Posts by Xanthippe

41

October 31, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: New Visitor Exhibit at Bethel (UK)

by wifibandit in

october 31, 2017 to all congregations re: new visitor exhibit at bethel.

Xanthippe

So are they shipping Watchtowers and Awakes from the US, Europe or what?

6

I cry during the National Anthem now

by kairos in

jw
friends

after being a jw for 25 years and finding every weasel way to 'maintain christian neutrality', i now find myself in a completely 'new light'.. i quit abruptly, four years ago and have lived a jw free life with the exception of my born-in wife.when i see the ceremony of the national anthem, it not only reaffirms the absolute beauty of personal freedom, but it also allows me to see that most people are good and loyal to one another.

i treasure my life and have become a patriot.

now i feel ashamed that i was a government/authority rejecting, isolationist that benefited from living in the greatest country in the world.

Xanthippe

living in the greatest country in the world.

You live in England, I had no idea!

9

Updated Recommended Reading List

by doubtfull1799 in

not long after i joined here i posted a reading list of books that helped me wake up, but since then i've read so many more that i've found invaluable in furthering and refining my new worldview, plus giving me a more in-depth well read perspective on theological and scientific issues.

so i thought i'd post an updated comprehensive list for other voracious readers like me who are always looking for good books to read.

how jesus became god - bart d. ehrman.

Xanthippe

Thanks doubtful, that's a great list. I read the Dawkins' books and thought they were brilliant. Also some of God is not Great and The Better Angels of our Nature. Oh and CoC of course.

23

Irish Elders deleted by Watchtower for reporting child sex abuse allegation to police

by Diogenesister in

two elders have been deleted by watchtower for reporting an allegation of child sexual abuse to the police, contrary to watchtower orders (a jw paedophile with a history, apparently).

when the british branch discovered what the elders had done they arranged for 3 elders to fly over to ireland, at the congregations expense no less, to hold a special jc for the ' rogue' congregation elders.

one elder and the cobe were deleted, two were allowed to continue.

Xanthippe

Well Drearyweather perhaps some people in your religion actually have a conscience and think it's wrong to sexually abuse children. Perhaps they believe they should inform the authorities when a crime has been committed, which is what your Bible says, you should be obedient to the governments because they are placed in their positions by God. Remember the Bible? Or do you just obey those seven men in America?

23

Irish Elders deleted by Watchtower for reporting child sex abuse allegation to police

by Diogenesister in

two elders have been deleted by watchtower for reporting an allegation of child sexual abuse to the police, contrary to watchtower orders (a jw paedophile with a history, apparently).

when the british branch discovered what the elders had done they arranged for 3 elders to fly over to ireland, at the congregations expense no less, to hold a special jc for the ' rogue' congregation elders.

one elder and the cobe were deleted, two were allowed to continue.

Xanthippe

Drearyweather elders are required to inform the branch first about allegations of child abuse before going to the police even though sexual assault is a crime.

8

heart attack 2nd anniversary.

by zeb in

jw
friends

hi lovely folk,.

two years ago today i had a ha.. i have just re-read the kind words of support from you folks wherever on earth you be and they are still warming to me.. i have had a bypass op done re-hab and learned to live again.. i am on permanent meds and do lots of walking.

since the op i have walked 545 kilometres and worn out a pr of boots.. i walk with walking poles and they mean you take in 25% more o2 than without.

Xanthippe

Zeb great to have you here! Keep up the good work. ❤️

32

Hellaby UK circuit A$$emb£y this Sunday

by punkofnice in

my spies tell me that the attendance for hellaby this last sunday was only 600.. that's all i know.

i imagine some on here have perhaps some more insights into why.

however, it seems rather low, don't you think?.

Xanthippe

I used to go to that hall for circuit assemblies I would say it has a seating capacity of at least 1,000.

40

Faced with the reality of mortality

by stuckinarut2 in

how have you all coped with facing the reality of our mortality?.

most of us were raised to firmly believe we would never get old or die... so here we are now having to face the reality that are getting older... we are going to die.. sometimes it really pisses me off that we were never helped to comprehend this most basic of facts.

we were given a utopian dream as a "fact", and hence never taught how to face our inevitable futures.... thoughts?.

Xanthippe

To be honest Stuck I'm not sure in the west that the society we live in prepares any of us for death. I don't think it's just that religion that's failed us I think society in western countries generally shrinks away from anything to do with death.

I have so far only been able to comfortably talk to an ex-colleague about my father-in-law dying last Thursday without getting a weird reaction and I think that's because she's Chinese.

If you look on this forum there is a thread about a humanist funeral from yesterday I think and most people have avoided it.

We have lost so many family and friends this last ten years, my daughter has been to fourteen funerals and she's only 22. Is there anything taking the place of religion for atheists like my daughter and myself to turn to for comfort in my country (UK)? Not in our experience.

34

Today's W.T when it mentioned Depression and Anxiety

by Isambard Crater in

our co-ordinator put his hand up and commented saying that people who go on about how depressed or anxious they are just need to stop giving in to impulses and show more self control without letting their emotions rule their lives.. if anyone from the media, a government agency or some other public body heard a comment like that, they'd have a hard time exercising self control over the rubbish this elder spouted, which my friends and family with genuine depression found insulting..

Xanthippe

Introvert2 I understand and agree with every word you wrote here and if you can laugh at it now then you are an inspiration to me.

19

JWs don’t break up families

by Jules Saturn in

i get very angry when i hear this claim being made by jws and get even angrier when i read the article they have on their faq section on jw.org which i’ll leave a link here:.

https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/families/.

i know that the majority of this article is written about having a spouse that isn’t a believer and how the bible encourages them to stay together but that’s one of the things that can cause division in a family, for an example if a son or daughter marry a nonbeliever or a worldly person the parents aren’t going to attend the wedding.. once i was told by an elder that if i continued with my behavior of wanting to seek worldly friends and worldly companionship that i would have to leave my home because the holy spirit would leave my house and that would have a huge impact on my family.

Xanthippe

They don't see it like that. They think it's the people who realise it's a cult and leave who split up the family. As my family kept telling me I caused this 'difficult situation.' Also when people join the cult and their family are puzzled by this weird religion, it's their fault for not giving up Christmas and birthdays.

You occasionally meet people who have this personality type where they never accept responsibility for their actions, it's always someone else's fault. With JWs we have an entire region that does that, they are never weird, they haven't split up the family it's everyone else in the world that's at fault for not giving up their whole life to fit in with them.