The reason I come here is not so much that I think I'm going to find the answer here. It's more that it's the only place I have to go where people have some idea of what I'm thinking about. I find it helpful to post a thought and get responses. I will stop coming here some day, but not yet.
paul from cleveland
JoinedPosts by paul from cleveland
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
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49
Is this our fate?
by paul from cleveland inis there fate?
if so, are we fated to be the bad evil slave?.
if the bible prophecies that there will be an 'evil slave that falls away and beats his fellow slaves because the master is delaying' doesn't that mean that someone has to fulfill that prophecy otherwise the prophecy would be false?
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paul from cleveland
I went to see the doctor yesterday. The only thing I was afraid of, before I went in, was that he might be a Jehovah's Witness and tell me something like: 'Of course your depressed! You left Jehovah!' Thankfully that didn't happen. The conversation went something like this:
I told him what I was thinking about. That I couldn't stop thinking about religious thoughts. That I think I've lost God's favor and... "Wait" he said, "you think you're going to hell, right?" "Something like that" I said. "That's very common thinking among people of all religions." he said "You can't take the words of Jesus literally. It's all allegory". I said "what about when Jesus talked about the broad road to destruction and the narrow road to life?. Doesn't that mean most people don't have God's favor and are going to die?" "That's not literal" he said "That's the destruction of your mind. Hell is a state of mind... the place you are right now." I said "I keep thinking I'm going to die at armageddon" he said "we're all going to face our own personal armageddons".
The conversation went on like this for quite awhile. I was kind of surprised because he's a psychiatrist, and I thought they were mainly about chemical imbalances and medications.
He didn't say whether he thought I was depressed or not. He didn't put me on an anti-depressant because he said sometimes it can make your thoughts of panic get worse. He's having me try a mood stabilizer instead. He also gave me a traquilizer.
I'm not convinced my thinking is flawed but I'll try this to see if it helps me from always being so down.
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
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paul from cleveland
AllTimeJeff, you said you didn't want to interfere with the journey I'm on but I want you to interfere. I want to change my thoughts because I'm in a dark place. There was security in the watchtower world view... for awhile, until I realized I couldn't make it work for me. That's what leads me to believe it may not be true... the truth should work for everyone, right? Going from thinking I knew the truth and having a hope to realizing I don't know anything and have no hope is terrifying for me. You've gone from a Gilead graduate and missionary to another place that's working for you. That is the direction I want to go too. Right now I don't feel like I'm on a journey but stuck in one place. I need another philosophy or mental framework to rebuild my life around. That's what I look for.
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49
Is this our fate?
by paul from cleveland inis there fate?
if so, are we fated to be the bad evil slave?.
if the bible prophecies that there will be an 'evil slave that falls away and beats his fellow slaves because the master is delaying' doesn't that mean that someone has to fulfill that prophecy otherwise the prophecy would be false?
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paul from cleveland
Hi Mouthy, Voideater, Kingdavidwasframed, Billy, Nathan, Ynot, Snowbird, linp24, Opus, Noni, flipper, beks, mad, leaving, xmks, PS,
Thank you for your interest in me. I feel much better knowing you're praying for me Mouthy. The doctors visit went well and I'll tell you about it when I get home from work today. He had some interesting views on the Bible too. (I just took a moment now to log-on here during my lunch break).
Kingdavidwasframed, you have some powerfully logical arguments. I've never thought of those points before. I like your father.
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
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paul from cleveland
The universal issue
Thats the JW big question
I didn't think of it but I can't think of a better explaination as to why the world is the way it is.
The universal issue: Whose right is it to rule (you)?
I can rule myself but in the end I'll still be dead. If it's possible to have life, I want it. If that means submitting to God, I'll gladly do it.
However, I really don't know what's true because the WT doctrine makes so much sense on paper but doesn't work in real life (for me).
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
-
-
paul from cleveland
Is it possible that you can decide for yourself
That is the so-called universal issue. Can man decide for himself what is right and wrong. I don't know that yet.
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
-
-
paul from cleveland
I don't believe any of us really knows what the truth is absolutely. Are we sure it's a lie? Who knows?
I was the happiest when I believed... until I realized that I didn't qualify.
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116
To Ex-JWs: Do You Regret Learning it Was a Lie?
by leavingwt inthis question was inspired by a question on another thread.
to the ex-jw community here,.
do any of you regret learning that wt is not god's organization?
-
-
paul from cleveland
I don't know what's worse. Believing that you have a wonderful future of living forever on a paradise earth or knowing the truth that all that awaits you is a cold dark grave.
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49
Is this our fate?
by paul from cleveland inis there fate?
if so, are we fated to be the bad evil slave?.
if the bible prophecies that there will be an 'evil slave that falls away and beats his fellow slaves because the master is delaying' doesn't that mean that someone has to fulfill that prophecy otherwise the prophecy would be false?
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paul from cleveland
Really Mouthy? You've been praying for me? Thank you very much!
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49
Is this our fate?
by paul from cleveland inis there fate?
if so, are we fated to be the bad evil slave?.
if the bible prophecies that there will be an 'evil slave that falls away and beats his fellow slaves because the master is delaying' doesn't that mean that someone has to fulfill that prophecy otherwise the prophecy would be false?
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paul from cleveland
thank you