it was a emotionally packed week-end.
one never know's whats around the cornor?
i am grateful to be in a place to not create crisises for myself.
Thank you for sharing that. I think that if we open ourselves to the wisdom of nature around us, we may all be able to learn and be guided by the messages that are there, rather than just staying stuck in our minds and replaying old thoughts and wounds.
I hope to get to the point where dysfunction can surround me but not affect me.
Happy birthday!!!
Acsot
the tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.
just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate.
if you're looking for fascinating and lively reading about social epidemics and how and why ideas spread, i recommend malcolm gladwell's the tipping point: how little things can make a big difference.. gladwell explains:.
LadyLee: You sure are one busy Lady! Finding time to post today!!
You are absolutely right about the simple realities. As we discussed last night, many of Minimus' and JH's questions (and other similar threads) have helped me realize that certain reactions/insecurities/worries are due to Watchtower programming, and not part of who I really am, and can therefore take the steps to deprogram or work my way through them.
I feel that I'm only beginning to figure out what critical thinking is and how to use it when dealing with life and its complexities as well as belief systems.
There seems to be so much to deal with, on a personal level, besides doing what we can to educate others about the WTS, it feels overwhelming at times. Then when we get to meet each other, read posts such as Ginny's, etc., it all becomes manageable. That's why this place is so important.
(Off topic - still don't see the cookbook link!!! )
jw's like to believe that people who leave the organization do it for selfish reasons or due to impatience and not "waiting on jehovah".
there's a variety of reasons for persons making the decision and saying, "that's it!
i'm not doing this anymore".
Doctrinally, various odd, kind of silly little things, such as those supposed prophecies pointing to the Cedar Point district conventions (were they only in Cedar Point or other places as well?) – Jehober ain’t good at basic arithmetic because the timing of the conventions didn’t match the prophecies (was one of them something about 1,280 days?)
Also, some dinosaurs did obviously eat meat, so how could they be vegetarians as per the WTS? T his may date me somewhat, but the literature used to indicate that all humans and animals were supposed to be vegetarians before the flood (O haven't seen stuff like that lately in the publications).
Along the same line, cats’ digestive systems – they have to eat meat in order to properly assimilate protein – so why did Jehober suddenly decide to tinker with felines’ stomachs and make them carnivores but not do so with antelopes or elephants? And all because humans sinned? I mean, what the F---? Where’s the connection in all that? Totally illogical.
What pushed me over the edge though was the lack of love, hypocrisy, double standards, etc. Whatever good and charitable acts certain individuals were accomplishing seemed to be in spite of the WTS, not because of it.
the latest wt magazine starts out by quoting a catholic cardinal:
just as there is one christ, so there exists a single body of christ, a single bride of christ: 'a single catholic and apostolic church.
........although pope john paul ii insisted that the document dominus iesus contained "no arrogance towards, or disrespect for other religions", protestant church leaders reacted strongly to it.........in june 2001, one minister said that the document was the work of "a powerful faction in the roman catholic church....scared silly by the spirit of openness introduced by vatican ii".........it appears that the....catholic curia was disturbed by what has been called religious relativism........[which is] the emergence of a pluralist theology----saying basically that one religion is as good as another...... what then, is the right view?
unique1 said:
“I always thought it was wierd that we told everybody at the doors to question their religion, but JW were never allowed to question theirs.”I remember a few years ago, as the cognitive dissonance was building up in my own mind, we were attempting to preach, that is, sell literature, to a Muslim man who was adamant about not taking any of our literature (there were a lot of Muslims in my former congregation's territory, almost all with the same response when we knocked on their doors). After asking how the call went, the other JWs in the car group just shook their heads at how misguided those poor Muslims are and how controlled their actions are. I thought to myself: “They’re acting exactly as we would act. If anyone can understand where they’re coming from, it should be us.” Well, needless to say alarm bells started going off in my head and try as I could, they wouldn’t shut off.
Another time during the Service Meeting there was a part dealing with the internet. A paragraph mentioned the dangers of doing Biblical research using the internet as well as the ever-present all-encompassing power of apostate writings, and ended with the phrase that Jehovah's people will learn the truth where and when the WTS decides. My gut reaction was "like hell I will!". That day I knew I was on my way out.
jehovahs witness logical fallacies.pt1.
in fact, many of the bad experiences people have with jws are caused by actions that the society does not encourage.. .
logan i have started a new thread simply because if a jw read your old one they may be happy enough not go back to reread this if it was posted there.. one of the things that kept me holding on to the jw faith was the thought that many of the bad experiences people have with jws are caused by actions the soceity does not encourage.
