some of you may remember me, seeker4, from several hundred posts 3 to 6 years ago.
i recognize some of the names in today's forums, and maybe some of you remember me.
don't confuse me with seeker - i'm s4.
"My concern is, how long do you have to be out of the Org before they'll leave you alone? "
Seeker4, I hate to tell you this but I haven't heard of any statute of limitations. It doesn't matter how long you're out. It can be years and years and then they decide for whatever reason to lower the boom.
My best advice is...brace for impact, and take what is coming. Then get out there and live, and don't look back. At least, look back as little as you possibly can.
hugs,
Essie
i've always thought it to be a charming and old-fashioned custom.
my grandfather always did it.
whenever he was out walking with me tagging along, he would always doff his hat whenever he passed a lady coming the other way, or whenever he he stopped to chat.
I cannot believe the utter dreck that the WTS has dished up over the years, GAG!
I think that a man tipping a hat to a lady is utterly charming. On the other hand I'm not a damsel in destress type female in that even though I'm disabled and work with one hand (other using mobility device) when I am out and about, if I see a man with his arm full of packages, I would hold the door for him with my free hand, just as I would for a woman.
I think that politeness is a lost art in this day and age and I don't want chivalry to die completely...please, guys, keep giving it CPR until society wakes up and returns to conciousness!
hugs
essie
some of you may remember me, seeker4, from several hundred posts 3 to 6 years ago.
i recognize some of the names in today's forums, and maybe some of you remember me.
don't confuse me with seeker - i'm s4.
Hiya Seeker4, (You may remember me as Esmeralda from your old posting days) I just wanted to say that it stinks that this is all happening to you when you apparently have been doing well for yourself, getting out of your marriage, finding new love, and new life. That is when they love to strike, to try to break your will, to try to bring you back.
Think about this before you worry too much what these people think of you.
Yesterday my mother, who had threatened shunning me (she's one of three or so relatives who still speak to me) when the new organized book came out a couple weeks ago (that didn't last, she needs me too much) handed me a package of pictures of me from years ago, a gathering with lots of JW family, including a cousin who died in a car crash a few years after that. Then know what she said to me? "I'm pulling out all the stops, trying to hit everything I can to reach something in you and bring you back." She ADMITTED this emotional manipulation and blackmail! That disgusted me.
There's a line in the movie Pirates of the Caribbean when Jack Sparrow says to the Commodore, "What have you got to lose?" and the Commodore glares at him and says, "Nothing I'd lament being rid of." That's kind of how I feel most of the time now about the whole JW thing. Yes, I did lose and yes it hurts a lot. But like Gary, hearing how judgemental they are of everyone except themselves...I wouldn't want to go back to that now.
I know you likely have kids and grandkids involved that you don't want to lose. I hope that you can dodge this. I say if you can afford it try to get a lawyer. Just don't take any elder's word for what they're going to do, though. If there is pressure from higher up they'll DF you regardless. I was to be made an example of: I was the PO's relative. Even though one of the elders on my JC said that my letter saying I didn't consider myself to be a JW anymore should be enough to call them off, it wasn't. Sometimes, it comes down to a choice, what price we're willing to pay for our freedom. The price is high, but who wants to go back. We're here to support you whatever happens.
Please keep us posted...
hugs,
essie
i don't post a lot about my personal life here anymore but i have a situation that i'd like some feedback on.. i have been dating a for about 5 months.
she is a university professor, originally from madrid spain, speaks 3 languages, quite an interesting and intelligent lady.
however, i have also come to find that she is very insecure and somewhat childish emotionally.. she has brought up marriage several times, and i have tried to keep her at bay on this subject, as i just don't know if the relationship has that kind of feeling or not.. the problem is, i don't know what that feeling is supposed to be.
If it feels like a weight has been lifted when you haven't seen her, that should be your first indication that you are NOT in love with her.
Speaking as someone who got married thinking that someone was in love with them, who wasn't; I have to tell you honestly that there shouldn't be any doubts in your mind if you love someone enough to marry them or not.
My second husband and I felt that 'i can't live without you' love from day one, it has not faltered in 8 years and only gets stronger for both of us every day. maybe we're not the norm, but I can tell you this, no one should settle. Marriage is a very serious business, and it sounds like this may be a bad fit for you.
Think it through. Carefully.
wishing you happiness!
essie
why trust the faithful and discreet slave.
our trust in "the faithful slave" is also manifest when we support the organization with our material contributions.
three more keywords here: trust, manifest, material contributions.
