Posts by truth_b

18

Striving for more

by punkofnice in

i hate my life!

i have to say it, but i do.. i have a sneaking suspicion that because i was raised in the dangerous jehovah borgness cult, that this is the reason.

i was told if god didn't watch me masturbating or smoking, then he'd let me live forever in perfect conditions.. i left the borg and as a result my jw wife left me and re-married another gung ho jobo.

truth_b_known

PunkofNice:

I can relate to a lot of what you are going through. I think of what Dr. Viktor Frankl wrote about in his book Mankind's Search for Meaning. Frankl goes into the idea of people suffering from an existential vacuum in their lives. Frankl theorizes that humans don't ache for happiness, but rather desire meaning.

The writings of philosopher Alan Watts and the teachings of Buddhism are got me out of the dark, black hole I was in. Buddhism is nothing more than the first psychological analysis of the human experience and a means to end suffering. It is not a religion with commandments, gods, devils, heaven or hell. It is a liberation of the mind.

Life is just about experiencing existence. The brain traps us in resenting the past or worrying about the future. The only time we live is in the now. Live in the now. Try to make the world or someone's life a little better each day.

The more we accept what people label as "bad" the greater the experience of what those same people label as "good". Instead society has us chasing after pleasure and running away from pain. It's like watching patients in a mental hospital trying to fly by lifting at their shoes laces or escape their shadows.

7

Hello

by allieoakley in

jw
friends

it's nice to meet you all.

i have been awake since i was a child and i am thinking about leaving jehovahs witnesses soon.

i am looking for some new friends because i know i will lose the ones i have.. my question is, how did your spouse react when you left?

truth_b_known

TBK; How would you advice someone who had woken up and now found themselves in this situation?
I think it would help those in such a situation.

My thought initially has to deal with the age of the child. In the OP it is mentioned her child is a toddler. When the children are pre-school aged it is not as big of a deal as once they are old enough to start school. One of my children in first grade when I completely stopped being a Witness. The next school year (2nd grade) he was fully involved in all activities. He doesn't even remember much of life as a Witness. He knows we were Witnesses and can't remember any more. My youngest just started high school. He just learned we used to be Witnesses for the first time last week.

It becomes an issue once the child starts forming lasting memories (around 5) and starts to be social with children (usually at school). This is where I would recommend the parent who is no longer a Witness to take the following approach with the parent who is still a Witness -

You may take the child to the meetings, assemblies, conventions, and field service. I will even help get our child ready.
Once our child gets old enough to start making some decisions on his/her own, let our child decide what he/she will participate in. Encourage your child to go to the meetings from time to time. It is still an opportunity to spend time with his/her father and bond.
If our child has questions we both will answer what we believe the answer is. If our answers are contradictory we will simply let our child know that most people do not agree on everything, but they still love one another. Teach the child it is important to respect people regardless of their beliefs. Let the child know they have the freedom to find out for themselves life's answers.
Remind the Witness spouse that many Jehovah's Witnesses were raised around the religion, but chose to be a Witness as an adult. Ask - "Would you rather our child to choose to worship Jehovah as an adult using his/her own freewill or would you rather force your beliefs on our child, possibly making him/her resent the religion?"

I remember my last Memorial. My wife refused to go. One of our children was pleading to go. My wife approved of me going and taking our children. It was during that very Memorial that I realized that Jehovah's Witnesses did not have "The Truth". The next day I visited this website for the first time.

16

Increase = Jehovah’s Blessing?

by Reservations in

i’ve been trying to find any recent quotes that say the increase in witnesses every year is evidence of jehovah’s blessing on the organisation.. i know the ready made excuse if there is a decrease is “love of greater number will cool off”….

after splanes talk i can feel a significant decrease coming..

truth_b_known

An increase in membership cannot be proof of Jehovah's blessing. It goes contrary to freewill. A "blessing" is direct intervention from a god.

To say an increase in Jehovah's Witnesses' number of publishers is a blessing is saying that Jehovah directly caused non-Witnesses to chose to serve him.

7

Hello

by allieoakley in

jw
friends

it's nice to meet you all.

i have been awake since i was a child and i am thinking about leaving jehovahs witnesses soon.

i am looking for some new friends because i know i will lose the ones i have.. my question is, how did your spouse react when you left?

truth_b_known

It was my wife who left first. I wasn't too far behind. The most important piece of advice is to express something to your spouse like the following -

A person's spiritual path is a personal choice.
I do not wish to interfere with your choice.
I will not do anything to prevent your from following your path.
I will not say anything to discourage you from your path.
I won't even express why I have chosen a different path unless you expressly request that information.
I support you and whatever path you chose.

Offer to help your spouse to get to meetings, assemblies, conventions, etc. If your spouse wishes to share something he has recently learned by a kind listener. Never argue or debate what is shared.

This biggest conflict will be over your child. How will your child be raised? Will you agree to allow your child to attend meetings with your husband? Will you allow your child to be indoctrinated with Watchtower literature? Will you agree to go along with your husband's wishes that your child not participate in holidays, birthdays, or associate with children that are not Witnesses?

