Posts by wanderlustguy

In my eyes that sounds as if she is determined to keep up the relationship with me... Am I wrong ? What do you folks think about that ? Maybe there is a woman out there who was risen with that religion and would like to talk to me as well ??? I really would like to hear her point of view. I l already got some new aspects and views about my situation and how other EX-JWs think about it. But the more "input" I get the better it will be to have a better oversight.
ALL of you already gave me your help already and I want to thank you very very much !!
This is not to be a four weeks journey after all - I will always need your help, even IF she will leave that cult. Maybe then more than ever. If I just could do you some favour in return. I dont want to seem like I only use you. Maybe there is good project going on where a donation would be helpful. I dont know. I dont want to hurt your feelings I only want to express how much help YOU gave to me!

She won't even know the answers to the questions you are asking for quite some time. the journey out will be longer than you can calculate. I have been out since 1999, my mind was still in up until three years ago, and I'm not exactly a slow learner.

It's been nine years for me, I wanted out, and I still struggle with it every day. If someone tried to pull me out like you are trying to do, I probably would have run right back to it.

I feel for you, I really do. You probably picked about the hardest person to love there could be...at the moment.

WLG

22

If not for the 'truth' I'd be a serial killer

by coolhandluke in

jw
friends

let me explain that.

i think humans go through these phases where we see things and experience things that begin to callouse our minds.

my dad is an amazing dichotomy of loving and violent.

wanderlustguy

There are days where I thank my mother profusely for the man that she taught me to be instead of the man that she could have allowed me to be.

Maybe your mom deserves more credit than the truth does...I know this is so in my case.

Of course...the ultimate credit for who you are today lies with you.

WLG

14

We lose our loved ones twice.

by wanderlustguy in

jw
friends

i just received a message from one of my closest friends.

we grew up together and were/are as close as brothers.

his father was like a second dad to mehe died two days ago after two weeks in the hospital.

wanderlustguy

I just received a message from one of my closest friends. We grew up together and were/are as close as brothers. His father was like a second dad to me…he died two days ago after two weeks in the hospital. I’m 1,000 miles away, the funeral is in one hour from now. We had not spoken in 10 years or more.

The religious group we both were a part of makes the rules about who we can and cannot talk to in several ways. This relationship was affected by just one method. He was judged by several men to be an unrepentant sinner, and then announced as disfellowshipped, which meant to the rest of us that we could “not even share a meal” with him. If we saw him in public it meant turning and walking the other direction, or at the most, a tight smile and a nod. It’s common for parents of people who have been disfellowshipped to refer to their children as already dead, if they even refer to them at all. Wills are changed, names are not allowed to be uttered, and a phone call results in a dead line as soon as the caller is identified. "Family" becomes a word that means abandoned.

He was a troubled person, but also a good man overall. He saw things I could never have imagined and made the best decisions he could. I can’t say anything about him that could not be applied to me. By the time I learned enough to be free of the control of the group, I had lost touch with almost everyone I knew, either because I had just moved away or it was obvious I do not practice the religion anymore. In any case, I had hoped to get to see him when I went back this time. But now it will never happen.

Two friends of mine have each recently lost their fathers, one a couple of days ago, and another in June, each has not spoken to their father for a considerable amount of time, and one of them was not allowed to visit her dad on his deathbed, because she does not believe in the same religion as him. My brother died in August, fortunately for me I had told him I loved him a week prior, but that doesn’t make up for the 10 years before that when we couldn’t speak to each other. We lose our families twice, some even more often. It makes the last time so much harder than it should be, so many words left unspoken.

This is why I try to share stories about what happens to us. No one knows who we are, no one knows there are religious groups that control every aspect of people’s lives including stripping away the families that we all need in order to have emotional balance. They take these things using the Bible and a self proclaimed insight into God’s will, along with varied degrees and methods of mind control. Once a group shows up and begins to actively share the methods and motivations of these groups, they are wiped away by attorneys paid with money provided by the same people who are being victimized.

One day, perhaps we and the courts of our societies will see freedom of religion protects INDIVIDUAL freedom, not the freedom of the Organizations to use whatever tactics they see fit to maintain their margins.

