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jehovah's witnesses must "believe" whatever the watchtower bible & tract society publishes.
now that you aren't forced to accept beliefs that you might not have wholeheartedly endorsed, there must be many different things that you don't accept.....what comes to mind?
I don't believe anyone knows what happens to us after we die. I don't believe a creator with the ability to create this universe really cares if we celebrate holidays etc... I DO NOT believe that JWS are god's chosen people. I don't believe that mind control has anything to do with loving and serving god. I guess I just don't believe any of it anymore.
FREEDOM !!!!
has anyone noticed that jws who appear to be higher up on the 'socio-economic' ladder get special treatment at the kh?
no matter how many khs i've visited, i've noticed that jws who are not well off socially/financially/physically are treated with less respect/dignity than those with a business of their own, or just a higher quality of life.
i've been to many 'gatherings' where jws filter themselves out according to race or socio-economic standing.
After I had gotten past the horrible anger I felt toward JW's behaviour toward other humans who were not JW - I looked at their behaviour toward their supposed " brothers in the faith " and saw that there was basically no difference between the two. It seems very important for them to feel superior toward anybody and everybody. I was a JW for 20 or so years and am ashamed if I ever treated anybody as a lesser person. I think I always tried to be sensitive to others feelings but when you are constantly brainwashed with the " crap " all the time I am sure I have been guilty of this. I apologize!!!!!!! There was always social , economic , popularity , issues involved in everything JW's do. Always!
To be rid of all that mental garbage has been the most freeing experience....It certainly is a heavy burden to actually think you are better than everybody else in the whole world....how presumptuous!!!!!
Sandy
as americans, we have a day to celebrate our country's independence.
what will you do on the 4th??
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We will be driving up to Chico very early Friday morning and hangin out till Sunday . I am kind of sad cause our little town has a big 4th of july parade and festivities and our 4 year old will miss it Oh well - she will be seeing gramma and swimming so she should be very happy!!! A Happy 4th of JUly to everyone!!!!!!!
most of you know that my youngest son, 8, is a little worry wart.......he is always worrying about death, mainly me dying.
he has been to doctors when he was younger for ptsd, ocd, and addh.
what are you doing in teaching your children spiritual things?
Good morning to everyone -- I am having a real hard time with this topic. I also have 4 daughters , 3 of which were brought up in the "truth". All 3 have chosen to not continue in that regard but the little one who is 4 was born just when we started becoming inactive. As a consequence I have not given her any spiritual training of any kind at all. She is becoming more concerned about death etc. and while I tell her about what I feel it really contains no religous aspect at all. I guess I have become an agnostic as opposed to an atheist , but my thoughts on what or who god really is are muddled. It is all very concerning to me that I am short changing her or something. AHHHHHHHHHH !
i knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. while the local congregation has shown no interest in why i haven't been to meetings in over a year , i do have friends from afar (witnesses) who i feel do care about me and my family.
i heard from one of them today who tells me she has, what the doctors say is, a very serious case of breast cancer.
anyways - besides telling me all about that she had heard that i was highly inactive and wants me to start getting back on track because she wants to see me in the paradise.
I HATE this religion that puts restrictions on all relationships.....That is surely not from god!!!
i knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. while the local congregation has shown no interest in why i haven't been to meetings in over a year , i do have friends from afar (witnesses) who i feel do care about me and my family.
i heard from one of them today who tells me she has, what the doctors say is, a very serious case of breast cancer.
anyways - besides telling me all about that she had heard that i was highly inactive and wants me to start getting back on track because she wants to see me in the paradise.
