Bridgette

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Posts by Bridgette

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  74

  I'm thinking of applying for reinstatement

  by Cygnus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok, here's how it is.. i just finished reading the "dead" thread.

  now, listen.

  i do not believe in life after death.

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  Bridgette

  Dear Cyg,
  Just adding my two cents to the plethora here. Now, I know you don't want to join a group again(I can totally relate), but you are obviously missing SOMETHING. I will never again join an organization. However, I go through the phone book, read the little "events" sections in the newspaper, etc and float in and out of groups. Usually, for myself, it's religious or spiritually based (i.e., meditation groups, different church services). This serves several purposes. One, I get to do something forbidden by the borg--see things from others points of view. Two, I get to meet lots of different people (I rather like people, myself). Three, it stimulates me intellectually being exposed to different ideas (i.e., I come across a new thought--I like it--why? or I do not like it or believe it--why?).
  I'm going to soon be popping in on a humanistic judaism class. I'm a little nervous about it. Judaism screams of angry bible god to me. However, upon further investigation, it's a nontheistic approach to judaism and the history/mythology of the bible. Should be interesting. I, like you, have always said if I returned to Christianity in any form, it would be Catholicism. They were the originals, afterall. Plus, they just have pretty services. I just wouldn't let my son be an alter boy, if you know what I mean! Then again, I allow my 9 year old daughter total autonomy over her spiritual life. She goes with me to events when she wants to, and sleeps in when she wants to. Our god is called Choice and her ahem I mean his holy spirit is freedom of thought.
  For god's sake, man, get yourself some serious t-time! I'm married to an avid golfer and I insist that he get his quality golf time in!
  Love,
  B.
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  16

  Yet ANOTHER JW Urban Legend

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  got this one today.... i got this from a sister in our hall, it show's when we have that gut feeling to go back to a door we were just at to follow that feeling!

  i hope you enjoy it.

  we enjoyed this experience and you will probably enjoy it as well.

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  Bridgette

  "Hmmmm...anyone else detect the terrible, terrible irony of this story?
  What if, as a JW, she finds out she needs a simple blood transfusion to save her life?

  How do you think she'll react to what her new 'minister' will tell her?"

  Xander, these were my thoughts exactly upon reading this "piece". These stories are so contrived it's sad really. My 9-year-old could sniff out the blatant propoganda in this "experience".
  Oh well.
  B.
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  23

  Anyone heard of or been through a JW exorcism?

  by Mimilly in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  greetings, and wow!

  did i enter this forum with a biggie.

  i've been lurking for quite awhile - with some threads, laughing to tears, and others, reliving those years.

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  Bridgette

  Xander,
  I do not wish to hijack this very worthy thread, either. I do have some input on the practice of and experience with what the WT would lable as spiritism/witchcraft in my post WT malaise. I would be happy to share on a separate post in order to preserve this thread on its intended course.
  Love,
  Bridgette
  p.s. to go along with this thread, all I remember was the J.W.'s being terribly frightened, and devoid of rational, scientific thougt processes on anything they did not understand. i.e., have a dream that comes true a few days later? the demons. Your intuition telling you that the WTBTS is a mindcontrolling cult?--the demons must be "planting" these thoughts in your head.
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  47

  You had to go an ask me why I'm so angry?

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  try this on for size.... skip starbuck: i was at a district assembly.

  skip starbuck: i was about 9 years old.

  skip starbuck: and i had trench mouth really bad.

