Posts by LongHairGal

8

Useing unhealthy fear to force people to obey.

by Yomama in

jw
friends

fear of being shunned.

do you have any stories?.

LongHairGal

YOMAMA:

I agree the religion is ‘fear based’ in many ways. Not just fear of people shunning a person but people fearful they aren’t ‘doing enough’ in so-called theocratic activity.

I never had any family in the religion (thank God) that anybody could use against me. But, I had non-JW friends for a long time after I became a JW.

One elder who was a book study conductor for a time made a nosey remark that “the reason I probably didn’t have friends in the religion was probably because I still had ‘worldly’ friends”. I took his advice to heart because I was ready to move on from these friends anyway.

But, even after I gave up these ‘worldly’ friends, I didn’t make many JW friends because I was shunned somewhat because I had a full time job.. Giving up cigarette smoking and certain friends was one thing..but I held onto a full time job until I Retired. I didn’t care what any of the Witnesses thought about that!

91

Your worst convention experience.

by zeb in

by a split second rescuing our handicapped son from being pushed down the stairs by a flood of sisters rushing out to see as the drama had started.. the main offender being a special pioneer..

LongHairGal

I am a long-time ‘Fader’ out of the JW religion almost twenty years.

In reading all of these experiences and looking back on what we endured with these conventions decades ago (travel, inconvenience and discomfort) because we were told we ‘should’ and the usual tripe about ‘spiritual food’ and ‘association’. We (or at least I) had not been totally disillusioned yet. The Millennium hadn’t come yet and there was still that fervor that some people had.

But, I realize I would never put myself through any of this now..and its not just because of age!

Those days are a bygone era.

32

Watchtower June 2020 Article, '' Return to Me''

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

the watchtower—study edition | june 2020. .

study article 26.

6 who can share in the search for inactive ones?

LongHairGal

FEDUP JW:

That is true about them figuratively ‘kicking some people out the back door’ while they are trying to get new people ‘in the front door’. I often wondered if they even realized what they were doing.

I think there was an arrogant feeling back then!..There were people coming in and maybe they felt ‘who the hell needs you’?

Even though I am a ‘Fader’ who walked away from the JW religion, you could say I was figuratively ‘kicked out’ by their bad attitudes towards single women and responsible working people. Also, let’s not forget their 1995 Generation teaching. That was the last straw.

I doubt they are going to look for me because word may have filtered back about my views..They would correctly surmise that it would be a waste of their time.

91

Your worst convention experience.

by zeb in

by a split second rescuing our handicapped son from being pushed down the stairs by a flood of sisters rushing out to see as the drama had started.. the main offender being a special pioneer..

LongHairGal

DAVROS:

Yes, that’s the one. The absolute worst. It might have been the summer of ‘83.

It was a miserable hot humid horror. It was the first and only convention that I went a long distance to (out of state).. I was young and went with three older people one of which was a heavy person with health issues. We stayed in somebody’s rural vacation place and drove to the stadium. We tried to make the best of it but after two hot torturous days where we got absolutely nothing out if it - we woke up the Sunday morning and said we had enough!..I was secretly glad.

We headed home instead. What a waste of time and gas! The only thing we got out of the weekend was that we went out to eat in Pennsylvania dutch style restaurants.

80

Quit Quietly now more than ever

by gone for good in

the amazing exoneration of info sekta in swiss court has finally reinforced the proper way to exit an abusive cult.. never write a letter of disassociation.

- no need to invoke shepherding or judicial action from elders.

make a written, dated statement of your free-will choice to have abandoned the jw religion - secure this document with a friend -a trusted friend (not the jw kind).

LongHairGal

GONE FOR GOOD:

That is a very sick and sad story about that grandfather.

What I wonder is what does the wife gain by airing her dirty linen and turning her husband over to the elders? How does she benefit if she gets him disfellowshipped? Is he really going to stop drinking OR will he drink more.

It’s particularly cruel to have his grandchildren shun him. And, as you said, he hasn’t harmed a single one of them. He’s an old man. So sad. Not just an old man being shunned, but young people deprived of love of a grandparent. Also, a callous forming on their heart so they will be more likely to be cruel to somebody else.

