Once burned twice shy
Holding a grudge
by LongHairGal 57 Replies latest jw experiences
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LongHairGal
JHINE:
I agree with you. But the religion would see any opposition as grudge or persecution. They expect people to have the memory of a fly and forget what they did.
WING COMMANDER:
I know what your mom experienced with stupid jealous individuals. Although I was certainly Not ‘meek’.. But, I had a double whammy: I was criticized by some with No idea what it was like to work; they shunned me BUT some acted like I somehow ‘owed’ somebody something!! Anybody who thought this was delusional.. I never gave anything to these pioneers who chimed in with the chorus and criticized me for working.
I agree that these changes are a slap in the face - especially the one about no longer counting time.. Boy, am I glad I kept on working until retirement and never listened to these people.. As you say, it’s a giant STFU. I can’t even feel sorry for anybody still listening to them at this late date.. The religion and their ‘no apologies’ can shove it.
I still think they will lose more people over time and it won’t mean anything to some that they have ‘loosened up’ some things.
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blondie
Yes, the WTS not only never apologizes, it blames it on their members
For example on the failure of the 1975 doctrine
In its issue of July 15, 1976, The Watchtower, commenting on the inadvisability of setting our sights on a certain date, stated: “If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises.” In saying “anyone,” The Watchtower included all disappointed ones of Jehovah’s Witnesses, hence including persons having to do with the publication of the information that contributed to the buildup of hopes centered on that date.
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WingCommander
@Blondie:
Wow.....I didn't realize they were blaming the R&F already in 1976!! I had heard that really didn't start until about 1979-1980.
In fact, this is what woke up Marjorie Chretian up at an Assembly in around 1980......a speaker had blatantly placed the blame on the R&F members......it was a slap in the face.
Her & Leonard's testimony on their awakening process on Youtube: (a very good listen)
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Biahi
I was at the assembly (district) in summer of 1976. Fred Franz had a talk there. He SHOOK HIS FIST at the audience and told us suckers sitting that it was OUR FAULT that nothing happened in 1975. No accountability at all on his part. I remember thinking, ‘what a fucking liar.’ I was 16. I knew I was leaving this awful organization as soon as I could escape, and I did! 👏😁
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LV101
Longy --- my motto: Forgiveness is overrated!
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LauraLynn
Hi, LongHairGal!
I am new to this forum. I was raised a JW (but not strictly--we didn't observe holidays and went to a couple of meetings a year). However, when I was about 16, I had a change of heart about God, and because the JWs were all I knew, I started attending their services and became thoroughly brainwashed within a year. Thankfully, I met my husband several years after I left the organization. He was an authentic Christian, and helped me see that I needed to place my faith in Jesus alone for my salvation.
It has been now 40 years since I lef the JWs. Looking back, I can say that there were a lot of things that broke my heart when I attended their KH. I was angry, too, even turned my back on God and started living like an atheist. I actually acted out my anger, rebelling against all things religious. It wasn't until I read the book "Reasoning From the Scriptures With the Jehovah's Witnesses" by Ron Rhodes that I was able to understand the true message in the Bible and untangle all those false beliefs.
That being said, I can say that being angry and unforgiving toward the JW organization did not help me heal, at least for me. I still have anger against them for peddling a false gospel and misleading so many people, but it is more of an emotion that makes me want to help others escape from their clutches. Jesus had anger toward the Pharisees for misleading people and preaching what is false, and so did the apostle Paul. So, I've learned over the years to temper my anger and to see how my experience with the JWs can be used by God to help others. I don't know if this is any help at all, but I thought I'd share my experience. How long have you been out of the organization? I would like to pray for you, if that is okay.
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LongHairGal
LAURA LYNN:
Thank you so much, but you don’t have to pray for me.
You have a very good idea of forgiveness from what you said and I agree with you.
i walked away from the JWs sometime in 2001 for several reasons including the 1995 Generation teaching… I did a ‘Fade’ and didn’t want any drama.. I just wanted to be done with it.. I was not raised a JW but came in as a working young adult.. They tried to pressure me to quit my job and take up housecleaning and pioneer. I refused so they made sure I was marginalized and not invited. I did make a few friends though.
In time, I retired and was very glad I kept that job. I had a conversation with one friend and stated that I would never tolerate being targeted to give money to JWs who never worked, etc.. This person was ‘offended’ and said I held a grudge. In this regard I do. They don’t get to do that.. Nobody has any business imagining they are going to target someone who got knocked for working. I explained it doesn’t work that way. Other than that, I’m polite to JWs. As I said, I wasn’t raised in it and have family and friends who are not in and never were.
In general, the religion cannot be forgiven for its policies and teachings - even those that never affected me.
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peacefulpete
Despite what the SCOTUS said, corporations are not people. The WT corporate entity (with it's ever-changing board of directors is not a 'someone' it is a 'something'. Therefore, the notion of holding a grudge is oxymoronic.
I will always wish to avoid and defeat cancer, for example. It would be silly to suggest I'm 'holding a grudge' against cancer. I consider the WT and churches like them a cancer.
People I can and will forgive, forgiving cancer is just word salad.
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Balaamsass2
I CHOOSE not to work for big tobacco corporations, the MAFIA, or associate with known child rapists, bank robbers, or other criminals. I CHOOSE to not have habitual liars as friends. Someone who supports or assists in committing crimes is no better than the criminal....a co-conspirator.
Watchtower is complicit in aiding and protecting criminals and is a habitual liar. I choose not to associate with people or entities like this...or to keep "touching the unclean thing". They keep lying and breaking the law...it has nothing to do with forgiveness.