lilybird

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Posts by lilybird

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  24

  JWs not shunning you after you left the org?

  by greendawn in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  after you got disfellowshipped or disassociated yourself were there any jws relatives or not that refused to accept the shunning policy and at least secretly (or perhaps openly) kept up contact with you?

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  lilybird

  We formally D'A ourselves about 20 years ago. My husband's parents did not agree with shunning their children. They were counselled several times to not associate with us, but they just laughed it off and said that they would not do that. His father was eventually made an elder and still counselled not to speak to us, but he still refused to do that. The congregation elders left us alone and we all were still a family.Still, his family tried to get us to come back. We went to a memorial service a few years ago just to please them so they could attend with some family. After the service the PO told my father-in-law that if we were trying to come back we would have to agree to a bible study and attend meetings without talking to any sisters or brothers in the hall. WE said we weren't that interested!!!!!!!! Anyways, going back for the one meeting was enough to reaffirm to both of us that we were never going back to that insanity....We feel that the elders let my father-in-law associate with us if he wanted because he was very wealthy and made big contributions to the hall..buying his way into the New System. He died 2 years ago never seeing the Great Tribulation he was waiting for... oh well.....
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  9

  Coro street Cult episode in NZ tonight

  by Black Sheep in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  karen has just had a visit from her cult father.

  i heard about this some time ago.. on the booze tonight,so i am taping it and will watch it later...... .

  chris

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  lilybird

  The Coronation Street episodes here in Canada are behind the times as they are broadcast in England. Karen is still in the show here and her father just showed up at her door. She tells Steve how hard it was like growing up with very strict religious parents and being treated differently at school because of it.. Hmmm ....brought back some painful memories........
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  45

  Was The Ministry Ever Rewarding To You?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only know of a few witnesses that believe that.

  did you feel that the ministry was especially rewarding and gratifying to you?

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  lilybird

  That was the only thing I looked forward to as a kid forced into Saturday service, the donuts on mid morning break.The rest was a good waste of a Saturday morning. I also remember my mother referring to the brothers and sisters as "the friends". Another cult-like expression!!!!!
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  44

  Does the WTBTS still control your life?

  by Honesty in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  do you follow the arrangement dictated by the governing body of jw's regarding df'd and da'd individuals?

  do you shun the jw's like you are expected to by wt leaders or do you speak to jw's and greet them with a smile even if they shun you when you do so?

  in complying with wtbts rules of acceptable behavior for da'd or df'd persons do you think that you are showing unconditional love to your neighbor?

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  lilybird

  When my father-in-law died a while ago, he was an elder in the congregation we used to attend. I was nervous going to attend his funeral at the kingdom hall we used to attend. The service was actually quite touching , in spite of the JW teachings interjected thruout the service. The elder taking the service taked about his life growing up and his relationship with his believing sisters. Sorry, not to get off topic, I was also worried about being shunned. Not that I really care what they think of my life outside the org. Its just not pleasant. Anyways, the sisters and brothers I had grown up with came and spoke to me and asked how we were and talked to our children and we felt very welcome. There were a couple of sisters who went out of their way to show they were snubbing us. But they are wacky anyways :). I left feeling even stronger in the belief that leaving was EXACTLY the right thing to do for myself and my children.I feel sorry for the ones who don't have the courage or enlightened enough to leave the control of the org and just live,,, the way a loving God intended...
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  20

  Dubs telling people who they should and should not marry.

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i know of several experiences of couples who got married against the unwanted advice of the busybodies at the hall.

  and i am not talking about a sixteen year old girl marrying a seventeen year old boy either!

  these were people way over 30. .

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  lilybird

  In the congregation I used to attend , there was a very pretty 24 year old sister, never been married, She started dating a 40something brother who was widowed with 7 kids, one was just a year old. They decided to marry, but shortly before the wedding, she started to have doubts and wanted to put off the wedding. Who could blame her? The elders had a meeting with her and told her she had to marry him and being engaged was as good as married in god's eyes. We went to the ceremony..She was over an hour late, guess she was trying to pluck up the courage to go thru with it. They did stay married long enough to have a daughter, but she wasn't really happy. Im not sure if they are still married as they moved away and we disassociated ourselves soon after. We always felt sorry that her life had been manipulated this way by elders who had no business interferring.
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  46

  Latest "talk" by GB member being emailed around

  by catchthis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  not sure if this is a "made up" email or not -- sounds like any other talk you've ever heard..... .

  >a talk recently given by brother guy pierce ... .

  >safeguard your spirituality by training your perceptive powers .

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  lilybird

  SNG That was so funny. I couldn't stop laughing and then I had to go back and read it again and laugh some more. Its so ridiculous that JWS think that Satan is just waiting there to ensnare them at any second. I would think with all the crap going on the world that if you believed in Satan it would seem he is much busier creating havoc elsewhere.
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  25

  Rrrrrrrrroll up the Rrrrrrrrrrim and win!!!! Tally of JWD winners.

  by kwintestal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  to date, 2 donuts here (yuck, i hate donuts)!.

  kwin

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  lilybird

  I won a muffin yesterday.Which isn't much of a win, because I think their muffins suck. But I don't buy Timmy's too much because I think they are overpriced and a rip-off, The best donuts are Krispy Kreme, I think.
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  40

  Would You Stay As A Witness, Even Though You Knew It Wasn't "The Truth"?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when a witness starts thinking, there comes a time when decisions have to be made.

  when you know that their bible chronolgy is unsupported or that the revelation climax book is absurd, it begins the process of 'what are you going to do now?

  '......what could get you motivated is the realization that "love" is not the hallmark of this organization.

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  lilybird

  Once my husband and I decided it was a pack of lies and nonsense, the only family we risked losing was his parents. But we felt our kids quality of life was more important. We left behind a few close and dear friends, but we have found friends who are not JWS who are friends because of who you are, not because the society tells you who to be friends with. My husbands parents did not shun us after all. even though they were counseled many times by elders to not speak to us. But it wouldn't have mattered, we were leaving anyways. Our lives have been so much better for this decision. I look back at the years spent as a JW as lost years. At least my kids were free to make their own lives and decisions.Would I have left if my husband didn't want to? Not sure as I didn't have to face that issue.I was raised in a home with a believing mother and unbelieving father. It is not an ideal family life either.
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  28

  To, A Friend in Need

  by calamityjane in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as you can see afin, from soj's thread started today, your pompous attitude is not going to get you anywhere here.

  obviously we had an effect on soj and we will eventually have the same effect on you.

  i for one don't like your preachiness or holier than thou attitude.

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  lilybird

  I think AFIN has some serious belief issues. Why hang around a group of people who would be considered as "bad association" by the ORG. Obviously, AFIN has to keep making these lame and arrogant postings to reassure him/herself. Or AFIN has delusions of his/her postings bringing some new revelation to all of us. I think AFIN should seriously consider why he/she posts here and reevaluate his/her own faith and beliefs. Otherwise, AFIN just likes to be annoying and needs to get another hobby..
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  17

  She Went To Sleep And Woke Up 30 Years Later

  by dh in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just came accross this interesting story, it's old news but still thought it was an interesting read.... .

  she went to sleep and woke up 30 years later .

  the real-life story of annie shapiro - who fell into a coma at age 50 in 1963 - is more remarkable than the movie based on her miraculous re-awakening.

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  lilybird

  Well. its a wonderful story anyways..