "religions end near" to organize each day because I always got it done.
I think my strong, independent attitude while I was in has kept them at bay for the last 4 years I have been out. I even stood right behind one of the elders that is quite the arrogant person in line at the pharmacy a few weeks ago. He was always competing with me for some reason because I had a nicer home than he and he didn't like that. He looked right through me. My daughter and I had quite a laugh over that one!!
Women as a second class citizen was a rule I always fought one way or another lol. So far it has served me well :)
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POLL: Will You Be Attending The Memorial & If You Are---Why?
by minimus ini was just invited.
i thanked my old elder friend and he left.
(i'm not going).
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joyfulfader
Never again! Last one was 2011 :) -
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Feb Kingdom Ministry 2015: Irate Householders - why so angry?
by Trailer Park Pioneer infeb kingdom ministry 2015, irate householders, "we don't apologize for our work", "did they hear rumors about jws"?
why so angry?
blood or disfellowshipping?.
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joyfulfader
I agree that noting these particular topics is being used to weed out "apostates". It's why I always speak of my aunt who is, in real life, a JW many states away and bring up those topics as questions I have had over the years in her efforts to convert me. I never, ever mention I was ever a witness. I never mention anyone but my aunt and that has encouraged the few that engage with me over those points to applaud me for my "sincerity" and "desire for truth".
I was very good at refuting "conversation stoppers" back in the day but those 2 were tough ones that I did not encounter often and were challenging. I got the blood issue way more than disfellowshipping. I was way too programmed back then to see reason even when they brought up points I couldn't refute though.
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Governing Body new Branch letter begging for donations !
by ToesUp ini just want the governing body to know how "happified" i am today.
keep sending those branch letters to the congregation(s) about sending your donations in.
not only did you humiliate the rank and file with your tony morris tight pants talk but now you are begging the same people you humiliated for money.
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joyfulfader
"each Israelite man gave a gift “in proportion to the
blessing that Jehovah” had given him, we today reflect on how He has blessed us in our lives and
freely give of our time, energy, and resources in promoting Kingdom activities. "
So from this point of view aren't I due a refund if my blessings were supposed to be in proportion to what I gave???