Posts by bad_associashun

29

How do YOU deal with it??

by bad_associashun in

hello all- recently joined, had some probs getting logged in, but here at last.... anyway, the question is: for those that can relate, when your heart feels heavy from the hurt, pain, regret, sorrow, bitterness, anger... and the lost years, stolen time, forsaken friends, broken relationships, wasted energies, abandonment, and lost love weighs on you --> caused by wt org.

stress.... how do you get past it?

what heals you, brings you relief, rescues you from total worthless feelings of inadequacy, comforts your wounds, keeps you from jumping on the train tracks?.

bad_associashun

Enjoyable reading -to all who responded, especially to you all who revealed a personal issue or experience

It does feel better already- just since finding this place- to know that others share the same feelings- be it disappointment, depression, regret, social retardation... whatever. Unless a person was a JW, he wouldn't get it- it would be like trying to describe colors to someone born blind.

Kind of makes me wonder how & why so many of us 'bought into' it (?) I tend to agree with a quote I heard long ago: You can only be conned by whatever it is you're greedy for.

health & happiness,

badass/rachel

12

Fear, perhaps?

by bigboi in

jw
friends

have u ever noticed that ppl contemplating becoming dubs actually experience a good bit of fear in the process?

all the recent talk of disfellowshipping brought this to mind.

ok, i know that when anyone is thinking about making any kind of committment there is a little apprehensiveness and anxiety.

bad_associashun

Yes, I'd have to agree that fear plays a large part- after all, the org makes such a big deal of the 'vow', the new status of 'baptized publisher', and of course, ONLY THEN are you now in line to receive Jehovah's blessings as a 'dedicated, baptized witness of Jah'- you are 'greeted' at the meetings, of course you can feel them all standing back to actually see if you will turn out to be ONE of them, not quite accepted yet

And then during the 'would-you-welcome-a-visit-free-home-bible-study', you are repeatedly shown the United in Worship book as well as many, many WT articles that make the 'dedicated, baptized' part very clear [ie: if you're not one of us, you will die]... "Oh my god, you mean I'll die at Armageddon if I'm not a baptized JW?? QUICK- WHERE'S THE WATER?!!

I guess this had an impact on me, since without any family, I was alone & 'looking for a home'/somewhere to belong- the JWs made me feel I would have all this family & friends (fellow fruit-pickers of the New Order)

16

Social Death: The Practice of DFing among JWs

by Lady Lee in

social death: the practice of disfellowshipping among jehovah's witnesses

many societies establish rules or norms for inclusion in their membership.

adherence to the established norms permits full membership in the group.

bad_associashun

Superbly written, with truth and from the heart.

Thank you LadyLee- do send more like this one.

badass/rachel

37

WORLD GUESTMAP - - - please sign in!

by nicolaou in

jw
friends

the guestmap is a feature at the dnc site but i thought it might be cool to for us to get a visual image of where we all are.

just 'click & hold' the map to drag it around.

you can then zoom in on your local area.

bad_associashun

very cool idea- signed in among other southern cali dots

48

YES! I AM FREE AT LAST!

by Kjell Hedblom in

i just got out from jw bye a d.f.

4 weeks ago after 44 years as an active jw.am i insane or why am i having that great feeling of freedom??

i am sitting here infront of the computer having a cold beer and just enjoying life.shouldnt i be crying and having a depression sitting here in tears over missing all my jw friends that now are vanished??.

bad_associashun

All the best to you KH, as you have now set yourself free from the 'we-say-one-thing-but really-mean-another' religion; released from the grip at last. Health & happiness to you.

badass/rachel

101

A NEW SIGN OUT FRONT AT BETHEL!

by Mary in

jw
friends

i think it's time bethel got a new sign out front, one that really speaks volumes and is far more suitable to their "read god's word the bible daily.

i was thinking: .

oh what a web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!

bad_associashun

'READ GOD'S INSPIRED WORD- THE WATCHTOWER- DAILY

ARMAGEDDON COMING ANY DAY NOW'

37

??? what would you change ???

by zev in

if you had the power, and ability to change one thing in your life, be it a major life changing thing, or a small but significant thing, tell me what and how you would do it, and how it actually was, and how it would be different after the change.

please don't include jw'ism as that's something we would all want to change

if you tell me yours, i'll tell you mine

bad_associashun

That's an easy one. It's a major.

What a difference it would have made in everything we need to learn in life: how to make good decisions, handle relationships, financial management, find & keep a good job, buy a car or home, how to keep from learning all your lessons the 'hard way' and possibly save yourself grief & guilt over screwing up so many times along the way.

I'd love to have found my mother. Or even my father. Foster homes & orphange upbringing are certainly no replacement for the true guidance & direction, not to mention the love, loyalty & attachment, one gets from a real family.

When the one person who is to love you & care for you from the beginning does not, your entire life lacks direction. Adding to it, the JWs will never know what pain & grief they cause by their shunning tactics.

10

Confusion / A Thorny Thought

by Xandria in

a thorny thought.

growing up in the jw religion (if you can call it that) was soo confusing.

the terror tactics have left scars on my sisters, brother and myself.

bad_associashun

ahhh Xandria,

you are not reading your magazines! The elders are no longer 'imperfect vessels of Jehovah's judgement'. They are royalty- see Aug 1 WT.

perfectionseeker- you brought back to my mind the times a brother had to find someone's kid to cart along with us in service because we were the only 2 out that afternoon, and he didn't want things to 'look bad' or 'stumble anyone'- Funny, I always wanted to respond to any accusations, "We were out serving Jehovah- what exactly were YOU thinking??"

12

My Life

by Paradiselost in

my experiences, i'm sure, are not unique among the posters of this forum.

i am 19 years old and was born into the religion.

my family although devout, avid witnesses are on the liberal side.

bad_associashun

ParadiseLost,

good advice stated here for you- if df'd, your life will become a living hell- in every sense of the word- not to mention the mental anguish & destruction of self-esteem.

all the best in re-focusing your energies into a new life for yourself. You have so much of it ahead.

health & happiness :]

18

Deprogramming

by Perfection Seeker in

i am new on here- already posted one thing about life after leaving- got great responses.

as you can see by my name "perfection seeker" i was a witness.

i am now leaving, and not a perfection seeker :-) does anyone have information on exit counseling or deprogramming?

bad_associashun

double edge,

LOTS of helpful, thought-provoking statements in those threads- big thanks to you!