long time lurker, first time poster here finally looking to get some things off my chest.
i've always been a very curious person with tons of questions about everything, and i also care deeply particularly about societal issues like social injustice, racism, and homophobia.
that, coupled with how boneheaded all the elders in my congregation are (except for one), led me to ask even more questions that led me to find ttatt.. .
Welcome! Glad to have you. I've been in your shoes before. Life will get better and better. A tip: Be the best husband you have ever been right now. If you get distant, anxious, upset, or seem to change in a negative way, it will be seen as evidence that you shouldn't have left "the truth". Be a great husband! Listen, be polite, open doors, flowers, or anything else. Show your wife you are actually improved as a person despite the way you feel. :)
Good luck and welcome!
i stumbled upon this website a few weeks ago due to the jw.org ridiculousness, since then i haven't been able to pull myself away.
the thoughts, feelings, and concerns i have had the past few years aren't just mine.
it's global.
Billy! You helped me a lot when I was going through this same new guy situation 2 years ago. Thanks.
i stumbled upon this website a few weeks ago due to the jw.org ridiculousness, since then i haven't been able to pull myself away.
the thoughts, feelings, and concerns i have had the past few years aren't just mine.
it's global.
Field service is such a waste of time. I can count on 2 hands how many people I've known who came into the "truth" since I was a kid and I'm pushing 40. All that time and money spent in an ineffective method... I asked my mom once if her next door neighbors knew their very life depended on listening to her and becoming a JW? She said, well you couldn't tell your neighbor that. I said, why not? If you truly believe they are going to die any day now then how could you NOT tell them or convince your next door neighbors. Her brain shut down and the conversation died.
I was in a hall with family and many long time friends. A divorce in the family led to the happiest people on earth picking sides and ostracizing us. I moved a few states away it was so bad. Best decision I ever made. It allowed me to get out.
Know this, "worldly" poeple are much kinder and politer than you realize right now. My workmates always respected me and my beliefs. Wait until you realize how crazy all your long held beliefs are. You will realize just how kind and polite they have been. Your non-JW friends will keep your secret and actually help you. They will keep your secret and be very careful not to talk to your family about you. Trust me, they may politely respect you and your families right to be a JW, but they know how weird it is. They will be thrilled to help you in your exit. You will in fact get even closer once you open up and tell them what you are going through.
All the best wishes to you and your family.
i stumbled upon this website a few weeks ago due to the jw.org ridiculousness, since then i haven't been able to pull myself away.
the thoughts, feelings, and concerns i have had the past few years aren't just mine.
it's global.
Hey welcome to the community. We laugh, chat, discuss, reason, try to help, make friendships, love, and yes we argue and fight some too. Don't be surprised when you see it. We also have nutjobs and wackos on a pretty regular basis. At first when I came here it scared me. Because I thought, you mean I am at a place with this nutjob wacko idiot? But, you will quickly learn that the nutjobs are few in number and get banned usually before too much damage is done. Heck, I really enjoy a good wacko nutjob post every now and again. I just read it and really want to know if they are on drugs or insane. BUT, we all have a bond I'd take any day over the old JW life. (except for the nutjobs) Even the people I've argued with the most would be so fascinating to have coffee with and commiserate on our experiences.
I can't tell you how good it feels to make my own decisions on what I should or shouldn't do. I have one child so can't imagine the added work/fun and stress/love of 5. :) But, I know how happy I am to allow my child the chance to grow up with a normal life. My child is my contribution to the global community. I can raise someone who will contribute to the world and be a part of wherever mankind is going.
Others have said it, I'll repeat it - Go slow. For years you have been worked into a frantic pace and told "the end is near". It isn't! There may be an end someday if we destroy ourselves. But, it isn't happening anytime in the near future, and it isn't going to be a judgement day from god. Would a loving god kill people in India or China during an armageddon who have never heard a msg? Is there any chance you could preach to all the people on earth? A loving god wouldn't. You are going to be just fine. Actually you are eventually going to be fantastic. Don't stress about the doubts you will have on your doubting. Another poster said it all ready, but I can confirm I had almost constant attacks of worrying I was being foolish and making a mistake. Until the brainwashing is cleared you may have the same. What worked for me was having a couple core things I knew for certain. Every time I had overwhelming doubts I'd end up falling back on those core things I knew and they got me past my anxiety and fear of being wrong. Now I know beyond a shadow of a doubt I made the right decision.
