Yes it's true if you do go to a therapist or counsellor they do have experience of people leaving all sorts of religions and coping with the fallout from their families. I remember talking to my doctor, who is Indian, about it and he wasn't at all surprised that my family shun me. He may have been through the same thing himself.
Xanthippe
JoinedPosts by Xanthippe
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We are not the only ones who have lost our faith
by Xanthippe init 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.
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Is this a discussion forum or a debating forum , which is it ?
by smiddy indo you get confused sometimes whether this site is a discussion forum or a debating forum ?.
just asking.
whats your thoughts.. smiddy.
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Xanthippe
As an atheist I want to reply to the above from James Brown even though this thread is going rather off topic. I am always offering suggestions on avenues of research for people who feel empty at having lost their faith.
Also I am always offering suggestions for bringing spiritual things back into your life, for example, art, music,creativity, travel etc.
For those who just want to sit at their computers and whine that we don't have any answers for you, news flash, we don't. If you want someone to tell you what to believe and how to live then you are looking for a high control religion. James Brown do you really want to go there again?
To quote the late Douglas Adams, 'Space is big. You just won't believe how vastly,hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is'.
Nobody has all the answers, if someone tells you they do, RUN!
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Is this a discussion forum or a debating forum , which is it ?
by smiddy indo you get confused sometimes whether this site is a discussion forum or a debating forum ?.
just asking.
whats your thoughts.. smiddy.
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Xanthippe
In a way they are like Jehovah's witnesses on steroids, they tear everything down.
But offer nothing in its place standing over the ruins of faith. -James Brown(Please see my next post in answer to this, can't seem to get out of quote on here on my iPad)
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My Day's Long and Arduous Journey
by compound complex inthis, my day's long and arduous journey, is winding down as infinite night gracefully descends and takes me into her welcomed embrace.. i have no reason to fear the inevitable, my transition into a higher and more glorious estate than was allowed me upon this beautiful but angst-filled habitation.. what must be borne with calm, with dignity, with rejoicing, has been prepared for me from earliest times.
its accomplishment requires nothing of me .
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Xanthippe
It's so lovely to hear from you CoCo and to see that you're writing again. Stay well dear CoCo, we need your calm voice of reason here
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Losing Faith
by cappytan ini've always been a "spiritual" person.
i've been an avid bible reader since as early as i can remember.
i read the bible cover to cover for the first time when i was about 17 years old and have read it at least twice more since then.
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Xanthippe
What works for some people is to slow down in JW activities and if asked why say you are depressed and confused over all the changes in teachings. Then let your family try and explain overlapping generations etc. to you while you play dumb.
Wish you well at this difficult time. It's hard to keep your mouth shut and let others teach you when you know it's all nonsense but sometimes trying to explain it helps them see it for what it it. As others have said it's your decision how you tackle it because you know your family best and we've never met them. Good luck.
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We are not the only ones who have lost our faith
by Xanthippe init 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.
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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'. -
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We are not the only ones who have lost our faith
by Xanthippe init 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.
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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.
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What is the biggest regret or source of resentment because of being a Jehovahs Witness?
by stuckinarut2 ini'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?
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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.
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Interview With an Apostate by Village Idiot
by Village Idiot intell 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.
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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.
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Gave blood today for the first time!
by Viviane inred 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.
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Xanthippe
Viviane what A Positive thing to do.