43

On the current migrant crisis

by LoveUniHateExams in

thousands of migrants have come to england this year, already beating last year's total.. some may have fled syria and other war-torn countries; others are economic migrants.. let me try to get my head around this phenomenon: migrants are relatively safe in france and other countries.

they then leave the relative safety of continental europe and risk their lives and that of their children by crossing the english channel in rubber dinghies.

there's just no fixing stupid, is there .

truth_b_known

Phizzy -

An asylum seeker would make contact with government officials at the border. So, yes, it would mean they would have to enter the country first. It does seem hard to enter the U.K. that way without using a boat/watercraft as the U.K. is an set of island nations.

As far as how 20,000 refugees per year being a "migrant crisis" I do not know. What is a migrant crisis? How many does it take or is it a matter of having enough tax payer funder resources to hand? I don't know. It is usually the second part of the question that stirs up the hornets nest.

I am speaking in broad terms, but a lot of the issues in the Middle East are as a direct result of U.K. meddling. Specifically the promise England made to both Jews and Arabs living in Palestine they would be given sovereign nations if they helped overthrow the Ottoman Empire back in WWI. Not all refugees are from the Middle East. Many are.

What it all boils down to is whether or not major, economically thriving nations are going to be World Police or the World's Motel 6 or both. I think the people of Earth have a lot of war fatigue. So if first world nations won't send their children to die in foreign lands to bring stability I guess those same nations will be importing refugees from those part of the Earth. The real issue is the tax payers in those first world countries are saying "Not my circus. Not my monkey." Another way of saying that is "It's their country. Let them fix it." Yet another way of saying it is, "Let them die."

These countries in conflict have super corrupt governments. They export their poor to the U.S., the U.K., etc. and then take billions in handouts from these same countries. I see only 2 solutions -

1. Send in the Marines. Let the first world nations obliterate these corrupt governments and occupy these countries until the locals get it right and fix it.

2. Take the refugees, but cut off all aid. Who is coming from these countries? Old people? No! It is young able bodied people. These countries are in danger of extinction because their citizens of child bearing years are coming to the U.S., the U.K., etc.

I am not advocate of war. #2 sounds like the better solution. I do realize the financial strain on countries will be huge, but it sure beat sacrificing our kids on the alter of war.

43

On the current migrant crisis

by LoveUniHateExams in

thousands of migrants have come to england this year, already beating last year's total.. some may have fled syria and other war-torn countries; others are economic migrants.. let me try to get my head around this phenomenon: migrants are relatively safe in france and other countries.

they then leave the relative safety of continental europe and risk their lives and that of their children by crossing the english channel in rubber dinghies.

there's just no fixing stupid, is there .

truth_b_known

#2 - People are not "illegal". However, it is a crime to enter a country without getting permission first.

#3 - Under international law a person fleeing their home country to seek asylum must to do by requesting it from the first nation they enter from their home nation. If I flee my home country of the United States, cross through Mexico, and enter Guatemala I may request asylum from Guatemala, but it is under no legal requirement to grant it to me. Mexico would be.

If a Syrian refugee flees to France and is granted asylum that is great. However, once in France that refugee cannot cross the channel into England with an expectation of being granted asylum there as well. At that point England could enforce their laws as a sovereign nation. At that point the refugee would be a criminal alien and subject to deportation or whatever England does under those circumstances.

I bring this all up not as a moral discussion of "right and wrong," but as an explanation of the law. Right and wrong don't always fit into the box of legal and illegal.

13

A little off topic... I'll be moving...

by Expanded-Mind in

jw
friends

i'd appreciate getting some opinions about a decision i will shortly have to make.. i am moving soon and have the choice of two different apartments in two different towns.

i am hoping this move will be one of the last that i have to make - i have moved frequently in my life - at least for a long, long while.. the apartment i like the least is in a town and a location that i love due to my history with, and connection to the area.

the apartment i love is in a town and location i am not as crazy about, but it is still a really nice area.

truth_b_known

How much time do you stay at home? Do you tend to keep to yourself? The answers to those questions may help.

I would rather live somewhere that I can be active outside my place of dwelling. The more I am outdoors the happier I am.

43

On the current migrant crisis

by LoveUniHateExams in

thousands of migrants have come to england this year, already beating last year's total.. some may have fled syria and other war-torn countries; others are economic migrants.. let me try to get my head around this phenomenon: migrants are relatively safe in france and other countries.

they then leave the relative safety of continental europe and risk their lives and that of their children by crossing the english channel in rubber dinghies.

there's just no fixing stupid, is there .

truth_b_known

Can you explain what this crisis is that you refer to? As Phizzy alluded to, during a worldwide pandemic inequality has widened, and jobs, housing, and even healthcare have become more insecure. Not to mention the extreme weather due to climate change. Are these not the most pressing crises we face?

Inequality of income is a concept used to cause division. It is not a matter of "haves and have nots" as it is a matter of "haves and have mores". We have been programmed to be consumers. We have been tricked into judging ourselves or others by the amount and quality of "stuff" we have. We have been lied to with the concept that happiness is found externally by possessing something.

