Posts by Banshee

53

Am I the only one ...

by talesin in

ugh.

it seems that the jw, along w/ other stuff, has led me to a solitary position in life ... how about you ... is that why you are here?

tonite?

Banshee

talesin,

I really apologize if I misunderstood your post!It sounds like maybe I did.

I found it SO hard to connect with people after being brought up as a JW. In fact, sometimes I have bouts of feeling alone & disconnected, too! Also, for numerous reasons, it still takes me a pretty long time to really open up to/trust people. I have a few people that I truly feel safe with (my spouse included) but I still have a tendency to keep those protective emotional barriers between myself and most people. This is something I have discussed with my CoDA sponsor and its a thing I'm trying to work on....to find balance in this area.

So, no you are not the only one & I think we each have our "down" or "blah" times.

19

Songs you like that were composed before you were in grade school.

by ColdRedRain in

jw
friends

i was looking at my winamp playlist and i noticed that most of my songs were made before i was in grade school, or much more, before i was born.

moody blues - nights in white satin .

gene loves jezebel - desire .

Banshee

People Are Strange--The Doors

The Fool on a Hill--The Beatles

All Along the Watchtower--didn't Bob Dylan write this and then Hendrix made it famous? Or am I getting confused?

Magic Man--Heart

Night and Day--Cole Porter

Ain't Nobody's Business--Billy Holiday

Kind of Blue--Miles Davis

Dakar--John Coltrane

I could go on and on and on...but I won't.

7

Ladies - Do you have trouble with prayer?

by misspeaches in

.

as a consequence of your time as a jw 'sister' do you find it difficult to pray?

after believing that men could pray willy nilly without issue but women couldn't i still have issues feeling worthy enough to talk to god in prayer.

Banshee

misspeaches,

For a long time, I had a very hard time praying because of my time growing up as a JW. In fact, for several years, I rarely prayed at all....even questioned the existence of God. Later, I realized that the god I was rejecting was the misconception of God that the JWs taught me. And I found that that really was not what God was like at all. Today, I pray to a loving and merciful and forgiving God....not that punishing, mean, vengeful God that the JWs (and other religions claiming to be Christian) teach.

Reading Galatians Chapter 3:26-29 helped me in getting over the sexist crap the JWs pounded into our minds. "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, the you are Abraham's seed, an heirs to the promise." --New International Version

Also, some of Jesus' most trusted followers were women and there is mention made of how they supported Jesus monetarily/materially. There is also Jesus' treatment vesus the Pharisees' treatment of the woman who was caught in adultery.

These are just a few things that helped me to overcome that awkward feeling you described. Hope it helps!

17

WTS and charity?

by gringojj in

my sister in law was going to have her electricity shut off and she brought her notice to catholic charities and they paid it for her.

makes me wonder would the wts do the same?

are they known to do anything charitable besides spreading the good news?

Banshee

The Society's attitude toward charities always bothered me! The JWs often seemed to have a sneering attitude toward "Babylon the Great's" charitable works...often saying that those religions had "rice Christians" and yet they only helped some of their own members...this selective help I rarely saw in action. I knew a few older sisters who had Special Pioneered who were completely abandoned and left destitute in their old age. My sister was looked down upon by fellow JWs for helping one of these women!I only knew a handful of kind souls who helped fellow JWs in need.

How can they read the Jesus' parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) and read about Jesus feeding crowds of people when He spoke to them and not get the point!? Time and again He was teaching by word and deed that helping others (even those who do not agree with our particular, religion, belief system, etc.) was part of being a follower of Him.

Anyway, I make a point of donating to charitable organizations now and I try my best to help individuals in need when they cross my path. And you know what? It is a joy! Much more of a joy than slaving for a cold, harsh and parasitic Governing Body that sits in its lofty Tower.

14

My Nan's Pentecostal Funeral

by GetBusyLiving in

jw
friends

i got back yesterday from newfoundland, where my nan had just died a little over a week ago.

i was pretty upset that i wasn't able to see her one last time as she had died one day before i got there.

all in all the family held up as well as can be expected.

