hi guys.
i'm interested in knowing whether any other faders out there ever find themselves feeling a little paranoid about establishing contact with other faders or former jws, just in case the unthinkable happens and things turn sour.. personally, i'm now fairly comfortable with the idea that i will be disfellowshipped or disassociated within the next year or so.
i see it as inevitable, and an essential transition in order to do what i want to do with my life.
I will continue to avoid meeting other ex-dubs until my elderly dub mother dies. There's no reason she should be subjected to any more trauma than she's already experienced (severe illness, widowed, WTS).
Like any other group of people, ex-dubs may slip and let out information unintentionally. That's not paranoia; it's reasonable caution.
walking down memory lane today and recalled a convo with my ex about noah's ark.
(i made all the rookie mistakes when talking to my ex about jw stuff -sigh.
) i think i said something like 'if you believe in noah's ark take the cat and a mouse from the backyard for a drive around the block and let me know how it goes.
Perry! I have asked many times, and you have not answered. What is the name of your African Grey parrot?
BTW, how did Noah get African grey parrots to the ark?
Parakeet.
i was reading a good article regarding the relative 'craziness' of faiths (blog) and they mentioned a lot about mormons.
in short they talked about the socially accepted craziness (as opposed to actual mental illness) of mainstream , culturally accepted faiths v those that are relatively new.
we see scientology as more crazy than catholicism if we fall into the trap of judging without consideration but when examined all religions have very crazy elements.
Thanks, Qcmbr. I read the thread and am glad you decided to come back to post again. There was not one "I told you so" that I could see.
As I thought, your struggle was similar to mine and many others here. The only difference is that mine happened 34 years ago. Time provides a tremendous amount of perspective. You will heal.
lately, i've been reading a number of thread lately that deal with this topic.
one particularly poignant experience came from simon.
in simon's story he shares: .
I'm no saint but I never shunned anyone when I was a dubling. Before my mother forced me into dubism as a child, I learned that to snub someone was the height of bad manners. Never went out of my way to talk to DFs but if they talked to me, I was friendly and polite.
I liken shunning to a parents watching their child fall into a raging river. What parents would not jump in to try to save their child, even if it means they drown in the attempt? Yet the WTS says the sane thing to do is to protect yourself, stand on the bank, and let the child drown.
Sick, sick, sick.
i was reading a good article regarding the relative 'craziness' of faiths (blog) and they mentioned a lot about mormons.
in short they talked about the socially accepted craziness (as opposed to actual mental illness) of mainstream , culturally accepted faiths v those that are relatively new.
we see scientology as more crazy than catholicism if we fall into the trap of judging without consideration but when examined all religions have very crazy elements.
Qcmbr: " It was not easy admitting to the board my awakening and I did contemplate never posting again in shame :) "
There's nothing to be ashamed of. Have we ever ridiculed newbies for leaving the dubs? Nearly all of us have been where you were (different religions; same lunacy).
I greatly admire your strength in leaving. It's never easy.
i was reading a good article regarding the relative 'craziness' of faiths (blog) and they mentioned a lot about mormons.
in short they talked about the socially accepted craziness (as opposed to actual mental illness) of mainstream , culturally accepted faiths v those that are relatively new.
we see scientology as more crazy than catholicism if we fall into the trap of judging without consideration but when examined all religions have very crazy elements.
tec: " Agreeing with what someone has shared, because you also share that understanding... does not make one a disciple of another. It can make both of those people, however, disciples of the same Spirit. "
I agree with the calendar that today is Friday. Are the calendar and I disciples of the Spirit of Timekeeping?
I agree with my husband that my older sister is a bitch. Does that make us disciples of the Spirit of Crappy Siblings?
Please define your terms precisely, in this case, "disciple" and "Spirit." You make yourself sound uneducated.
i thought i might take a few minutes to sit down with the members here and have a cup of coffee with you, and introduce myself and my daughter debbie (petra), and i am john posting as (vulcan).
now i can't type worth anything so thats why i have petra do it.-we would like to thank mr. simon for his hospitality and if it is easier for us to post using the login atlantis uses, then that is ok!
there are 4 of us here using the same computer and it might be easier that way to keep track.
There must be a scripture forbidding a pretty girl to have spectacular hair. Where is that scripture, where is it?
i was reading a good article regarding the relative 'craziness' of faiths (blog) and they mentioned a lot about mormons.
in short they talked about the socially accepted craziness (as opposed to actual mental illness) of mainstream , culturally accepted faiths v those that are relatively new.
we see scientology as more crazy than catholicism if we fall into the trap of judging without consideration but when examined all religions have very crazy elements.
Qcmbr, I was away from the board for several years (I was Parakeet). When I came back this January, I found you had left the LDS and become an atheist. Did you ever tell the story of how that happened? If so, can you give me the thread? If not, maybe you can tell it sometime soon. I'm sure it's an interesting and enlightening one.
I admire that you recognized the flaws in religion (which the article cites) and elected to live life as rationally as is possible for human beings.
BTW, do you still call Jon Krakauer, "Krakpot Krakauer"? (Just teasing. )
so as you all know, i have fully faded...i'm completely out and have not told the elders or da myself...just faded 100%.... so i run into an active jw, different congregation, and as i walk past him i say, "hey so and so, how are you doing?
"....he looks down, doesnt dare look at me in the eyeball and keeps walking...then a split second later he turns around and says, hey man, aren't yuo disfellowshipped?....
i was like wtf?...lol, i said "not that i know of"...i asked him who told him such thing?...he wouldnt tell me who, but he had "heard"...so i just left it at that and told him if he wants to know then to contact my ex-elders.... my thing is, could the elders have df'ed me without me knowing it?...i have not been accused of their so called "apostasy", nor have i received a letter requesting info or to set up a meeting, nor a call...the coordinating elder (formally president/presiding overseer) still texts me all the time saying hi etc...no religious texts or anything like that).
krejames: " In one of the talks our last CO gave, he commented that we shouldn't have any contact with people who managed to "get around the system" without getting disfellowshipped, but are doing things that would be considered gross sins (EDIT i.e. faders leading "immoral" lives)."
I wonder if my dub mother will still talk to me if or when she hears this. I've committed the gross sin of putting up a Christmas tree and giving gifts to my children on Christmas day. She saw the tree, so she knows I'm a gross sinner leading an immoral life.
i was reading a good article regarding the relative 'craziness' of faiths (blog) and they mentioned a lot about mormons.
in short they talked about the socially accepted craziness (as opposed to actual mental illness) of mainstream , culturally accepted faiths v those that are relatively new.
we see scientology as more crazy than catholicism if we fall into the trap of judging without consideration but when examined all religions have very crazy elements.
Qcmbr: "... plus all religions and faiths are fundamentally equally crazy."
tec: "What a statement. And you worry about me?"
I agree with Qcmbr. All religions have an underlying premise that is irrational and unprovable. However, the leaders of religions differ in how much personal freedom they allow their followers and how much dissidence they allow.
Example: I'm sure there are exceptions, but one can remain a Catholic even if they disagree with some Catholic doctrines. Not true for dubs and other cults.
But basically, them religions be crazy, Jack.