Take your time with your husband. With my wife, at first she would have missed any meeting I would. But, once she saw I was doubting she started trying to get us to meetings. Just go real slow and find reasons to stay home. 5 kids and I could have one of them with some condition preventing a meeting for sure! :)
Keep replying and posting and being a part of the community. Don't be afraid to comment because some posters know so much or seem very quick to reply or question you. It is part of growing and challenging all beliefs to stand up to facts. Growth and learning is what this community is about. It will be a comfort over the next year. Best of luck!
the jw's are quick to tell you that when jehovah has finished kicking the ass of those who do not acknowledge the teachings of the watchtowers governing body in new york state, that those who survive will live forever in a restored paradise on earth.
the same goes for those who are resurrected during the 1000 year reign of jesus and survive satan being let loose "for a little while" at the end.. they are also quick to tell you that everything will be just as it was for adam and eve before the latter decided she needed a fruit fix and then got her hubby high on it as well.. and when you view the illustrations in their publications showing what they view this paradise to be, it shows a world of lush color.
the deep greens of all the trees and grass, the clean blue skies, puffy white clouds and tables covered in a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables representing just about every major color.
In Paradise imiagine this. 700 years into the 1k year rule and everyone is naked. Brother Kindhearted is directing some gardening project. As he walks the area being worked Sister RecentlyResurrected bends to pick up a garden tool. Her breasts hang seductively and her.... Let's say the view from "behind" leaves no questions about what anything looks like. Brother Kindhearted in growing panic gets an erection. Then because of that 4 or 5 wrinkles pop out on his forehead and his old back pain flares up. He gasps and runs to a mirror to see a few gray hairs. Curse this nakedness he shakes his fist in the air angrily and then a few more wrinkles pop back up.
my question is since it looks as though mammoths were alive after the flood and we know elephants are then how much food was needed to feed just these four animals for the time they were on the ark.
also was the ark, 500 feet long, big enough to hold the amount of food needed for just these 4 animals.. .
.
So..... Jerome. Could you please post a list of the actual "true" stories or verses in the bible? If you've cracked the code and deciphered which ones are supposed to be taken seriously that would help a lot of people.
the jw's are quick to tell you that when jehovah has finished kicking the ass of those who do not acknowledge the teachings of the watchtowers governing body in new york state, that those who survive will live forever in a restored paradise on earth.
the same goes for those who are resurrected during the 1000 year reign of jesus and survive satan being let loose "for a little while" at the end.. they are also quick to tell you that everything will be just as it was for adam and eve before the latter decided she needed a fruit fix and then got her hubby high on it as well.. and when you view the illustrations in their publications showing what they view this paradise to be, it shows a world of lush color.
the deep greens of all the trees and grass, the clean blue skies, puffy white clouds and tables covered in a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables representing just about every major color.
Wait... They just might not wear clothes in Paradise afterall. Getting more naive and dumb would be easy for them.
the jw's are quick to tell you that when jehovah has finished kicking the ass of those who do not acknowledge the teachings of the watchtowers governing body in new york state, that those who survive will live forever in a restored paradise on earth.
the same goes for those who are resurrected during the 1000 year reign of jesus and survive satan being let loose "for a little while" at the end.. they are also quick to tell you that everything will be just as it was for adam and eve before the latter decided she needed a fruit fix and then got her hubby high on it as well.. and when you view the illustrations in their publications showing what they view this paradise to be, it shows a world of lush color.
the deep greens of all the trees and grass, the clean blue skies, puffy white clouds and tables covered in a plethora of fresh fruits and vegetables representing just about every major color.
The point to me is that before they ate of the tree, they were dumber or naive and innocent. It wasn't that they put on clothes so they wouldn't sin. It was just that they noticed their nakedness for the first time and for some reason got embarrassed. So they made clothes.
In Paradise people would still have their memories. They would still know right from wrong. So they would still wear clothes. Only if they magically reverted to the naive and dumb stage would they stop with the clothes.
my question is since it looks as though mammoths were alive after the flood and we know elephants are then how much food was needed to feed just these four animals for the time they were on the ark.
also was the ark, 500 feet long, big enough to hold the amount of food needed for just these 4 animals.. .
.
rebel8
my question is since it looks as though mammoths were alive after the flood and we know elephants are then how much food was needed to feed just these four animals for the time they were on the ark.
also was the ark, 500 feet long, big enough to hold the amount of food needed for just these 4 animals.. .
.
St. George you are right and I forgot about that point as well. The Tower of Babel was built about 120 years after the flood according to Watchtower and bible chronology. So, Noah's sons were all still alive or had just died. So the 3 people who had all those babies apparently didn't tell their kids or grand kids about the most amazing event in the history of the earth? I mean 120 years after the flood there would still be debris and bones scattered everywhere. But these people were so wicked that short time after that god had to confuse their language? Huh?
