I second what Jeff just said:
Who said they left the JW organisation just because of the hypocrisy of individual JWs?
I don't know anyone who left just for that reason alone.
Sirona
Posts by Sirona
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78Why do we get stumbled out of JW's because of imperfect people?
by reniaa ini see this a lot on this forum, loads of people saying they left jw's because of "hypocritical ....... ( put elder, pioneer, couple, sister, brother, governing body) here.. but?.
why would you expect any man-run organisation if you believe the bible, to have to be perfect and not be full of imperfect people that will come across as hypocritical?.
the bible examples from israelites onwards name anyone :- moses, king david, pharasees, paul the one thing the bible doesn't do is white-wash them it shows that however much we follow the laws we are always fighting our own imperfection usually failing every time and needing to be corrected sometimes punished (moses had to give-up chance of seeing the foretold land), so why do we hold this against jw's as a reasons not to be a jw's anymore?.
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22
What kind of apostate are you? Take the quiz
by truthseeker inanswer the following questions to find out how apostate you are.
only one answer the question is allowed.
1) what is your jw status.
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Sirona
Since I don't attend at all, I can't answer most of those questions...
I will score myself. I'm a 100.
Sirona
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63
Could religious belief be considered a sign of mental illness?
by nicolaou inreligious believers clearly have tendencies to make-up "facts" and "evidence" rather than accept true research and admit even the simplest of belief failures.
they have strange ceremonies that are virtually pointless but are said to have special significance or power.. we all know certain 'christians' alive today who are fully prepared to argue that they might never die!
couldn't it be argued that such a reversion into childlike fantasy is a telltale sign of mental illness?
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Sirona
Terry,
Again you are narrow minded.
Surrendering the rational mind is not an act of mental illness. It is an act of intellectual cowardice which results in moral disintegration.
Holding other people to a standard you yourself have invented is evidence of moral disintegration.
As a believer, I do not hold other people to a standard that I have invented. I hold myself to my own standards of morality.
I could assert that constantly berating even the possibility of a higher power is intellectual cowardice, but you know what? I won't assert that because I am happy to allow you your opinions on the matter andI don't feel the need or desire to attack you (or those who think like you) in any way.
Playing the game of life deuces wild is abandonment of responsibility. This is the God game. "I'm not in charge---GOD is!"
Failure to take responsibility for your life and the world in which you live is the ultimate act of moral turpitude and intellectual dishonesty.
It isn't mental illness.
Again - you are wrong. I am a believer and I have always taken total responsibility for myself and my life. In fact, since I believe that whatever comes my way is of my own doing (ultimately) then I am even more conscious of my own responsibility for my life. I don't blame my bad luck on chance (or god or the devil), rather I ask myself how I may have invited this into my life (not in an obsessive way, but in a contemplative way which results in further learning.) Sirona
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12
Insurance Claim against the WTS in the UK
by besty inabout 3 months ago a jw brother slips on the steps on the way out of his local kh.
the step was mossy and slippery as a leaking gutter had been left unattended to.
this brother had pointed out to the elders that the slippy step was an accident waiting to happen for one of the olders ones.
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Sirona
ROFL
What a lovely reason for us all to pay a visit to our local hall and slip on the front step!
Sirona
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51
Meeting schedule rearranged...WHY?
by sir82 inofficial speculation thread.... even if a reason is given for the meeting rearrangement when it is announced on 4/27, we all know how the society spins things (e.g., awake magazine being reduced to one issue per month to "put more emphasis on the bible" real reason.. .
so why is the society doing this?
on the surface, it seems to be a loosening of control.
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Sirona
They want to appear more mainstream!
The internet has hammered them in ways they couldn't imagine so they're trying to act like just any other church and not appear too demanding.
Plus, less meetings = more time to sell magazines and recruit.
