Posts by TheLiberator

150

Evolution: The Deal Breaker

by Hadriel in

first off i do believe there are some evidences of evolution or i should probably say adaptation.

i do believe this exists in various forms.. however the deal breaker for me with evolution is the chick or egg problem.

there are tons of theories that get passed around as proof of evolution however these are usually examples much further down the evolutionary chain.. what i mean is let's start at the beginning!

TheLiberator

Hadriel: Just so you guys know I believe it to be rather convenient to not want to concede that because you can't explain the driver or abiogenesis that somehow it doesn't matter

Yes. You got that right. "Abiogenesis" is that magic word that turns a "nice" evolutionist into a bipolar monkey.

Evolution is irrelevant. Abiogenesis is the real issue. Have you read comments from those who believe in evolution and try to explain possibilities of abiogenesis? They remind me of junior high students who have an answer for EVERYTHING. Oh, and they remind of the Watchtower...apparently... most likely...obviously.. without a doubt... Evolution/ Abiogenesis theories is a book that you make up as it goes along. Such ones are in a bubble. The idea that nothing exists beyond your physical eyes is the essence of close mindedness.

God being the beginning is natural. We are hard wired to believe in a higher power that started the whole process. That is what verse 19 is all about.

Romans: 1: 19. because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 20. For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse."

Those words bring chills to me everytime. So powerful. So authoritive. So definitive. So natural.

32

what sort of reactions have you gotten when talking to other jw when telling them the "truth about the truth"?

by AmIright in

its funny ive read some stories on here about how they have become so infuriated by what logic dictates as being true and their own denying of it because it completely screws up their belief and shows how hypocritical it is xd some look like a nuclear reactor about to blow xd.

share you experiences here :) .

TheLiberator

When I was really hurting, a car group of women stopped by to encourage me. They said they miss me. I immediately showed my disappointment with the society. I said, "I seen the lies with my own eyes! Here I will give you an example from the "Faith in Action" video! They lie all the time and I can prove it!"

At that moment, there faces turned to fear and they literally rushed out my door. Another couple in there 50's came by some time later, to figure out what was going on. I simply told them that I read some old publications and I didn't want to influence them. Then they fished around mentioning the pyramids. I finally told them that i can show them, but it takes a strong heart to handle it. The wife said, "It's probably best we don't know. We really need to get going."

I have said it before, if you were a die hard witness and then you vanish, the people literally fear you. Cognitive dissonance kicks into higher gear because they know you wouldn't leave without a good reason.

28

Since leaving WTTS have you joined a new church or just continue with the new beliefs you have discovered under no religion?

by AmIright in

share your thoughts ?

TheLiberator

Joined? I hate that word. The Watchtower lies and says they have no membership. Of course, baptism is the membership. I do attend a small Bible study group. These groups are scattered throughout the world. No membership. Not even baptism. No gb. No actual leader. The group i attend, an exjw is now "taking the lead". I just now started assisting him. In fact. I have met several exjws. It is absolutely not a high control group. We have about ten core beliefs in common. It is recognized that we live in the midst of the wheat and the weeds. No one can claim absolute truth. So much in the Bible is a conscience matter that the Watchtower wanted to control. It reminds me of what Russell started. But I feel like anything else in life, you need to be aware of your surroundings. If Rutherford steps through the door, jump out a window as fast as you can!!!

http://www.scatteredbrethren.org

14

The Kingdom Hall

by TheLiberator in

i know i have mentioned this on other posts.

as a born-in, i was obsessed with the watchtower.

it was god's organization.

