Posts by DisArmed

50

Elder asking for help

by untruth in

this is my first time posting on here so i’m not sure where to start.

i’m trying to keep it as short as possible since i could expand much more.

i’ve been in the process of waking up in the last year and a half.

When I left Wally World I didn't try to persuade my wife or two adult children. I didn't make any great proclamation or statement about how I no longer believed. I just slowly stopped going to meetings and participating in any JW activities. I knew if I tried to convince or persuade them, the doors would close and they would shut down and feel they were being courageous and fighting the fine fight. (Sheesh) As they saw my disposition change and saw me prosper with my new lease on life my children started asking questions. I would answer their questions and eventually they came around and are both out of Wally World. It was a process and it took some time but I'm glad I did it that way. My ex was a different story. Even though she is one of the smartest people I know she continues to blindly follow the gb and won't admit to any reasoning when it contradicts them. Good luck with your journey and again, welcome.

45

JWs in denial, so sad

by Simon in

i had a couple of jw sisters call at my door today.. they started with the bizarre "can we read you a scripture" and read about "death being no more" and asked what i thought of that.. i said it sounded like a mix of disney and dumb.. they then launched into how god was going to put an end to death and wasn't that wonderful?.

i said it would have been more wonderful if he'd not created death in the first place.. they thought man created death by disobeying so i questioned why god couldn't have just forgiven them.

apparently "because he loves us" is supposed to be a satisfactory answer to why he kills us.. i asked how loving it was to kill hundreds of thousands of children in tsunami's, disease and so on.. at this point, they gave up on the 'god is love' and switched to the bible being true no matter what because it was an old book and moses had written the first chapter (says the book).. when i suggested it really wasn't that old and that most of the bible myths were copies of older stories from before it was written they questioned if i studied the bible and theology.. then i told them i was brought up as a jw so knew it was all crap.. now it was game on, they immediately switched to play defence questioning why i'd left (and i think they'd already taken a step back away from "the evil" obviously emanating from me).. not much time to say much before they cut and run so i told them i'd left because i found out it was all based on lies and that the watchtower was corrupt and covered up things like child abuse.. oh no, you're thinking of the catholics one of them said (some disdain in how she said "catholics" as though "we're so much better than them").. "well, i challenge you to do a search for the australian royal commission and you'll see the testimony the watchtower leaders gave and the damning evidence that they covered up abuse and reported none of it to the police.".

DisArmed

jookbeard,

"Any changes, concessions or actions come from within." - DisArmed

Perhaps a clairification. I should have written, within oneself. Didn't mean within organization.

45

JWs in denial, so sad

by Simon in

i had a couple of jw sisters call at my door today.. they started with the bizarre "can we read you a scripture" and read about "death being no more" and asked what i thought of that.. i said it sounded like a mix of disney and dumb.. they then launched into how god was going to put an end to death and wasn't that wonderful?.

i said it would have been more wonderful if he'd not created death in the first place.. they thought man created death by disobeying so i questioned why god couldn't have just forgiven them.

apparently "because he loves us" is supposed to be a satisfactory answer to why he kills us.. i asked how loving it was to kill hundreds of thousands of children in tsunami's, disease and so on.. at this point, they gave up on the 'god is love' and switched to the bible being true no matter what because it was an old book and moses had written the first chapter (says the book).. when i suggested it really wasn't that old and that most of the bible myths were copies of older stories from before it was written they questioned if i studied the bible and theology.. then i told them i was brought up as a jw so knew it was all crap.. now it was game on, they immediately switched to play defence questioning why i'd left (and i think they'd already taken a step back away from "the evil" obviously emanating from me).. not much time to say much before they cut and run so i told them i'd left because i found out it was all based on lies and that the watchtower was corrupt and covered up things like child abuse.. oh no, you're thinking of the catholics one of them said (some disdain in how she said "catholics" as though "we're so much better than them").. "well, i challenge you to do a search for the australian royal commission and you'll see the testimony the watchtower leaders gave and the damning evidence that they covered up abuse and reported none of it to the police.".

DisArmed

"Now it was game on" - Simon

Waste of time, breath and energy.

"Damn I wish they would call on me!" - Cofty

Nothing you could say or do would be so profound or different that it would change their views. Sure, in your mind you would win any argument, that's easy. But in their minds the shield would immediately go up. You would be of Satan and anything you say would fall on deaf ears. They have the Internet and the same means we all have. Any changes, concessions or actions come from within.

