So, just last night I spoke with one of the only people I grew up with in the Kingdumb hall that I ever considered a friend. It's been about 8 years since we've spoken. Well, low and behold, she finds me on myspace and we finally chatted last night. She's out of the truth too, (woohoo!) and has been shunned by her whole family for it (that's a long story in itself, but safe to say if you wanted to see "Conditional Love" in the dictionary you'd see her Aunt and Uncle - Pioneer and Elder who raised her. They dropped her like a hot potato when she faded initially. She came back to the meetings after the hurricane for 8 months. Shunned by the congregation and you'd think that her aunt and uncle would be pleased? NOTHING she did was good enough. So smart girl...drops it. I do have a point to this, I swear! Anyway, so we're chatting...and I find out the fates of those "wonderous" children I was forced to endure during our plethora of visits to the kingdumb hall. One family...2 girls and 2 boys. They were considered super dubs. The Perfect family. Both daughters. Disfellowshipped. One for fornication (she has a two year old), One for breaking up the marriage of a MS in the Congregation. The guy divorces his wife and marries her. One son - in prison for armed robbery and assault. Other son - homosexual (I'm not saying this is a bad thing...Just a bad thing in the Dubness) Another daughter from an Elder/Pioneer...She does erotic photography. To which I say, RIGHT ON! Obviously NOT a witness anymore. Another elder family...2 girls, 1 boy. Boy - prison youngest daughter - shotgun wedding and baby six months later other girl - missing - literally packed up her stuff in the middle of the night and left. These weren't ALL the kids I 'grew' up with in the kingdumb hall, but I'd say it represents 70-80% of them. Not a good retention rate, eh?
Caught up with an old JW friend...
by forsharry 9 Replies latest jw experiences
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forsharry
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unique1
WOW, sounds like the kids I grew up around. Congrats on finding your old friend.
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purplesofa
Cool on meeting up with your old friend
purps
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jeeprube
I'd say 80% of the kids I grew up with in the "truth" have ended up the same.
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Hortensia
as I have said before, the degree of rebellion reflects the degree of repression. For those kids to damage themselves so badly makes you wonder how hellish their JW life was? It seems to me that a lot of kids I grew up with eventually turned to drugs and sex as an escape route. What a pity!
well, sex isn't a pity, but the damage done because they were sexually repressed but couldn't fight natural drives is a pity. If the world would just admit that everyone has sex, and get over it, it would be a better place. Then parents could talk honestly to their kids about how not to get pregnant and hot to get diseases, instead of that bullshit stuff about staying "pure."
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Mum
That's great that you found each other. We're happy for you. I know I would love to find some of the people I knew ' way back then.
It is so sad to hear about the "fates" (for want of a better word) of those who grew up in the "truth." It just goes to show that people who only learn through control and intimidation, not love, acceptance, understanding and clear values, don't learn how to regulate themselves appropriately. We have all seen people who go nuts and do all sorts of harm to themselves when they are able to escape control freak authority figures, be they parents or elders or anyone else.
Happy for you, sad for them,
SandraC
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lisavegas420
I wonder how many are living a fulfilling life now. And how many are still walking around confused and alone?
lisa
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magoo
.......i'm a firm beleiver in the notion: "you are a product of your environment"......
magoo -
mrbloo
its nice when you meet old friend and find out there the same as you!same happened to me about ten years ago dragged to a convention on threat of divorce(which eventually happened!) and met my oldest friend who i hadent seen in years to discover he wasn't wanting to be there and we went of caught up and were still mates our lives were nearly identical!!!
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Wordly Andre
Reading your post made me thing about something I never really thought about before, I never had any friends in the ORg when I was a kid, ha, ha, ha, all my friends were Worldly, no wonder I turned out the way I did!!
magoo