I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.. While the local congregation has shown no interest in why I haven't been to meetings in over a year , I do have friends from afar (witnesses) who I feel do care about me and my family. I heard from one of them today who tells me she has, what the doctors say is, a very serious case of breast cancer. Anyways - besides telling me all about that she had heard that I was highly inactive and wants me to start getting back on track because she wants to see me in the paradise. She says she loves me , and I know she does as I was the only person from this congregation to continue nuturing our friendship through the years after she moved. The problem is that she sees things as either you are serving Jehovah or you are a goat destined to die. It would serve no purpose for me to get into a discussion about how "WRONG" the organization is, especially now that it is more important to care for and upbuild her during this horrible time. The good thing is that she lives about 5 hours away and I don't have daily contact with her. I would like to be closer to help her anyway I can but my not being a witness anymore would surely cause her pain. She told me to go to the next Sunday's meeting for her and I said" what if I go and I hate it" and she said " if you are uncomfortable at the old hall go to a different one , it's ok."
She was also telling me about how she has no medical insurance and that one of her "wordly" clients knew a head mucky muck for the City of Hope in Los Angeles and got her an interview and much needed financial support should she need it. That's a hell of alot more than her fellow witnesses would do for her. I stressed what a wonderful person that woman was to help her. I hope she gets that!!!
Anyways , life goes on......sndy420
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whenever i have conversed with one of jehovah's witnesses, i feel that they are 100% convinced that the wbts is "right".. on this forum, we have many people who were once one of jehovah's witnesses, but now totally reject it.. how did you feel witnessing to people whilst you no longer believed in it, or knew you were about to leave?.
spanner.
I too cannot remember the actual last time I went out but I do remember that it was a long time coming. I would just encourage bible reading and talk about daily things , but I would never invite anyone to the kingdom hall or offer literature or reference the witness way at all for about the last 9 months before I stopped going to meetings.In my case coming into the "truth" took about a year and a half , stayed 20 years , and took about a year to leave. I always felt so intrusive when I went door to door.Never liked it and will never do anything like it again!!!
Sandy
so what are all of you doing for valentine's day this year?
it sure is nice to have one day where you can celebrate your spouse, bf/gf, or significant other.
but the wts will have none of that!
Our 3 year old turns 4 on Feb.15 so since we are really starting to get into these holiday things , her party on Saturday has a Valentines theme. I have always loved the holidays ( I wasn't always a witness ) and I am just easing my way back in.....
what are you using your time to do , that you couldn't do before when enslaved to the decrepit old men of the org?.
i'm now determined to throw down my squeegee , and become an artist.. yes i am ashamed to admit i am a window cleaner.. i have always love drawing and art, but was adviced in school that if iwanted to be an artist i would have to be determined and be totally focused in order to succeed.. but knowing i had to pioneer and go to the meetings etc i knew i wouldn't have time .so i choose to let go of my dream and waste my talents in order to serve god by selling magazines.. in fact the "truth" took up so much time that i almost gave up drawing , i cant draw well unless relaxed and i have plenty of time, in fact my favorite time is early morning when i wake up.. now i have no meetings , studying etc i have lots of time to draw and i just cant stop.. i don't know much about getting into the art world , but looking round different galleries i've seen and comparing my work i belive i can succeed.. i'll give it my best shot anyway.
I am coaching my daughters high school dance team. I am enjoying my Sundays and Tuesday nights and Thursday nights , each and every one!!!
I am glad when I hear about an assembly or convention that I won't have to go to it!!! I am really trying to figure out who god really is without the crap!!!! And I am using my free will to make educated decisions every day!!!
an invitation:.
i would like to see a short description of your personal beliefs or religion today, after you lost faith in "the truth", from anyone here that feels for it.
I believe that a creator who actually loves human beings exists.I believe that we humanize that creator instead of realizing he/she is so elevated beyond our thought processes. I believe that by chosing a specific religion to serve that creator causes more harm than good. I believe all humans have a need for spirituality in thier lives and not recognizing that need also causes harm. I believe that just as we are given diversity in creation we must recognize this also in humanity and each person must find thier own spirituality. I believe in tolerance. Kindness. Understanding. I believe that we are capable of change and though this may not be easy it is imparitive. Because I really don't know what happens after death ( does anybody?? ) we are given only a short time to get it right so we better work very hard on this. And I believe I am rambling so I will stop.
