why do we keep coming here?.
why when many of us have left do we still feel drawn to discuss watchtower issues?.
in the scope of the hole world the organisation known as jehovahs witnesses means little for most people but for us it's still a majour part of our lives.. we might even spend more time now thinking and discussing it than we did as witnesses.. of course it still effects us we will never forget what has happened to us.. for many the sense of deception and disapointment is great, coupled with the frustration that many of our former friends and family just do not understand us and our choice to leave.. we would like to see and end to this rotten organisation and hope that we can play at least a small part in that.
I like coming here. I mostly read because I don't have much time to post. I like knowing that there are others who will understand me when I talk about JW stuff. I have mostly survived intact, but I do have my fears and things that still affect me.
I think all humans need to have people they can turn to who understand them. It makes us feel less alone in the world.
AmazingProgeny
11-19 3:30 pm 7 lbs 13 oz, 21 in.. i don't how how to add the photos, but if you want to see pictures, go to http://www.webphotos.com/list_albums.asp?mi=1&smi=1.
i think this is right (mommy help me!
lisa
CONGRATULATIONS!! You have a beautiful baby.
AmazingProgeny
hello all, first time post, long time observer.
i have been free from the wtbts for a couple of years now, and am excited to meet some new people who have been there and done that like i have.
the big bad "world" dosent seem so bad anymore.
Hello and Welcome!
I don't post much but I do read almost every day.
I also love feeling free to do what I want. That freedom is something I value greatly.
AP
i have this situation with my husband that is really bugging me.
his parents are still jws.
they are the not-very-active-but-still-hard-liners type, especially his dad.
Thanks for the advice everyone. Let me clarify a few things.
We do have caller ID, but his parents use a cell phone for long distance and it shows up as unavailable. Also, sometimes I answer the phone upstairs and the box is downstairs.
I have had him tell his parents when he was out of town, but they will end up calling me and wanting to know what he's doing. Then, I'm stuck perpetuating his lie. Plus, this isn't really practical for his weekend trips when he's only gone for two nights.
With the current military situation, there is the small possibility that he could get called to active duty. Then he would be forced into telling his parents. He has talked about telling them b/c of this, but something keeps getting in the way. Yesterday was just the last straw for me. Feeling sick over just talking to my FIL is normal (long story) but I don't want to feel that sick.
Thanks for the advice. I will really think about it when I approach him tonight.
AP
i have this situation with my husband that is really bugging me.
his parents are still jws.
they are the not-very-active-but-still-hard-liners type, especially his dad.
Hi Everyone,
I have this situation with my husband that is really bugging me. His parents are still JWs. They are the not-very-active-but-still-hard-liners type, especially his dad. They have softened up somewhat in the past few years.
Anyway, my husband joined the Navy Reserves a couple of years ago. He has never told his parents that he did that. He even went out on a ship for a month and never told them. Each time he goes out of town for the weekend or his two week thing, I end up lying to his parents about it. They always call when he's gone and want to know where he is and why. I HATE lying to them. I HATE lying. (I know I'm spelling this wrong. I don't want to lug the 5lb dictionary upstairs.)
I have tried talking to my husband about this, but he doesn't get it. He says it is for the greater good. Really, he is afraid this will be the thing that makes them shun him. I understand the fear, but I hate living like this. My parents raised me to be a very honest person and not being honest bugs me to death. Whenever his parents call and ask for him I end up shaking like a leaf and nauseous.
So, I need some advice on a good way to approach this that will get my point across and not cause huge problems for us. I am at a loss right now. I had to lie to them yesterday and I ended up a mess afterwards.
Thanks! AmazingProgeny
does fear control you?.
about 2 weeks ago my old parent visit our families for some days.
during the visit i told my parents about the un case and showed them also a letter from our national jw office about the case mention the library excuse.
I think I am one of the few lucky ones that didn't have to worry about my family's reaction. My dad (Amazing) was the first to announce his decision to leave and his reasons for doing so. Our family has always had the utmost respect for him and so we listened to him and reassured him that we would never shun him. We all (my mom, 3 siblings, husband, & me) eventually came to the decision to leave on our own and let him know. We were the only ones in my family that were JWs, so we didn't have to fear what they would think. My husband was concerned about his parent's reaction and it did cause some tension between them. Now, we have an unspoken "let's never talk about it" agreement. I don't really like it b/c there are things that we have never told them (like my husband is in the US Navy Reserves), but I am live with it because it has to be my husband's decision to tell them.
