CyrusThePersian

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Posts by CyrusThePersian

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  21

  Interview with an Apostate: OnTheWayOut

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  tell us a little about yourself and your family.. my mother joined the frenzy when the end of the world was coming in 1975. her sister-in-law was first recruited and got her in.

  when the end didnt come, mom was disfellowshipped shortly afterward, but she went back a few years later.

  i did not care to go with her.

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  CyrusThePersian

  Thanks for sharing your story, I appreciate it.

  CyrusThePersian
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  8

  Interview with an Apostate: No Regrets

  by NoRegrets in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  tell us a little about yourself and your family.. i was raised in a small town congregation that was largely made up of 2 large ruling families/dynasties.

  i gave my first talk at age 5 that my mom wrote for me on note cards.

  my parents were the first.

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  CyrusThePersian

  Great story, No Regets. You certainly were a lot more eloquent than I was in my interview! Thanks for your story!

  CyrusThePersian
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  6

  Interview with an Apostate: CyrusThePersian

  by CyrusThePersian in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i'm divorced and live quite a distance away from my grown children, who are still in the "truth.".

  were you a born in or a convert?.

  born in.

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  CyrusThePersian

  Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

  Not much to tell here. I'm divorced and live quite a distance away from my grown children, who are still in the "Truth."

  Were you a born in or a convert?

  Born in

  Are your parents / family JWs?

  My Mother and siblings are still JWs, although they don't appear to be very serious about it these days. My children are still pretty much gung-ho witnesses.

  How many generations have been JWs?

  Just three. My parents converted in the 1950's

  Did you hold any position in the WTS? (MS, Elder etc...)

  Yes. I was an Elder for many years.

  Did you *really* believe in the bible, in spirits (angels, demons)?

  At the time, I was a firm believer. I don't believe in any of that stuff today though.

  Did you get baptised? When and why?

  Yes in 1971. I got baptized because of peer pressure. All of my friends were getting baptized, so I did too!

  What was the initial trigger that made you start questioning things?

  I had little nagging doubts for quite a while but the real wake-up call was the November 1995 Watchtower where the 1914 generation teaching was abandoned.

  Where did you find information? Internet sites? Books?

  Both. I constantly mine the internet for information. Also Crisis of Conscience was a big eye-opener for me.

  How difficult or painful was the process of leaving?

  Not as difficult as you would imagine. Moving to a different town helped. I didn't know it at the time but I "faded" by moving to a new town and simply never attending the local Kingdom Hall here.

  Was it a big dramatic exit or a careful quiet fade?

  Careless but quiet fade.

  Did you convince anyone else to leave with you?

  Sadly, no. I'm still working on my kids though...

  How were your family relations affected by your decision?

  Very little. My kids know I don't go but they seem to be cool with it, probably because I haven't been in such a long time.

  Were you or are you still being shunned by those who didn't leave?

  Since I live in a different town than all my past JW friends, I don't know if they would shun me or not since I have no contact with them.

  How long have you now been out?

  Since 2001

  Was there anything you looked forward to doing when you left?

  Expanding my mind by reading what I want to read, seeing what I want to see and doing what I want to do, all without the JW fetters restricting me.

  What are you most proud of achieving since you left?

  I finally got my Bachelors degree in 2006. I had been in school off and on for years but I finally buckled down and got it.

  Is there anything you miss about life in the congregation?

  Picnics, get-togethers and meeting cute girls at the conventions.

  Red pill or blue pill? Do you regret waking up to reality at all?

  No regrets whatsoever.

  Did you become an atheist or transfer your faith elsewhere?

  I became an atheist because that's where the evidence led me.

  How do you now feel about religion in general?

  It's an anachronism that needs to go away. It served it's purpose in olden times but in today's global community it only serves to divide.

  Do you feel any guilt celebrating xmas or birthdays or doing any other JW "no-no"s?

  Because I live alone I still don't do much celebrating except for going to the occasional birthday or Christmas party. I don't feel a bit of guilt about it.

  Have you attended any face-to-face meetups of ex-JWs?

  Not yet. I would like to one day.

  Describe your circle of friends - mostly other ex-JWs or regular people?

  Just ordinary folks, co-workers, neighbors and their families. No ex JWs.

  Do you tell people about your JW past?

  Sometimes I mention it, if the subject of my past comes up. I try not to make a big deal of it, though.

  Do you feel animosity or pity toward current JWs?

