Posts by Jez

96

Email to my Dad on the UN / Prison Stories

by msil in

jw
friends

ok......it has taken me lots of soul searching to put this post up (it contains some facts i dont really feel all that comfortable putting up).

but i will try and leave out here for as long as i can.. it is an email i have sent to my dad.

it is a followup - he has some of the info on the un already.

Jez

Thank you for sharing your story. These stories need to be told or else they will be buried forever and the truth will never come out. The WBTS loves to shut ppl up and they do this through df'ing and mind control. A deeply entrenched belief that we should never, ever, no matter what, speak out against them. If stories like yours are not told to the world, then they will continue to operate behind the curtain, skirting any responsibility.

Have you asked for an explanation from the society? I am so curious about what they would say.

I am trying to learn how to stop letting them into my thoughts and emotions. I believe it will just come down to, one day, saying, ENOUGH. I let them have so much of my life and I really don't want to let them have another day, but it all takes time.

May you have happiness, Jez

126

Does the Bible scare anyone else here sometimes?

by missy04 in

maybe i'm just messed up, but i get really freaked out sometimes.

i can't understand the bible,.....in some places it seems like it's saying all you have to do is one or two things, then it seems like it's saying you have to do different things to be saved.... so many different people and religions have so many different takes on the bible.

i don't know which to beleive, and it scares me that if i beleived the wrong thing that i could go to hell, or just go to sleep forever as the witnesses say.

Jez

I take the bible for what it is now. A book that gives us a teensy tiny glimpse of ancient ppl and their way of life.

It only scares me that it is totally from men's point of view, not one woman's.

Jez

10

"Lord, did we not prophecy in your name"

by fairy in

jw
friends

.

my husband and i were talking about how if you stop going to the meetings and then the end comes that they tell you that it would be those ones that would say "lord did we not prophecy in your name etc etc"....... well, he suggested that it would also apply to those who were going to the meetings and maybe sinning a little on the side........so when the end comes, maybe it is those ones that will say "lord did we not prophecy in your name"

Jez

Thank you for quoting that scripture.

For years it has been in my heart and head that this scripture could apply to any religion, incl JW. I always always hated how bros and sis would almost rub their hands together and giggle with glee at the thought of this scripture being applied to churches or all other religions other than JW's. When I was a JW, it would sicken me to hear ppl quote this scripture and so assured that it did not apply to them. I used to look around and wonder how anyone could delight in the destruction of another human being. JW's are hungry for the destruction of billions.

This scripture applies just as much to individual JW as it does to any other individual in any other religion, if not more.

9

How long after being df'ed does one have to appeal?

by Jez in

jw
friends

.

?

Jez

?

10

"Lord, did we not prophecy in your name"

by fairy in

jw
friends

.

my husband and i were talking about how if you stop going to the meetings and then the end comes that they tell you that it would be those ones that would say "lord did we not prophecy in your name etc etc"....... well, he suggested that it would also apply to those who were going to the meetings and maybe sinning a little on the side........so when the end comes, maybe it is those ones that will say "lord did we not prophecy in your name"

Jez

Please give the scripture that you are quoting. I have something to add but want to read the whole account first.

23

Should I tell her...................

by vitty in

jw
friends

i need advice.

my daughter is getting married next month, she has no idea of the extent of my husbands and my fading as she lives in another area.. the thing is she really loves this guy and will marry him come what may, but my husband thinks she should know about us before she gets married.

im worried her bf might say we cant go to the wedding or stop her seeing us after.. ive got a idea hes a bit of a hard liner, controlling!

Jez

Don't tell her. Why? What would be the point? You will only confuse her and hurt her. Why buy into the borg's ideology that if you are leaving/if you have committed a 'sin'/if you have do ANYTHING agaisnt what they preach, that you must CONFESS, TELL ALL. Your spirituality is between you, your husband and God. It is no one elses business what you do with it. If she ASKS someday, then that is different, you could brush it off with, "Oh that, well your father and I are doing some serious thinking." I personally would never let the organization and their stupid rules jeopordize my relationship with my daughters. Don't let them! Just live your life and when it comes to religion, skirt the issue. Or feed her with information very very very subtly after the wedding day.

My regret is that I did not keep my mouth shut more when I was not df'ed. I thought the elders and everyone had a right to know what was going on in my life. They don't. I wish I had never bought into that whole idea. Their true nasty colors come out when you are opposite to what they think you should be, not their love and understanding. Sadly, your daughter is lumped in with them and will feel she has no choice but limit contact. AND think of grandchildren someday. DO NOT ALIENATE yourself!!!!!

Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...............shhhhh.

2

Out of the mouth of babes

by Jez in

after visiting her jw father and relatives, my daughter came home and stated that her uncle said, "churches..(tsk tsk) they do not allow questioning of any of their beliefs.

" my daughter looked at him and stated, "how would you know, you have never been in one!

" she said he did not know what to say.. at the meeting, they were all standing around talking and someone said, "wow, there was 188 at the meeting today!

Jez

After visiting her JW father and relatives, my daughter came home and stated that her uncle said, "Churches..(tsk tsk) they do not allow questioning of any of their beliefs." My daughter looked at him and stated, "HOW would you know, you have never been in one!" She said he did not know what to say.

