I hear Ya. Some days are better than others to keep such a focus. Good analogy though.
jeremiah18:5-10
JoinedPosts by jeremiah18:5-10
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if i knew then what i know now....
by jeremiah18:5-10 inif you could go back and utilize the knowledge of ttatt that you have now, how would it have impacted your decisions?.
for me, i would've made some different choices.
i now see that my depression over losing my position in the congregation and watching what i perceived to be my entire world fall apart around me, left me highly susceptible to influence.
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if i knew then what i know now....
by jeremiah18:5-10 inif you could go back and utilize the knowledge of ttatt that you have now, how would it have impacted your decisions?.
for me, i would've made some different choices.
i now see that my depression over losing my position in the congregation and watching what i perceived to be my entire world fall apart around me, left me highly susceptible to influence.
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jeremiah18:5-10
If you could go back and utilize the knowledge of ttatt that you have now, how would it have impacted your decisions?
For me, I would've made some different choices. I now see that my depression over losing my position in the congregation and watching what I perceived to be my entire world fall apart around me, left me highly susceptible to influence. Thus I easily took up drinking and smoking. I felt I didn't have anything to live for anymore, so I threw all caution to the wind. I even compromised my wedding vows on multiple occasions.
Knowing what I do now, I would've embraced the free time I was just gifted. I would've made up for lost time with my wife and kids. I still wouldve made the friends I've made, but would not be as inclined to smoke and drink. Even if I had, I wouldn't have given the congregation authority over me. I so wish that i could've just faded and moved on as my wife did. I wish I had never given the elders the power to drag me to a judicial meeting.
With that being said, what ifs suck, and life can't be lived that way. I've made great moves since those early days. I moved on from a life of poverty as a janitor and jack of all trades, found a career, and now provide quite well for my family.
I've made some good, true, loyal, unconditional friends now and have a life with purpose. I just miss my family still in, mainly because they are forcibly removed from me, I'm not so sure I like them all that much, I just prefer to have a choice in the matter.
Anyway, just curious to hear about others who ponder the whatifs and if they would've done things differently, please share.
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The Astrodome DC's
by 5go ini sort of miss it.
though i am not missing the dc's, though i wish i could.(pun).
share you memories of the dc's held at the astrodome.. i alway sat in the grey sections.. i remember hearing about an attendant decking some one on the field during a baptism.
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jeremiah18:5-10
Went to many conventions there, including the international, was only 7-8 years old though. Got baptized there in 1987. Loved running around that place during pre-convention setups. I was, and still am, a big Astros fan. It was a dream come true to be on the field and in the dug out
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jeremiah18:5-10
Ex-elder from 1998-2005
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Survey: Who Here Believe In God/The Bible? Who Are Not Sure? Who Do Not Believe?
by minimus ini think there are many that still want to believe in a god but just aren't sure.. personally, do you believe in a god?.
are you a "spiritual" person?.
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jeremiah18:5-10
I'm finding myself becoming increasingly agnostic. I've stopped reading the bible, I haven't prayed in a long time, and I have trouble seeing a reason to do either at this point. I still ponder spiritual things and more than ever am intrigued by those with faith. Perhaps mine died due to lack of activity...
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help for a forum member
by jeremiah18:5-10 infrowned upon is a lurking member here.
he never posts, but actively reads.
he went home yesterday to attend a family wedding.
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jeremiah18:5-10
Thanks for the comments so far. I expect frowned upon will express his appreciation soon and hopefully his story. I think the actual wedding is today. Also his parents and family know he has doubts and has stopped attending, but hold out hope for him, thus the love bombarding, and intense pressure while they have him in a controlled environment.
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YOU WILL NEVER SEE THESE ACTS EVER MENTIONED IN A WATCHTOWER PUBLICATION
by steve2 infaking of hours in field service or dragging service time out by making coffee stops or driving for hours "between" household contacts are never frowned upon, let alone mentioned, in the publications.
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yet, in each congregation of jehovah's witnesses, to one degree or another, faking hours, padding time out with coffee stops and long journeys between opportunities to "witness" are endemic practices..
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jeremiah18:5-10
Years ago when I was pioneering, I got so sick and tired of hearing this older pioneer sister and my pioneering mother complaining about other pioneers and how they counted their time, that I decided to teach them a subtle lesson. At the time I was the school overseer and brought my stop watch with me in service with them. I kept visibly pulling it out, starting it and stopping it in between doors, at break, while the two of them went on a call, etc. Near the end of the day, that couldn't resist asking what I was doing. So I said, I was moved by their insistence on accuracy and decided I should honor the "grand timekeeper" by being as accurate as possible with my time. We were out from 9am to 4pm andby the end of the day iI had only recorded 3 hrs and 43 minutes. They backed up and began teltelling me that surely I could count more than that, Jehovah doesn't have a stop watch, etc. Lesson learned, I didn't hear that conversation again.
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First Post - Introduction
by Syme inthis is my first post on jwn, and i would like to take a few lines to introduce myself.. i currently am still in the organization, though my conviction in the last 1-2 years is more or less agnostic/atheist (closer to atheist).
i am an ex-elder and mts graduate, having served in another 3 congregations, apart from my home one.. the reason for the above-mentioned conviction shift has to do with science and rational, logical thinking generally, and with the grand theory of evolution, specifically.
it took me long, endless sessions of hard reading and study of serious scientific literature (plus cross-matching all the quotes and claims in jw evolution-related literature), to finally make the shift from utterly firm religious belief to doubt, and then to lack of religious faith.
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jeremiah18:5-10
Welcome to JWN, its a nice step in the road to freedom. You will find support and additional interesting experiences and expressions of ones who have travelled this path before you. I look forward to more posts.
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help for a forum member
by jeremiah18:5-10 infrowned upon is a lurking member here.
he never posts, but actively reads.
he went home yesterday to attend a family wedding.
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jeremiah18:5-10
I'm hoping that support in this thread will encourage just that. But at the same time, he's been cautious as his wife is uncomfortable with such sites and has yet to embrace ttatt. Can't fault him for being cautious and taking his time. I and others lurked for weeks or months before taking the plunge. All in good time at individual rates of progress.
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help for a forum member
by jeremiah18:5-10 infrowned upon is a lurking member here.
he never posts, but actively reads.
he went home yesterday to attend a family wedding.
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jeremiah18:5-10
Support in general would be encouraging for frowned upon. His wife is dfd, yet trying to return for purely family reasons. He's in turmoil but is committed to fading. Please offer support for him. I informed him I started a topic and he said he would be anxious to read comments.