New here - thanks all

by acsot 25 Replies latest jw friends

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  jgnat

  Welcome!

  

  Great to meet you. Your story is waaay more interesting than any KH message I ever heard. Maybe because the story is from your heart, genuine and real. I wonder why the WTS suppresses self-expression so much?
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  jurs

  WELCOME !!!

  I enjoyed reading your post.

  Jurs
• 

  NameWithheld

  always figured that I probably wouldnt survive Armageddon but at least some of the people I helped bring into the truth would stand a chance.

  I've always wondered, if you could accurately poll JWs, and they could admit this fact out loud, how high a percentage feel the same way. My bet would be it would hover in the 80-90% range. I know I always figured I was a goner - I masturbated The unforgivable sin.

  BTW, welcome, this board can be great therapy to shed the guilt from the JW religion. Ray's books are really good too, it was very interesting to confirm the way the politics work around bethel, which are pretty obvious to see to anyone who spent any time around there. But to hear it from the top levels was very interesting.
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  Granny Linda

  Welcome. Enjoyed reading your post.

  My father (non-Jw) was an alcoholic, and my mom the JW convert. I was df at age 19. I'm now 5l.

  At age 37 I found myself sitting in A.A. because I now had a problem bigger then ever having been JW. The irony of it all was through my sobering up the religious abuse issue(s) came to surface...and big time, too. Instead of carrying around their shame and fears; and yes, the self esteem issue always seems like a biggy for us, I was able to dump their religious crap into the toilet. That's when I really started 'recovering.' Soberity was just the beginning.

  I pretty much look at myself as recovered these days. I found something that works in every aspect of my life...some positive principles based upon self responsiblity. Even at that I stopped going to A.A. after five years a die-hard promoter because with sanity came the ability to reconise too much of the same mindset that was all to familiar with the JW's. And I guess in all fairness it comes down to personalities because not all acted or spoke "judgement" just as I read not all JW's are hard hearted.

  Today I'm so detached from my JW family that it feels good! My mom is still alive and we speak maybe once every five years. And that's if I should call her...which I chose to no longer do. We all made our decision. Whilst I detest Jw's overall, I no longer waste precious time and energy worrying about what they think of me. I already know they do not, nor do they care to really know who I am.

  What's more important is that I know who I am, and be true to thine self. If you have not heard of John Bradshaw or Father Leo Booth, they were both very instrumental in my early recovering years because Bradshaw addresses the family dysfunction from various angles...and it spoke volumns to me. Leo Booth helped me with the spiritual angle and that wasn't easy for this anti-christian gal.

  I have great respect for both men. Recently I surfed for Leo Booth and found his webpage much more commerialized...my opinion only. And I guess it can happen as one becomes more popular. At any rate, recovery is the most precious gift we can bestow upon ourself. So glad you decided to join us. We all have stories, we all have something of value to offer to the newcomer...just as the newcomer offers so much to us.

  Thanks for being here.

  Granny Linda
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  WildHorses

  Welcome acsot,

  It's always nice to see another newcomer. I hope to see more of your post.

  Shari
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  KKLUV155

  Hi and Welcome!