I really have not had to deal with fear of leaving. My husband and I were not yet married at the time, but I had absolute faith that we would get married and stay together. I did loose some friends from our current congregation (the one my husbnad grew up in) by leaving, but they weren't very close friends so I wasn't too upset. I have not been back to the congregation I grew up in, so I haven't had to deal with anyone from there shunning me.
Every day I make the choice to not let fear rule my life. My husband still lets some fear rule his life. He is still afraid of his parents shunning him if he tells them the whole truth. Someday, I think he will tell them everything. Since we don't have to deal with them much, it doesn't really affect my everyday life. I will not let fear control my life. I will live with truth and honesty. I will not be afraid to express my views, no matter how others feel about them. I am not always good at defending what I believe, but I do try.
AmazingProgeny
* http://dontronics.com/eoti.html.
mustang.
not necessarily the opinion of the poster class
LOL!! That was funny!
my wife is a saved christain.
she believes all that crap.
her sister playes the piano and sings in the churches.
It is too bad that such stuff happens in churches. I have been to two churches that had some problems that caused rifts and people chose to leave. It is an unfortunate part of church life.
However, I don't think that they are any worse than the JWs. It is a different style of fighting, but it still exists. All large groups of people, in real life or on the internet, are going to run into some sort of conflict. I am sure that this board has had many such conflicts. It is all just a part of human nature.
Thanfully, I have found a church that is doing good. I have not seen any fights or disagreements. The people in the church work hard to get along and allow everyone to have their own opinions. I am sure that I'll see some conflicts, but I will stick around.
I hope that things will improve with that church and that, if you want, you will be able to find a group that you will feel at home with.
AmazingProgeny
they all have the american flag, crosses, and symbols.
if i go to the kingdom hall i will just get shunned and i do need association.
my husband won't let me take my son to a church.
Hi Serena,
I attend a United Methodist church and I love it. Before I started looking into churches, I examined my beliefs and decided which issues were really important to me. I also got to know some people that went to different churches and whose beliefs went from very conservative to very liberal. I had some very eye-opening experiences and learned alot. Once I began to define what I believe and what is important to me then I was ready to begin searching for a church that would fit my needs and the needs of my family.
The symbols used at churches, like the cross, are not worshipped. They are used as visible reminders of what we believe and what has been done for us in the past. I have a necklace with a cross charm. It was a birthday gift from my parents a few years ago. I wear it to remind myself of all that I believe and all the good things that have been done for me. I don't wear it constantly and I don't use it to pray.
Before you find a church, figure out what you believe and what you need from a church. I wanted one that would accept me as I am and not expect me to believe exactly the same as everyone else. I wanted one that would be good for my kids. I wanted them to feel comfortable being with me or going to a children's class. I wanted one that would be actively involved in the community. I wanted one that would be welcoming to everyone, no matter what. I wanted a small church where we wouldn't get lost and could easily find our place.
I love my church. It has everything I wanted. The people are wonderful. They love my children and even like it when the baby is a little noisy during church. The services are traditional and I find them soothing to my soul. The pastor, a woman, is very gentle and very good at her job.
I hope you can find a church that feels like home to you. It is a wonderful feeling.
AmazingProgeny
hi friends;.
just wondering about this subject of holidays again.
i really miss christmas but don't have enough nerve to celebrate it.
My family and I celebrate Christmas and Thanksgiving.
For us, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with our family and close friends and to be grateful for all that we have. I cook a huge amount of food and we have a great time.
Christmas is partly about family and our faith. We like to exchange gifts, within reason, decorate a tree and the house, have meals together, and go to church together. It is a time when we work harder to show our love for each other and for God. We are going to work on doing more to help others this year too.
We celebrate all the holidays and birthdays. I love watching the joy my children take in each of our celebrations. I don't want to ever deprive them of that. I am a little glad that I missed it all b/c it makes it more special to me now. For me all holidays are a chance for our family to gather together, share our love, share good food, laugh, have fun, and be thankful that we are so blessed to have each other. I think that the holidays are what you make of them. We make them about family, faith, and love.
Halloween is my birthday and I am looking forward to having lots of fun and eating way too much candy. My kids love that it is my birthday and I think they are all trying to find ways to give me a little gift. We will have lots of fun.
AP
