i finally gave all my meeting clothes the heave-ho!!
i've been on a closet cleaning binge and finally decided it was time to donate all of these old things to a local women's shelter.
i figured some of these ladies may have nothing decent to wear if they need to go job hunting, so my old meeting clothes, shoes, and handbags would at least serve a noble purpose in their recycled lifetimes.. for some reason, i hung on to them for the last several years, knowing full-well that i would never set foot in a kingdom hall ever again.
I got rid of my "bookbag" pretty quickly, and most of the clothes and shoes too. I had some pretty nice dresses, but I only kept the skirts because I could wear them to work. All of the literature went when I moved and it took me about three days to stop feeling guilty for that! My mum still sends me magazines once in awhile and I feel a slight twinge of guilt whenever I toss them into the recycling. It's been almost 8 years since I left, but boy that guilt hangs on!
B
hi all lurkers.
i would like to ask you to just drop a note on this thread.
it can just be a "hey" or a friendly hello or even tell us how much you don't agree with what you are reading, just write something.
Ha-ha! I was lurking for about a week. After reading LOTS of posts, I realized that most of you are not so scary and I so posted. Not a lurker anymore. Will tell my life story eventually
Bethany
Hello everyone,
Thank you so much for the warm welcome! Kate (bikerchic) I will go to the September meetup, if you will! I was reading some of the things from their forum and was a little apprehensive because there are a couple of bible thumping born agains on there and I don't really want to get "thumped". But Yeah, ok. I keep telling myself I am not afraid anymore because even if I don't have any strong beliefs, I have pretty strong disbeliefs. Make sense? So, I will be there.
Looking forward to meeting any and all of you fellow Oregonians!
Bethany
remember how certain you were as a jw?
you just knew what you knew was right 100%
you staked your life on it, didn't you?
Terry,
When I was a "dub", I don't think I really "knew" anything. I had doubts for a long time but was too scared to ask anyone about them--never realy understood the blood thing, never really understood why we couldn't celebrate birthdays and on and on and on. When I escaped, I decided to relearn things that had been "taught" to me. My husband has helped me a lot to try and be a critical thinker--look things up, don't just take someone's word on something. Research, and them some more research.
I still don't know much, but I am learning
B
kls,
Writing my sordid JW life story right now. Haven't done a stitch of work this week because I have been glued to this discussion board. Must.....break....away.....from...computer
Bethany
BTW--It seems like there are a lot of pretty cool people on this board and I am grateful that I was directed to this board (by a poster on anotehr exjw site) and it's....a relief to find so many other escapees
Bethany
about fifteen years ago, i just kind of stopped attending.
not that i'm any happier, but i don't have a group of people dogging my steps, waiting for me to fail.
Umm...sorry, that was rude of me! I should have welcomed aka_duffy!!!
Welcome, welcome, welcome! I haven't here long, but I think you will really like it.
B
about fifteen years ago, i just kind of stopped attending.
not that i'm any happier, but i don't have a group of people dogging my steps, waiting for me to fail.
Avishai,
I'm new to the boards as well. Couldn't help but notice what you wrote to aka_duffy. I grew up in Roseburg. Bass? Are you kidding? EVERYONE was a Bass there! I swear, if you weren't, you were related somehow or married to one. My family are transplants from Medford, so no Bass relations--we left Medford when I was 7, so don't remember many people from there.
Bethany
Thanks! It's a drawing by Brian Froud (he has done some incredible stuff, including the characters for "The Dark Crystal")
Bethany
Odrade,
Thanks! It's good to be here.
Bethany
what is your weirdest experience at a kh?.
one sunday, a kind older brother raised his hand to comment, all of a sudden, his foot shot out, he fell off his chair and started to shake.
everyone was hushed and shocked.
Have been lurking around here for a few days, thought it would be good to post something:
I remember once, when my niece was about 6 months old, we were at a Sunday meeting and she started to get fussy(bad, disobedient baby). My sister got up and was walking around in the back of the KH with her. All of a sudden, an older sister came by and snatched my niece from my sister's arms and carried her to the bathroom. My mother was there too and I don't think I have ever seen her move so fast. The sister who grabbed my niece was...oh, let's just be blunt here and say...totally ass-over-tea-kettle CRAZY. Everyone who saw this little drama was pretty concerned over what was going to happen to the baby. We rescued her and then left. My sister was beyond upset.
I have more, but that is the one that popped into my head when I was reading the other posts.
B
