It's all nutty to me. I was still a believer and having a conversation with a good workmate friend of mine with whom I've had many "spiritual" discussions with over the years. We were talking about the "Ransom" and he asked something along the lines of "Who did Jesus pay back the ransom to?" I said "Jehovah" and he said "Why? Why did God need anything paid back to himself?" this totally stumped me and to this day the whole idea of the Ransom makes zero sense at all. It's a foolish idea to me now.
Freeandclear
JoinedPosts by Freeandclear
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Why did Jesus have to suffer?? Something I never thought about.
by ttdtt insomething dawned on me last night.
jesus was suposed to be a corresponding sacrifice for adam right?.
a perfect life for a perfect life.
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Defining What is the Truth about the Truth of the Jehovah's Witnesses Religion
by Finkelstein inin an endeavor to clearly define the truth about the truth of the jw religion, whats your personal perception of what you understand of how this religion came to be, in its inherit beginning and how it was able to sustain itself over the years ?
from my own perspective i think the strategic actions by its founding leaders to draw attention to their own published works such as the singular endeavors starting from c t russell and onward.
the self proposing recognition by people such as j rutherford, that god had specifically (1919) chosen " his " organization exclusively, is really where and when this assuming man made power began and continued to flourish.. but the real significant thing that created attention to the public's eyes and imagination was when both russell and rutherford proclaimed that christ had returned and he had started to divide and choose who was going to be saved from destruction and live on in a earthly paradise and who was to be killed at the soon to come day of judgement.
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Freeandclear
For me the start of my waking up was my disfellowshipping in April of 2015. Since I had never been DF'd before I took it pretty hard and I was really struggling with some personal non-doctrinal related issues.
I still believed it was the truth for the most part and was contemplating getting my act together and getting back in. Then I decided to do some research on the organization and see what if anything was to be found out there on the internet. I found jwfacts.com and that was where the real eye opening happened.
Three things really clinched it for me.
First of all I should say this; I am now agnostic. I pretty much believe there was a creator or a first cause to all of <this> around us. To me that seems obvious and I think even science must somewhat agree with that idea that something had to cause it. Something doesn't come from nothing. Life does not arise spontaneously. But I digress....
The three lines of reasoning for me are as follows:
1. Deut. 18:21, 22
21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.
The JW religion has made many many false prophecies over the years. This alone was enough for me to scratch my head and say "Yep, they are not the one true religion." However I don't believe in the Bible anymore anyway so....
2. The whole 1919 "Jesus examined us and chose us out of all other professed Christians at the time because of what we believed" etc... (quotes mine) Then when you look at just what the JW org was believing at that time there is no resemblance of what they believe now. They did all kinds of un-christian pagan things back then.
3. Finally, the ARC. When G. Jackson was asked if the org taught that they were the one true spokesman for God on Earth and he bold faced lied and said "Well that would be presumptuous of us to think that...." I about fell out of my chair. For a GB member to say that......it just blew my mind because this is precisely what they believe and teach. Theocratic warfare my ass.
I'm fully awake now. I have no fear of them at all.
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Facing mortality after leaving the witnesses
by truthseeker intell me i'm not overly thinking this.. i'm 39 years old...still youngish...but i worry about getting old.
i look in the mirror and it depresses me.
i suppose i still cling to watchtower utopia when no one would age over 25.. i used to look forward to paradise earth because it meant all the evil in the world, nuclear warfare, terrorist attacks and sickos would be no more, but we are deep in the 21st century with no end in sight.. appreciate your comments.
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Freeandclear
I'm 44. I was a convert at the young age of about 17. I didn't really wake up to the TTATT until about a year ago. It is very hard to let go of "the dream" as I call it. Eternal youth, etc.... Very hard to think about just being gone. I've come to the conclusion that there is one of two realities awaiting us at the end. Either 1. death just as JW's believe. Eternal nonexistence. Or 2. Something else happens. What that something else is is anyone's guess.
