TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  106

  Walking a thin line - Resigning Elder

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  warning of a long boring post ahead.

  i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.

  i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.

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  TheListener

  Sanchy and Patkim,

  So much good advice here. All I can add is that when I gave up my "privileges" (ugh) I also did it in such a way that they gave me a reduced workload with minimal activity, but enough to show the congregation I was still a witness in good standing but just burned out. I did those activities well at first and then got slowly, very slowly, worse at them. Eventually, say 6-8 months, I told the brothers that I just couldn't handle even the minimal responsibility they gave me right now. Let me focus on my health, my family and my spirituality and I can serve again in the future. Hah, I never intended to serve again!! It worked, it was slow and painful but I maintained my marriage and I am not shunned. In fact just the other day someone from the hall saw me at a restaurant and said "Hi Brother XXX". I was floored.
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  106

  Walking a thin line - Resigning Elder

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  warning of a long boring post ahead.

  i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.

  i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.

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  TheListener

  Sanchy, can you tell us what the congregation members have been saying about the GB videos and songs and other new stuff? Have you ever heard or had discussions on the overlapping generation teaching? I always love to hear firsthand news of congregation members thoughts about things.
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  106

  Walking a thin line - Resigning Elder

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  warning of a long boring post ahead.

  i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.

  i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.

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  TheListener

  Sanchy welcome! Your situation is so similar to mine a few years ago, especially this part:

  I know my wife will cut off "spiritual conversations" with me and so also will be gone my chances at trying to open her eyes. With my second child on the way, my wife has told me that if I am to leave the truth, she will teach it to them, regardless of my spiritual position. She also told me that I've made her life so much more difficult now, as she married me, knowing that I was a spiritual man; she never thought she would have to deal with this. Needless to say, this breaks my heart. I love her very much, and do not want to cause her, or anyone else pain.

  
  

  My wife and I are still together and mostly doing well, we have the same problems other married couples have, but I know she's very unhappy I'm not the spiritual man she married; all my kids are out of the witnesses. My wife took them to meetings for years without me and taught them to be witnesses. I worked my tail off to teach them to be good, honesty and kind people who are not witnesses. My effort and the goofy doctrine of the witnesses and what my kids consider "weird and creepy" videos turned them off the witnesses.

  Good luck Sanchy!
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  61

  Jehovah's Witnesses Latest Music video advice picking a marriage mate

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5of0nxm44.

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  TheListener

  In the real world of JWs the girl would be dating the man in the wheelchair. And be happy.
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  61

  Jehovah's Witnesses Latest Music video advice picking a marriage mate

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5of0nxm44.

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  TheListener

  My wife married what she thought was a spiritual man....now look at me! There are no guarantees in life.
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  38

  You Are All Pieces of Garbage

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  although tomo's human hotdogs was as low as an alleged human could verbally go, tomo's fear-mongering was not an official video.. i'm wagering that the feb 2016 video will be pulled or adjusted.. what do you think, trash?.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m68pcx7ztac.

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  TheListener

  OMG they are unbelievable! He actually said that people get discarded like pieces of garbage. What a dumb video to release.
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  61

  Jehovah's Witnesses Latest Music video advice picking a marriage mate

  by Watchtower-Free in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5of0nxm44.

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  TheListener

  Am I mistaken or is the girl wearing pants while preaching in the park? It's about the 2:30 mark.
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  17

  another hello from Cleveland area

  by 08out in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  lurker since 2008 when i walked out as an elder ,had all the politics i could take ,noticed a few from my area so i finally joined

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  TheListener

  Welcome 08out. Glad you posted. Would love to hear your story.
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  22

  Hey from Ohio

  by sissyb in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all - i most likely won't post too often but want to introduce myself.

  i've read this board for a long time and feel like i know some of you!

  i was a third gen born-in (ne ohio), and half-heartedly believed until i was in middle school.

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  TheListener

  Welcome SissyB! Glad you joined and posted. Can't wait to hear some of your teen stories from the borg.
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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.