Posts by unanswered

102

In there no good in the WTBTS??? or ourselves??

by jst2laws in

jw
friends

we hopefully all agree it is wrong to reject an entire race because we have found one of its member to be flawed, or to reject an entire concept an the basis of finding a flaw in its argument.

would not fair people look for a way to accept the good in the concept, modify the flawed portion and rejoice in what was gained from the refined concept?

it would also be wrong, as the wt does, to reject an entire institution because some of its precepts are flawed.

unanswered

jst2laws-i haven't read every post on this thread, mostly because quite a few others are doing a great job discussing the arguments. i wantedto say, though, my opinion of you has grown as i see your willingness to discuss many subjects that are certainly taboo in a congregational setting. i also appreciate that you express human compassion at every turn. this quality was definitely lacking on the comitties i have dealt with.

so now, when i pose a question to you, please understand that i am asking a question that i've tried to ask my parents many times(they are both active jws-my father is veteran elder) with out ever getting an answer that wasn't based at least somewhat on blind faith. you seem to be trying to be very realistic about your religion, yet you feel it is the right place for you to be. if this is so, what has to happen to, or within the org. before you say, "enough, they have strayed to far"?

this is an honest question, not an attack-i ask because it seems like whatever comes up(child molestation, doctrinal flip-flops, corrupt authority figures, etc), even good-hearted witnesses always seem to be able to come up with one excuse or another for staying in the org. so, what is the point where the org. has gone to far? or is there even such a point? i hope to hear from you on this, it sort of covers a lot of issues for me. i'm not headed back to the WT for any conceivable reason, but your answer may help me to understand my family more.thanks-nate

5

Dinasours & the Bible

by patio34 in

jw
friends

what has precipitated my pulling back from the org is the understanding of dinasours.

now gen. 1:30 says all vegetation was given to man and beast.

isa.

unanswered

was that an intelligent question-APOSTATE, APOSTATE, APOSTATE!!!:)

once you start using your brain, the jws stop listening, even when your questions/arguments are well developed, as we all know. the way they patch up holes in their theorys is like fixing a leak in a dam with scotch tape.

36

Do You Think That You Might Turn Back To Jehovah?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

i`ve never yet been snubbed by a jw.

the reason is that i refuse point blank to speak to them unless they speak to me first.

so, if i`m visiting my jw mum and jw visitors arrive which they often do i just smile, raise one eyebrow slightly, and look `em straight in the eye!.

unanswered

too kind, englishman-in the future i'll try to use actual reading skills when i look at your posts:) i always find them interesting

36

Do You Think That You Might Turn Back To Jehovah?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

i`ve never yet been snubbed by a jw.

the reason is that i refuse point blank to speak to them unless they speak to me first.

so, if i`m visiting my jw mum and jw visitors arrive which they often do i just smile, raise one eyebrow slightly, and look `em straight in the eye!.

unanswered

god, i feel stupid, i completely misread your question. as to the question you actually asked:), i would just say that i never turned away.

36

Do You Think That You Might Turn Back To Jehovah?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

i`ve never yet been snubbed by a jw.

the reason is that i refuse point blank to speak to them unless they speak to me first.

so, if i`m visiting my jw mum and jw visitors arrive which they often do i just smile, raise one eyebrow slightly, and look `em straight in the eye!.

unanswered

englishman-great question. i was told iwas turning my back on jehovah before i was ever DF'ed. if i was asked this question now, i think i would have to say that i try to live, treat others right, and search for the real "truth" about everything. this will always be my endeavor and if that is turning my back on jehovah in their eyes-well then, they are the ones that will have to live with it, because it brings me no guilt.