TheLiberator

I know I have mentioned this on other posts. As a born-in, I was obsessed with the Watchtower. IT WAS GOD'S ORGANIZATION. I would of done anything for it. Indoctrinated is an understatement for me. The kingdom hall was a part of our life. Like many of you, it was our life for decades. It was a place where I felt secure. Even the smell of a kingdom hall gave me a peace of mind. When I was a kid, I was somewhat scared of the dark. However, I told my brothers, that if I was ever locked in a dark kingdom hall, it wouldn't bother me. I could sleep there all alone without any worries. After all, wasn't it God's house? I know many of you must still attend the hall even though you are awake. I believe that once you actually leave, the place gets weirder the more you reflect on it. As I said before, my awakening was sudden. One day I was "on fire", a week later, I was falling a part due to finding out what I was really a part of. It was scary. Cults like the Moonies have always scared me, even when I was little. Maybe it was the level of indoctrination and how serious I took it, or maybe it is the fact that I left for spiritual reasons and remain a Christian today, but I am now scared to death of a kingdom hall. As I posted before, the one week I said I would support my wife right after learning TTATT, I immediately started having panic attacks and needed to seek a safe place in my car. I stopped supporting her that week. SUDDENLY, I could hear the "cult talk". It now seemed so weird. I seen a new one "love bombed". People suddenly looked artificial. It was like a spell had been broken within a day. Even the word "Watchtower" seemed out of place with Christianity. Elders would give comments saying "the slave" wants us to do this and that. Thay now freaked me out. The Watchtower's dark and mysterious history which was always passed off as "the early days" of "spiritual growth", now grew darker. The history had nothing to do with God. Much of it bordered on the occult. The history was dark and the Watchtower was now presently in darkness. All these thoughts, raced through my mind. I even had nightmares for about a month. The thought of "undue influence" of any sort terrified me. "You mean I was not really thinking on my own?" Learning all this overnight, was like being hit with a club. Because something has been a part of our life for so long, it may not seem so weird or we may not view it as too harmful. That is not the way I feel. Today, as an adult, if you were to lock me up in a dark kingdom hall, i would be terrified. In my mind, this organization is scary and dangerous. They are only thinking of themselves and their survival. I will NEVER enter a kingdom hall again. Not even for a funeral. I know that if my mom was willing to listen to me, she would feel like me. I often send her texts telling her she has no idea what she is a part of. And if she knew, she would be running to the door. I end all my texts with these words:Matthew 6:23 "If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!"My feelings may seem extreme to some. So I was just wondering if anyone feels like me. I will now shut up.

35

Going to meetings to "save face."

by Darkknight757 in

going to make this short and sweet but i need some advise again and i kinda need to vent a bit so sorry.😢.

so it has been weeks since the wife and i have been to meetings.

it has been nothing short of wonderful!!!

TheLiberator

I need to add to my last post. I believe you need to make your own decision. You can't live your life because of your wifes parents. She needs to decide if parents or freedom is worth more. I chose freedom and i lost my mom. I wouldn't have it any other way. The sadness actually turns to anger and you begin to feel better.

I believe over time that supporting the org will wear her out mentally and physically. She will have to make her own choice. And one other thing, I was close to my mom.

35

Going to meetings to "save face."

by Darkknight757 in

going to make this short and sweet but i need some advise again and i kinda need to vent a bit so sorry.😢.

so it has been weeks since the wife and i have been to meetings.

it has been nothing short of wonderful!!!

TheLiberator

Vanish without a trace. Do not talk to elders. It may seem difficult or mean, but just keep in mind that it is the organization you hate. Even if elders or "publishers" try to seek you out, just say "I love all the brothers and sisters but I don't care to discuss this. We would rather be left alone."

It builds curiosity as to what is going on. They will probably figure it out, but who cares. They can't actually "convict" you of anything. I personally did this. It felt empowering. That feeling has never left me.

43

Evolution is a Fact #34 - Hiccups and Tadpoles

by cofty in

hiccups are a weird phenomena.

they are a combination of two involuntary actions - firstly a rapid inhalation of breath followed 35 milliseconds later by the glottis at the back of the throat suddenly closing off our airway.. our normal breathing is controlled by a "central pattern generator" in a small region of the brain stem close to the boundary with the spinal cord.

a signal is sent along the vagus and phrenic nerves resulting in a rhythmic contraction of muscles in chest, diaphragm and throat.. these nerves branch off right at the top of the spinal cord and follow a convoluted path through the chest cavity.

