Thanks for the video. I am also sharing it with members of my family still in the organization.
PHG.
rick simons takes the stage and tells why the candace conti lawsuit was the right case at the right time against the watchtower.. this is the first of at least three videos documenting mr. simons' presentation on july 14, 2012. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffywyvy9anm.
last segments of this program should be up within a few hours.. .
Thanks for the video. I am also sharing it with members of my family still in the organization.
PHG.
I also prefer the winter Olympics. I like to watch the ski jumps and tobogganing.
there are a lot of interesting people that frequent this site.. sometimes, we get an idea of what the posters are really like in "real life".
and i'm sure i could be easily surprised by some that you think might be strong personalities because of their board presence, and in reality, they might be shy in a face to face setting.. i would enjoy meeting simon.
simon used to be terribly annoyed by my posting and now i think he's accepted with tolerance my being here.. farkel seems like a grouchy cantankerous fellow but i think he'd be very interesting company!.
I would enjoy meeting any and all those who post on this site. I have enjoyed some interesting and lively posts and debates on here these past few months. I will probably meet the Flippers next year as I plan to attend the next apostafest if they host one. The only reason I did not go this year is because I have already taken too many trips this year. There are difinitely some strong and intelligent personalities on this site.
my math background is embarassing.
my public education was very sad.
although i received good grades in college track math courses, i never understood the underlying ideas or motivations.
Quendi, I love math and algebra but an not too good at algebra. I'm glad to know there is an expert here on this site just in case I need help. I can never figure out word problems, i.e. if a certain train leaves at a certain time and another train leaves at a certain time to meet it, when will they meet at a certain place. My answer is usually, who cares! I don't know anyone on either train. Just kidding. Those problems are hard for me.
why did you become a jehovah's witness ?.
initially upon entering the religion what were the positive things you experienced ?.
how did that particular way of thinking both benefit and harm you ?.
exwhyzee wrote:
Everthing he knew about Blood Transfusions was what he learned during his study with the JW's. He died a horrible death in front of his whole family because he signed the NO BLOOD paperwork before having an operation and wasn't coherant enough to resend them when it became evident that he was bleeding to death. We were assured that we would see him again in the new system because he "took his stand for Jehovah" yet they wouldn't let us have his memorial service at the Hall because he was unbaptized. New System yes...Kingdom Hall NO. About a year later they started allowing the use of "blood fractions" which would have made him realize these people don't know what they're talking about and have no business advising anyone about medical procedures.
I am so sorry to hear about your dad. My mom died from lack of a blood transfusion also. I was alone with her but I could not bring myself to disregard her stated wishes; she was too far gone to make her own decision. She did not want to die. I have regretted my decision not to give her blood, no one would have known about it.
AS far as how they treated your son, that is shameful. JWs can be so mean. They seem not to realize how far away they are from the teachings of Jesus. They need to adopt the the worldy religion's question "What would
Jesus do?" instead of "What does the WTS demand that I do/say." I hope your son made it okay.
why did you become a jehovah's witness ?.
initially upon entering the religion what were the positive things you experienced ?.
how did that particular way of thinking both benefit and harm you ?.
Had no choice. I was practically a born-in. I liked the woman who studied with our family. I hated going to the KH; it interfered with my play time. We had no Christmas tree, gifts, parties; couldn't participate in extra curricular
events at school.I grew up in a Phillips Petroleum Camp/Housing and could not associate with my wordy friends. I got used to studying the WT every week and became a believer, got baptized at the age of 11.
