The good in Jehovah's Witnesses. (page 5)

jamara2000

I can't disagree with that at all. I just wish that my family especially my mother would not look so disappointed.

Welcome to the board, jamara2000! Yes, a mother's disappointment can really rip you up. But please remember that this is YOUR life, not hers, that you are living and at the end of the day and the end of your life it is YOUR decisions that you will have to live with. My mother was very controlling and gave me holy hell if I did anything contrary to what she wanted. She used anger, guilt hooks, anything that would work on me. I bowed to her will for 25 years until I met Big Tex and got married, and that was enough, thank you. Now it's my life that I'm living, and it feels good! I still cringed at her disapproval until the day she spat at me that my husband "was sent by the Devil to break up our happy home." I hung up on her, literally and mentally. We worked out a fairly decent relationship, a bit grudging on her part but she didn't want to lose me totally. Now she has Alzheimer's and is the happiest little old lady you'd ever want to see. Doesn't know any of us, eats birthday cake with gusto, attends the weekly church services at the nursing home, and here I am: my own person, living my life, happily no longer a JW. I love her, I take care of her and make sure her needs are met, but it's MY life.

Okay, I'll climb off the soapbox now! Welcome!

Nina

Amazing1914

Scooby,

Yes, there are many JWs I would love to see again ... and whom, as you say, have likely not forgotten us as we may imagine ... in this you are correct ... but that is not the point of why it is harmful to return to the JW religion ... the issue, instead, is their unsafe, unhealthy, and corrupt organization leadership, policies, procedures, and doctrine. The classic example are those with children who could end up having children molested with no real recourse to deal with the problem within the JW system.

Perhaps this struggle of wanting our friends there, but not being able to tolerate the unhealthy environment is what causes you stress as it does many others. Yes, if the JW system reformed to stop child molesters from remaining among them, to end the unbiblical shunning, and stop fanatical unbiblical dogma on matters such as blood transfusions ... as well as stop micro-managing JW lives, then maybe, just maybe an ocassional visit there to see old friends would be worthwhile.

Amazing

Dansk

Nina,

Now she has Alzheimer's and is the happiest little old lady you'd ever want to see. Doesn't know any of us, eats birthday cake with gusto,

Forgive me, but I found that SOOOOOOOOO funny!!!

Ian

jamara2000

That was funny... My nother is smart though she tells us all the time she never wants to rely on us for care when she gets old so she is covered by a long term care policy!!! NEVER will be her!!! She is going to make sure that she always a JW!! 4 life!!!

acsot

Now she has Alzheimer's and is the happiest little old lady you'd ever want to see. Doesn't know any of us, eats birthday cake with gusto, attends the weekly church services at the nursing home, and here I am: my own person, living my life, happily no longer a JW. I love her, I take care of her and make sure her needs are met, but it's MY life.

Nina, I have to comment on the above also. My mother is a long-time Witness also, but as you know, has had major health problems lately. My brother's (never a Witness) birthday was last week, and she's been trying to figure out what we can do for him (he was sick and we couldn't get together last week). Should we go out to a restaurant, have a birthday meal here, etc. etc. She's finally able to enjoy the twilight of her life, it's great.

cruzanheart

It IS funny, Dansk! And, jamara, my mom was going to be a JW for life too! Of course, I'm a little worried about the afterlife, because when my mom dies if she gets all her marbles back and realizes what happened after she went into the nursing home there'll be hell to pay: first, my dad (an elder for 40 years and her husband for 54) had an affair, got disfellowshipped, got reinstated, had a couple of other quiet affairs (finally got smart enough to NOT confess to the elders), spent most of the money she guarded like a dragon during their married life, drank too much, and committed suicide. Her only child (me) left the Witnesses and celebrated Christmas for the first time this past year, actually set foot in a Greek Orthodox Church (her dad was a priest) and lit candles for her and her brothers and my dad.

Anyway, if she dies and then Armageddon starts, I'll know who did it.

Nina

Dansk

jamara2000

She is going to make sure that she always a JW!! 4 life!!!

Erm, we've all heard that before! Never give up!!

Ian

itsallgoodnow

Jamara 2000 - welcome to the board, I can understand what you are saying. I'm sure most JW parents at least beleive they are doing what's best for their kids. I wish they could be ok with you now.

Cruzanhart - that's a really touching story... I wonder what my parents will do in the afterlife when they pass away and realize what's what (Finally!) .... if there is an afterlife.

Scoobysnax - I hope you find peace in whatever you decide to do, but I think they are right about how things change once you get baptized, more is expected, less is tolerated. The pressure can get to be too much, particularly if you are sensitive to how little boundaries you are able to put up in that group. And you really can't compare JW memorial numbers to the numbers out here, this board is not a religion, nobody is told they must post regularly here, it's just a stop on our journey to find peace as an ex-JW and many people probably don't even need it.

freedom96

I don't see anything wrong with enjoying the feeling of belonging to something, to be involved in a group with the same like minds, or goals, or interests.

One of many problems with the WTS is that they teach that the witnesses is the only answer, that there just is no where else to turn, and anything else is evil.

The WTS loves to tell people about the love between the brothers, and how that is not evident elsewhere. Well, the fact is that groups that truly care about one another do exist. A lot of them. But the WTS strongly discourages anyone from finding out. How can you, when you are so overwhelmed by witnesses responabilities??

If one wants to feel a part of something, there are many things out there to belong to that are more productive than being a part of the witnesses. There are groups religious and non religious that do much more for people than any group of jw's.

But witnesses are isolated from the real world. They are told that is their protection, when in fact it just limits their knowledge of what really is going on out there. There is much good to be found, one just has to look for it. And they don't have to look very far. Just walk outside the WTS organization, and you will find it everywhere.

The good in Jehovah's Witnesses.

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