i was raised in jw as a child.
my dad was a jw my mom was not, they are divorced now.
i was never baptized or anything but i stopped going once i had the choice at age 12. now i am 41 and my dad will not associate with me, my wife or my 3 kids.
@samthe ginge-----" but how long before they're old enough to know my situation and are told by the Elders, or Step dad, that they should be having no contact with me? I'm waiting for it to happen, and I won't be surprised when/if it does"
i would say--any time now---happened to me. not seen my youngest son for over 30 years now. ive got several grand children ive never met--dont even know their names.
another thread on here made me think of it.. its a personal peeve of mine.. you bow your head in prayer and the brother says thinks like thank you for the lessons we learned today like bla bla bla and for that wonderful point about yadda yadda yadda.
jehovah we know that etc etc etc therefore we must...well you get the gist.and on and on it goes.
absolutely drives me mad..
@punkofnice
. It was crap. the old fool was waffling on, my mind drifted to ice cream and sex.
oh dear Punk--i hope you didnt get a stiffy while you were stood there with your head bowed.
the wts has always included minors and adults in the same categories - publisher and baptized.. i am interested in knowing how many minors, approximately, are included in the publisher count.
and, at what age a person started publishing.
what age was the youngest publisher reported?.
i know i was dipped at 14--along with my dad and several other brats in the congregation. it was peer pressure and wanting to please mum--who was already dipped years earlier.
i dont think i went door knocking before that.
but--pioneering at 16...servant at 18. stopped pioneering at 21. resigned at 23. ( 45 years ago ).
at mine the conductor was somewhat awkward and minimal and there were nervous chuckles from the audience.
two people, including an elder, gave reasonable comments that it's okay as long as it's not extreme styles, etc.
but then another one of the elders commented that nothing has changed and they still aren't proper locally.
will i be destroyed at armageddon if a havent shaved for a few days ?
my mom has been extensively texting me, trying to argue that the un ngo scandal is not a big deal and that the child abuse scandal is to instigate the great tribulation.
even worse, she kept saying how great it is that the gb is imperfect and fallible and that teaching changes all the time.
maybe it was aggravation or impatience, but i finally just snapped and told her, "it's a cult, mom.".
ah well--think positive. at least it now means she cant let you die for want of a blood transfusion.
has anyone found any religion that makes more sense than the watchtower organization?
obviously catholics make even less sense than them so don't say that.... the reason i ask is because i still believe the bible is the word of god, but just that the jw's have twisted it for their own benefit, as most religions seem to do....
Just make a must_have list of doctrines you want in a religion...then start your own. You might even recruit members from this site.
anybody know how many members are on this site?
i am only a few days new and have read a lot and have received responses and have made a few posts.
i am just curious is there like around 100 or 1000 active posters a month?
a scroll through the members list will indicate there have been thousands join over the years. many that used to post a lot rarely--if ever--do now. there comes a point when many watchtower escapees no longer need the support this sort of site offers.
how many witnesses are aware that technically, according to watchtower policy, they can if they wish too...associate with dissociated and disfellowshipped relatives.
for all those who are dissociated or disfellowshipped, please share this with your relatives who are currently shunning you.
there is nothing the elders can do as long as they are not discussing spiritual matters.
i resigned in 1971--aged 23. i had been a pioneer and a servant before. i still attended the occasional meeting to appease my born-in wife. most congregation members continued to talk to me--a few didnt. this went on till '81--when my wife divorced me--on scriptural grounds. i never went to a meeting ever again.
my jw parents accepted my decision--and never shunned me. we only rarely touched on any watchtower subjects.. mum passed in '98..dad early this year--aged 95. i was all he had left in his life.
i wonder what goes on in a persons mind---if they find TTATT--but carry on the sham for the sake of family reasons and friendships----as they get older. what is it like to look back in anger at all the years wasted--just for the sake of other stupid selfish people ?
a few years ago a jw lost her husband.
she had enough money to build a nice home but she went over budget and the house remains unfinished.
this past year another jw lost his wife... but there is a happy ending!
me--68--she 46.
sheer joy.. the local kingdumb hall is up for sale.
a quick build from 1984. i went in there once--for a relative's wedding.
half a million pounds.. http://www.rightmove.co.uk/commercial-property-for-sale/property-44198850.html.
i used to attend shanklin in the 70's. they split in to 2--and share a purpose built hall in nearby Lake. my ex goes there.
another hall at Freshwater.
was one in Cowes--but was disbanded--my old dad was there. merged with Newport--had a purpose built hall--my dad chipped in £5000 to that----only to have it sold and a former windowless ex church purchased. this is shared by 2 congregations.
so--as far as i know--there will be just 3 halls left if Ryde gets sold.
