As we each look back over our life we all have regrets, disappointments and with hindsight things we would do differently. Even people who were never Jehovah's Witnesses have regrets. I had some good times as a Jehovah's Witness and had many decent friends. It was simply time to move on. My only regret is losing my younger brother to the cult; heartbreaking but inevitable. Now I live for each day and count my blessings.
THE GLADIATOR
JoinedPosts by THE GLADIATOR
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49
Are we all bitter?
by LouBelle ini posted a link on fb that lead to a topic here.
i then had one of my 'friends' start having a go about how bitter everyone is here....fact he said.
(he used to be a jw elder but left a while back, not sure why he left or if he has even researched the faith since leaving) the more i tried to reason with him that actually it is a support forum, the more he lashed out that everyone here bad mouths the jw's and only attack the jw's.
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Do you blame Jehovah, Yahweh, God, Jesus, etc. for the corruption of the borg?
by Fading Begins indo you hold god accountable for the corruption of the borg?
i've noticed there seems to be a bitterness, by some, that includes "god" in the equation, when discussing the borg and their policies, the governing body, elders actions, etc.
do the borg's transgressions originate with god, or does he feel the same disgust as we do?
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THE GLADIATOR
It seems to me that Russell started out with good intentions. Rutherford turned it into a business and the rest is history.
Now I think the only god that is involved is money.
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Ricky Gervais on atheism & some ideas we can relate to
by alecholmesthedetective ini found this article really interesting because of the similar thoughts ricky expresses i could relate to and think are good food for thought irrespect of what you believe at the present time.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/.
for example.... people who believe in god dont need proof of his existence, and they certainly dont want evidence to the contrary.
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THE GLADIATOR
alecholmesthedetective " I pity many of my friends and family in much the same way. And I can't just stand by doing nothing. I'm 'lucky' that I don't live with my family so I could do this all on my own without external pressure from them. But now the time has come when I have to face them and I simply can't pretend."
That is the point that most who leave JWs arrive at.
Hope you find a way through the maze and manage to keep family members on side.
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Ricky Gervais on atheism & some ideas we can relate to
by alecholmesthedetective ini found this article really interesting because of the similar thoughts ricky expresses i could relate to and think are good food for thought irrespect of what you believe at the present time.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/.
for example.... people who believe in god dont need proof of his existence, and they certainly dont want evidence to the contrary.
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THE GLADIATOR
still thinking The original book is called - Opening the Door to Jehovah's Witnesses. It's available on Amazon.co.uk. The updated version is available on all Amazon sites and Lulu, as a download. It's called - Can Jehovah's Witnesses Survive? by Trevor Willis.
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Ricky Gervais on atheism & some ideas we can relate to
by alecholmesthedetective ini found this article really interesting because of the similar thoughts ricky expresses i could relate to and think are good food for thought irrespect of what you believe at the present time.
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/12/19/a-holiday-message-from-ricky-gervais-why-im-an-atheist/.
for example.... people who believe in god dont need proof of his existence, and they certainly dont want evidence to the contrary.
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THE GLADIATOR
Ricky Gervais - As an atheist, I see nothing “wrong” in believing in a god. I don’t think there is a god, but belief in him does no harm.
I thought this to be the case but now have concluded that it is a matter of degree. Many people believe in a god and that belief brings them comfort. The harm is done when people take their belief to extremes and allow it to take over their lives. In the end they are on a mission to save the world. I have seen the damage it has done to my own family, all of whom now shun me, except one brother. My other brother, who is in his 50's, is still eaking out a living with a window cleaning round. He lives in a tiny house, has no pension and shuns me, as he waits for the 'new world.' It is pitiful to see the way that his fantasy believes have improverised him and robbed him of living a fuller life. I loved him deeply.
Family members didn’t shun me initially but as I tried to reach out to them and discus the contradictions in their beliefs they started to withdraw. I wrote a book about Jehovah's Witness and the curtain came down. So it was my own fault that I lost my family. Should I have stood by and watched them waste their lives without expressing my concern? The answer for me is no. If you love someone you reach out and try to help, whatever the cost.
My brother and ex-family are just one example who happen to be Jehovah's Witnesses. All religious belief can have the same effect. Over the years I have seen other people that I care for move down the slippery slope of placing their hopes and expectation in magical thinking. As each year passes they slide further and further down that slippery slope. In time the gap between them and those that cannot accept their fantasy becomes more difficult to bridge. If their partner does not come on board, divorce is common. Birds of a feather flock together and fragile truces between people with opposing views seldom last unless one side is prepared to remain silent.