32

What would you have done without the WT?

by expatbrit in

jw
friends

imagine that you had never heard of the watchtower.

imagine that your life and that of your families had never been influenced by wt teachings.. i know for a fact that the wt's philosophy on further education contributed to my not achieving what i should have at school.

this is not to shirk the responsibility for my grades; ultimately they were my responsibility.

unanswered

prince-
But to be so marooned by your experience, to found your responses to
life on it, to descend to the abyss where you are judging by your
reaction is most tragic.

tragic, eh? LDH i think is not quite in an abyss of misery. i think very few of us have lives that would qualify as tragic. if you are so immune to the effects of the WT, would you mind listing your proud accomplishments and explain how you have left the rest of behind so sucessfully? expain your high horse please. btw, by complaining about us, aren'tyou guilty of "whining" as well?

nate-of the "i'm not buying it " class

Edited by - unanswered on 23 March 2001 14:26:24

140

NEW RELIGION! NEED INPUT!

by TR in

jw
friends

this is sort of a take-off of the "what should the wt do" thread.. i need to get together a board of directors and elect a president and officers.

we need to figure out a doctrine, a manifesto, and a set of disciplinary rules.

we need to figure out a way to fund our new movement.

unanswered

just checking in, TR. i took care of a few things last night. i took the liberty of "dissolving" a few pesky commities and i don't think anyone need worry about their "records" anymore. lets just say they were "lost" last night. i've set up a meeting w/dark clouds today and now all i need is an item of fred's clothing to put bloodbreathe on his track. any help there will be appreciated. there's my update, i trust it will meet your satisfaction. have to go give the dogs more PCP, talk to you later.-unanswered

8

Things That Make You Go Hhmmm. . .Samson

by dark clouds in

jw
friends

for a long time i have thought about yahweh, and the kind of deity that he was.

leader, savior, protector of the israelites, quick to strike down anyone who dared oppose him.

his compassion seemed to be masked beneath his jealous nature, but he had his reason and it was for "spiritual cleanliness".

unanswered

dark clouds-we were talking about this yesterday, so i reread the account. not quite the picture that the "my book of bible stories" portrays. not quite a "kids" story at all. the more i read it, the more samson sounded just like another jock. really thought the animal wasting was interesting-those foxes didn't make out to well. thanks for posting this interesting/thought provoking topic.-nate

8

What have you been up to?

by ShaunaC in

jw
friends

life as a jw is very...well...sheltered.

many experiences are outright condemned.

still, when others don't have specific rules against them, we more often than not, at least i did, choose not to engage in them so as not to stumble someone who would not approve.. very soon after my exodus from the wt i decided that life is an adventure.

unanswered

hi shauna-good question. i started surfing and snowboarding long before i left the WT, a little wakeboarding too. the water's nippy in the northwest:) the problem was, when i was in the org. i was always told i spent too much time in these activitys. the first thing i did after leaving was spend the time i had always wanted to seeking out my hobbies. i spent 6 weeks in baja after my first marriage ended and it was the best thing i ever did for myself. i realized that, as witness, i would have never been able to do that w/out a lot of negative feedback. since the time i left i have had most of the best experiences in my life, the best of which was meeting and falling in love w/rileygurl, another thing that probably never would have happened if i was a witness because she was not.

it's not so much that i couldn't do things in the org., it's that i didn't feel free to. now the freedom is wonderful, and i feel like i'm getting so,so much more out of life. thanks, shauna, i'm smiling now.-nate

2

Where does responsibility lie?

by joelbear in

jw
friends

i have a new line of thought that i am applying to myself.

i emphasize that, because it may or may not be relevant to others.. i am making a strong attempt to stop blaming the wts for the things i missed out on.

i am finding it much more empowering to say, "i decided not to go to college.

unanswered

hi joel, nice to see you here again:) it's true what you are saying. the WT definitely influenced the choices we made, but, for myself you are right, i did make those decisions. i don't really think this refutes the feelings in the thread about "where would we be if not for the WT" i think it's just a more positive way to look at the past. thanks for the different approach, it might not change the past, but maybe it will make the past easier to deal with.-:)nate