konceptual99

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Posts by konceptual99

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  21

  The dangers of atheism

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  religious intolerance to a level only dreamed of by the gb.... .

  http://t.co/qu2cp3zikd.

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  konceptual99

  Religious intolerance to a level only dreamed of by the GB...

  http://t.co/Qu2cp3zIkd
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  47

  How Many Remember the Mass Skating Rink Parties of the Late 70's ?

  by Perry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  they were a hoot weren't they?.

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  konceptual99

  There has been a trend for a while in the UK to have balls where everyone dresses up in tuxedos and gowns. They are generally pay events. I find the whole thing insufferable and completely hypocritical given the counsel about not aping the world or being materialistic. Whilst of course there is nothing inherntly materialistic about such an event it seems crazy to be emulating things that are generally associated with fame, business or the entertainment industry when they then carp on about end of school proms and other forms of entertainment.
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  39

  Any Amateur Astronomers Out There?

  by cofty in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  i have recently revived my interest in the night sky.

  there are a lot of great sights you can identify with just a pair of binoculars.

  i am currently relearning how to navigate my way round all the constellations and find some of the best objects.. i live out in the country so we get almost total darkness right outside my front door.

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  konceptual99

  I dabble in some astrophotography. I have wanted a scope for years but never got around to getting one. I find great satisfaction however just from looking at what I can with the naked eye and bins. The moon through bins is fantastic.
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  36

  Topics not often discussed now

  by jdubsnub in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  when i was a kid in the early 90's there always seemed to be a mention of how demons posessing people or how if you saw a demon or something supernatural occuring mearly calling jehovah's name would rid you of the situation.

  rarely now a days do you hear anything of the sort.

  that got me to thinking, what are some other topics the society has backed off of?

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  konceptual99

  King of the North
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  37

  I think my fade has hit a rut. Do I need to grow a pair?

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so here i am after about 18 months of wake up.

  the first 6 months were a rollercoster of feelings as my whole belief system unravelled.

  the last year has been more stable but things seem like they are just stalling now.. my wife is aware of many of my feelings although i have held back the fact that i am pretty close to denying all belief in any kind of god.

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  konceptual99

  Thanks for your candid comment leavingwt. You are right to warn against complancancy. I am 100% sure that if I were to take a more visible stand as far as participation in witness activities is concerned that my wife and I would be fine. What would make place a strain on our relationship is if things escalated and it had a big effect on our relationships with friends and family. That would have a far more significant impact on her than simply having to attend meetings without me.

  Of course, there would be more occasions for potential disagreement which is not ideal but I think if I can keep under the elder radar and not rock the boat too much in terms of the short/mid term social impact then that would help as things settle.
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  37

  I think my fade has hit a rut. Do I need to grow a pair?

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so here i am after about 18 months of wake up.

  the first 6 months were a rollercoster of feelings as my whole belief system unravelled.

  the last year has been more stable but things seem like they are just stalling now.. my wife is aware of many of my feelings although i have held back the fact that i am pretty close to denying all belief in any kind of god.

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  konceptual99

  Oobliette... Not to be mean, but you haven't faded. You are, in fact, being more regular than many JWs. You are THE typical "low hour publisher." Makes you reconsider why all those publishers fall into that category, doesn't it! Maybe they all feel just like you.

  You're not being mean but I never said I'd faded - just fading. The whole point of the post is a recognition that my fade is stalling and that right now I can't progress it any further as I don't have my wife on board.

  I'd love to know what all those other "weak" ones are really thinking!

  Oobliette... It's time to take the lead away from the cult and into true freedom. Go slowly and patiently, maybe you'll get your whole family out. Most don't, but at least you'll be doing what you know is right. That always has the best results.

  Yup - that was the plan but at the moment it's me just repeating the same things over and over again and getting (surprise surprise) exactly the same results. The plan has to change so something moves.

  On a side point - why does the editing tool bar never appear the same two times in a row.... One for Simon in the tech forum I think....
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  37

  I think my fade has hit a rut. Do I need to grow a pair?

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so here i am after about 18 months of wake up.

  the first 6 months were a rollercoster of feelings as my whole belief system unravelled.

  the last year has been more stable but things seem like they are just stalling now.. my wife is aware of many of my feelings although i have held back the fact that i am pretty close to denying all belief in any kind of god.

