Posts by Gopher

4

Another Dumb "Awake" (6/08/01)

by metatron in

jw
friends

yes, another dumb, deceptive, biased "awake" magazine.. on the subjects of health and aging, the awake is becoming.

more and more desperate.

science is threatening to create miracles.

Gopher

Metatron,

Thanks for the post. Good takes on the most recent theo-propaganda.

You have to love some of their wording. "Not everyone is convinced" about gene therapy. Since when does an idea's popularity have anything to do with its trueness or usefulness? Later developments often change people's minds anyhow.

Another quote "These centenarians.... WOULD SIMPLY become weaker...". If the Awake science writers say something is simple, they probably want you to look past something really good.

I guess we're just supposed to wait around for "the Kingdom" to do everything for us. LOL Forget about "God helping those who help themselves".

Gopher

22

Dominance, Control = Kingdom? .....NOT!

by jst2laws in

jw
friends

now jehovah is the spirit; and where the spirit of jehovah is, there is freedom 2 corinthians 3:17. i see a common attitude in ex-jws that i at one time would have said see, thats the way apostates are.

it is the mutual resentment of being controlled.

some might find this to be normal considering the abuse of authority most have survived.

Gopher

Jst2,

Thanks for a thought-provoking post. These issues are exactly what keep me from going back to the organization.

Rather than being ruled by love, the WTS organization is ruled by self-preservation, ruthless efficiency, while showing a 'veneer' of love and joy that they claim mark the 'brotherhood'.

Looking at the larger picture, my experiences with the organization have compelled me to distrust all large religious organizations. Seemingly, once they reach a certain size, then rule-making becomes prominent to keep the membership together. Of course I haven't investigated ALL religions to certify my above-stated belief. I don't have the time or stomach to do that.

I appreciated your citation of Matthew 11:28-30. I now feel that invitation to be Christlike more personally more than I ever did within the confines of the man-made organization.

Gopher

7

support group in MN area...

by AuSet in

jw
friends

hi everyone!.

i am in the beginning stages of starting a support group in the mn area and would like help from others who have expertise in this area, or from those interested in attending/joining.... thanks, annette

Gopher

SF Jim, thanks for the post & the invite. Hopefully the weather will be bright and clear for the conference here. (It really doesn't snow here in August, LOL.)

Gopher

3

Is there life after JW?

by chrisauld in

jw
friends

hi everyone, i'm new to this whole internet thing, i always thought that the internet was 'wrong', i guess.

i was just wandering if anyone else was finding it hard to get on in life after deciding that jw's are not the 'truth'.

does anyone else feel the struggle to find a substitute?

Gopher

Hi Chris,

The struggle you feel is common, I think. (It has been true for me.) I too was brought up in the organization from youth on up.

Each person has to struggle with what is logical, what is real. By posting here and being open to new ideas, many have received new input into their thought process, so that by using the "freedom of thought" you alluded to, they arrive at their truth.

Some abandon belief in God wholly or part-ways. Others choose to continue such a belief, in a modified form. Actually what we have out here represents a vocal cross-section of society as a whole.

I don't need you believe a "whole substitute". If you choose to continue to believe in God, you may take the basic things from the Bible (Jesus, love, the hope of salvation) as your foundation, and then add to it ideas developed later from personal research or interaction with others.

I have come to believe that any religious structure, once it reaches a certain size, becomes of necessity rigid, ruled by law rather than by love, as Christ would have wanted. Having left one religious structure, why seek another?

Best wishes
Gopher

2

False prophets

by chrisauld in

jw
friends

hi, i can't remember what scripture it is, but, somewhere it warns of false prophets, there's probably loads of examples.

anyway, jw's are false prophets like the rest of them.

all the predictions for the end of the world never came true.

Gopher

Chris,

Welcome to the board! This topic has come up a few times before on the forum, but is way down in the archives somewhere by now. So it's okay that you brought it back to the top! It's good to have another one who's willing to post their thoughts, ideas out here. It can be part of the process of "moving on" from slavery into freedom!

The inaccurate WTS prophecies all came about from their selfish desires to attract attention to the organization and its work, thus increasing their membership numbers, their publication distribution, their wealth, their control. When certain things didn't come to pass, they invented new explanations and blamed the rank and file for being too eager to accept old explanations!