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  Bridgette

  someone said: <<Ignore the fact that the vast majority of JW's would condemn your fathers behavior>>
  At this point in time, perhaps the above statement is becoming overtly true. They have learned (strictly for PC purposes) to be far more discreet about their archaic views of women and children. Caving to PUBLIC pressure has "moved" them to be less publically abusive (does anyone besides myself remember the KM part, wherein they had to address the problem of disciplining [read abusing/beating shit out of] children OUTSIDE or in public view?--not a reminder not to abuse children, mind you--no, no, simply hide it better, don't let the unsuspecting worldings/potential converts see the dirty, dirty little secrets behind our windowless walls!).
  The fact remains, however, that it is only because of public pressure that their outward views and actions have changed. However, I recall that as late as 1993 I was being STRONGLY encouraged to physically abuse my 4 month old infant for crying at the meetings because "she knows what she's doing". Thankfully, I followed my maternal instincts and not covert cult sanction and refused to abuse my daughter. If only my mother had done the same for me. So, while the Jehovah's Witnesses would like nothing more, I'm sure than to distance themselves from their tacit, if not outright encouragement to abuse children and deny women's rights, there are simply too many of us who share these growing-up-as-jdub kid stories. And we're not going away--and we will not slink quietly out of the organization, book bags tucked between our legs without telling our stories.
  AND I AM GLAD that telling our dirty little secrets to the world is absolutely FORCING the Jehovah's Witnesses to be slightly less overtly abusive towards women and children. And for that reason alone, I refuse to be silent.
  KEEP SCREAMING YOUR PAIN, AND BLEEDING OUT YOUR TOXINS, BROTHER SKIP!! They may have stuffed towels in Laree's mouth to silence her screams, but they can't do that to all of us (much as they'd love to).
  WE HEAR YOU. we hear you.
  we care.
  we love you.
  peace....
  Bridgette
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  5

  Court Puts Woman's Stoning on Hold.....

  by closer2fine in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  shit....i guess it still is a mans world.

  http://news.excite.com/news/r/011203/10/odd-nigeria-dc.

  court puts woman's stoning on hold.

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  Bridgette

  Thanks for posting this. Here is Amnesty's take on it. If anyone cares to add their voice to this: (she has a 5 month old baby), and this type of court action is happening a lot in the north of Nigeria against women.

  http://amnestyusa.org/action/nigeria11142001.html

  Action Appeal
  November 14, 2001

  Save Safiya Yakubu Hussaini from Death by Stoning
  Nigeria

  Safiya Yakubu Hussaini, a 30-year-old woman and a resident of Tungar-Tudu in Sokoto State in northern Nigeria, was tried in a Shari'ah court in the town of Gwadabawa on October 14, 2001 and condemned to death by stoning. Safiya Hussaini, who is a divorcee and has a five-month-old baby, was charged and convicted of adultery. Under Shari'ah adultery is a capital offence when the individual involved is married. It appears that different standards and validity of testimony were applied to Safiya and the married man involved in the case. The man was released because of lack of evidence raising the concern of discrimination on the basis of gender by the court.

  Please immediately send a letter to the Nigerian Ambassador to United States asking that Safiya's death sentence be commuted and that the Federal Government take all measures to ensure that Safiya's right to an appeal be respected and enforced.

  BACKGROUND

  Amnesty International takes no position on any country's religious or legal system. However AI is unconditionally opposed to imposition of the death penalty or the use of flogging, amputation and death by stoning as forms of punishment, as these constitute torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment under international law, including treaties Nigeria has signed and ratified, such as the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and the UN Convention Against Torture. AI is concerned about the lack of transparency and the swiftness with which trials are conducted in Shari'ah courts in northern Nigeria. In particular, Amnesty is concerned about whether Safiya had legal counsel during trial; whether she was advised of her full rights of defence and her right to appeal to the higher courts, including the Supreme Court.

  RECOMMENDED ACTION

  Please send letters to:

  His Excellency
  Professor Jibril Aminu
  Embassy of Nigeria
  1333 16th St., N.W.
  Washington, DC 20036

  Salutation: Your Excellency
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  19

  too tired to fight

  by Bridgette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear friends,.

  i will try not to make this a maudlin goodbye.

  well, maybe a tad maudlin, but not goodbye .

