DJS

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Posts by DJS

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  171

  New to The Jehovahs Witness Faith and need some help

  by jnjburkett in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello there i am new to the faith and have been studying for about a month.

  i am very excited and hungry for the truth and have not missed a meeting or study since the memorial.

  we do about 2 bible studies a week.

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  DJS

  jnjburkett,

  Your initial experience with JWs appears to be with nice people, and there are many nice people in the org. However, these nice people will absolutely NOT be your friend, or even speak with you, if you become baptised and at any time thereafter break one of their rules and become DFed or 'marked.' Also, if you ever move around to different areas, you will find a much different attitude about some of the things you mention. If you do begin disagreeing with anything, remember to keep it to yourself, as you will be marked, JWs will stop associating with you and if you receive the scarlet letter (A -for apostate or D for disfellowshipped), none of them will have anything to do with you for the rest of your life unless you 'repent' to the JW ways.

  I would tell anyone inquiring about the Watchtower the same thing: run, as far away from it and as fast as you can. There are many very nice people in it, but the org. is full of darkness, control and hatred. You will likely one day come to this realization.
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  171

  New to The Jehovahs Witness Faith and need some help

  by jnjburkett in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello there i am new to the faith and have been studying for about a month.

  i am very excited and hungry for the truth and have not missed a meeting or study since the memorial.

  we do about 2 bible studies a week.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  DJS

  Jnjburkett,

  I agree with ConfusedandAlone. You seem to have made your mind up. Keeping it closed to what is actually the truth about the JWs will not serve you well, and you will live to regret it. Like others on this site, I was in the org. for several decades, serving as an elder before exiting 20 years ago. Since that time I have had no contact with the family members remaining in the org. That is the way it is, and if that appeals to you by all means continue your association with them.
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  84

  One thing about this site that bothers me

  by keyser soze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the constant references to 'window washers' as something derogatory.. i understand the context of it-that most jws are uneducated, and unqualified to do much more.

  but sometimes the references seem snobbish, almost mean-spirited.

  one poster, on another thread, essentially referred to window washers as 'losers'.

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  DJS

  Keyser,

  Well stated. Any work worth doing has dignity and honor. Having said, that the anecdotal 'evidence' about successful J-dubs notwithstanding, JWs are the least educated of religions in the US and are also at the bottom of household income. Any angst associated with those numbers should be directed at the Dark Lords in the Death Star and not with the rank and file.
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  22

  I promise to stop after this one, one more rant...

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is not talking about the planet or why we are alive, but why are you reading this?

  why have you sought out this place?

  only you know those answers, and i definitely don?t know anything about anyone, but here is the answer for me.

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  DJS

  In the 20 years out of the Borg I have never tried to change anyone's theism. I never think nor speak of religion. This site allows all of us to pontificate a bit about our views. I'm glad theism works for you, but it hasn't done much for mankind for thousands of years except create divisiveness, wars, genocide, hatred and separation. It was a trap for me and millions like me. I have special angst towards anyone coming on an ex-Dub site and preaching. In the late '90s I very briefly participated in an ex-JW forum (xJW.com - Ros). I was not an atheist at the time and was likely not even agnostic. However, one of the primary contributors to the forum contributed to my atheism. He was a very well known ex-JW, having served at high levels and accomplished more than a bit upon his exit. He was also an obnoxious narcissist who essentially thought he was the replacement for the GB.

  I won't mention his name, but his initials were James Penton (Hi Jim, I've seen you post on this site - I hope all is well and thanks for contributing to my atheism. Have you joined us? Come on in the water's fine!). Even at that time, freshly out of the Borg and questioning everything but still believing in Jah, his arrogance and proseletyzing with 'special knowledge' was irritating beyond description. I quit partiicpating after a few weeks.

  So my angst towards ex-Dubs preaching is historic and long-lived. I would prefer ex-Dubs live life, go to college, travel, explore, inquire, question, and continue doing the right thing for no other reason than it is the right thing. And stop worrying about some make believe creature in the sky with a carrot and stick. She doesn't exist.
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  22

  I promise to stop after this one, one more rant...