All I can do NOW is to live in the moment. Enjoy each day to the fullest. I continue to be a good person. I dont' harm others, I try to be good and fair to everyone even those I don't like. I know that if there is a God at the end I will be able to look him in the eye and say "I did my best" and he will know I'm not lying.
Humans have dealt with this "existential crisis" from the time we became self aware, and through all of it no one has any real answers. We find ourselves in this very real situation where we live and KNOW we will one day die. It's no wonder "religion" was created by the human mind to deal with it. Much easier to believe in some fantasy at the end than to deal with the reality that death is the end for real.
Best of luck to you OP. We're all in the same sinking boat so let's have a party while it's going down!
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Calling on all EX Bethelites From The 1960s, 1970s and 1980s
by new boy inmany have commented here about my bethel experiences.
even though it's been over 40 years since i was there, many have found the stories to be interesting and amusing.
some have even mentioned writing a book about them.
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Freeandclear
Great idea.
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An old friend in another appearance: used-tools-equipment.com (Hudson Valley - WTS shell)
by Gorbatchov insince 1995 gorby likes to investigate the organizational behind the jehovah's witnesses, and is working now on a publication about it.
i will keep you updated about that.
now, in the memorial week, i found a new watchtower trade brand under the wings of kingdom support service, inc. and it's name is hudson valley.
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Freeandclear
When I went to an International Convention in Prague back in 2006 we were told by the Org what travel agency would be handling all the flights and hotel stuff, etc..... I had to call and get some information and I noticed while talking to the nice young lady on the other end of the line that she sounded very much like a JW.....I asked her directly. So are you a JW? She kind of laughed a little and said something to put me off like "Well we're not really supposed to talk about that." Then she chuckled again. She must have said something in a "theocratic" way that made me suspect.
Why all the secrecy here? That's what I thought at the time. When it comes to business the bOrg have their hands in anything that makes money....... I used to really think they were so selfless and that no one was getting rich. I no longer believe this..... Wow.
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What would you do if you won a $300 million lottery
by LevelThePlayingField ini would pay a highly rated, very expensive advertising company to run a 1 minute ad that ran nationwide primetime every night of the week until i spent $75 million of it telling how the wt was covering over pedophiles and for people to go to jwfacts.com for the truth about the truth.
it would be done in very good taste, way better than political ads.
i would spare no expense.
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Freeandclear
BTW, OP I love your idea. Would wake up a few for sure. -
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What would you do if you won a $300 million lottery
by LevelThePlayingField ini would pay a highly rated, very expensive advertising company to run a 1 minute ad that ran nationwide primetime every night of the week until i spent $75 million of it telling how the wt was covering over pedophiles and for people to go to jwfacts.com for the truth about the truth.
it would be done in very good taste, way better than political ads.
i would spare no expense.
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Freeandclear
Money can't buy happiness.....but you sure can rent the shit out of it! haha That's all I have to say. -
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Go my invite / think I am now a Do Not Call
by rebelfighter inmy son says hey mom that's your doorbell.
so answer it.
next i get, mom it is the jehovah witnesses.
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Freeandclear
Awesome job!! So blind to the real truth......if only they knew they could be so much happier. -
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I COLLECT QUOTES. . . Here are some of my favorites
by Terry inplease post your favorites too.
my favorite quotations:.
you cannot change what you refuse to confront.. sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.. don’t think of cost.
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Freeandclear
Wherever you go.....there you are. -
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Not that I'm complaining but I'm wondering if something is up
by joe134cd ini have physically not attended a meeting in 3 years and knew ttatt for about 6-18 months before that.
in that time i have only had 2 physical visit from the jws.
no return to jehovah brochure or memorial invite place under my door mat.
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Freeandclear
I got a call from one of the elders on my JC when I got DF'd back in April of 2015. He just said to please call him. I'm sure it was going to be an encouragement call and an invite. Funny thing is he knows where I live. Perhaps they've tried to stop when I wasn't home but they have no way to get into my building so..... Not going to call him back. Better to just leave sleeping (dead) dogs lie. I know TTATT and I'm done falling for the bs.