Posts by trevor

87

What if she never leaves JWs? (The interminable waiting period...)

by AuldSoul in

jw
friends

this has nothing to do with whether i love my wife.

i always will.. pragmatically, i have come to the devastating conclusion that i don't want to be married to a jw.

any jw.. she asked me last night, "so, do you believe in santa clause, now?

trevor

AuldSoul

It is a question of whether I can indefinitely tolerate her disapproval, her disappointment, her regret over my choices.

When two people have shared a faith and way of life, then one changes it is bound to cause difficulties. The thing is, it is you who have changed. Your act of leaving the Jehovah’s Witnesses is a major statement of your disapproval, disappointment, and regret over her choices.

Although unspoken, it is still there, between you both. She may feel a need to counteract what she sees as opposition to what she believes in. She need to realize that you disapprove of the Watchtower Society not her. She will need help in realizing that she is a person in her own right and has a worthwhile and viable identity that is not dependent on being a Jehovah’s Witnesses.

It is a great challenge and only achievable through the love you have for her.

92

There is no such thing as Agnosticism. Agnostics do not exist!

by nicolaou in

many here seem to believe that the position of agnosticism is somehow more reasonable than theism or atheism.

nonsense!

it is a misconception to believe that belief or non-belief in the existence of god/s are the two extremes which glare at each other over the fence of agnosticism.

trevor

So many words and nothing gained. These attempts to label ourselves in relation to our understanding of something that passes all understanding is, bound to end in failure.

After devoting many years of my life seeking absolute certainty, I have concluded that certainty obtained through study and debate is an act of the mind. We accepting an explanation that is better than those we embraced before, but unless we are bigoted we keep searching.

Trying to limit ourselves to one of three labels, and choose one that is supposed explain where we ‘stand,’ is a distraction from developing awareness. We all ‘stand’ in the same place but are at different levels of awareness. Those that have based their faith on personal experience, at least understand that experience alone can lead to genuine awareness. Then understanding begins where words end.

21

"Jehovah has blessed me"

by restrangled in

jw
friends

i talked to my mom yesterday.

she just had to vent about some "brother" in her car group this week.

he had been in the hospital and racked up a $25,000.00 bill but had no insurance to pay for it.

trevor

At last we have proof that Jehovah really exists and is actively blessing his people.

Praise the Lord!

21

Who I really am

by JWdaughter in

jw
friends

this is so stupid, but yesterday i was shopping and i saw this wild blouse and i thought-if i could dress how i really wanted to, i would buy that blouse.

i walked away and was thinking-why the hell shouldn't i dress how i want to?

because someone told me that orange paisley print is tacky?

trevor

Who I really am

Who am I really?

Who really am I?

Am I really who?

Am I who really?

35

Why is it considered so wrong to be anti-religious or aggressively atheist?

by nicolaou in

i'm not talking about the simple belief that there is no god and that religion is a brake on the development of humanity but the aggressive and vocal campaign to convince others of such?.

what's wrong with that?

why do believers feel so offended when i try to reason with them on the invalidity of their faith and the abusive nature of religious institutions?

trevor

nicolaou

Why do believers feel so offended when I try to reason with them on the invalidity of their faith and the abusive nature of religious institutions?

People fight for what is precious to them. A persons religion is not the only thing that they will take offence at if criticized.

Try telling a parent that their child is unruly and making a nuisance of itself. This is seen as an attack on their belief in the way they are bringing up their child.

Peoples hostile emotions are aroused when we are perceived to be attempting to undermine that which they value. People need their illusions and need to believe that the way they are doing things is right. How else would we hold our heads up and get throught the day?

“Tread carefully for you are treading on my dreams.” King Ludwig II

trevor

19

Why are we so mad????

by megsmomma in

jw
friends

http://religiousmovements.lib.virginia.edu/profiles/listalpha.htm my hubby and i are thinking of going to a church.....it is about the right time for us.

we were trying to figure out which religion is suited for us and he found this site.

it is interesting that the description an jw's say that it is unusual that when people leave them....there is alot of resentment, unlike other religions.. i think it is due to the brainwashing....when you have believed something blindly, then discover you were decieved...it is worse than if you are a part of a religion where you can believe all they teach...or not.

trevor

My hubby and I are thinking of going to a church.....It is about the right time for us. We were trying to figure out which religion is suited for us...

Wouldn't it be best to ask which church teaches the truth rather than which church suits you. You make it sound like you are about to join a golf club.

