Posts by LongHairGal

20

For Born-Ins - If You Were 18 Again, What 7 Things Would You do Differently?

by Sea Breeze in

jw
friends

here's mine:.

1. go immediately to college and study construction management.

2. set up an ira and start contributing every year.

LongHairGal

NEW BOY:

I couldn’t help but comment on your post.

It is very wise what you say about this being a game of ‘what if’. We have all played this game, even people who were never in the Witness religion.

While it is true that the JW religion has stifled many born-ins, it’s good to have a proper perspective of things. None of us can know what our lives would have really been like if we took a different road. You yourself made the point that if you had ended up being sent to Vietnam, there would have been a good chance you wouldn’t be here now writing your post.

Some years back on the forum somebody made a comment that some JWs act like they would have been very successful if they were never in the religion, but in reality they might have a hard time at a minimum wage job. (Those weren’t the exact words but you get the gist.) ..Another person once commented that somebody could have had a tragic end if they led another life. Who can know?

So, we can all speculate or romanticize and feel regret about the choices we made. But the fact is, none of us can know what would have happened if we took that different road. We are here now and can only look forward with a positive attitude!

38

Which of you readers are being shunned by their relatives / friends ?

by stan livedeath in

a simple " me" if you dont want to say more--or a short explanation about who is shunning you and how long has this been going on.. i'll set the ball rolling: my daughter--her husband and children; my younger son --no contact from them for 40 years...because i left their religion.. (edit--i just noticed the typo in the header--if should be of ).

LongHairGal

FOOLEDNOMORE:

You said it right. It’s a schoolyard mentality. And you don’t have to be disfellowshipped to be shunned. Just be slightly unpopular for whatever reason Or gossiped about by the ‘right’ people and you get the treatment you got.

I wonder if any of your shunners were among those pestering your family for money? They got colossal nerve if they were! As a side point, Witnesses who shun their children have No business looking them up for a$$istance when they are old. Likewise, anybody who shunned responsible working people.

Aren’t you glad you’re out? I’m so glad I’ll never have to deal with these people and their games again.

38

Which of you readers are being shunned by their relatives / friends ?

by stan livedeath in

a simple " me" if you dont want to say more--or a short explanation about who is shunning you and how long has this been going on.. i'll set the ball rolling: my daughter--her husband and children; my younger son --no contact from them for 40 years...because i left their religion.. (edit--i just noticed the typo in the header--if should be of ).

LongHairGal

PHIZZY:

Thanks!😉

I just want to say that I do realize that this does not apply to those suffering from family shunning or kids being thrown out of the home, etc. My heart goes out to them! I wish there would be laws against this.

But, in my case, I didn’t recognize the staring woman at first.. I might have smiled anyway. Much of what JWs do is all about show and optics and how it would look to the other fools they seek approval from in the hall. But outside, if there’s no audience to appreciate their ‘act’, whether other JWs or the intended victim, what’s the point? What is left for the frustrated JW to do? ..Are they going to go up to the shunned person in the store who has no idea who they are and introduce themselves? 🤣

What lengths will they go to in order to attempt to feel relevant and try desperately to ‘get at’ or hurt the feelings of someone who has moved on and doesn’t care? It’s absurd.

38

Which of you readers are being shunned by their relatives / friends ?

by stan livedeath in

a simple " me" if you dont want to say more--or a short explanation about who is shunning you and how long has this been going on.. i'll set the ball rolling: my daughter--her husband and children; my younger son --no contact from them for 40 years...because i left their religion.. (edit--i just noticed the typo in the header--if should be of ).

LongHairGal

It’s sad to read stories here about ex-Witnesses who are shunned by family members. This is the biggest tragedy of all.

In my case, I was only shunned by people who weren’t my flesh and blood so I couldn’t care less.. I remember one experience some years back when I was still working. A woman was staring at me in a deli. I politely smiled at her not realizing at first that she was someone from a neighboring hall. While it’s possible she didn’t know at first why my face was familiar, I tend to think she DID know. Most people would say: “don’t I know you from somewhere?” This is why I suspect her silence was JW induced.

It’s really all so absurd when I think about it. Here, time has marched on. In addition to being retired now, I have new interests and new friends.. All these shunners have to realize that time marches on for them too and that person they don’t want to say hello to in the store might not even recognize them!🤣. Remember, the shunning routine doesn’t work without an audience to appreciate it.

All their self-righteous Witness posturing was a waste.

38

Which of you readers are being shunned by their relatives / friends ?

by stan livedeath in

a simple " me" if you dont want to say more--or a short explanation about who is shunning you and how long has this been going on.. i'll set the ball rolling: my daughter--her husband and children; my younger son --no contact from them for 40 years...because i left their religion.. (edit--i just noticed the typo in the header--if should be of ).