Some of us lose our families twice because of these groups. They call those of us who left and do not believe in their self proclaimed position of being God’s Messenger “Apostates”. To our families and loved ones we used to know we are called liars, immoral, and described as a dog returning to its vomit. Yet we watch as old articles are rewritten or referred to as “old light” because the predictions in them did not come true. We watch our parents grow old and die with barely enough resources to survive into their natural retirement. We watch children die from refusing tested and proven medical treatments to protect the Organization from lawsuits as a result of a flawed policy based on everything but the truth. One day there will be enough of us to call these groups to an accounting for their abuse of position, and I hope I live to see it.

2 Corinthians 11: 13-15

13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. 15 It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.

WLG

18

The most stunning of all.

by Sparkplug in

my choice is sophia lauren, hands down!.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bc433lpk6dy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6wovmisxpbw.

wanderlustguy

Audrey.

That is all.

110

If you believe in Evolution then your a fool! God really is REAL!

by Blackboo in

here are some questions evolution never bring up or will evade questioning.

these are serious questions that kill all the silly beliefs about how the earth or universe got here..and here is why.

think about this for a second we would not be here if nothing for all existence did not exist.

wanderlustguy

See "circular logic".

18

Loving crazy people

by coolhandluke in

i don't think there is such a thing as "normal".

i think the best we can do is either functioning or non functioning.

we amble through life confused.

wanderlustguy

I thought I'd come to an age where I'd 'get it'. That is the illusion. No one 'gets it.'

You might rescind that one when you hit mid 30's. At 33 and on into now, things are coming into much sharper focus. Everything makes much more sense.

In my opinion, of course.

15

Saw somethin really cool last weekend, take a peek. Zanex Engagement Pic

by wanderlustguy in

jw
friends

i have a friend here that recently became engaged, and i was priviledged to be present for the event and took pictures for them.

i am posting this particular picture for a few reasons.... for the couple, i hope the future holds as much beauty as this place we call home.

i hope you are always able to look towards it together, as a team.

wanderlustguy

OH HOW SWEET come back in a year or two and see the beautiful scene of them ripping their throats out just at the sight of each other...YEA love is blind and the first moments are soon forgotten...

Usually I would agree, but if you were there...and knew the backstory...you'd edit that.

28

January 27th 2008

by zanex in

jw
friends

started out like any other normal day..with plans to go to taos with my girlfriend and a good buddy o mine (wlg) sorry mang...had to give u some recognition on this one...anyhow..we went out to a nice place for some breakfast..wandered around taos, went to the taos pueblos to get a chance to watch the native americans dance at the taos pueblo...then we went out to the taos gorge..which for those who dont know is a quite big hole in the ground bout a mile down...the bridge is somewhat a daunting look down for ones who have never seen it before.... anyhow...my girlfriend at first refused to step one foot out onto the bridge but with a little coaxing and a promise to make sure she wouldnt fall off i gradually brought her out to the middle of the bridge where there is a small outcropping where one can stand and look out over the gorge...we stood there staring over the side of the bridge for a few minutes then i slowly took her hand in mine and looked deep into her eyes.... ....and i dropped to one knee....(quite funny too cuz initially she was like what are you doing?

)....i still had her hand in mine and she was staring down at me like i was doing something silly or humorous like is my usual personality trait...i stared at her for a minute or two and said a few sentances of which are too personal to bring up here and then i asked her to marry me..... she looked at me and said "what?!

are you kidding me?!

wanderlustguy

ROTFLMAO.....ahh the old "ball and chain" analogy...gotta love it...its a good thing this ball and chain comes with a helluva chef attached to it! (I mean her not me...lol)

That's the damn truth, I'd be 500lbs with her around.

Congratulaitons!

WLG

15

Saw somethin really cool last weekend, take a peek. Zanex Engagement Pic

by wanderlustguy in

jw
friends

i have a friend here that recently became engaged, and i was priviledged to be present for the event and took pictures for them.

i am posting this particular picture for a few reasons.... for the couple, i hope the future holds as much beauty as this place we call home.

i hope you are always able to look towards it together, as a team.

wanderlustguy

I have a friend here that recently became engaged, and I was priviledged to be present for the event and took pictures for them. I am posting this particular picture for a few reasons...

For the couple, I hope the future holds as much beauty as this place we call home. I hope you are always able to look towards it together, as a team. It's been a long time since I've known something real, and I want to thank you both for what you have allowed me to believe in again.

I would love to show you all their faces, but to respect the privacy requirements, this is all I can give you. I think it is worth well more than a thousand words, I'm so glad I decided to try that road out.

WLG

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