Well, I'll tell you, the powerful control exerted here is already effecting a lot of the rank and file.
At last count, I had three living members of my family who spoke to me on on a regular basis. Two of those are 'weak' jw's, one inactive for years, one unbaptized, and one baptized and active.
The baptized, active member, my mother, is now not going to associate with me for fear she may be disfellowshipped without a hearing over it.
I am the only one of her children who does practical care for her like errands, etc because she is ill and very frail. Now this.
I only hope that someone in the congregation is prepared to step up and do what I have been doing. I told my dad that all she has to do is call and say she needs something and I'll be there. But for now, it's turning out just as I knew it would...they will eventually take every single member of my family away from me.
as you've heard, the new book "organized to do jehovahs will" was released today.
here is an excerpt that i trust you will "appreciate", in regards to getting involved with the "world".. ' ..a christian might renounce his faith by his actions, such as by becoming part of a secular organization that has objectives contrary to the bible, and hence, is under judgement by jehovah god.
(isa, 2:4) if a person chooses to join those who are disapproved by god, a brief announcement is made to the congregation, stating: "[ name of person] is no longer one of jehovahs' witnesses.
No wonder my mother was freaking out. I bet they could also use that to df someone who sees a df'd person in their family.
(~(*^~*^~%^%#!~~@@_)#(!!!!!!!!
how much does the watchtower organisation give to charity?
is there an organised effort to better the world in any way?
Simply put, they don't. They keep all their charity in the 'family': for the "World Wide Work" which will cure all of mankinds ills.
Heaven help anybody who needs anything in the meantime.
i am just giggling myself inside out with the stupid antics regarding the march 20 release of the new org book.. of course, in great irony, only the apostates seem to know what's going on.. meanwhile in the congregations, a excitment tinged with mystery and suspense is tweaking the r&f.
my entire book study was just about begging the conductor for any hint.. to emphasize the surprise, congregations that meet on saturday (march 19) are actually moving their public/wt meetings to sunday just for the event.
just imagine the drool letdown when they find out the truth, that old br.
My mother was all in a tizzy this afternoon because I knew what the release was before the meeting. She was upset about that. They also must've said/written something cracking the whip again about df'd family because today she just about showed me the door after ages of being just fine about seeing me.
She said that if they were going to cut her off from the congregation for seeing me, that she would have to cut me off instead, words to that effect. I knew this day would come. It just totally pisses me off because literally, just last night, she said to me that it wasn't her position to judge me, that she wasn't god. Well, apparently the GB is.
I think it's very sly, the new title. The book looks identical in color to the old OM book (i saw her copy from across the room today) but the title, Organized to Do Jehovah's Will is very tricky; see how they removed the whole issue of accomplishing the ministry? because when the ministry was accomplished, the end was going to come, right? But it hasn't, has it? And now they can milk the people for all their worth forever just calling it Jehovah's will.
Freaking mind controlling cult. I think today I watched it take the very last of my family that I had left away from me, and on a day when I showed up with food to feed my ill and frail mother, when none of my siblings especially the good christian witnesses, have called her for months. Months. Maybe even more than a year at this point.
Freaking cult.
ok my landlords daughter and her husband max live above us.
they are a really great family, very nice and cool.
anyway once in a while we have a good conversation with each other and a while ago i had told max about my family situation and a little counter-witnessing.
Almost all of my co-workers know about my JW upbringing, and about how my own JW family members treat me like pond scum even though I am not DFd or DAd. They also know about the child molester that was assigned to our book study group and tried his crap with me. They know that Elders? with daughters my age knew about this so-called Brother? and his dirty little habits and served me up on a silver platter rather than put their own daughters in harm's way.JWs who call on my co-workers get read the riot act every time they call now. Even if I never have any of my JW family members leave The Truth?, I know there are literally hundreds of people in my area who will NEVER become JWs because of what the JWs put me through. To me, that's what this group of people on JWD does best: we immunize the general population against the JW virus.
Love, Scully
((((((((Scully)))))))))))) That's such a great way to put it...they are the disease, we're the vaccine! love, essie
every year since 1991 i have been making my own "mix-tape" (since 1998, my own "mix-tape" cd) of my favorite songs of the year.
i have just completed my cd for 2004. one of the real pleasures of doing this is finding the right track order to make the styles of the songs flow smoothly from one to another, while keeping some semblance of the chronological progression of the year.
i thought it might be interesting to post my list and see if anyone else has their own similar list for the past year:.
Keane - Somewhere Only We Know
essie
