all jw memorial services i've been to have been similar.
a couple of sentences about the deceased and then it's all about the religion.
very impersonal and scripted.
Recently went to a service performed by an Anglican minister, and there were actually quite a few witnesses there too (it wasn't in a church, not that it should matter).
I thought it was an excellent service (a few key scriptures and lots of interesting remarks about their life)
Of course many of the witnesses criticized the whole thing, for not focussing on an earthly hope etc.
My impression was it was far better than what you hear in a Kingdom Hall.
i see myself as being like the little (roomba) robot vacuum cleaner, bumping into things, turning slightly this way or that, then proceeding merrily on my way.
“yes life sucks,” i seem to say, “but life goes on--let’s make the most of it.”.
yesterday at the starbucks on the hill, i hit a bump in a conversation with a young, bearded master’s degree student.
Interesting conversation. I hope I get a chance to use that analogy about saving 4 billion people some day.
It would be interesting to see how a witness would answer.
did anyone else here go a bit odd on new year's eve 1975 to new year's day 1976?.
i had been out of the org for a couple of years at the time, but not got around to debunking the beliefs.. what my mind went through around the above dates could be regarded as borderline psychotic, though the black hash probably didn't help.. i've just started tackling a first draft writing what i can remember about that period.. it probably wasn't helpful that my jw mother died a week into 1976. she had been ill quite a bit for some years, but after the date for the apocalypse passed, i do wonder if she just gave up.
prior to that she possibly believed she would never have to die, but once the big a got delayed, maybe she felt that she couldn't face years of illness and the fight went out of her.. i am finding that trying to write my history is a bigger undertaking than i first expected, but i'll do it even if it takes me years..
I remember something like a countdown leading up to 1975.
Every assembly that went by, the co would get everyone excited with "brothers! It's only 5 (ex) assemblies until 1975!"
Then after nothing happened the reasoning was that there was a period of time between Adam's creation and Eve's, so that would somehow account for the delay.
Some still think it's "just around the corner" but you can sure tell that most realize they're not going to see it happen.
heard about a congregation recently that had a local needs talk regarding going to the elders if any wrongdoing had happened, or if you knew of someone involved.. mostly they were concerned with over-indulging in alcohol, but the elder emphasized "the need to get help from elders, or your spirituality would be harmed".
(words to that effect).
so now there's brothers and sisters running to see these guys, and likely over stuff that happened maybe years ago.. funny thing is the brother telling me about it said there's been several meetings now where people's names are read from the platform, and it looks like it'll be going on for a while.. i think if your conscience was bothering you, you would be better off being catholic, at least your only confessing to one person instead of being shamed in front of eveyone..
Heard about a congregation recently that had a local needs talk regarding going to the elders if any wrongdoing had happened, or if you knew of someone involved.
Mostly they were concerned with over-indulging in alcohol, but the elder emphasized "the need to get help from elders, or your spirituality would be harmed". (Words to that effect)
So now there's brothers and sisters running to see these guys, and likely over stuff that happened maybe years ago.
Funny thing is the brother telling me about it said there's been several meetings now where people's names are read from the platform, and it looks like it'll be going on for a while.
I think if your conscience was bothering you, you would be better off being Catholic, at least your only confessing to one person instead of being shamed in front of eveyone.
just curious.
how many of you are "apostates", but not disfellowshipped?
i know this happens if you keep this stuff secret.
They're leaving you alone seems to me to be an anomaly. I'm sure it varies between congregations, but even recent watchtowers, etc. seem to encourage action to be taken.
i was a 4th gen born in.my adult children were the 5th.
my mother was one of the newly'anointed' we have all left.
i have been lurking since october.i was really too terrified someone would find out who i was and what would happen.well we are out now so here is a part of my story.
Can't imagine what you've been through. It seems so "unchristian" for the congregation to treat you that way.
Congratulations on your whole family leaving, and yet still holding onto your faith.
hello - let me try to explain.
a couple of months ago or so i joined this forum, then shortly after checked out jwrecovery which seemed a better fit personally and joined them.
started to feel comfortable there and they closed, and i pouted for a while.
Welcome to the site! You're among lots of friends.(many of us can't tell our family what we really think about the religion)
thought i'd introduce myself, give a little of a background story.
i've been a short 3 month member of jwr, so now i'll try to visit you guys instead.. i'm in my mid twenties today, live in sweden.
grew up in a family with an active jehovahmom and inactive dad.
Hello and welcome! It's great to hear news from other countries (if you're fine with sharing).
Congratulations on recognizing the "truth".
you can all call me jess, i guess you can say i'm a "refugee" from jwr.
i'm going to try and keep this short for now, i'm in my early 20s, i was born in but never baptized, i've been mentally out for 7 years and fully out for about 5ish.
despite never having been baptized my fading took quite a bit of time and work.
Hello and welcome! I enjoyed reading posts at JWR occasionally but mostly drop in here.
Always great to hear others experiences!
before i go to extreme south texas, let me acknowledge an early influence that gave me self-worth, self-assurance, self-esteem and the feeling that i was as good as any damn person on this planet.. larry ranch, my congregation servant in renton, washington(home of boeing aircraft), was on my dad's judicial committee.
my dad had sexually molested my sister, sandy, repeatedly.
my dad got probation from the judicial committee.
Always interesting to read people's backgrounds, yours is an extreme example.
Hard to understand how your sister could stay in after all that!
