Posts by Salud

28

Is God real to you?

by alias in

jw
friends

in a recent topic someone mentioned how much they have drifted from god since they "left the jw's.".

as someone brought up in the org (inactive for several years)i have found this to be similiar in my case.

i don't know how much i believe the fan/plug analogy (remember that in the live forever book?

Salud

Gravedancer,

With all due respect, get a grip man. I guess the computer you used to post your point is not real? Correction, maybe the computer is real because you can see it, but not the electricity.

Or if one is blind then reality to him is much more condenced. How does a blind man worship or explain God/Creator, or is that a mental state because he cannot see or prove?? How does a blind person explain the colors of a rainbow?? Maybe to him they do not exist because they are yet to be proved in his mind, right? God/Creator then must be a state of mind.

If you lived let say back in the 1400's would you have voulunteered to travel the world to prove that the earth was round, or because no one had proved it to you you settled on it being flat based on someone else's flawed opinion. Well there does exist the flat earth society today.

My point, even things that we believe are true do not always pan out like we expecet them too. By the same token, things that we cannot understand or explain or even prove does not make them less real. You cannot say that God/Creator is not real to others when you yourself cannot prove that he is not. In fact NO ONE has. For example, does the fact that that other planets have not been discovered yet make them not exist or less real?? Therefore you cannot claim God/Creator does not exist or is not real to others. That is YOUR personal opinion. Perhaps we personally might not understand or grasp the purpose for life or the purpose of what a creator has for us, yet it does not make him non-existant. Don' t let the influence of WT society as to who God/Creator is cloud your mind. There is so much to explore...

10

Christainity Today Article

by silentlambs in

jw
friends

http://christianitytoday.aol.com/ct/2002/008/14.15.html

christianity today,

july 8, 2002

Salud

Well if unrepentant followers are the only ones disfellowshipped then we must have slipped through the crack's, never mind the 15 page appeal letter we sent along with the 30 pages of research material supporting our cause that was straight from the Society's publications which included information from the 'Flock' book. Never mind we FEDEX'd this to them at the request of the Service Desk.

Obviously we are the exception!!

Edited by - salud on 30 June 2002 16:35:8

53

What Would You Have Done?

by Dutchie in

jw
friends

there was a middle-aged woman in our kingdom hall who was a long time pioneer.

she was a very warm and loving woman and so when she announced her plans for a family vacation one year some of us got together and took up a little collection so that she would have some extra money to spend.

after all, she was working hard for jehovah and werent we supposed to show our appreciation?.

Salud

It all comes down to the individual and the values that one shares and holds. In my years in the organization I met many fine individuals that even to this day I trust and I would invite them to stay at my home. These are fine people who try to live up to the standards found in the Bible. They are just controlled by the WT. But I also met individuals in the organization that I would not trust if my life depended on it.

The fact is you find these types everywhere. When I lived in Utah I came accross many Mormons who were Bishops but were the most back-stabbing, greedy mongors that you ever met. But I also met many fine Mormon individuals that I would walk a mile with. The same goes for Catholics and really any other religion. I would venture to say that even among ex-JW's you would find poeple that you could not trust and act just like the 'sister' in the exp related by Duthcie. By the same token I also have found ex-JW's (some on this board) to be honest and sincere individuals that are like family to me.

It all comes down to what is important in our lives and what value system we live by. Of course the Bible can have a positive influence on people, but in the end it is up to us individually.

Salud

69

Mulan could use some cyber hugs...

by Princess in

jw
friends

i will spare you all the gory details until she is ready to post them.

my mom (mulan) is having trouble with my grandma again.

looks like this time she has finally burned her last available bridge and will be moving out.

Salud

Mulan,

So sorry to hear about your situation. I know it must be hard. Hang in there. At least you tried to make things comfortable for your mom. I think getting Social Services involved might help ease the load.

Take care and we are thinking about you and your family.

Salud and wife.

53

What Would You Have Done?

by Dutchie in

jw
friends

there was a middle-aged woman in our kingdom hall who was a long time pioneer.

she was a very warm and loving woman and so when she announced her plans for a family vacation one year some of us got together and took up a little collection so that she would have some extra money to spend.

after all, she was working hard for jehovah and werent we supposed to show our appreciation?.

Salud

It goes to show what kind of people these really were. Dutchie, did you say anything to them? I don't think I could have held back.

I am sure they reminded everyone how hard it was to Pioneer. I hope they did not give God any credit for this. I would not have given this family another dime! This is dispicable behavior, even for being JW's.

48

YES! I AM FREE AT LAST!

by Kjell Hedblom in

i just got out from jw bye a d.f.

4 weeks ago after 44 years as an active jw.am i insane or why am i having that great feeling of freedom??

i am sitting here infront of the computer having a cold beer and just enjoying life.shouldnt i be crying and having a depression sitting here in tears over missing all my jw friends that now are vanished??.

