Posts by acsot

45

For those who don't believe in God

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

when we were witnesses, we certainly believed in god.

some of us were born into it, and others have perhaps come from other religions, while still others may never had any religious faith at all.

some here on the board now claim that there is no god at all.

acsot

I've been wondering about this exact thing for days! I'm technically still a JW, so obviously can't bring this up with anyone around me. Right now I'm agnostic, and for all the reasons others have so eloquently described.

Gopher said:

First we see the holes in the JW belief system and in the way they hypocritically fail to back up their words of love with actions.
Then as we start to investigate further (by reading whatever sources), we come to see that the Bible is merely another book of men seeking to explain the unexplainable -- the world of the invisible, what happens after death, etc. The way "Jehovah" is explained in the Hebrew Scriptures as an angry, jealous and hard-to-please individual, along with the way the end seems to justify whatever means -- nations being invaded, women and children being taken hostage or killed, all begins to just wear you down.
And then some start to think about the cruelty and mayhem in the world around us, and the fact that some Christians claim God blesses them personally -- well if he does so, how does he ignore the many more who suffer abuse, starvation and deprivation on a daily basis? If God can intervene for some, why would he deliberately ignore others?
This causes some to doubt or dismiss the existence of a personal God who cares in any way about creation.

I totally agree. I wanted so much to believe in God and serve him, and prayed and prayed and prayed about my doubts. Then I did my own non-JW searching and I received my answer: it was all lies. Is that God's answer? Did he let me and countless others wander through this quagmire for years and years for some sort of twisted purpose? If he did I want no part of him. The even more disconcerting thought for me at this point in my evolution of using my brain is that there is no god, at least as described in the Christian context.

Confused and agnostic, but better this than the doubts and guilt and self-recriminations of a brainwashed JW.

69

Most ridiculous statements from the JW stage?

by Smiles in

we have all sat at jw meetings and heard some ridiculous statements that were either shocking or just plain old bunk.

usually it is the same jw individuals that make those statements time and time again.

you know the type..... you can almost expect such comments from them.. jws place great importance on what statements or persons are 'stage worthy'.

acsot

During his public talk an elder once told the congregation that they could no longer watch figure skating on T.V. because he found out that one (!) of the skaters was gay.

I wanted to ask him if he watched the news, since the news anchor was "living in sin" with his female companion, not having been properly married.

Or did he hand out questionnaires when going to the gas station in order to ensure that the attendants were heterosexual, monogamous, God-fearing and wanting a Bible study.

Sheesh.

20

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-12-03 WT Study

by blondie in

wt comments you will not hear at the wt study 1/12/03

12/1/02 watchtower page 13. enjoy personal study of gods word.

psalm 77:12. psalm 77 (nlt).

acsot

As usual Blondie I thoroughly enjoyed your synopsis. Unfortunately I'll be attending this Sunday, have JW guests coming in from out of town.

You said:

Fewer scriptures are read at the WT study, not even paraphrased in comments.

At the book study this week, the conductor didn't read any scriptures. We rushed through the study so that he could review with us the new Ministry School book (don't even remember the name of it) and how the talks will be handled. Of course, that info is already mentioned in the Ministry School schedule for 2003, but it seems that it was necessary to go over it again. No wonder it's called a book study, wouldn't want to distract people by actually using the Bible.

Thanks again Blondie.

23

How would you react if......

by Pleasuredome in

jw
friends

the wts turned out to be right and in the next couple of years the great tribulation broke out?

would you have a change of heart and think "yeah maybe the were right all along!"?

would you even consider joining them again?

acsot

Why would God pick an organization that has lied to and manipulated its adherents, torn apart families, espoused doctrines that resulted in the torture and death of hundreds of its members (Malawi), adopt policies resulting in death for many (organ transplants, blood doctrine), simply because one event they preach about is the real thing? If that's the type of God he is, I'd rather die at Armageddon than live under his Taliban-like dictatorship.

19

YYYYYUUUUMMMMMYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!

by ugg in

jw
friends

qiuck,,,easy and delicious!!!!!!!!!!!!

easy snacks.

12 ounce bag of butterscotch chips.

acsot

CUT IT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You guys pulled this same horrible trick during U.S. Thanksgiving period describing all your glorious food and I'm sitting here at my desk at work with a bleeding sandwich!

STOP IT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

29

Were You Ashamed To Be Identified As A JW?

by minimus in

jw
friends

2 tim.2:15 says," do your utmost to present yourself approved to god, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of,handling the word of the truth aright.

