After my JW experience, I decided to go to the curch of Steve. I have been a happy member ever since!
Steve Lowry
JoinedPosts by Steve Lowry
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25
What other religions background do you have?
by Pinned Blouse ini was wondering what if any other religious background any of you had other than being a jw and if you have any comparisons.
i was brought up as a 7th day adventist.
once i was on my own as an adult, my former sis-in-law started studying with me and the rest was history.
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What did you actually enjoy about JW meetings?
by Pinned Blouse in.
as much as i dreaded going to all the meetings there were things that i did enjoy.. 1. no special parking spaces for the elders, etc.. 2. no collections plate going around the room.
3. no one person giving the talk every single week (can you imagine the same speaker 3 to 4 times a week, every day?
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Steve Lowry
I have to be honest. From the moment I walked into the Kngdom Hall until the moment I walked out, I hated it.
The day I got up to walk out for the last time was as close to an orgasmic experience as you could have with your clothes on. I walked out of the door knowing I'd never set foot in a Kingdom Hall again. The only sense of freedom I have ever had that came close to this was when I drove my first car by myself. Two magical moments in my life.
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Family Matters
by Purza inso i have been inactive technically for about 2.5 years now.
before i became inactive i was literally struggling to get my 1 hour in per month and half the time i studied with my daughter to get that hour in.
my daughter at 8 years of age began questioning the organization with things like "why won't they let women give talks to the audience, etc.".
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Steve Lowry
I needed (for me) to read this post. Thank you for posting it. It's encouraging to hear that people still do stand up to the "mighty" Watchtower Society. Too many people these days it seems are staying 'in' just to appease family members and becasue its 'safer' to do so. (Note here: I realize that the process of leaving a cult like the Watchtower Society takes time and everyone must find thier own and in their own time.)
I don't even know you or your daughter, but I can tell that you have been a good teacher and good influence and an excellent role model in her life. And she is a great example of someone with a free and strong mind. I wish all parents were as courageous as you. Sure, its scarey and even risky to stand up for what you believe. Very often the truest prinicples are those that find the most resistence. Maybe your mother will get a clue now? In any event your daughter didn't give in to her grandmother's JW rhetoric and pressure and stood her ground. Its all about modifying poeples behaivior and setting boundries. If grandma wants to see her grandaughter, then she'll play by YOUR rules. Excellent work.
Yea, you go girl! (Both of you!)
Thanks again for sharing this wonderful story.
Steve
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16
To all those who attended the Dallas Apostafest
by Junction-Guy inhey gang, i would just like to say that the 3 of us had the time of our life down there and we enjoyed meeting everyone.
never have i felt so touched by something as i did this apostafest.
it was so hard for us to leave texas on sunday morning.
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Steve Lowry
What's gonna happen in east Tenn.?
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Steve Lowry
Forgetting my own imperfection. Which I keep being reminded of daily.
Oh, and bed wetting of course.
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27
My friend and co-worker dead.
by Steve Lowry inhis name was robert thigpin and i worked with him for eight years (1990-1998).
last night he killed himself.
while we didn't always see things eye to eye, i could always count on him and he was a good co-worker.
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Steve Lowry
Again, thank you everyone for the thoughtful and loving responses to this thread. Friday is the funeral and I'm not looking forward to it. It wouldn't be so bad, but because of the boys, it will be difficult to get through. I am a father myself, so it's gonna be a tough situation. But I have to go, and I will go.
Steve
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Calling my JW sister.....Help and Advice, Please!
by lisaBObeesa init has been a long time since i spoke to my sister?a year or so maybe?
i made a promise to myself to give her a call in the next week or so.
i also promised my counselor, so i really have to do it!
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Steve Lowry
Lisa,
I don't know if you're still monitoring this thread, but I wanted to add something here. If you decided to show your sister how it feels to be shunned to try and help her see what your mother may be feeling, there are a few things you neeed to consider. One, it could back-fire and create a wedge between you and your sister that could be difficult to remove later. Secondly, you must be pepared for the long haul. Since 'shunning' your sister (for lack of a better way to call it), could result in you not speaking to each other for sometime, you must be prepared for death. Meaning, people die and you want to make sure you don't have any guilt where she (your sis') is concerned. So make sure that whatever you do is based on what you think is appropriate behaivior. I was driving to work this morning and thinking to myself that the advice I gave you works for me because I know it is appropriate for my situation. But would my advice to you for your situation also be appropriate? I don't know. Only you can know that.
If my sister died today, I would feel sad, yes indeed. But I would have no guilt where she is concerned because of my desicion to cut her out of my life. Ergo, I will be at peace with my actions and know that I acted in an approprite manner regarding her and our relationship. All this to say, you must take care in shunning someone as to where it could ultimetly go. Sometimes what works in one relationship can be disasterous in another.
Think about it before you act. I will monitor this thread for a while to see if there is anything else I can offer you concerning this dilema of yours.
Steve
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57
I am new to the board
by Pinned Blouse inhello everyone, i am new to this discussion board.
my name is pinned blouse because once i was wrongly df'd and i no longer attended the meetings, i noticed all my blouses had pin holes in them where i fastened safety pins in them to make sure i was always "modest" lol.
mind you i do not have large boobies but i did not want to "tempt" the brothers.. .
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Steve Lowry
Unlike some of the guys here I would never stoop to making any references about your brests, pinned. But just exaclty how small are they?
Welcome to the board!
I am truly sorry for the loss of your brother there dear one.
Steve
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27
Why Oh why !
by blobby innow don't get me wrong....i'm on the way out (no not the closet !
why do you ex jw's still keep coming onto this web site (ok i know its interesting etc) and dipping your toes in?
i'd of thought you'd want to forget everything !.
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Steve Lowry
Well blobby,
If and when you make it out of the organization, chances are you won't be questioning why there are so many former JW's who continue to post as much as they do on web sites such as this one. You'll just be damned glad that you have a place to go to for support. And chances are, you are going to need it. Maybe you will be the exception to the rule and have no problems upon your leaving. But most go through quite a few changes the day they step out of those Kingdom Hall doors for the last time. And that's what keeps me posting here. There's a great sense of satisfaction that former JW's experience in helping those who have made the difficult decision to leave the Watchtower Society. There are few bonds that create such strong ties between people, like that of former JW's.
It's kinda funny, but you'll no doubt experience more love and understanding from a bunch of strangers here on this website (and others like it) than you ever did in person with the JW's you currently know.
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27
My friend and co-worker dead.
by Steve Lowry inhis name was robert thigpin and i worked with him for eight years (1990-1998).
last night he killed himself.
while we didn't always see things eye to eye, i could always count on him and he was a good co-worker.
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Steve Lowry
Thank you all for your concern and encouraging comments. Truly, this death has affected like none other. We were all called into the office today and given the news. I just saw Robert the other day and he seemed just fine. But he was not the kind of guy to wear his heart out on his sleeve, so to speak.
A few years ago I planned and acted out on a suicide attemp (nothing JW related). I was in a deep depression and it consumed me. Just before I took the final step, I said to myself, "Maybe I will, but not today". I spent 48 hours under observation and went through a week of group therapy. I learned how to deal with depression and to recognize the signs. I think the thing that bothers me the most (besides the obvious pain that the family must now go through), is I know all to well from personal experience, the absolute torment Robert must have had to endure those last few hours. Its a living hell. Well, I hope he's in a better place now. He had gotten divorced a few years back, and now I worry that his boys will blame themselves for his decision. It will take years of work before they come to understand they had nothing to do with his deision to take his life.
Thanks again for the compassionate comments. It helps.
Steve