DJS

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Posts by DJS

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  31

  Former, Long Time Part 2

  by James Jackson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  first of all thanks for all the kind words!!!

  i am over whelmed by the responses.

  i work very hard through the week and the only time i can reply is in the early morning hours, i read the respones on my iphone through out the day, if there was a way to log on with the phone, i would.

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  DJS

  James,

  As I have learned from many of the wise ones on this forum for years, take your time and rationally think this through. You are embarking on a journey that, whether you may realize it or not, likely means taking your wall of faith down brick by brick. That is exactly what happend with me, but I cognitively knew that was where I was heading at the beginning of my journey out of the WT. I was in it for decades and served as an elder like you. I would also recommend that you continue your research; I read nearly everything about philosophy and religion upon my exit because I wanted to know how in the world I could have allowed myself to believe the WT and fall under its draconian control for so long.

  I also took several religious courses when I returned to college; "In Search of the Historical Jesus" was one of the best courses I have ever had, and it opened my eyes to a more rational, secular view on the topic. After years of meditation and study I came to understand why I allowed myself to come under the WT control. The primary reason is that I was raised with a belief that the Bible was inspired and a belief in the god(s) of the Bible. Secondly I was raised around the WT from a young age. Then came the message of the paradise, the healthy way of living followed by JWs and finally the terrible history of Christendom. Once I realized all of this it was only a matter of time before all of the bricks were gone.

  Good luck in your own journey and where it leads you.
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  469

  Valedictorian Rips Up Preapproved Speech, Recites Prayer Instead

  by Sam Whiskey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  really proud of this young man for his speech.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nir4zbz18e.

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  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/valedictorian-rips-preapproved-speech-recites-prayer-instead-172941933.html.

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  DJS

  No one wants to take away his freedom of speech, and if I had been in attendance I would have quietly and respectfully listened (while groaning inside). That is not the point of this. "Christians," and I use the term loosely, would be unlikely to grant someone else the "freedom of speech" to espouse thier love for Satan, for example, in such a forum without complaining loudly and without saying that the Satanists are trying to force their viewpoints and beliefs down their throat.

  The young man isn't in prison as far as I know. He used his freedom of speech. He abused his freedom of speech. Life goes on. But (wise) school administrators and legislators and councilmen and women, most of whom are "Christian" in this country, are trying to curb this because they rationallly see the problems inherent with it. That is what we are talking about. Or we could simply rotate the prayer amongst the various belief systems and their make believe gods; that would be fair. And ridiculous.
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  469

  Valedictorian Rips Up Preapproved Speech, Recites Prayer Instead

  by Sam Whiskey in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  really proud of this young man for his speech.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1nir4zbz18e.

  .

  http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/trending-now/valedictorian-rips-preapproved-speech-recites-prayer-instead-172941933.html.

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  DJS

  Good grief you all,

  This speed was completely inappropriate. He used a public forum, not a religious one, to espouse his own personal religious beliefs. What arrogance. Why would he think that anyone else would want to listen to it, and would you all feel the same way if his god of choice was Allah, Buddha, Mohammed, the rock behind the school or any other imaginary creature? Would he be feeling the love if his prayer was to Satan? That he is in a "majority" right now in this moment of time makes it nonetheless pathetic. My only caveat is his youth.
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  88

  Former Long Time Elder, New Member

  by James Jackson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have served 20 years as an elder, 5 years as an ms. was on the district committee in 2010, held various positions on the district , circuit, and rbc level.

  probably been on more than 100 judicial committees and even an appeals committee.

  was the coordinator in our congregation and deleted because adult child was df ( i kicked him out at the time of his wrongdoing, but that wasn't enough for thr brothers).

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  DJS

  Welcome James,

  I'm also a "new" member after reading (lurking) for many years. I've been out of the org. for close to 2 decades. I became disiullusioned about the lack of love and the ridiculous mind numbing level of control exerted by Brooklyn and carried out by elders (of which I was one).

  The longer I am out the more I wonder why I was ever in the JW religion. It is likely you will feel the same in time. Good luck on your sojourn out and let this site help you as it has hellped countless others.
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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  DJS

  Thank you all for your warm welcome and the kind words. I will take the Ray Franz comparison as a very large compliment. From what little I know of him (I did read Crisis of Conscience), he is an amazing man, gentle and truly humble. I don't understand how he kept a Christian faith after the JW experience, but otherwise I am not fit to untie his shoes.
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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  DJS

  I was an elder for too long! About 4 years, which is all I could take. But a lot of things happen for a reason. Had I not become an elder I would likely have hung around the org. longer. Being an elder opened my eyes to the ego-centric behavior of the other elders and the obsessive need to control everyone by the old men in Brooklyn. My goal as an elder was to try and lighten the load on the "friends" by being less pharisaical, but I found out real quick that was a delusion. My congregation was considered to be a "loving" congregation in comparison to others and it was full of mean spirited power and control man elders.
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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  DJS

  Thank you all for your warm welcome. I feel I know some of you already from my long term lurking. I believe the JW cult is a very dangerous and very hate filled organization. Of course there are many very decent and sincere people in it, but its leadership is dark and evil. And i began thinking this way when I was an elder. Imagine the stress of trying to parrot some of the nonsense for several years. AARRGGHH!! I don't know that I have anything to offer that so many of you wise ones haven't already provided to newbies and those thinking about exiting the cult, but I will post from time to time on selected subjects.
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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  DJS

  I left my JW family behind and havent had anything to do with them in a long time. My very best friend followed me out a few years later and we are still the bestest of friends. I have made many many more new friends since exiting.
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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  DJS

  A bit more about me. When I left the Borg I thought it was a cult that had the "truth." After much studying and analysis it was evident that it was simply a cult. I was an atheistic leaning agnostic for a while but am now a full-blown atheist and could not be more content with my beliefs. However, one of the greatest freedoms I have experienced upon leaving the Borg is that I no longer have to "argue" my beliefs as we had to do when we were good little Dubs.

  I couldn't care less what others believe and won't enter frays or discussions on this board about theism or atheism. I am tolerant for all beliefs, especially since I used to be one. I like myself so much better as an atheist now than i ever did as a Christian (if you could really call JWs that). I believe in the Santa claus (doing good for goodness' sake).
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  41

  Another Newbie?

  by DJS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i'm a newbie.

  i've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post.

  my story is of course very similar to all the others.

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• 

  DJS

  Greetings all,

  I guess I'm a newbie. I've been reading (lurking) for a looooonnnnnggggg time, but have finally joined and this is my first post. My story is of course very similar to all the others. My parents were baptized in the 50s and we were raised kinda sorta around the JWs, not celbrating holidays, occasionally studying, rarely going to meetings and participating in sports, etc. while growing up. I left college in the early 70s because, as you all know, the end was coming in '75 and college was simply a waste of time.

  I married, raised a family and progessed in the JW org, becoming an elder (which is really when I started to become sick of the org.). Anyway, to make a long story short I crashed and burned my marriage and the JW at essentially the same time. I will fill in the particulars on later posts, but suffice it to say that the mind numbing control and the lack of love were the two primary reasons for my crisis of conscience.

  After leaving the Borg I returned to college, finishing my undergraduate degree and getting a masters degree (MBA). My two beautiful children followed me out, and they are both very prosperous and happy and I remain stupid crazy close to both of them. I've lived an amazingly interesting life the past two decades away from the Borg - too much to put into one posting.

  I have enjoyed this site for many years and want to thank all of you for helping others to see the light about the wicked Borg. Its lack of love continues to burn my brain as I read the experiences of others coming out. Welcome to freedom all.