born in cambridge, ma to a liberal couple that escaped the conservative south, my parents raised me better than to become a jehovahs witness.
funny thing was they got mixed up in it first.. while that is a story for another time, i myself had to go along as the third of five children in my family.
dads job transferred him to texas and my mom worked fulltime herself, but eventually we found ourselves drinking the kool-aid of ambiguity intolerance and full-fledge belief that the bible was literal fact and that salvation was found only by those who were smart enough to enter the confines of the watchtower.. its weird how many people claim they fear children raised by two gay parents will grow up to be gay.
Hi Caleb,
I'm very new here and am just finding my way around.
I have a Jewish heritage on maternal side.
Will look forward to more fascinating posts from yourself, so interesting.
Wonderful that your family of siblings have been able to find comfort in the wider community of their Jewish relatives!
seriously.....even when you were 100% in "the truth", did you really believe in living forever?
?
Yes. Absolutely. 100%.
Anything is possible if there is a divine creator.
Anything is still possible.
i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.
i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.
then she decided she would attend the memorial.
Simply, she, like most sincere Witnesses, allows her indoctrination to dictate her priorities in life. It's a sad fact, but I don't need to read more into it than what it really is.
Eden
You know, when I was completely indoctrinated and marching to the tune, that is exactly how I would have lead my life. Gulp.
i think it does especially being that this organization is rigidly structured itself on formulated doctrines from a top hierarchy of men which are strictly enforced, among other reasons.
what cults are.
a cult is not necessarily a religious group, although religious cults are common, including breakaway sects from more mainstream faiths.
Hi
Cheers for posting this.
Is there website it is linked to?
I'd like to read more.
Interesting how all Cultic groups have a very strong and exclusive "family vibe".
Anyone who can't go along with the one way dogma is going to suffer as they lose "family"
The interesting trick with the JW religion is that it's like "the world" within the the world - if that makes sense.
i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.
i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.
then she decided she would attend the memorial.
. As I said several times in this forum, beware of the emotional pull from the congregation. It's really powerful,
"That is so true. I have felt it many times , I still feel it sometimes. I could have associates, "friends" to see several times a week... things to do, places to be, a life where people depended on me, respected me - just like it used to be. The trouble is that the genie is out of the bottle. I know now. I know that it is just not true, so how can I teach it?"
So true - so true.
i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.
i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.
then she decided she would attend the memorial.
Hi Eden One
Am new here - just wanted to send heartfelt support and acknowledgement of your painful circumstances.
You have wonderful support here from so many folk who have shared on the forum. May it strengthen you and soften the hurt.
this is a sensitive topic for many of us i know, but i am wondering how many here actually gave up the idea of having a family "in this system" for the sake of "kingdom activity or service"??.
start the count here with my wife and i.
you know, i always maintained that during this fading process, and while learning ttatt, i would not let myself get "bitter twisted and angry".... but, in all honesty, if i examine myself, i have become quite bitter toward the org, toward the false friends and the gb.. i have become angry as i see the extent of damage i feel being raised in "the truth" has done.... i feel hurt towards the lost opportunities in life etc.... how do i not allow myself to get too swallowed up by such bitterness?.
i have always been a very happy, positive, selfless person.
i can put people at ease, i am someone people feel comfortable chatting to.
I agree that justifiable anger is a very natural and healthy response to false religion and spiritual abuse.
I'm not bitter...but am feeling tired and I definitely have hit a deeper level of grieving. It's been a wild journey "out" over 3 years or longer...
Stuckinarut - you take care. Wise words in this thread from many - it helps so so much.
you know, i always maintained that during this fading process, and while learning ttatt, i would not let myself get "bitter twisted and angry".... but, in all honesty, if i examine myself, i have become quite bitter toward the org, toward the false friends and the gb.. i have become angry as i see the extent of damage i feel being raised in "the truth" has done.... i feel hurt towards the lost opportunities in life etc.... how do i not allow myself to get too swallowed up by such bitterness?.
i have always been a very happy, positive, selfless person.
i can put people at ease, i am someone people feel comfortable chatting to.
i read here regularly and although i haven't joined in, i really appreciate all the wonderful contributions from those who are willing to share their experiences.... .
i was a convert.
i won't go into the whole history ( perhaps another day) - my story could easily be recognised in the small town where i live, with my husband.. so, we stopped going to the meetings around a period of time when we were going through severe emotional difficulties - at that point, we needed unconditional family love - the hectic, forced jw dinner parties and social occasions gave no real comfort.
I never heard the "songbook in the mailbox" thing, but I heard plenty calling "dibs" after Armageddon on some of the nicer waterfront homes in our territory.