LongHairGal

I am pretty much a 22 year ‘Fader’.

I never had family in the JW religion and very few friends or even people I liked. I was soft-shunned while I was active in the religion because I had a full-time job. Maybe some elderly were friendly towards me. Over the years when I was in stores I may have encountered JWs here and there.

The responses I got varied from people saying hello to uncomfortable smiles or pretending not to see me. I was used to this sort of thing. In fact, I accept that these people didn’t like me because I didn’t ‘fit in’ because I worked and didn’t ‘pioneer’ or do favors for Users. What I would NOT accept, however, is any of them coming near me Now asking for money! ..There’s a price to be paid for having policies like they have.

18

My prediction coming true

by Foolednomore in

jw
friends

while back, not here on this net i don't remember.

i predicted that watchtower would allow you to buy your way into the kingdumb.

does anyone find this interesting?.

LongHairGal

FOOLEDNOMORE:

This sounds very similar to the Church’s past practice of people buying indulgences. I was raised Catholic, by the way.

But, I’m not surprised.. I always felt (even during the time I was active in the JWs) that their constant criticism/ridicule of the Catholic Church was just plain old envy.. I remember it was a total turnoff to a visiting lady when this was done from the platform.. She felt that ‘knocking other religions’ was in poor taste.

It’s entirely possible the future JW religion might resemble a little bit of what you said combined with televangelism.

18

No funeral

by road to nowhere in

jw
friends

i have run across another jw death where the final wishes are for no service.

3rd or 4th instance.

another wanted a celebration of life which the elders squelched as far as i know.

LongHairGal

FEDUPJW:

I don’t blame your parents for not wanting any kind of ‘memorial’ service by the JW religion - whatever it may consist of.

If they were ignored in the congregation and not treated well in life why be any part of the hypocrisy? The religion is all about pretense.

18

No funeral

by road to nowhere in

jw
friends

i have run across another jw death where the final wishes are for no service.

3rd or 4th instance.

another wanted a celebration of life which the elders squelched as far as i know.

LongHairGal

FOOLEDNOMORE:

Sorry to hear your father’s funeral was just an infomercial about the religion.

That seems to be the norm that they spend about five minutes talking about the deceased - and the remainder of the time is all about attracting people to the JW religion. I have to laugh about what you said about them saying if somebody used to be in the org. they should ‘hurry up’ and get back.🤣 For what? So they can be asked for money? ..I’d have to have my head examined.. Although it probably happens once in a while - probably because the person is lonely or longs for the good old days when they had some friendships going there. But, I’m sure they would be disillusioned very soon.

8

A Great Life After Leaving

by Lost in the fog in

https://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/shunned-jehovahs-witnesses-life-now-7613921.

LongHairGal

It was wonderful to get my mind back (I wasn’t raised a JW). It was also great not to be around judgmentalism because I had a full-time job and didn’t ‘pioneer’.

Initially, it was great not having to get up early on weekends to go to the meeting/service. Sleep was so precious since I worked full-time. Also, it was a relief on weeknights not to have to rush to meetings after a long day at work. It was also great to reconnect with relatives.

In later years, in reading about all the changes in the Witness religion, I am relieved that I am many years Out.. All my predictions came true about Witnesses who preferred to be out in full-time ministry instead of at a decent job and planning for retirement.. I always said I didn’t want to be anywhere near them when reality hit.. I have No intention now of being targeted to give money to broke people who wouldn’t be caught dead in a full-time job or any JW for that matter.

15

Next time a jw says "the end is sooo close now"

by nowwhat? in

say this.

with what's going on the world does it look like they are going to proclaim peace and security anytime soon?!

or was the organization wrong again about the end times?.

LongHairGal

DESIROUS OF CHANGE:

That’s quite a gamble this JW took. Unfortunately, this type of story is not unique in the Witness religion. The congregations have their share of people with similar stories plus those who never even had a ‘lucrative job’ like this person did in the first place because it was actively discouraged.

Also, keeping the 1975 fiasco a deep dark secret has only contributed to clueless JWs in recent years making similar foolish mistakes that people did prior to that year.

There are far TOO many needy people in the JW religion today because of its policies against careers and retirement planning! ..Glad I never listened.

If I were still there I guarantee I’d be targeted by those thinking they are going to cannibalize anybody who looks remotely responsible. Like a rat they would come up to you privately with their envelope! If anybody wants to tolerate this, that’s their business. But, I certainly would Not👎.. Just as well I’m Out many years.