Posts by Bryan

One thing you must know is JW's encourage the seperation of families. If you join them, get babtized, then decide it's not for you, they will shun you. Even your b/f / husband's family will shun you. If he decides to marry you one day and leaves the organization, he will looses his family and probably all his friends. It's not at all easy.

Below is a link to a letter I just received from my 19 year old daughter. She's engaged, but I am not invited to the wedding. She also tells me that I am bad association because I am no longer a JW.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/75883/1.ashx

Is this something you are will to go through, or go through with your b/f?

PLease also realize, you have so many years ahead of you. Don't rush into anything. If you both truly love each other, be together, and get married when you both are financially stable and ready to be a family.

Take care,

Bryan

40

Did You Think That You Would Be In Paradise By 2004?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i never did.

i hoped it could be true but i never took any stock in dates....what about you?

?

Bryan

I remember in 1982 saying "I give it two years". What an idiot!

I am so glad to be alive and Awake!

Bryan

52

Hello Everyone . . .(Questions)

by Frobrisher in

this is my first post here, though i have been browsing these forums over the last week for more than a few hours.

in the interest of full discloser, well as much as anyone would on a public forum, i?ll tell you about me.

i was raised as a witness, and have no real horror stories to tell.

Bryan

Frob,

Yes you are correct! No one puts a gun to our head, and there is no problem leaving. I'm sorry, though reading many posts on this thread, Ihave not read them all. But, if you have left, and all the rest of your family are devout witnesses, why have you not received a letter like this one from my daughter?

_________________________________________________________________________-

Dear Dad,

I?m writing to let you know how I feel, and some decisions I have made. I have felt this way a very long time, I have just chosen to ignore it and cover it over. But I feel I have to tell you because some things are going to have to change. So here it goes.

First of all, none of this is coming from mom, all of it is coming from me. Exactly how I feel, and think.

Although you are my father, we have chosen different paths. You have chosen the world, and not to live by Bible principles or standards. You disassociated yourself, and you chose what you wanted to do. You know enough about the Witnesses to know that I should treat you like a disfellowshipped person. Accept in your case it?s worse. Because disassociating yourself means you are not repentant and that you do not feel bad for the things you do, or have done in the past. The court papers said I had to see you until I was 18. I am no longer 18 and I feel that associating with you is a hinderence(sp) to my spirituality.

It really made me mad when I came up for a visit for a week. And you were asking me all kinds of questions to try and disillusion me, and to make me have doubts in my head. Then you were showing me articles about it. And even though you were letting me go to the meetings and go out in field service, you still tried to make it hard, by things you said. It really put me out when you did that, because it showed lack of respect. And truthfully you don?t want answers to your questions you ask, because you are not interested in the truth, or what teachings we have. So you cannot fully understand, or want to understand it. It is like trying to reason with a drunk person. Because you didn?t want to hear it. You are content with your lifestyle, and the things you have chosen. You like doing what you want to do. Which is why you are no longer a witness.

I would feel a lot better with my self if I didn?t associate with you. Because I should treat you like a disfellowshipped person. And truthfully I don?t want to visit you, and be around the lifestyle you try to have me live. I know you will truly be happy with me until I am out of the truth. And that will not happen. Because I love Jehovah, and I know that it is the truth. In the congregation there are problems, but everywhere you go there are problems, everyone is imperfect. But as a whole, Jehovah?s people are organized and have true Christian unity. You can go anywhere in the world and be taught the same exact thing that is going on all the way on the other side of the world. Where as other churches teach what ever they want. You can go to a Baptist church and be taught one thing, then go to one 30 minutes away and be taught another.

I went to the meeting a few months ago, and they read a scripture out of the Bible. I was wondering how I was going to tell you all this, and if it is the right thing for me to do, and they read the scripture, and it made me realize that I had to do this, for myself. Jesus said these words, ?Do you imagine I came to give peace on earth? No, indeed, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father,?..? That is Luke 12:51-53, just incase you want to look at it. That scripture is very true. Because when only on family member serves Jehovah, and the other one doesn?t, then it causes problems. And to feel I am doing right, I need to sever ties. So basically until you start doing something about the truth, I don?t want to be around you, or talk to you. Because I don?t want to, nor do I need to. Everytime I would go visit you I would feel sick as it was nearing, and everytime I talk to you on the phone I feel terrible when I get off. I?m tired of feeling that way. And I?m tired of trying to make you happy. It wears me out.