Please let this religion be over so that there are no more victims!

33

Are You Afraid To Publicity Express Your Opinion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you reticent to express your opinion when it comes to religion or politics?.

when we were jws , we had to be so careful that we didn’t stumble anyone.

are you comfortable saying that you don’t agree with someone or something even if it appears you are in the minority?

LongHairGal

LV101:

I remember that Godfather movie quote. It makes perfect sense, really.

The character needed to know what his enemies were up to - because they were gunning for him.

33

Are You Afraid To Publicity Express Your Opinion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you reticent to express your opinion when it comes to religion or politics?.

when we were jws , we had to be so careful that we didn’t stumble anyone.

are you comfortable saying that you don’t agree with someone or something even if it appears you are in the minority?

LongHairGal

LV101:

Yeah, I know I can be a bit much..but I’m tired of B.S. so I might be inclined to be a little outspoken.

Also, I saw so much backstabbing and issues on jobs that I don’t have much camaraderie with other women. (Of course, I saw this in the kingdom hall too)...I’m pretty much of a loner and have just a few friends and that’s okay with me.

My sister feels the same way.. We are both of the opinion that women have to be guarded about themselves. Too many people looking to take advantage.

33

Are You Afraid To Publicity Express Your Opinion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you reticent to express your opinion when it comes to religion or politics?.

when we were jws , we had to be so careful that we didn’t stumble anyone.

are you comfortable saying that you don’t agree with someone or something even if it appears you are in the minority?

LongHairGal

MINIMUS:

No, I’m not afraid to express my opinion in public.

It’s a good thing I am retired, because if some idiot in an office thought they would put something on my desk or send a communication trying to get sympathy or money for any cause in the news today.. I would go straight to them with the memo or whatever with my reply written across it in black magic marker.

They try to pull this shit with women in offices (they never bothered the men).. I was never very popular years ago when I made it clear I didn’t want to be involved in office collections for birthdays and any other nonsense for other women who either never said hello or who I didn’t know.

31

Just wanting confirmation on an unofficial JW experience

by joe134cd in

just wondering if anyone can confirm or deny this unofficial jw experience that my father received by email.

i’ve told him that it against wt rules to forward unofficial accounts.

but of course he just puts that down to apostate driven lies.

LongHairGal

JOE134CD:

I remember all those JW urban legends. The religion was filled with them.

I never paid them any heed - along with the stories related at circuit assemblies where young people related stories of giving up college scholarships and well-paying jobs so they could pioneer. 🙄

What nobody ever heard about were stories where they were broke a few years later and had to enter the workforce.

80

Quit Quietly now more than ever

by gone for good in

the amazing exoneration of info sekta in swiss court has finally reinforced the proper way to exit an abusive cult.. never write a letter of disassociation.

- no need to invoke shepherding or judicial action from elders.

make a written, dated statement of your free-will choice to have abandoned the jw religion - secure this document with a friend -a trusted friend (not the jw kind).

LongHairGal

GONE FOR GOOD:

I came into the JW religion as a lapsed Catholic in the late seventies. But, I was not told the REAL story..

Let me just say that I am sorry for everybody here who has lost family members because of the shunning routine.

My first congregation was like a 1950s time warp.. I was the only young working woman among a sea of Stepford-type women who thought I was an oddity. Because they couldn’t get me to quit my job and ‘get with their program of pioneering’ some people wouldn’t say hello.. I was ‘punished’ by not being invited anywhere..I hardly had any friends and a few elderly were kind to me.

I was also scrutinized because somebody said my skirts weren’t long enough.

I ended up transferring to another congregation..‘somewhat’ better but the story was pretty much the same:..they were looking for drudges to do favors and were pushing pioneering..Meanwhile, like the previous congregation, almost ALL the older people were collecting a pension because they were in the workforce! See the hypocrisy???

I ‘Faded’ when the time was right..Today I am a Retiree so Grateful I never listened to any of these people.