according to the jw doctrine, mankind has tried every form of goverment but ultimately failed to rule successfully.
so many wars ... we really need big j to sort things out.
what a swell guy.
Simon,
Excellent post. This was also on my "explain this please" list back when I was in High School. The answer didn't satisfy me then, when I was a serious student of the biblia, in the JW borg.
Why didn't god just blow real hard and knock the tower over?
Gosh, Noah must have had an awful lot of work to do after the flood, re-teaching all those languages to everyone in his family.(?)
Karen
the good wife's guide
originally printed in a 1955 issue of housekeeping monthly and a home economics textbook .
1) have dinner ready.
Englishman,
Wasn't this the guide for "Stepford Wives"?
I've tried some of this, and my honey always asks me "what's wrong".
Smiles and Laughter
Karen/Sentinel
friends,.
i got up this morning and decided not to go right into work.
friends at work noticed.
Tweetiebird,
I concur with you about Mr. Dyer. I have several of his publications. In my attempts to discover myself and to figure out this complexity of living, I was getting help from many sources. He has just an excellent view of how to heal yourself. Takes lots of hard work. But, it can be done.
We are in the age of technology. We have the resources of a few computer key strokes to let us see what is out there, so we can search for ourselves--find our own answers. Make the necessary changes in our life. Correct some mistakes. Adjust to living with the mistakes we've already made.
It's a painful process, that of self-anaylsis. But, it's well worth the investment.
Thanks for your post.
Karen/Sentinel
friends,.
i got up this morning and decided not to go right into work.
friends at work noticed.
Thanks Penn,
If I could just bottle up all this inner peace and joy and give it to everyone here, to you and all my new friends, that would be the most wonderful gift I could give.
If I could just simply tell you how to get this feeling, I would. If I could refer you to any one place, or person, or book, I would. But, the fact remains: It's a very personal journey. I'm not exactly certain how I got here myself, except by sheer determination and willpower.
Someone very close to me recently said they don't understand why I'm always reading, why I'm inquisitive, why I'm always searching for answers. That all this theory and supposition about the universe, our purpose here, etc., won't make a difference because we have no control over our destiny. They feel this way, because they are "sitting still". They have stopped growing. They have no spirituality. They have given up. Life has dealt them so much unhappiness and unfairness, that they have a defeatist attitude. I am so sad for them.
If I could say just one helpful thing, it would be to never stop learning--never stop asking--never stop growing.
"The Truth Is Out There"
Karen/Sentinel
friends,.
i got up this morning and decided not to go right into work.
friends at work noticed.
Ahhhhh, yes, Dinky, the word, as you said, is SURRENDER.
It's like walking in the rain without an umbrella....,isn't it? It feels so good!
I'm very happy you posted, and it's always good to hear happy news. I wish you success in your journey towards enlightenment. It is a wonderful road to be on.
I screwed up so much in my life by always trying so hard to do the right thing. It sounds so rediculous, but my life read like a soap opera, and I was the main charachter. (I'm glad that show was cancelled.)
"The Truth Is Out There"
Karen/Sentinel
friends,.
i got up this morning and decided not to go right into work.
friends at work noticed.
Carol,
Thank you for your very kind words. It really does my heart good to know that I can give something back, that I can encourage and help in some smalll way, in this Forum.
I looked at your profile again, and your words about "just ask and you shall receive" are so true. Our creators are just waiting for us to really open up and say how we feel. They want to help us. But, so many times we make it so difficult, simply because we think the answer should be only one way (our way). The results are hardly ever in the way we think they should be, but in so many instances, I see the results in ways I could never have imagined. We know so little, but we are never alone. I have come to understand that and finally let go.
I always tried to be the "fixer". I felt like I had to do things that made people happy. I always put myself at the bottom of the list. And, guess what? People weren't happy and I was still at the bottom of the list, being trampled on and ignored. When I let go, and stopped trying to fix things, control situations, something changed. Well, everything began to change for the better. I could finally relax.
Now it feels so very comfortable to just speak outloud, or in silence, whenever I want, to honestly open my heart and just say what my concerns are, whether it be health, family, job, whatever. Then, I just wait. I don't ask for specific things. And, it seems to work, and the communication does not seem to be one way--like when I used to pray. And, one does not have to sit a certain way, stand a certain way, have a cover on their head, etc., etc. One does not have to pray at every meal, or before this or that. One does not have to go to a certain building. All of that seems so artificial to me.
These creators are our universal parents. They love us unconditionally. They want to assist us as our inner soul finds it's way and unites with our physical being to discover our life's purpose. They are our great mother/father, and we can have a real relationship with them all the time. That has really brought me such great comfort.
Love and Light My Friend,
Karen/Sentinel
my experiences, i'm sure, are not unique among the posters of this forum.
i am 19 years old and was born into the religion.
my family although devout, avid witnesses are on the liberal side.
Paradiselost,
Welcome to a place where you can speak freely. There is no one here who will judge you. I understand about your "obsessive compulsive" behavior. I too, was very much like that in my youth, from about 13 until 18.
The description of how your mind thought about different subjects, is so in line with my thoughts at the time. Trying to ask questions along those lines got me semi-labeled as an apostate.
You have made excellent progress toward being your own person. Going away to college will give you yet another means of freedom. You are very fortunate that you are being "allowed" to go to college, as when I was young, the borg was against any means of furthering education.
