if i told you that something bigger is on the horizon than dateline, bbc, cbc, sunday (australia), and all other tv programs which exposed the sexual child abuse cover-up by watchtower in 2002-2003, would you believe me?
have i ever misled you?
i'll answer that--no!
The problem is whatever it is a large percentage of the JW have been conditioned to believe that if it is against their beloved WT society it is all lies and persecution. The WT doctrine teaches that in the final days the Organization will be unfairly attacked. The WT covers their bases a lot with this teaching--"WE're being attacked by Satan and his demons-- remain faithful to the Org no matter what and you will be rewarded in the end" Listen and obey our voice only...
cybs
if i told you that something bigger is on the horizon than dateline, bbc, cbc, sunday (australia), and all other tv programs which exposed the sexual child abuse cover-up by watchtower in 2002-2003, would you believe me?
have i ever misled you?
i'll answer that--no!
I can't wait! Been trying to compose a letter to my sis all week. Since her 3rd son has just left the Org I feel I must say something. She is losing her own children due to the WT idiotic doctrine and I fear she will lose her daughter next--this would be too much for her I fear. So far she seems unmoved and still loyal to the Org. I am trying to be so very careful about what I say as she has already cut off communications with me just knowing that I havn't been going to meetings. I have heard that she feels I have left because I have let my emotions get the best of me even though she knows some of what I went through. She was an honor student in school and is very talented and smart in so many ways. I think she got caught up in it because of her insecurity. She is one of those who say "I think I would be dead if it wasn't for the WT".... I am trying to be gentle with her. It is heartbreaking to know that she is being taken advantage of and that her children have been pawns in the game too. I so much want the WT to get busted for something BIG. There are a lot of those who will be hurt though, such as my sis, but if it continues on it will only get worse and more damage will be done. Do hope it is something big enough that will cause a few more to snap out of their WT trance.
cybs
will you walk with god?
walk.
walk with god?
For example, we would not even consider engaging in wrongdoing and
then try to hide our sins from Christian elders or family members.
This is a prompt to weed out any who are hiding "secret sins" and make them feel guilty. So if an adult of legal age does something of question the first thing it is required to do is to run to the elders and turn yourself in. (Mostly speaking of sexual nature, I'm sure) the WT leaders seems to get off on hearing all the nitty gritty on its members intimate personal lives.
thanks blondie, cybs
fudge is one.
have you considered making white chocolate fudge?......or adding creme de cocoa for "white russian" fudge?
or adding amaretto for "cherries in the snow" fudge?
I was just at a craft fair and was fascinated by the crocheted toilet tissue cover with the doll head on top of it. Almost would like to make some of these as a tongue and cheek gift.
fudge is one.
have you considered making white chocolate fudge?......or adding creme de cocoa for "white russian" fudge?
or adding amaretto for "cherries in the snow" fudge?
I think frannie bananie bread sounds good with or without nuts.
I am rather holiday challenged. this is the first year I have had anything to do with the holidays for some 20 plus years. I think potholders are kind of fun. You can get fabric paint and draw some of your own designs on fabic and then sew them into very personal potholders. You can decorate cheap dish towels too. Sew some placemats with matching napkins...I will have to think more on this one--it has been awhile.
Happy holidays!
cybs
i know many people will get angry at this, but i had to share some observations i've had since i discovered this board a couple of days ago (see my original post under "why all the venom?").
i'll be very honest and say that i was hoping that i would discover that the jw's were wrong about some things, including the so-called "apostate" sites (i have been recommended to some internet sites and some books that i plan to investigate further).
i was hoping to find that people really didn't need the jw's "spiritual food" to remain true to god.
No, but it does take time though to separate yourself from a controlling religious cult. There is anger and some bitterness among many, especially those who have lost their families because of this religion's teaching. Some family have members died because of the WT teaching on sustaining from blood. Some have been rejected by their family and friends and treated as if they had died. Some have been pressured so much by the religion they have had mental and physical breakdowns. None of this is casual stuff--this is heavy life changing trauma. A lot of people here (myself included) come here to vent sometimes and to share our experinces and try to heal ourselves. Please understand and listen--don't judge--the religion has given us enough of that.
Welcome...
cybs
this is such a huge issue for me.
i don't want anyone to tell me what to do or how to live.
in part this is due to the control that the wts and the elders had over my life.
I had a dream a couple of nights ago--one of those very crystal clear dreams, which I don't have too often. the dream involved a woman who was my bookstudy conductor and the one who was instrumental into bringing me into the Org. I haven't thought of her in quite awhile. I did write her a couple of years ago when she was questioning me as to why I was no longer involved in the Org and had I forgotten all the wonderful things I was taught from the bible? etc...
