Like several of you who were raised with the "truth," I always had doubts as long as I could remember. Sometimes I would voice these to others. I remember one time when we were having bookstudy out of the family book, and there was one sentence in the paragraph that said "women enjoy being under a ceiling of authority." It was like a light went off in my head, and when the time came to answer the question, I raised my hand, and quoting that sentence, declared "That's not true! That's racist!" I had been taught no words to describe sexism or oppression, but that was one word that came to mind and I thought it would work to express my opinion. Needless to say, from then on I had been branded as "dangerous" by the elders and my family. The elders would have talks with my Dad to encourage him to really "keep a tight hold" on me, and that "it wouldn't take much to push me over the edge."
Thanks to INDEPENDENT THINKING I sailed over the edge and never stopped flying!!
(BTW I don't think they study out of that family book anymore, too many people were questioning it)
Posts by AuSet
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41So What Tipped You Out, Then?
by Englishman incan you remember that distinct moment in your life when you suddenly knew that your time as a jw was truly over?.
for me, that moment came several years after the removal of my privileges in the congregation when i admitted to having known my then fiance in a way that was not fitting for a ministerial servant.. i was quickly stripped of my 2 servants jobs, group study conducting, pioneer status, public talk giving and praying in the kh.
i was also forbidden to ever be alone with the lady concerned.. about 15 months later i was assigned a public talk, after 30 minutes i dried up.
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AuSet
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39
"The Note"
by AuSet inat the 1994 district convention in bismark, north dakota, (could possibly have been 93) my sister wrote a note to her friend and tossed it in the garbage.
the note contained a discussion about going to boy's hotel rooms after the sessions ended, and other troublesome activities, including lying to the parents about what my sister and her friend were doing.. presumably, an attendant found this note in the garbage and turned it into the elders.
on the last talk of the last day of the convention, the note was read out loud to the entire audience, along with the warning that "whoever you are, we will find you.
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39
"The Note"
by AuSet inat the 1994 district convention in bismark, north dakota, (could possibly have been 93) my sister wrote a note to her friend and tossed it in the garbage.
the note contained a discussion about going to boy's hotel rooms after the sessions ended, and other troublesome activities, including lying to the parents about what my sister and her friend were doing.. presumably, an attendant found this note in the garbage and turned it into the elders.
on the last talk of the last day of the convention, the note was read out loud to the entire audience, along with the warning that "whoever you are, we will find you.
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AuSet
At the 1994 district convention in Bismark, North Dakota, (could possibly have been 93) my sister wrote a note to her friend and tossed it in the garbage. The note contained a discussion about going to boy's hotel rooms after the sessions ended, and other troublesome activities, including lying to the parents about what my sister and her friend were doing.
Presumably, an attendant found this note in the garbage and turned it into the elders. ON the last talk of the last day of the convention, the note was read out loud to the entire audience, along with the warning that "whoever you are, we will find you." I believe that this note was read as a scare tactic to make an example out of my sister.
Within three weeks, the elders in my cong. asked to meet with my sister, and told her that they knew it was her who wrote the note.Supposedly, the incident surrounding the note was used in a later magazine or possibly a Kingdom Ministry. Parents were told to monitor their children's activities closely at conventions (that was about the gist of it.)
To this day I still cannot believe that the elder/attendant searched the garbage, that they turned it in to someone of authority, and that someone made the decision to read this very personal note to an audience of several thousand people.My questions to all of you are:
1) Have you heard of this note?
2) Does anyone know of the article in subsequent literature about this? I don't think the note was mentioned directly in the article. -
23
YOU ARE A BUNCH OF ADMIRABLE WINNERS!
by Thirdson inthose of us who spent a good portion of our lives as slaves to the printing corporation in brooklyn do well to reflect on our achievements.
we have managed to break the cult shackles and get past the guilt barrier.
we are building happy, successful lives.
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AuSet
Justbeingafriend
I left the witnesses because I was kicked out by getting disfellowshiped. I had a worldly boyfriend and eventually the elders found out. But for years, deep down inside, I had doubts about what I was being taught, and would sometimes voice those doubts. Especially what was forced down my throat about how women "enjoy being under a ceiling of authoriy" (that's from the family book, i think)
I was a naturally independent thinker, and eventually these thoughts lead me in a direction away from the WBTS. I was encouraged not to go to college and that's exactly what I did!
Try NOT to engage your friend in direct discussion of his/her belief systems. This will only serve to drive them away from you. Remember, you're "worldly." Your friend has been taught to fear you and your beliefs, because they are different. However, DO encourage your friend to branch out, i.e., go to college, participate in any activity outside of the Kingdom Hall.
Do you know this person in real life or is this an internet relationship? That could change the dynamics of your relationship quite a bit. (They may not find you as threatening over the internet, but at the same time your relationship may be easier to break off: tread lightly!) -
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Is Winter Over Yet?????
by Thirdson indespite the ranting in some of the posts on this board i thought today was a good day.
today, march 1 (for me still right now) can be regarded as the first day of spring unless youre a stickler for changing the season on the equinox.
today was the first morning in umpteen days that i woke to outside temperatures above 0 degrees.
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GOOD cult control techniques
by philo inwith logical's post in mind, i want to start a thread about something positive.
the wt are positively good at controlling their followers.. which is your favourite wt control technique, and why??????????.
the best contibution wins six million devoted worshippers and a 40 year conditional canonisation in the pages of the wt.. the one i like is so good because it works from 'on high' as well as among the orphans and widows at the congregation.