During my teens, I was always in trouble because I wanted to have fun with my friends. My older sister found out I was at a dance once and came and dragged me out of the dance in front of all my friends. I could not date
worldy boys so I married a jw. After marriage (at 17,he was 18), I became an exempary witness, my son was in the Ministry School when he was in second grade. I dragged my two children out in service every Saturday until
they were in middle school. I became disillusioned with the borg when I was in my early thirties but I stayed in for another ten years. I faded but was caught up in the 80's purge (which I knew nothing about until I came to this
site). Like others here, I wish I had never heard of this cult but it's too late now. I remain confused about what I believe, but I know the borg is a fraud. I no loger fear the end or Armageddon. I am free, free at last.
if you grow up speaking english and you move to mexico you don't automatically speak spanish, know customs, understand currency, possess skills.
for self-support or have any special insight into latino mindset.. .
why would you expect leaving jehovah's witnesses would leave you any less ill-equipped to navigate the real world?.
earthfire, your congregation was dysfunctional! The organization claims to be different from the world, having higher morals and living up to them, but they are just like the rest of the world. In fact, they are worse because they claim to be the only ones God approves of and that he will save from destruction. I have seen some of the things you described in some of the congregations I have attended, although the sins and bad deeds were not concentrated in one cong. My female cousin put me down for speaking to my df'd brother at a funeral saying: "I would never let a man come between me and Jehovah." All the while, she was having sex with another sister's elder husband.
BOTH wrote:
The reptilian brain in me still fears demons. Even when I totally am absorbed and enjoying "wordly activities," I pause and consider that I would never know such joy if I remained in the Witnesses. Everytime I see a child celebrating a birthday or Christmas, I hurt for my inner child. My profession would be condemned by them. All my volunteer work in many causes condemed/condemns me. There is a deep struggle between the child in me (which wonders if I made the right choice.
I share your feelings. I fear the same things. It is just difficult to get long-held beliefs out of your mind/brain. It is a constant struggle for many of us, especially for those of us who have never known any other belief.
i've just uploaded a youtube video showing the moment when anthony morris iii released the sparlock dvd ("become jehovah's friend") at the special convention in dublin, ireland.. here is the video, which is part 1 of a series of videos that i intend to release entitled "getting to know anthony morris iii"... enjoy!.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ene8hbfj1pi.
anthony's remarks aren't all together that interesting in this clip, although he does relate a disturbing story of a two-year-old girl who was allowed to watch the dvd eight times in quick succession.
I was amazed that not once was Jesus mentioned on the video; It was only Jehovah God and the GB/Organization. Apparently Jesus has been replaced/demoted. I believe that if the jws were asked what they thought about the video, they would highly approve of it.They are just not able to see the folly in that way of thinking. I used to be just like Caleb's mom. I recall a day when my daughter came to my workplace on the way home from school (she was about 15 years old). I was in the breakroom having coffee and there was a birthday cake sitting on the counter. My daughter started to get a piece and I stopped her. I told her it was a "birthday" cake. She put the cake down and did not eat it. How stupid is that. We both laugh about it now, but it is really sad how brainwashed jws actually are. I have apologized to both my children for raising them as jws.
we bees leave for our trip this afternoon - a river cruise from budapest to the black sea.
everyone on the ship is a tandem cycling couple.
we will visit hungary, serbia, moldav, romania, austria, germany and croatia.. it will be a nice break from politics and the world news since we don't watch much tv on these trips.. hold down the fort - see you in a couple of weeks!.
Have fun, sounds like an interesting trip.
PHG
if you grow up speaking english and you move to mexico you don't automatically speak spanish, know customs, understand currency, possess skills.
for self-support or have any special insight into latino mindset.. .
why would you expect leaving jehovah's witnesses would leave you any less ill-equipped to navigate the real world?.
Terry, I read "Misquoting Jesus" a few months ago and it upset me. Before then, I believed the Bible was inerrant even though my two brothers had told me it wasn't; I didn't trust them. After reading that book, I don't see the Bible in the same way as before. He presented enough evidence for me to change my mind. I realize I have jw beliefs that I am not even aware that I have. I have made statements that have caused my non-jw friends to look at me like 'What did you just say?" That's why I like this site and jwfacts. I am reading and learning all the time. I have been out of the borg for over 25 years, but it takes a long time and patience with yourself to erase those ideas out of your mind.