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  konceptual99

  ABibleStudent - thanks for the ideas. I've read Combatting Cult Mind Control but not the others. Your idea about 1st century BITE abuse and also how to encourage critical thinking on the part of my wife is useful.

  nonjwspouse - my FS is as token as it can be - just out for 30 mins once a month delivering the WT to a few routes. It's a compromise but is a big drop down from what I was doing 18 months ago as a MS.

  adamh - I get what you are saying about my fade and to a certain extent I do agree hence the post but I do think that I have been actively as well as mentally fading. 18 months ago I was a MS, a bit cynical but sure I was in the right religion and sure I wanted my kids to become Witnesses. It took around 6 months for my views to diametrically change and for me to be sure I did not want to be a Witness any more. I have decreased my activity substantially over that time including stepping down as an MS. I was hoping that this along with discussions I have been having with my wife would awaken her interest in researching things herself but it's not really happening. So I have been fading but cannot implement a true fade much more as it involves the buy in of my wife.

  Your point on recognising the situation and having an action plan is exactly what I am trying to do here and now. What has been useful is getting different opinions. My gut feel is that nothing is going to change much further unless I make it happen.

  Knowing my wife as I do, I think there are two choices.

  1 - Be very open and say I don't want to attend meetings, do any FS and have lost faith and my belief in Jehovah. She will be very hurt, scared and things will be difficult. She would not escalate things with the elders as that's not her way but there would be inevitable questions and pressure to meet with me which would not be fair to let her field on my behalf. It would cause social problems as so much our social life revolves around friends in the "truth". Family could be a problem as well. I think the biggest source of upset would be about the kids. At least the kids would have the opportunity to talk to me openly about my feelings and how it affects them.

  2 - Agree to a level of spirtual activity such as continued meeting attendance and family study but on the understanding that she do a couple of things for me. Firstly, read CoC. Secondly, do some independant research on a few key issues (e.g. the ones Besty suggested). This would not guarentee that she wakes up but would give her the space to form her own conclusions. If she wakes up then we can fade properly. If she does not then it's back to option 1.

  I don't have any real concerns about our marriage. Even option 1 is very, very unlikely to break us up but I know she would not feel the marriage is a partnership with both parties moving in the same direction and with the same goals.

  Thanks for all the comments and responses - plenty to think about!
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  37

  I think my fade has hit a rut. Do I need to grow a pair?

  by konceptual99 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so here i am after about 18 months of wake up.

  the first 6 months were a rollercoster of feelings as my whole belief system unravelled.

  the last year has been more stable but things seem like they are just stalling now.. my wife is aware of many of my feelings although i have held back the fact that i am pretty close to denying all belief in any kind of god.

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  konceptual99

  Thanks for the responses so far. The subversive family study is the difficult one to do. My wife will 100% call me out if she thinks I am presenting anything with an agenda and she ain't stupid. For example, the Bible reading is Genesis again and we will be moving onto the flood. There is no way I can present that crock of booshee to my kids in the way I would have done 2 years ago. If I start throwing in a tame but leading question about the illogical dispersion of the animals post flood or suggest research on what is meant by kinds, the practical realities of looking after a bunch of animals in a boat for months on end then my wife will smell a rat.

  I guess it needs some really creative thinking.
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  31

  Announcement made about me

  by KariOtt in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hubby informed me that an announcement was made to his congreation not to approach us when we are out together.

  this was done at his request.

  another way he can control me i guess.

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  konceptual99

  Sounds like utter booshee to me. Noone is ever instructed not to approach a Witness and their unbeleiving mate. Can you find out the truth from someone in the congregation?
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  4

  GB are rock stars!!!

  by Separation of Powers in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  quick story to solidfy the current "rock star" status of the gb.. after they announced the congregation's district convention assignment, a couple of brothers were writing down the hotel contacts when one says, "this assembly is gonna be awesome, bro.

  the annual meeting was just a taste, i hear the gb is preparing video discourses that can be played on the big screens at the convention.

  gonna be awesome!".

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  konceptual99

  We had a special announcement that there will be a GB member and "helper" at the London int convention who will give 6 talks. We are all meant to feel very privilaged.

  Oh - and the letter was downloaded from a new, special web site that only the COBE and secretary have access to.