28

I cringe when I think about the talks I gave.

by James Mixon in

you brothers who gave talks do you thinks about the crap you spoke from the platform.. thirty years old, no knowledge what so ever of the world we live in, barely making the grade.

to graduate from high school, a year and half in jc college and now with schooling of jw higher.

education i thought i was a hell of a speaker.

DisArmed

"I feel so embarras when I think about that time." - James Mixon

JM,

Don't be too hard on yourself, we all thought we knew more than we did.

18

What was your first public bible reading? And when?

by Mandrake in

i perfectly remember that, rehearsing with mom, trying to read with enough emphasis and in a proper tone.

i was 5 years old, back then in 1996 i think, and the portion was james 5:1-13.... i found today that i still know the first verses by heart!!!

it's actually a cherished memory for me, i came to memorize those because mom had me starting the reading all over again until i got to read it properly... and in time!!!

DisArmed

One of the few memories from Wally World that makes me smile when I think about it. I was the first in my family to give any kind of talk on TMS. Evidently I had never witnessed anyone giving a first talk. It was customary in those days (not sure about now) for the audience to applaud for one's first talk. It surprised me, I couldn't figure out why everyone was clapping.

66

Prince is dead.

by DATA-DOG in

has anyone heard about this?

that really sucks.

lots of dubs are talking.

DisArmed

Sometimes I don't think we appreciate the talent and genius we have living among us in our lifetime. Prince was to music and entertainment what Einstein was to physics.

32

Where is the Rebel.

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

who cares?.

the first time i was in distress with the watchtower, i was fortunate to find this place.

my ego thought ,i was somehow special, that my posts were reaching a worldwide audience, and most of all i felt at ease, maybe home is a better word.

DisArmed

Good OP Reb,

Before arriving I had been in a place where I rarely gave Wally World a second thought. Out of curiosity and as the result of a friend's recommendation I tuned in. I found the forum to be a place that maybe, through my experience, I could somehow in a small way help a few. I still hope that is true. I noticed though that what I have to say has usually already been said by many. That's okay with me, it just means there are a lot of ex- JWs that have similar experiences. I still tune in, just not quite as much. The arguing, name calling and mean spiritedness seemed to have taken over there for a while and that was disheartening. I thought if current JWs were lurking they might think that that is what happens to people who leave WW or maybe they think those on the forum were already mean spirited and that's why they left. Lately though it seems to have turned yet again. The ones that have their own agenda come, try to exercise their agenda, then leave. They come and go. I hope the lurkers can find some info, good experiences, helpful advice and encouraging words to help them escape Wally World and, like me, rarely give that world a second thought.

31

Still feel weird about things....

by FeelingFree in

so i'm loving the fact that my little one gets to be a "normal" child and take part in everything at school.

however i still have that stupid niggling in the back of my head that she shouldn't be doing it and it's wrong etc.

at the moment she is rehearsing for the nativity play and keeps singing the songs at home (she is going to be an angel!

DisArmed

FeelingFree,

We all deal differently with exiting the cult. But what seems to be common among us is that as time goes by we think less of Wally World and more of the real world. Eventually WW isn't even a fleeting thought. Hang in there it just keeps getting better and better.

9

Leah Remini's book, "Troublemaker"

by DisArmed in

just finished leah remini's book, "troublemaker.

" very good book that easily resonates, i'm sure, with anyone who has exited a cult.

her life in scientology and eventual exit was a nightmare.

DisArmed

Just finished Leah Remini's book, "Troublemaker." Very good book that easily resonates, I'm sure, with anyone who has exited a cult. Her life in Scientology and eventual exit was a nightmare. Much of the writing could easily have Scientology crossed out and WTB&TS substituted and the writing be true. I don't know much about Remini other than what is in the book, but I thought it was well done. Excellent read and flowed well.. I recommend to any current or former cult members. Anyone else had the chance to read and have an opinion?

28

Intro and Thoughts

by ThinkerBelle in

jw
friends

i've been lurking on the board for almost a year now and i think i'm ready to come out of hiding (although, i'm so nervous as i type this).

i'm not ready to share everything about my story, but the basics are that i'm a born-in, elder's kid, baptized as a teenager because i was tired of hearing people ask me "all your friends are baptized, when are you going to get baptized?

", married an unbeliever (was df, but came back shortly after) and we have two kids.

DisArmed

Welcome ThinkerBelle!

Take your time, things tend to fall in place. You have already taken some big and bold steps. Rest assured, the farther away from Wally World, the picture continues to get clearer. Good luck on your journey.