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is not talking about the planet or why we are alive, but why are you reading this?

  why have you sought out this place?

  only you know those answers, and i definitely don?t know anything about anyone, but here is the answer for me.

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  DJS

  If there weren’t any atheists on this site, you and those like you would be here doing exactly the same thing, which is narcissistically showing off your special knowledge. I can’t imagine anyone requiring such after exiting the Borg. They need something entirely new. A new way of thinking and analyzing to ensure they never get trapped in a religion, or by any other entity or person attempting to control them. All you and those like you do is keep the trapped, trapped.

  That is what Cofty, Viviane, myself and others continue to say. Religion is and will continue to be the problem. It will never be the solution. Only by people doing the right thing for no other reason than it is the right thing will humans evolve. And as so many posts have made clear on this site, the more religious a state, region or nation is, the more dysfunctional it is. Religion and a belief in god have failed miserably for thousands of years. There will never be a time when religion gets it right. And there will always be yet another new sage who has special knowledge, requiring all to listen to them. Religion was invented by men for a variety of reasons. Rational and analytical thinking will dispel the notion that it is needed.

  You think linearly. I would encourage you to start thinking in a different manner. If there was a god, I would imagine she would have more confidence in and appreciation for an atheist who did the right thing for no other reason than it was the right thing (and not because of any reward) than she would a theist who did the right thing only because of some expected reward. And yet such a simple clear thought is anathema to theists. If someone can’t do the right thing without my holding a stick or a carrot over the head I don’t want the losers on my team. Be gone with you.

  The belief that the bible holds the answers or is in some manner inspired is the foundation on which all of a X-tian theist’s bricks stand. Remove the bricks one by one and the foundation will be exposed for what it is. It will then be easy to dig it up and throw it away. You will like the results, and you will wonder why you allowed the wall to be built in the first place.
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  22

  I promise to stop after this one, one more rant...

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is not talking about the planet or why we are alive, but why are you reading this?

  why have you sought out this place?

  only you know those answers, and i definitely don?t know anything about anyone, but here is the answer for me.

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  DJS

  I quit thinking about an after life a long long time ago. I am perfectly content living my life in the moment. Try it. You may like it. And guess what OT? I like myself much better now than when i was a true believing theist. I learned a long time ago that being decent, kind, honest and ethical have nothing to do with a belief in a god. Nothing. There are many, many studies which suggest atheists are much more functional than theists. These studies have been referenced many times on this site.

  You and your kind do nothing but drag people back into a failed belief system. What they need to hear is live life. Enjoy life. Explore life. Go back to school. Think Analyze, Travel. Eat Drink and be Merry. But you would have them live life based on getting beamed up to the big starship in the sky, sitting around waiting and doing nothing of any benefit.

  In addition. let's assume you are right, OT, about the big girl in the sky. My beleiving or not believing hasn't a thing to do with any chance of an afterlife as you think it. If she made me in her image (as theists suggest), then she knows exactly why I am who I am. She and I are OK.

  My atheism has been the best thing that ever happened to me. By far. It has released my mind. I am a better person. I do the right thing every day of my life because it is the right thing - not because of any anticipated reward or punishment. Unless and until humans leave religion behind and do the right thing for no other reason than it is the right thing we will never evolve as a species. Religion is the problem, not the solution.

  Most of the atheists on this site have gotten sick of preaching and proseltyzing. My nauseous response to the preachers amongst us should never be assumed by you or any other theist as coming from an angry, disillusioned person. Nothing could be further from the truth.
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  22

  I promise to stop after this one, one more rant...

