HELLO? HELLO? "ALL" SIGN IN???????

by waiting 205 Replies latest jw experiences

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  thinkers wife

  Welcome to the board.
  Skimmer,
  Sorry to hear about your losses.
  Missy,
  I am so sad for what you are going through right now, I can only imagine.
  Golgotha,(I bet I spelled that wrong)
  Isn't it an eye opener. Everytime I think I have heard it all something new turns up. I was surprised at Ray Franz' humble personality as well.
  I know I am missing someone else. Can't think of the name. But welcome to all!!!!!!
  TW
• 

  waiting

  Mannnnnnn,

  With all the fighting, quarreling, snaping, - oh, and the new thread on masturbation - I've almost forgot my manners!

  Welcome, y'all!!!!!!!!

  It's really a pretty good place, just jump right in and don't be shy. We're waaaaaaaaay past that stage.

  Basically the word *mankind* is made up of two separate words, *mank* and *ind.* What do these words mean? Nobody knows and that is why *mankind* is a mystery. Jack Handey

  waiting
• 

  Steve4

  I was born into a JW family 1958 in New Zealand. Throughout my childhood I was told you will not go to school! you will not go to high school! you will not be old enough to drive before Armageddon and so on (This is the stuff of madness by the way).

  As with most witnesses of the time my family never promoted learning and education, the society had everything we needed to know! As a result I quit school at 15 and went full time (regular pioneer) door knocking for about four years as well as working in a range of menial and labouring type positions to support myself. And you well know 1975 came and went and the spin doctoring continued. While my family for the most part have continued to believe (there are ten of us) I gradually withdrew from the meetings and other activities of the church.

  Finally in the early 80s I made a decision that I could no longer condone the activities of the witnesses and wrote a letter asking to be removed from the register - so to speak - an invitation to be
  disfellowshipped.

  Well of course this was a traumatic experience as you well know (more so for my family). I was shunned by my family and this continues to be largely the case (although from time to time I have some contact whenever the clowns in New York change the rules of the game for a while). My break with the JWs occurred when I was in my early 20s almost 20 years ago now and I have not regretted for a moment the choice I made. Since then I have married and now have my own children (3) the eldest is hoping to get entry to university this year or next.

  I myself several years ago completed a university degree (BA) and later a Ph.D and now teach Southeast Asian history and politics and have a two of my own books about to be published.

  While I have no religion and encourage my children to be tolerant and
  open to all systems of thought (as a student of life these days I have to say that just about any religion would be better than this one) - I do thank "god" that I got out while young enough to do something with my life. The worst possible outcome would be to remain in this cult for life as my parents did. Believing right up until their own deaths that they would live forever on earth. They were decent hard working people deceived into believing something from which they were never able to break free.

  Well I just wanted to wish everyone all the best. I am glad to see so much material on the web which exposes the JWs as I am sure there are many in the church who stay simply because the fear of what leaving means. One of the reasons I believe that I did not suffer too much trauma when I left was because of my own research into organization. The greatest weapon one can use against them is their own literature - filled with back flips, contradictions and outright lies and most witnesses have tons of this material (rubbish) sitting around in their houses. But of course the publication process is so prolific they never have time to read the current material never mind things written 5, 10, 20 or 50 years ago. I am also glad to see that they seem to be in decline.
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  waiting

  Hello Steve4,

  The greatest weapon one can use against them is their own literature

  WTBTS does have a pile of words, don't they? And it is hard for the average jw just to keep up with what's being printed currently, let alone do any type of research. Hopefully, more will click onto the web for help. There is a site which has nothing on it but WTBTS quotes. Their feeling is that jw's can come there and read the flip-flops because there's no commentary given - just quotes.

  I am also glad to see that they seem to be in decline.

  In major countries, among people who tend to be more educated, that is the case. I'm in usa - and the Spanish congregations are exploding with new publishers. A lot of them are migrant workers who decided to stay. They speak almost no English, let alone have computers. I think it'll be another generation or two before they start really declining.

  New Zealand, eh? I worked with a woman from there some time ago. She always said her country was the most beautiful and temperate place on the earth. She also hated our bugs and humidity, and our high heat and freezing temperatures.

  Welcome.

  waiting
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  missy

  Thank you all so much for the support. Let me see if I remember some of the questions that were asked of me so I can answer them.:)
  Well, as far as going somewhere else, this would be difficult as the timing of these meetings coincides with dinner preparation. But I am considering changing our dinner schedule that night to include pizza brought home by me and the kids after the study time is over. :)

  This weekend is the convention and I have had no luck in trying to get him to stay over anywhere. Oh well. Guess I could always go away myself. :)

  You guys are so good to me, thank you. See? this is what I mean about the support and strength from strangers. My own family is great about it, but being as they do not have experience with JWs they do not know how to help or waht to say. My husband's family, well......they are a bunch of hot headed Greeks, who have blamed me for his becoming a JW. BUt, we are trying to work past that. We did not speak for well over a year, now we are on speaking terms, just not daily speaking terms. At family events, we talk, but it always seems to be kind of an interogation type talk. I am the only source of information regarding what their son is doing.

  Michelle, how did you get through the marriage difference? Mine is about the same as yours, hubby is good in all other areas, but when it comes to the religious difference, it seems to engulf us and override into other areas. How did you manage to get through it? I find it hard sometimes, if I want to share anything that I learn at church or whatever, and usually the one that you want to share that with is your spouse. But when I do, I get laughed at,or argue, so we have stopped doing that. there is only so much laughing and arguing one can take.

