by StiLLinTruth 93 Replies latest jw friends
Forgot to add to that post...Luvsdubs...your post has my jaw hanging open.
Thanks for taking the time to put all that up here. People need to know this stuff goes on...
they have this sugar frosted view of the organization...
Thanks!
Es
The Four Agreements:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
The official take from the Watchtower Society would be that I left the witnesses so I could have homosexual sex. However, I could have done that when I was 18 rather than when I was 30 and had a much better time since my hormones were clearly raging more at 18 than at 30.
I didn't leave until I had lost all confidence in Jehovah's Witnesses as people. I watched how witnesses lived their lives. I watched the hypocrisy. I watched and learned and left.
I left mainly because of people like Still who proclaimed their own righteousness loudly but upon further examination were always found majorly wanting in their sincerity and integrity. If not for these people, including the members of my own family, I would have never left.
hugs
Joel
www.joelbear.com
I would like to add that clearly Still is happy being a Jehovah's Witness. Therefore, he should certainly stay a Jehovah's Witness.
I don't see the purpose of this board to try to convince people not to be witnesses, but to assist those who are unhappy.
Clearly, this is similar to the witness belief that one should only try to witness to people who want to be witnessed to. I think they are right. I have no interest in proseletyzing people into not being witnesses. Some people are happy being witnesses, so be it.
Witnesses are not the only organization I think is full of crap. That list would be a long one and include not only religious, but political, commercial and social organizations as well. If I spent my life trying to convince people that all this organizations are wrong, I wouldnt have time for anything else.
I believe that life is about living your life and not letting any organization, be it your job, your political party, your religion or anything supplant your own individual path towards happiness. Groups are interested in promoting their group interest, not your interest as a person. If there is a god, we don't need a group to prosper in a relationship with him/her.
As for me and my household, we will continue to help people learn what makes them happy in life and assist them in accomplishing this.
hugs to all
Joel
www.joelbear.com
As for me and my household, we will continue to help people learn what makes them happy in life and
assist them in accomplishing this.
I love that, Joel. That is exactly how I feel. In fact I said in my first reply to this thread that
I'm glad that StillIn is happy with his religion. Like you, I don't try to change the minds of
people who are JW's and happy with it. No point. If its 'right' for them, then there will be no
changing their mind anyway.
Everyone is different and that is my biggest beef with JW's: they want
you to all be the same person...
thanks Joel for another great post.
*hugs*
Es
The Four Agreements:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
I haven't really had time to read all the reply's to StillIn's thread.
But just a couple of questions come to mind when I read his post: Still,
How long do you think you'll be a baptized brother in good standing
when the elders in your congregation find out that you post to
apostate websites? Have you made known to others in the org. that you
post at such sites? If not then why not, in such a wonderful happy
place of freedom as your org? If so how did the ones you revealed
this to react? Again, would you reveal your activities to those in
positions of responsibility in your org?
I would greatly appreciate a response.
Interesting post this, StiLL
You say “…the amount of people who "realized that WT doctrine was in serious error" and politely handed in their letter of resignation has to be very small.”
Me, I would’ve thought that such ones were the overwhelming majority of Ex-JW’s. Most people, sooner or later, just see through it. (Indeed, many do exactly that, and simply can’t break out for one reason or another.)
I think that the idea that all Exes are consumed with bitterness towards the Society because of self-loathing at having failed to live up to its righteous standards is just preposterous.
“Come on, show us your cards.”
Okay, I’m up for it, let’s mark my card:
“Thought it would be "fun" to go and get drunk with worldly friends?”
I’ve always thought that, and always done it. Used to be with Witness friends, now its with normal-people friends. Getting drunk once in a while is great. Most witnesses think that, too.
“Thought it would be cool to start smoking?”
Nope, never.
“Lose faith in the Word because of too much associating with the world?”
I don’t think “association” had much to do with it, so much as education, pure and simple.
“You cheat on your wife or your husband?”
Sorry, no.
“Thought it would be …fun to covet your neighbour's spouse?”
I told you once.
“Or did you just … get into some good pre-marital shagging?”
Blimey, it keeps coming back to sex doesn’t it? Well let me tell you - d’you know what, I read stuff, on these sites, about what people got up to – Kent’s stuff, Englishman sometimes, others too – while they were still “in” and I wonder whether I was the only dumb bastard who fell for all that moral purity stuff. I wasted the best, hormone-raging, sexually driven wildest years of my youth on bible-based celibacy! What an idiot!
