i have a dear, long time friend who left the org along with her spouse and teens, about three years ago.
last week, her father, who had always been a sort of jw, died.
he left his final wishes in writing that he did not want a "memorial service" upon his death.. her brother, who is an elder, has convinced her that they will be having one anyway - of course at the kh.
I'm enjoying all your thoughts, thank you.
We know it is 'all about appearances" so the elder is waiting to put on his show. If he was so concerned about what people would think, if one wasn't held, couldn't he have announced that "the deceased requested that no memorial be held." ? I know I have heard that stated before from the platform when the death was being announced.
i have a dear, long time friend who left the org along with her spouse and teens, about three years ago.
last week, her father, who had always been a sort of jw, died.
he left his final wishes in writing that he did not want a "memorial service" upon his death.. her brother, who is an elder, has convinced her that they will be having one anyway - of course at the kh.
I have a dear, long time friend who left the org along with her spouse and teens, about three years ago. Last week, her father, who had always been a sort of JW, died. He left his final wishes in writing that he did not want a "memorial service" upon his death.
Her brother, who is an elder, has convinced her that they will be having one anyway - of course at the KH.
She stated her thoughts to her brother about the disrespect she felt this would show to their father and his wishes. But it mattered not to him, as this was an opportunity for 'a witness' (cult sale's pitch)
I personally am appalled that the dead man's wishes will not be honored. My friend is just going to go along with it, rather than upset her brother. (?)
I'd really like to hear any of your thoughts on this. How important do you think it is to honor last wishes?
that is the conclusion i've come to.
up until then, and because of my own depressed feelings, i have felt differently.
this changed for me last night, though.
Suicide is a VERY bad thing
Suicide may make those left behind, feel badly, but one often knows not the real depth of what brought a person to this end. A choice made independently of others, is what freedom personifies and coming to accept that choice, I see as ultimately showing love to the dear one's memory. You will feel the painful void, yet find you grow from this experience of loss and carry on with more strength in your determination to live your own life to the full.
An elder told my father that suicide is a "stench before jehovah" just days before my father took this route. Shame on him - The scrawled suicide note left behind stated that "only jehovah and jesus will do the judging".
My heart goes out to you and others affected by such loss.
some of you might remember my story from years ago - how i became an 'apostate' which effectively ended my marriage of 20 years.
how my wife subjected me to intense psychological abuse when i left 'the truth'.. my son ben, whom i love deeply, left when he was dragged into the back room and told he was being used by satan to corrupt the congregation (he was only15) because he was gay.. my dearest middle daughter charlotte, who has more common sense than all of us put together, 'left' on her 14th birthday.
she was dragged out of the house in her bare feet to be taken to the meeting, and because i intervened i spent the next year on a camp bed in the front room.. in the end, i could not stand the abuse and left.
((dmouse, Chloe, & ex))
Strong emotions evoked all because a young person is using their own brain and making a choice of free will. What your ex is feeling, is exactly what I never wanted to experience since it just seemed so wrong to me. To think that we, as dubs, should demand that our offspring follow the same spiritual path that we were on. I was only on it because it was passed down to me, and I didn't have the strength and courage that your Chloe has, to go my own way.
Before walking away from the org, now, as a parent, I was sitting at meetings telling myself over and over that it was absurd to think that any god, would expect that a parent should feel total devastation if their children did not follow the plan. I was getting more and more disgusted with the idea that it was my job to MOLD these beautiful young adults of mine to follow only one way - and to try to force them to NOT become their own individual. It is a sick cult that makes a parent go this route.
In the end, the child who was determined to be himself, brought my husband and I around full circle in our thinking, and today we are all experiencing true freedom to be who we are. I will hope for such a positive outcome with your family too.
4JWY
just wanted to run an informal poll to see how "effective" or hopelessly "ineffective" the borg tract assimilation drive has been.. i for one, have not received the tract, and i live in densely populated development.
did anybody get it left in their doors/mailboxes?.
I expect the father and two little kids who came to my door last Saturday waving the tract as they ran up the driveway, may return this weekend for try #2. The little girl's knock was barely audible.
If I recall, the KM instructed them not to leave it at doors until the 3rd attempt if they have a lack of territory to cover, like in these parts. I didn't answer last week as I would like to see if they are following those commands first. They totally ignored my "No Trespassing" sign in the door window.
Yes, along with not accepting a hate tract at my door, I think I will tell them that is old they are peddling, as I did see it months ago online.
i saw this in the news today, and i wondered if this is the begining of a new cult....what are your thoughts?.
street-preacher 'invasion' plannedby jeff carltonthe associated pressa texas-based ministry group plans to flood entertainment districts in dallas and fort worth today with 500 street preachers trying to spread their faith, an event the group's president calls a "city invasion.".
darrel rundus, founder and president of the great news network, said he hopes this serves as a test run for events across the country.. "its a roll-up-your-sleeves, get-in-the-trenches, big-time battle in the street for souls," rundus said.
.....sometimes had to beg food from sales prospects
Thanks for the warning and the whole story.
I've had them come through my neighborhood - It's true......the last time when I did not go for the sales pitch, the young man at my door, asked me for an apple and a sandwich!
I thought, wtf! You think I'm going to leave you at my door/or, invite you in while I make you lunch??
Brought back memories though of when we worked out in rural territory and if it appeared people were poor, we'd ask them for a bar of soap or a cumcumber in exchange for the literature .
dear friends,.
my favorite poem is not in vain by emily dickinson:.
if i can stop one heart from breaking,.
LIFE is not a journey to the grave of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body,
but rather,
to skid in broadside thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming,
"WOW, WHAT A RIDE!"
(unknown author)
i remember going to each memorial even when i was inactive.
i felt that i had to go to atleast that meeting.. then one year, i was sick on that day, and didn't go to the memorial.
it was a funny feeling to miss the most important day of the year, as a jw would call it.. but i got used to it, when i missed my 2nd and 3rd memorial..
Freedom rocks, and I felt it!
i put this in another thread but i would like to start a new one.. i was a jw when i got married but i left about15 years ago, my wife is still in.
before we met she had a relationship (while she was a witness) with a guy and even had a child with him.
(she did not get dfed for this.
2112:
Sorry for your position -
A thread you may find of interest:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/71147/1.ashx
i'm a new poster as well as being new to jw's (currently having bible studies) and i have been researching the religion to make sure i go into it fully understanding what it is about, and what implications it would have on my life.
i am 20, a single parent with a child and although i was brought up being told 'the truth' by my mum, only have early memroes of attending kh.
they are now trying to suck me back in but i have grave reservations and would lke everyone's opinion/view/advice.
Hi Missk and welcome!
20 years old? - with your whole life yet ahead.
My son just turned 20.
Born and raised a jw, (I also) - he had the 'grave reservations' at 14, and by 16 he had helped both his dad and I to see that we were all part of a cult and living the lives of mind controlled zombies. We all walked away, hand in hand and have never looked back, longingly, for anything we left behind.
Life has never been better. Freedom is to cherish.
Wishing you the best
4JWY