Anyway, in my dream this woman who had studied with me was driving my car over 100 miles per hour. I was really scared and kept telling her to slow down or pull over. I was really scared and after a while I was shouting at her "this is my car and I want to drive it--pull over" She wouldn't listen to me, but kept on driving fast her eyes fixed to the road. Finally we stopped to use the bathroom or something. There had been some other passengers in the backseat and we ran into a building and hid for a bit. We could hear her calling us. We made our way back to the car and sped off without her--I was in the driver's seat now. We could see her in the rear view mirror shaking her fist at us and telling us to come back. We didn't turn around and when we were really far away she flug a rock at us. It was only a small rock though, I could hear it hitting the car, but it didn't do much damage. End of dream...
I woke up and thought about this dream for awhile. I remember what a relief it felt being in the drivers seat.
I wondered if the dream indicated that I have made a sort of breakthough in regaining control of my life. I wonder...
cybs
i just returned home from the kingdom hall.
i am an elder.. after the meeting all the elders were called to the back room.
i thought this was an impromptu elders' meeting.
If you sat down and told this story to someone who was not a JW or had no knowledge of how they operate they would be astounded by this story. I remember telling my psycologist all the things the elders said to me in the final part of my JW days. Even with all his years of experience I could tell that he was taken aback at times. In the end the conclusion of the matter is that he told me this religious type of controlling environment is not psycologically healthy or normal.
It is downright weird to tell someone that their family is not as important as serving some organization. And what does being an elder serving the WT organization really mean and why is it really so important? What is the purpose of it and in the longrun will it accomplish anything of major importance in your life or in the life of your family or anyone for that matter? It is really all a bunch of hot air--dull empty speeches and the such. There is no feeding of the poor--no physical caring for the sick. And, if their is a loving god does he want the father of a family to spend all his time serving his organization instead of taking care of his own family? What sort of god would demand this and say "serve me first forget about the wife and kids--I command this of you". Gary, this is truly crazy making stuff. I finally had to leave the WT org and I was beginning to be interrogated constantly about things that were not even problems in my life--the elders were trying to create some though. I honestly think in the congo I was in it stemmed from pure boredom. The only excitement the elders had was to pick on someone. The WT routine is so dull and boring I think the only way to keep the blood moving was to stir up a bit of trouble for someone. I got out of there just in time before I was almost pushed into having a complete breakdown. Don't let them push you. You have to think of your family--they need you more than anyone.
take care,
cybs
i don't know, you'd think we'd be used to reading crap like this but it still gets my goat.. nic' .
*** w74 8/15 p. 487 is change possible for homosexuals?
thinking transformed.
Here in Hawaii there is a population of gay men among the polynesian culture and there has been for centuries. The men have soft voices and are definitely feminine. Some of the old style Hawaiian music is sung by these men with falseto voices and this is not something strange or foreign here--just accepted as it is. It is obviously genetic--they are born this way and anyone who has ever been close to someone who is gay knows that that is just the way they are wired--you can feel it. When I am around gay men I don't feel the same energy coming from them as with heterosexual men. I feel more like I am talking with someone of my own sex or of another sex neither male or female. I had a gay male friend in high school. All of his close friends were women and hanging out with him was like being with one of the girls. I always cringed at the JW homosexual unloving stance and don't know why I belonged to an organization that was so narrow minded about this subject. I notice the WT doesn't really mention the gay subject much in articles--especially headlines ones. I think they know that this would be an outright promotion of hatred, which could cause problems for them (possibly legal). It is another one of those unwritten rules/laws that its members are aware of. I feel sorry for gay ones who are born into the WT world.
cybs
so thats what it feels like.. i am not df'ed or da'ed, ... i have just stopped going to meetings.
my wife is trying to be as active as she can.. so all morning i am out of my regular routine.
late getting out of bed and late about everything today.. so i leave the house, and before getting to the office, i decide to stop at the mall for a quick, maybe 15 min, walk.. as soon as i get inside, taking my coat off, here is the elder who did everything he could in his power to get me out...and lied...and added to gossip that ran me outta there.. he and his wife spot me .. and turn there heads away and continue on their walk, .. eyes fixed on some thing away from me.. so thats what it feels like.........now i know.
My hubby who was never a JW has been shunned several times in our small community--just recently at an outdoor market by a whole herd of elders out in field service and another time by a sister downtown and then by an elder at the dump. This is very strange to me. For all they know I am just an inactive JW, as I have never spoken to them about the reasons I left the Org. What if I was a JW who was planning on returning to the Org--don't they realize their behaviour would drive me even further away? I saw 4 sisters out in field service right across the street from my house and I was standing in my yard and they didn't acknowlege me ( I am positive they looked over my way). I never hear from any JWs anymore. 20+years of friendships and I am totally ignored. I am grateful for it though--being around JW speak makes me feel crazy. I really don't want to be around these people anymore--their fanaticism scares me.
Take care all,
cybs
