Posts by Dawn

Your story really struck a cord with me - I suffered from guilt at not doing "enough" for years. I was eventually DF'd basically because I gave up, I couldn't do enough and I knew I wasn't good enough so why bother.

The answer to your question "does it get any easier" is YES! I was petrified to look at anything that might be "apostate" - but I had so many questions - so I was stuck there for years. It took 12 years for me to finally reach that cross roads where I knew I had to make a decision - move on or go back. I started praying to God again, only this time I didn't spend all my time apologizing for how awful I was and begging for mercy - I just told him all the questions that I had and that I wanted to research but I was scared. It was an amazing turning point in my life because immediately after I finished the prayer that night a thought came into my head - a very strong overpowering word - just one word - ASK! And I knew - he was telling me it was ok to research. The truth is there to be found and only by searching with an open mind can we find it. So I started to research.

That was a big turning point in my life.

As for your comments about guilt over not preaching to someone who might later die at Armageddon - you're putting an awful lot of responsibility on your own shoulders and not recognizing that God is much bigger than that. No one is going to miss out on eternal life because you failed to talk to them about Jesus - the bible makes it clear that it is the Holy Spirit's job to reach people with the message. We are only the tools he uses. Sometimes we're right on target - and sometimes we screw up and miss the pitch - but we're only human and he doesn't loose the ball game because of us. He puts another player on bat and gives us another chance later on. Your salvation does not come because you preached to enough people - it comes through faith in Jesus.

Romans 3:21-23 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

My advice to you - stop trying to carry the load of the world on your shoulders. Jesus has already taken on that load.

Hang in there. From someone who has made it through to the other side - life is wonderful!

10

Why I wasn't such a good witness.......

by Dawn in

jw
friends

i was thinking about my past as a jw today and realized that i never did fit the mold quite right.

i studied, went to the meetings, out in service, and all those things so i appeared to be a great example.

and i really did love god and wanted to do the right thing.

Dawn

I was thinking about my past as a JW today and realized that I never did fit the mold quite right. I studied, went to the meetings, out in service, and all those things so I appeared to be a great example. And I really did love God and wanted to do the right thing. I was used as an "example" in meeting parts and a circuit assembly while still a teenager.

But - I always thought that the truth could conquer any amount of criticism or research so didn't understand why the control in that area. And instead of shunning the "weak" ones I was always drawn to them - my heart tugged for people in tough situations and I made it a point to talk with them at meetings, go visit them at their home. Sometimes I even dropped off food or gave $$ to people who needed it.

My mother would warn me about hanging out with some of the weaker ones - she was worried that they might discourage me - or that it would give a bad appearance. Most of the time I didn't care - in fact, it pissed me off that people would be more concerned about appearances than people.

I argued that it was better to spend time doing charity (or giving to charity) to help a person NOW, and then feed them spiritually later. What good is it to give someone spiritual food if they can't focus on it because they're destitute and in need?

Well - like I said - I wasn't such a good witness after all. But I realize now that's a good thing.

9

You too could be a very happy Jehover's Witness!!!

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

.

all you have to do is:believe everything the watchtower bible and tract society tells youdo everything the watchtower bible and tract society tells youdon't do anything the watchtower bible and tract society tells you not to dodo not question anything about watchtower bible and tract society or what it teaches.

if you think you can do all of these thing, then you would likely make a very happy and sucessful jehover's witness!

Dawn

How about I keep my freedom and my open mind and just be happy

49

My life ... and how JWD came to be - Part 3

by Simon in

for me, the walls of the watchtower were not destroyed by a single giant cannon-ball but rather every brick had been weakened and suddenly the whole thing just 'collapsed'.. i've alwys been an avid reader and a firm believer that you can learn anything and everything from a good book.

anyway, i was reading a bad book, the creation book, and this time things were different.. normally, the mere thought that the wts could "not be right" could not even be contemplated.

it was like you can't even comprehend the concept or understand the question, least of all imagine it.. yet now, i read the book and things were screaming at me from the pages.

Dawn

Thank you for sharing your story - I look on here every day to see if you've posted the next Part. You have done a wonderful thing with this site - I can't thank you enough in how much it has helped me move past the JW hold.

54

Christianity the biggest scam ever!!!

by William Penwell in

jw
friends

reading a number of posts here it seems like a fair amount of posters are still into and pushing the christian philosophy.

i would like to start a discussion here that objectively examines the evidence and not base a belief on "blind faith".

after leaving the jdubs, i have read a number of books over the past few years.

Dawn

Hi William:

I did honestly research this topic a few years back. I was studying various religions and trying to make a decision on what to do and decided to start with a clean slate - not taking for granted that Jesus or God even existed. I found that there is evidence of Jesus' existence outside of the bible and Christian writers - Josephus is only one example, there are other letters and historical documents from political leaders of the time that speak of Jesus and the christian movement. Perhaps you should do a little more research on this.

The thing that made me really believe in Jesus was studying prophecies that he fulfilled - mainly in Isaiah and Daniel. Since the Old Testament scriptures were translated into Greek (the septuagint ) prior to Jesus' birth we know they were in existence before he arrived on the scene. To add to this is the fact that a large portion of the Isaiah text was found with the dead sea scrolls - dating well before his birth. Isaiah contains numerous prophecies about Jesus including events surrounding his birth as well as how he would die.

Daniel outlines the time when Jesus would be born.

Daniel 9:25 Know and understand this: From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven `sevens,' and sixty-two `sevens.'

...The First Coming occurred exactly 483 years after "the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem,". The Jews of that time knew the time table - hence the reason why so many asked both Jesus and John the Baptist "are you him"? They were expecting a messiah.

Combining that with the fact that this "Jesus" has made the largest impact on human history of any individual - even our calendars are based on his birth.

There have been individuals that have made huge impacts on history - but none have reached even close to the impact of Jesus - nor have they fulfilled prophecies on this level that could be proven were written prior to their existence.

12

God's Ride

by dustyb in

jw
friends

i always remember in the bible that god's preferred choice of transportation was a chariot.

why would god have a chariot though, instead of a nice new porsche 911 or a ferarri or something like that?

he'd sure be noticed more =d

Dawn

No way - he'd drive a Viper!!

(not mine - but my father in law's......I have gotten to ride in it but too scared to drive it)

or..........maybe something with more power - say a 440 Hemi

Now THIS one is ours

But if I had my choice I'd go for one of those cute 2 seat coup Mercedes Benz.......or perhaps a flying car?

34

The Passion of the Christ (Movie)

by Golf in

jw
friends

after hearing the pro's and con's about the movie, i went to see it this afternoon.

i know we all have differing views, but i'm interested in knowing what impression it left you.

for me, i went in with a critical eye and i was emotionally detached from the movie.

Dawn

Well - I have tickets for this evening but due to a family crisis won't get to go until this weekend (boo hoo) - but I gave the tickets to my son so he's going. I'm interested in hearing other people's comments too!