“Ya started gambling, and never repented?”
Never seen the point.
“Thought you'd forget about any Christian morals for just a while,”
Found much more true morality (real concern for others, not just those who believe the same, intellectual honesty, genuine humility of spirit) outside the Tower than within. Many times over.
“take a little vacation from all that boring monotonous preaching of the Word?”
Absolutely. Boring, monotonous alright – also wholly irrelevant and unnecessary.
“Just turn completely atheist and believe in worldly "wisdom" ?”
Dunno about completely atheist – leaning that way, certainly. And as far as worldly wisdom is concerned, it’s probably not a wise idea to sneer and mock. The stuff published as “wisdom” , “fine spritual food” by the Watchtower this past century includes so much that is just simply laughable nonsense it’s no wonder the Society discourages people from reading that old stuff, it’s such an embarrassment.
Thirty years ago, I remember the elders in my congregation counselling me not to take further education (sixth form, university etc) because of the worthlessness of this so-called wisdom of the world versus the unchanging truth of Jehovah. Well, the world is still here, its “wisdom” is what keeps my house lit and warm, my kids fed, phones and TV working, hospitals running, a whole host of benefits that would have been viewed as miraculous blessings at any time back in our history. In contrast – all the Watchtower “wisdom” we studied back in 1970 is now out of print and wholly discredited. (“King of the North”, anyone?)
Maybe, StiLL, I’m completely exceptional. But I don’t think so. This idea that all the Exes are evil apostates, sinfully wallowing in their filth and debauchery is just a comforting fantasy for you and your leaders. Stick around here. Learn.
Duncan.
Duncan!
Good to read your post. Hope all is well. I intend to e-mail you sometime ... meanwhile, take care of yourself and, if you have time, keep posting!
Dedalus
LOL, Stillintruth.
You remind me of those new ones the old timers used to say should be hogtied and gagged for at least the first year after baptism. Their enthusiasm was so great that they tried to ram the Truth down other's throats and drove them away rather than pulled them toward the Organization.
To be honest with you, I don't know why I'm disfellowshipped. The official reason is that I was guilty of reviling, but even the elders on the committee admitted privately that that wasn't the real reason. They never said what the real reason was.
Now, you're a newcomer. Your enthusiasm is commendable, but don't let it run off with your common sense. As for me, my first time card entry is dated 12-46. Yes, that's 54 years ago. Since then, I've done all I knew how to serve the God that I love, including moving my family to isolated territory where the need is great - twice, and pioneering when and where I could.
You think you have enthusiasm? All right, then pack your family up in the dead of winter and move out of Los Angeles County to the isolated Eskimo village of Bethel on the western coast of Alaska and stay there for 3 and 1/2 years doing all you could to bring in some fruitage. That's what we did in 1968. Little Sophie Mezak (Picture, April 15, l994 Watchtower, page 25) was part of our fruitage.
We've had six kids, 5 girls and 1 boy, and they all are kids to be proud of. The last four I delivered at home, at my wife's request. All are still in the Truth and doing well.
Never in all of my 40 years of marriage have I touched another woman in a sexual manner, and that includes the 10 years and 1,000,000 miles that I spent long haul trucking after I was disfellowshipped. I don't gamble, smoke, or drink, other than an occasional beer.
And you know something? I'm glad I was disfellowshipped, for I never truely grew spiritually until that time.
Sit down, little boy, and shut up. You have much to learn.
LoneWolf
alais: Tom Howell
Stillintruth,
Not disa/disfel,
Just trying to ease out.
Done NOTHING wrong.
Got very tired, discouraged, conflicted very much as to how I felt I should bring up my children. (Too much Smacking in the KH, want my kids to have an education and a balanced life....not the fear that I've had).
Are you fairly "new in the truth?"
Latte
stillintruth,
i didn't leave the org because of doctrinal beliefs. i left because i wanted to life my own life without anyone telling me what to do, what to watch, what magazine not to read what movie not to go to, what festivies that i could not attend or what objects not to wear as jewelry. i couldn't stand that at all. i wanted my freedom. as an adult i said to myself, "the hell with this. i complained to my father that i was no longer a kid and i am giving my fought after freedom to an org. how perverted."
stay free.
peace
Hi All!!!
I am an inactive JW. The last time that I have been to a Kingdom Hall is about 11 yrs ago but I still try to keep up with what is going on with the society. I am happy to have found this site. Once again, "Hello to all."
