Posts by SummerAngel

40

After leaving the JWs - Has anyone stayed with Christianity?

by rulehayl in

i recently made the decision to stop studying with my study conductor, due to a situation i found myself in that led to a high possibility of my unbaptized publisher "rights" being taken away from me.

i have since told my study conductor i have joined a new church (to which she dropped me like a hot rock, of course).... last time i posted on here, i was progressing nicely towards baptism, and was well into it.anyhoo, i like my new church, very hillsong-esqe.

so just wondering if anyone else has stayed the course of christianity after leaving the jws, and if so - where did you go?

SummerAngel

I went into Christian church about 3 years after being de dubbed. I've been Christian over 25 yes and worshipped at a huge range of churches from bells and smells to wild and woolly.

I still have trust issues and def control issues I've learnt that the fault lies with how people interpret their faith not the belief itself. I run a mile from anything controlling eg new frontiers and I'm not religious I just have a faith.

I think sometimes when ex jws run down churches its because they still hold the views of Christianity that the WT gives them I wonder how many people have actually tried it. I also think that the WT teaches the misguided view that each church holds a different belief so how do you choose, its the old uniformity does not mean together. Very few Christian churches claim to have exclusive truth if they do then avoid. Most whether baptist, Anglican, free etc would regard themselves as Christian with the same gospel.

There are good and bad in all denominations and its free choice at the end of the dsy

96

Oh Boy! Beards are "stumbling blocks" again ... from Stephen Lett

by freddo in

jw
friends

so this week's midweek meeting video about stumbling others has lett spouting and gurning rubbish again.. if you can't take the whole 9 minutes go from 5:50 to get the context and 6:45 for the "beard" mention.. https://youtu.be/ezv1ici5cwo.

oh, well - at least they shoot themselves in the foot with this doublespeak.

single.

SummerAngel

What makes me stumble is lounge suits and bad 80s fashions

33

Can anyone name a single incident when bethel has fed the poor ever ?

by Chook in

charity is lacking from the house of god.

i remember reading once about some young pioneer sisters who needed emergency accommodation and where turn away from brooklyn because they weren’t special pioneers.

charity begins at home..

SummerAngel

If you encourage the R&F to give all their cash to those in need they won't have any spare to give to WT. Its not rocket science.

Didn't Jesus say ' as much as you've ( fed/clothed) my little ones you've done it for me'.

On a similar but slightly tangential point. They don't even provide a hot drink free or otherwise at the circuit assemblies in UK which I think is disgusting yet those in don't care.

25

Did You Ever Find The Theolgy of JWs Reasonable?

by minimus in

jw
friends

when i was a young man growing up in the religion, i would try to defend whatever the understanding of a doctrine was.

i won a lot of arguments based on the idea that i knew better than anyone i was talking to and defended myself admirably.

(lol)....eventually, i realized i was in a cult but for many years i was a believer and i had faith that the gb knew more that i could understand..

SummerAngel

Even as a kid it didnt hang together. Ive only been aware just how non coherant it all is in recent years though back then just thought i hate this and dont want to be part of it

26

The laziness of JW parents....

by stuckinarut2 in

it struck me that the society has created a culture of lazy jw parenting.. rather than parents being there to guide and direct and help their children through all stages of life, the gb / society has become the "go-too" for everything.. if the child has an issue, there is a wt article for that.. does the child need help with something else?

ah, there is a caleb and sophia cartoon for that.. what about that other topic?

ah, there is a book for that.. so rather than being present parents, the average jw parent simply outsources their parenting to the organization!

SummerAngel

Add to that home schooling equals no education. No school clubs or hobbies to encourage no outtings to help them learn any spare time get knocking doors

12

Cheap Shots Fired

by Wake Me Up Before You Jo-Ho in

when @brian j’s “bullet in the head” thread went live (https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4747450574176256/session-8-bullet-head) those written shots echoed in my mind.

a week later while overhearing a bible study, the conductor was asked if god really has given us “free will”.

but if someone ever put a gun to my head and asked me to renounce my faith as a jehovah’s witness, i would die.”.

SummerAngel

One slight hitch with your original scenario women will never be allowed to be study conductors

51

Please Switch Off Your Critical Thinking

by pale.emperor in

i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.

perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.

watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .

SummerAngel

Sorry re awful spelling in last post, I sometimes have to fight my 5 yr old for the tablet. I think any measures will be subtle and gradual, they know there is dissent and many hang in by a thread. Cart witnessing and internet are in many ways genius, you don't have to bother training the masses to deal with logical opposition just teach them to stick their fingers in their ears lalala. It also appeals to the older people who make up most of their numbers now. Too ill to go to a meeting? Too infirm to drive at night ? No issue just listen in and we can still count you as there. Mobility to bad to walk up stairs, lack confidence to talk to people, no problem sit by a cart with your mates and drink coffee. My folks love the changes.

One thing they haven't factored in was if you discourage people from doing a real job and from attending the contributions will go down _ its easier to stick change in a box than make a larger donation online. They will also find fewer and less valuable legacies which they depend on. Inccidently they talked my parents into gift aiding some of their legacy telling them the other beneficiaries would be better off, we won't be its done us out of about £10k so watch this scam too.

My other thought was that a new rule that divorcing your non JW spouse becoming an acceptable reason for divorce could also see that happening

51

Please Switch Off Your Critical Thinking

by pale.emperor in

i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.

perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.

watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .

SummerAngel

Ive often wondered if they will sell bunker places at one stage i even wondered if thats what warwick would be used for a final call of give us your goids and we will give you shelter from armagedeon. Doubt tithing its just too churchy for them. May charge for downloads or conventions could see that happening. I also agree re strickter shunning rules maybe forbidding all exucation and employment outside arganisation i think it will be about separating off from non jw s

17

Celebrations?

by Freedom rocks in

does anyone celebrate valentines day since leaving the borg?

and which other celebrations if any do you now take part in?.

SummerAngel

The whole schbang except halloween which is just nasty. Whats the point being out if you dont have some of the perks. I feel to see it as being told when to celebtate misses the point and shows how in fear of control so many are understandably. The main difference is choice- i can celebrate xmas in june if i wish but i chose to buy presents, dec the house etc. The formal festival days just focus us on each other or mother/ father whatever.

I think for me its also been such a normalising thing after feeling i was always on the outside of it all. Festivals bring people together.

12

Did you become more antisocial after waking up?

by paradiseseeker in

jw
friends

i've been shy my whole life, but during my teenage years and early 20s i managed to be more comfortable socializing and made many friends in different parts of my country (jws of course).

that was before i woke up, because i saw myself being a jw for the rest of my life and thus i made an effort to meet new jw friends.

however, after i woke up, i lost interest in meeting new people because knowing that when i leave they will be gone... feels like a total waste of time and energy.

SummerAngel

Definitely feel social skills aren't great due to being born in. I also think JW teaches you to be really wary of people whilst being your friend on one level their loyalty is to the organization and is conditional so you can never comp!eyely be yourself around JW friends. Treat the social thing as a skill to squire, start to chat to people be friendly and see where it goes. The rules are different on the outside for one thing the male/female divide is far less apparent. There is more diversity within outside groups. Much of non JW socialising revives around celebrations birthdays, Christmas etc so by being part of one you are part the other