We talk it to death. Every subject. And yet where does it get us? Is it really of any benefit to you to let it out here? Is venting to a discussion board a good way to deal with the issues?
Don't get me wrong. You have all been great here and very supportive. But sometimes the pain comes back, so what is the point? If the nightmares start up again and there is nothing you can do to stop it, what is the point?
Do we really accomplish anything? I recently had a discussion with some people (I can't say who). They asked me why I was so willing to talk about something. I said, "Because I'm not one of them (JWs) anymore, so I don't cover things up any longer."
But will it do any good? Are we really getting the message out? The WTBTS has gone on for 125 years (2004-1879) and nothing has brought them down yet. Is it folly to think we can topple a whole religion? Every year they show an increase. Hell, they even show an increase of anointed ones! Apparently people are still joining the JWs. I tell everyone I know to beware of them, and you probably do the same. So why isn't it working?
I think we do benifit, remember walking a thousand miles begins with one small step. A lot of us have found healing through shared tears and being able to get it all out. Some of us have helped several JWs leave the WT and live a productive life. We just have to do our little bit. Beginning on a DB board is good practice for dealing with things in rl, seeing how others have coped does help too.
I come here to build myself the tallest, most beautiful sand castle that I can.
I do that, not by tearing down other people's sand castles, but by trying to focus on my own individual efforts in Life.
Finding my "True Authentic Self" is a rewarding experience for me. Coming here once in a while helps me with that discovery process.
Things that I discover here allow me to then apply these discoveries into my day-to-day life. With no application though, coming here would seem like a fruitless effort for me.
I think toppleing the WTBTs is a grandioso idea. The Catholic Church has been around for ummmm...you add it up....with all their atrocities.
Little by little, telling people about the control of the JWs will help alert people not become involved with them.
BTW, when did you start believing their statistics?? You know they are padded and just what they want the R & F and world to believe.
Just remember you are free and that is great. People will be people and some are just drawn to being under mind control. Well, not drawn, but still they enjoy that box.
Tammy there is no magic bullet. All we can do is share our experiences and hope we help people. Claiming there is some visible proof that we are taking JWs down is as bad as them claiming that they have visible proof the are god's chosen people. You say they show growth, but only miniscule amounts of it. Not enough to impress or have to worry they are somehow dominating the world of religion or spirituality. Also, we haven't even had access to the Internet long enough to see it making huge impacts on them. That too will change more and more as time goes by IMO So chin up and if you are feeling that it is too much to post here for your emotional well being then maybe you shouldn't. I've had moments where things come back to me and I either get irritated or have cried, but see that is life for me. Personally I would rather have my feelings and emotions right in front of me rather than repressed just to keep up appearances or cover up the wrongdoings of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Hope you are well and have a good evening
Of course - that is according to their OWN numbers - and we all know how honest and accurate they are with numbers . I wouldn't put a lot of weight on that. What I do know is that a lot of people have been helped, not only by this site but by people like us sharing our stories elsewhere and being there to help others. It is worth it.
If the JW religion ceases to exist it will just be replaced by something else as equally awful. Try not to get hung up on attacking the organization as a whole - just focus on those individual people (sheep) that can be helped.
If the Watchtower were to close up shop, admit they were wrong and cease printing literature, there would still be a group of people that would follow them.
The Watchtower Org. will be around in some form even after all of us on this board have passed from this life. However, ex-JWs have seriously hurt the growth of Jehovah's Witnesses. The Internet and ex-JWs will never cease to spread the real truth of this corrupt sect because the Watchtower will continue to browbeat their followers and try to break their spirit, they will continue to break up relationships and families through their disfellowshipping policies, and they will continue to kill people with their bogus blood doctrines. Being a JW has so many negative side-effects they will continue to produce disaffected members who will tell their stories and help others leave or never join. That is enough.
I have had a few "Why am I here?" moments. I consider them a wake-up call to re-examine my motives. At a certain point, it stopped being about me so much, and more about how much I could help. I love noble yet futile causes, case in point, my Militant Happyism project. I get great satisfaction from reading, for instance, how a non-JW partner coaxed their significant other out of the clutches of the WTBTS. Or the girl dating a JW who is wondering why she hasn't been introduced to his family yet. Or the teenager who is wondering if they can make it on their own when they turn eighteen. I like to think I had something to do with that. One at a time, I am content to make a difference.
Also, JWD came to my rescue a few weeks back, when I could not reach any friend or family with the news that my stepmom has inoperable cancer. JWD got me through a very lonely night.
I want to score a few bumper stickers. I think $30 worth of bumper stickers might be just the thing to liven up the parking lot of the local KH on a Thursday night! (I did order some Get-Out-Of-Hell-Free cards, I'm looking forward to passing those around!)
No one's going to make the Watchtower go away. But this forum has helped thousands to get out. Just the other day a guy wrote to me about my birthdays-are-ok document. He wanted a copy, since he's been out for 3 years, but still feels funny about birthdays. This forum lets us all get the demons out of our heads. (Like the one's that made me think Santa was a bad idea... )
You need real-world friends, too. But I hope you'll decide it's good for you to hang around here as well. But of course, you're FREE now! It's entirely your call.