Sirona
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Sirona
Thats easy! "Thou Art God"
Sirona
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63
Could religious belief be considered a sign of mental illness?
by nicolaou inreligious believers clearly have tendencies to make-up "facts" and "evidence" rather than accept true research and admit even the simplest of belief failures.
they have strange ceremonies that are virtually pointless but are said to have special significance or power.. we all know certain 'christians' alive today who are fully prepared to argue that they might never die!
couldn't it be argued that such a reversion into childlike fantasy is a telltale sign of mental illness?
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Sirona
Where do I start?
I agree that someone is less likely to see a psychiatrist if they sincerely believe that any "voices" they hear are simply angels (or spirits).
I do however take exception to the inference that anyone who believes they have communication from the "other side" is mentally ill.
In the DSM and other official manuals we see set criteria for diagnosis of mental illness. In times past, mental illness has been diagnosed and a person labelled without proper evidence - resulting in inappropriate treatments being given and a general deterioration in the patient due to the misdiagnosis. It is important to state what we really mean by "mental illness".
I will probably regret this, given the environment I'm in, but let me use myself as an example. I function in life very well. I am not plagued by destructive thoughts or "voices" and my life is totally normal. However there are times when I choose to participate in a spiritual service, during which I often experience phenomena which could be labelled "supernatural".
I am totally aware of arguments which indicate that someone is using self hypnosis in this scenario. Whether that be the case or not isn't really under debate. What is under debate is whether I'm mentally ill or not. The answer is that I am not, yet I experience (at my will) things which could be labelled as spiritual experiences.
I have seen spirit beings and I have had communication from spirit beings. Again, these are controlled (by me) and are never disturbing to me. Interestingly, many of these communications reveal information which I couldn't have known and which can be verified - either by someone present or later as things transpire.
I would love science to eventually find a way to measure and prove spirit communication. Experiments have been conducted which show a significant result with regards to extra-sensory communication. These experiments are currently being replicated by those with funding. Many experiments have already shown a significant result beyond chance on things which you appear to be labelling "evidence of mental illness".
Mental illnesses where the individual hears voices and sees visions exist of course - I have studied various mental illnesses and their causes. This does not mean, however, that every individual who experiences extrasensory perception is mentally ill.
Sirona
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9
Life Update
by KW13 inwell its been a while since i really posted on here, so let me give you an update on my life.. firstly; my dad got married and i didnt get an invite, kinda hurt.. secondly; two days after somebody reported me and megan to social services so we had to deal with that when i swear down on my little boys life i and megan havent harmed him in anyway, we wouldnt.
when she was pregant there was a risk he was going to be poorly, i would never put ourselves in a position where we might lose him again.
thirdly; i'm progressing toward being an ex-ex jw, its a big part of me but all i want is my experiences and thoughts to help others without the negativity involved causing me harm.
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Sirona
Oops didnt log Dawn out!
Gary
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101
You tell me what I saw, if not Angels then what?
by middleman inthis happened to me years ago when i was still living in nashville tn.
i was driving home from work one day and i was in the turn lane getting ready to take a left.
i had a green arrow and i proceeded into the intersection.
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Sirona
Sometimes someone can have a false memory or make too many assumptions.
Sometimes something genuinely supernatural occurs.
That is my opinion.
Even though some people die horrible deaths, it doesn't mean that others are not healed. We don't really know why.
Sirona
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30
Oh my, just found out, my grandson, is autistic, daughter has cancer...
by orbison11 inok, like there is not enough going on in my life now,,,with my shop windows being smashed out 4 times in the last month and i have to pay for them.
son, who i found out at xmas, finally called after 18 months, is bipolar,,that his son, of 3 is very autistic, cant even talk,,and my daughter,,the career driven successful better than anyone (hhmm) fell on a cruise ship and found out she has cancer in hip,,,had it in knee as a 12 year old.
ok now.......when do i get to have a meltdown.
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Sirona
(((Wendy))))
Sending love and positive energy your way,
Keep strong,
Sirona