Posts by LouBelle

20

What is the best thing that ever happened in your life?

by creativespirit in

jw
friends

for me it was meeting and marrying my current husband (who had once studied for the catholic priesthood).. the second best thing was having an affair during my first marriage (to the bethelite).

he said "oh, this is all wrong.

you have to get out of your marriage, and you have to get out of your religion.".

LouBelle

I don't think I've had the best thing happen to me yet.

I have travelled to the UK, Rome & Paris and I must say seeing the collesium was fabulous, with my love of history, that was a very good thing.

I have left the JW faith, a brilliant thing.

I have been into the bush and seen wild animals and I love nature and animals.

I have shared much heartfelt laughter with friends and that is always a great thing.

I saw my very loved sausage dog, Esther, give birth to her puppies - that was a beautiful thing.

I am not married, not in love and I don't know that a person will ever be able to be the best thing to ever happen to me.

.......I await the best thing.

136

After the cult how many reject faith in anything?

by Seraphim23 in

jw
friends

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LouBelle

After I left the JW, I did got to a "church" - happy clappies and look I enjoyed the difference in the way they were very free in their worship and it moved me to tears. But...then...I...still...had...so...many...questions. I carried on doing research, asking questions, opening my eyes to what was really happening in the world. I opened my mind to the posibility of evolution and looked into that, to see how life had developed and adapted to it's surroundings etc...

I watched a documentary on Rowanda: the atrocities, the pain, the violence. In Sudan: the horrendous treatment of people, the rape, the killing. The rape of Nanking: the most horrific, brutal treatment of woman, children, elderly. In South Africa - my home: the violent crime unfolding before my eyes...No there is no god. None whatsover. And if by some chance there is and I am brought before this god on my judgement day - he'll have a lot of explaining to do to me.

16

Did You Ever See Yourself Getting Out Of The JW Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

even though i realized there were different issues that i had, it took years for me to finally decide that i wanted out.

it took less than a year for me to slowly get out and i did that successfully along with my daughter and my then wife.

we all are still all happily out.. did you believe that you would be anything but a jehovah's witness?.

LouBelle

I honestly never thought I would leave. Even when I was about 17 and I had questions, I always just thought I'd stay and be faithful.

When I said to myself " there has to be more to this " (at 30) I still thought the JW's had the most truth, we had the big picture and I just had to fill in the missing pieces, so even then I didn't see myself actually getting out of the faith. I gobbled up every piece of info I could, I read so many books (at least one a day - I would read through the night, at work, ). It was a feeding frenzy of knowledge. 3 months in, I knew I couldn't stay. Another 3 months and I made my decision, knew the consequinces of that decision,I knew my family and my ton of friends would shun me, had the judicial hearing and got disfellowshipped. Walked out of the hall, out of the parking lot, burst into tears of pure joy as the burdon just lifted - I felt so free - so powerful. Got into the car and said to mom "it's done, I'll never go back".

Every time I drive past the hall, and I deliberately did that this pas Sunday, I can't help but smile, I can't help but feel lifted - it actually brings tears to my eyes. I am free of all that shit, I never have to ever pretend again. **just took a really big deep breath, so many memories flitted by**

19

Did you "Pray" for a "blessing" and get one?

by LoisLane looking for Superman in

what about all the other 1,001 times you prayed for an intervention/blessing, and didn't get it?

did you think you were "bad" or just figure god was too busy to bother with you?.

just lois.

LouBelle

Lois - I so hear you on this. I remember at school, final exams, did a bit of studying, would take bio-plus and pray "Jehovah please help me to recall all that I have learnt so that I can pass my exams" - I would pass. Actually passed with a high exemption - which means I qualified to study at university....I didn't study any further as it wasn't encouraged.

I prayed so many times for help, for guidance, for something. When I didn't get an answer I would think I was being tested or that I had to be patient. Still waiting .... haven't heard a peep from this god.

I came to the conclusion of much reading, opening my mind a bit more that there is no god that makes / blesses anything. It is us, our own doing. We are our own "god" if you will. There is no being out there that bestows good on one and not another - that just wouldn't be a fair and just god.

24

How do you react when you happen upon the name jehovah

by jean-luc picard in

jw
friends

whenever i here that name, maybe in conversation with someone who doesnt know my past, i feel anger welling up instantly inside me.. if there were a jw in sight, i think i could give him a jolly good shaking.. just hearing that name does things to me.. jesus = love.

jehovah = hate, selfishness, divisiveness, and domineering manipulation.. so much for jdubs "honoring " his name.

he's sure got a bad reputation based on how they live their lives..

LouBelle

my eyes roll in my head - even if not literally.

23

Plants Talk to Eachother

by Satanus in

so, i put this under 'social' ;) they aren't exactly sure how.. .

' having a neighborly chat improves seed germination, finds research in biomed central's open access journal bmc ecology.

even when other known means of communication, such as contact, chemical and light-mediated signals, are blocked chilli seeds grow better when grown with basil plants.

LouBelle

If you speak nasty things to your plant they 'feel' it and start to wither. Same with water - if you speak hateful things over the water, the crystals are deformed.

in ter rest ing

45

It got to be hard being a JW today!!!!

by jam in

i can understand why they think the end is near.. in the old days, one was proud to be a jw (well maybe.

not for you young ones) but for us that came in the 60,s.

and 70,s, we felt no shame in our game.

LouBelle

I think it's realtively easy being a Jw in 2013. They are so lax on so many things compared to when I was in. Sure they've tightend up on the GB stuff but being in that faith is a no brainer.

6

Truth or Treat ?

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

how does it feel to be a jw in2013?

seriously, i imagine it to be quite a strain, a tiring experience.

one of doubt and constant inner turmoil.

LouBelle

Actually I think it's easier to be a JW now than ever before - they are so lax with so many things.

But hey, honestly, I don't care - I'm not in the religion.

21

I am what I am

by joe134cd in

jw
friends

i was just thinking today.

i heard the term been frazed as a "neutral witness".

i think that's what best describes me.

LouBelle

Any religion is loaded with sincere people. It's when they treat you different because you won't conform that there is a problem.

31

Ever Have A Close Call?

by rocketman in

jw
friends

yesterday i had a close call on the road - an out-of-control pickup truck veered into my lane, spinning as it approached and crashed into a pole about 50 feet in front of my car.

this is the second close encounter i've had, (both involving someone driving a pickup truck).

in this case, a couple of seconds made a huge difference, since i may have been directly hit had i just been a bit further along in my drive.. i would imagine that once a few days pass, i'll give less and less thought to the incident and i doubt it will precipitate major changes in my life or outlook (which i generally think is pretty healthy).

LouBelle

A few times every day. We have 'taxis' here in the good ol' S of A and they do not adhere to any road ettique, road regulations, they drive how they please, where they please and stop where-ever they want. If you hoot or show any irritation they will intimidate you and drive on your ass recklessly or stop in front of you....you got to have balls of steel to drive on our roads.