To speak out and challenge or to remain silent? That is the question.
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Do you have an arrest record ? Ever been arrested?
by Glander infortunately, i don't have an arrest record.. but i was arrested one day walking through a parking lot when a young woman was struggling to exit her low-slung sports car with no knickers on..
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THE GLADIATOR
Glander People who have been arrested are perhaps likely to be dishonest. Therefore they are unlikely to tell you the truth. Ah but what is the truth...
This could be a whole can of worms.............
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conscious of my spiritual need, what next?
by stillhurts inso once you leave, what next?
have you found anything from a spiritual standpoint that brings you happiness and satisfaction?.
have you been so scarred by the teaching that "all religions are wrong", that you can't see the truth anywhere?.
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THE GLADIATOR
stillhurts You have been given some good advice here. When I left Jehovah's Witnesses I visited a number of Christian churches. Started reading about Zen Buddhism, Tao and philosophy; even got involved in meditation groups and the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhism. All these disciplines point towards a higher path. The difficulty is that as one becomes involved there is always a structure and hierarchy that starts to monitor the progress you are making.
In the end I decided that my hard won freedom was priceless and I would pursue a spiritual path independently of any particular group. I stay in touch but have gone freelance. So far my spiritual search has not uncovered a god but led to a peace and understanding that I did not enjoy as a Jehovah's Witness. I hope that you avoid the pitfalls along the way in your search for truth. You may have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince or Princess.
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How exactly did Jesus fulfill the law NOT the prophecies.
by mP intheres a clear difference between prophecies (predictions of future events) and laws(stuff you should and shouldnt do).. now since xians always says jesus fullfilled the law, how does one fullfill a bunch of requirements like dont murder, dont worship idols, shave your beard like this etc.. there are 613 laws in the torah, jewish rabbis have done all the hard work and we have a nice list on wiki.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_mitzvot.
im confused which of those some how select a unique individual to be the unique messiah ?
then again there were many messiahs, every king and priest of israel and judea was a messiah.
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THE GLADIATOR
Larsinger58 "No matter what, since "interpretation belongs to God" and he is real and true, those prophecies are being fulfilled as he understands them, not as we might misunderstand them."
Why would a loving god send his son to earth to be tortured to death for making prophecies that up set the Romans, knowing that interpretation of prophecy belongs to God? This being the case, mortal man has not the slightest chance of understanding what these prophesies are about.
Who is God doing this for? Mankind or is it just a game to amuse himself, with nothing to do except roll around in heaven all day?
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229
How exactly did Jesus fulfill the law NOT the prophecies.
by mP intheres a clear difference between prophecies (predictions of future events) and laws(stuff you should and shouldnt do).. now since xians always says jesus fullfilled the law, how does one fullfill a bunch of requirements like dont murder, dont worship idols, shave your beard like this etc.. there are 613 laws in the torah, jewish rabbis have done all the hard work and we have a nice list on wiki.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_mitzvot.
im confused which of those some how select a unique individual to be the unique messiah ?
then again there were many messiahs, every king and priest of israel and judea was a messiah.
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THE GLADIATOR
Yes mP, I see what's going on.
Your simply pretending he has saved us just like the Muslims pretend that Mohammad has saved them and is taking them to paradise.
This is what all religious beliefs involve. Being the world of the unseen, anyone that can't see IT is spiritually blind or has not asked in the right way. Or is perhaps too attached to sin and fleshy things to want to wake up!
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229
How exactly did Jesus fulfill the law NOT the prophecies.
by mP intheres a clear difference between prophecies (predictions of future events) and laws(stuff you should and shouldnt do).. now since xians always says jesus fullfilled the law, how does one fullfill a bunch of requirements like dont murder, dont worship idols, shave your beard like this etc.. there are 613 laws in the torah, jewish rabbis have done all the hard work and we have a nice list on wiki.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/613_mitzvot.
im confused which of those some how select a unique individual to be the unique messiah ?
then again there were many messiahs, every king and priest of israel and judea was a messiah.
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THE GLADIATOR
mP I understand your frustration. Jeremiah and all the prophets and all the king’s men can never put Jesus together again. Remember the scripture that states that he is coming on a cloud and every eye will see him? Well not the eyes of those to whom this promise was made 2000 years ago, as they are all dead now. Which lucky generation will live to see this event, is anyone’s quess. The get-out clause is that they will see with their 'spiritual eyes.'
Alas the Bible story is nothing more than hopelessly flawed mythology, speculation and wishful thinking. That which is bent cannot be made straight.