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  Bridgette

  Dear Friends,
  I will try not to make this a maudlin goodbye. Well, maybe a tad maudlin, but not goodbye , as I have every intention of returning. I am just tired right now, and extremely busy (wrk, school, pregnancy). I feel I need a respite from the board. I will be “seeing” you guys soon, but if not, I want to thank you all for being here, so that people can stumble in from the Borg, broken, bruised, crushed and know that they are not alone; that there is life after being a Jehovah’s Witness. A GOOD life.
  As many of you know I have been totally and utterly distraught over little Laree Slack. I still think about her—a lot, maybe too much. I can’t get the image of her laying bruised, beaten, gagged—thinking even with her last breath that she was getting what she deserved from god, her parents, her congregation--everyone. I believe, I cannot let go because there’s so much of Laree and her story in each one of us who grew up as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Many of us were abused ourselves, and even if not, we were metaphorically bound, gagged and had life beaten out of our souls. Our voices, our screams--stifled, and gagged. I don’t want to keep bringing it up, but this story has attached itself to my heart, and quietly drains my happiness, drop by drop. I am a happy, whole person since leaving the Kingdom Hall. However, lately, I feel much as I did as a Jehovah's Witness child—helpless against this massive steamroller of souls called the Watchtower bible and tract society. I don’t like feeling that way. But every time I come on board, and look at all the ruined, or at least scarred lives, the “society” has leaves in its wake, I can’t help it. And they don't care. They can't be guilted or shamed into any sort of apology or reparation. Because they don't care. They are totally devoid of love. I don’t want to say they’ve won, I just need a break from battle for a while. I don’t even like thinking of it as battle, but it is so like battling the borg. Resistance seems futile. They seem to have such a chokehold on peoples’ souls—this is hard enough to watch being done to consenting adults, but when I see children having their minds raped (and someimes bodies), it’s intolerable to me. And it’s not something tangible you can fight. They take people’s humanity and stuff it behind a wall of dogma. Their meme’s are so strong, and deeply entrenched that to even question them, strengthens their teaching that they are the most persecuted people on earth.
  I used to think that there was a lot of goodness just beneath the surface of dogma of the average JW. Even the GB, I thought was probably good hearted. But I no longer think so. The Borg of Star Trek so appropriately allegorizes them—totally devoid of any human emotion—the preservation of the collective and absorbing more energies into the collective is its sole function. This is most starkly illustrated when they have to chose between the reputation of the org. and the welfare of a child. And again, when you see mothers (my god! Is there any stronger relationship than that between a mother and child?!) reject their children, and grandchildren because of the dictates of an organization--or because their child is no longer in the cult. How do you fight something like that? Are we making progress? Are we helping people to get out? Or just reiterating their insanely paranoid belief that they are persecuted? Are we making them be honest, or just helping a huge, megalomaniacal religious corporation get a little better at covering themselves.
  Keep fighting my brothers and sisters in arms. Maybe if there is a god (and it’s the god of justice that they always taught me about, he will help. My thoughts are always with you (the only people on earth who could possibly know where I come from). I am going to spend a little more time with Amnesty International, where you can at least touch or get a response from the harshest military regimes and governments, because they’re still a little human underneath (or at least afraid of public opinion).

  Much Love and blessings,
  Bridgette
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  7

  Call for Posters re Charitable Status....

  by ISP in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  charitable status is the obvious point of weakness re the wts.

  it in no way deserves it.

  i am interested in forming a discussion group or similar regarding it...away from public view.

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  Bridgette

  I remember a time when you couldn't even take canned food to food drives for the needy. There are still MANY witnesses who look down on giving (not getting, though) charity.
  Bridgette
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  16

  What If?

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if the wts was able to have its own country here in earth, would it:.

  1) forbid the preaching of any other religion?.

  2) execute anyone who questioned its authority?.

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  Bridgette

  As I posted in Blackman's paradise thread, I absolutely shudder, I mean my blood runs cold! when I think of the world run by these human haters. I have only to look at how they run Bethel (NO DIRTY GIRLS ALLOWED--unless subjectively attached to a man), view women and children (remember Rutherford all but outlawed marriage and reproduction), do not allow questioning of higher ups (we're god's spokesperson!), try to force people to work without compensation, to speculate on how truly horrific and restrictive life under WTS marshal law would be. All of their "new light" and only slightly and begrudgingly evolving views towards women are caves to political pressure-pressure that comes from outside governmental influences. If those barriers were removed....
  Bridgette
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  4

  Please Tell Me About Ex-Dub Love

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think it is a bit sad that finding and keeping love in our lives is a bit of an uphill struggle.

  when i had to choose between the real world and the watchtower world years ago, my parents told me that i would never find love out there in this wicked system of things.

  they quoted me scriptures which avowed the myth that only real love comes from the fruitage of the spirit and what passes for love in the world is nothing but lust.