  Pity mostly. They're stuck in a dead end religion and just spinning their wheels, doing busy work to no avail.

  How do you respond to witnesses when they call at your door?

  They haven't yet. (Says a lot about their enthusiasm for field service around here I suppose!)

  Storm the barricades or tend to the wounded? (do you favor activism or support)

  Storm the barricades! I try my best to fight ignorance. Unfortunately, I have learned that you can't fight against stupidity

  What do you think is the most effective approach to reaching people still in?

  Kindness and tact. They actually have to get themselves out. The best you can do is provide them a road map.

  Do you think the WTS can or should be destroyed, will continue on as-is or grow / change?

  They have to change...or die. An apocalyptic cult like the JWs has to do something when the apocalypse never comes. Time is against them.

  How has your life been impacted by your JW past?

  Hard to say, since before now I've never been anything but a JW.

  Are there things in your life you blame the WTS for?

  Not really

  JW upbringing - a protection or a curse?

  Probably both!

  How do you fill your time now it's not filled with meetings and field service?

  Reading and learning...and work!

  Do you still have an interest in JW beliefs and doctrines?

  Yes, because my kids are still in and I would like to get them out.

  How much of your time is still spent on JW related matters?

  Not much, just mostly time spent on this website.

  What do you think of the ex-JW community?

  These are a bunch of very smart people. They have been able to discern what's wrong with their current belief system and have had the courage to do something about it.

  Do you see yourself still being associated with the ex-JW community in 5 or 10 years time?

  Probably. Being a JW at one time will always be a part of my life, and it's always good to share this with kindred spirits.

  Do you fear the future?

  Not really. What comes, comes. There isn't much you can do about it anyway.

  What advice would you give to anyone starting the journey of leaving the WTS?

  Be true to your feelings. Don't stop learning. Always take that "Road less Traveled."

  What would you change in your life if you could go back and talk to yourself?

  I would say, "Don't get baptized! Stay in school! Don't marry that girl!"

  Do you have any regrets about life since you left?

  None whatever

  Can we read your life-story anywhere? (links to online or books)

  No. It's really not that exciting a story, which for me is probably a good thing because exciting stories usually read better than they live!

  Want to share your own story? Please use the Interview with an Apostate: Template and post it in the Personal Experiences & Reunions section with the title "Interview with an Apostate: [your name or alias]"
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  24

  Why remove John 8:1-11 in the NWT if these verses speak highly of Jesus

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i understand these verses were removed in the nwt as well as some other bibles because they were added later & considered uninspired.

  jesus protected an adultress so why remove it?

  it fits in nicely with his teachings, does it not?

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  CyrusThePersian

  This is a rare instance where the New World Translation is actually correct. The reason the Pericope Adulterae (as this passage is called) isn't in there is because it doesn't belong there.

  Even though the passage is quite old (the story may even date back to nearly the time of the Apostles; Papias, as quoted by Eusebius, may have referred to the story) there is evidence that the story doesn't belong in John.

  For one thing the story (or pericope) doesn't appear in either the Codex Sinaiticus or the Codex Vaticanus, the oldest complete New Testament manuscripts we have. It appears for the first time in the much later Codex Bezae of the fifth century. For another, it has words and phrases that are not found in other places in John. For instance, the term "scribes and Pharisees" in verse 3, while common in the synoptics, isn't a Johannine phrase.

  Even though the story may fit nicely with Jesus' teachings, if it doesn't belong there, it shouldn't be there, at least from an academic point of view.

  (Copy and Paste from the other thread.)
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  21

  Why remove John 8:1-11 in the NWT if these verses speak highly of Jesus

  by I_love_Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i understand these verses were removed in the nwt as well as some other bibles because they were added later & considered uninspired.

  jesus protected an adultress so why remove it?

  it fits in nicely with his teachings, does it not?

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  CyrusThePersian

  This is a rare instance where the New World Translation is actually correct. The reason the Pericope Adulterae (as this passage is called) isn't in there is because it doesn't belong there.

  Even though the passage is quite old (the story may even date back to nearly the time of the Apostles; Papias, as quoted by Eusebius, may have referred to the story) there is evidence that the story doesn't belong in John.

  For one thing the story (or pericope) doesn't appear in either the Codex Sinaiticus or the Codex Vaticanus, the oldest complete New Testament manuscripts we have. It appears for the first time in the much later Codex Bezae of the fifth century. For another, it has words and phrases that are not found in other places in John. For instance, the term "scribes and Pharisees" in verse 3, while common in the synoptics, isn't a Johannine phrase.

