You gotta LOVE this forum!

Sirona

I love this forum. At the moment, there are lots of people saying bad things about it. I want to set the record straight.

This discussion forum supports the thriving (and rapidly growing) EXJW community like no other forum on the internet.

It is also a place where active Jehovah's Witnesses can come and find out the reality of the religion they are in.

Even if you are not JW, and never have been, you can still find on this board some of the most interesting and thought-provoking threads on the internet. You can meet some of the greatest people on the internet, too. Important issues are directly addressed, and thrashed out until the end. If you look closely, you can really learn a lot here. Threads range from serious issues such as biblical doctrine and cult practices to really funny threads like the never-ending jokes threads or the boobies threads.

Yes, now and then people get upset and they start insulting other people. That happens in any community. I've found that there are cycles - everything is fine and then for a few days or a week, we have a lot of threads with arguments. This isn't a bad thing really. Personally I think that thrashing things out is healthy and productive sometimes. It leads us to a really tranquil time thereafter where we all really gain something from the forum again.

Anyway, try to appreciate this forum. How would it be if it didn't exist?

My favorite moments have been:

* when I was supported through my recent illness with cancer

* arguing with FunkyDerek about the existence of supernatural beings

* meeting up with exJW pagans like myself and also getting to know other exJWs (it makes you feel less alone)

* reading Farkel's tremendously funny and insightful posts

So what are your favorite moments?

Sirona

Francois

Sirona you are so right.

When I first started coming here on the suggestion of Uncle Bruce about a year and a half ago, a post started, say, on Monday would likely still be on page one on Friday. Today a post might stay on page one for a day. And I've seen posts recently that didn't stay up six hours on page one.

I don't know how many members we have here, but it's a bunch and it's a vocal bunch at that.

People are saying bad things about this site? Well ain't that a big surprise? Down here in Georgia we say that it's "the stuck pig that squeals." I think we're jerking the cover off the JWs and they are squealing. If we were having no effect, there'd be dead silence from the senile octogenerians in New York. They've just got to hate the internet and this site specifically. Tyranies of all sorts operate best in secret - like North Korea. They do not welcome the searching luminosity of the spirit of Truth. They're like the roaches that scatter when the kitchen light is turned on.

So people are saying bad things about this site? Let 'em keep on doing so. It's a great measure of how effective a bone we are, stuck sideways in the throats of those false prophets.

I say that Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult, and I say fuck 'em.

Francois

dustrabbit

Yeah, I have to thank Simon for this board.

I came across this baord purely by accident...I was do an internet search on "Prince" the singer, and found myself at another (ex-?)JW site which had a link to here....but I can't remember the site's address.

Well, anyway, it was great to see other posters sharing the same frustrations, feelings, and questions that I have had at one time or another.

True, I tend to this board to slack off and kill time, but it has been fun talking to other exJWs...not to mention after the boobie thread, I took the initative and created a spin-off board for the dirty-minded...not that I'm dirty minded...ok, just a little...but it did relieve Simon from the burden of locking threads and deleting accounts.

the dustrabbit

scootergirl

My favorite moments have been.......

Posting my personal story and having so many people respond w/love and care. Even though there was pain involved w/"reliving" it again, I felt safe enough to share a little of myself and know that I am no longer alone.

Getting to know other x-jw's from my area and being able to attend my first ever Apostafest. A hug from notinterested, a handshake and smile from gopher, a giggle from lauralisa made me feel like I was no longer alone......and I don't have to be if I chose not to be.

And, this is a new unexpected feeling, but I have had the oppertunity to coverse w/still active dubs and realize that they too are people just like me. I have put down my guard and set aside my prejudice to listen to what they are thinking and feeling.

I also have enjoyed posting occasional "fluff" like pictures of my family (Jr. Overbeer in training is my fav) and enjoy reading/looking at pictures of other people's lives also.

Thanks simon for hosting such a great site!

Sirona

and theres me thinking lots of people would chirp in in support of this forum...and its already on the second page!!!

Amazing

Hi Sirona: Excellent points! I love this forum ... and I love being able to see so many thought, points of view, and even debate ... it feels so much more healthy than our previous sterile JW environment.

Faraon

I have no favorite moment, but I like the ability to express yourself about any subject, whether to have a good laugh, debate, talk about sports, share emotional moments, and so on.

Lady Lee

Lately I have been wandering the net looking for ex-JW sites as well as JW sites. None compares to what goes on here. They are great people who have shared their stories and supported others. That alone is uncomparable. Went I left the borg there was nothing like the support found here.

Despite the problems many of us find here we can look at them as a training ground. Most of us were in a very protected environment while we were in the borg - many of us for most of our lives. Learning to deal with real life is a shocker for many. In the anonymity of our homes, safe behind our computer screens we can release a lot of the emotions that were pent up for so long. A WT defender shows up and we hurl our anger in their direction forgetting that not too long ago we were one of them and would have done the same things

We have opportunities here to learn how to be different. How to honestly stand up for what we believe in (even if the only thing we are sure of is the inaccuracy of the WTS). We have the opportunity to ignore the trolls (not only are they here - expect more of them).

Like most victims of abuse we use the same tired useless techniques to make our points. They get us nowhere. Just like knocking on empty houses and speaking to people who are not interested we continue to post to JWs who are not interested in what we have to say. We perpetuate the WT abuse on ourselves now by banging our own heads against the wall. Time to break out of this cycle of abuse and move on. And this is a great place to do that.

I am always looking for a place to grow, to learn and to change. I choose when to talk to the trolls and when to move on. I choose when to say what I feel and when to be quiet. I am no longer controlled by WT dogma, and propaganda and I no longer work on autopilot. I assess, define and think. I consider my options and make choices. I have learned a lot here and I look forward to refining my thinking abilites. Fredom from WT contol is a wonderful thing. I love it.

Thank you Simon

Sirona

Time to break out of this cycle of abuse and move on. And this is a great place to do that

Yes, excellent point. Thanks Lady Lee for voicing what I was trying to say much better than I could...
Sirona

gsx1138

There are allot of good things to be learned here. Of course we're not always going to agree (that is what dubs try to do). This board is full of ex-dubs, interested parties, and JW. It's full of current Christians, Pagans, Atheists, Deists, and undecideds. I'm actually surprised there isn't more fighting going on but I think that the current state is due to most of us living intolerance at one point. I found this place by accident as well and am fully addicted.

gsx1138

You gotta LOVE this forum!

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