Posts by Jez

23

How many of you were nervous?

by Confusedgirl in

if you are taught the jw organization is your link to god, it is so hard to think of leaving everything.

like a hole that will not be filled again, there is so horrible things that have happened in the world, could it be that there is no everlasting life for us, so many questions and to think of giving up everyone makes me sick to my stomach.

but i want to be happy and i'm not, does anyone feel empty?

Jez

Of course, then you start redefining God, but by that point you've eased through the initial stages of fear...
Eventually your own philosophy for life emerges.
Don't underestimate how long it can take, though, nor harden your mind to what twists and turns it may career through.

I have been out for 3 years and only now am I being forced by my 10 year old to go through the initial stages of fear. It is strange that you said all of the above DH because last night she asked me why I won't go to church with her and that she loves it so much. I thought and thought and then I told her that I am afraid still. I feel let down by God and I no longer trust him. For years I thought that I was worshipping HIM, but I was really worshipping the stupid Watchtower organization. She told me that maybe God pulled me out of there and I am one of the few that listened to him, that others stay even though they have worries, but they ignore God in doing so. She has such a strong faith that God exists and now I don't even know! I won't go to church though. I have been put off of organized religion and do not trust it.

I am only now redefining God and what he is to ME. I worshiped the god of JWes, cruel, picky, biased, for far too long.

I am cementing my philosophy in life now, figuring it out, trying on different 'coats', disgarding ones that don't feel good and keeping ones that do.

Take your time, we are having a delayed reaction to finding ourselves and not use to defining what WE believe. To come from being told EVERYTHING, to having to interpret and then make sense of everything is like throwing an elementary child into univeristy.

Hugs and welcome from Jez

26

Yet Another Newbie Here

by adelmaal in

jw
friends

i am so glad to have found this site .

i was not raised a jehovah's witness.

i studied as a teenager with my boyfriend's sister.

Jez

It's drama when she wants to celebrate holidays, salute the flag, have worldly friends, etc. at school and when she is with us and yet she will get in trouble for doing those things when her dad or his family (he's 33 and still lives with them) finds out. She is too young to take a stand over there because she will get in trouble, get lectured and be made to feel bad. So I think she just tries to lead a double life and lie to them about it. So then they think we are forcing her to do things that bother her conscience. It's drama! It's not right and they expect everyone else to bow to their way of doing things while they are completely intolerant of any other way of doing things. They always play the "it means her everlasting life" card. Can you tell I'm frustrated...

I am in the same situation. I have a 10 year old that sees her father (JW). He forces her to go to meetings and studies with her. So I counterattacked. I studied with her at home. We talked about what a cult is, what love in the bible really means, other religions in the world, the roots of holidays, what was Jesus teaching us. Basically anything that came up, I let HER drive the study and the topic for the study. It has worked out wonderfully. She knows that JW's do not have the 'truth'. She understands some of the basic wrongs of the organization. Ie. Making predictions that don't come true. No charities. Not allowed to take blood. No holidays. Love as the id mark. Armageddon. Only JW saved. Jesus' age of baptism. (they pressure her to get baptised) etc. I made sure she understood and that she does not have to decide anything now. She is young and should just understand how to use the things in the bible for the GOOD of herself and others, it is never meant to harm yourself or other. Basic loving principles are taught. If I don't counter what they try to indoctrate her with, what defense will she have? She knows that ppl are not suppose to force her to do ANYTHING that goes against her conscience. I tell her to REFUSE and REFUSE..and then come to me if/phone me/come home if they won't respect her. To me, this is a big big issue. I will do whatever I have to in order to protect her from having to lead a double life and ignore her conscience. I am teaching her how to respectfully speak up. She has memorized things to say to stop them from manipulating her. Sometimes, I step in. I hate to talk to him, but if I have to for her, I do. I outright tell him that she celebrates the holidays and you are not respecting our religious beliefs. When he scoffs at me, I tell him to tread lightly because religious freedom goes both ways and I won't have him make her feel guilty for being a normal 10 year old. I don't want her to lie to him, and if she is too nervous to say something to him, I will. I told him that if he tells her in any way that me or my family or her is going to die bec we are celebrating holidays or not a JW or that she is making Satan happy and Jehovah sad (his fav line), then I am going to court over it. So while I know that he puts in whatever he feels he can get away with, he treads more lightly now and gently teaches her his religion, and that is his right. He also knows that I will butt in and say, "WAIT, you cn't or should not do this!!" He doesn't want me to get too upset and rock the boat, so it is all ok right now. Jez

52

I am new and scared

by franki in

jw
friends

i am terrified to be writing this because i am officially being bad.

i am talking with other "sinners".

i do not want to be a witness.

Jez

Welcome.