  Even though the story may fit nicely with Jesus' teachings, if it doesn't belong there, it shouldn't be there, at least from an academic point of view.
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  11

  The ability to stick to a conclusion that is incompatible with the evidence.

  by nicolaou in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  is the definition of .

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  CyrusThePersian

  Cognitive Dissonance

  As jgnat says, it's entirely normal. We look at the evidence and say,"Yeah, that's right." but we hold on to our beliefs anyway, in effect, trying to believe two things at once-the facts as borne out by the evidence- and our own internal belief system. We all have beliefs we find difficult to shake despite evidence to the contrary. Myself, it took years to shed JW beliefs and belief in the Bible, but the more the evidence piled up, the more obvious it became that my long held beliefs were mistaken.
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  6

  Were you a meeter and greeter or a background observer?

  by likeabird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've noticed how on newbie threads everyone jumps in to say hello, even other newbies.. it got me wondering.. when you were in, were you the type to greet all the newcomers and visiting bros and siss, or would you stay in the background and wait a few meetings to manage to go over to say hello?.

  i'm not particularly anti-social, but as a foreigner, meeting new people meant they felt they had the right to interrogate me on my life story in the first five minutes of the acquaintance just because they could see i wasn't one of them.

  being assigned to preach with a newcomer was torturous and i would shut my eyes waiting for the interrogation to start.. so anyway, that's what made me fall into the latter group.

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  CyrusThePersian

  I wanted to be a background observer but I forced myself to be a meeter and greeter because as an elder I thought it was my responsibility. I'm normally a very shy person.
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  12

  My life time thoughts about Babylon the Great has fallen

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  friends,.

  since i was a very young boy (+/- 10 years old) i had thoughts when revelation 18:2 was studiyed at our kingdom hall.. babylon the great was for me new york.

  the center of the world, where all cultures are comming together.. next step for me, was that new york was the center of the universe for our jehovah's witness religion.. so i was connecting babylon the great with our own religion.. now with all the topics about the connexion between the watchtower corporations with investment billions, political influance, history cleaning and rebranding their business i could imagine when the society is going down, many corporations and politicians will say "shame, shame, babylon the great has fallen...".

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  CyrusThePersian

  As TD and Band on the Run indicated, Baylon the Great is Rome-and nothing but Rome. Bethel, Brooklyn, New York, etc. did not exist in the time John wrote Revelation. That John meant Rome is obvious when you read Rev. 17:9 where it says that the woman (Babylon the Great) sits atop the seven mountains--nothing more or less than the seven hills of Rome.

  Also, another clincher is 17:18 which calls the woman "the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth." Come on people, what else could John be writing about but Rome-which had this power over the earth at that time?

  When you read the Bible you must keep in mind who wrote it, when it was written, and to whom it was intended to be read. The book of Revelation was not intended for us in the 21st century, it was writted by a 1st century author for a 1st century audience. If John knew that his work was still being studied by people in the 21st century he would be dumbfounded. He would probably be amused too that people are still trying to find a modern day application to his 2000 year old text.
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  99

  Survey: Who Here Believe In God/The Bible? Who Are Not Sure? Who Do Not Believe?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think there are many that still want to believe in a god but just aren't sure.. personally, do you believe in a god?.

  are you a "spiritual" person?.

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  CyrusThePersian

  I'm kind of like Carl Sagan on this question. It would sure be nice if there was a super being in the sky looking after us and protecting us. It would also be great to know that our deceased loved ones were still out there in the ethos somewhere enjoying some sort of afterlife, but the cold hard evidence indicates that none of this is true and that's where I stand.
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  17

  Jehovah - the Ultimate Codependent

  by Satanus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  he needs you to do his work for him.

  he needs your complete and whole souled devotion.

  he needs to be in the first place in peoples lives, ahead of their families and their own needs.

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  CyrusThePersian

  I would argue that Jehovah is not codependent but rather he is entirely dependent. He needs your complete and whole souled devotion and to be in the first place in your life and to finance him-or rather the various shamans who claim to represent him, and yet offers nothing in return, except for some vague promises of future happiness and perhaps a good feeling that by worshipping him you are doing something good--a feeling that in reality is being manufactured by you in your own mind.

  So I think that God is dependent on us for everything, including his very existence.