I went to a JW "memorial" (funeral) talk on Saturday (page 2)

White Dove

Hortensia,

That is exactly what happened to me: Sick of toeing the line for people. I was focused on God and his love and they weren't. I thought they were terrible Witnesses, but they were simply being Witnesses. I didn't know. Now, I am a quasi-atheist. I know there is a God who created this place, but the Bible??? Hmmm...Still confused.

Cruzenheart (spell?),

Well said! I had a little of an idea of the freedom I might experience if I just left, but this is even better than I imagined. I thought that people would finally leave me and my kids alone for dressing nice but not up to par for the meetings and that I would feel peace from that. Little did I know that I would have so much more free time, true friends, and opportunities in life that were closed to me when I was a Witness. Now, I truly know what people who have left mean when they say they are really really happy. I couldn't believe that was possible outside the KHall, but it is. Happiness happens outside of the hall not inside it.

White Dove

The WTS causes people to doubt their God(?) given ability to use good judgement and decide for themselves. They say they follow the Bible, but it says to use your power of discernment, not the WTS's power of discernment for you. They can't save you. I said that to my dad who still thinks I go to meetings. I told him that we have to take responsibility for our own salvation and not rely on "earthling man." How can they ignore that? The WTS is the SLAVE, so they have the God given obligation to think for you. I am sure that I can read anything and not get off ballance. I have good judgement. They sure do demoralize people. Got off topic, but needed to vent a little.

compound complex

Good for you, Nina!

You did the right thing in support of your friend, who had stood by you in your time of need. It's a question of humanity, which trandscends all artificial boundaries. It often takes courage to do what is right. Glad you said and did what you did!

CoCo

flipper

Went to a jw funeral for the first time a while back at my stepson's old cong (he left several years ago) - I was shocked at what an infomercial it was. And feel the love - some skanky guy who had been disfellowshipped once was an aquaintance of my stepson from before my stepson left. After a little small talk in which my stepson mentioned he was in college this guy says "Some of us work with our brains and some of us work with our backs - I guess I'm using my brain because I work with my back" Gaaaack! flipper

middlechild

Freedom is the most wonderful feeling!

At the end of a conversation with my jw sister about why I didn't go to the memorial I said, "I'll tell you one thing else. You have no idea how good it feels to be free. I'll leave it at that." I knew I probably should have bit my tongue but I couldn't help it. Unfortunately, that statement came back to bite me when my sisters confronted me soon after about a lot of things and one thing she asked was what I meant by that statement. I had to back pedal a bit and just said, "O, nothing. It was just how I felt right at that moment." But how true, this freedom is wonderful!!!

Ok, so now that I think about it, I'm really not free!! I feel very free in so many ways but the fact that I'm just a "fader", means I'll never really be free! Oh, well, it was good while it lasted.

Hortensia

the freedom is wonderful - I wish JWs who are depressed and suffering would just fly the coop, they'd feel so much better. And when you get some distance and can compare JWs to other religions and to "normal" people, you can begin to see what a whacko group they really are. I love your answer to the woman who asked what cong. you are attending - you cheerfully said "I haven't attended in years!" They expect people who quit attending meetings to feel guilty and apologetic - so your answer wasn't what she expected at all, and people who are trained to give rote answers to everything can't handle an unexpected situation like that.

cruzanheart

just a "fader"

Hey, there's nothing wrong with that! I faded too -- actually I left and no one noticed for about a year and a half (who notices a woman with no penis person to attend the meetings with her?), so that was fine. Chris left in 1989 and patiently waited for me to catch up. Neither of us are disfellowshipped or disassociated. And we're STILL free! You don't need a label!

Hugs,

Nina

jaguarbass

Jennie went to an Episcopalian church last Sunday with one of her friends, and she saw a lot of differences -- for one thing, the priest made it a point to come up and meet Jennie after the service, and welcome her, as did other people. And they served muffins and coffee afterward too, right in the church. I'm glad she has the comparison.

Freedom is the most wonderful feeling!

True freedom is wonderful. It appears the Episcopalians have a more desireable recruitment program. I am pretty sure they operate on the 10% of your earnings platform. Maybe the priest was down on his monthly recruitment quota, so he had to hustle. And the Witnoids were sad because someone died and deep down they have no hope.

I would think the priest, preacher,minister, from most churches would be interested in meeting any new recruits. The witnoids get theirs at the door with a free magazine and a bible study.

middlechild

I guess after I wrote that last post I was like, wait a minute, anyone reading that will be like, you had to back pedal and not say what you were really feeling, what this freedom really is. Doesn't sound very free to me. So I had to edit it. I do feel very free but I guess what I was trying to say was that with family still in, and if you still want to associate with that family, you can't live as free as you would like, at least not outwardly. You know what I mean. Glad your fade was so successful!

sass_my_frass

Didn't want to hear about it?! What a cow.

I'm glad it was just a typically sad funeral, and not an horrific experience for you and your daughter.

I went to a JW "memorial" (funeral) talk on Saturday

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