Posts by Xanthippe

9

The restaurant at the end of the universe

by Xanthippe in

jw
friends

i sat outside at a cafe with my cappuccino for the first time today.

the sky was blue, the birds were singing, i could hear a woodpecker in the tall trees.

i closed my eyes and felt the sun on my face for the first time in months and i thought, i could sit here until the end of time.

Xanthippe

I sat outside at a cafe with my cappuccino for the first time today. The sky was blue, the birds were singing, I could hear a woodpecker in the tall trees. I closed my eyes and felt the sun on my face for the first time in months and I thought, I could sit here until the end of time. How was your Good Friday?

(For those fans of Douglas Adams who were attracted by the thread title do you remember the character at the restaurant who was spending a year dead for tax purposes? I had a manager like that once.. Who was your favourite character?)

109

JW Chef Refuses to Cook Black Pudding

by cofty in

sainsbury's has been forced to apologise after its jehovah's witness chef refused to serve a customer black pudding with his full english breakfast.alan mackay was stunned when he was told he could not enjoy the staple, made up of animal fat, blood and oatmeal, with his meal at the branch in arnold, nottingham.after receiving his incomplete dish the former police officer was told the black pudding would not be served because it was against the religious beliefs of the chef to do so....

Xanthippe

Mmm animal fat, blood and oatmeal, who could resist that.

21

Facing mortality after leaving the witnesses

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

tell me i'm not overly thinking this.. i'm 39 years old...still youngish...but i worry about getting old.

i look in the mirror and it depresses me.

i suppose i still cling to watchtower utopia when no one would age over 25.. i used to look forward to paradise earth because it meant all the evil in the world, nuclear warfare, terrorist attacks and sickos would be no more, but we are deep in the 21st century with no end in sight.. appreciate your comments.

Xanthippe

I hear you. I hate the thought of getting really old. My friend says if she gets to eighty she's going to Switzerland and she doesn't mean to ski. I try to think what it used to be like to get old and I try to be grateful for dental care, hair dye, makeup, moisturiser, health care and spectacles.

22

My New Thoughts on Adam and Eve (don't laugh)

by xjwsrock in

warning for those that are still believers... this train of thought will not be faith strengthening.... i have come a long way since first stumbling on crumbs of ttatt in 2012.

(i have not come nearly as far with the wife unfortunately, but such is life.

) my critical thinking ability, thankfully, is in another stratosphere since figuring out i was a jw lab rat.

Xanthippe

Jehovah communicated with Adam with human language.

Instead of what? Dog language? This is their new truth? Worth waiting for! This is what happens when people are not allowed to read anything or talk about anything. They have nothing to discuss. So much knowledge available and this is their pathetic offering.

24

Did You Get Invited to the Memorial?

by Ding in

i'm just wondering if jws keep inviting you back or if they've given up on you.. they haven't invited me for years..

Xanthippe

Nope they were in my street a few weeks ago but they didn't call here. I'm obviously a very scary apostate.

29

Is this a site controlled by atheists?

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

under the exterior of being an ex- witness site, is this site simply converting atheism?.

i pose the question, because many come here in distress and insecurity with the realization that the w.t is wrong but still retain a belief in god.

my personal opinion is the threads on god are not challenged by an atheists personal animosity to believers, they are challenged and become confrontational because the atheist wants an elaboration and factual proof to a believers faith.. is this unreasonable?

Xanthippe

I think because of people using social media for support when leaving this cult, or any cult, they were raised in there is a danger of moving too fast in changing beliefs.

In '89 when I left it was a matter of finding books in the library or book shops and slowly examining different Bible translations including a non-JW Greek and Hebrew interlinear. Then we bought Bible encyclopaedias and learnt about other religions. Then we started looking at evolution, anthropology and history.

When new people join this site most posters are welcoming and gentle with traumatised JWs who are just waking up. A few react with a knee jerk reaction to any talk about God or the Bible. I don't think it is just because they are atheists I think it's because they're idiots. What do they expect people to say who've had their heads filled with religion for twenty, thirty years or more?

Is this site controlled by atheists? Well Simon is an atheist but there are many religious people here who he's allowed to stay. Perhaps if we all remember it takes time to get free of the cult mindset and not launch at new people who mention God or the Bible. Also it's hard to give up a belief of having someone there to lean on and you're right sometimes these are just young kids who can barely articulate their feelings.

I do wonder what happens when these kids who see TTATT but still believe in God are warmly welcomed by all including atheists then go on another thread and see believers severely criticised for their faith. Does it cancel out their warm welcome? Do they stick around?

26

Am l the only one.?The older l become the more hostile l become towards god.

by atomant in

they say you mellow out with age.maybe so but not in my case.l feel its an insult and degrading to us humans to have to live the way we do if there is a god.deep down l guess l do believe theres a god but lm having great difficulty trying to understand why things are the way they are.l dont need a bible bashing from anyone l just feel frustrated and helpless.l just battle on like everyone else but l get the feeling theres a whole lot more to our existence.

Xanthippe

I don't feel hostile to God. I have just come to the conclusion he's not there. I do agree there is a whole lot more to our existence. It's a waste of time getting angry at reality, just try and find out more about it.

Just put any question you like into a search engine, read all the ideas that are out there and after some years, decide for yourself. The answers aren't on this forum, there's not enough room allowed here for total brainstorming, too much fear of other's opinions. Good luck.

5

Eddie Izzard - the Marathon Man!

by LoveUniHateExams in

congratulations to one eddie izzard.. he ran 27 marathons in 27 days, a total of 707 miles.. he's 54 years old and doesn't look like an athlete.

but he sure does a damn fine impression!

he completed this trek across south africa to raise money for sport relief.

Xanthippe

He's got a great, off-the-wall, inquisitive intelligence.
I'd really like to see him live.

Yes so would I. A great achievement, such a lot of money raised. I'm glad he's ok, it was a lot for someone who is not an athlete to do. I love his quirky sense of humour.

35

Memorial mixed emotions...

by Tornintwo in

jw
friends

does anyone else feel 'pulled back in' at this time of year?.

i still consider myself to a believer, believe in god and jesus christ, on the whole i think he taught tolerance, love, acceptance and i think we can benefit from following his example.

i love ray franzs book in search of christian freedom.

Xanthippe

Is it just an emotional response to 25 years of indoctrination? Am I crazy to even consider opening myself up to their judgement or worse, their efforts to make me return!?

Umm I think you know the answer to these questions.

I love this time of year when spring is about to break. Personally I feel more of a connection to pre-Christianity and all their fertility festivals. I am longing for trees to bud and the sky to turn blue instead of this endless grey. For that first smell of things starting to grow when I go out into my garden.

It has always been a special time of year since ancient times. A time to celebrate, we survived the winter. Our animals are giving birth safely. Food will be more plentiful now. Life will be easier for a while. I feel that connection to those that went before.

4

Luke Evans was raised a JW

by Xanthippe in

just watching the jonathan ross show and actor luke evans said he was raised a jw.

he used to go from door to door in wales.

it says on his wikipedia page he left the religion at sixteen.

Xanthippe

No Billy I didnt think it sounded like he regretted leaving. I thought after reading his Wiki page saying he left school and the JWs at 16 he probably left home as well because of the homophobia. That may be what Ross knew not to push, the way his family treated him when he said he was gay.