If you don't want to be labeled a JW in school, then simply refrain from the connection. You are a separate individual and a young adult. Make a choice and stick to it. Slip and fade is a way to avoid some of the confrontations with family and elders. But, it's rare that they simply allow you to walk away without any repercussions. It is very difficult to disassociate by choice, without consequences. I walked away, but it was my mother who refused to let it be. Her handling of my situation within the circle of friends, was that she caused me to be labeled by others. They feared having anything to do with me, because I "thought for myself" and it frightened them. Therefore, it was as if they had disfellowshipped me. I received all the shunning and disconnected friendships.
You will be in a position to make a whole new network of friends, and this will be a definite advantage. You won't be alone. You won't feel alone. Draw on your strengths, and just as you were "obsessive compulsive" about the borg when you "believed with all your heart"--be just as "obsessive compulsive" about creating a new life for yourself outside the borg.
I hope things work out for you and that you will let us know by posting how your life is going. You are our future. Be strong. You sound to me like you are a survivor.
Love and Light,
Karen/Sentinel
friends,.
i got up this morning and decided not to go right into work.
friends at work noticed.
Friends,
I got up this morning and decided not to go right into work. I needed some time for myself before I began the routine of everyday living. I've been meditating a bit, and realized that my whole perspective for life has changed. It certainly didn't happen overnight, but gradually, and more intensely in the past six months.
In so many ways, it seemed like when I finally came up out of the mire of guilt, unhappiness and indecision, that a great weight slid off me, and I began to see everything differently. Everything changed and nothing changed at all. Friends at work noticed. Family noticed.
I mean, I think it was something that actually showed in my speech, the way I walk, the way the smile comes so easily. But, I hadn't really noticed it. I felt somewhat different at first, but couldn't actually put a stamp on it, as to when it occured.
Then, BAM, I had my epiphany. That was something totally unexpected. It felt like my whole DNA was being changed. When I least expected it, it came and turned me inside out. I didn't have to do anything. It just happened. Now I see everything with such joy and beauty. There is a comforting peace and acceptance. I've come out of the blurry fog that had me trapped for so long. Even when I thought I was free, I really wasn't.
It feels so good to let go. To accept. To love. To be at peace with all. It's an acceptance. So difficult to explain. No, I haven't been "born again" as some have suggested. This has nothing to do with religion. But, in many ways, I do feel like a whole new chapter of my life is opening up--and that there is no end to it.
Have any of you gone through something like this? I'd like to hear from you.
I kind of expected it to go away, but, it hasn't. I think it's here to stay, and it's wonderful beyond description. It's enlightenment. It's knowledge with the wisdom to understand.
I am thankful every day!
Love and LIght,
Karen/Sentinel
: i just started reading an article in the june first watchtower: "who is to blame; you or your genes?
" it struck me, i hadn't thought about this since i was young.
why does the watchtower think that adam and eve were white?.
Hi Farkel,
Did you catch the program last night on THE HISTORY CHANNEL about heaven and hell, and pergatory?
They discussed it from the perspective of how masses of people can be controlled by presenting such ideas.
As I watched the excellent presentation, It made so much sense. So straight forward, factual and logical. My husband kept saying the same thing. How come most all of us fell for such trash--JW's or not??
"The Truth Is Out There"
Karen/Sentinel
Religions were established to control people.
since he was 6 years old my son has been good friends with a boy in our hall, they are both in their teens now.
his friend has recently tried to ignite their friendship again.
i was happy for my son because this friend of his is really a great kid, a fine person.
I did have a bit of a shock about six years ago. My son, who was in his mid twenties at the time, called me and exclaimed that he had finally found the right place of worship. For a slip second, I freaked, but tried not to show it.
The horrible thought came to me, was that he had gone back to JW's.
He had been born while I was df'd and the guilt of everything, and the fact that family and friends were gone from my life was nearly unbearable. I was married to his father, who had no interest whatsoever in getting involved in any religion. (smart guy)
I did raise Brad as a little JW. We went to meetings and assemblies. BUT, I drew the line in certain areas. I didn't want him to have the fear of armegeddon like I had, and I wanted him to enjoy his youth and not live such a restrictive life. It worked for awhile, until he started regular school. They were priming him to be on the Ministry School, and I thought he was too young. But, at nearly every meeting, someone was coming up to him and suggesting that he join. This was an irritation to me.
He eventually did join, when he was about eight yrs old. He gave a couple little "talks", and everyone praised him, but I still felt like he was too young to know what he wanted to do. I could just see them trying to "clone" him, and I then decided to really back away myself. I had been sitting on the fence, just staying in to have family and friends. When they really began messing with his head, I pulled away fast. But, of course, he had some friends there at the hall, and he had been associating with families with kids his age. Anyway, I just "stopped". When I stopped, he had no more influence. I replaced his little friends, with new friends from other areas, and I made certain that he began to take part in school functions, like dances, etc.
I wondered if I'd gotten him out in time. I didn't want to mess him up. I wanted him to just have time to grow up and then decide for himself. For years, he didn't think about religion. There was too much else going on in our lives.
Then, I got that call, and wow, my insides knotted up. But, then he told me that he had done his own searching and had found a church that he liked and a minister that he could talk to, AND IT HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH JW'S. In fact it is just one of your normal, regular, mainstream religions. I breathed a sigh of relief...
Although we differ now on many issues, as I do not have a religion and don't care to be a part of any organized offiliation, I am spiritual. He understands that, and we both respect each other's views. I'm so thankful that he didn't slip back into the borg. It's out there, just waiting to grab another innocent person.
All you can do is be supportive of your son's choice. He is still young, and basically, as long as the two of you can still openly discuss the cultish aspects, and the doctrinal differences, then you will still be able to influence him. I wish you the best. It must be very difficult.
Love and Light,
Karen/Sentinel
