Xanthippe

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Posts by Xanthippe

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  6

  Hello again...

  by alamb in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just peeking in.

  wow this place looks different!.

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  Xanthippe

  Hi alamb. Any news on your daughters?
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  26

  Buddhism Anyone?

  by LaurenM in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so, i have recently been delving in buddhism and i must say it all makes sense!

  like, the philosophies and ideas are what i've always believed but could never put a name to.

  for example, they don't believe in god, they teach acceptance of all faiths, that peace can be achieved - not by changing other people - but by changing yourself, that everyone has goodness in themselves, that happiness can be gained internally (not externally as a gift from god), and that life is temporary so we should enjoy it!

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  Xanthippe

  Do we necessarily need a belief system though Lauren? How about learning about the world and the universe and looking for any evidence for life after death and/or God, but also develop a philosophy for ethical and contented living. Rather like planning a trip but arranging the flights, accommodation and other details yourself instead of accepting a package deal.
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  59

  Introducing Myself

  by Peony in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've finally got round to joining the site (after over 2 years lurking!

  i was born into jws, pioneered for 10 years (met my husband at pioneer school).

  had health issues that saw me catapulted away from 'the centre of the cong' and wow what a different place that was!

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  Xanthippe

  Peony welcome! Your story is so similar to mine. Pioneered ten years and then I got really ill. The other elders gave my husband a hard time too for looking after me, leaving straight after the meeting etc. I never felt good enough either so I know how you felt. My husband was also shocked at the way elders talked about the R+F in elders meetings. We disassociated too. Isn't freedom great! 🌺🌹🌸🌷🌼🍁🍀🌻
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  17

  " See ourselfs as others see us"

  by The Rebel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the membership rule is simple, you join the organisation for life and undertake to serve for life.. my o.p is based on the poet robert burns who talked about the gift to " see ourselfs as others see us".

  i think maybe the hardest thing for me to leave, the jehovers witness " organisation" was to accept how my family and friends will now "see" me.. so my questions are how difficult was it to leave:-.

  a) knowing the reaction of friends and family?.

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  Xanthippe

  A) When I feel down about my family I just think about them expecting Jesus to kill eight billion people any day; lions becoming vegetarians ; and the whole world now being controlled by demons. Why should I worry how these mentally unwell people view me!

  B) Oh yeah it's worth it. I can read whatever I like. I don't feel like a second class citizen patronised by window cleaners every day because I don't have the Y chromosome. I can have a job, travel on my own and buy what I like and nobody questions my actions or calls me materialistic.

  Independent thinking is just a way of life now instead of a sign of 'spiritual sickness'. In fact when I hear that phrase now I just want to say as opposed to what, being a part of a hive mind like a bee or an ant? How weird.
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  35

  Epigenetics and Why Women are Stripey

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  take five minutes to learn something new today.... here is a very brief introduction to epigenetics with an interesting practical example.. ....

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  Xanthippe

  What specifically does he mean when he says our behaviours can affect our epigenetics? Diet, alcohol levels, the amount of exercise we take?
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  41

  What were you favorite book in the organization? I know what you're thinking...LOL!

  by BashfulAshG in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  what were *your favorite *books in the organization?.

  out of all of those books, i liked "mankind's search for god.

  " however, it appears to me that this book is incredibly obscure and no one recalls studying it during the old book study format.

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  Xanthippe

  Growing up I loved the paradise pictures of the snow-capped mountains and lakes. I've always loved mountains but we couldn't afford to travel when I was a child, we had to save for conventions instead.

  Two years ago I stayed in a hotel in the Italian lakes in April. One evening after it had been raining I sat in the restaurant of my hotel and looked out the window at beautiful lake Como surrounded by mountains heavy with snow.

  It was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen and I didn't have to please any God to get there.
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  33

  UK TV--next monday 24th aug---channel 5-----9 pm--escaping the witnesses

  by stan livedeath in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just see it advertised on tv--with photo of our friend from south wales

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  Xanthippe

  Thanks for this Watchtower-Free. I would like to watch it again.
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  33

  UK TV--next monday 24th aug---channel 5-----9 pm--escaping the witnesses

  by stan livedeath in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just see it advertised on tv--with photo of our friend from south wales

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  Xanthippe

  Brilliant! Karen Morgan made it clear that Mark Sewell, who abused her as a child, was an elder and he loved being an elder, loved the power, until they locked him up for fourteen years. I didn't realise his sentence was that long. She did very well.
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  12

  The salvation paradox

  by OverlappingGeneralizations in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  another thing that has bothered me-.

  if the righteous and the unrighteous will be resurrected, and will have the same chance at paradise as the hard-core dubs, what was the point of being hard core?

  i know the point used to be "well, armageddon is gonna happen this weekend, and you'll survive and they won't!

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  Xanthippe

  I think you have answered your own question. If it sounds like nonsense......

  I've been out over twenty- five years and when I read the doctrines you quote I just think WTF! Sorry if this is not what you need, I apologise. From an 'outsider' perspective this sounds like nonsense. Well done waking up.
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  69

  Why Me?

  by John Aquila in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  do you ever wonder why out of all the witnesses, you are the one that woke up?

  i wonder many times why me.

  i know many men and women that are much, much better persons than me; either they are much smarter, more humble, kinder, more successful, or just better persons all around.

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  Xanthippe

  I have come to the conclusion our personalities are a nature/nurture thing plus our own free will. We have a certain personality partly because of our genes and partly because during our childhood we kept making small decisions that even make us different from our siblings.

  For example, my mother was ill during my teenage years so I helped out with housework because I could see how she was struggling. My brother and my unmarried sister thought it 'wasn't their responsibility', whatever that means. Little decisions that make us who we are.

  Do we look at the world now and say perhaps I can help by contributing to that charity, food bank or volunteer time and energy. Those still in the cult say big J will sort that out. Each small decision, one after the other in our formative years makes us who we are I believe. For some the comfort zone of th JW religion draws them back as they wrap themselves in cotton wool and go back to sleep.