I think it would be interesting to add two other variables. What era does your experience cover? What part of the country (world).
I figure it would be hard enough to get just the 3 questions answered.
how many times were you attacked physically?.
how many times were you attacked verbally?.
how long were you a jw?.
I think it would be interesting to add two other variables. What era does your experience cover? What part of the country (world).
I figure it would be hard enough to get just the 3 questions answered.
how many times were you attacked physically?.
how many times were you attacked verbally?.
how long were you a jw?.
How many times were you attacked physically?
How many times were you attacked verbally?
How long were you a JW?
I would like it if people would answer all the questions if you don't mind to much. I was trying to get a statistical sample of how often these thing might happen over the course of a jw's career.
what was to be a vacation, turned ugly midweek.
my wife wanted to connect with family, .. and i am all for that.. one uncle and aunt are regular pioneers and he is an elder.
well we met them at their home.
Yeah, they are a pain in the ass aren't they!
The point I have been making to my wife ALOT lately is that whenever a dub rubs me the wrong way, it isn't that I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE JW!!!!
Seriously. Do I care if they believe Michael is Jesus and he returned in 1914 to direct his publishing company?
Hell no!!!
Whenever I have a problem with a dub it is because of the way they behave.
You didn't mind your aunts beliefs. You minded her prattling on and on. You didn't mind your uncle's beliefs. You resented him PRESUMING that your problems were out of some sort of dishonesty or moral failing or petty squables with the "friends".
Hang in there. It isn't you. What is madness to us is comfort to them.
Just don't let your wife make you out to be a bad guy here. Just put it back on them. How would she like someone prattling on to her about how the Catholics are never wrong. After awhile it would be sort of obnoxious wouldn't it? Focus on the behavior. Ignore the doctrine. If you bring the doctrine in, then they are being persecuted!!!
CYP
hi barry, .
noticed you are online, so i wanted to grab you and find out how you perceive seven day adventists compare to jws: .
1 - equally cult like .
and each person is trained to make sure the screen looks the same!
And never forget the extent that each person has so much invested in believing the lie. They need to believe this stuff. It is their protection from the big bad world. They need the fantasy that somebody has all the answers... because they have to many questions. They just don't realize that the one feeding them the answers is just as lost and blind as anybody else.
CYP
okay, so first guy i fell in love with had read papillon and one hundred year of solitude.
i was sold.
the second guy i fell in love with... knew who kafka was.
Finding Faith by Brian McLaren
mine are, in no particular order:.
"the friends".
"glean".
"go to all the meetings" (I hear at every meeting, never read any time I pick up a Bible. God's word or man's?)
"spiritual things" (Only valid activity. Meetings, study, prayer, field service)
"encourages" (intimidate or guilt trip)
"it's just what the Bible says" (a lame attempt at a broad generalization that will hopefully cover up the reality that other people tell me what to think about the Bible)
"spirit directed organization" (lame appeal to authority)
so i was talking to a friend of mine today, who was raised a protestant but it is some fanatical protestant group that is exactly like jehovah's wittnesses.
her religion has basically the same teachings : the paradise, disfellowshipping, marrying "only in the lord" , no college, submissive women; the whole bit!
she was even raised around the same terms like us: holy spirit instead of ghost, the "older ones", worldy, bad association, elders,
The closest match I have found are the Worldwide Church of God variations.
Here are a couple that are keeping the Armstrong faith alive.
CYP
free translation of an article in the derniere heure
more jehovah, more justice .
jacques lost all contact with his family .
I'm all for sticking it to the wt and all...
... but I hope it isn't ever done on the basis of bad legal precedent.
It just seems having the right to not talk to someone should be within the rights of any individual. Is it a right for an organization to impose on it's members?
I donno. I will leave that to the small, furry rodent types (aka lawyers).
CYP
i am going to reveal details of a personal nature here.
these details may reveal who i am to anyone looking to finally expel me from the organization - but frankly that it of little importance compared to what i am now having to decide.
i ask those who here - with either the qualifications, or who can direct me to those with such, to respond.
Jeff,
As you know, I don't have any legal credentials, but I do have some experience with similar situations.
As far as I know, without paternity, he is just as you described; a virtual stranger. I would highly recommend going the "establish paternity and visitation if you want to see the kids route." Don't be a hardass about it or anything. Just tell the guy you have two choices, to allow him in your home or to allow him to take the child... he will likely present alternatives and those might be reasonable.
But the bottom line is if he wants to wear the daddy-pants, then he needs to step up and sign up. The nice part about this is establishes guidelines, and it also FORCES HIM to actually do something proactive in terms of taking care of his children. If he is serious, then a couple grand to a lawyer will show that. If he isn't willling to do those things, then it will show he is qualified to own a dog maybe but not for parenthood.
Try to keep it amicable though. Biology takes precedence from a legal standpoint. He could mount a legal battle to gain custody. I am not sure that you could do anything about it, and it would be unfortunate for the other children. I don't know about bio grandparents, but in the case of non-bio adoption you pretty much have to prove the other parent is unfit! Not an easy or inexpensive thing to do legally.
I would do everything you could to keep the other children out of the loop whatever you do. They don't need to know about any visit from other baby-daddy's.
Just give them all as much normalcy, discipline, and love as you can. Whatever you do, do it with their best interests in mind. As long as you do that everything should be ok.
Good luck. Sorry about all the drama. Take care.
CYP
one at a time.
guess the qoute above you and give one for the next person.
"nobody makes me bleed my own blood, nobody!
"We're going to hold onto him by the nose, and we're going to kick him in the ass."or "...Now I want you to remember that no bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for his country."
Patton
"Lift your chin up... higher... (thud)"
"I'll wait outside for the MP's"
"Negative Johansen..."