Because in all the heartache there are those that tell me know much my posts have touched/helped them. Because I don't know what I would have done without this board. Because I am studying for a phd in clinical counselling. Because my absence will prevent nothing and my presence will add much.
Long time members, how do you cope with so much tragedy on this forum?
by PEC 51 Replies latest jw friends
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Vernon Williams
I have not been on this board very long. I was on Channel C at Beacon Light for quite a while and we have our own [exiting} site. Why?
Exiting ministries just suck in comparison to focusing on telling the Good News and participating in the "normal" affairs of spiritual progress in the lives of others. This ministry is different.
First, a person must understand. ONLY one that has been a JW, lived the life, realized the error, responded to error in truth, been beaten nearly to death by people you thought were of like kind, been ejected, rejected, neglected can grasp what "exiting" is about.
Next, the feeling of isolation and despair. Families torn apart, the Realization of Lost Opportunity, the torment of having been duped, many, many negative emotions and situations.....you have to have been there....
Now, you have an angry, dis-appointed person that is bucking like a horse in a blazing barn. They might bolt in any direction..
Boards like this are, literally, a "God send." A place to begin and continue the healing experience that is possible. Those that exit, all of you/us, are my heros. The ones that minister to this group...going over and over and over the same situations with patience and calm, caring resolve are the super heros. It is exhausting, emotioally draining work.
So, thanks to all on this board....from the person posting for the first time to the one with the "most" posts. You are all to be commended for your courage, resolve, and love.
May the Living God through a kind and generous Lord in co-operation with the power of the Spirit bless you and yours,
Amen.
Yours in this Journey,
V
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PEC
Because my absence will prevent nothing and my presence will add much.
Mysterious, this is true about many that post here, thanks.
First, a person must understand. ONLY one that has been a JW, lived the life, realized the error, responded to error in truth, been beaten nearly to death by people you thought were of like kind, been ejected, rejected, neglected can grasp what "exiting" is about.
Vernon, you are correct, those that haven't been one, can't understand, thanks.
Philip
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PEC
bttt.
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Vernon Williams
Phil,
As long as we move forward in Journey, confront and endure truth (because a truth seeker is, almost, always uncomfortable), avoid the mind numbing of the mundane attitudes of the majority around us, and join with those of like kind: we will be ok.
Those that exit, for a while, leave the guranteed warmth, water, and food of a cult. We strike out into the cold, thirst, and hunger that lie in the unknows of exiting. But we trust....
We trust that love will overcome hostility.
We trust knowledge will overcome uncertainty.
We trust bravery will overcome fear.
We trust light will overcome darkness.
And, in the wilderness of our doubt, we do not look back to the suppossed securtiy and inviting delicacies left behind because the cost bondage is always greater than the cost of freedom.
So, we press on......
I encourage you in this Journey and am thankful we are all progressing, in part, now, here, together.
Good night,
V
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greendawn
The emphasis is on helping those going through difficult times to get over the problems causd by the cult. It's like doctors in the ER who see traumatised people often, they eventually get used to it and concentrate on doing their healing work.
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Sparkplug
Pec, I think it is because ehen we are good...we are SOOOO good, and when we are bad, we are Sooooo bad!!
Meaning, when we are down and out, we all rush and fix what we can, argue what we can, clear up the rif raf, check ourselves, check others, question and learn. fight, struggle and learn, cry it out, type it out and get it all out there. THIS IS GOOD!!
And when we are bad...we call in Crumpet...Misanthropic, Six, Hemp, Nina, More is Bertter, Valis, (The list goes into the 1000's) all the sexy ones.... and they bring Tequila! We get SOOOO Bad!
So we stay for Good is good and Bad is better!
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horrible life
I think Crumpet explained it so beautifully to me. We were all looking forward to the May 07 apostafest.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/19/129918/2363463/post.ashx#2363463
I said:
My husband is not an ex-JW, and doesn't understand the big deal. And frankly doesn't give a damn. (He didn't say that, but it's a fact)
Crumpet replied
Tell your hubby I am coming from England and he will be missing out big time if he doesn't come! LOL!
I can sympathise - my ex of just a few weeks now didn't really get it - but then he's never been dumped by all his friends and family for the rest of his life. We have to acquire new family to satisfy our emotional urges.
Family have in common shared experiences. So by hooking up with people with our shared experience it is the closest replication we can have of family.
You know what I never ever felt this excited about going to meet with brothers and sisters at a convention etc. The difference is that was all a facade - you could never say what you really thought or felt. We can all be completely honest and open with each other.
I was thinking this morning on the way to work after a quick chat with Decki how cool its going to be sitting amongst people I already truly like and feel I know more about than I knew anyone in my hall.
16 days and I will be just taking off from London Gatwick on my 15 hour trip to get there!
This forum, has been more of a family to me, than I have ever known. (besides husband and child) All of life, can't be wonderful. sickness and tragedy occur everyday. I don't think JWD has more tragedy than real life. You take, say 200 people, that you know and are close to, and you will have the same % of sickness, sadness, divorces, joys and thrills. We are a family. Aren't we LUCKY!!
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snowbird
Vernon Williams, well said the following:
Boards like this are, literally, a "God send." A place to begin and continue the healing experience that is possible. Those that exit, all of you/us, are my heros. The ones that minister to this group...going over and over and over the same situations with patience and calm, caring resolve are the super heros. It is exhausting, emotioally draining work.
I say, amen and amen, I lurked here for seven years before I could bring myself to join in. Why? I honestly couldn't tell you. But, I do know it was cathartic once I took the first hesitant peck at the keyboard.
I still haven't fully told my story. Why? Again, I don't know. There is so much to my story and I've held it bottled up for so long, I'm a little fearful of the consequences of telling it. However, I am reassured when I read others' and see that we have so much in common.
I would like to thank the owner(s) and everyone else here who have made me laugh, cry, pull my hair, sleep better, and do all those things that bring about emotional healing. This is an incredible group!
Snowbird