Posts by TableForOne

43

Could it be that Jehovah is punishing me for leaving his religion?

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

i know it's a completely absurd thing to say, but something happened to me today that triggered the old cult reaction.

my mind instantly lapsed back into that of a jw and for a split second i thought that because i wasn't doing jehovah things that jehovah's blessing had been removed from me and this is why my life seems to be running into so many dead-ends.

as a jw i attributed anything good happening to me to being the result of my being a good jw and dutifully doing everything the borg teaches.

TableForOne

Sorry to hear about your troubles, Ms Orwell.

You explained your thought process very well.

You know it's irrational, you know it's nothing to do with Jehovah, you acknowledge that when good things happened to you as a JW you would attribute it to Jehovah's blessing.

YOU KNOW IT'S A CULT!

Yet, it's so deeply ingrained in your mind that you still slip into the old way of reasoning when things go wrong.

That's the power of mind control, right there.

I hope you cope with your recent bad news, and I look forward to hearing about your resurgence in the near future.

You're in my thoughts (but you'll never be in my prayers!!!)

Take care,

TF1

23

Playing the dating Game..............how do you play?

by KateWild in

everyone knows i have been playing this dating game, and what a fun game it has been.

i have met a few nice guys but remained strictly platonic, and also met some really pushy guys too that just wanted sex.. i have not met mr right yet, but who knows what the platonic guys could evolve into.. it's all a game and anyone who says they don't play games when dating is lying.

does a man always have to make the first move?.

TableForOne

I don't think a man has to make the first move at all.

If you want him to, let him. (But at least drop enough hints that he's not wasting his time, or going to get shot down)

If you want to make the first move, go for it.

Just be yourself and do what feels natural and right for you.

There's no point waiting for someone else to make the first move every time.

Life's too short.

(Maybe I have no right to answer on this thread, given it's title. I'm not playing the dating game as I'm too happy being single. Hence my name, Table for ONE! Happy days.)

TF1

9

Been gone a while, but feel the need for support again

by megsmomma in

jw
friends

my jw daughter is getting close to being 18, and she was baptized at the ripe old age of 11.... so i feel like the shunning is coming.

my sister is also on the verge of getting baptized, even though i have been able to show her many things about the watchtower proving it is full of lies, she is still falling for it.

she spoke to an elder about the shunning policy, saying she wouldn't join if she would have to stop speaking to me....and they said they couldn't make her do anything...so she took it as them not caring if she speaks to me.

TableForOne

I'm sorry to hear about your circumstances.

Could you not share with your sister, some real life experiences found in recent copies of the WT?

WT 15th April 2012 Page 12, paragrapgh 17.

A real life examlpe of how "a young man", also a disfellowshipped family member, was treated for over 10 years.

"...to their credit, each member of the family was steadfast in not having any contact with him."

.

WT 15th June 2013 Page 28, paragraph 17.

In real life example number 2, Robert was df'd for almost 16 years...

"during which time his parents and siblings firmly and loyally applied the direction in God's Word to quit mixing in company with wrongdoers, not even greeting such ones."

.

If you choose not to share this with your loved ones now, maybe a loving, kindly elder will, AFTER your sister's baptism has taken place?

Good luck.

TF1

27

Volunteering.

by Jeannette in

since i left the watchtower a couple of years ago, i started volunteering 3 hours a week at a wecare center.

it's like goodwill.

well, i've been there approximately 9 months, and yesterday i received a lovely thank you card from them.

TableForOne

Jeannette: What a lovely experience. You feel proud, worthy and appreciated.

And rightly so.

On the rare occasion I see my JW wife, she loves to remind me 'Who else on earth has an organisation like Jehovah's?'

If I dare try to say:

"What? An organisation that is soft on paedophiles?

An organisation that shuns former members who dare to leave?

An organisation that constantly changes it's beliefs, yet still maintains it speaks nothing but "truth"?

Yeah, I totally agree. Who else on earth would want to be part of an organisation like Jehovah's?"

Well, I'm shot down before I can say the first sentence. (Because she knows what's coming next, ha ha.)

.

When I get my life sorted I'm planning to do some volunteer work too.

