Hey all of you survivors. I was wondering, I once joined the Ex-JW meetup website thing and within one day, two "sisters" came to my door ...coincidentally. Anyone else have this happen to them?? or am I just being really paranoid that the Ex=JW site is really the Witnesses trying to find out what sheep are straying from the flock? (Blaaahhhch!) Isn't it horrible the way we know somewhere deep down inside how incredibly kniving they might be and we just can't prove it?
Question for everyone
by The Tract 12 Replies latest jw friends
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jgnat
Nope, didn't happen to me. I think you are letting your paranoia run ahead of you.
At the last District Assembly, there was a lovely display of Kingdom Halls around the world. Right in the middle, above and below each other, was *gasp* Mexico and Malawi! AHA! Could there be closet apostates running rampant in the society????? I told my (non-JW) friends about the discovery and they scoffed. "Maybe the display was in alphabetical order."
Duh.
What makes the paranoia run so deep, that we make these connections? Could it be the secretive, controlling, insular atmosphere of the WTBTS?
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Joyzabel
welcome to JWD, the tract.
Nope, no problem with this xjw site getting calls from the kingdumb hall.
Enjoy
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Kenneson
Welcome Tract. No, it didn't happen to me. I tried to join the Ex-Jw. meet-up site as well, but there aren't enough ex-Jehovah's Witnesses in my area. Haven't been visited by JWs since I moved to my new place in 2003. I think in your case it was just a coincidence.
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Leolaia
The Tract....Sounds like synchronicity! With one breath, with one flow
You will know
Synchronicity
A sleep trance, a dream dance
A shared romance
Synchronicity
A connecting principle
Linked to the invisible
Almost imperceptible
Something inexpressible
Science insusceptible
Logic so inflexible
Causally connectible
Yet nothing is invincible -
Insomniac
I joined xjw meetup awhile ago, although I would rarely ever be able to actually attend. I did get to one meetup, however, and I got to meet some of the coolest, nicest folks imaginable- including one really well-known apostate guy who told me that just being seen with him was a disfellowshipping offense, no questions asked. I think he said that to be funny.
When you signed up, did you use your real name, or some sort of alias? It's possible that the elders do keep tabs on that site, and if your real name is posted, along with the town you live in, they'd be aware of your activity. Whatever the case may be, I hope that you're able, as I was, to make some new friends at the meetup.
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morty
Welcome Tract.....
I do suggest though, if your fadeing or escaping slowly, donot use your real name or where you live...That is advice in general for the internet...not just here...
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Swan
Coincidences happen, but they sure don't feel like coincidences sometimes.
I remember back about 1997 I saw severely depressed and the meds my doctor had prescribed weren't working. After trying several different brands, I was no improving, so she sent me over to the psychiatric wing of the hospital where there was a psychiatrist who could evaluate me and let my family physician know what brand of meds would work best for me.
I was very nervous going in, being depressed already, but then these two women came in behind me and I recognized one of them as a JW. Well I just imagined all sorts of things. After the receptionist gave me some paperwork to fill out, they asked her if they could leave some reading material for the patients. The receptionist firmly said "No!" and they left.
Well dummy me, I asked the receptionist if those people came in here often. She must have thought I was crazy, but she answered no. Later on, I told the psychiatrist about it and she said she was sure it was a coincidence. Well I have been on those meds she prescribed that day ever since, and I am not nearly as paranoid as I was.
I'm not saying you need medication, of course, just that coincidences do happen.
Tammy
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BlackSwan of Memphis
Quite sometime back after I first heard about the child abuse scandal I was really torn. On one hand I was so po'ed with the wts, on the other hand I thought that sl could undo a lot of 'good' things accomplished by hardworking brothers. I emailed Bill and we continued email exchanges for awhile, I posted on the site and then.... really weird things happened with the elders. Odd looks, phone calls... At the same time is when I slowed down big time and stopped reporting time, I was so paranoid I really thought that it was possible they found out. Although my very practical husband (nonjw) said that IF they had hacked into my emails or whatever, and I were to find out, well, there would be a lawsuit. SO point being: I think paranoia is totally normal (that's coming from me though so...) and look at it like this IF they found out what you're doing how on earth would they be able to tell you without incriminating themselves? Keep it anonymous and you should be safe.
In fact, when I ordered the Freeminds Journal, and I received a confirmation from Randy, I was paranoid HE was a jw. Hahahahha. Now it just makes me laugh. Nice to know I'm not the only one who's been through it.
Take care
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new light
If that happened to me, I would have thought the same thing. Just chalk it up to being an active thinker. People that think as much as you do usually don't last a lifetime as witnesses, so consider it a good thing. Paranoia subsides as we distance ourselves from the org.