Posts by LongHairGal

52

If you could pick out critical errors to the JWS religion what would it be ?

by Rocketman123 in

many that have come to this forum have left the jws religion and moved on with their lives but from a outsider's viewpoint what do think makes the jws religion wrong or incorrect as a active christian faith ?.

somethings come to mind such as its long continuous end times/armageddon soon doctrine which has really been a core doctrine for decades going right back to its beginning .. maybe they should have adopted the stance as other christian based faiths and adhered to jesus's own words when he said " no one knows of the time not even he ".

.

LongHairGal

ROCKETMAN123:

There are so many things wrong in my opinion but I’ll pick the one most important to me:

The knocking of college and careers even at this point in time takes the cake: as we speak, there are many JWs and ex-JWs at retirement age with no preparation because they were told Armageddon would be here!..They now have to knock themselves out in their senior years just to make ends meet.

When they were young they were told they would be ‘weak in faith’ if they had a career or were known to contribute to an IRA.. People like me with full time jobs were told they should quit their jobs and pursue part-time menial work and full time ministry.. If they refused (like I did) they were labeled as ‘unspiritual’ and hardly invited anywhere (as a punishment I assume). But, that’s okay because I am Retired. So, in retrospect it was worth it to be ‘shunned’ by them.

I just had a long conversation yesterday with an old JW friend who admitted this and shared that a family member was knocked and shunned for having a good job to support his family. So, I know I was not alone in the bad treatment I received.

24

Will there be a sense of urgency in 30 years?

by neat blue dog in

it's pretty easy to see how current events would have any jw convinced the end is imminent, but i just don't see how there could be a major push for zealous service, pioneering, etc.

decades into the future.

even if (when) world events happen periodically that could scare the r&f, there are now countless hours of hd video of jw leaders saying how close the end is.

LongHairGal

NEAT BLUE DOG:

Thirty years from now? 😮 Well, if the religion is still around it will be a shadow of its former self. What is happening now will be ancient history to anybody still there.

All the Baby Boomers will be gone. These are the people who currently make up most of the congregations. They contributed the most money, were the most faithful and remember the JW religion in its glory days which are very much over. Who can say what the religion will resemble in thirty years. I think it will follow in the footsteps of other now-defunct sects in the USA.

35

Go Bag and Catastrophes

by StephaneLaliberte in

i live with my parents in law and yesterday, my mother in-law was very nervous about an email she got from the brothers in her congregation.

it was asking if she would be able to receive people over at our house should there be a catastrophe.

so, she asked me if i would agree with this.

LongHairGal

ST GEORGE:

I have said the same thing myself.

Where are the JWs going with their Go-Bags?? I asked this question to a JW friend still in. She had no answer for me.

I see the practical sense of Go-Bags and I have one or two myself because of natural disasters and such..[I also believe it is COMMON SENSE to have your home stocked with basic necessities and it’s really too bad some of the population is SO ignorant they need to be told about basic life skills.]

I would prefer to shelter-in-place unless something compelled me to evacuate...But, I really DO think some JWs think this Go-Bag thing will be for Exodus.1. They act as if they will be told to go ‘somewhere’ and maybe some miracle will occur!

9

Having It Both Ways

by Sea Breeze in

1. when individuals leave the organization for conscience reasons, it is evidence that god is shepherding and protecting the flock by doing a sifting work.

when people leave another christian religion it is evidence that the religion is morally corrupt and unable or unwilling to provide spiritually for their members.. 2. when a christian from another denomination lies, he is acting according to his own disposition being from the father of the lie.

when a jehovah's witness lies, he is proving his loyalty to jehovah and fulfilling his sacred obligation to engage in spiritual warfare.. 3. during times of rapid growth the organization claims this is evidence of gods approval as he "speeds it up in his own time".

LongHairGal

JHINE:

Very good point! I was raised Roman Catholic and certainly was not afraid of the priests. I also didn’t get the sense they lorded it over anybody. In fact, they were friendly or helpful.

When I got involved with the JWs later on, I saw what you observed: that the people there were ‘in fear’ of the elders! What a contrast to my experience with the Church.

There is also something else I can attest to: when I was Catholic and sitting in the pews with the rest of the people, I was just the same as everybody else. I didn’t get the sense I had a ‘bulls eye’ target on me like I did in the JW religion..The JWs thought I was a ‘second class citizen’ there to do favors for Users.. It’s a good thing I had enough regard for my OWN welfare.

30

What made you walk out on the "Truth"?

by Overrated in

jw
friends

i had a legal divorce from my ex wife( law of the land).

i was told not to expect to get remarried because my divorce was not legal to watchtower.. my divorce and situation seem to be a talk of gossip and even a many local needs talks.

i wanted to take some more schooling to get a better job, there was a local needs talk on higher education and it's dangers.

LongHairGal

PHIZZY:

The proverbial ‘straw’ for me was that 1995 article on Generation. I knew it was over and I could No longer continue in the JW religion.

The decision was instantaneous as I heard it. I planned my ‘Fade’. For somebody like myself who was soft shunned because I worked full time and refused to be targeted to do favors, Fading was relatively easy.. I only had a few friends there. I was also damn glad I held onto my job and resisted the criticism of hypocrites and Users.

In the time leading up to my Fade I heard a few excuses and rationalizations for the teaching. But, I was on my way Out. I couldn’t stand the hypocrisy and BS another minute.

I think many JWs privately did some hard thinking after this and either exited in the several years after that OR if they had any sense..made sure they got a career and started saving for their retirement. They woke up out of their stupor...They kept it to themselves but knew in their hearts they had to think differently.

There is a last straw for everybody and this was mine.

