Posts by Jez

My sister was baptized at 14 and df'ed at 15. At the time of her baptism, the elders were already dealing with her for having a boyfriend and drinking but during the early 80s, I remember a push on for BAPTISM NOW no matter what. What a stupid decision to make in your childhood when hormones are so wacked.

Stupid parents for letting us....it was the worse decision ever.

36

Do you believe it is wrong to celebrate Halloween?

by anew in

jw
friends

thought i would throw this out to the board.

i was raised a jw.

i now celebrate most holidays.

Jez

Princess said: "We have taken the kids trick or treating for years now. I have found the neighbors to be friendlier at Halloween than at Christmas. The kids are astounded that these people give them treats just for knocking on their doors. They make a big deal out of the kids' costumes and one elderly lady makes up special bags of treats for each of my kids. I look forward to it every year. Makes me glad I live here"

I totally agree about the neighborhood get-together feeling. That is what surprized me...how friendly everyone was and the fun I had standing on the street chatting to other parents. I grew up peeking out the window of my bedroom wishing every year that I could go out there and celebrate. For once we can walk up to a door and be WELCOMED! It is my fav holiday bec of the community spirit it encourages. Kids LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

Jez

36

Do you believe it is wrong to celebrate Halloween?

by anew in

jw
friends

thought i would throw this out to the board.

i was raised a jw.

i now celebrate most holidays.

Jez

I use to think that Halloween was an evil holiday, now I see it as a way for society to look at the dark side of life and not be afraid of it. I think that every culture has their way of looking at death, dying, the spirit world etc and this is ours. I believe it is good if we do not take it all so serious and it is our way of poking fun at evil and saying, WE are in control, WE are not afraid and we can take the piss out of it all.

It is why kids and adults fell in love so much with Harry Potter as well. The spirit realm will always be of interest to humans, we love to guess how it is, could be etc and the delving into it allows us to face our fears therefore conquer them. Not to be afraid of death, go on, have some fun with it even.

I am no longer afraid of Halloween, I see it as a ways of preserving culture and feel that it does serve a purpose in society other than just the fun of dressing up and candy. (although that is great too!) Many other cultures have ways of 'celebrating death' 'looking at death/evil' and accepting it, this is ours.

Each to his own though, Jez

18

Your opinions please

by anew in

jw
friends

first, i apologize if this goes through twice, i cannot find the original post.

my question is how do you feel about halloween.

i grew up as jw and never celebrated anything.

Jez

I use to think that Halloween was an evil holiday, now I see it as a way for society to look at the dark side of life and not be afraid of it. I think that every culture has their way of looking at death, dying, the spirit world etc and this is ours. I believe it is good if we do not take it all so serious and it is our way of poking fun at evil and saying, WE are in control, WE are not afraid and we can take the piss out of it all.

It is why kids and adults fell in love so much with Harry Potter as well. The spirit realm will always be of interest to humans, we love to guess how it is, could be etc and the delving into it allows us to face our fears therefore conquer them. Not to be afraid of death, go on, have some fun with it even.

I am no longer afraid of Halloween, I see it as a ways of preserving culture and feel that it does serve a purpose in society other than just the fun of dressing up and candy. (although that is great too!) Many other cultures have ways of 'celebrating death' 'looking at death/evil' and accepting it, this is ours.

Each to his own though, Jez

18

My friends's son is being held from her within the borg

by Jez in

i am posting this for my friend.

she left her husband and the organization, is not df'ed, yet.

she was extremely close to her son, now 13, up until she left.

Jez

Ok, here are some more details...her and her husband decided to put their son at the boys' grandmothers for the summer while they were in the midst of getting divorced. While they sold the house, etc because it was very messy, as divorce is. They wanted to remove him from it all. This grandmother was my friends' mother. Anyways, the husband went down to the grandmother's house, and took the son back with him to his new house. My friend found out and did not freak out bec that is the kids' father and she had no idea that the big plan was to virtually 'kidnap' him and keep him away from her. The WHOLE family was in on this. They all suspected that she was leaving for another man and viewed her as bad assn, and kicked into gear.

She LEFT her hubby, not mutual, he was very angry and depressed, of course and bitter. Her son was the best tool to use agaisnt her.

Well, she was hoping to leave it all out of court and understood that her son was angry with her for 'breaking up the family' bec she is the one that left....and thought that through some time and letters etc, he would heal. He didn't, he became more vicious and hateful towards her the longer he was away from her. By the time she went to court to try to get even email access, the husband had the kid testify that he did not want to see his mother.

The kid is told, "SHE left us, now she can suffer" and the kid even said that to me when I tried to reason with him. JW mentality.

We know he is hurt, angry etc...all the terrible emotions that happen to a child when their home is destroyed, but to entirely cut her off, make her out to be some horrible person, is plain sick and even more detrimental to the child.

It is slowly being dealt with in court, but if the kid doesn't want to see her, not much a court can do. The husband and the JW family are in control.

I think she has lost her son in all of this, but am afraid it will ruin her. I'm at a loss of what else to tell her.

Thanks to all Jez

4

Why no class action suit against the organization?

by Jez in

has there ever been or do you think there ever will be a class action suit against the organization for all of the pain and suffering that they have caused ppl?

they have ruined countless lives and yet get away with it.

if enough ppl got on board, it would cripple the society and be the one of the largest lawsuits in history.

Jez

Has there ever been or do you think there ever will be a class action suit against the organization for all of the pain and suffering that they have caused ppl? They have ruined countless lives and yet get away with it. If enough ppl got on board, it would cripple the society and be the one of the largest lawsuits in history. Child abuse, shunning, ruining families, emotional trauma, etc etc. There is so much that they are guilty of.

Jez

35

stuck in!

by red so deep in

well, this is my first post here, and i'm kind of doing it in secret, cause i know if my parents knew of my "poisoning myself with apostates" they would not be happy at all.

anyways, my story is; i'm 17, i've been brought up "in the truth" my whole life, and now i'm starting to question the wt and christianity in general, and i have nobody to talk to about it.

i feel awkward about talking to my witness friends about it, cause i worry that if i speak out against the organazition and the wrong people (i.e; young ones around here that would never think of questioning the society) hear about it, it might result in my punishment (reproof or dfing).

Jez

I too use to think that most worldly ppl were debased, unhappy and searching. My ignorance was tainted by innocence. I became educated, both secular and religiously, and learned what CRITICAL THINKING meant. Take some philosophy courses at uni, or pychology or anything to relearn how to think for yourself, listen and form opinions. Best thing I ever did.

I am morally upright, happy and not searching, rather listening with an open heart and mind.

Welcome from Jez

24

What does that hand gesture mean?

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

.

sometimes i see people make certain hand gestures when they are excited or happy about something... things like these:.

-elsewhere, of the geek class.. .

Jez

Hang Loose (California surfer symbol)

I love you (American Sign Language)

Hi to Sherry, I am an interpreter for the Deaf!

Jez