just to say a big hello.
i have been reading this site for some time now and have been very unhappy with some of the things emanating from watchtower head quarters in new york.
the final straw for me is the upcoming watchtower study this weekend encouraging us to shun our own family members (our own mothers if need be) if they are disfellowshipped....a step too far for my liking.
Welcome
I sent several letters to Bethel.
The innocent ones they might answer you.
When criticizing them or suggesting reform they either don't answer or tell the CO to answer you directly or through the elders.
Then you are on their radar as someone who has doubts. They will try to readjust you. If that doesn't work over a period of time they leave you alone if you are lucky or they disfellowship you for apostasy (thats what they did in my case).
yes that's me, i am victorious!
i had enough after about 4 years knowing ttatt.
sent my da letter and it has been anounced at the meeting.
Hey Powermetal
Congrats... how wonderful...
So good to be free, able to live according to your conscience, without man made rules of an earthly organisation.
In which country are you?
I am from Switzerland.
the following is a paragraph from the new february study watchtower article "learn from jehovah's loyal servants.".
7 a conflict of loyalties may arise when a close relative is disfellowshipped.
for example, a sister named anne [1] received a telephone call from her disfellowshipped mother.
So this weekend will be the WT study of this hateful article, stating plainly that adult children should shun their disfellowshipped parents, even if they are feeling lonely and depressed.
I am wondering what comments will be made. So this weekend I'll make an exception, listen in by phone and record this sick paragraph.
Also wondering what my parents will say about that paragraph, as they have regular and normal loving contact with me, their disfellowshipped son.
so for the first time ever i went to a church service at my local church (coe) and i have to say it was awful!
it was just like a ritual.
the vicar would say something and then the congregation would all say a phrase in unison back to him.
You could even be ...
... spiritual without being religious.
... believe in a higher power, god without any organised religion.
... pray and have a personal relationship to god without following any manmade rituals or set of rules.
... free to explore all kind of religions / churches until you find the one you feel good in (if you need organised religion).
But the best is, you are free to live a happy and satisfying life according to your conscience.
the reason i ask is because while watching the "dateline" episode about ralph candelario, the claim was made that only jw men could file for divorce, not women.
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i had never thought about this before.. also, how does this apply in cases where a husband is "apostate" while the wife is faithful to wt?
A JW woman can file for divorce.
She will be counselled though. If there is no adultery she just won't be free to marry again.
But she will not be disfellowshipped.
It's exactly as Sir82 said.
share your thoughts ?
After I left I consider myself spiritual but not religious.
I lost my trust and belief in organized religion, the bible and the god of the bible. But I still believe in a personal god.
It feels good to be free to explore different religious views.
after hubby skipped out on the memorial his parents and close friends started getting more assertive with him.
before they took on the role of the concerned let me rescue you from your apostate wife's clutches.
it's 100% my fault he stopped being a witness according to the inlaws.
Hey atacrossroads
First I think it is great, that you 2 are together on this journey out of the cult.
I was asked the loyalty questions many times during my fade, especially from elders.
Here is a thread where I describe how I answered the loyalty questions. There you find also some ideas how others answered them.
I recommend for the relationship with your family to not talk about religion and just show respect for their religious feelings.
I wish you good luck.
i have been wondering why your organization cannot accept evolution?
(when i say "cannot accept" i mean: you see it as anti christian) the reason i'm so curious about this is because by putting this here i hope to get smarter answers than i usually get, and also because you don't seem to put things like quantum theory, string theory, under the "evil scary scientific stuff label", also many religions have accepted evolution as most likely possible, or as something that is ok to believe since god could have used evolution to create mankind, in fact evolution isn't a "religion" and automatically doesn't get you labeled as an atheist, unless you are talking to the wrong person.
i am by no means trying to make you believe in evolution, i will respect you views, i believe every man has free will, well it kind of says it in the bible.
Welcome.
Good that you left at such a young age.
I liked that you asked your questions in a very respectful way.
A JW forum is JWTALK. But I doubt that they will allow a controversial discussion there.
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install an ad blocker then watch "colonia dignidad" an uncanny realization of the wt's new world 0rganization.. http://projectfreetv.so/movies/watch/?aff_id=383539.
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I saw it in cinema not long ago.
A very good movie.
i am so bad at being worldly, it's not like i gave it a good try, we are just not good at it my husband and i, i see him light up as he has started to read the bible again.
i'm good at being a witness, i am accepted, and hold the same beliefs, i have tried to find somewhere else, if there is a place, why hav'n't jehovah and the angels directed me to it?
thank you for all the loving posts, some of them have been just what i needed.
To categorize people and to look down on one category is what dictatorships and cults do.
So calling someone "worldly" or on the other side "brother" is something very dangerous.
If you need organized religion, look for one that fulfills your needs.
You can however also be very spiritual without organized religion. Spiritual as a moral person and free individual.
