When I quit associating with the Witnesses in 1974 after I saw the year text and after my 3 year old son and I were belly pushed by Witness people at a district assembly and after I was hassled and criticized at the group meetings. I didn't have any other ex Witnesses to talk to for 18 years. Then I had one. In 1995 I went looking for former Witnesses and Randy Watters asked me why I didn't get a computer and get on the Internet and join the Jesus Witness list. After I did that I was never alone again.
I went public in 1995 when I realized I had nothing more to loose to the Witness people. I'll probably keep posting as long as I'm welcome. My ex Witness community has actually shrunk a lot. One group of Christian ex Witnesses pissed me off. Another group of Christian ex Witnesses don't want me. I just may be seeing a trend here.
I don't really have anything to offer except my knowledge, my library, and my experiences. I don't care if people are theists or deists or non theists, if I can be of some help, I will.
I have a theory that when my sons and relatives go looking for information, they won't come to me, but your sons and daughters will. I hope you are here to help my relatives and I want to be here for yours.
I don't have all of my business finished. More keeps surfacing. I want to keep working to try go get it all cleaned out. I learn about unfinished business by reading, and I resolve it by writing.
The boards and emails fill a social need and it all entertains me, makes life interesting.
I've taken my breaks and returned. I don't take it all as serious as I did. That's made it all more enjoyable.
NO LONGER SATISFIED AS I WAS, WITH JWD FORUM
by outoftheorg 69 Replies latest jw experiences
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garybuss
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horrible life
Thank you Garybuss. And thank you to all of you OLDIES. I am grateful for you being here. HL
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Sara Annie
Nothing--no matter how delicious, fascinating, or wondrous--is that way indefinitely. Attraction and infatuation ebb and flow in even the most passionate of relationships. But when the foundation is strong, when there's something beneath the day to day happenings and excitement (or lack thereof), it hardly matters that not every day is hearts and flowers and shooting stars.
Over the years I've come and gone--I've been a lurker and reader, a dedicated and prolific poster for a while, an occasional contributor, and a complete stranger. Sometimes it feels like coming home after a long vacation, others it feelslike I'm wandering through the hallways in a hotel I know I've been a guest in before, but I can't quite remember the stay. But no matter what, there's only one thing that really matters: I always come back. The things I've learned, the forum I've had to express myself, the opportunity to share what I feel and really learn what it is that I believe has been a truly unique experience for me. As long as the forum is here, I'll be checking in.
In the last few days I've been lurking about after a pronounced absence, and seeing the same old topics interspersed with new and timely threads convinces me that the purpose being served here is a good one--new people coming to examine the 'truth' and familiar faces staying around to reveal the truths they've found is exactly what this site has been about for me, and what I hope it will continue to be for anyone else who needs it.
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Rod P
To paraphrase a famous phrase:"Ask not what the Forum can do for you.... Ask what you can do for the Forum."
When I get bored, I look around and try and find something interesting and positve to contribute. We don't have to look very far. It's all around us!
A friend once told me years ago "How can you possibly be bored? If you were stuck in a room with nothing but four walls, a floor and a ceiling, and one light bulb, what would you do?"
My answer was "I'd go out of my mind!"
He then proceeded to tell me what he would do. He told me he would look up at that light bulb and contemplate everything he could possibly think of about that lightbulb. How does it make light? Electricity; what exactly is that and how does that make a light bulb work? How do you make a light bulb? Why doesn't it burn out? Why is it hot? What makes it so bright? How long will it last? If there is a light switch, how does the switch make the light bulb go on and on? He said that he could spend several months just thinking about all this.
Then he went on with these words of wisdom: "There is no such thing as a boring subject... Just people who choose to be bored."
I have never forgotten those words, and now I no longer experience boredom.
If you look at the same topics on this forum again and again and again; if you really, really look at them, you will discover that there are many subtle differences, because different people express things differently about the same subject. What do these expressions of opinion reveal about the person behind the words? What input can you provide to that thread that may cause others to respond to your wisdom and observations and analysis and encouragement, etc. etc.
I believe it was George Washington Carver (I hope I have the right name here) once asked God to teach him all there was to know about the Peanut. And God said to him "Your mind cannot handle all there is to know about the Peanut. But if you start with a couple of things, like temperature and pressure, then I will reveal to you a few things about the Peanut".
