very heartfelt writing--going to save this one...
cyber-sista
JoinedPosts by cyber-sista
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16
Stripped perhaps, but not shamed
by Gerard inhttp://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/articlenews/tpstory/lac/20040325/facts25/tpcomment/features
stripped perhaps, but not shamed
i used to think that i 'lost,' that being true to myself cost me more than it was worth.
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When you left being a JW?
by Sassy indid you for a time think it was still the only true religion and that you were just condemned as long as you were out.
i read a comment by ghosthunter today that kind of echoed my feelings.
i know if i had never read the things i had read here, i'd still have left, for i did that before reading and learning, but i would have been out without the freedom from guilt and damnation.....
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cyber-sista
They don't really get fixed, just unbroken enough to function minimally. Maverick
hmmm...like everything in life it just depends on who you are. I feel I am much further ahead then I was after leaving at first, but like a bad childhood you never really get totally over everything. The positive thing is we can become wiser from our experience and we can help others who are going through similiar hardships . It may be hard to move past some of the personal pain, but we now have the ability to recogize and avoid causing ourselves and others more pain in the future. I have learned from my bad experience with the JW unconditional love policy and I will no longer practice this form of love in my life. This is a major lesson. I guess we can look at it all as a hard and painful lesson, that we can gain from, in the sense of becoming a wiser and more compassionate human being (kind of a no pain no gain lesson in life).
Otherwise, I am still pissed off a lot , but such is life whether you have lived as a JW or not. Just keep moving ahead--even if it is just baby steps...Be kind to yourself in the meantime--you are only human...
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Would you ever go back to an organized religion after leaving the Witnesses
by MicStroz ini was wondering just what the percentage would be on those who .
have left and at some point turn to another group or church.. i know from my own trials that i will never be a part of any.
organization.
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cyber-sista
OK. I am calming down a bit here. I still say NO I will never join (or commit) myself to any organization that claims to be the only way to salvation. But there are many other possibilites that I have not yet explored. Such as commiting to working at a church run food bank...That could be a good thing. Or possibly exploring other aspects of spirituality in a group setting. As of now I am still very damaged from my whole JW experience and don't want to do anything that could take my freedom of choice away.
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cyber-sista
The Org stumbled me out of the Org. Because the Org stumbled me out of the Org now others in the Org are afraid I may stumble them out of the Org. One big stumbling frenzy all around...
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Hi Im new here!
by New Castles inim new to the website and farely new to the idea of leaving the jw's.
for a long time i've had doubts, questions that dont have an answer.
i was an ms and reg pioneer for about 5 years.
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cyber-sista
Aloha New Castles,
I haven't been around here long just a bit over a month now. So glad I found the support I needed when I was pulling away from the Org. It was a very disturbing time, but this site helped me a lot. Keep doing the research and you will soon discover everything you need to know or enough that you have the strength to carry on with your life apart from the Org. The best to you and your wife. It is good if you can go out together. along with many other terrible thing the Org is a family killer. I know as they tried to destroy mine. We are though still alive and well--there is hope!
cybs
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Would you ever go back to an organized religion after leaving the Witnesses
by MicStroz ini was wondering just what the percentage would be on those who .
have left and at some point turn to another group or church.. i know from my own trials that i will never be a part of any.
organization.
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cyber-sista
NO!!!
Would never trust it again...Think I have a very strong BS-O-Meter set up after being a JW.
Maybe--I might take up yoga for exercise or some sort of relaxation tecnique (meditation)--maybe some oriental defense sort of thing for exercise, but never will I join anything that puts a control over me or requires me to put in X amount of hours or time in to stay in their favor.
Otherwise, I would rather be hiking up a mountain or communing with nature in some way--this is when I feel most spiritual...
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When you left being a JW?
by Sassy indid you for a time think it was still the only true religion and that you were just condemned as long as you were out.
i read a comment by ghosthunter today that kind of echoed my feelings.
i know if i had never read the things i had read here, i'd still have left, for i did that before reading and learning, but i would have been out without the freedom from guilt and damnation.....
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cyber-sista
I was really really confused. I always had doubts, but hung in there and stuffed it. It finally came to a critical point where the atrocities were screaming in my face and I could no longer swallow it. Even though I knew that it was all wrong with the WT I felt like I was at fault. I was still like a Borg part human and part machine. My logical mind knew what was reality, but part of me was still reacting like a JW. At one point I was going to commit suicide, but slapped myself awake. I figured at that point I would at least try and be of some good in the world thinking of the old bible scripture--better a live dog than a dead lion. I have evolved since then and don't think I am a dog anymore. I am better now--and much happier, but very angry with the Org for all the pain they have caused myself and others...
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% of JW women versus % of JW men
by cyber-sista indoes anyone know the stats on this or have an idea?
in all the congregations i have seen seems like the percentage of women is always higher than the men, though it was never information the org let out to us.
also the women are the ones who are most involved in the preaching work--pioneering, etc.
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cyber-sista
I think there may be a lot of social and possibly genetic reasons why there are more women than men involved with the JWs. I was made to feel at the beginning that the Org and the elders were my protectors. Of course I found out later that they were my controllers, but that was my illusion when I was in. I think that some women feel unsafe in this world and of course the Org offers that whole shelter in the storm illusion. I was always troubled that the women appeared to be doing most of the work in the field. I am sure the elders were busy too with all the cong arrangements, meetings and giving talks and all. It was all a lot of work for nothing...
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E-Watchman Has Sent NGO Letters to Over 5000 U.S. Congregations!
by Greenpalmtreestillmine ine-watchman has sent over 5000 letters to congregations in the u.s informing them of the ngo debacle and a similar one to 101 branches around the world.
and according to his guestbook post he has signed his real name to the letters!
great work and great news!
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cyber-sista
This is certainly going to cause and stir and will "stumble" some out of the Org I'm sure--I think there are a lot hanging on to the edge of it and this may be thing to pull them out.
For those on the fade such as myself--I know that eventually the elders will be calling on me--probably before the memorial. I am forming a simple question to drop on them about the whole UN deal--won't tell them all I know and try to be very nonconfrontational about it, but at least get them to thinking ...It may blow my fading cover a bit, but I am now willing to take the risk to get this thing out in the open
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How have you changed since finding this forum?
by happehanna in.
my friends and daughters say that i am more relaxed and i seem happier in my own skin.
which is just great, but when i first started reading stuff here i was a quivering mess, i was in shock, but spending more time researching things are now slotting into place.. .
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cyber-sista
YES!!!
When I first pulled into this site I was in rather desperate shape. Even though I had mostly been away from the meetings for about a year I had no support in my exiting process. I didn't even know there was any support out there for people who had left the Org. I was still under the impression that sites such as this were run by foaming at the mouth evangelical apostates. It was with shaking hands that I finally did an internet search to find this site and others--so many people here and at a few other sites helped me out so much. I was encouraged to find an exiting therapist which has also helped me out greatly. He also agrees that sites such as this are a great support group for those who are in the process of transitioning out of the Org. In a very short time the information here has helped me more than anything and has saved me years of trying to figure it out on my own. THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED TO MY ONGOING RECOVERY. I have benefited from reading your experiences and suggestions, love--and humour!
Since arriving here only a short time ago I feel much stronger and the Org seems much smaller. I feel sorry for all those who are still captured in there.