I remember Slimboyfat saying a thread argument with me years ago that he still went to the meetings, anyway. His reasons included he didn't want his aunt to stop speaking to him.
Maybe that's what's happened now.
Goodbye JWD/JWN (my last post)
by slimboyfat 406 Replies latest jw friends
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steve2
JWs believe that all who purposely leave the organization have questionable motives. Some on this forum believe that those who purposely return also have questionable motives.
From our point of view, I guess we can endlessly speculate about questionable motivations; but ultimately how close those speculations are to what actually motivates people in their specific situations may be miles apart. Even though I do not know from personal experience, I should imagine it would be so difficult to have a spouse who is a loyal JW. I can think of fewer barriers to completely moving on from the organization - although I know that it has been done.
I prefer to think that there is not necessarily any questionable motivation in SBF going back. To me, he showed nothing more than common courtesy in feeling constrained to let us know what he did and to say Goodbye. As I stated earlier, some have left this forum with a truckload of righteous indignation. SBF did not do that. There was no rancor in his goodbye.
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Gopher
- This is the thread that never ends.
- It just goes on and on my friends.
- Some people started posting here not knowing what it was,
- And they'll continue posting here forever just because . . .
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emeth
Watchtower Study Sunday 20-10-2013
The negative speech of others can influence us. (Read Deuteronomy 1:26-28.) The Israelites had just been delivered from slavery in Egypt. Jehovah had miraculously brought ten plagues on that oppressive nation and thereafter destroyed Pharaoh and his military force in the Red Sea. (Ex. 12:29-32, 51; 14:29-31; Ps. 136:15) God’s people were poised to enter the Promised Land. Yet, at that crucial moment, the Israelites started to complain about Jehovah. What caused this lack of faith? Their hearts melted because of the negative report of some who had been sent to spy out the land. (Num. 14:1-4) What resulted? A whole generation was not allowed to enter into that “good land.” (Deut. 1:34, 35) Could we at times allow the negative speech of others to weaken our faith and cause us to grumble about Jehovah’s dealings with us?
We do not know all the facts. Because of not having all the facts, the Israelites in Ezekiel’s day felt that Jehovah’s way was “not adjusted right.” (Ezek. 18:29) It was as if they had set themselves up as judges of God, putting their own standards of justice above Jehovah’s and judging him based on their own limited understanding of events. If we at times do not fully understand a Bible account or the way events develop in our own life, could we perhaps feel in our heart that the way of Jehovah is unfair, “not adjusted right”?—Job 35:2.
Do not allow negative speech to affect you. The Israelites in Moses’ day had ample reason to believe that Jehovah would successfully usher them into the Promised Land. (Ps. 78:43-53) But when faced with the negative report of the ten unfaithful spies, they did not “remember his hand.” (Ps. 78:42) If we meditate on Jehovah’s activities, remembering all the good things he has done for us, we will strengthen our relationship with him. As a result, we will not allow the negative ideas of others to drive a wedge between us and Jehovah. —Ps. 77:11, 12.
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steve2
Thanks emeth. The strength of this forum is allowing alternative views and showing respect for the complexity of situations.
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Gopher
Regarding that remarkable "Watchtower Study Sunday 20-10-2013" -- they should take their own counsel.
The negative speech of others can influence us.
Ironically, the Watchtower Society's main teachings are negative. Their main religious teachings are about what they believe is untrue (NO hellfire, NO Trinity, NO eternal suffering, NO infant baptism, etc., etc.)
We do not know all the facts.
They act like they do know all the facts, and that you'd better loyally show support for their current teachings or else you can be cast out.
Do not allow negative speech to affect you.
Did anyone note the double negative in this sentence, with the words "not" and "negative" in the same sentence? Again, the Watchtower is mainly about what you should NOT do, much like a scolding parent.
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wolfman85
Ignorance is a BLISS!!!
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LivingTheDream
In my youth I had a "best friend" JW who was getting married and asked me to be his best man which I gladly accepted. A month before the wedding, his fiance leaves him and moves in with two guys, BOTH of which she was having a sexual relationship with. She was DF'd for this and for about 1 year straight all I heard from my friend was that he was better off without that "whore", that "liar", that "unfaithful slut". I didn't hear from him for a few months after that first tragic year that I spent with his head on my shoulder. I comforted him the best I could and then he went his way.
Then, out of the blue, he calls to tell me that she "returned to him" and that they are now dating again and will be married soon. At a loss for words, all I could say was "be careful".
He proceeded to excoriate me for being "judgmental" and "unforgiving". I tried to explain my words, but he hung up on me. I only said "be careful" by the way. That was all. Two simple words. This, after he called her names for 1 straight year every time I saw him. This after fielding his complaints and giving him the "it will be OK" speech over and over again.
Anyway, he got married and didn't even invite me to the wedding. That was my punishment for trying to be a real friend to him and for worrying about him.
I guess when presented with his news, I should have simply said "congratulations!" Of course I really wouldn't mean it, but as it turns out, that would be the only thing he could handle emotionally. Now that I'm older and wiser and presented with something similar, that's what I do.
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Congratulations SlimBoyFat! -
sir82
So did the marriage work out?
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garyneal
Okay, wow, I was surely expecting an April Fool's comment or something. SBF is the last person I would've suspected to go running back to the religion. But hey, in the spirit of his post:
I have decided that, after careful research and study, that the witnesses do indeed have accurate knowledge of the truth and that they are the only proclaimers of the true God. I believe Jehovah is the true name of God and that His Son is the Archangel Michael. I wish to study more and show myself approved for baptism and stay away from apostate literature. You know things like the History channel unless they are showing films that speak of the Bible as God's Word and not as a book assembled by priests.
Ah forget it, now I am rambling. See you at the meetings, SBF!