Posts by pajaha

7

Jeremy Vine Show (Radio 2) discussing JWs

by pajaha in

for those in the uk, note they are discussing jws on r2 (shortly after 1pm) today.

they were asking to hear from those brought up as jws but i guess too late now.you should be able to listen on catch-up afterwards at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio (look for the jeremy vine show), but not sure if you can get it if you're overseas..

pajaha

For those in the UK, note they are discussing JWs on R2 (shortly after 1pm) today. They were asking to hear from those brought up as JWs but I guess too late now.

You should be able to listen on catch-up afterwards at http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio (look for the Jeremy Vine show), but not sure if you can get it if you're overseas.

3

interview with: pajaha

by pajaha in

tell us a little about yourself and your family.. single, middle-aged, raised in newport (wales) and now in peterborough (england).. .

were you a born in or a convert?.

are your parents / family jws?.

pajaha

Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

Single, middle-aged, raised in Newport (Wales) and now in Peterborough (England).

Were you a born in or a convert?

Raised in from about the age of three.

Are your parents / family Jws?

My grandmother was the first and roughly half of her sizeable offspring (eg, around 20 grandchildren) were in at some point, but now just three of four remain.

How many generations have been JWs?

Three.

Did you hold any position in the WTS? (MS, Elder etc...)

MS, full-time pioneer – and apparently very nearly (“all but holy spirit”) made elder at 25-6 – that was six months before I quit.

Did you *really* believe in the bible, in spirits (angels, demons)?

Until near the end I believed all of it, although I became more doubtful as time went on.

Did you get baptised? When and why?

In 1990 at the age of 16, I think. I just felt it was the right thing to do.

What was the initial trigger that made you start questioning things?

It was very gradual for me. I don't think there was one “trigger”. But once I started to consider the possibility TWTT then it was all pretty swift.

Where did you find information? Internet sites? Books?

The net, although it took a while before I could bring myself to search, even though I really knew by then it wasn't right.

How difficult or painful was the process of leaving?

The toughest thing I've ever done but probably nowhere near as hard as I had imagined it would be. Living with my JW parents at the time, I thought I might be thrown out of the house, but it was a great misjudgement on my part – they had far more respect for me than that.

Was it a big dramatic exit or a careful, quiet fade?

Reasonably dramatic. I was due to give a new public talk I had not prepared at all (so it was the point of no return), but four days prior I asked to “work” with the presiding officer and then told him I had doubts and wouldn't do the talk. The stand-in speaker was someone who ironically also quit not long afterwards, while I continued with a few “privileges” for 3-4 weeks and then I just stopped going.

Did you convince anyone else to leave with you?

Both parents. It's not that I set out to convince them, but they I think they saw my logic and followed.

How were your family relations affected by your decision?

With my parents strained initially and very briefly, but a lot less than I could possibly have imagined. I had always got on well with my grandmother but that was definitely not the case after I left.

Were you or are you still being shunned by those who didn't leave?

I guess I was shunned, but didn't really feel that much as I moved away from the area after 18 months.

How long have you now been out?

13 years.

What are you most proud of achieving since you left?

Becoming a national marathon champion and realising my dream job, neither of which I believe I would have achieved had I still been in.

Is there anything you miss about life in the congregation?

I liked the companionship, but then it was probably no greater than that you could also experience outside. I miss some people who were in and hope that one day they will come out of it.

Red pill or blue pill? Do you regret waking up to reality at all?

Red pill definitely. No regrets. Better to know the truth than live in bliss.

Did you become an atheist or transfer your faith elsewhere?

Atheist – or, more precisely, agnostic.

How do you now feel about religion in general?

I have no idea why someone would take it up if not led to do so by parents.

Do you feel any guilt celebrating xmas or birthdays or doing any other JW "no-no"s?

I have no problem with Christmas, but I can't really get into it at all. I buy a couple of presents for immediate family but that's it. To me, it's just for kids.

Have you attended any face-to-face meetups of ex-JWs?

Just the one – on the www.meetup.com site. Worth doing at least once if you're near to a meet-up.

Do you tell people about your JW past?

I think in 13 years I've only mentioned it just 3-4 times. I fear that people think worse of me because of it.

Do you feel animosity or pity toward current JWs?

No animosity at all. I would have viewed me exactly the same. It's not them – it's the religion.

Pity – yes, definitely.

How do you respond to witnesses when they call at your door?

Occasionally, I will take the bait. I am a “return visit” and have had plenty of extended discussions/arguments, but I will also just ignore the knock on the door sometimes.

What do you think is the most effective approach to reaching people still in?

If you can have any effect, it's just after you've left – or else you've got be pretty close to them to achieve anything.

Do you think the WTS can or should be destroyed, will continue on as-is or grow / change?

Not sure it will disappear at any point shortly. It will just continually bring out “new light” to ensure enough people hang around.

