So sorry to hear. I've been there myself to... not fun. My parents did end up shunning me. The only good that came out of it is that I don't have to deal with it any more.
darkl1ght3r
JoinedPosts by darkl1ght3r
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29
Not been on for AGES but need to rant
by billie jean ini've not used any boards for a long time because i felt i'd got what i needed from them and felt i needed to 'move on' for want of a better word.
i've just come back from staying at my j.w parents house for a few days (which was long enough) we don't usually bring the subject of 'it' up but the other night i got it all, the bile was out, they were on defensive mode, to the point of shouting, insulting me, telling me that they'll 'cut me off' if they find out i'm apostate, then laughing at me and causing me to actualy feel worthless it was unreal.
i told them i'm an atheist and tried to tell them what the 'truth' does and what it really is but i got absolutely nowhere.
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20
More Quotes in the WT from Supposedly Rank and File bros and sisters?
by youngapostate ini've noticed that lately (maybe as of a year ago or so) there have been personal quotations in every single study article.
it seems a brother or sister always sends in the exact quotation that would fit perfectly into an article.
has anyone else noticed this?.
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darkl1ght3r
What I've always found interesting about those quotes is that they're always presented in that same trademark bland vocabulary and dry sentence structure that every publication is written in. This can only mean three things...
1. The quotes are complete fabrications.
2. The quotes are genuine but heavily 'edited' for content.
3. Some members really are that brainwashed that they talk like a Watchtower.
I think the truth is probably a mixture of all three.
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70
What Must an Angel Do To Repent?
by cameo-d inhas wt published literature implying that angels might repent and be forgiven?.
we all know that god does not accept a simple "i'm sorry.".
first of all, god requires two witnesses; then, an investigation asking all your friends and neighbors if the gossip is true.
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darkl1ght3r
I'm prettty sure you're right that they did... but that was back in the Russell/Rutherford era. The "new light" on the matter is what I posted. I always remembered that point because I made a mistake of saying that they could repent in a comment I made when I was a young teenager. "Oh oh oh!!! a kid made a doctrinal error!!! Let's counsel the sh!t out of him!!!"
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70
What Must an Angel Do To Repent?
by cameo-d inhas wt published literature implying that angels might repent and be forgiven?.
we all know that god does not accept a simple "i'm sorry.".
first of all, god requires two witnesses; then, an investigation asking all your friends and neighbors if the gossip is true.
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darkl1ght3r
In JW mythology, angels do not have the option to repent for the same reason Adam and Eve did not... because they're already perfect. When a perfect being sins, it is a sin of willful disobedience and not one due to weakness or imperfection.
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18
What Makes Blood Sacred?
by cameo-d inand don't give me that parrot phrase "the life is in the blood.".
that tells me nothing.. of course, life is in the blood because if you don't have blood you would not be alive.. .
what i want to know is what makes your blood any more sacred or special than mine?.
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darkl1ght3r
There is nothing sacred about blood. It is merely a heterogeneous mixture of various compounds and cells that is necessary to nourish and sustain complex animal life. It is logically no more 'sacred' than urine. Actual Life is the only thing that can, for good reason, be described as 'sacred'. Blood has become such because of it's symbolic and superficial connection to life and death. Urine is equally important to life, it merely serves a different function. If the body had no way to expel toxins, they would eventually build up and the body would essentilly die of poisoning. If blood is venerated as sacred because of its necessity to life, then so should we venerate urine. Yet, urine gets deemed 'icky', and blood 'sacred'.
Anyway, blood, at some point in man's history became symbolic of life. Probably because when an animal or human receives a fatal wound, blood pours out of it, and death ensues. Therefore, the loss of massive abounts of blood = death, and by logical extension: blood = life. Hold onto your blood, hold onto your life.
Enough of my rant and more to the point... Blood transfusions are ironically temporary. Eventually those cells and compounds in the transfusion are replaced by those that have been produced by your own body. So given a certain period of time, your blood is once again "pure" as the OP put it.
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48
Out of the Closet
by darkl1ght3r inhi everyone... you might remember me from the username 'darklighter' ... if you don't, no big.
i used to post on here about a year ago.
i was stuck inside the watchtower corporation, with everone around me still believing.
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darkl1ght3r
Thanks everyone for the comments and support. A few comments on some of the posts...
Wobble – I’m not so sure my family will ever come around as they’re HARD CORE, although I’ll never give up hoping. And yes, I plan to post a lot of my research. I have a huge stack at home that I hope could be used to help others get out. And I’ll probably post the thought process I went through of finding out that the Org. isn’t what it claims to be.
Black Sheep – I’m sorry to hear about your situation… Yeah, I’m not sure what kind of mental/emotional state I’d be in without them. But I’m a survivor, I’d probably be OK in the long run, but I sure am glad they’re there.
Oompa – I wouldn’t describe it as guts as much as I felt I didn’t have a choice. Something in my brain forced me to go all or nothing. I had to completely fake it or get out for good. I couldn’t stomach the former so I chose the latter.
