what was your crisis of conscience, moment of clarity, epiphany or realization?
i am so interested in what got you thinking.
blessing to you,.
It always bothered me that the "society" kept changing it's mind about certain dates, so I decided to do some of my own research with the intention of proving that the organization was wrong. I read every scripture I could find on false prophets and it became clear to me that that is exactly what they are: false prophets. I didn't want to be a part of something God finds unfavorable.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
my main problem with organised religion is when totalitarianism comes into play.
thats when you get institutions like the catholic church in its earlier years.
that should never be allowed.. jerome
I think organized religion can be a good thing. It definitely kept me out of a lot of trouble. It can teach you certain things at an early age. Example: Unity, ethics, etc. I know parents are supposed to do this but they sometimes need help. But when org. religion tries to take "organize" every aspect of your life, that's when you run into problems.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
just curious if your parents still have contact with you after you have been df'd/da'd.
mine have stood by w/strong convictions not to have contact w/me.
they have to have some being that i have kids that they want to see (but that is very minimal).
I was disfellowshipped a few months ago. After it happened I wrote my parents a very long letter which shared some of my very fond memories from my childhood (nothing JW related). I told them how deeply I loved them and said that I wanted to remain a part of their lives. I thought that surely after they read my letter (that I cried while writing), they'd accept me. But unfortunately this is not so. I have talked to my older brother once since I got df'd and I doubt he will ever talk to me again. My mother only talks to me when she has to and my dad not at all. My little brother (13) still gives me hugs and tells me he loves me though when I see him. I guess he's not fully brainwashed, but we were really close anyway. I write to them monthly and tell them how much I love and miss them and what's going on in my life (I never get a reply). I don't call because it might make them uncomfortable.... It sucks! I wish it didn't have to hurt so bad.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
the 9 stages of message board life .
1. newbie wow!
this is so cool and fun!
Very true. I'm still a newbie and I feel just the way you said, hehe.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
how many of you are now atheists or agnostics?
how many of you have actually converted to another organized religion?
personally i find myself doubting anything and everything i learned about the bible and religion.
How many of you are now atheists or agnostics? How many of you have actually converted to another organized religion? and why?
Personally I find myself doubting anything and everything I learned about the bible and religion. Is the bible authentic? Well, I learned all of the JW responses to that question, but since JW's are wrong, maybe the bible's not real either.
I just wanna see which way others went after leaving "the truth".
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
all right, i'm still a newbie, but here's a great way for me to do some research: a survey!.
a. born into "the truth" (as the jws put it.).
b. joined between ages 4-12. c. joined between ages 13-21. d. joined after the age of 22.
1. Born into "the truth" (as the JWs put it.)
3. If you were a child in the JWs and are no longer in the church:
A. Why did you leave?
I was disfellowshipped because I let a guy who was not my husband sleep in my apartment. It "looked" bad and "brought reproach on Jehovah's name".
B. Did you enjoy your time in? (God, that line sure makes the JWs sound like prison :X ) Give reasons why you feel the way you do.
Some aspects were good. My ex-best friend was in my life for 15 years and I met her at the Kingdom Hall. But untimately the religion is also what made me lose her. The meetings were boring and so was field service but they were no big deal to me.
4. If you are still in the JWs, why are you still in?
I'm not in so. . .
5. What is your highest education level? If you are a former member, what was the highest level of education you obtained while you were still in? And what is it now that you are gone from the Organization?
JW's are not encouraged to go to college because it takes away from time spent out in field service (hehe). So after I graduated I just worked. But when I turned 21 (still a JW) I decided to go back to school anyway. I was disfellowshipped almost a year ago and I am in my 3rd year of college.
6. What is/was your biggest complaint about the JW doctrine?
The claim that only their members look good in God's eyes. Also their doctrine changes so much that it's obvious that God DOES NOT approve.
7. If you are/were part of an interracial relationship/partner as a JW or when you were one, what the reception you recieved from your "brothers and sisters"? What is/was the ethnic make-up of the relationship?
And what you do think is the attitude of the Organization towards interracial relationships?
I never ever saw a problem with acceptance of interracial relationships. It was actually quite common. I am black and am now married to a white man and that was never a problem.
8. If you are Asian/Asian-American, would you be willing to discuss with me through email about your experiences in the JWs?[i]
Why do you have to be Asian?
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
what is everyone's favorite movie?.
and why?.
mine is 'never been kissed' with drew barrymore because that was me in high school!!!!
"The Shawshank Redemption"- Best movie of all time! But I never tire of "Dumb and Dumber", "The Matrix", "Ever After" and "Aliens" and either of the Austin Powers flicks.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
i posted recently about how i attended a humanist funeral for my pal knocker john.
no prayers, no hymns, just a natural goodbye that, in itself, contained a healing element that somewhat counteracted our feelings of grief.. then i think back to the funeral of my dad in the 80s.
it was, quite simply, nothing more than a commercial for the witness religion.
OUTLAW-
You have some serious problems hunny :-), but I like you nonetheless.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
cover of the october 15, 1997 watchtower?
he is bending down watching a child reaching out to ducks in a lake.
i am unable to scan the picture so hopefully someone who has the 1997 watchtower volume can identify this brother for me?.
May I ask why?
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
some questions, if they have been asked before, i have not seen the thread.. how long did you study with a witness, before you entered the jw .
religion, how long before being baptized?.
( i was raised in the "truth" and baptized at 16.).
I was raised in "the truth" (I hate saying that) and was baptized at age 13 in 1992 or 1993. All of my friends along with my brother decided to get baptized as sort of a group thing. It was peer pressure. I was disfellowshipped a few months ago for reasons I still can't figure out.
StinkyP
"Keep your friends close, but your enemies even closer"
