Fernando

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Posts by Fernando

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  47

  Just got off the elevator with Anthony Morris

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at the international convention here i just got off the elevator with anthony morris.

  he was heading to the basement and i was heading up to administration.

  i rode one floor down with him before i went up to my destination.

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  Fernando

  A bit of a conundrum if you despise the ʽam-ha·ʼa′rets (dumb sheeple) but need their praise and worship.
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  6

  What are the phases on a cult exit journey?

  by Fernando in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for reasons i am still trying to fully understand and explain i was not able to properly pinpoint, identify and name the phases of my cult exit journey as i was going through them.

  now i feel the need to even more.. some phases that came to mind this morning for me:.

  identity crisis (who am i, what do i believe).

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  Fernando

  For reasons I am still trying to fully understand and explain I was not able to properly pinpoint, identify and name the phases of my cult exit journey as I was going through them. Now I feel the need to even more.

  Some phases that came to mind this morning for me:

  • identity crisis (who am I, what do I believe)

  • consolidation (merging of my thoughts as they became clearer)

  • integration (joining of the dots)

  • wholeness (a cohesive and complete picture emerges)

  What helped me most in getting through each phase was:

  • Psychologists with personal cult exit experience, psychotherapy, CBT, EMDRAA

  • workshops with ex-members of other cults

  • voracious and relentless reading/writing/speaking/meditating

  • socialising (both face-to-face and over the internet)

  Can you share and explain your perspectives, and list some of the phases you have experienced or read about, and maybe what helped you along the way?
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  47

  Just got off the elevator with Anthony Morris

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at the international convention here i just got off the elevator with anthony morris.

  he was heading to the basement and i was heading up to administration.

  i rode one floor down with him before i went up to my destination.

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  Fernando

  What led us to idolise the Pharisees and Sanhedrin?

  What were we thinking when we believed meeting one of these apostates was the closest any of us would ever get to God?
• 
  36

  ?? Question for those that have successfully faded/are out:

  by Darth Fader The Sequel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  question: can any of you that have successfully faded out of the jw world without being df'd or da'd relate to me/us how you were able to maintain at least one or a few of your "still in" friends or family?

  (and even if you were df'd or da'd and still maintained some relationships, how did that go?).

  obviously, the truly demented, sick and twisted (and highly effective) policies and structure of the wtbt$ to set up a system by which anyone that chooses to no longer believe or participate must be treated as "mentally diseased" and a pariah by their own friends and family is the hands down, numero uno reason why many hundreds of thousands and possibly millions of jw's do not leave.

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  Fernando

  We avoid speaking against their idols (GB & Org & FDS & hierarchy).

  We focus instead on "the truth" of "the good news" in their own publications.
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  40

  Athiests: Do you ever wonder... what if?

  by toweragent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'll start by saying, i'm a ministerial servant who is trapped in the religion.

  my wife is hardcore...but i've slowly been getting her to lighten up, so i'll take it!

  all my friends and family are jw's, and i am employed by a jw (who is actually a great boss).

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  Fernando

  My journey started with a question I was asked: "what is the gospel in one word?"

  This led me from a RBNS (Religious But Not Spiritual) orientation to a SBNR (Spiritual But Not Religious) orientation.

  A radical transformation and awakening.

  Yes, there is still a lot of mystery and wonder.

  But for me, no other framework is as whole, comprehensive, unified, satisfying, validating and scientific.
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  12

  Just wondering

  by ducatijoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i am new to this site.. i have left the organization of my own accord.

  and doing very well.. why do those of you who are still active, if you are on this site, still attend?.

  it is no differance to me... i am just wondering why.... .

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  Fernando

  I've been unable to go anywhere near an apostate Watchtower Kingdom Hall since walking out mid-2009.

  I would find the mindless deception and "pointless" busy-ness way too sickening.
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  22

  Just asked for a bible study on jw.org

  by trujw in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my name was false prophet.

  my address was october 1968 awake is it later than you think.

  my town was this generation will by no means pass away may 15, 1984. to be honest i am going to request again but this time with my real name and address.

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  Fernando

  Hey truejw!

  One of your posts made me curious as to whether you've posted your story, and what has happened to your wife.

  No worries if you're not ready to share yet.
• 
  80

  My Experience and how I finally let myself see the truth

  by OneEyedJoe in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  first off - for those lurkers who feel guilty just for being on this site and reading this (even if you don't read any further, as it is your right to choose that course) i want you to know that you're not alone in what you're going through or in what you are feeling.

  if you read on, i hope my experience may be of some small help to you.. this may be long, but i'll try to organize it in a way that doesn't make it painful to read.

  to start, i feel it is most beneficial if i'm upfront and honest with my goals from posting this, which are (in order of the degree to which they motivated me):.

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  Fernando

  I do feel for you OEJ in that it sounds as if ultimately your reasons for leaving the cult will be very different.

  So helping her is a real challenge since she may feel very threatened by what you easily embrace.

  Yet I do believe you can eventually have a great marriage and partnership post-cult, and find great peace in very different yet non-fundamentalist beliefs, perspectives and approaches.
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  40

  Silence after stating my confusion about "144,000"

  by tidalblitz in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the other night, i was told about a question that a friend's bible study had asked them.

  the bible study asked: "if jesus is perfect, why does he need the 144,000 to help him rule?

  " this friend does not know how to answer this question.

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  Fernando

  "This concept of 2 different rewards based on the arbitrary criteria of when I was born always seemed stupid to me."

  Quite a profound point, tidalblitz.

  ---

  (Ephesians 4:4-6) ". . .One body there is,

  and one spirit,

  even as YOU were called in the one hope to which YOU were called;

  one Lord,

  one faith,

  one baptism;

  one God and Father of all [persons],

  who is over all and through all and in all."
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  29

  Article on self-righteousness written by one of the conscious-class?

  by Fernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  this article seems to read as if written by someone who is at least half awake.. your thoughts?.

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  Fernando

  "Family worship" Bye bye birdie.

  Very interesting point and description Vidiot.

  I wonder if it is fair to say that under such circumstances as you have described, normal persons would eventually experience a psychotic break, whereas Watchtower hardliners instead hide, cultivate and project their destructive toxicity, insanity and dysfunction?