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is not talking about the planet or why we are alive, but why are you reading this?

  why have you sought out this place?

  only you know those answers, and i definitely don?t know anything about anyone, but here is the answer for me.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  DJS

  Nonsense as I expected from You OT. I am one of the happiest most secure people you will know. I have many very close friends and an exceptional life. Do I carry around deep-seated issues with the WT? Of course, but I spent two decades fueling that angst with doing and accomplishing, giving little thought to the Borg. Why do people like you link not believing in a god as being hopeless and lost? This ridiculous premise has been shown repeatedly on this site to be utter bullshit,but you continue to spew it. Do some research. Nothing could be further from the 'truth.' And you quote John Lennon? Don't you realize that song was preaching the end of religion? That people would get along and do the right thing for no other reason than it was the right thing, absent any make believe god? Religion is the problem, not the solution. And if people want to believe in fairy tales have at it, but for you to opine that Perry, ColdSteel, the recently departed Rev. and yourself are doing nothing but narcissistically showing your special knowledge is bullshit.

  Your screen name screams volumes. Objective Truth? Really? I mean, Really? You chose to put the word “Truth” in your screen name in such context? After what all of us went through with the Borg and its “Truth.” Un-freaking-real.

  Listen up ex-Borgians, Prof DJS has an important announcement: Ignore the GB, the Pope, Billy Graham, ColdSteel, Mother Teresa, Perry, AbleBodiedDude (who I will refer to in all future posts as FeebleMindedDude) and the Rev. And the man behind the curtain. We have a new theist sage. Welcome “Objective Truth.” Only he has a direct conduit to the big girl in the sky. He alone has special knowledge and understanding. Listen to him and ignore all those others (millions) who have come before him claiming to have the ‘real’ truth.

  You put “Objective” in front of it to show you are more reasonable and rational than those before you. I notice from your posts that you at least attempt some objectivity in your responses, avoiding the black/white dogmatism of many. It is a ruse. It reminds me of the worst kind of narcissist, Uriah Heep. (Uriah Heep, for all of you who have not read Dickens, is a fictional character created by Charles Dickens in his novel David Copperfield.The character is notable for his cloying humility and insincerity, making frequent references to his own "'humbleness" when he was the most arrogant of all).

  Community? Group hugs? That’s not what I’m seeing from you. You post primarily to narcissistically show your knowledge of all things scripture and theist. I was wrong. You are clearly in group 4. I suggest a new moniker R2: Delusional self-important narcissist. Or even better: Uriah Heap.

  You put the word “Truth” in your screen name. Un-freaking-real.
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  19

  A WORLD GOVERNMENT???

  by ADJUSTMENTS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this new tract being released by the jws sounds an alarm!!!

  the tract at first glance does not look religious at all!!!

  it looks like political information, you have to almost search for the one scripture cited.

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  DJS

  Yeah, sure. Good luck with that. The government would be 'world' in name only. We are in an era that is part synergistic (UN, EU, NATO, etc.) and part U-go-slavia, They-go-slavia and We all-go-slavia. The USSR broke up into its pre-WWII disparate pieces and now pieces are re-grouping. Iraq was a forced country, as was India and others. That worked out nicely, didn't it?

  Besides, none of that has anything really to do with the OP and the support for the OP. That is conspiracy crap.
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  20

  Any strategies to deal with elders who just don't like you?

  by toto555 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so any ways to deal or cope with elders who just don't like you (you didn't do anything wrong or they're just making stuff up about you) assuming that you can't leave?

  especially when it comes to for example becoming appointed as an elder.

  or are you pretty much "dead in the water" if the elders are determined to like you despite reasonable efforts to win them over.

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  DJS

  Kate,

  Ditto. Well stated.
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  22

  I promise to stop after this one, one more rant...

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is not talking about the planet or why we are alive, but why are you reading this?

  why have you sought out this place?

  only you know those answers, and i definitely don?t know anything about anyone, but here is the answer for me.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  DJS

  OT,

  If you are talking to me?? Find one thing, ONE, that I have posted that isn't 100 percent accurate. My opinions about how I 'feel' about it are my own, and they have been clearly differentiated, but the groupings and analysis are dead spot on accurate. This site is what it is. I'm the one who doesn't fit. I know that and have acknowledged it. You take offense because you clearly fit into category 3.5. Youve only been posting since 2013, so perhaps you have an excuse. How long have you been out of the Borg?

  I agree completely with your second assessment, which hasn't a thing to do with my post.