Salud

I clearly remember one day sitting by the pool having a beer on a Sunday no less, and I was speaking to my JW brother on the phone and just ranting about this disfellowshipped lifestyle, how great it was. When I got DF'd it was like a load lifted off my shoulders. And it is, esp. being an elder like yourself and all that was expected of you.

You might exp. many different emotions and even ask yourself if this is what is really happening to you. But after you realize what you have left you will feel more convinced than ever that you made the right decision. Hang in there and relish in your new found freedom.

Salud

13

Just How Much of NY City does the Org Own?

by Sentinel in

jw
friends

i've lost track of how the org is doing in ny city.

does anyone know how close their buildings are to the former twin towers?.

i've heard that they own quite a lot, perhaps as much as a fulll city block.

Salud

For the most part most of the GB rooms were really pretty modest. Fred Franz who had the most seniority at Bethel did not have the nicest nor the biggest. The nicest rooms belonged to the married couples, esp. those in the office complex where you found alot of your seniority.

As far as automobiles most of the GB did not even drive, they were always driven by someone else. I managed a couple of times to hitch a ride to the assemblies with Freddie since we were in the same circuit. But to drive a car at Bethel you had to be designated a Bethel driver, basically what that meant was making airport runs picking up GB's and their wives or 'heavies' coming in from their speaking assignments. You were not allowed to use the cars for personal use (well unless you had connections).

23

What is Faith?

by Mackin in

jw
friends

when i was a 'dub, i beleived that faith was the hebrews 11 thing, but since i have put aside that way of thinking and no longer believe god or believe the bible to be anything more than a collection of human history and philosophy, i tend to think in terms of faith being no more than the dictionary definition: .

1 a : allegiance to duty or a person : loyalty b (1) : fidelity to one's promises (2) : sincerity of intentions.

2 a (1) : belief and trust in and loyalty to god (2) : belief in the traditional doctrines of a religion b (1) : firm belief in something for which there is no proof (2) : complete trust.

Salud

Faith is a funny thing. It is the very thing that brought many of us into the WT. Now for many it is the very thing that keeps many away from religion and even makes us question the very existence of God.

I find on this board many people struggling with this concept of Faith, even more so than your average person out in the street. I blame the WT for this. They have destroyed in many people the idea of trust. Many do not trust and feel they have been violated of their trust to a certain extent, can you blame them.

I still feel it is important to have and develop this quality of faith. We cant dismiss totally this concept of faith, otherwise we limit ourselves and close the door from exploring other ideas. I don't mean here to have blind faith and believe anything anyone tells you, but one that is based on evidence or principles. I have faith in my wife and family, and faith that the sun will rise the next morning and that my bills will arrive on time. I also have faith that there is something more than what we have here. The world as we see it testifies to that. This is a unique place to live. I am on a journey in discovering things that were kept from me before, explore ideas that were foreign to me. I guess what is important for me is trying to find that balance where I don't feel that I have gone off the deep end (like some JW friends of mine were asking about me) but also not to scared to explore my horizons. I have faith that I will find answers in time, one where I understand more this thing called life.

48

casslines surgery status - updated 30 Jun

by Cassiline in

jw
friends

i am cassilines husband.

i know cassiline has alot of friends that monitor this board so i thought i would post a surgery status on cassiline to let everyone who cares about her know how everything is going.

first of all, i would like to say thank you to the owner of this board, friends and aquintances of cassinline, for all the help you have provided not olny for her but for others that are out there with problems who seek the assistance from people that have a similar state of understanding about the jw religion.

Salud

My wife and I wish Cassie a speedy recovery and wish her the best and also yourself (Max). Hope to see her back soon on the board.

Thanx for the update.

Salud

33

My chat with Elder Dad. (I'm angry!!)

by home_and_dry in

jw
friends

i feel the need for a rant!

i had a conversation with my jw elder father tonight that has left me seething.

just to set the scene, i left the jws back in 1994. i was baptized, having been dfd and reinstated a couple of years prior to my final exit in 94. i was never dfd again and pretty much left to my own devices.

Salud

The fact that many people today divorce and don't see marriage as anything more than a piece of paper is a sad commentary on the problems plaguing society today. Maybe I am old fashioned but there is something to be said of a marriage that lasts 40 or 50 years, unlike the marriages you hear of that last a mere few months.

It is true that people who are married tend to try to work out problems more so than those who are not. Maybe that is what is missing today in many relationships, the commitment factor. Anyway, marriage is not only common in Christian beliefs but also in your 'pagan' religions as well. It is universaly accepted.

Home and Dry... Try to understand your father and where he is coming from. The fact that he accepts you and speaks to you speaks volume on his part. Don't spoil a good thing. Enjoy your father and mother while you still have them, for one day they will be gone. My sister and my dad had a rift develop between them right before he died, this pains my sister to this day several years later. DO NOT let that happen. You may not agree but you can at least relate and get along.

Also if you are waiting for lots of money to get married and have a big wedding, it may never happen. Perhaps examining your priorities might be in order.

Just my 2 cents.

Salud