has anyone reunited with someone they used to be friends with when they were jw?
what did it feel like?
were you glad you did it?
I'm not out at this time, but I saw the first love as a teen at a funeral a month ago. She never reciprocated, but we were very close friends.
I'm not on any sort of reproof or sanction, but she wouldn't say anything aside from: "Hi." "How are you doing?" and "Bye". Didn't answer any of my questions, even though we hadn't spoken in years.
were you considered a "troublemaker", a "complainer", a "fine" brother or sister?
were you always being called before the elders for one thing or another?
is your reputation the same here as it was in the congregation??
10-13 years old: Just a typical, precocious tween.
14-17: The congregational brain. I was made fun of by the other witness youths for being a geek (hey, it happened in the world, too), and ignored when making a point about anything (Theocratic or not) That didn't jibe with what conventional wisdom was.
18-20: The rouge cop. I pioneered and took a run at Bethel to make my father happy. Really quick to speak my mind and play devil's advocate. Got nowhere in my quest to move up...rubbed some the wrong way.
21-27: Married, but spiritually weak. Working overtime just to pay basic bills will do that.
28-now: Back to loose cannon. Had a conversation with an elder who said the separation was my fault. I decided to paraphrase from a monolouge I heard on "Any Given Sunday" (I'll post it at another time). I'm hated by the elders in the old hall, but I'm out of there now, so I'm untouchable (I think ) here. Just So-so on meeting attendance. Not sure what they think of me here...
i've been wondering how many jws have gotten married too quickly, without knowing their prospective "mate" well enough, and have ended up really unhappy.
it always seemed to me that a couple would be dating for, like, 6 or 9 months and get engaged, have a 9 month engagement and be married; often because they bought the "no sex before marriage" garbage.
i'm sure that there *are* happy jw marriages out there; and certainly being unhappily married isn't the sole property of jws.
(((Kyria)))
You're one of the lucky ones: You got out. One four separate occassions, sisters in our hall or nearby who were having "problems" with their husbands (to put it euphimistically, as the society is wont to do) would stay with my wife and me for a couple of days. The elders got onto us for "interfering", but I'm not closing my door to a sister (or brother, for that matter) in need. Only ONCE did one of the abused sisters get help from her family. Ironically enough, My wife left (not over abuse, but because of mental illness and "not being spiritual enough") and moved in with my parents, who supported her decision to leave.
BTW...welcome to the board!
i've been wondering how many jws have gotten married too quickly, without knowing their prospective "mate" well enough, and have ended up really unhappy.
it always seemed to me that a couple would be dating for, like, 6 or 9 months and get engaged, have a 9 month engagement and be married; often because they bought the "no sex before marriage" garbage.
i'm sure that there *are* happy jw marriages out there; and certainly being unhappily married isn't the sole property of jws.
I agree with nos482...One of the problems with my marriage was that We had never had any experience in a serious relationship before. We didn't know how to act and the expectaion that a dating couple is all but engaged doesn't help.
Plus, the ban on premarital sex also doesn't help matters any. While it does make it likely that your spouse will be the only person you've ever been with (which is, you must admit, kinda sweet), If you're both 20 and horny, you're in a mood to do anything for sex without much thought...such as promising to stay with a person you hardly know forever.
i know i know this as been done before , i fink!
http://beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html
if you haven't taken the test before, give it a go see how far down the list if at all jw is.
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A few thoughts:
1. The Witnesses are DEAD LAST? But i'm still in! I go to meetings! In service! Give Talks...
2. I'm more of Scientologist than a Catholic, Orthodox or Witness? Kill me now...
3. Along wth Dick Nixon and Ben Franklin, I'm mostly Quaker
4. I always wondered why I got along with all the UU's in town...now I know...
(On an Aside...Tinkerbell, I guess we'll see each other there?)
i just noticed that the chicago cubs are winning!!!!
i will not be here to see your comments....only during commercials.
i saw the whole game last night and all i can say is kerry wood is a stud!!
If the Cubs win the series, we should all get right back to the Kingdom Hall, because the end would OBVIOUSLY be coming.
i just noticed that the chicago cubs are winning!!!!
i will not be here to see your comments....only during commercials.
i saw the whole game last night and all i can say is kerry wood is a stud!!
Teenyuck: The best team is Chicago is the Fire. They've also won a title in the last five years.
the word has spread to my family that i questioned my sister and the elders came to my home..several of my aunts had called already and my one uncle from georgtown ca....they being so very concerned on my spirtitual wellbeing have forgotten that i have questions on why the organization does what it does.
i finally confessed to my uncle sam that last year another m.s approached me and told me his crimes against a new sister's child while he watched them one night when she was at a get together with other brothers and sisters.
i cringed at what my uncle has said but to argue with him would have been a brick wall.
((Mole))
God will NEVER hold it against you if you do the right thing. Remember that.
Stand your ground and follow what's right. You know what that is.
Someone as upstanding as you will find friends outside, just like we did. People will gravitate towards you and support you. If you do the right thing, no body of elders will keep God or your family from you. If the family leaves you behind for making this stand -- and this will sound harsh -- You're better off.
i just noticed that the chicago cubs are winning!!!!
i will not be here to see your comments....only during commercials.
i saw the whole game last night and all i can say is kerry wood is a stud!!
The Cards ain't in, and the Mariners ain't in. Bring on football.
a little log house 1 bed located in a place like arizona (where it is just a bit green somewhere like flagstaff).
a cat - if i can take care of it .
a horse (but in arizona they live free so there i wouldn't have to buy one).
1. Visit Japan, Montreal and Poland (no kidding)
2. Have my team win District, Region, and State this spring
3. Find the future-ex-Mrs. Badger (Hey, you go out with me long enough, you'll find a reason to leave.)
4. Kick Tom DeLay in the balls just once.
5. Same for Rush Limbaugh
6. Watch my son cure cancer, win the World Cup, land a starlet and open a steakhouse
7. Have a student tell me I was their favorite teacher (That's happened already, but I never get tired of hearing it.)
8. Four little words: Salma. Hayek. Pudding. Fight.
9. Write a kick-a$$ book that becomes a kick-a$$ movie
10. How I want to go out: Didja ever see the end of Scarface?
