OK, So my next door neighbor is thanks I'm slightly insane, we're friends and he actually knows I'm insane. I think he finds it hard to believe that a religion can be so controlling. PLease halp me, and remember that whatever you say may be used in an article I'm writing for the Atlanta Journal Constitution. I will with hold names but I really would like the imput.
Tell me your story for my next door neighbor
by dawg 16 Replies latest jw experiences
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GoddessRachel
What info do you need, dawg?
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GoddessRachel
I mean what kind of info? And why does your neighbor think you are specifically insane? Like you are making the stuff up about your experiences or that you are unique in it?
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troubled mind
I stopped going to meetings last year and have explained how the whole witness thing works w/my co-workers. Some are quite shocked at the shunning policy . They are seeing first hand how it works though because my witness ex-sister in law works at the same place. I have not been df'd , but inactivity and freely associating now w/co-workers has definitely marked me as bad association. She avoids speaking to me or being in the same room as me ,and they take notice . They really don't believe me when I tell them how parents will shun children and visa versa over religious policy . Several have come up and congratulated me on getting out and trying to have some fun now . They still don't get the pressure I feel fearing the official df because I still have adult witness children.
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nvrgnbk
If I tell the story now, you wont buy the book when it comes out. LOL!
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serendipity
Hi Dawg, Here's my story, but I don't think it will help prove your point. ;-) http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/103000/1779428/post.ashx#1779428
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ex-nj-jw
OK - here is a little of me and my family:
My parents became Jdubs when I was a couple of months old. I have 4 older brothers, 1 older sister and one younger sister. Growing up my siblings and I were very, very close and I truly believe that my parents were the best parents they knew how to be and really didn't think that the way they were raising us was bad.
Being Jdubs as you all know, we spent relentless hours of bible study, watchtower study, door 2 door, and living at the KH. Beatings were a regular occurance at the meetings whether you couldn't keep totally still for 2 hours, or you fell asleep, talked to your sibling, didn't answer the required number of questions/comments and god forbid you didn't follow along with the scriptures.
From a very early age (5-6) I hated going to the KH and door to door, and I remember telling my brother that as soon as I was "grown up" I would never go again. I watched my brothers grow up and get into trouble (normal teenage stuff), they seemed to alway be meeting with the elders for some crime they committed, they got way more beatings than I did. One time I remember my brother #4, got beat so bad that he had bleeding whelps across his back and legs, my mom had to put ointment and bandage them!
My oldest brother left home at 18 and joined the Military, told my parents he couldn't take anymore of the beatings or JW's religion, we were not allowed to speak with him. My brother #4 and I would quickly answer the phone whenever it rang to see if it was him so we could say hi before mom or dad would hang up.
My brother's #2 and #3 got df'd and reinstated so many time I couldn't keep up. I guess they couldn't take the shunning and loss of family. My sister married a JW and he abused her, beat her, raped her in front of her children, The elders did nothing, told her he was her head and she needed to be in submission.
My brother #4 was constantly in and out of trouble, I don't think he got df'd while he was a teenage, just reproved. He married had 3 kids, turned out to be a chronic lier and drug addict. Not sure what's going on in his life now, but that's another story.
Brothers #2 and #3 are still faithfull JDUBS, they do not shunn me or my other siblings, but they play the JW game very well!!
As for me, I was a rebel from day one. When I was 13 my dad told me that I either had to get baptized or get out of his house, so I got baptized. That was the beginning of the end. That allowed the elders to really get involved in my life. As I got older it got worse. Would sneak out at night, skip school to be with boyfriend(s), had an abortion at age 15, parents never knew, but somehow the elders got wind of it and I had a JC meeting. Of course I denied it all and got over that time. I was kinda of dating (talking to over the phone) an elders son, we went bolling one time and was in the car kissing, he couldn't wait to get home and confess to his dad - another JC meeting. This went on and on for most of my teenage years, anytime the elders would question me about some crime I'd deny it and they'd counsel me. It always amazed me how my parents never disiplined us without going to the elders, the elder always had to be involved.
Anyway, when I was 17 I got pregnant, when my mom found out immediatly the elders were called, but this time I refused to meet with them, shortly thereafter I turned 18 and told them all to kiss my @@@!! I was working, moved in with my best friend and her family, had my son, eventually moved into my own place and never called my parents. We started talking after my son was born then after I got married they started shunning me. That was fine with me I actually shunned them back, about 3 months after my second son was born my parents showed up at my house to tell me that they missed me and wanted to see the grandchildren. I still have a very strained relationship with them, we only talk about 1 a month.
I guess I don't really feel I missed anything by leaving the borg because of all the drama I endured being raised as a JW and I always had non witnoid friends. That gave me a perspective because I had "outside support"!
Whew! I know I left out a lot of things but that's the jist of it!!
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poppers
Geez, dawg - I hope they have a good editor on that magazine.
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BFD
If I tell the story now, you wont buy the book when it comes out. LOL! - Nvr Of course I will, I'll need an autographed copy you know. So, spill it! BFD
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crazyblondeb
My stepdad and mom told me that they started studying because of me...whatever....Said the jw's came to their door when I was at that age of asking questions! That was when I was 6. So suddenly, I had holidays, and non-jw family yanked from my life.
A couple years later, I figured out that my stepdad had adopted me, and wasn't my real dad. Years later, after I got to meet my real dad, the elders decided I couldn't see him anymore, since he wasn't a JW. I snuck around and met him anyhow.
Growing up, on the outside we looked like a real JW family. At home, it was totally not true. My mom had clinical depression so bad, she hardly came out of her bedroom. I raised my sisters and brother till I left home.
I totally hated being a jw at school. No friends there....felt isolated and alone.
My stepdad, who was a MS, molested me for years. Yea, I knew it was not right.....but didn't know what to do. My teenage years were full of elder's meetings for any little thing I got in trouble for at home. My parents didn't raise me, the elder's did.
I finally had enough, and ran away from home, and went to my real dad's. I had a baby young, have battled with addictions, and suicide attempts. My family has been torn apart from this cult. My siblings are now all out. My marriage couldn't even survive me!!
That's the short version.