Posts by Alive!

44

My "best" friend (active JW) has just died

by Terry in

jw
friends

johnny santa cruz and i met around 1959 at a movie theater in fort worth, texas.. the purpose of that meeting was to create a fanclub for horror movie director william castle.

a week or so later, johnny stopped me as i was walking home from elementary school.. "hey--i think i know you.

weren't you at the william castle fanclub thing?".

Alive!

Terry,

Take care dear.

I was thinking - People who live outside of cult life enjoy life long bonds through thick and thin - I know this to be true - thankfully I personally have a few non JW friends who I didn't push away (we all live in different parts of the world however) - but when we get together, it's just 'so' - time and space and religious differances, arguments through the years don't matter.

And then, there are my JW friends who were my 'family' - and a handful in particular...I found out a friend closer than close lost a non JW parent last year - I was the one who went to her elderly senile parents medical appointments, hospital visits with her - you know, just to support, as you do - she simply dropped me as I voiced my concerns re the organisation to a point where she didn't feel comfortable - I was only ever honest, pointing out true factual stuff - and this was someone who over the years had downloaded huge amounts of toxic crap re the 'brothers' treatment of her family and I tried to ease her negativity to not speaking badly of the brothers :-( - but it hurts that we won't enjoy our bond together through the old years that will come because of the G.O.D.

Yes, The guardians of doctrine who will never turn up on her doorstep or mine, to comfort, love and be human with.

Sorry for your grief / Just wanted to day from one human to another - I get it.

57

Confused: What does the overlapping generation really mean?

by MicaSmith in

can someone help me understand how the wt came up with the overlapping generation theory?

i just don't understand it even though i read the information several times.

it's bewildering.

Alive!

TheOldHippie4 days ago

So when you say that "I feel foolish having been a part of this organization. Who came up with this overlapping theory? It's surreal!" - do you really want to have an answer, or do you only want to get support for the idea of yours that it is foolish and surreal?

I'm just thinking here - could you explain it please, using scripture based back up?

Even if you think 'it's not worth it, they will only tear it down' just place your explantation in this thread for someone who may need to hear it.....who knows who will read it and accept it?

Sadly, I'm done - I prayed each time I accepted new truth in this matter - thanking God for the the new light.....but he certainly didn't supply the old truths, it's just not possible, it's impossible for him to lie.

So.....who did inspire the 'old truths' ?

It wasn't just a concept for discussion - it was a taught 'truth'by the self named 'Guardians Of Doctrine'...whatever truth it happened to be.....do I trust the Lord or men?

71

This week's resurrection video, will it backfire on the wt?

by prologos in

the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!

--well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.

a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.

Alive!

There was a Sunday talk on feelings and emotions at a local church group recently and I noted that they said when we stand in the presence of the raw emotion of someone, we are on 'sacred ground' ....as in that person's heart is needing of our outmost care and respect.

To deliberately draw out someone's deepest grief in public without regard to the environment or circumstances around them is callous.

The resurrection video will be played to an audience globally, where individuals will be triggered into feeling pain and grief - what if they have to drive home alone? To a lonely house? What if they don't want to have their deepest anguish and tears, running snot and gulping agony drawn out in public and then have to get their act together for the 'next part on our programme' ....as in, now sit up straight we are moving on....

Where is the real love, that's responsible, caring and reverent towards another human's 'sacred ground'?

71

This week's resurrection video, will it backfire on the wt?

by prologos in

the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!

--well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.

a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.

Alive!

@jesuis

Words can't express how angry I feel for you, and I'm so sorry, so sorry for your loss.

"violated" - yes, it was a violation.

71

This week's resurrection video, will it backfire on the wt?

by prologos in

the resurrection is supposed to be a joyous occasion?, if it ever happened!

--well, this week's showing at the hall was the opposite, it was about death with violins playing in the background.

a recently bereaved member, , full of tears, (like many others) could not contain herself.

Alive!

I watched the resurrection video online some time ago last year - professional and cleverly devised.....