  I have not put my story on the main board yet, I think tomorrow when hubby is at the convention , I will do it then. No chance of him coming in and grumbling about my dealing with "apostates".
  That is the hardest part, he will not look at anything from the internet. If only he would.

  Well, I better go make dinner now. Thank you all again so much for your kind words of encouragment.

  I will return tomorrow, I am sorry it took me so long to acknowledge your posts.

  Love,
  Missy
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  tracysdad

  Hey everyone,
  I have never been a JW, but I've studied about them for years. Most of my working life I've worked alongside JW's at various jobs, & they would always engage me in a conversation about God. Those talks led me to my christian bookstore to purchase what JW's call "apostate literature." So, over the past ten years or so I've read everything I could about the Watchtower to get that inside edge of what they believe. I've read the Society's books, David Reed's books, Duane Magnani's stuff, all of it. I know about Beth Sarim, heck I've been to the house. It's magnificent. I know about Greber, all of the coverups, the lies. I've been to a Memorial service, heard the BORING music, watched the elements being passed around with no one partaking. The one thing I did find though is love amongst themselves. It's too bad that they're wrong, because I wish my faith could be as genuine as theirs seems to be. I see too much hypocricy in christendom in general. Oh well.
  Anyway, I'm 35 years old, about to turn 36. I have a wonderful 10 year old son, who unfortunately lives with his mom. :( I have been married 5 1/2 years to my wife. I collect baseball cards, & my oldest card is a 1966 Topps Mickey Mantle. My favorite player currently is Mike Sweeney of the Royals. Troy Glaus is another favorite.
  I am a christian first, Southern Baptist second. I am a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. I reside in Wichita, Ks & work at Boeing Aircraft. This is my introduction. Thanks.
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  Gopher

  Hi Tracysdad,

  Welcome to the board! I hope you like it out here, although you have nothing to "recover" from, fortunately.

  I like how you were able to discern the truth about the JW's by interviewing both sides, both your JW co-workers and then the writings of those who had had past experience with the organization. Did you attend any JW meetings, other than the Memorial? It seems to me you were impressed by the "love bombing" that happened at that event. The Memorial is the main recruiting event each year for the JW's, and they surely put forth their best effort to impress you.

  As far as whether that "love" would hold up over time as one gets "assimilated" into the organization, most here would agree that it doesn't. The "love" shown is conditional, based on how "active" you were in the preaching/recruiting work, and how "spiritual" you appear to be, as well as whom you know. (BTW, I was in the organization from birth up until last year, 39 years.)

  Other notes, I know the pain of living separately from one's child. Life's just not fair, is it? I collected baseball cards when a kid, stored them in milk cartons turned on their side with one side cut out, you know what I mean? I sold my collection at a card traders show back in about 1974 or so. (It didn't matter, the "end of the system" was coming soon anyhow, so we thought.) I'm sure I had an old Mickey Mantle card in the collection. My favorite cards though were Harmon Killebrew, Tony Oliva and Rod Carew. (Yes I'm a Twins fan.)

  Thanks again for jumping on board.

  GopherThe sieve says to the needle; you have a hole in your head.
  Indian Proverb
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  tracysdad

  Hey Gopher, domo for the welcome. I have not been to any other meetings except the memorial. I was invited to a talk a guy was giving at the Hall(a co-worker)but chose not to go.
  So you were a Witness up until last year? At my last job, I worked with a guy who was 54 years old who had been a Witness his whole life. He had known nothing else. He & I kinda had a falling out; He kept telling me He had the truth & I told him that the Bible says I have nothing to fear from a false prophet & the wheels kinda fell off from then on out. I was labled an opposer. I was not, I only investigated both sides like the WT said. A Witness named Becky called on me yesterday & told me it didn't sound like I was an opposer, she could tell I had questions. I told her that the WT claims to be the truth & that's fine but she does'nt know what I know. If only they would pull off the blinders...
  Peace everyone.
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  outnfree

  Welcome to Steve4 and Tracysdad!

  Steve4,

  20 years out and yet there's STILL a pull to 'meet and greet' others who know what being an ex-JW is all about! Amazing!

  My father spent time in NZ during WWII and raved about it -- called it paradise on earth. Made me want to visit some day. Perhaps I will...

  Tracysdad,

  Your 'handle' shows how much you're invested in remaining a part of your son's life, and I really like that about a guy.

  I'm afraid that I have to agree with Gopher. The love displayed in the Jehovah's Witness organization is conditional to the max. "Newbies" are always love-bombed. ESPECIALLY at the Memorial, but also pretty much the whole time they're potential converts. But once you're dunked, you're on your own!!! Sad but true.

  --------

  It struck me as coincidental that the very first professional ball game I attended was to see my Dad's beloved Yankees play in a double-header against ....
  the Minnesota Twins!!!
  I got to see both Mickey Mantle and Harmon Killebrew play that day (I think it was cap day at Yankee Stadium). If I recall correctly, they split the bill, with Killebrew hitting a home run to win the second game.

  Ah, the boys of summer!

  outnfree
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  Disengaged

  HI All;
  Add me to the list of those who have become disengaged, (pun intended)disgruntled, disillusioned, disobedient.....blah blah blah. Been in it about 25 years. Sick as hell, oops hades..... of the self-righteous, totally disfunctional idiots that take up space at the KH. I wish they could find something else to do.
  
  I'll be back

  IBBEROEAN "Just making sure!"