The concept of healthcare and healthcare being a right is a set of blinders. If people in modern societies practices healthy eating habits (healthy food and less food) and daily exercise a tremendous amount of people would need to seek less healthcare. Instead people gorge on meat, processed carbohydrates, fat, sugar, and salt. Then they sit all day long looking at either a tiny screen (smart phone) or a giant screen (tv). COVID-19 isn't killing people - obesity is killing people. Being obese and contracting COVID-19 is a death sentence.

Climate change is real. About 15,000 years ago the planet Earth was covered in ice. There are areas of the planet that were frozen for centuries that are just now thawing out. What do we find? Perfectly preserved mammoth carcasses that were flash frozen while grazing. Should be care for the planet and nature? Absolutely! Should climate change be a tool for wealth redistribution? No. There is a word for that - stealing.

Poverty is not our problem. Our problem is what our concept of what poverty is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRk9WTRp_3Y

Do not let Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt divide us.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09maaUaRT4M

18

Catholicism and Orthodoxy- 2000 yrs of experience

by Powermetal4ever in

alright this has been in my brain lately: both catholic church and the orthodox church has been around for about 2000 years, shouldn't they know how to practice christendom correctly by now?

jw hasn't even been around for 200 years and yet they say they do it right.

so silly of them.

truth_b_known

Saved by grace through faith. It just doesn't get any easier than that. Christianity is about doing less from your own volition, not more.

Martin Luther is the one that came up with this teaching. That is why Luther wanted books of the Bible to be removed. One of the books Luther wanted removed was the Book of James. Why?

"As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead." - James 2:26 NIV

The Vatican removed 14 books from the Bible in 1648.

Luther made an attempt to remove the books of Hebrews, James, Jude and Revelation from the canon (notably, he perceived them to go against certain Protestant doctrines such as sola gratia and sola fide).

So, I do agree with the notion that Jesus taught that life - it's not about you. Life is about connecting and helping others. Salvation is a sticky subject. Salvation from what?

When it comes to the Bible never changing - it's changed several times over the centuries. That is not necessarily a bad thing. I believe the future of Christianity, if it is to have a future, is Integral Christianity. The mark of a person's advancement in a spiritual path is when their focus shifts from salvation to showing gratitude.

As I told a good friend - I am not a Christian. I am a follower of Christ and The Way (as Christianity was first known). What I find interesting now is that the phrase "The Way" translated into Mandarin is "Tao" as in Taoism. People who focus on salvation live a life full of fear and anxiety. People who focus on living in harmony with others and nature live a life of peace and happiness.

If the teachings of Jesus are your path, that is good! You have chosen a path. No one can choose your path for you. Now start on the path and don't stop. There are only 2 reasons people fail to reach the top of the mountain - they never start and the stop because it gets difficult.

22

Don’t Trust the Courts! Splane’s Latest Anti-Apostate Talk

by StephaneLaliberte in

david splane’s talk “put up a hard fight for the faith” was that last talk presented on the saturday of the annual convention.

this talk was to largely address apostates and restated ideas and arguments often presented before.

however, this year, watchtower is spending more time in disqualifying negative findings originating from secular courts and here is the segment of interest here: .

truth_b_known

"Court cases are often handled by a jury. Now who are on the jury? Ordinary citizens with no legal training."

A few points on this quote.

Not all cases are decided by juries. The petitioner (the Plaintiff) in a civil suit I believe has the right to have the case heard by a jury or by the court (the Judge is decider of both law and fact). It is the reverse for criminal cases.

Jurors are not allowed to use their legal training if they have any. This is by design. It is the Judge's responsibility to make legal decisions (what evidence can and cannot be heard). It is the juries' responsibility to be the decider of fact (is the evidence credible or not and what is the weight of the evidence).

If the parties elect for a jury trial the first step is sitting a jury. This is a lengthy process. The purpose is to make sure no one on a jury presents any conflict of interest or is ineligible. Jurors must be unbiased toward the suit being heard and have no connection to the parties of the case.

The attorneys representing the Watchtower would make sure that no juror on a case they are defending is -

A current Jehovah's Witness
A former Jehovah's Witness
Related to a current or former Jehovah's Witness
Knows the Plaintiff
Knows about other cases involving the Watchtower

The attorneys are presented with a list of the jurors and their backgrounds. The Watchtower's attorney's could easily cross reference the list with publisher records to see if any of the perspective jurors are current or former Witnesses.

In addition, each side gets a number of "strikes". This allows an attorney to remove perspective jurors from the jury panel without cause. The attorney needs no legal argument. The person is just excused. No questions asked.

If the strikes from both sides and the persons struck for cause (there is a legal argument for the person not to be a juror) dwindles the pool down to less then the minimum number of jurors required this is called a "busted panel". A whole new jury panel has to be brought in. Keep in mind that jury panels range from 50 to 200 people in most cases.

The point I am getting at is Splane's accusation is highly misleading. In a sense Splane is saying that the Watchtower's attorneys are incompetent legal counsel as the are allowing people to serve on a jury that have no business doing the job.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known