i'm off to visit my jw family for the weekend.
i've been fading for about five years, so our visits are always kinda like walking in a minefield.
anyway, i've been thinking about my friend r. r and i met and started studying in 7th grade and she is the only person i can say i directly "brought" into the org.
anyone who had "problems" .....was referred to as one "who really needed Jehovah and the Truth"...so " lets pray over those problems..."
...problems, by the way, are a natural part of living. How we solve our problems says much about us as individuals.....
last night my daughter (8 years old) came down to the bed with a belly ache.
she has a couple of legit issues which cause belly aches beyond the regular kid stuff.
her poor little face grimaces in pain.. so i had her get into bed, got out my iriver mp3 player, put one of my ear-buds in her ear and one in mine and we listened to music and i rubbed her belly and tapped out the songs we were listening to.
I relate to the above posts; kids are just wonderful----until they reach the adolescent years.
My little Caroline ( age 5) still thinks I am great and runs to me with open arms every nite when I walk in the door to say she loves me.
My older ones ( teenager and preadolescent ) tell me they hate me when they cannot have their way.....an unfortunate phase which I am waiting patiently for them to outgrow.
Yes, they are great, and I consider them all a gift.
if you are taught the jw organization is your link to god, it is so hard to think of leaving everything.
like a hole that will not be filled again, there is so horrible things that have happened in the world, could it be that there is no everlasting life for us, so many questions and to think of giving up everyone makes me sick to my stomach.
but i want to be happy and i'm not, does anyone feel empty?
yes; been there, done that.
Good news is that it is expected and natural given the evironment you are trying to get out of. Bad news is that you have to go through it ( but it will end). Everyone reacts differently to this sort of thing. I was a bad case.
I spent 2 years in therapy trying to screw my head on right after the emotional mess I became when I left that religion. Disowned by every friend I had.
But it can be done and we do move on to better times!
do you believe in the bible just because you were raised to believe?
are you sure it's "believable"?
.....have you convinced yourself the bible is just another book?
..oh, I tried to convince my wife that I REALLY COULD TURN THAT WATER INTO WINE....and when I walked on water....she just looked away---I just dont get it---Min, would you tell Patty what you just said--she wont believe me....
do you believe in the bible just because you were raised to believe?
are you sure it's "believable"?
.....have you convinced yourself the bible is just another book?
I believe, based on my experiences in life thus far...that the Bible is an interesting book of ancient stories from an ancient world. I do not consider it a "sacred" book or divinely inspired, anymore than I consider the Egyptian Book of the Dead; the Koran or the Baghd Davita , worthy of worship. All interesting to read; but not to be taken seriously.
While I believe that the personage of a man named Jesus was most likely factual from the first century ( although there is no secular record of him---why would there be?) I believe he was most likely a very charismatic personality to sway so many to his philosophy. Note that the population of the ancient Roman world was 1 part free man to 2 parts slave---2/3s of the population were slaves and had no hope of freedom in their lifetime. A belief promising deliverance in the next life and freedom was sure to catch on like wildfire.
By comparison only to Charismatic personalites swaying whole populations; history has shown that Adolf Hitler was also a very charismatic personality to rise to the power he held and make his followers support him ( my apologies to anyone offended by the comparison). Imagine how different our world would be today if he was not stopped?
Believe the Bible as sacred? Why should I? How much innocent blood has been shed over that book over the centuries....
just my opinion, Frank
as most of you know by now i have told you that my mom has been a "devout" jw for over 40 years and i can't get her to budge.
well the last time we debated she left me totally confused and in a daze.
i did some fast research and this past sunday we had a free-for-all debate that lasted 5 hours.
ahh!
why are your wasting your time? ....most important for you to go easy on yourself....
In their perspective; you will always be wrong---and they are always right.. These people really believe that they are "Jehovahs representatives"; delusional at best.
Just like the sunday morning TV evangalists; or Billy Grahm; Jerry Falwell or any other fundamentalist group, our old JW "friends" ( and , unfortunately, loved ones) are on a mission. You are either with them; or against them. NO IN BETWEEN.
Direct you energies to more positive pursuits; it does take time and effort to heal as you move away from them. An argument like they always give you; only sets you back emotianally. Unless of course you want to blast them to vent your anger. Some feel better after directing the anger where it belongs....then I guess it is constructive!
been there, done that, good luck, frank
ever noticed that doctors' offices are always in hard to park places?.
this week mrs ozzie and i have had appointments at a seemingly never-ending list of doctors and radiology establishments and each time there's nowhere to park.
what the heck do you do with a patient who's an invalid?.
not to get off topic; but concerning medical parking, I have a funny story to tell....
last year during a routine doctors visit I was told that I had to drive myself IMMEDIATLY to the hospital and check myself in; where I stayed for 3 days. It was an emergency that warranted this.
After 3 days when I emerged; I was presented with an $85.00 parking fee. Needless to say I was bulldozed by this fee; which had to be payed before I could drive my car off the premises. They would not take a credit card; and I only had $60.00 in my pocket. I begged and pleaded with the guy in the parking booth; explaining I was a patient ( he did not care) ; and this was all the money in my pocket and why am I being charged for parking when my 3 day 2 nite stay here cost me more than a trip to the Carribean Islands?
The parking attendent took pity on me and validated the parking stub for $60. and let me leave ....
...worst vacation I ever had....
my brother and his wife (still very much in) just inherited a library of wt publications dating back to the 20's.
the best part is, it's complete with both the original watchtowers and bound volumes, in many cases there are 2 of each of the bound volumes, which i can have one of.
i plan on doing a lot of research on here to figure out what all i need...still a "newbie" you know.
Lucky you....
while that library is worthless to someone like me ---unless I want to build a bonfire wwith it; it has certain value to those who are still JWs and would pay cash for out of print books.
I say you run it on ebay and see what you can get for the library piecemeal; sell it book by book....
i am terrified to be writing this because i am officially being bad.
i am talking with other "sinners".
i do not want to be a witness.
hi franki, welcome aboard
personally, I hear the concern in your post; but based on my experiences I can tell you it will all dissipate on its own.
First; go find a counselor to help you thru this; you should not have to do it alone. There is no need for anyone to know you are posting here. But you need to talk to someone face to face about the issues plagueing you.
continue to post here for support and encouragement.
Frank
i was molested by a brother in my congregation when i was nine years old.
when i told my mother she went directly to a family friend and respected elder to seek advise.
a couple days later, he and another elder made a visit to our home and questioned me for hours.
welcome aboard,
you are among friends here.
The experiences you have described would be difficult for an adult; much less a child to endure. You should not have to deal with this alone; find a competent therapist or counseling to help you steer through this to more secure waters. The watchtower can be an ugly organization; as you have experienced and noted. Your survival and healing to live a better life is testament that we can move on to happier times.
good luck to you, frank