I am also engaged to a Brother in Lufkin. I don?t want him to meet you, or talk to you because you are not good association. And I don?t think you should come to my wedding, because I do not want an apostate at my wedding. He also has an understanding about this, because he has 2 disfellowshipped brothers. So he knows how it feels. I knew you would say you wanted to meet him etc. when I told you I was interested in someone. So I just didn?t tell you. I am sorry about this, but you made your decision. You chose one thing and I chose another. So this is the way it has to be. If by me saying this means sacrificing a car, and a trip to Scotland, oh well. I would rather be happy with myself and the decision I have made, and know Jehovah is happy about it, then to keep pretending. You brought this upon yourself, and for that I am sorry, because you cannot truly be happy with your life, unless you have Jehovah and the congregation backing you up. At least I never could be. So here is where we must part. If you wish to contact me, I would prefer you write me a letter, or an email, because I won?t be taking your phone calls.

Respectfully,

Signature

26

RUSSIA: Jehovah's Witness congress broken up

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

this article was published by f18news on: 27 july 2004russia: jehovah's witness congress broken up

by geraldine fagan, moscow correspondent, forum 18 news service

since 1996, jehovah's witnesses have held an annual urals regional congress in the yekaterinburg city stadium.

Bryan

No Frankie, I don't speak Russain at all. I met Oleg here in Texas.

Bryan

26

RUSSIA: Jehovah's Witness congress broken up

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

this article was published by f18news on: 27 july 2004russia: jehovah's witness congress broken up

by geraldine fagan, moscow correspondent, forum 18 news service

since 1996, jehovah's witnesses have held an annual urals regional congress in the yekaterinburg city stadium.

Bryan

Sorry, no I don't.

Bryan

26

RUSSIA: Jehovah's Witness congress broken up

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

this article was published by f18news on: 27 july 2004russia: jehovah's witness congress broken up

by geraldine fagan, moscow correspondent, forum 18 news service

since 1996, jehovah's witnesses have held an annual urals regional congress in the yekaterinburg city stadium.

Bryan

I really couldn't say a number or percentage. I do know Oleg just had a phone line installed in his home, with the internet. He's lived there for years, and only now they can afford a phone. He had been going to a friends home to send email.

Bryan

26

RUSSIA: Jehovah's Witness congress broken up

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

this article was published by f18news on: 27 july 2004russia: jehovah's witness congress broken up

by geraldine fagan, moscow correspondent, forum 18 news service

since 1996, jehovah's witnesses have held an annual urals regional congress in the yekaterinburg city stadium.

Bryan

It's tough there.

My friend Oleg told me just two days ago that he had received a shipment from Brazil (he imports bathing suits). Some stuff was missing. I told him to talk to someone at the post office. He said, "Are you kidding me? They could bring me more trouble then I would ever want!" Just for going to the post office! Can you believe it?

Bryan

15

my last contact with my mom

by doogie in

jw
friends

i wrote an email to my mom last friday.

it didn?t go so hot.

my girlfriend had sent her a pretty harsh letter criticizing my family sharing her opinion about the religion about 2 weeks ago and she had never gotten a response (which kind of surprised me, actually.

Bryan

(((((((((((((((((((((((doogie)))))))))))))))))))))))))

I'm sorry my friend, but over time it will get better.

Bryan

13

What a great day!

by Bryan in

this is a very special day me and i would like to share it with you all.

it was one year ago today, oleg and i came to the apex of our journey together.

not knowing each other, we put our faith in god and our fantastic doctors at texas transplant institute, and went under the knife that oleg may live a better, longer life.

Bryan

...

to

Edited to say... Sorry, it will only post half of what I'm typing!

Bryan