"Questioning" is only 'bad' if you are involved in a cult. You are not bad, you are brave and wise for peeking outside of the arrangement of JW's that bombard you with 'their truth'. It is a big big world out there, full of differing ideas, religions etc. You are starting a journey of discovery, don't stop learning and seeking answers.

It is a beautiful world out there once you gain your freedom from the Watchtower Business Empire. It is a book-selling company whose profits near $1 billion a year. WHY are they making money? It is a hard knock on the head, but when I learned all I could about "the society" (another cultish term, as is brother, and sister.....etc), the facts for myself, I drew my own conclusions. Arm yourself with knowledge and move forward.

Hugs. Jez

16

It is obvious that jehovahs witnesses are not proud of their religion.

by Holey_Cheeses*King_of_the juice. in

jw
friends

one could rightly expect, considering the urgency of the times, and the need 'to preach the good news of the kingdomtm' before the end arrives, that jws would be doing all they could to encourage 'like-heartedtm' ones along to their place of worship/study/meeting (or whatever they wish to call their kingdom hallstm).

instead, from my observations, they are doing their best to make the halls as uninviting as possible.. the case in point.

several days ago i drove past the front entrance to the fairly new kingdom hall in ballina where i spent my formative years in 'the truthtm'.

Jez

I went to a memorial in England in 2001. There was an eight foot high chain link fence with barbed wire all along the top. The gates closed at 7pm and were locked. There were security camera everywhere and a brother on security inside the KH, watching a monitor. It was ridiculous, but indicitive of the 'negative' reputation that they have in the community.

Another comment: Many JW kids are so ashamed of it at school. Where I work, I have seen JW kids turn beet-red when someone says, aren't you a JW or don't you celebrate birthdays. They don't know how to stick up for themselves and are moritified that someone 'found out' they are JWs. They clearly led 2 lives.

Talk about teaching your kids how to live a double life. What kind of adults does this make?

Jez

44

Hello - I'm new here

by boydarwin in

jw
friends

today is my first day here.

this is my first post.

i just wanted to say hello.

Jez

Welcome. What brings you to us?

Jez

24

Issues with claiming to be TFDS

by Check_Your_Premises in

i submit the following for your thoughts and comments.

making the claim.

the single most significant problem i have with the jw doctrine, is that they claim that god chose them to be his earthly organization, to the exclusion of all others.

Jez

"Who really is the faithful and discreet slave whom his master appointed over his domestics to give them their food at the proper time? Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings." (Matt. 24:45-47, NW)

Where is the biblical principle for a 'class' of men? If they themselves are using this scripture to support the claim that they are 'the chosen ones' to lead God's earthly organization, the scriputure is SINGULAR. "Slave" not "Slaves" "Him" not "Them".

This scripture and other biblical examples illustrate that God revealed or chose ONE person. Ie. Noah, Moses, Jesus, Joseph, John. It was not a group leading ppl, it was ONE person and then they may have 'followers'. But the WBTS is clearly acting as a business by having a 'boardroom' with 'directors' that are chosen, by the directors, not the people!

This thread has open my eyes, yet again to the business dealings of the organization I use to belong to.

Jez

40

Why English Food/Beer is better.........Meat Pudding Tales.

by ScoobySnax in

jw
friends

steak and kidney meat pudding....... beefsteak cubed with kidney, wrapped in a suet dough with gravy and placed in a pudiing and boiled in a cloth tied at the top for 2-3 hours depending on size (be sure to top up the boiling water) .when done, undo the cloth and slice the pudding.

add english mustard (not that french crap) salt, pepper, and a dash of worcester sauce.

serve with new potatoes and mushy peas.

Jez

OK the English have pretty good food

Yawn....

82

A Jehovah's Witness CANNOT Say These Words

by steve2 in

.

in five words or less, please give examples of statements no jehovah's witness in good standing could ever say.

here are two examples:.

Jez

"I love you unconditionally"

38

I'm not being shunned any longer, and I planted the seed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by AloneinOh in

jw
friends

i called my parents last night.

" again, dad says, "huh, what are you talking about?

i know dad...but it's true.

Jez

Wow. Amazing! Just curious, why did they change their mind about shunning you?

Jez

11

We all have bad teeth?.cause we do!!!

by Peppermint in

jw
friends

my american friends, .

when a british person is introduced on one of your tv shows, particularly comedy shows i invariably cringe.

truth is, the person is so far removed from a standard british person, that it is laughable.

Jez

My husband is English. From Lincolnshire area. He has PERFECT white teeth!!!

He constantly takes the piss out of American's intellect. He really enjoys "Talking to Americans", (Canada's Rick Mercer showing how ignorant (stupid) Americans are)

Jez