And the loss? I went through a period where I was in a state of panic and emotional turmoil all-day-every-day for about a month. I’d be ok one minute and then crash into depression the next. The pain and panic slowly eased, and I guess I’ve just reached a kind of peaceful acceptance. My rational mind got me through it. I just kept reminding myself, “Yeah this sucks but what can you do about it? Are you gonna go back in and pretend to believe? You’ll be more miserable than you are now because YOU KNOW it’s not the truth! Buck up and get on with your life!” I’ve always been pretty good about not stressing over things that are beyond my control (NOT a typical JW trait). I have my father to thank for that. I think about my family all the time but I’m not depressed about it anymore. I’ve kept myself busy, I try to make new friends (not easy for me believe it or not), I’m busy in my work and school, I exercise a lot (great stress reliever), and I explore hobbies that weren’t available while I was in (I love Muay Thai and MMA training).
Awildflower – Calender??? What’s that?
Sweet Pea – Thanks and yeah, let me know if there’s ever an ex-jw get together or something in my area. I’d love to meet a few more fellow ex-JWs.
Bluecanary – Ummmm… thanks? Lol
Quandry – Actually I started going back to school while I was in, and it was a class on Expository Composition and constructing a logical argument that got the ball rolling on my exit (see they’re right… college is bad… for the cult any way. Anything that gets people thinking). I realized no one who writes for the WT has ever taken that or a similar class. They break all the rules of a rational debate. They can get away with it (sort of) because the members are sufficiently controlled to the point where they only get to hear one side. I remember one section in the textbook (I loved that book) that had a list of logical fallacies to avoid when constructing a convincing argument. It read like a generic outline for damn near everything I’ve ever read from the “F&DS”. Blew my mind.
Happyexjw – Yeah, I kick myself because I’m like, “I’m almost 30! What took me so long to figure it out?!?!” But then I realize that such thinking is pointless, because I could’ve been 40, or 50, or 60. I need to just be thankful I figured it out when I did. I just need to move on, and be happy.
Palmtree67 – I’m sorry… it breaks my heart when I think about how difficult my exit was, and how some people had/have it much much worse than I. I don’t believe the Organization to be inherently or intentionally evil, but it is evil for the simple reason that it is so adept at destroying lives and families. I know for a fact that the “tears of grief” that have resulted from association with this organization far outnumber the “tears of joy” that it claims to inspire.
H4O – Good to see you too! I really valued your input back while I was still trapped. Thanks.
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48
Out of the Closet
by darkl1ght3r inhi everyone... you might remember me from the username 'darklighter' ... if you don't, no big.
i used to post on here about a year ago.
i was stuck inside the watchtower corporation, with everone around me still believing.
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darkl1ght3r
jwfacts - Sure, I don't mind at all... although there really isn't much there. And btw... you've got a great site. It was a wonderful resource through out my deconversion.
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48
Out of the Closet
by darkl1ght3r inhi everyone... you might remember me from the username 'darklighter' ... if you don't, no big.
i used to post on here about a year ago.
i was stuck inside the watchtower corporation, with everone around me still believing.
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darkl1ght3r
Pope - It's at the LA zoo. I think it's a baby giraffe. You know... mini versions of adults. :)
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48
Out of the Closet
by darkl1ght3r inhi everyone... you might remember me from the username 'darklighter' ... if you don't, no big.
i used to post on here about a year ago.
i was stuck inside the watchtower corporation, with everone around me still believing.
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darkl1ght3r
Hi everyone... you might remember me from the username 'Darklighter' ... if you don't, no big. I used to post on here about a year ago. I was stuck inside the Watchtower Corporation, with everone around me still believing. I was a Reg. Pioneer and a Ministerial Servant. But I knew too much. I knew the truth about "The Truth" I spent coutless hours researching scripture and the publications, as well as science, history and textual criticism. So I was faced with the dillemma of living a lie or losing my family. One thing my parents and the WT taught me was to make a stand for truth, in spite of the consequences. So thats what I did. When faced with those inevitable questions...
"Do you still want to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses?"
Not if it means that I have to preach things as "truth" to people when i know for a fact they are false.
"Was that a no?"
I guess it was.
"Do you believe that the Governing Body is God's sole channel of communication on earth?"
Why would I? Theres no evidence for it.
I was disfellowshipped in September of last year. My wife left me, and my parents, brother, and life long friends have turned their backs on me. Those are their decisions and they're beyond my control. So although I miss them deeply, I've moved on and accepted what I cannot change. I've spent the time since then trying to make sense of my life without the cult. It's going slowly but surely. Meanwhile, the non-JW side of my family (whom I had previously shunned needlessly) have welcomed me with open arms. Many of them are Christian. They know I don't believe. But they don't hold it against me. They associate with me regardless. They understand I've just been through hell and back. They love me. Unconditionally. They don't just pay lip service to the word, unlike that cold mechanical monster of an organization. They love me for the simple fact that I am 'me', and that I am family.
Anyway... life is good. Life is BETTER outside of the organization. I wish all Witnesses had the courage to put down their Watchtowers and anti-depressants, and start to live life.
My name is Benjamin Spencer, I'm 29 years old and I've been branded an apostate by Watchtower Inc. WOOOOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!
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13
Literature found in dumpster - does it not warm your heart?
by kurtbethel infrom jw proclaimers yahoo group.
the man should be ashamed for sending it to a landfill.
a responsible person would recycle all those dead trees.. ------------------------------------------.
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darkl1ght3r
I found an Awake on the ground while I was on my run the other day. My mind instantly flashed to a memory of one of those uncorroberated fantasy stories they tell at the conventions about how a single tract found in the garbage led to an entire family joining the cult. Although I would like to have faith in humanity that people just arn't gullable enough to fall for such tripe anymore, I know better. So I grabbed it, and carried it home so I could rip it to shreads and give it a proper disposal.