Posts by startingover

25

Where do you go for spiritual food?

by Princess in

jw
friends

this is an update to a thread of mulan's and a request for some input.

mulan said this in her thread from a few days ago:.

"for those new ones who haven't read my cousin's story, i am posting the link here again.

startingover

After reading Seekers comments, I had to look up "spirituality" in the dictionary. I found an online one which listed the following meanings:

1 : something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or to a cleric as such
2 : CLERGY
3 : sensitivity or attachment to religious values
4 : the quality or state of being spiritual

I have always thought that spirituality and religion go hand in hand, as in #3. "Spiritual food" to me was something that promoted religious values. It's hard for me to comprehend spirituality having nothing to do with belief in God.

...still contemplating

25

Where do you go for spiritual food?

by Princess in

jw
friends

this is an update to a thread of mulan's and a request for some input.

mulan said this in her thread from a few days ago:.

"for those new ones who haven't read my cousin's story, i am posting the link here again.

startingover

Spiritual Food?

I don't need it! Do starving people in Africa ask that question? I don't know but it seems to me that whole "spiritual" thing exists in a person's mind because of the Christian culture they were raised in.

83

Special Dub Words That Make You Go YUK!

by Englishman in

jw
friends

for me, the word was "loving".. great "loving" kindness.. great undeserved "loving" kindness!.

disfellowshipping is a "loving" provision.. when the wtbts want their accolytes to swallow another bitter pill, another restriction, another rebuke, another demand on time, the buzz word is "loving".. the "loving" word, is, to the average jw, the same as the mccabe nod is to the salesman.

the mccabe nod is used by salesman all the time to get the prospective customer to agree to something that he doesn't care for too much.

startingover

I don't know why I was so stupid in my younger years, but when I was told it was a "privilege" to clean the hall I should have caught on.

How about the word "visible" as in "visible in the field service" How I kept from telling them f u when they used that term on me I'll never know.

I've gotta check out on this thread, I'm getting way to angry

58

Ignorant Judgemental CO's and DO's

by Scully in

jw
friends

badwillie wrote the following experience about an ignorant comment from a do:.

case in point:.

a friend received a full scholarship from a local college to study to become a veternarian.

startingover

Having been around the "big-wigs" since infancy due to the fact that my father was always prominent in the borg, I have noticed that a lot of the CO's were decent men, but the DO's always seemed a bit pompous to me. My aunt was a DO's wife and I remember her telling about how she was treated after he died and she stayed on in the local congregation. She said the other sisters more or less ran her off, and this happened in more than one cong. Looking back, I can now see that she no doubt carried the same haughty attitude with her and when her husband with the clout was no more, she got treated accordingly.

Interesting though is the fact that a DO's comments at an assembly, in his public talk, were responsible for opening my mind. I don't remember his name but he was a big black man, and he made some comments regarding the holy spirit's part in the appointment of servants in the congregation. He said, "Do you think that the holy spirit rejects a recommendation when it gets to New York after it has been approved by the local elders and the CO?" I couldn't really believe I heard it from the platform, much less during the public talk. At that point in my transition, I had quit opening the Bible to every scripture mentioned, and I just sat and listened. (During that time period I remember watching the elders thumb mindlessly to Matt 24:14 and thinking how senseless that was) Anyway it really starting my mind spinning. It didn't take too much reasoning on the statements to transfer it to thinking about what part the holy spirit palyed in the process in New York. Now, it feels good to be able to say that a DO's comments at an assembly were responsible for my present feelings.

SO

72

Is Ray Franz still living?

by hungry4life in

jw
friends

a friend of mine has been sharing her doubts about the organization with me for the last year.

she read both of ray franz's books and found that they were interesting and dealt with many of the questions she had.

she then wrote to the society anonymously and explained why she could not in good conscience preach regarding 1914 ( she used my p.o.

startingover

I just finished reading this entire thread to this point. As I read it my emotions were on a roller coaster. The initial feelings I had were of disappointment, but his actions make sense to me now.

It brings back memories when I first read C of C a year or so ago. When I got to the end I felt that RF could become another Russell if he wasn't careful. I also find it interesting that he retains belief in God and the Bible. His writings started me on a journey which has taken me away from that without regrets.

S O

29

Reading C of C

by startingover in

jw
friends

i read crisis of conscience some time ago and it had a profound effect on me.

i just gave it to my ex-bethelite friend to read (he had already discovered the "truth" about the truth on his own).

he's about halfway through it and is in the anger stage.

startingover

Latte-

My anger went away when it was replaced by a need to find out the "real" truth. That need has opened up my mind so far it seems there's hardly anything I read or hear anymore that I don't stop to contemplate (and not immediately dismiss it as stupid because it doesn't go along with the current understanding as I did before). It might be different if my wife shared my views and was not the loyal dub she is. She just can't see what I see and I have a daily quest to deal with that. That is probably the most frustrating aspect of this whole thing.