Banshee

(((GBL))), my sincere sympathies to you and your family on the loss of your grandmother.I am sorry that you had to suffer through a very preachy, judging type of rant from the pastor. My husband has a brother who is very involved in the United Pentacostal church. Dennis(hubby's bro) has alienated some of the family by getting rather in their faces with proselytizing, which, I gather, their religion strongly encourages them to do.

My husband and I both believe in God (not the punishing, mean God many are taught to believe in) and we both try our best to follow Christ; however, we both feel the sort of sermon/rant you described happening at your grandmother's funeral is just wrong. That sort of thing is more likely to offend and alienate (as it did you & your mom) rather than draw people to the gospel message of Jesus.

I am glad you have many wonderful memories of your grandmother to keep her with you in your heart. She sounds like a very loving, sweet and strong person. May you find comfort in the midst of your grieving.

88

Do You Personally Know Of Any JW That Was Sexually Abused?

by minimus in

,,,,while they were witnesses?

Banshee

Right off the top of my head, I can think of ten people (including me) who were JWs when sexually abused and the perps were all JWs. Each of the other nine have told me that they were sexually abused, who the perp(s) was/were and some have even been brave enough to share more specific info. about the abuse they suffered.

7

This Week In Sophistry (Watchtower May 9-15)

by OldSoul in

this week in sophistry

(footnote, definition and legend, comments you will not hear...) .

this week, the spotlight of scrutiny shines on the april 1, 2005 watchtower article entitled parents, protect your precious inheritance, scheduled for consideration during the week of may 9-15, 2005. .

Banshee

<<applauding>> Bravo, Old Soul!Lurkers who read blondie's and your weekly installments are sure to see the truth about "The Truth". Excellent job!

35

How far back are j.w.'s allowed to research the w.t. doctrine?

by hubert in

's research russel's and rutherford's teachings once they are baptized?

if not, where in their material does it instruct them not to?

how far back are they "allowed" to research?

Banshee

My grandmother began studying with the JWs back in the late 1920's, so she had many old WT publications. When she moved into our household, she pretty much gave my parents her extensive WT library. As a result, my siblings and I had plenty of opportunity to read the old literature. Since my two brothers and I were all voracious readers as well as being very interested in all kinds of history, we each spent time reading the old books and magazines. Our parents did not forbid us reading this older material, either.

I remember being astonished by what I learned about the changes in doctrine/beliefs over the years. The stuff written by Rutherford was often convoluted and ventured into the truly bizarre. Grandma also had some very old magazines dating from before she became a JW that were given to her by a fellow JW at some point. My brothers and I were amazed at how the International Bible students were allowed to celebrate holidays, smoke and the males had beards. Also, the women were allowed to be Bible/book study conductors.

I truly believe that the research we did back when we were growing up was a major contributing factor to each of us leaving the JW religion. The many inconsistancies, flip-flops, contradictions and the progression of restrictions on people's personal grooming/dress habits with no clear, scriptural backing....well, it all led up to really feeling betrayed and deceived. I think the GB/WTBS has caught on to the fact that much of their own, older publications are damning proof against them and will probably induce R&F JWs to leave after such discoveries. So, they are making a concerted effort to discourage R&F from reading older WT material they possess in personal WT libraries and are severely limiting the new converts' accessibility to it, as well. I find it pretty humorous, myself, that they are scrambling around and making desperate attempts at "damage control". Kind of like closing the barn door after the horses have gotten out!

49

I was molested for 4 years.

by Adonis in

wow.

i have been carrying my secret for 12 long years.. i told my wife long ago that i was once a witness.

i told her how i was exiled from the congragation 12 years ago after a bout of domestic violence between me and my unbelieving father.

Banshee

((((((((((Adonis)))))))))))Welcome

I'm sorry about what happened to you as a boy. I am glad you have a loving and supportive wife and that you are getting professional help.There are some good people on here, too, who understand. Take care and see you around the board.

7

Good News For the Little Girl In The Disney Room

by Country Girl in

the little girl pictured in the awful pedophile pictures that was believed to have been in a room in a disney hotel has been found!

thank heavens.... this is the thread for the original story:.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/8/89751/1.ashx.

Banshee

Oops...I guess I'm tired...I just saw he's serving time for it. Personally, though, I think more drastic measures should be taken with this kind of creep!