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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 9:56 am
(June 18, 2019 at 9:47 am)wyzas Wrote: So he left also? I hadn't picked up on that until now. Sounds like things are going to be tough for awhile.
Yeah. We quit at the same time. Up until we quit, I'd spent all but a few months of my adult life trying to be the submissive little wife to him. That makes for a healthy relationship. Just trust in Jehovah and keep your mouth shut when your husband is an idiot. It'll all work out.
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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 10:45 am
I'm really interested about your journey, leaving the JW religion, what it was like on the "inside," difficulties adjusting to nonbelief... that sort of thing.
You could start an "Ask a Former Jehovah's Witness" thread here: https://atheistforums.org/forum-70.html
It might be a learning experience for all of us and provide you an opportunity to get some stuff off your chest. If that doesn't sound worthwhile, no sweat. I'm just throwing it out there. I understand if you'd rather become more acclimated to the forum first or something.
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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 12:18 pm
Feel free to dip your toes on the pond. It isn't the sharks you should be worried about.
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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 5:19 pm
Welcome to the fora, Athena. Nice owl
Urbs Antiqua Fuit Studiisque Asperrima Belli
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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 8:11 pm
(June 17, 2019 at 10:18 am)Athena Wrote: (June 16, 2019 at 11:27 pm)EgoDeath Wrote: My first instinct is to mention that most Jehova's Witnesses seem like very dedicated believers, but I suppose as with any other denomination, there are degrees of loyalty to the cult. Were you pretty deep in, like knocking on people's doors and stuff or just a moderate believer?
Either way, welcome to the forum and to the world of being an atheist. It's not always as comfortable, but it's, in my opinion, a much more honest way to live in concern to the question of god's existence.
With JWs, you're not even counted as a member unless you go door to door. But yeah, I was in deep. My husband was an elder, which is the highest rank in a local congregation. I started learning a foreign language to preach to refugees.
Wow, that's intense! What started turning you the other way?
If you're frightened of dying, and you're holding on, you'll see devils tearing your life away. But if you've made your peace, then the devils are really angels, freeing you from the Earth.
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RE: Former JW
June 18, 2019 at 8:30 pm
(June 18, 2019 at 8:11 pm)EgoDeath Wrote: Wow, that's intense! What started turning you the other way?
I like science. So, that's a problem. But also, every week during the watchtower study there was a paragraph about obeying the "faithful slave" which the Bible doesn't say you have to do. So, as soon as I started talking to my husband about his doubts we sorted it all out and quit. I've read the bible a few times. Thinking of it as bs made more sense.
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RE: Former JW
June 19, 2019 at 10:21 am
What kept you in?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Former JW
June 19, 2019 at 11:53 am
(June 19, 2019 at 10:21 am)Gae Bolga Wrote: What kept you in?
Delusion. Sunk cost fallacy. That and my family was in. I could lose them through shunning.
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RE: Former JW
June 19, 2019 at 12:46 pm
Any other more positive motivators?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
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RE: Former JW
June 20, 2019 at 3:44 pm
(June 19, 2019 at 12:46 pm)Gae Bolga Wrote: Any other more positive motivators?
They promised eternal life in paradise. Perfect body, perfect, mind, and getting to learn whatever you want. But they even messed that up. In recent years, they started saying that we would still have to obey the elders in paradise and that we wouldn't get to choose where we live. But if we were good and humble we'd accept it and be happy anyway. The elders would give us work assignments because we had to build our paradise under their direction. It sounded awful. It's as paradisaic as North Korea. An eternity of submission.
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