Of course the resurrection hope is comforting, but to draw out such depth of emotion in a public arena, it's cruel actually.

Some, will have to watch that video and go home to a lonely house and work through their grief and emotions alone, at night.

After the video showing, it will be bright commercial hall lighting, end of meeting 'stuff', getting out to car park, hearing others laughing and calling - where's the responsible care of observing the pain of those who it may affect in a very raw and unbearable way?

26

Articles of Incorporation Changes

by Seven in

jw
friends

i received this via email and i'm posting it here for someone who wishes to remain anonymous

i'm not up on legal stuff, but it sure seems to me that this further shows how the wts is positioning kh properties to be exempt from financial impact due to adverse judicial decisions (eccleciastical privilege, and all that stuff).. from septmeber:

articles of incorporation changes

Alive!

So....the survival of faith as per JWs is dependant on ownership of property and legal status. OK. I get it.

You've just made me smile - thank you.

14

Newspaper article: Why JWs Don't Celebrate Easter

by Sugar Shane in

saw this article in the google news.

it seems like the comments section is being overrun by jw apologists.

would be nice if some of us leveled the playing field.

Alive!

No - there is no celebration of the resurrection.........

That's kind of interesting isn't it - I've never stopped to think about that before.

30

Some thoughts on guilt.

by New day in

had an interesting conversation with my wife recently.

she struggles with physical, emotional and psychological problems which have often caused her to miss meetings.

she mentioned how she is equally tortured by guilt if she misses meetings and ministry, and severe stress if she does them.

Alive!

Hi

Sometimes women can be very intuitive, sounding out something is 'wrong' in their world or relationship - yet not necessarily able to identify or name the issue, through fear....

She may sense that your 'all good KH status' is shakey...

I used to have overwhelming feelings of anxiety about our marriage 'matching' the JW profile re meetings, service etc - it was awful. That brain pattern of anxiety and stress translated into bouts of depression - I'm going through a miserable bout at the moment, old patterns of 'mind control' which produces SHAME are like systematic physical reactions - I'm so sorry you are both struggling.

So many 'wives' are vulnerable in the WT - it's the terrible angst of wanting to be picture perfect - JWs don't do 'messy' life - but to normal folk messy is OK.

Life is messy -we get trained not to see that as normal, as something to be afraid of - my non JW friends ( Christian and otherwise) just deal with stuff as it comes along. I had my first all out panic attack a few years ago, in my 50s - and then a sense of disassociation from the real world, which was frightening.

I tried going to meetings during that time and I felt like I was in a nightmare.....the 'hall' felt like the worst place to be - I wanted peace, kindness and uplifting spiritual food - the dynamics of our KH made me feel worse than ever.

if she has faith in God, that needs to be nurtured to protect her from the 'cult' angle....which is fake and painful.

35

out for a long time

by Sledracer in

my husband and i have been out for a long time, maybe fifteen years, i must say we are in a bit of a nowhere land spiritually, we find it impossible to attend any other church.

we really resent so much of how they messed up our and our children's lives.

we can't get back all those 25 years we were in.

Alive!

We built our entire community around JWs for some 25 years.....

At nearly 60 years old, it's been a painful experience....I wouldnt wish it on anyone.

Abandonment and agony from rejection is a key trauma for me, due to some complications in my formative years, too difficult to explain here.

It's a high price - but I couldn't be part of a movement that would never allow us to have free flow discussion as adults, as Christians even - and would seek to control people's personal growth with imposed interpretation (which changes with the wind) whilst making us give 'thanks' to God for each 'new truth'.

We have good days, weeks, months and then another 'cut' wounds deeper than can be put into words.

The culture is unhealthy, I know, it looks so 'good' on the outside....but no human should live with such threat and anxiety re their lives.

It's tough.

14

"I should have known" moments

by dubstepped in

i got ready for the meeting.

my wife did too.

we drove out to the kingdom hall and the closer we got the higher my anxiety would spike.

Alive!

Emptyinside - that's sad, but I know it to be so true.