Anyway good luck to you both. I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

13

Signs of the Times -- New Orleans, Thailand, God, or Accident?

by Morocco in

jw
friends

i've heard some people say that what happened to new orleans was an act of god a punishment from a higher power as the consequence of their sins.

perhaps the tsunami that happened in thailand those years ago was also an act of god.

we can go on and on about what could and what couldn't be acts of god but we won't.

trevor

As far as New Orleans goes the people there built there city in a saucer below sea level. You could say by their ignorance they were asking for it or tempting fate.

This sensible statement from jaguarbass shows the difference between reality and fantasy. The people of New Orleans have always known the risk, the same as people who live on the rim of volcanoes. Here is another dose of reality in the form of a quote:

The fact that New Orleans has not already sunk is a matter of luck…During a strong hurricane, the city could be inundated with water blocking all streets in and out for days, leaving people stranded without electricity and access to clean drinking water. Many also could die because the city has few buildings that could withstand the sustained 96- to 100-mph winds and 6- to 8-ft. storm surges of a Category 2 hurricane. Moving to higher elevations would be just as dangerous as staying on low ground. Had Camille, a Category 5 storm, made landfall at New Orleans, instead of losing her punch before arriving, her winds would have blown twice as hard and her storm surge would have been three times as high.

Yet knowing all this, area residents have made their potential problem worse. "Over the past 30 years, the coastal region impacted by Camille has changed dramatically. Coastal erosion combined with soaring commercial and residential development in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama have all combined to significantly increase the vulnerability of the area," says Sandy Ward Eslinger, of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Coastal Services Center in Charleston, S.C.

20

Is abortion an unforgivable sin?

by e_louise in

hi all i'm a newbie with a question:.

please ban you tell me if an unbaptized publisher has an abortion is this an unforgivable sin?.

what would happen to the publisher if another jw reports them or they confess since they are not baptized?.

trevor

This assumes that abortion is a sin in the first place. The question suggests that it is a sin and asks if it is unforgivable. What exactly constitutes sin in the first place as sin a rather biblical term as opposed to wrongdoing, which is again a subjective notion?

On the matter of forgiveness - as the aborted baby is dead he or she is not in a position to forgive and I don't see how any one else has the right to do so on their behalf. So I guess the act remains unforgiven. Of course I am talking from the perspective of the real world. In JW land there are all sorts of obscure and incomprehensible rules and penalties.

The real answer to your question is - nothing you do before baptism is considered a sin in the world of the JWs. The only unforgivable sin is to reject the Holy Spirit having received Gods approval. This really only applies to those anointed by Holy Spirit but the Watchtower hierarchy has decided that this applies to those who leave their clutches having been baptised. However at the discretion of the elders no sin is unforgivable.

'Curiouser and curiouser said Alice.'

18

I received the book Crisis of Conscience can't put it down.

by hambeak in

i wish i got this book years ago.

ray franz is so loving and kind and he just is so strong i am to pg 100 now.

help me understand the mess that went on in ny i need to order the next book by him.

trevor

hambeak - I received the book Crisis of Conscience can't put it down.
Jayhawk1 - I had a hard time putting down the first book.

Freetosee -- I couldn’t put it down

What is Ray Franz up to - is he putting super glue on the book covers?

I do have the book and found it a very enlightening read. My only disappointment was that Ray only left because he was hounded and pushed. Had the Watchtower Mafia left him alone he would probably still be sitting in Kingdom Hall somewhere.

Still I stayed longer than I should have, long after I knew it was all a con and onlyleft because I couldn't keep up the pretense. It takes time to deprogram ourselves after so much indoctrination so I don't want to come across as critical of the guy. A hug for (Ray)

trevor

26

Have you studied "Church History" to know that Christians murdered many?

by booker-t in

i am a college student working on my ba degree.

i recently graduated with my "aa" degree and i just fell in love with school.

at 40 i don't mind going to school with 19-20 year olds.

trevor

Christianity has primarily been used as a political vehicle.

The clever Romans were the ones that held on to power as Rome fell because they claimed to be appointed by God and separate from political Rome.

King Henry the VIII saw the potential and broke away from Rome making himself head of the protestant Church of England.

Those who follow the man from Galilee are a world away from the perpetuators of the Spanish inquisition. Unfortunately many sincere people have been caught up in a power struggle that has abused Christianity.

I do not think they are guilty of the churches past crimes anymore than I am guilty for black slave trading just because I am white. I suppose the difference is that I have no choice what colour I am whereas Christianity is a choice.

For my money I avoid any following that requires me put aside my power of reasoning or personal experience in favour of belief or faith.

trevor