How has your life been impacted by your JW past?

I think I've done pretty well in putting it all behind me, but it's still part of me to a degree.

Are there things in your life you blame the WTS for?

I wish I hadn't been a JW, but I don't blame anyone – everything was my choice.

JW upbringing - a protection or a curse?

I believe I have quite high morals and maybe a lot of that has to do with my JW upbringing, but I'm not saying it could not have been the case without it.

Do you still have an interest in JW beliefs and doctrines?

Only because it was a big part of my life for 26 years.

How much of your time is still spent on JW related matters?

Very little but I like to log on to this site once every few days. However, for the first firxt six months or so, I was obsessed, spending virtually my time on forums like this and verifying I had made the right choice.

Do you see yourself still being associated with the ex-JW community in 5 or 10 years time?

Probably, but to a lesser extent.

What advice would you give to anyone starting the journey of leaving the WTS?

I suppose no one defines themselves as “leaving”, but I would advise anyone to just look at all the evidence. If the truth is the truth, then you have nothing lose by hearing the arguments against it.

What would you change in your life if you could go back and talk to yourself?

Just not to have got baptised. But I would probably have seen “myself” as an apostate and not listened.

406

ex-jw-uk

by bigmac in

jw
friends

i'm quite new to this site, & have realised some members have a union jack symbol under their avatar.

i don't.. could we have a "show of hands" from any uk members?

i've already found several by reading older posts..

pajaha

Newport, Gwent, when a JW - now Peterborough.

49

11,824 Memorial Partakers in 2011

by FrankWTower in

there were 11,202 partakers in 2010. and 11,824 partakers in 2011.. there was an increase of 622 or 5.5% in one year.. your thoughts?.

source: 2012 yearbook (in spanish).

pajaha

Interesting. So I wonder how JWs explain the sudden rise since 2006. Has the WTS made any attempt to explain it?

27

the Service Meetings didn't prepare me for this

by stillin in

naked ladies at the door!

various stages of undress, including absolutely nothing on.

my response was to be cool, go into my presentation and sneak a peek when i thought it wouldn't be noticed.

pajaha

Just re-read Snare & Racket's message - the wrong person answered the door, it seems.

27

the Service Meetings didn't prepare me for this

by stillin in

naked ladies at the door!

various stages of undress, including absolutely nothing on.

my response was to be cool, go into my presentation and sneak a peek when i thought it wouldn't be noticed.

pajaha

I think Snare & Racket has trumped us all - unless anyone called on her fellow Steps bandmember Claire Richards while she was half-naked.

15

What's It Like To Be Normal

by EmptyInside in

jw
friends

yes,that is a strange question.

but,i always felt like the odd one out.

and as a witness,i felt like i had some secret from all the "worldlies" about the big secrets of the universe.

pajaha

I can sympastise with a lot of what of what you said, but you are no no longer the odd one out! You are now "normal". I still felt after I left like I was the odd one out, but I eventually realised I wasn't. You should feel liberated.

There is no point in looking back.

I was in it 23 years of my life (my childhood and youth), but I still enjoyed those years. And I can now enjoy the reamining years even more.

226

UK & IRELAND MAP

by ballistic in

jw
friends

i had an idea that i could build a uk map of everyones location which would show you instantly who is in your area from jwd.. (it might be an idea to do a seperate us one aswell but i'll wait and see if this one takes off first, or if anyone from the us wants to volunteer to do that one).

(and australia but you are all in the same backyard anyway - literally!!!).

anyway, all you have to do is post or email me your username and town and i will draw you on the map above which will change gradually to include everyone!.

pajaha

Is the link to the map still active? I've tried this before and just now but I only ever seem to get a dead link. If so, can someone please confirm the most up-to-date link? Thanks.

17

does anyone dream they are on the ministry?

by pajaha in

or maybe that should be "nightmare" - not dream.. it happens less and less, but still does now and again after 10 years.

it's always associated with a great feeling of dread and going from door to door knowing you do not believe what you are saying (i should point out that, while i was in it, i pretty much did believe it).. i guess it shows how big a part of our lives it once was - a bit like you often dream of being in school or of long-departed relatives..

pajaha

Or maybe that should be "nightmare" - not dream.

It happens less and less, but still does now and again after 10 years. It's always associated with a great feeling of dread and going from door to door knowing you do not believe what you are saying (I should point out that, while I was in it, I pretty much did believe it).

I guess it shows how big a part of our lives it once was - a bit like you often dream of being in school or of long-departed relatives.

27

"Must you stop?"

by cedars in

no, that's not a line from a rude film.

it's the title of a brief article on page 3 of the latest february 2013 kingdom ministry, which reads as follows... .

"when sharing in field service, some publishers customarily stop at a certain time, perhaps at noon.

pajaha

I remember we used to talk about "cat witnesses" - the ones who would always say "I've done me 'our" and then go home.