Well done Jeannette.

TF1

46

hello everyone

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

i've been browsing the site for some time as things that the society teach just are not adding up much these days.

by exploring some of the threads on here i'm starting to see why.

a brief bio.

TableForOne

Welcome purrpurr.

Your presence here as very encouraging.

You might feel "rather naughty" for being here right now, but that wont last, and you'll soon be wishing you came here years ago.

I'm looking forwards to hearing more about your personal journey.

TF1

35

Advice about going to Meetings...................oh why didn't I listen...LOL!!!!!

by KateWild in

i have been back to meetings for a month now.

prepared for them all except for when i went on holiday.. todays wt is about jehovah's organisation, it's clear loaded language and manipulation through fear.

i am not perturbed by it in the least.

TableForOne

Such is the cult mentality, the CoBE's wife probably reasons that it is her wonderful God Jehovah who is directing matters.

No such thing as a 'coincidence' for a JW. It's either Jehovah, or Satan. End of.

You now sound very happy Kate, that's the most important thing.

TF1

406

ex-jw-uk

by bigmac in

jw
friends

i'm quite new to this site, & have realised some members have a union jack symbol under their avatar.

i don't.. could we have a "show of hands" from any uk members?

i've already found several by reading older posts..

TableForOne

Thanks bigmac, hadn't seen this thread before.

Northumberland here (Tyne & Wear No.1 Circuit)

TF1

50

Hello

by lurkernomore in

i thought it was high time to introduce myself (without my name of course).

as my name would suggest i have been reading your intriguing post, thoughts and discussions for some time now.

around 3/4 months to be exact.. i guess to start with it would seem fitting to give a little background on my current situation.. i'm a born-in, but have over the last few years found that through a number of varying occurences, (some of which i may discuss in future posts) that my 'zeal' has gone from regular field service and meetings to no service in over a year and very sporadic meeting attendance.

TableForOne

lurkernomore: welcome aboard.

I was a lurker for a short time too, but as you are experiencing for yourself, there are so many helpful and friendly people who post here.

I hope you experience the same amount of happiness I have had since leaving the JW cult.

Keep posting.

TF1

(Northumberland, England)

35

Perfect Relationship, He Still Broke Up With Me

by tiff21390 in

last month, my best friend of four years and boyfriend of six months came home from a jehovah's witness convention.

he'd been acting strangely the entire weekend and i knew something was wrong.

i initiated a discussion and he said, "essentially our relationship is wrong and i'm not supposed to be with you.

TableForOne

Thanks for sharing your story tiff, sad as it is.

It's interesting that he went a bit weird after the convention. Maybe 3 days of guilt-inducing talks messed with his mind? Maybe he thinks 'the end is near' and he needs to put things right with Jehovah? (Oh dear)

He sounds emotionally immature. I say that because he simply cannot be himself.

He is/was one person with you, and a completely different person to others (family, other JW's).

He hasn't decided yet who HE wants to be, who HE really is.

He sounds very unhappy now that your relationship has ended. I think he is in turmoil too.

He has the power to decide to walk away from the JW's, but he doesn't seem to realise that yet. Other people are influencing him. I think he (unnecessarily) feels powerless.

He clearly does not want or enjoy the JW lifestyle but is feeling pressure to conform, due to family ties.

From what you have written, you sound as if you could both be very happy together... except that freakin' cult is messing him up, deep inside his mind.

Bottom line: If he remains oblivious to the fact that he's in a mind control cult, you have no happy future with him.

Please let us know how things work out.

Take care.

TF1

12

Watchtower Memorial Day makes local UK newspaper

by TableForOne in

a tragic, but honest, story.

well written, in my opinion.. i'd like to see how the local jw's would handle this being mentioned to them this saturday morning in the ministry.. it's just a shame it's only a local newspaper, not a national.. www.bucksherald.co.uk/news/more-news/former-jehovah-s-witness-leaves-memorial-to-family-who-shunned-her-1-6206648.

tf1.

TableForOne

Watchtower Memorial Day sign

Zoos: Here's the sign.

Make the image larger and it all becomes readable.

TF1