49

What Were You or Someone You Knew Counseled For That Was Ridiculous?

by minimus in

jw
friends

back in the day, tons of witnesses were brought in the “back room “ to be counseled by elders because of their dress and grooming.

some elders frowned on mustaches or hair that went past a certain point on a male.

women were regularly harassed because their skirt was too long or too short or had a slit on the side.

LongHairGal

MEAN MR MUSTARD:

Oh, I’m sure in this instance the ‘Karen’ type was a homely woman (although the name Karen makes me think of somebody attractive). I’m not saying I approve or disapprove of waxing, but this is the problem in Witness world where everybody can’t keep their mouth shut and blab their business all over the place!

Very good posts and stories here. I was counseled over clothing (typical if you look good). Also, my language 🙄. I also had other remarks said over the years I was there: don’t get a 2 door car (to which I told the busybody sister..if they are paying my car payments I’ll get any car they want); and that I should quit my full time job and do housecleaning and pioneer. Glad I never did this 😊.

Even though I’m Out, I know of some people who had a problem over remarks somebody made when they were seen on Zoom. I honestly don’t understand how anybody even stays in this religion. It is oppressive to the nth degree.

30

My Update

by James Jack in

i just turned 62 and celebrated my first birthday at a local restaurant.

nothing exotic, just draft beer and a burger.

i've been using my spare time to make my community a better place to visit.

LongHairGal

GREAT TEACHER:

Yes, they thought they would ‘punish’ me by not inviting me to these gatherings. They thought they would ‘isolate’ me. If this was supposed to ‘teach me a lesson’, it failed.🤣. I wasn’t raised a JW and wasn’t quitting my job for anybody.

Getting back to the OP and the thread topic: men were also damaged by this anti-career, anti-planning pressure. As far as shunning me: I remember an incident with an extended family of an elder. I said nothing and carried on as usual. Shunning doesn’t work without an audience. By not ‘noticing’, I deprived them of their audience. It eventually stopped but I was past the point of caring..I was done with Witness games and charades.

As far as any of the so-called ‘spiritual’ giants back in the day who never wanted to work, I’m glad I’m no longer in the religion to hear sob stories..Anybody coming up to me with an envelope a$king for money for these people would get a rude refusal and I have no desire to be unpleasant so it’s just as well I’m Out.

30

My Update

by James Jack in

i just turned 62 and celebrated my first birthday at a local restaurant.

nothing exotic, just draft beer and a burger.

i've been using my spare time to make my community a better place to visit.

LongHairGal

GREAT TEACHER:

Yes, it certainly was ‘pursuing poverty’ but the poverty being pushed by some was certainly not for them..just some other fool.

Interesting that you say you didn’t know any elders that pioneered, but they had families and ‘FULL TIME JOBS’! But yet I was knocked for having a full time job!!! So, I can honestly say this was total hypocrisy that I experienced. They thought young women were going to be targeted to pursue poverty and do favors for affluent old ladies and other assorted Users in the congregation..Meanwhile, ALL the older people I saw were either collecting their pensions or on their way.

I’m GLAD I never listened to any of the foolishness there because it would have ruined my life.

So what if Witnesses didn’t like me back then? So what if I missed out on invitations to dinners and gatherings? Older JWs with cushy lives (now passed away) would tell gullible younger pioneers pursuing poverty how ‘blessed’ they were. This would mean absolutely zero today and I’m glad I missed out on it.

30

My Update

by James Jack in

i just turned 62 and celebrated my first birthday at a local restaurant.

nothing exotic, just draft beer and a burger.

i've been using my spare time to make my community a better place to visit.

LongHairGal

JAMES JACK:

Happy Birthday and I wish you good health to be able to work to support yourself.👍🏻 I’m sure some ex-JWs aren’t meaning to ‘rub it in’ when they say they are successful. Some have done well for themselves and I’m sure their intention isn’t to make certain other people feel badly.

MICKBOBCAT:

I don’t blame you one bit for making sure these people don’t get any of your money. I would feel the same way since I was criticized and shunned back then because I worked full time. I wouldn’t be Retired today if I listened.. The sickest irony is I would be the last person to get help from these hypocrites and envious people. They better GO track down their ‘spiritual’ friends 🙄 for money (you know) the ones who invited them to all those ‘special gatherings’ I was excluded from!

I read two posts on Reddit the other day saying the religion is STILL encouraging people to turn down well-paying jobs! Hopefully with the internet there is enough warning so that young people there today do not repeat what happened to the generation before them who are struggling now as we speak!

36

DISFELLOWSHIPPING, How bad is it really?

by pistolpete in

i found this experience on reddit today.

disfellowshipping never really bothered me.

i always thought it was just another way of getting rid of members that weren't welcome anymore.. but i've changed my mind.

LongHairGal

JHINE:

The bad impression you got from this elder probably saved you from making a mistake.

On the topic of disfellowshipping: if a couple in the JW religion commits ‘immorality’ ..the woman is more likely to be disfellowshipped than the man. Doesn’t matter if she’s ‘repentant’.

As for me: I was never reproved for immorality but was scrutinized like crazy. I was viewed negatively because these people could never get anywhere with me. I wouldn’t quit my full time job and do housecleaning and favors for all the Users in the congregation. This was the ‘role’ they wanted single women to follow. I wasn’t having it..Any single woman who did (if she never got married)..usually ended up impoverished and/or on disability.. This seemed to be a pattern with maybe an exception here and there.

Yes, this is what is held out for women there. (You don’t see this mentioned too much on the forum and I think I am one of few women who comment on this.)

I credit luck and my non-JW upbringing for helping me not to succumb to pressure there and keep my anchor to Reality!