Posts by Xanthippe

22

Yes, I see you shunning me!

by Blackbird Fly in

even tho i grew up in the org, so much that once seemed normal behavior now seems so bizarre and even cruel.

i have run into at least 3 people from our old cong since the memorial (i didnt attend) anyhow i have noticed how each time they go out of their way to say hello and flash me a big bright smile, only to immediately avert their eyes and end any possible commitment to a conversation.

i dont really care as i dont have anything to say to them anyhow.

Xanthippe

New hope LOL I know what you mean. Actually two people did that thinking back. When I went into my nearest town an elder who used to be my husband's pioneer partner years before, did the same thing to me. Crazy people.

Funny story about that elder. He never liked me. One day I realised he was following me around the KH listening to my conversations. He was always trying to get something on me. I was at the literature desk trying to get a new publication and when I had finished I stepped back and trod straight on this elder's foot in my stilleto heels. Well he started hopping around holding his foot in agony. Wow what a great moment that was! That man was a complete sh*t.

22

Yes, I see you shunning me!

by Blackbird Fly in

even tho i grew up in the org, so much that once seemed normal behavior now seems so bizarre and even cruel.

i have run into at least 3 people from our old cong since the memorial (i didnt attend) anyhow i have noticed how each time they go out of their way to say hello and flash me a big bright smile, only to immediately avert their eyes and end any possible commitment to a conversation.

i dont really care as i dont have anything to say to them anyhow.

Xanthippe

When I disassociated one 'brother' stopped right in front of me when I was walking through the village. He blocked my path but refused to speak. He just stared at me! As if he wanted to make it plain I was persona non grata. Why not just ignore me? To walk up to me and plant himself in front of me was just weird. Well it's a cult.

105

Is my clinging on to a belief in a Creator doing me any harm?

by KateWild in

i use the word clinging, as i feel that is what i am doing.

as far as my knowledge of science, namely chemistry is concerned, i am satisfied there is evidence of a creator.

i am happy to believe this.

Xanthippe

I totally agree with you Kate that you have a human right to believe in God if you want to.

Is it doing you any harm you ask?

Perhaps if you feel you are part of some big plan, some greater purpose that might be harmful. I think we need to make our own purpose in life and the beauty of it is it's going to be slightly different for everyone. It's going to be from our authentic personality which is wonderful.

Do you remember that earlier in the thread you said you don't know how you fell for the love bombing of the JWs? Sometimes people prey on us at weak moments if we have a general belief. If we think in the back of our minds that the genuine believers who really have love among themselves are out there somewhere we might be duped again.

What I mean by this is not that there aren't some good people in churches. I mean the Christlike personality as propounded by more cultish groups is a myth, nobody can be that perfect. It just messes people up trying to be that perfect.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Xanthippe

xanhippe I'm still waiting for an example or an apology for calling me dishonest. - Cofty

LOL you do make me laugh. I think you are being intellectually dishonest. When Fraz raised the subject of banning religion and what a mistake that had been in the Soviet Union you said that was not what you meant at all. When I then tackled you about your desire to see the end of religion you said,

I would love to see an end to religion, but only because everybody decided of their own volition that it was nonsense.

This isn't going to happen is it? That's as much a risible fairy story as religious belief. So why are you backing down from the question that I (and I believe Fraz) were driving at which is what do you expect or hope to see happen to religion? We are all well aware that you would love to see an end to it but with the above statement you are dodging the question of how this will happen. Perhaps the crux of the matter is that you haven't really thought it through and you think it is a simple matter of people intelligently deriding religion for a long period of time.

47

Hi Guys, I'm new here...

by Mikado in

jw
friends

been lurking for years, but couldn't log on.

for some reason, my email spam filter is inaccessable, and ended up having to open another account, simply to become a member... wonder how many others have had a similar problem.. its been an eye opener reading everyones life experiences, often so similar.. i was almost a born in, with a hardcore family.

abusive stepfather who was one of the original jws in the area, so much so, that it was called the xxxxx family religion.... been out for 25 years, am glad every day for that!!.

Xanthippe

Welcome Mikado. I've been out twenty-five years too. It wasn't easy without the internet was it? It will be good to hear your thoughts on moving on.

10

Birthday Cake Ice Ceam

by Pattytheperfectone in

my sister recently went back to the witness religion and has a precious 4 year old boy.

he is the most adorable little boy, as all children are at that age.

i respect my sisters decision to go back to the religion, i cringe and don't like it but it's her decision to make.

Xanthippe

Hi Patty and welcome. Your nephew sounds adorable. So sad that he is parroting the JW beliefs at four years old, it must break your heart. Remember though that at four kids do this, say whatever their parents tell them. At fifteen it might be a different story! Just be there for him, when he starts to rebel.

14

Well son got married this weekend,

by jam in

Xanthippe

Jam, sorry this has been a really difficult time for you. You must be exhausted. I'm happy for your son and his wife that they are in love and like you I hope it lasts. Take care, you have had a really hard time but you have raised a fine son.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Xanthippe

Please offer one single quotation that suggests otherwise.

In the book, Hitchens contends that organised religion is "violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children" and sectarian, and that accordingly it "ought to have a great deal on its conscience." Hitchens supports his position with a mixture of personal stories, documented historical anecdotes and critical analysis of religious texts. His commentary focuses mainly on the Abrahamic religions, although it also touches on other religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism.....

He ends by saying that he would not want to eradicate religion if the faithful would "leave him alone," but ultimately they are incapable of this.
(Emphasis mine)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Is_Not_Great

I here cite wikipedia because I returned God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything by Christopher Hitchens to the library after I read it.

219

An important difference between atheists and true believers

by Hortensia in

true believers, whether christian, muslim or whatever, want to convert you, they want you to believe what they do, and they're willing to go to extremes to make it happen.

atheists don't really care what you believe, and don't go out of their way to convert someone.. http://ow.ly/vn1jz an example of what believers in power do to suppress any difference in thought.

http://ow.ly/vraeo an example of why believers want to suppress different ideas (because they can't win in a fair fight, that's why).

Xanthippe

Nobody I have ever encountered wants to ban religion.

Richard Dawkins wants to see an end to religion and Christopher Hitchens felt the same way. To say you have never encountered anyone who wants this when you regularly quote these people is at the very least rather dishonest.

75

FORGIVENESS ... You owe it to your health

by ABibleStudent in

i'm cleaning up my home of unnecessary magazines/newsletters that i have accumulated over the years.

while i was working as an employee i did not feel like i had the time to read them.

now that i'm not working as an employee but work as a volunteer to network and maintain workplace skills, i seem to have more time to read.. after reading many threads by former jws, i thought that the following article might help some to heal.

Xanthippe

Talesin I didn't mean to be insensitive. I was picking the very worst things I could think of because we all know people or have read about people who have lived through these things and survived.

I didn't mean they are insignificant by saying shit happens, I meant life has been terrible for the people of earth for a long, long time. The recent phenomena of cults in the last hundred years is just one of the causes of suffering.

I had five years of clinical depression and spent every day wishing I was dead. My brain chemistry went wrong. Shit happens. When people find out my husband dropped to the ground of a brain hemorrhage and was gone in minutes from 75% brain damage probably due to an aneurysm, these days I honestly find that the words, these things happen, pop into my head as a reply to them.

I am not being insensitive, I am being a survivor. You can only react that way if you've been there.