We begin to live a “wilderness” existence
Brummie:
Thank you for your post. The above describes exactly what I went through for years. I felt that I could never live up to what the Society (yes, the WTS, not a couple of local elders, not Sister Gossip, but the Watchtower Society), I was depressed and insecure, and finally came to the conclusion that (i) I probably was not good enough to live through Armageddon, and/or (ii) if many of the ones in the congregation were the type of people I'd have to live with forever, then I preferred not surviving Armageddon. Hence, the wilderness.
Posts like yours are extremely important Brummie. Keep them coming.
the tipping point is that magic moment when an idea, trend, or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips, and spreads like wildfire.
just as a single sick person can start an epidemic of the flu, so too can a small but precisely targeted push cause a fashion trend, the popularity of a new product, or a drop in the crime rate.
if you're looking for fascinating and lively reading about social epidemics and how and why ideas spread, i recommend malcolm gladwell's the tipping point: how little things can make a big difference.. gladwell explains:.
Ginny, I really enjoyed your post. This is the first time I've ever heard of the "tipping point". It's a fascinating subject - thank you!
howcome the wts does not include personal testimonies in their meetings (i mean, ones that have not been edited by the writing department)?
oftentimes when i am preparing for an instructional course, i go looking for a sample completed form.
in order that my students are not led astray, i try and find the perfect sample.
Blondie:
All the experiences are carefully rehearsed especially at the circuit and district level. They are carefully crafted to bring in the "theme" of the convention and many times leave off vital facts such as there was no positive outcome.The brothers want to control every word off that platform so spontaneous comments are forbidden.
You're absolutely right. Years ago at an international convention I had to give my experience about "what baptism means to me", in my case a divided household, my father was not a JW, my mother was, yada yada yada. The brother asked me to write it up and when I first showed it to him, he grabbed the paper, started adding this, removing that, telling me that it needed to conform to the theme of the assembly, and on and on. When I did give the part I wasn't quite sure who I was supposed to be talking about 'cause it didn't sound like me.
before you go thinking that this is a 'minimus'-type thread, the title i have chosen is the title from the august 15, 2003 watchtower.. the photos on the cover are of a young man (22ish).
in the lower-left corner he is a basketball player.
so, how does the wts want you to be remembered?
I can't believe the examples used to prove Jesus' sense of humour! It's embarrassing to think how stupid I was for going along with this stuff, just nodding my head and parroting whatever crap spewed out of Brooklyn . Thank you for that review, I admire your courage in actually reading through a whole article. It's only been a little while since I've disconnected from the borg but I just cannot bring myself to peruse any of those articles, not even for a good laugh, I just start feeling bad for those ones still there who are just like I was; I truly hope one day they see the WTS for what it is.
as a child, i used to baby-sit kids in the neighborhood for money.
it wasnt much, but $2 or $3 an hour to a 14 year-old back in the early/mid 80s was pretty big stuff.
on new years eve when a lot of parents were clamoring for baby-sitters, the price would go up to $5 an hour, which was awesome.
I read "Your Money or Your Life" by Joe Dominguez and ___________ can't remember her name. Suze Orman also has good stuff, you can check out these books at the library I imagine.
Set up a savings account that's inconvenient to get to, don't tie it to an ATM card, and have automatic deposits done each month, doesn't matter if it's $10 or $100, the point is to start. After awhile the savings will make you feel motivated to continue.
Some books like "Miserly Moms" have good advice, some of the stuff is radical and time-consuming, you have to balance saving money with saving time as well.
Anyway, my two cents worth!
no doubt all (with few and rare exceptions) believe that the physical world exists.
however, what i should like to know is, how many here believe that a spiritual world exists?
and, if you believe that a spiritual world exists, do you believe that the two worlds (or universes, call it what you like) each exist separately and distinct one from the other?
If something cannot be quantified and measured, then it either does not exist, or the question of its existence is irrelevant because it cannot affect us.
Isn't it more accurate to say that we cannot measure it at this point in our evolution? We are capable of quantifying and measuring things people couldn't dream of 100 years ago.
As for me, in the past year since I've opened my eyes to the troof, thanks to many of you here, I went from true believer to not believing the WTS but still believing in God and the Bible to not believing all of the Bible to not believing any of the Bible (insofar as it being inspired of God - I know the geographic locations mentioned there exist, i.e. Jerusalem - at least they didn't get that wrong ), to being atheist to now being agnostic. I think it's more rational or logical to posit that we aren't sure about such things, thus my being agnostic. Not being able to explain something scientifically is only a measure of where we are at as a species, not necessarily a measure of what is or is not "out there".
All this to say that I would have no difficulty believing some sort of beings/life/energy exist outside our physical realm. Why should we be the end all of everything? On the other hand, I know I'll probably never know for sure unless science takes a quantum leap forward in my lifetime in the ability to measure such things, or unless there actually is another "realm" out there and we'll find out after death.
Of course, I've come a long way in the past year and if you ask the same question next year maybe my answer will be totally different. Which is why agnosticism suits me very well!
How's that for a straight answer ?
