think41self

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Posts by think41self

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  37

  Can anyone help me?

  by aud8 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  can anyone out there ease my mind?

  i am about to disassociate myself and feel so scared.

  what if i'm making the wrong decision?

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  think41self

  Hi Aud8,

  Welcome to the board!

  I feel for your situation...it is not an easy one. Do you sacrifice relationships with people you love for the sake of your own belief systems and honor? This is a question each must answer themselves.

  For many of us, I think we did not just wake up one morning with an answer clearly in our minds. You are probably just learning how to think for yourself, and it takes time to learn to trust your own judgement. If there is no external pressure on you to make up your mind quickly...why would you?

  Take some time, read some more, ask more questions...visit outside sources for more info on subjects that concern you...it is your life.

  But one thing we CAN assure you: We will be here for you, and offer a listening ear, advice IF it is asked for...but then we will not judge you for whatever your decisions are! Isn't that a wonderful thing?

  You are not alone...we are here

  Tracy
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  28

  A Question for You

  by individuals wife in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just a couple of quick questions, the first directed at exjws - could you ever see any reason for you to return to the organisation?

  what would have to happen for you to return?

  under what circumstances would you ever go back?

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  think41self

  IW,

  Interesting question. My husband and I asked this of ourselves shortly after we left...because we missed the relationships we could no longer have...not because we felt we had left the "truth".

  I can honestly say that I would NEVER go back. I agree with what others have said...God or whoever would have to directly communicate with me if he wished me to do otherwise...and then I'd keep him so busy with questions like "Where the HELL have you BEEN"? we would never get around to discussing my going back.

  I too swore for 35 years that NOTHING would ever make me leave "god's organization". One of my favorite scriptures used to be Romans 8:38,39...about nothing separating us from God's love. Ahhhh, the passion of youth!

  I am too happy enjoying my freedom to ever be enslaved to anyone or anything...

  Tracy
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  25

  JW's and star trek?

  by bboyneko in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why are there so many star trek refferences among x-jw's?

  like the borg getting assimilated, etc.

  i heard before that star trek was very popular in bethel despite warnings not to watch it.

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  think41self

  Eman!

  I love your sense of humor!

  If I didn't already have children, I'd ask you if you wanted to "donate to the cause"

  Tracy
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  5

  Is Satan A MasterBaiter ?

  by D wiltshire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a few years a go when rehearsing our circut assembbly parts before the co.. a brother had a part geared for the young ones and he used the scripture in the psalms that talks about deliverence from the bird catcher.

  well he warn the young ones;"when it come to setting traps satan knows just what to use to lure people into the trap in fact when it comes to setting traps satan is a ([master-baiter])".. when he sat down next to me after he finished his talk i told him i learned something i never knew from his talk.

  he asked me what was that?.

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  think41self

  D wiltshire,

  OMG, rolling on the floor at that one! You are right, you never should have told him...and then you could have watched the people trying to hold it in when he said it from the platform

  Tracy
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  42

  ExJW's Make Better Lovers?

  by COMF in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't mean in general, i mean for exjw's... is there a noticable advantage to pairing with someone with the same background?

  i'd like to read your thoughts and experiences on this subject.. i've been romantically involved few times, since "the light got brighter" for me about the organization, with people who didn't know anything about jw's before meeting me.

  one of them viewed my exjw activity as a bit obsessive but okay as long as she got to obsess on her favorite obesssions, too.

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  think41self

  Hey Comf,

  Interesting post. Wasasister recommended I respond to this (and no I did not see the spelling error in my name so you are safe for now). I can only speak from my own experience. I agree so much with what Maximus said. For Doug and I, sharing the experience of leaving the borg, and learning to love someone unconditionally, and be loved that way in return, is the most emotionally intimate thing I can imagine, which of course is demonstrated in the physical displays of intimacy.

  Can you find this type of relationship with someone who has never been a JW? I'm sure you can. And as for the excess baggage exJW's might have, you take that risk with anyone. But of course the common bond of shared life experiences is very strong, so I think it helps.

  Seeker, I too have addressed the issue of whether I was just using this forum as a substitute "organization" and sometimes have backed off posting and reading here for that reason. In the long run though, I see that here I can be myself, and be accepted that way (at least by some) and I want to be available to help others coming out as I was helped. So, like Comf and Prisca, I think I will be around here for a long time.