TheLiberator

"Just because an idea is true doesn’t mean it can be proved. And just because an idea can be proved doesn’t mean it’s true. When the experiments are done, we still have to choose what to believe."

http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2010/12/13/the-truth-wears-off

50

Australia Branch to end magazine printing

by no-zombie in

jw
friends

just one week from the zone overseer's visit is the announcement that the magazine production by the australia branch will end in a few months.

the task being transferred to the japan branch.

while i'm not 100% certain, i understand that this effectively ends all major printing bar perhaps tracts, handbills and other loose items.

TheLiberator

Someone made a comment about this in this article. Just scroll down in the comment section.

://www.the-newshub.com/general/are-jehovahs-witness-a-religious-ponzi-scheme

25

NOW it's Important

by TheLiberator in

i have spent 45 years of my life sacrificing my soul to the watchtower.

twenty-five of those years as a ms/elder.

i gave every moment to them.

TheLiberator

Just so people will know, I am not really new here. Just had sign in/sign out issues and so had to start from scratch. Same name. Just a different face.

25

NOW it's Important

by TheLiberator in

i have spent 45 years of my life sacrificing my soul to the watchtower.

twenty-five of those years as a ms/elder.

i gave every moment to them.

TheLiberator

I have spent 45 years of my life sacrificing my soul to the Watchtower. Twenty-five of those years as a MS/Elder. I gave every moment to them. Even if no one was going to show up for service on New Year's day, I was there to take the lead. If one could not give that public talk, I gave it. I sacrificed fun and rest time to slave with blood, sweat, and tears, for the Watchtower. I "maxed out" on privileges. At the time, nothing else was more important. You get my point. Many of you know exactly what I mean.
Just recently I have been thinking about some in the organization that really irritate me. It really angered me when I had conversations with them recently. Perhaps you know the kind of people I will describe. I have a couple relatives that have been in the "truth" for years, but either did nothing in the organization or did not really do anything extra, such as ms or elder. Just did the basics like others. Two of these individuals were fire captains. Lived at the station for a couple of weeks each month. Of course, they missed meetings, service, and didn't qualify for privileges due to schedule. One even filled his time off at the station with truck driving. There wives did not need to work. One never worked a day in her life. They got all the benefits. Decent pay, medical, bonus packages, and retirement. I have another relative who is an unbelieving husband. He enjoyed the people at the meetings and assemblies. I believe he really thought he was a witness. I always tried to convince him of baptism. But of course, there was always a reason why he wasn't ready. He wanted to make sure he had an affection for Jehovah. (Whatever)You and I know that there is a HUGE difference between an unbeliever and a baptized witness.
Now with the unbeliever, he is getting older and is now thinking more of spirituality. So when he found out about how I have quickly abandoned the organization, he seemed upset with me. He would start to defend the Watchtower. He tried to question my motives about leaving. I explained to him that he has ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA of what it means to be a witness. I explained how he has spent decades being a free thinker, making his own decisions about how to use his time, and is clueless to our way of life. Oh, BUT NOW the organization is so important. Now it is important when YOU decide it is. Where were you when I was encouraging you and working like a dog for the Watchtower? I want relief from this Watchtower crap, and now you are telling me how important it is. The other two relatives finally retired and are now reaping the benefits. Oh, BUT NOW spirituality is important. Now you are a ms and now everyone should be sacrificing their very soul to the gb. You now look down on me for allowing my son to live on a college campus but you spent years living with those"worldly" workmates at the station.
It is those types that anger me. In fact I even get angry at young people who never did anything in the organization, but now they discovered TTATT. I see them crying now, simply because they viewed the Watchtower as an insurance policy, something they can go back to, when THEY needed it. Anyway, a long post but I just get irritated that I am the evil one now, NOW that THEY finally decide what is important to them.