Bluesbrother's comments reminds me of when I first got the book. I ordered it through a book store and it took a couple of weeks to get it. I initially decided to read it because of reader comments contained on Amazon.com. I didn't order it through them because I didn't want it delivered to the wrong hands. I started reading it when my wife was at a meeting, and I got far enough through it in those 2 hours to decide that I wasn't going to hide it and that I must share it with her. I was sitting in my favorite chair reading it when she came home. She asked me what I was reading and when I told her I will never forget the look on her face. It was the look that goes along with the gasp she let out. I told her this was unbelievable and that she should read it. She said she would never read it, absolutely not, and didn't want it in the house. Just like pornography she said.

Valis-

My friend had the same reaction you and I did to the Malawi stuff. He got so mad he called me and told me that now he felt the need to do something with his 16 year old son. His wife, freaking out over this entire situation and his goatee (isn't it interesting how most men grow hair on their face almost immediately when they figure out it's all BS) has been nagging the son to go to meetings. He's been dragging himself there with her and my friend hasn't been saying anything because the elders have been asking the kid if his dad has been talking to him. My friend has always felt the need of family over org. so he now feels he must act. I told him not to do anything in haste. I personally have been able to just slip away with no hastle and I hope he can do the same since he has his entire family and friend network involved as I do. Time will tell.

The Revelation book- OH NO! It continues to amaze me how I could sit through those studies and not see what was going on. I guess it's because I was always thinking about what I was going to do when I go home. I just had a flashback about the "Babylon the Great has fallen" book studies. Remember the separate little book containing the questions?

S O

29

Reading C of C

by startingover in

jw
friends

i read crisis of conscience some time ago and it had a profound effect on me.

i just gave it to my ex-bethelite friend to read (he had already discovered the "truth" about the truth on his own).

he's about halfway through it and is in the anger stage.

startingover

I read Crisis of Conscience some time ago and it had a profound effect on me. I just gave it to my ex-bethelite friend to read (he had already discovered the "truth" about the truth on his own). He's about halfway through it and is in the anger stage. We both commented how we thought it would be impossible to read it and not come away a different person.

Does any of you know of anyone who read it and was not affected?

Just curious.

S O

13

A question about Jesus

by startingover in

jw
friends

my first post here, been lurking for quite a while.

this place has been a real help in my journey.. a little background...raised a jw from day one, 3rd generation, 3 grandparents of the annointed, father and mother gilead graduates, father always prominent in the org.

never really felt i fit in but played the game.

startingover

Hi Marilyn,

Thanks for the advice. Actually, not cramming was exactly what I decided was the best course to take. It's amazing how defensive she can get if I just use one wrong word, so I choose carefully and make it a point to not do any witness bashing. Actually, I am over that. I guess I went through an anger stage, but now so much more has opened up to me that I just let it go.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to have your whole family out. I would be satisfied with just having my wife.

Thnaks so much for the welcome.

13

A question about Jesus

by startingover in

jw
friends

my first post here, been lurking for quite a while.

this place has been a real help in my journey.. a little background...raised a jw from day one, 3rd generation, 3 grandparents of the annointed, father and mother gilead graduates, father always prominent in the org.

never really felt i fit in but played the game.

startingover

Thanks for the input and the welcome, my question has been answered. I can't post very often as I have a wife who would not approve and since we work together it doesn't leave many opportunities. Only on meeting nights (she rarely misses anymore)

It continues to amaze me how much a truly open mind can take in. I always felt like I was so open-minded as a dub, what a joke. I have often wondered if there was no internet where I would be. Probably just living in the guilt. I am so grateful for forums such as this. The free interchange of information, thoughts, ideas is priceless.

Thanks again everyone

13

A question about Jesus

by startingover in

jw
friends

my first post here, been lurking for quite a while.

this place has been a real help in my journey.. a little background...raised a jw from day one, 3rd generation, 3 grandparents of the annointed, father and mother gilead graduates, father always prominent in the org.

never really felt i fit in but played the game.

startingover

My first post here, been lurking for quite a while. This place has been a real help in my journey.

A little background...raised a JW from day one, 3rd generation, 3 grandparents of the annointed, father and mother Gilead graduates, father always prominent in the org. Never really felt I fit in but played the game. Finally couldn't do it anymore and lived with the guilt. Then comes the internet and boards like this. Not DF'd or DA'd, just trying to slip away, have a loydal Jdub wife who doesn't like me reading info contained here. She just can't see what I see.

Anyway, in my search, I originally read CofC, which completely changed my thinking (as well as my relationship with my wife who lost her breath when she saw me reading it). Since then however I have come to believe the Bible isn't what I always thought it to be, I presently believe it's just myth and history. I have also read some things that make me believe that Jesus was not real or at least wasn't what the Bible makes him out to be.

My question is...why are our calendars based upon his birth if he was just myth?

Any input is greatly appreciated.