WAIT!! Are you saying that in they will be digging for gems in the CLAM tonight?
Unbelievable! Just when I make my exit things finally get exciting.
so tonight is the first clam (so funny that its getting called that - dont they know?
) and in the digging for spiritual gems we find the answer to jws begin a cult.. 2nd question.
what is the most practical step we can take to prepare for future difficulties?.
WAIT!! Are you saying that in they will be digging for gems in the CLAM tonight?
Unbelievable! Just when I make my exit things finally get exciting.
i know marriage is tough and it takes work on both parts.
we have been together for 27 years.
the last eight have been involved with this cult.
My marriage was really strained while I was forcing myself to attend after I learned the TTATT. Once I stopped it wasn't long before the kids stopped too. Our marriage improved once we both got used to our new situation. It's not perfect and I will come on here and vent from time to time but all in all I'm happy.
My advice, as worthless as it is, would be to stop attending meetings, don't frustrate her with telling her how bad the WTS is and back the kids up in not going as well. I decided very early that if my leaving the witnesses and supporting my kids leaving the witnesses were a marriage-breaker then so be it. In my case my marriage survived, many don't.
as shepherdless pointed out on another thread, the watchtower business model of using free labour to produce and sell books and magazines for profit started to break down when charging for the literature ended in 1990, and has now begun disintegrating completely in the face of the internet and declining donations.
over this same period there has been a noted increase in hardline rhetoric on disfellowshipping and pushing early baptism.
might these hardline trends actually be related to their money woes?
it's been at least a couple years since i've posted anything on here, and much longer than that since when i was active.
ten years ago i first came here all in turmoil over my disillusionment of my beliefs.
i've been through lots of ups and downs since then.
If it's any consolation I am in a similar situation but just a few years further down the road. My kids are older now and all are jw free, my wife is still a witness. My wife and I stayed together and I put all my energy into my kids and building a strong strong bond with them. Including putting off things I wanted to do for myself or with friends and even my career at times. Even during the rough years with kids I see the benefits of my close relationship with my kids. My wife didn't build a relationship with them, perhaps because they won't survive Armageddon, and it shows as well.
Hang in there Daniel and make sure you take care of your physical health as well as mental health.
it's been at least a couple years since i've posted anything on here, and much longer than that since when i was active.
ten years ago i first came here all in turmoil over my disillusionment of my beliefs.
i've been through lots of ups and downs since then.
Daniel-P we joined about the same time 10 or so years ago. I remember your first post. I remember it because it was so raw and emotional - it really captured your feelings and pretty much what I was going through at the time too. I am really sorry you are going through this. As I was looking for your first post I ran across a thread you posted on (maybe even started) about your feelings and your marriage. It was 3 or so years ago. I wish you would take just a few minutes and re-read your posts to that thread. Here is the link: staying-married-jw (i hope the link works).
Hang in there and know that you aren't alone. We are all out here reading, listening and feeling for you. And many of us are in similar situations.
it has to be starting to fade somehow.
the very last time i went out in field service, hardly any were out.
maybe just about nine people were out and man if you could just see their faces.
just to say merry christmas and a happy new year!
i hope wherever you are that you have a lovely holiday, even if like me your celebrating on the sly hehe in which case happy christmas on the sly.
xxxxxxxxxx.
ok, at our recent assembly, i noticed that there were quite a lot of brothers wearing beards.
not just the older dudes, but right across a range of ages, young men, middle aged men and older men.
is watchtower beginning to relax this rule at last?
I know of two brothers that grew beards in the US. One did it so he wouldn't be used for microphones and other duties. The other already wasn't be used but grew it because he's a hipster.
The scuttlebutt (as related by my wife) was that the congregation felt they were weak and in spiritual trouble. I don't know what eventually happened. Fortunately, my wife didn't see the beards as a big deal.
earlier this season i advised my retired father to ignore the use of a tablet during his kingdom hall congregational visits.
his response was hopefull, but between the lines i could hear he had no choice.. yesterday he showed me his new 600 euro 64 gb ipad air 2. he had no clue what he has to do with it, he told me one of the elders will install the jw.org apps.. so, i feel he had to deal with presure to buy this ipad and i think he is not the only one.. do you recognize this?.
gorby.