Posts by Sevan

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Cofty, thank you for your posts.

It is not that I am opposed to the discussion of the evidence for my faith, it is just that I don't see the benefit at this point in my life. I have reasons for my faith, but at this point would rather not get in theological debates. I don't call that wanting to "have my cake and eat it too." I call that respecting my own emotional boundaries at this point in time.

As for evidence, 100% proof of God's existence, that will never happen. There is no way to prove the existence of God, especially the existence of a particular God. If there was, there would be no need for faith.

I fully accept that I do not have all the answers nor will I ever. Each one of us and still all of us together only know an infinitesimal amount of what there is to know in the universe.

60

New Here ... Just woke up

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

this is my first post.

i haven't been out in service or to a meeting in over a month.. i realize now that i've been having serious questions for years and many articles and talks have greatly disturbed me over the years.

Sevan

Thank you flipper for your warm welcome and support!

I will definitely check out those books and that website.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

LisaRose, I'm sorry that happened to you at your family gathering. I know it goes both ways.

Believe me when I say that I understand and respect why you don't believe in God. I will do what I can personally to foster a respectful environment in my posts.

I guess that is kind of my point. I hope for less vitriol on both sides.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Thank you tornapart for the direction and for others.

DJS, your anger is severe. Your posts are hostile, intolerant and insulting. They actually prove my point. Everyone else that has responded so far, including all other Atheists, have been respectful, except you. I am simply asking not to be personally insulted for having different beliefs than you and I don't think that is too much to ask. I understand and respect why you believe the way you do.

I am absolutely not here to get in theological debates. If someone would like to talk to me about the Bible and Christianity, I would welcome that. If not, I don't see the benefit in debating or proselytizing.

Frankly, I don't accept that you have the right to tell me what I can and cannot talk about. That kind of control is more fitting of the religion I just left.

For me, my faith is highly personal. It is something that personally benefits me emotionally and morally. In no way am I looking down on others that believe differently than me or thinking that I am somehow superior to them. Regardless of their beliefs or lack thereof. I have known very immoral and very moral people of all walks of life and different beliefs.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Hey Listener,

By moral support, I mean simply that, moral support. I am going through a lot of mixed emotions right now. I am trying not to be angry and resentful because I don't want that to consume me or hold me back. At the same time, I have given up so much and made so many decisions with life-long consequences and been through so much hardship over the years in the name of the JW religion. It is deeply painful to realize that your whole life and many of your most serious decisions were made on a false basis, built on a house of cards. That all your pain, suffering and sacrifice was for naught. I have only told a small portion of my story so far. It helps to be able to talk to people who understand what I am going through.

I am not looking to get into religious or Biblical discussions with those that don't believe. I just want to not be called delusional, irrational or unintelligent for believing. And those are all terms I've seen applied toward believers on this site by non-believers. It makes me feel unwelcome and insulted, rather than supported.

Eventually, after my own personal study of the Bible sans the influence of the JWs or organized religion, I would like to find a place to converse with fellow Christians.

But that is future. Right now I am just looking for moral support.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

I would prefer though not to debate the existence of God or the basis for the Bible. I am just beginning a new spiritual journey. This is a fragile time for me and I feel that my spiritual journey is one I need to make on my own. Slowly and not hastily. I do not want to drop one set of beliefs only to rashly cling to another.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Smiddy, my belief in God is not solely based on the Bible. However, the Bible does play a large role. My belief in God is also informed by my knowledge of biology, chemistry and astronomy. These are things I studied at University. My belief in God is informed by my own reasoning, logic and life experiences. I also have had some very real supernatural experiences, some that also had witnesses, that absolutely cannot be explained scientifically or by the laws of physics. All these things come together as a whole to inform a belief in God that cannot be denied.

2

How to organize to support people transitioning out of the JWs

by Zef in

jw
friends

i've been watching escaping polygamy (a show where a group of people help people get out of lds polygamist organizations) and have been thinking a lot about how one could organize to assist jws fleeing.. would love to start a discussion on what would be needed, how it would work and the problems one would have to overcome.. brief outline of services to provide.

1. community: i think most here would agree, that family/friends are a primary reason why people stay in despite no longer believing.

no way to replace that, but providing a group of supportive ex-jw's to share experiences, hangout, do worldly activities with :) could go a long way to make a former jw transition easier.

Sevan

I think those are all great ideas. I'm here to help out if need be with moral and social support. I live in the Sacramento area. PM me if you need help with anything and I'll see what I can do. I have no money or real network (since I was stupidly very loyal about the edict not to have any non-JW friends), but I can be a listening ear and can help in other practical ways.

I am not a lawyer, just an economist, so I can't help legally. I just left the financial industry for family reasons, so I can't help career wise other than to give advice. For me, the financial industry is incredibly stressful, so I am planning on moving into teaching or small business once I'm done having babies, lol (just had one and planning on having another in a year or two).

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Also, I understand why Atheists have a problem with the Abrahamic God and the idea of destruction for non-believers.

To this I very much empathize. At this point, I cannot claim any answers. I just woke up from the dream/nightmare that is being a JW. So much of what I thought I truly believed just went up in smoke. It had no real foundation, but was based on manipulation and lies.

What I am left with is a belief in Jesus, a belief in a Creator and many of the higher principles in the Bible, like love, patience and humility.

There are many things that I still don't understand and question in the Bible. But I also realize that I only know a tiny fraction of what is to be known in this universe and there could be very good reasons for what is written that I simply don't understand.

I have an issue with a lot of the misogyny in the Bible, mainly in the OT, but also in Paul's writings. I have a hard time with the stoning people to death and the many other passages that come across as barbaric. Some passages, like the creation account, at least on the surface, appear scientifically inaccurate. I don't fully understand the condemnation of homosexuality since I really empathize with the fact that homosexuals cannot change to being heterosexuals and also desire companionship and children.

That said, I am just an imperfect human, viewing the world in my own imperfect and limited way. Maybe all these things have a legitimate explanation that I am not seeing. For now, I am just going to try to be a loving and kind person as I journey in life toward a more complete understanding of both God and humanity.

All that said, I think God has a right as our creator to judge his creation however he sees fit. If that means eternal death for me, so be it. I am not owed eternal life by God.

However, I do not think I have that same right to judge others. Judging others is promoted in the JW religion, but that is one of the main things about the religion that I reject. I think it is a fallacy to say that your religion or politics or sexuality, etc etc, somehow make you superior than others. Because all those things only make up a small fraction of the sum total of a person's being. Because everyone's views are colored by their life-experiences and information at that singular point in time.

83

Seeking support ... Where can a Christian go

by Sevan in

jw
friends

hey all, .

so i recently posted for the first time and introduced myself.. i have been spending time reading various posts.

some informative, some not so much.. since i've been reading on here, i've read a lot from atheists.

Sevan

Thank you for your responses.

I will say this, reading the viewpoints of Atheists and watching their videos has made me more understanding of why people are Atheists.

I don't have a problem at all with the majority of posters being Atheist. I respect everyone's right to believe as they choose. I dislike being told that I am irrational or stupid for believing in God. I happen to have an IQ in the top 1% of the world population and I am very academically accomplished and well-educated. I am in fact a very rational, logical person.

Everyone has different life experiences and everyone has taken in different sets of information. The life experiences and information I've taken in have led to a belief in God. I fully respect that other people's life experiences and information that they've taken in may lead to a lack of belief in God. I don't demean those that have different beliefs as I do either in my heart or words. I am simply hoping for the same consideration.