You said "JW's are false prophets like the rest of them." In defense of the "rest of them", I'd say very few of the major religions have a record of trying to lure recruits with end-of-world prophecies. Those religions may have their other faults, but false end-of-world prophesying is not a universal trait. Just for a few, like the group we formerly belonged to.

Best wishes on your journey to freedom. Look forward to more of your posts & replies!

Gopher

14

hello everyone

by shorty in

hi everyone well i have actually been in the chat room lots but this the first actual time i posted there isnt much to my story io am still a witness although it has been hard at times.

my dad and my step-mom are in the truth but i live with my real mom who is disfellowshiped.

i keep going to the meetings.

Gopher

Julie,

Welcome! We love you right back. I'm glad to see you out here, and hope it continues to be an enjoyable learning experience for you. Hey it was for someone even as old as me, LOL!

Gopher

9

STANLEY CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE

by Seven in

1 fri., april 13 toronto at ottawa cbc, espn, src 7 p.m. et .

2 sat., april 14 toronto at ottawa cbc, espn, src 7 p.m. et .

3 mon., april 16 ottawa at toronto cbc, src, espn (b-net) 7 p.m. et .

Gopher

Hey everyone,

So on this board we have big fans for the following winning teams:

New Jersey Devils....Stephenw20
Toronto Maple Leafs....Kismet and Moxy
Pittsburgh Penguins....Sevenofnine
Buffalo Sabres...Cygnus

What about the Western Conference? Any fans of L.A., Colorado, St.Louis or Dallas? (I know aChristian's Red Wings were shown the exit door early.)

Gopher (whose Minnesota Wild will be in the playoffs around 2003)

20

Is Singleness a Blessing? Sometimes

by wasasister in

jw
friends

this post is rather personal, but it may help those who lurk, so if you will all please bear with me?.

not long ago, i visited the town where i grew up, got baptized and married, gave birth to both my daughters.

its a smallish town and among the witness population, everyone knows everyone.

Gopher

Wasasister,

Thanks for "daring to post" your story. It sounds like life is slowly creeping back into your soul! That's great!

You said:

Don’t ever stay in a relationship because you feel you have no choices.

I would say your advice also can apply to men in a sense. (Disclaimer: I know it's a little different, perhaps easier, for men going out on their own.)

I was pushed out of the organization and out of a marriage (currently I am separated), and things seemed beyond hope. In addition I was struck down by arthritis, which has made independent living quite a challenge.

So like you, I felt very much alone, with only my sister to help at first. I've begun making new friends by re-discovering a few childhood friends, some ex-JW's, some not. It is a very gradual, but rewarding process.

Then this board came along and sped up my healing process. I've made multiple friends and acquaintances out here, including you and your sister, and everyone has nudged me along my new life path.

I believe that after a short time of adjustment to new circumstances, that those of us thrust into a new situation can adapt and indeed learn to be happy in any new-found freedom. We just need to believe that freedom can be ours, and not feel unworthy to have it.

Gopher

11

3 ways to live forever

by jimmyjames in

jw
friends

#1. become a baptized, dedicated member of the jehovah's witness organization.

use every opportunity available to convince other people to join.

attend local meetings and follow the organization's rules and reccomendations in your daily life.

Gopher

Jimmy,

Great post! I feel like I am a panelist on the TV game show "To Tell the Truth", where only ONE contestant is who he/she claims to be, and the other two are imposters. Your job is to figure out who is who.

Applying that method, I would say #1 and #2 would hurt way too much. And waiting around for Armageddon or medical science, could take hundreds of lifetimes. Even though #3 requires more thinking and humanity, I would vote for #3 as the "real deal".

Will the "real way to live forever", please stand up?

Gopher

7

support group in MN area...

by AuSet in

jw
friends

hi everyone!.

i am in the beginning stages of starting a support group in the mn area and would like help from others who have expertise in this area, or from those interested in attending/joining.... thanks, annette

Gopher

AuSet,

I didn't read the posts yesterday, and look what I missed. I am in the west suburban Minneapolis area, and know of 1 or 2 who might have some interest. Harmony & I recently had a mini-gathering as well; perhaps you read my post "apostates night out".

You can e-mail me ( [email protected]).

Gopher