Crazy story. A cynical part of me wonders if it's really true, but I'd like to believe it is. It's an amazing testimony to the human spirit. There have been so many children lost like that.
mamochan13
JoinedPosts by mamochan13
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How a lost 5-year-old boy found his way home via Google Earth... 25 years later
by hemp lover inthis is a fascinating, beautiful story.
"separated from his older brother at a train station, five-year-old saroo munshi khan found himself lost in the slums of calcutta.
nearly 20 years later, living in australia, he began a painstaking search for his birth home, using ingenuity, hazy memories, and google earth.. .
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Did you ever shun people when you were a dub? How did it feel?
by oldlightnewshite inokay, i don't know lots of people that were df'd, but of all the times i've encountered df people when i was a dub, they actually blanked me!
it was always something that i had fixed in my mind that the jws had dead wrong, even when i was an uber dub.
i remember several times when i used to arrive late at meetings, and i'd make a point of getting eye contact with the poor dub at the back sitting on the naughty step.
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mamochan13
I did. It felt so self-righteous. A close friend was DFd when I was in my late teens. I recall she worked at the place where I took lessons. I had to interact with her one time. She apologized and we both felt very uncomfortable.
When I became an adult, after some very dear people close to me were DFd, I realized I didn't want to do it anymore. I still avoided any overt confrontation, but it broke my heart not being able to interact with them closely anymore. I had gone to "serve where the need is great" and one of the local elders I loved very much was DFd. I didn't realize it at the time, but it was for apostasy. Those same elders that DFd him had treated me horribly, too.
After I got back home I stopped shunning. In fact, I openly welcomed a DFd friend to the hall and hugged her and spoke to her in front of the rest if the congregation, told her how happy I was to see her. My actions were instrumental in her returning - which I now feel rather ambivalent about. It ended her shunning, but it also brought her back into the cult. Funny, I had completely forgotten all of that until just now.
When I myself was DFd, I realized how important those small kindnesses were. I know I avoided people's eyes when I was DF'd. It was for two reasons. I didn't want to see the scorn in their eyes or have them turn away, and I wanted to make it easy for them because I felt so guilty. One meeting the only empty chair was next to a former piano student of mine. Through the whole meeting I could feel how tense she was sitting next to me and I just wanted to die.
The only thing that kept me going and saved my life was that after a year of hell had passed, my pioneer aunt and then my mom both decided they had enough of the elders games and stopped shunning me. They stayed by my side at the convention and supported my efforts to return.
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new to this site, may need some help.
by haboob48 inhey all, i am new here and not sure how this whole thing works.
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mamochan13
Nice to have you here, Haboob.
I think I've figured out what yoiu are asking with your relative. It's a reverse fade, I suppose. They want to become a JW all over again and pretend they are not the same person who was DF'd years ago, correct? Kind of odd, but I guess if you really want back in after all that time...is there any chance anyone might recognize or know that person? If they are really taking on a "new" identity, and want to play the game that they are completely new and have never been a JW, it could be done.
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Questions/Points That Went Unanswered
by Still Recovery ini would like to use this thread as a means of organizing all unanswered questions/points made on threads i started since obviously i could not answer something when i was banned..
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mamochan13
JWs who are having doubts, but still feel loyal to the Watchtower. Because lets face it - most of us have gone through that phase.
I have to agree, biblecheck. I certainly felt that way about apostates at the beginning, too. The brainwashing can be difficult to reverse.
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Latest "Shun Your Family" Statement - Jan 2013 Study WT
by LostGeneration insolomon alluded to it yesterday in a thread, i found the online large print pdfs here, not sure where the regular version is yet.
here are the full paragraphs, grab your barf bags .
19 on the other hand, if you choose the path of resentment.
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mamochan13
That's really sad, Xanthippe. What a loss for your mom, and your daughter, too.
My mom was very distressed thinking that I and my daughters were going to die, but she never cut off contact. She just never stopped trying to get us back into the religion. That included trying to indoctrinate the kids and grandkids anytime they were at her place. It never worked, so it didn't bother me. But I did try to understand her point of view.
You would think, though, that it would work the other way. If you thought a family member was doomed to die, wouldn't you want to spend as much time as possible with them before that happened?
looking at the Awake picture a thought just occurred to me. The parents are not JWs. The son is going to join JWs, and the parents are trying to force him to remain in their church.
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The Demons (Cue Scary Music)
by cobaltcupcake inmy take on the jw superstitions about the demons.. .
the odd life of jehovah's witnesses - the demons.
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mamochan13
hmm. All those years yelling out the Big J's name whenever the demons came around must have worked. I've had no visits as an apostate, either! Now, Thor...I wouldn't mind a nighttime visit.....
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Long time Lurker, ready to join in...
by Blackbird Singing inhi all, i'm a long time lurker, ready to join in and add my two cents worth now and then!
i was in the religion for 25 years, out now for 8, along with my husband, daughter, and son!
i would have to say pretty much the whole time i was in i didnt want to be, pretty much "dreaded" all aspects of it, meetings, service, assemblies, and talks, i hated talks, man o man would i be grouchy the whole week i had a scheduled talk.. we didnt have much family in, but lots of friends and many jw employees, pretty much lost all that, down to just one jw employee left(thats a good thing).
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mamochan13
I really screwed him up, raising him in that religion, biggest regret of my life
Blackbird - I hear you. I did the same to my children. They have all recovered, but the cult damage is pretty deeply rooted and things still come out years later. One of my daughters commented a few days ago that she still does not know how to relate normally to people because of JWs. I've encouraged her to seek counselling - build self-knowledge and self-esteem.
That said, though, try not to feel guilty. You did the right thing by getting your kids out, and you are doing your best for your son now. Great to have you joining in.
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don't ya feel my leg...cause if ya feel my leg...
by Glander ini practically wore out a maria muldaur 8 track in the '70s.
this was one of my faves - very sexy.
http://youtu.be/tz41u9qojx8 .
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mamochan13
OMG I LOVE this song. I saw Van Morrison perform it live a few years back.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxObQoLILGc
It's an oldie - was considered pretty racy back when it was written in the 1930s by Blu Lu Barker and Danny Barker. Here's the original:
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In a judicial hearing does the accused have the right to face his accusers?
by solomon inif someone says they saw me smoking a cigarette do i have the right to challenge them face to face in the hearing room?.
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mamochan13
Depends if they are following the rules! Know the rules and insist on them
This does not always work. I called the elders on it, pointed out that the rules they were citing were wrong. It made them even angrier and more determined to make me pay.
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My brother died tonight
by poppers injust got word that my youngest brother died of pancreatic cancer.
he was diagnosed in early august.
this has been really tough for me and my family..
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mamochan13
Thinking of you, Poppers. Lost my youngest brother from cancer one year ago. It's just wrong.