TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  37

  Stepping out of the shadows

  by contramundum in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have been lurking on the site for a few months and thought it about time i plucked up the courage to step out of the shadows and say hello.. i am in the process of fading after realizing all is not right with the organization i had trusted implicitly for over 40 years.

  there have always been 'truths' i have struggled to accept entirely, even as a child, but was confident that trusting in jehovah, building my faith and remaining patient would be enough to settle any nagging doubts that remained, so i pushed any inconsistencies to the back of my mind and concentrated on being the best witness that i could be.. over the last few years, however, i have been preoccupied with a number of crises in my family and stepping back slightly from 'theocratic' activity has allowed me to re evaluate a number of concerns and research sources other than the sanitized wt publications.. my eyes are now wide open - i found things which have appalled me and left me feeling extremely let down and disappointed by people i had really trusted.. i tried gently raising a few subjects with my mum (who was baptized early '70s and still remains a staunch wt supporter) but she will hear no criticism of the organization.

  i understand this because the best part of her life has been invested in the religion and to acknowledge it may have got things wrong would be to recognize the last 40 years have been a vain waste.

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  TheListener

  Welcome Contra. I'm glad you posted. Its great to see that people really are lurking and reading the board. I wish you the best of luck on your fade. I'm also glad your life seems to be in a good position otherwise.
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  55

  Some thoughts on the new midweek meeting

  by Saltheart Foamfollower in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new midweek meeting has been running for a month now.

  here are my thoughts on how it is going so far:.

  1) elders are looking frazzled from being on virtually every meeting and having to prepare unfamiliar formats for items.

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  TheListener

  Nicholaus, did he really say this from the platform?:

  Don't worry, there's only one more

  That is so unbelievable; not only that he said it but that he felt comfortable saying it to the congregation from the platform.
  
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  121

  Hey ya'll! My first post. Please help. In need of advice/comfort.

  by Stepford Wife in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey ya'll!

  i have been lurking for years on this site and others but never had the courage to post anything.

  actually i was afraid of posting on an apostate site in the event i was wrong.

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  TheListener

  Hi SW. I am really glad you lurked and finally posted. I am really sorry about your situation. There has been so many good pieces of advice on this thread, please if you have time read it over several times. I completely understand how sick and stressed this is making you - it's probably all you think about almost every second of the day! Believe me, and the others here, it will get better! There will be a day when the dust has settled one way or another and you will be able to get on with your life (and your daughter's).

  When I faded my wife did not rat me out or turn me in. She knew I was doubting and researching but she never told anyone anything. During my fade I had to meet with the elders once. I lied through my teeth telling them I believed everything but that I was really stressed and having a hard time raising my kids and caring for my family responsibilities. I was doing my best and would continue to do so. After that first meeting if they asked to meet with me again I just repeated how I was stressed and doing my best and that I would definitely let them know when if I needed to talk with them for encouragement.

  Meanwhile I reduced my duties at the KH, stepped aside and showed up less and less over the period of a couple years. I took the word slow fade to an extreme but it worked and I maintained my marriage, no DF, and all my kids are free.

  I guess I just wanted you to know that we are here and understand. While we can't help you deal with the day to day issues you face (minute to minute probably) we can be a place for you to vent and heal.

  If you meet with them lie through your teeth and don't give them any idea that you are doubting/apostate. Just tell them how stressed you are and how difficult this system is. I was careful to never ever tell anyone what I thought about the organization and the beliefs, not even my kids, I helped them escape without revealing all my opinions.

  I really do wish you the best of luck.
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  125

  my worst fears were realized

  by magotan in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  im on my phone, so im really limited.

  i came out to my family about my doubts and my sexuality.

  shit hit the fan.

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  TheListener

  I'm so glad you're doing well Magotan! I am really sorry that your family are acting so unloving and cruel.
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  19

  My wife made a very wordly comment the other night

  by Clambake in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my wife who is currently on maternity leave made a comment about luck she was to leave in canada because we get 52 weeks maternity at basically 40,000 per year.

  she is not originally from canada coming from a country with basically no maternity leave.

  i told her to make sure she doesn't say anything like that at kh.

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  TheListener

  Clambake, right on. I will add though that I've found that commenting on my wife's double standards usually puts her in a dubenzy (dub frenzy) of spirituality but not saying anything keeps the cult personality away.
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  11

  Spokane 2016 Convention dates - "darkest weekend"

  by OrphanCrow in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i came across an odd remark concerning the booking of a jw convention in an article from spokane.. visit spokane’s cheryl kilday: meeting expectations.

  since cheryl kilday returned to the northwest 5 1/2 years ago, the spokane convention center has been expanded, a 750-room hotel has opened across from it, and a number of smaller investments have added dining and shopping options in the city’s core.

  all of the changes have added options or improved the pitch for spokane for kilday, who as the president and ceo of visit spokane heads up the organization tasked with bringing more people and events to town.

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  TheListener

  Least busy for conventions.
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  44

  Honeymoon over for the carts

  by Deltawave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  speaking with inlaws i another congregation today who said exactly what is being said in our own hall.

  the trolly work is long and boring and no one even notices they are there anymore but walk right on by.

  jehovah really is speeding up the work lol.

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  TheListener

  Thanks JTG. I wonder if the insurance angle will become an issue in other countries. I am not really up on the cart witnessing thing so I wonder if they need insurance in the UK or USA?
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  18

  Has anyone seen "The Prodigal Son Returns" on JW.TV? A Masterpiece of indoctrination

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm watching the jw movie the prodigal son returns.. it is a masterpiece of indoctination and what i would call a "cult" classic.. it's about two brothers who work for their father's construction firm.

  the older one is the most spiritual and the younger one isn't.

  he befriends al, a weak brother, who persuades him to take a job in the city and move there.. it shows the "world" in the worst possible light.

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  TheListener

  Imagine raising kids when your wife watches and believes this stuff and you and the kids do not. When the kids do normal everyday things the wife is silently watching and judging and as soon as anything goes wrong, as it often does in life, the wife pounces.

  I'm only speaking in general terms, my wife would never do this...
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  52

  $10 per pub. Money begging session last night

  by StarTrekAngel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  last night, during our "christian life and ministry" meeting, we had a session on local needs.

  elder opened the talk with a disclaimer saying that this was a reminder (cited psalms about how david loved jehovahs reminders).

  he reminded us of how bless we are of having our own local assembly hall.

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  TheListener

  I think in the short term donations will increase as each publisher feels it's their duty to support J's organization. But, in the long term donations will decrease simply due to the typical jw apathy and lack of money from a mostly uneducated group of followers.
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  66

  The wt has now changed Jesus definition of neighboor

  by poopie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the man asked jesus who is my neighbor jesus stated the one who acts mercifully toward other humans.

  not good enough for watchtower neighbor must fit in three catagories only according to yesterdays wt wow changed the words of the son of god.

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  TheListener

  Oh I know, I know - worldly publishing companies have been saying for years that they wish their magazines were written as well and looked as good at the WT and AW. :)