Posts by rebel8

for reasons i am still trying to fully understand and explain i was not able to properly pinpoint, identify and name the phases of my cult exit journey as i was going through them.

now i feel the need to even more.. some phases that came to mind this morning for me:.

identity crisis (who am i, what do i believe).

rebel8

I don't know what happened to my link. Here it is. (edit: Nope, not working. Here's the text link: http://www.amazon.com/Toward-Emotional-Recovery-Jehovahs-Witness-ebook/dp/B004XVZNDQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1406467350&sr=8-1&keywords=10+Steps+Toward+Emotional+Recovery+After+Being+a+Jehovah%27s+Witness)

Anyway, what I noticed is there are some phases in common, so I started writing them down when I was a counselor, to use with future patients. After I stopped being a counselor, I put it all in a book. Of course, not everyone is exactly the same.

What I realized is most people don't seem to want an analytical book like this. They like to read stories and figure it out by themselves. (As evidenced by this thread having so few comments--but check those that have stories!)

That is just not how my brain works--I'd rather skip the ambiguity and get to it. Figure out the method and just do it. OP seems to have a brain similar to mine.

47

Just got off the elevator with Anthony Morris

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

at the international convention here i just got off the elevator with anthony morris.

he was heading to the basement and i was heading up to administration.

i rode one floor down with him before i went up to my destination.

rebel8

I remember hearing stories that people would ask George Benson to sign as witness on their blood cards.

Perhaps you should have asked Anthony for his autograph or a lock of his hair. lol

6

What are the phases on a cult exit journey?

by Fernando in

jw
friends

for reasons i am still trying to fully understand and explain i was not able to properly pinpoint, identify and name the phases of my cult exit journey as i was going through them.

now i feel the need to even more.. some phases that came to mind this morning for me:.

identity crisis (who am i, what do i believe).

rebel8

Here 's something I noticed ex-jws often go through, in terms of phases.

40

Athiests: Do you ever wonder... what if?

by toweragent in

jw
friends

i'll start by saying, i'm a ministerial servant who is trapped in the religion.

my wife is hardcore...but i've slowly been getting her to lighten up, so i'll take it!

all my friends and family are jw's, and i am employed by a jw (who is actually a great boss).

rebel8

toweragent: I'm at such a crossroads... I don't know if God exists or not.

It's brave to accept uncertainty.

But then I hear comments like: "Ignore the bible, only listen to the words of Jesus."

How does anyone even know who Jesus is without the bible? If we don't believe the entire surrounding text, why believe cherry picked quotes of Jesus written down after his death, frequently by people who didn't even meet him?

The lack of quotes condemning something, for example, homosexuality, is not impressive IMO. He said he didn't have time to teach them everything but more would be revealed with time and through his other followers. Does his silence on something equal condoning it? If so then I guess pedophilia and snorting cocaine is fine too.

(For the record, I do NOT believe homosexuality is morally wrong, and I have lobbied FOR gay marriage. I just don't understand the use of the bible to support that position.)

Jesus defined marriage as between a man and a woman. While he's on the subject, he could have mentioned man and man/woman and woman too. That would have saved millions of people from hate crimes, discrimination, etc. for doing something that is quite natural for them (born that way) and harms nobody. 1-2 lines in a speech one day and he could have saved the world so much pain and violence.

Jesus lied too.

The bible is not inspired of any loving god or loving son of his.

26

Jim Penton's beloved wife Marilyn died today.

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

her suffering is finally over.

marilyn has been battling cancer for about three years and at times it looked like she would win.

but in the last few months the cancer spread.

rebel8

18

Is is right to leave your job for the WT? In an assembly interview

by skin in

jw
friends

we had an assembly part here 6 months ago where a sister was interviewed by the co because she left her job to do more wt work, she talked about some jobs that she had recently been offered with good pay but turned these down.

most listening to this is would be thinking that this sister is being blessed by jehovah for taking this stand, how much faith she has to do this and what can we do personally with our own jobs, made me almost feel guilty for having a job.

anyway come forward 6 months to now, this family has had to move to another region because the husband couldnt find enough work to support his family here.

rebel8

'course it's possible the story given in the interview was bunk. I was told to lie on the platform about being offered a scholarship and turning it down. Truth was, I never was allowed to apply for scholarships or take college entrance exams, which is generally required in order to be offered a scholarship. And you'd have to ask yourself why all these dubs do that only to turn it down when offered.

20

Did you see me at Montreal, Blue Bonnets, in the 1970's? I was after your daughter

by Quarterback in

jw
friends

oh the foolishness of youth.

there i was assigned to parking at the district assembly in montreal.

i was single, and in the full-time service.

rebel8

I went to an international assembly in Montreal. I want to say it was around 1977.

3

Coloring book activity for kids: Lot's wife dying

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

omg.

would you have your kids do this activity?

so messed up.. .

rebel8

omg. Would you have your kids do this activity? So messed up. Click the link to see the entire pic. Do mainstream religions do stuff like this?

I'd like to make an adult connect-the-dots activity for dubs.

Connect the dots between the year Jerusalem actually fell and 1914--the dots never connect.
Connect the dots between the flow of logic--they just keep going in a circle.