At the meeting, they were all standing around talking and someone said, "Wow, there was 188 at the meeting today!" My daughter said, "That is four congregations, in one KH but there are about 20 churches in town and they are packed out every Sunday. I think there must be hundreds there." They could not have had a better response, "But they are false, they are not really worshipping God." She was furious about that comment.

She slept through the whole WT study and noticed that her father doodled on his WT so he must have been bored too. Lol.

She said she was sitting looking at everyone and that she felt like standing up and screaming during the talk that all other religions are just trying to be good. No one is better than anyone else!!!

I am proud of her emerging critical thinking skills and can see that our studying is paying off. I am teaching her to THINK not just accept, I am very aware of putting words in her mouth for what difference would that be than what the JW's do? I want her to think about what they are saying. High five to you my sweetie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

34

JWs, ex-JWs and Non-JWs

by CeriseRose in

jw
friends

i'm going to preface these comments with a disclaimer: in no way am i meaning these observations to be inflamatory, exclusionary, or to devalue anyone.

i believe everyone has a right to their opinion, and observations, and to share themwithin the terms of the board.

i also believe that there is learning to be found from a variety of sources.

Jez

I don't think anyone can understand what it is like to be a JW or another cult unless they have actually been one. Yes, there are many other 'controlling' situations that we have all been in touch with BUT JW have the art perfected.

Sometimes I try to talk to my husband about how hard it is to get out of a mindset when you aren't even aware that it is there....know what i mean? The opinions/gut reactions/prejudices/biases/knowledge/ fears, actually the very thought processes that we have, have been tainted and implanted there. He just doesn't get the fear, the doubting, etc. He tries. He listens. But it is here that I find more healing than anywhere else.

With that said, I absolutely respect the views of anyone involved with them and know that a different perspective is beneficial. AND many conversations with non-JW have provided the comparison that I needed to look inside myself and see what things are there yet not shared by the majority of 'normal' ppl.

For example: One person on this forum said about halloween, "I don't give a shit about it's origins, I have never thought about that." OH, well why have I thought so much about it?? Because I've been told and retold to LOOK AT ORIGINS. ORIGINS MEAN EVERYTHING.

Example: My fear of death. My husband looks at me strange and says, "Wha? I don't worry about that, I am not afraid, when it happens, it happens. Why think about it?"

If anyone wants to contribute something to a discussion, I welcome it. Ultimately, I just read it, if it is useful, if it is not, that is something I decide. But by all means....POST and let me decide.

27

Still prejudiced towards Halloween

by Snapdragon in

i was just reading the thread on how to pick the proper pumpkin.

(thanks xandria) it got me thinking how i still have this recoil factor when it comes to halloween.

it was always "satan's holiday" that i still tell my friends that i probably won't participate in the festivities when i decide to have children.. what do you guys do about this issue?

Jez

There was a thread started by anew on August 26 2004 entited, "Do you believe it is wrong to celebrate Halloween?" It created some great responses, (mine being one of them)

33

What kind of JW response do you think I'll get?

by Bubbamar in

in my moms last letter she stated that me, my sister and her should all just "move on" meaning put our hurts and anger behind us and work towards having better relationships.

however, in the same letter she clarified that disfellowshipping is "discipline" and she intends to continue shunning me.

so i wrote back asking her what "moving on" means for her.

Jez

"I prefer that to the kinds of religion that are out that will condone anything."

Well I prefer the kind of religion that would rather keep a 'sinner' amongst them and in that way show true love rather than pitch them outside to fend for themselves and somehow find their own way back God. If someone is messing up, then that is the time that they need to be surrounded by the congregation and the ones that love them. True Christian love is letting God be the judge and not prelabelling anyone. Do they think they are God's little elves? Helping to ease the big job ahead by doing some prejudging for him? Real churches do not 'condone anything', rather they avoid labelling and writing off anyone because that is not their friggin place to do it. As long as someone is alive there is hope and they ACTIVELY pursue that rather than just preach it. If they want to leave the church, they will. BUT one if they want to stay and heal...it is because they WANT to, not because they are forced to and they are welcomed to stay.

I think it is easier to write off 'sinners' as JW do, than try to readjust and love them from the inside as (most) churches do. They are lazy, selfish bastards that would rather try to recruit new ones than tend to the ones that are family/friends.

Shunning is a very very very tender spot with me, esp after just reading a post in the 'scandels of JW' section about a new addition Re: If elders have counselled an abuser 2x, not listen, he can be df'ed AND his wife can have a scriptual divorce. '

That is all I ever wanted and deserved. If this proves to be true, I think I will puke and go into a state of shock as to how they can ruin so many lives, and then just.........change. But I am one of the written off ones....unworthy....bec I left an abuser of 14 years and eventually remarried. I have lost my mother, brother, niece, nephew, friends and I hold onto a string with the other JW family members.

High five to Walter's post and Gary. I am mad too. I too shun them because they shun me. But sometimes I get tired of the 'tit for tat' and 'you hurt me, so now I hurt you'.

I am so very tired of being punished.