" when you were at work, school or play did you find yourself ashamed to tell anyone that you were a witness?

what if they found out anyway?

acsot

I'd always berate myself for my "fear of man" because I hated identifying myself as a JW - I was totally embarrassed by it, yet at the same time I believed it (then again, maybe deep down I realized it was all crap but didn't consciously recognize it).

So much to be conflicted about! What a friggin' screwy religion!

53

Staying Awake Or Keeping In A Frenzy?

by AlanF in

we ex-jws know very well how much the watchtower society put us under pressure to believe that "armageddon is just around the corner".

they've been doing it in one form or another ever since charles taze russell began publishing his nonsense.

in 1877 he advocated that true christians should believe that christ would "take them home" in 1878. when that didn't happen he moved the event up to 1881. after that he focused on 1914.. the society is still doing pretty much the same thing, building up expectations and then revising them, decade after decade.

acsot

AlanF: Thanks so much for that review. I'm still officially "in", but miss as many meetings as possible. My elderly mother lives with me now and I take her to the meetings, but since I've disconnected from the Borg, I can barely sit through the meetings, especially the Watchtower, so I'm in the process of finding lots of other things to do on Sundays which will keep my mother entertained and out of the house and my sanity more or less intact.

I only wish I had had the sense to see through the Watchtower mind games before this. I can't even read the magazines anymore, but thoroughly enjoyed your synopsis.

Thanks again.

5

Thank you Jesika

by acsot in

jw
friends

i mentioned this in chat yesterday with jesika, and thought that i should make it public.

its thanks to jesikas story that i was able to crack through my jw defenses and see the truth about the truth.

i read about her abuse on the silentlambs website, which then led me to other sites, then eventually here.

acsot

I mentioned this in chat yesterday with Jesika, and thought that I should make it public.

Its thanks to Jesikas story that I was able to crack through my JW defenses and see the truth about the truth. I read about her abuse on the SilentLambs website, which then led me to other sites, then eventually here.

What struck me initially about the what people had been through was the terrible emotional impact, honest soul-searching and sincere desire to help others. Not at all the foaming-at-the-mouth rabid apostate dribble JWs are told to fear when venturing onto other non-official JW sites.

I discovered sites where people were having in-depth doctrinal debates, Scriptural research and questioning that went beyond anything ever presented in a Kingdom Hall. Fortunately, by the time I did stumble across those rabid flame-wars, I had already disconnected mentally and emotionally from thinking that JWs had any form of the truth.

So, thank you Jesika. Your courage has paid off in ways you never expected.

And thank you Simon for having this site to welcome us lost sheep.

Ill be off work for the next week and a half, till January 6 th . Since I dont have internet access at home (hopefully that will change soon) Ill wish you all safe and happy holidays and a happy New Year. See you next year.

13

How do you fill your spiritual need , EWjW's?

by LyinEyes in

since i am free from the chains of the wt and their rules, i am becoming so much more open minded to looking into other forms of spiritulity.

i just read comf's thread about his wicca experience and it was soooo interesting .

i know many on this board have their own way of dealing with their need for spirituality.

acsot

I was just thinking about this myself! I'm sort of at a loss as to what to do, but there is definitely an empty feeling inside. I have recently been perusing Christian apologetics, essays, commentaries but after a while I just can't get into it anymore. It doesn't "fill" anything or answer anything or give me any sense of peace. So right now I'm going to finish "The Road Less Traveled" by Scott Peck, then probably start on a book of introductory Buddhism. Native American beliefs also intrigue me; also yoga. There just seems so much out there that was cut off from us due to our Borg brainwashing that it's quite daunting!

Happy journey, fellow travellers!

42

What Did You Hate About The Circuit OV.'s Visit?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i think that there a number of things about the circuit overseer's visit that stinks!

one thing that i hated was how all the elders got together to "shepherd" the flock right before the co's visit.....what bothered you about the week long visit??

?

acsot

I agree with SimpleSally, when pioneering, I looked forward to the CO's visit, but I could never quite accept the fact that the CO was going to somehow miraculously figure out how the whole congregation was doing by going over publisher reports and what the elders would tell him. I mean, when there have been problems, some of the elders were at fault. Did the CO really expect to get an objective report from the "guilty" parties? Like an elder is going to say, "Sister Discouraged isn't coming to meetings now and it's because I told her she had a bad attitude and why doesn't she attend another congregation, nobody likes her here anyway." (True story, happened to one of my mother's friends)

The whole CO visit is such a joke it's pathetic. I plan on being away for a mini-holiday next time he comes around.