Posts by Xanthippe

3

We are not the only ones who have lost our faith

by Xanthippe in

it is not unusual to lose faith in the religion that you're born into.

i actually think it's quite common to move away from you parents' belief system and find that you are a different kind of person to many members of your family.

i have read in national newspapers of famous people including politicians who have left the faith of their birth and found family relationships very difficult, some of them have even been shunned by family.. quite often in local newspapers i see books for sale from one individual about eastern religions, philosophy, evolution and so on.

Xanthippe

This is the original topic. I suppose I should be flattered that a newbie liked it so much he borrowed it and 'made it his own'.

3

We are not the only ones who have lost our faith

by Xanthippe in

it is not unusual to lose faith in the religion that you're born into.

i actually think it's quite common to move away from you parents' belief system and find that you are a different kind of person to many members of your family.

i have read in national newspapers of famous people including politicians who have left the faith of their birth and found family relationships very difficult, some of them have even been shunned by family.. quite often in local newspapers i see books for sale from one individual about eastern religions, philosophy, evolution and so on.

Xanthippe

It is not unusual to lose faith in the religion that you're born into. I actually think it's quite common to move away from you parents' belief system and find that you are a different kind of person to many members of your family.

I have read in national newspapers of famous people including politicians who have left the faith of their birth and found family relationships very difficult, some of them have even been shunned by family.

Quite often in local newspapers I see books for sale from one individual about eastern religions, philosophy, evolution and so on. It is not unusual for people to research what they believe and read many books on a variety of different subjects to try and find a new direction in life.

Believe me I am not minimising the suffering of those of us who have lost loved ones after leaving this cult. I know there is a huge difference between slowly and voluntarily looking at new ideas and suddenly and shockingly finding TTATT and being thrown out of something that was our whole life.

All I want to say here is that after feeling lost and separated from everyone it was a revelation to me to find that the journey of losing faith and looking for something to replace it is not so weird. In other words, I found I have a lot more in common with 'worldy' people than I first thought.

We are all just humans waking up on this planet after years of ignorance, superstition and darkness and trying to find a meaning. The more I read and the more I talk to people the more I realise many of us are so similar in our experiences of human life. It made me feel less alone.

76

What is the biggest regret or source of resentment because of being a Jehovahs Witness?

by stuckinarut2 in

i'm sure we could all write long paragraphs about this question, but in a few words, what is your biggest regret, or frustration in life due to being a witness?.

what missed opportunities did it cost you?

.

Xanthippe

Nicolaou what a lovely story. Congrats for you and your wife for your silver wedding coming up.

I also try to live without regret and resentment because it poisons life but it's impossible to get away from it entirely.

I regret that I didn't go to university. I'm sad that there isn't enough time to see more of this lovely planet because I pioneered too long and was penniless for my entire youth. I resent the strain it put on my marriage. We loved each other so very much but when you are both constantly stressed from the JW treadmill and battling the ensuing ill health it's hard.

It took eight years for both of us to get degrees and proper jobs and to start to get out of the WTS poverty trap. Anyway I am determined to see as much of the world as I can before I pop my clogs and to keep moving forward.

19

Interview With an Apostate by Village Idiot

by Village Idiot in

tell us a little about yourself and your family.

got myself in at age 13. one day i saw a leaflet on my door about babylon the great condemned by god and thats all it took.

i mailed a letter to the congregation listed on the flyer requesting a book study.

Xanthippe

Welcome and thanks for your story. So sorry you went through that experience. How terrible to disfellowship you in your absence just for expressing your concerns. Good to have you here.

21

Gave blood today for the first time!

by Viviane in

red cross had a blood drive near me, i decided to go give blood.

i hydrated well, ate some red meat for the iron last night and at lunch, we and gave a pint of blood.

i felt mildly embarrassed, i had no idea what my blood type was.

Xanthippe

Viviane what A Positive thing to do.

40

First Time Post - Long time reader

by Samaritan At the Well in

today is my first post on jwd, i was one of jehovahs witness for almost 50 years of my life, i was born into the religion.

i was baptized at a young age and once i got married i was a very spiritual woman as they would call me.

my husband and i served as full time pioneers, we traveled abroad and went to international conventions, did some special pioneer service in other states in the us.

Xanthippe

Wonderful story thank you. So much in it I recognise, being a faithful pioneer wife alongside elder husband for years. Many of us all owe a debt of gratitude to Ray for that book, it saved my life.

51

Is this a discussion forum or a debating forum , which is it ?

by smiddy in

jw
friends

do you get confused sometimes whether this site is a discussion forum or a debating forum ?.

just asking.

whats your thoughts.. smiddy.

Xanthippe

I thought this was interesting in Wiki

"Debating is also carried out for educational and recreational purposes, usually associated with educational establishments. The major goal of the study of debate as a method or art is to develop the ability to debate rationally from either position with equal ease"

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debate

Sometimes part way through a debate on here I do find myself seeing the other person's point of view so clearly it is hard to continue with objections to their arguments. This doesn't always mean that I agree with them but I perceive that with their life experience, educational level and personality type I can see where they are coming from.

When I speak of educational level I don't necessarily mean lack of formal education. Some highly intelligent and well-read people swallow the party line of academia whole and refuse to see any agenda beyond the fact that they are wonderful people looking for truth.

7

Happy birthday Hortensia and Elvis

by Hortensia in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=093gjycdg-4.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrdqggl2mbm.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkmvscr5yoo.

Xanthippe

Happy Birthday Hortensia

32

Freedom Post # 1 - First Timer

by 7Starz in

synchronicity - the simultaneous occurrence of events that appear significantly related but have no discernible causal connection.

today is the first day of the rest of my life.

freedom.

Xanthippe

"Next you wonder if you're deceiving yourself and you may start thinking you're the one with the problem.

Never wonder that! When others try to impose their will on you,do not give in."

So true, 7Starz and welcome. While it is a huge effort at first to hang on to what you know to be right, I now trust my own intellect and my instincts. A million people can be wrong.

6

I cant seem to look at previous posts, the old system, refer to the previous page ! doesn't work here .

by smiddy in

i know we have teething problems simon , but is it me ?

am i doing something wrong ?

or is it a bug that needs to be ironed out.. the old system i could navigate through and view any previous post i had , and also view the latest posts and go back on previous posts that i dont seem to be able to do today .. at the moment it just seems like pot luck with whatever page i`m on.. smiddy.

Xanthippe

Click on your name at top of page and you will get a page with how many posts you have made and how many topics you have started. Click on posts to see all your previous ones.