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  Bridgette

  Love: my favorite subject! First of all, I do not believe one can separate universal love from the love between two individuals. I have the privilege of having found my best friend, confidant, lover and all around soulmate. I left an abusive relationship (like a good witness girl, I married far too young, and neither one of us was prepared--but I was desperate to get out of my mother's house--frying pan to the fire--such are the choices before a witness girl child). I dumped the marriage and the cult. Got my daughter and myself into counseling. Oddly enough, I have found true forgiveness for my former husband. I feel nothing but pity for him, even though he was abusive to both myself and my daughter. I know he felt a lot of pressure to "keep his household in line", "reach out", provide a living, all without a college education, no room to grow, having started extremely young (18)--the strain must have been tremendous--it does not excuse the abuse, it's just that I have forgiven him. And we are really, actually sort of "friends" now. This has been good for my daughter to realize how two people can truly put the past behind them, and lovingly co-parent, after so much turbulence (as my daughter exclaimed one morning--"we're so much happier now that we're not witnesses!"--out of the mouths of babes lol!) Anyway, I learned to love myself first, and this opened me up to so much love from the outside. I started making friends, left and right (real friends, who's love and support is not pendant upon devotioin to an org.) Eventually, I felt so good, that I attracted my soul mate. He is a wonderful person. Compassionate, educated, smart, loving (to both myself and my daughter)--sigh, I could go on. We love to spend time together, traveling, talking, or just sitting (he likes to sit and watch me paint or draw). We laugh ALL the time. We have our own personal running Saturday Night Live going all the time--we have our own characters, and running skits (as well as new ones, all the time)--it's really a lot of fun.
  and this is love post borg for me.
  Love yourself, be open, don't be afraid to be vulnerable to another human being (easier said than done) and you will find who you're meant to be with. Most of all, don't forget to have fun and enjoy life. While you're doing the things you love, you're likely to "bump into" your mate.
  Love,
  Bridgette
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  24

  Paradise - I Think I'll Pass........

  by Black Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one thing that has always kinda ticked me off with the society depiction of paradise, is the completely bland, devoid of personality, stepford wives-ish look given to paradise pics in the publications over the years.

  peeps walkin' around smilin' for no reason, no attention given to a cultivation of technology, the arts, space exploration.

  there never seemed to be any point to paradise.

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  Bridgette

  All I'd ever have to do is think about spending an eternity with self-righteous, hateful, uncompassionate, dishonorable Jehovah's Witnesses to put me off the Paradise bug. Can you imagine? Having to watch everything you say, or do. Big brother having no secular governmental restraints making and enforcing all the laws. Women's rights would be squelched to nil (Taliban tactics come to mind--"It has been decreed that females will no longer have need for education--their function has always been as a complement of man--WE were the ones created in HIS image--females in ours" later..."all females are hereby ordered to list their useful functions in god's new order--all those found not serving useful function will be 'sent away' they have been misleading some of our precious 'brothers' with their feminine wiles, and we have no reproductive need for them, and since sex was outlawed, they will no longer be needed--don't ask where they will be "sent" do not question god's authority! remember, the rebellion of the 2nd millenium is still due--do you want to be found in opposition to Jehovah!?!?!") Sorry, but all I have to do is think about how the already mysogonistic Bethel (always suspicious of females trying to marry brothers) would run if there were no political pressure from the outside world--and my imagination runs wild! I've always thought that if god wants people to weep and gnash their teeth at the thought of not being in paradise, he really should've picked a more pleasant, nicer group to supposedly represent "him", you know, people who actually reflect fruits of the spirit. Of all the witnesses I ever knew, (and I knew many, many in lots of different places) I can only think of about 2 that are worth missing. And they were considered unorthodox.
  Eternity with Jehovah's Witnesses~~~*shudder*
  Bridgette