i'll be the first to admit that i haven't done the research on this one, and i can't remember the answer from my jw days - but there's something bothering me about the scenario of judas and his betrayal of jesus.. considering that the betrayal of jesus by judas was foretold in prophecy, it was essentially set in stone.
it was going to happen, it was an absolute because divine prophecy is correct.
judas had to betray jesus in order to fulfil prophecy.. now, i've always personally believed that a person does not sin by an act that they cannot avoid, but this seems like kind of the motherload of standing on the traintracks.
good points corpus....i have felt the same way for a long time...has WT said as a fact that it was an unforgivable sin?...how could they??? what if god is way more forgiving than they thought?
charlie...did judas partake all of the meal?....has WT said he has not and why?...............................................oompa
i am fairly new to taking a stand on what i have long felt about the org.
no longer an elder now (big weight off my shoulders), and really find i am researching on this board all kinds of things i suspected and are now confirmed.
looking back over the years i had many intuitions about some situations and never took action on those feelings.
ditto cantleave (hope you make it canleave)..........i should have mentioned the handful of friends i have made here....some are now real in-person friends while others are still just web based...........oompa
don't you dare try channelling form god.
.
jesus went to heaven, but don't you dare entertain that hope.. any other 'specialies' that are forbidden to you, the lower classes?.
all i know is that god talks to me........................................................................he talks dirty but he still talks.........................oompa
lets face it, we don't know what humans are.
science is doing a good job at uncovering many facts about us, but even science cannot explain consciousness yet.
conciousness is still a strong mystery to us.
who doesnt love a good mystery???????????????....................sometimes surprise endings are the best part.......................oompa
bring it on
i know everyone's situation is different.
and no matter what age one is when they finally say enough of the religion,it's difficult.. but,from what i have observed among my friends,it appears that those who left in their teens/early 20's fare a bit better.. my two close friends who were disfellowshipped in their teens/early twenties,seemed to do fairly well with the transition.
of course,i know they went through a great deal of pain to get where they are today.
ditto emptyinside....and i hate that empty feeling too btw...i sooooooooo wish i had walked away in 1995 when the 1914 generation thingy unraveled and they took away the hope of NEVER growing old!!!! i had doubted for years...but as a born in with small kids...and a diehard jw wife...i kept toughing it out...............soooooooo stupid of me!!!!
there is no way to replace life long friends....those i actually grew up with....but you CAN make new good and real friends....but it can be a challenge....i suggest meetup.com..........not a dating site btw...............good luck....oompa....damm i love saying good luck!....and lots of good cuss words too!
i was shocked to read in the "witnesses only" study watchtower this stupid rutherford policy was still in place, compare.. rutherfords last book "children" {ironic title} 1942 - page 281 "wait until after armagedon to bring children into the world...it is only afew years...until armagedon...those with infants will have greater woe...it will be a far greater difficulty to care for them during the tribulation...".
so if you were 20 years old in 1942 and waited......till 2011.....do the math.. wachtower 2008 april 15 p.19 "heading: "single and childless for a noble purpose.
" ...numerous couples have decided to remain childless...to remain free to serve jehovah...putting kingdom interests above some of the privledges that go with marriage...jehovah will not forget...there will be a great tribulation...it will be a difficult time for us adults and children alike...".
so dont have kids because of woes and hardships that may come with it....that is why i dont drive in order to not get hurt in a wreck and experience hardships...and i dont fly because of stress and fear of crashing....and now i dont walk for fear of falling down....and of course i dont go outside anymore and risk the pains that come from skin cancer
just how many flukkin things can they come up with to avoid in order to avoid POSSIBLE problems?!?!?!?......................oompa
but with all the pains that can come from drinking....that is ok!....how else could they cope?....lol
not that there is anything wrong with moderate drinking and an occasional wild time...imo
i am fairly new to taking a stand on what i have long felt about the org.
no longer an elder now (big weight off my shoulders), and really find i am researching on this board all kinds of things i suspected and are now confirmed.
looking back over the years i had many intuitions about some situations and never took action on those feelings.
i was nearly addicted to this site for my first two years here...so many things were just crashing down around me....so for me this place was a lifeline. i think it not only helps as a support group for those in difficult wake-up situations and to confirm doubts we may have....but it also helps just to know that there are so many others like us!!!! kind of like AA for dubbies...............welcome and hope you overcome the drinking...that has been tough for me too....i used it as an escape and to take away the pain but it is no fix of course....my entire jw life i was mostly around hard drinking and drunk elders...minis...and most others...we could really party together...and of course they are all gone now..........oompa
i moved on sat...fell & fractured my wrist..... it is in a caste,thank god it is the ,left one.... i am all settles in with the help of my daughter ,sonin law,grandkids.. i was at the hospital for hours....was able to talk to doc,nurse,why.
they must not shut the door on the jw's as they have been doing.. they were very interesting took my card to give the ones they have.
been listening to.....so i feel good came out of bad....
awwwww....so sorry gracie.....hope you heal quickly!....wish we were hangin out girl.....oompa
my husband and i faded/mysteriously disappeared from meetings over a year ago.
we've had a few visits from elders (where we said very little but thanked them for their time), the last one being when we had some nice jack o lanterns sitting on our porch.
on saturday, we got letters cordially inviting us to our beheading, i mean, our judicial committee meeting.
i do know this firsthand...if you say no you are not going to meet....they do not even have to tell you there is a JC formed or a meeting planned...i think the wussy elders love this tactic....they do what they want to without any questioning on your part...no stress....no confrontation.....they do not even have the need to explain themselves......oompa
any experiences/advice on dating (moving on) after a separation or divorce from a jw?.
i know that when (not if) i leave the org, my wife will probably separate then divorce me (and we have 3 small children).
i only know of horror stories when it comes to that type of scenario.
probably a good idea to not date while separated....also avoid close relationships with married women, dating them, or falling in love with them....just a thought
as far as divorce itself in your/my situation....so much is just so unfair....no matter how many pieces of the puzzle seem to fit....no matter how much you want to make it work....i keep asking myself how it ever can when all of her old friends and mine just pretend i am dead....so that means totally separate social lives....and things will will happen in that situation most of the time..........oompa
