i remember one of my childhood friends was found dead and the police said he committed suicide.
i just could not believe it because my friend was a "devout" jw almost franatical about it.
now years later since i have seen both sides of the coin i am beginning to wonder if my friend did indeed kill himself.
Billy goat
this is good to hear. Those of us who escaped relatively unscathed are able to rebuild our lives to an astonishing degree of success ( compared to the past). We look back and realise how very fortunate we are.....we can appreciate the caring friends and marriage mate and know that it is all not conditional on a flimsy religious belief....
Merry, Merry Christmas to you and your other half,
Frank
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i have read ozziepost's post on those tasmanian elders who raided a sda church.. does anyone know of similiar behaviour by elders?
yes,
I knew an elder and his wife who were taking kick backs in a rental housing complex; where they lived ; of which she was the manager. There was a very lengthy list of applicants to get an apartment. If you "payed Mrs. Robinson" the fee she requested; she would bump you to the front of the list.
I heard this from many "wordly" friends after I had left the JWs. It was a source of humor to my family to hear of this.
One day "Mr. and Mrs Robinson" just picked up and moved to another state. I suppose it was the District Attorney investigating...
i'll start.......a woman wearing a skirt higher than her knee and a child crying during a meeting
....counseled for haveing a flashy convertible sports car ( not a 4 door sedan) whilst being a full time pioneer.....I was an 18 year old kid and just wanted to have fun.....
....counseled for ( while out in service one fine day) having a cup of coffee and pouring out the remainder onto the street before getting out of the car to commence preaching....it was considered unchristian like if someone saw me....oh....what was I supposed to do with the remainder of the coffee in the cup?
...counseled for wearing an ivory colored double breasted suite ( this was 1974!) with brass military buttons to a sunday meeting.... come on guys, this was the current fashon trend.....I was told to change the buttons--my mother knew that job would be hers and stepped up to the plate and identified the American eagle on the buttons as one of Jehovahs Creations. The pompous elder who commented ( rather then start an argument with an elders wife -who I might add was higer on the JW hierchy than him)--backed down. The buttons stayed.
...counseled for wearing bell bottom pants ( also 1974) to a meeting .....everyone was wearing them!
....counseled for having hair that was over my collar ( also 1974).
CAN YOU BELIEVE ALL THIS NONSENSE?
i know that many here would place jehovah's witnesses on a list of 'cults'.
personally i don't think they meet all the standard definition - but would class them as an 'authoritarian sectarian movement'.
at any rate, most of us would not want our neighbors to get caught up in the mind-twisting that we endured and from which we finally removed ourselves.. that said - have any engaged in successfull enterprises to counter the movement?
btt
I have successfully built myself a new life which does not include them.
The best revenge ( on that entire warped JW way of life) is being happy and living well.
thanks to pro-active people like simon i do believe we have an impact on the wts.
i think ex-witnesses are better adjusted and recover quicker because of these web sites.
i know i was able to deprogram and come to terms with being in that cult for 24 years much quicker than being divorced after 15 years.
I do believe this website and any other support group is a help to recovering JWs; however I do not think it will dent or even damage the WT hold on their members.
.
http://ww12.e-tractions.com/snowglobe/globe.htm
.
merry christmas blondie.....
i remember one of my childhood friends was found dead and the police said he committed suicide.
i just could not believe it because my friend was a "devout" jw almost franatical about it.
now years later since i have seen both sides of the coin i am beginning to wonder if my friend did indeed kill himself.
yes, my cousin. He was 3 years my senior . Although he ( along with the rest of the extended family) had shunned me and my new "wordly wife"; his death by his own hand still came as a blow. We grew up together.
He left behind a wife and 2 small kids. He was suffering from depression; was taking anti depressent drugs and decided to end it by combining massive dosses of alcohol. He left a suicide note.
His crazed sister ( still a bible thumping JW) cried over meetings with the elders about whether or not he would be resurrected. They told her it was questionable due to his "suicidal " conduct.
Can you imagine such barbarity? How appropriate from such a draconian religion.
as 2004 winds down and my 4th year of association at this board winds down as well, my posting stats accurately reflect a transitition that been going on for me with respect to the jw religion, a process that is quite natural and healthy.
i'm sure that many members have had a similar experience.
here's a rundown of four years here for me: .
ciao Rocketman,
good luck to you
Frank
i met an ex-witness at the mall last week, and she told me that she recently divorced her husband.
both were witnesses for over 20 years.
i was surprised to hear that they were divorced.
as the old song goes...
" how you gonna keep them down on the farm...once they have seen Pareeeeee"
if any Jws knew what a successful marriage was really all about....they would not be in that religion! ( it is NOT all mission style!)
growing up as a witness makes it nearly impossible to deal with the "world", as a child.
constant pressure is put on witness kids to conform.
most lead a "double life" out of necessity.
good post....
I suppose in hindsight it was the loss of friendship opportunity.
My wife is still friends with kids from grammar school. They have shared their lives together and although they have all gone in different directions; still get together and have some fun.
I recently attended my 30th high school reunion; and although many remembered me ( you are the kid who did not salute the flag) I had no real friendships to rekindle.
There is very little for me to connect with from my past.