  Comf, good luck in your "hunting". If I knew any sexy Texas gals, I would send them your way buddy.

  Tracy
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  25

  JW's and star trek?

  by bboyneko in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  why are there so many star trek refferences among x-jw's?

  like the borg getting assimilated, etc.

  i heard before that star trek was very popular in bethel despite warnings not to watch it.

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  think41self

  Hi bboyneko and welcome to the board

  I see others have already said why the references to the borg seem so appropriate in reference to the society.

  I am just a sci-fi/fantasy fan period. Think about it, isn't that what we were raised with? Living forever in a paradise earth with no physical imperfections, all our needs met...isn't that sci-fi at it's best?

  What I really looked forward to from TNG shows was the ability to just walk up to a hole in the wall and say "One hot fudge sundae please". Now THAT'S my idea of paradise.

  Tracy
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  7

  Goodbye everyone......

  by chipster in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just a note to all of you...i have been following this board for the past several weeks, and indeed it has been a most interesting experience.. i guess when i first came here, i had hopes that this might be a place for support and that maybe i would find some people that were indeed spiritual and were in fact trying to find a way of establishing a relationship with jehovah apart from being part of an organization( yes, take a look at the url for this site)..but, dissapointingly, what i have found is a lot of bitterness, complainiing, ugly name calling, labeling, and even outright hatred towards individuals and an organization that most were once part of....it seems that many are stuck in a very negative place, caught up in the role of "victim" and they are full of regret for wasting so much of their life 'in the truth'.... i guess the reality hit me the other day with a post that clearly stated that there really is no common denominator here other that this is a bunch of ex-jws...this is not necessarily spiritual fellowship..nor does it pretend to be.... know what guys??

  ?i wish you all the very best in your individual journey.....but i have come to the realization that this board really offers nothing to me..... i'm leaving today on an 11 day journey into the wilderness to take some time for meditation, introspective thinking...and yes...some journaling...and yes..even some praying..... i don't think i'll be back here.. hasta la vista, baby!

  chip

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  think41self

  Bye Chipster,

  Wish you all the best on your journey of self growth.

  Funny, my experience here on this board is the exact opposite of what you say yours has been. I have made some great friends here and found much support. There are ones here who are bible believers, and non, Jesus believers, and non, atheists, and non. In other words, I think if you had looked a little harder, you would have found some with similar beliefs as you. And it is interesting discussing beliefs with someone who DOESN'T think the same as you...very stimulating.

  Anyway, have a great time on your "vision quest" and I hope you find the peace you are seeking.

  Tracy
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  57

  My Story******Short Version!

  by think41self in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was raised a poor white child in the deep south...ok, florida, where i still am.

  i was the typical slightly self righteous witness, miss goody goody, left school at 16 to pioneer, which i did for 4 years, met a guy and married him.

  he had 2 kids from a previous marriage and we had 2 kids of our own.

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  think41self

  Troucul,

  I have NO idea what you just said. Should I or Bonnie be blushing right about now?

  Tracy
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  10

  RE: Busted by Wife (thanks to all for your help)

  by Big Jim in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i really do appreciate all the advice that i received from you all on this matter.. i even appreciate the ones who gave critical advice and downed smoking.. i took all advice that was given and have resolved the problem with your help.. here is where i am at with the issue now; i have been with my wife for almost twenty years now and we have always had a very strong and good relationship especially when it comes to communication.

  well to her i betrayed that special bond by not telling her i was smoking.

  so in her mind she figured if i would hide this from her what else could or would i hide from her.. so after digesting all the good advice that i have received from you all, i had a long heart to heart talk with her and reasured her that even though i am no longer a witness that i would never do anything to destroy the family that i love.

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  think41self

  Hey Big Jim,

  I am so happy that you and the wife worked things out. It sounds like you are both fairly well grounded, and the compromises you made were reasonable, IMHO.

  Take care, and I hope things keep going well.

  Tracy
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  22

  from our readers...

  by zev in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you think that part of the awake is another made up version, like the question from readers?

  or do you think "real" people send in those "oh, this helped me to be so blah blah blah" experiences for real?.

  in the manner of richard dawson...... survey says:.

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  think41self

  I'm reading it, and thoroughly enjoying the witty repartee between you two.

  Gwen, I loved your take on the Awake mags.

  Tracy