He then spent the rest of his life studying and experimenting with the Peanut. Over his career, he discovered and invented over 300 different ways to use the Peanut. A few of these include Peanut Butter, Peanut Bread, Peanut Butter Cookies, Roasted Peanuts, Salted Peanuts, Peanut Soup, Peanut Oil, Peanut Brittle, and all kinds of recipes using Peanuts, etc. etc. etc. He also developed a number of different species. The lesson here is that there is absolutely nothing boring about the lowly Peanut.
So, let's get busy getting interested in things, and sharing them with our fellow man. There is no time to waste!
Rod P.
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Faith
Take a little time off if you need to but chances are you'll be back when you are ready. After more than 1,800 posts, you just may be due a little vacation. All the old timers and us newbies will be here when you get back. I'm a newbie to posting here but not new to reaching out online to JWs and former JWs with the vital info we all need like the UN issue. I have been busy for bout 7 years. I get burned out sometimes too and take breaks. This forum and other places like ex jw chat rooms provide us with such much needed validation and support.
THANK YOU for being here.
Thank you all for being here.
Love,
Faith
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evita
I spent months lurking here late at night when my JW mom was dying. Even though I have been out for over 20 years I know hardly any X-JW's. I can't tell you how grateful I am to all of you for your comments and PM's. I cried a river and began to understand at a much deeper level my experience as a teen dub and ex dub. I learned so much from every painful and funny experience shared on this board.
Having said that, I too get weary at times. Re-hashing all this stuff can get you down. Sometimes posters get contentious or ignore serious posts for fluff. But I just got back from a 3-day camping trip and I sure missed everyone here. So for me, it's all good. Maybe just not 24/7.
Eva -
outoftheorg
Sorry my reply is so late at night, here in Idaho.
My wife and I went to a movie and ate out and then went shopping.
I am overwhelmed at how many of you posted on this thread. Thank you all for your comments and suggestions. My goodness, it sure is nice to be appreciated.
Even though my first sentence stated that this is not another { I am leaving jwd } it seems that many of you have come to that conclusion.
I was more curious about how one feels if they are truly {moving on in their life} after being a jw and then experiencing the mental and physical blows of df'n and shunning, then they move on with their life and maybe this is what i am experiencing.
Also are my feelings like others of you, also have and how do you handle them.
It is obvious that I ought to have been more specific about these things.
Several suggested that taking a break from time to time is what they do. I am going to do just that.
I do enjoy helping the newbies and even now and again, those who fit my catagory of an old fart.
There are too many of you, for me to reply to your posts .
So let me send best wishes and thanks to all of you.
Outoftheorg
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Wasanelder Once
OK Rod does the P stand for Peanut? I'm getting a strong vibe from your post.
LOL
W.Once
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Frog
Hi out,
I think all our needs are different, and if 'out' feels the need to move on, then perhaps he should. I think it's really important for JWD continue, thus making the need for oldtimers vital. Oldtimers prove that there is life after the org, and that a well balanced perspective can be obtained. I don't however think that anyone should feel guilted into believing this task lies with them, especially if they've nothing more to give.
Out, if you feel the need to move on for a while, permanently or whatever, it seems from the above that there are plenty of well equipped people to carry on with the good work from where you've left off. You gave while you got, you're not in debt.
Frog (of the each to his own class xox).
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AK - Jeff
Seems like it has all been said, when all of a sudden a new angle is revealed from a poster.
I love being exposed to the diverse opinions expressed here, from the differing points of view. I spent soooo many decades of my life seeing everything from the single 'Watchtower issued' perspective, that at first I found it overwhelming. Sometimes I found it somewhat immoral almost. Now I have found that I can pick and sort. There is no need to adopt the universalality of witness thinking to this forum, or to life. Not all, in fact, almost nothing is black and white.
The witness-prisoner in me has been dissolved. The whole at JWD is soo much better than the sum of it's parts - the participants. I have been like others addicted, bored, addicted again. The cycle seems to be almost universal. The need to share a commonallity with others is the draw to me. When I share my perspective with a Lutheran [for example] he/she cannot fully relate to the world that I came from as a witness. Many here can.
And I understand the newbies. The initial shock and disbelief. The anger. The pain. I can help in a little way with that perhaps. Perhaps no one really notices me here - but even then I am in therapy by putting my feelings and thoughts on the posts.
So, OOTB - hope you stick around, if any of that is true with you. We like you here.
Jeff