Hi Crizlee, I too was raised in the religion, baptized at 10. Growing up, I had many responsibilities and very few friends. I was pretty much a loner. I wasn't part of the 'popular' groupgs so I was left out of most of the congregation functions. So the only thing I really had to rely on was my privleages at the hall, which at one point or another, was everything, from sound, to literature, to even auditing the accounts one time. This is probably what kept me in for so long. I too only prayed with the congregation, and just underlined my publications to it would appear I have studied, and I would prepare a couple of comments and that was it. I always prepared my comments toward the end of the meeting, that way by that time, the regulars that have been called on several times, and the conductor on the stage is looking for "new" hands so it was a sure fire thing lol. However I cannot count how many times Regular pioneers were called on several times when my hand was up many times and I never was called on. Oh well lol, I got off topic here. Anyway, I became inactive, and pretty much left when I was 23 in 2000. I will be 27 next month and I just do not see how I did all what I did for so long. My mom would not let me date at all until I was 18. I had a girlfriend when I was 21, but that lasted 2 months. Which I'm glad because I think she's a very depressed person. I haven't dated since and really haven't had the interest to. The personal friends I did have mostly as a child growing up were older people which most have died. I hope you'll find needed support here, and I'm sorry you're having to go through what you are. It's sad. JW should be labled "tattle tales" because it seems you cannot do anything without being told on. One time I was at the book store just browsing the sexual books, which nothing is wrong with that, and apparently someone saw me and went to an elder and the elder approached me wanting to know my intentions. =\ What difference does it make??? Lord have mercy. At least It wasn't the porn magazines lol. Oh, btw, I'm in Texas too, I'm near the Dallas area. Take care, ~Jim
northtxjim
JoinedPosts by northtxjim
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all teens unite here
by crizlee inlets tell a lil about ourselves... me?
well i live in the houston area of texas.
im 17 and raised in the truth, my dad is a ms in the congregation, and i run the literature room.
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Guards at Stadium Conventions during Song and Prayer
by VM44 inwhen did the wt start having guards come out during the song and prayer at stadium conventions?
i noticed this at a convention in san diego, right before the song begins, a bunch of "brothers" come out and stand at key positions facing the seats, and scan the audience!
they remain until after the prayer, and they do not bow their heads during the prayer, but keep scanning the audience.
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northtxjim
You mean things happen at conventions that actually keep you awake????? Wow! :o
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Have you been to Church since leaving JW for someone eles?
by LyinEyes inthis is just a question i am wondering about , since my daughter age 10, has asked me to take her to church.
we have been out of the jw's for 2 yrs and she hated the meetings , we spent most of the time , outside in the car, in the bathroom or home the last years we were jw's.
she has alot of little friends who go to a little group on tuesdays to learn about jesus and do things likes arts and crafts.. well, the ladies at the first baptist church invited her to go to sunday school for her age group.
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northtxjim
The first church I attended was the mormons around christmas 2002. I was so nervous my legs were shaking. I felt i was comming a gross sin I thought someone would notice, but everyone was nice and friendly. The reason i was checking out the mormon church was because a couple years prior, I was going through depression I had to take medication for, plus it was the first anniversary of my dad's passing....I was 'labled' unspiritual by my best friend's father (an elder) and I lost my friendship, which hurt really bad, but at work was a former missionary that was a member of the mormon church took interest and really showed what a true christian is. And I was taught that you will know the disciples by the love they have among each other, and at one of the lowest points in my life, i didn't receive that love from the organization that at the time was my life, but I did receive it from a total stranger. So I wanted to look into the mormon church, with my jw line of reasoning that there's one 'true organization' and studied up on the beleifs, as well as other religions. After reading the bible comparing several different versions and studying english/hebrew and english/greek bibles, it isnt religion thats going to judge us if we get eternal life or not. Jw's say that babylon the great sits on many waters (representing people) riding the back of the wild beast (kings of the earth). From my research and studies, from jw's intrepretation of this scripture, they might as well include themselves in on it because they have alot of members, in many lands, and they certain ride the back of the wild beast.
Anyawy, when I expressed to the missionaries that I wasnt interested in becoming a member, I was just checking out the church, they never bothered me since. Since then I have also attended the baptist church. These seem like ordinarly average people, most of them seem to do what is right by what they think in their hearts and minds. During services in both churches I couldn't help but look around and see the people, knowing some of them are as dogmatic about their religion being the only true religion as a typical jw, and with my jw raising (23 years total with almost 4 years out, so in a sence, I still have a foot in) thinking that these people are not 'bad' and 'evil' as I was led to beleive that members of 'babylon the great' (non jw) are. As far as being bothered by jw's to come back to the faith, I never had to worry. I moved away from my home town two years after I became inactive, the hometown I lived in all my life (total of 25 years) and not one single person has contacted me. Oh, they tell my mom, who is still active, how they miss me, blah blah blah. Even my mom made arrangements with the local kh where i live now to come by to visit, but they didn't keep their arrangement. I was wanting to keep up to date with the current magazines (esp the wt) to see what changes, however since they dont do subscriptions anymore, cannot trust a jw to bring every issue. guess ill have to wait for the bound volumes to come out.
Anyway! This is my first post. There's so much to read and I enjoy everyone's experiences and comments.
J.R. - Dallas, TX