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AuSet
Yes, I agree: fear, repetition, dependent thinking, and language use are all good cult control techniques.
My Mother's stock answher for any comment or question that I pose to her is "I know, this old system of things. Just wait until the new system comes."
However, all these explanations fail to address the positive aspects that tend to attract and keep people in the WBTS. The organization presents an extremely close, tight-knit community of (apparently) loving brothers and sisters who will accept you into their flock as long as you shut up and do what you're told. This kind of collective togetherness is not present in the larger society (particularly in the U.S., where the larger society places high value on individualism.)
Remember when we could go to conventions and leave our purses/valuables on our seats without fear that someone would come by and steal them? Was that not a great feeling at conventions, knowing that you were part of this huge, wonderful organization, in which you were accepted and treated as close as a family member? Where you not willing to put aside doubts, to forgive, to erase history from your mind all for the common good of your larger family? In my opinion this is a magnificent form of control, and the WBTS has capitalized on people's desperate need for belonging. -
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YOU ARE A BUNCH OF ADMIRABLE WINNERS!
by Thirdson inthose of us who spent a good portion of our lives as slaves to the printing corporation in brooklyn do well to reflect on our achievements.
we have managed to break the cult shackles and get past the guilt barrier.
we are building happy, successful lives.
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AuSet
Justbeingafriend,
welcome to the board. I am really new here also, but as I was raised in the JW's I can maybe give you a piece of advice for how to help your friend.
Don't try to convert this person or pull them out by force. Just let them know that you will not judge them on their beliefs and will always be there for them. Even though you may not realize it, this person needs you as an outside force in their lives, they need to know you will support them unconditionally.
Had I been lucky enough to have more "wordly" friends myself, I may not have crashed as hard as I did when I left the organization. The more support systems a person who is a Witness can develop outside of the organization, the better.As for everyone else who has left the organization, I would be interested in hearing the specifics of your success stories! I think its amazing that we are still alive and functioning! As I am going to be graduating with my BS in social work this semester, and am going on to graduate school this fall, this topic is at the forefront of my mind. How did you learn to survive, what helped you, what direction/focus has your life taken? I agree with Thirdson: the most precious thing we have is our freedom!
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Holidays
by eyes_opened ini know this has probably been covered a bunch...but here i go anyway lol.
how many of you guys who have been out of the org.
for a while, now celebrate the holidays?
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AuSet
I think it is great that we all can have such a broad range of experiences when it comes to holidays.
I personally have "attempted" to celebrate holidays for over six years with my husband and his family. I was in and out of the truth during that time (df'd and currently reinstated).
However, I was feeling afraid to put up a christmas tree this year because I am afraid someone would come over to my house and see it! My parents and three sisters (who are still in) live less than a mile away and visit often.
My Mother just about keeled over when she found out I voted this year, the Christmas tree/lights would have been too much. Once she directly questioned my in the most hillarious way about my Nader/Laduke sign prominently displayed in my front yard. She had full knowledge that we had gone to several talks/green party conventions, but said upon seeing the sign "Dear, did someone drive by your house and put that sign on your lawn??" That was a typical witness remark if I ever heard one!! -
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Life or Die
by enricofrassinetti inmessage from genoa/italy for all brothers/sisters of all the world.dears brothers and sisters.a member of governing body, in the 1998, have said that millenium bug has been cause of this bad economics conditions, priming this mondial-recession.very soon to exist seriously, all in the world, the condition that "the money is trown on the roads and pubblics squares" beacause greats hails are going down from sky (millenium bug is it first hail-storm).second this economist anointed brother, the money, already now don't value never moore, beacause the dollar it's supported only on worked of the people, based on the production of the country.if there's not this production, the money to cease to have the his intrinsic value.
01/03/2001 greenspann has annunciated "recession it's to doors".when the nations and peoples know this think, there's the "crack", wall street included.geova is informing his people .attention!
!brothers and sisters,great tribolation is to door, nay, have already open it, and is entering, also all in to congregations of the world.this condition is dangerious for all mans and womans.do you want to die for caresty?ignore this message!!
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4
poem (hope it works this time)
by AuSet inmy silence sits on my chest at night.
perched like a vulture.
i pretend its not looking at me.. i try to forget my silence.
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AuSet
My silence sits on my chest at night
perched like a vulture
I pretend its not looking at me.
I try to forget my silence
But my voice doesn't listen
Finds ways to break out.My silence has been imposed on me
It rests deep inside
where fear lives
Enshrouded in myth and legend
my silence remains still.Fear overrides voice
I lift my head to speak
To speak out is a sin
To speak out, the worst sinI am she who did not cry out
as I was raped, repeatedly
I did not cry for help
I only cried in silenceSpeaking out I am transformed!
I am the evil one
I am demonized
I am the AntiChrist, the Apostate!
I am the Scarlet Woman!
(the one they warned you about)
I am a beautiful, free, Independent Woman.
The wind rips through my hair
and I knash my teeth at you!
(you should be afraid)I want you to know that I am not dead
and that I have found my Sisters.
I have found my Sisters' scattered ashes
we are reforming eachother out of dust
we are breathing life into eachother
WE ARE ALIVE!