Posts by James Brown

44

Why Do People Become JWs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i was born in the religion but why on earth do people join this religion?

?.

James Brown

I was born in. I did not choose this religion.

It did give me a lot of baggage to carry around for many years.

39

How do you get over all the things that you missed? The stuff you can't get back

by JW_Rogue in

look my life is not bad but sometimes i just think about all the normal things i missed out on.

and no i'm not talking about christmas and birthday parties.

i'm talking about your first kiss happening in your twenties instead of your teens.

James Brown

I meant to type the past wont weigh you down. I don't know how to edit a post once its posted.

39

How do you get over all the things that you missed? The stuff you can't get back

by JW_Rogue in

look my life is not bad but sometimes i just think about all the normal things i missed out on.

and no i'm not talking about christmas and birthday parties.

i'm talking about your first kiss happening in your twenties instead of your teens.

James Brown

Its hard to get over things. I don't think you ever do completely. But they end up being pushed further and further back in your consciousness.

Depending how things turn out as you get older they can lie dormant or if all the bad JW influenced decisions haunt you into old age, it can be living hell.

Life is like a roller coaster you have hills and valleys ups and downs good days and bad days.

Most of my bad days have something to do with the watchtower society.

Try to create a new life with enough success that the path wont weigh you down.

116

What is behind your choice of forum user name?

by stuckinarut2 in

jw
friends

just curious how we all think.. what prompted or influenced your choice of username for this forum?.

there are some really amazing names, and it would be great to hear the stories behind them.... mine was nothing fancy.

i just felt "stuck in a rut too" along with so many others.

I started a new podcast about my life as a JW today

by dubstepped in

so, i did a thing today.

i officially launched a podcast called "this jw life".

people keep saying that i should write a book, but i don't even read books, unless in audio format.

James Brown

I book marked your link and will listen to it tonight. From what little I saw and heard it seems very good.

41

Where do I go now?

by Libby in

jw
friends

so i thought my purpose was to serve jehovah and get baptised.

where do i go now to get baptised?

is baptism even a requirement for serving god or was that just for the disciples and people of that time.

James Brown

I think you need to reinvent yourself and find a new purpose.

I have been out since 83 but I still pray.

I pray the Lords prayer.

Maybe its just something I do an old habit.

But I am still alive and thankful and functioning.

You ask where do you go now? Well go where your heart leads you. Enjoy the ride. Look under rocks, explore. Give your life meaning and purpose.

In this life your life is what you make it. If your life is not that great than make it better.

If you think your life is not that great that sound like you are depressed and if you are depressed the cure for depression is to get up and get moving.

You become what you think about. If you think you are poor you become poor. If you think you are rich you become rich. If you think you are happy you act and become happy. If you think you are sad you act and become sad.

That is the greatest secret of life.

21

So how come Jehovah can do anything but he still needs angels.

by zigua in

as the title says :p.

James Brown

I agree with Berrygerry. It is how he set the game up. I don't know that he needs anything. Or maybe he needs everything.

I think we are all part of God spirits having a material experience.

15

If you had to start life again what employment would you choose?

by Chook in

we might have a fully functional community from this forum.

James Brown

From a United States perspective. I would join the Coast Guard or the Navy and see the world. While serving 10 to 15 years I would get a college degree online. Then I would get a teaching certificate to finish out my work life and settle down.

I am 65 now and in hind sight, I did all right having an "Awake magazine" equivalency education. But I would not recommend that to anyone in this day and age.

If you go into the service aka Coast Guard, Navy at 18 your pension starts then. If you stay in public service as a public school teacher your pension continues so you will have 35 years of work in by the time you are 53.

Then you will be free to do whatever you want or work some more.

I have been retired since I was 59 and within limits I can do whatever I want. If I had 10 million dollars I would not do things much different. I play soccer 4 to 5 times a week and play my guitar and make music every day.

If I had millions of dollars, I might drive a Porsche instead of a Toyota and I might live in a mansion instead of a cottage. But the mansion would not be anymore comfortable and the Porsche would not get me there any faster or better.

You have to do the speed limit.

I eat as good as I want, which most of the time is vegetables and grains. That wouldn't change if I had 100 million dollars. I might have somebody cook it for me. But then what would I do?

68

What was it like being a JW in the 1960's and 1970's

by UnshackleTheChains in

this is obviously a question for the older generation.

i'm really curious what it was like to be a witness in the 60's and 70's?.

was the society as strict as it is today?.

James Brown

I was born to a JW mother in 1952.

I never liked being a JW.

I was embarrassed and often left out of school activities.

As I got older, I pondered ways to escape. And the JW's gave me the key with the false prediction of the world ending in Armageddon in 1975.

It took me 6 years after 75 to fully escape. But I have been out since I have been 31 years old.

I have no regrets over leaving the cult.

24

Do you find it therapeutic coming to this site?

by UnshackleTheChains in

i read on another thread how this site has helped another user and that for them it has been a form of therapy.. for me yes, jwn has most certainly been a form of therapy.. i recall the days i first came to jwn (in 2004) and couldn't believe i had found people who were of the same opinion as myself in regards to the society.

it was this site that led me to reading ray franz's book 'crisis of conscience' which i read twice within a week.

it also led me to jw facts that goes into every nook and cranny regarding the society's teachings, policies and history.. note: i also visit many other sites and watch you tube videos a lot, but gravitate here most of the time.. coming here to express my inner most thoughts and feelings has helped me no end and allows me to overcome my frustrations.

James Brown

I was born a JW 64 years ago in 1952.

I have been free for 31 years.

I find it therapeutic to come here from time to time.

To remind myself of where I came from.

I don't come here as much as I used to.