Posts by LongHairGal

42

New meeting format

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

just watched november broadcast very different order to the leaked agm .

be good if someone did a deep dive on the difference and why the changes?

i didn’t time the items but it should be easy to see if edited?.

LongHairGal

FEDUPJW:

You don’t say how long ago this happened about you being ‘tapped for money’. You were chosen for being perceived as a responsible person who had a job.

So, this in fact does happen because I had somebody say to me that it never happened to them. But, I remember it happened to me years ago and I also had a woman panhandler at a memorial. I said ‘No’ to her.

If this was years ago when there was ‘hope’ people could still get back on their feet, I wonder what it’s like now. All these Boomer JWs have reached retirement age.. They aren’t getting back on their feet and would expect handouts the rest of their lives… They have no skills and spent decades in the ministry when I was criticized for being in the workforce.

I wonder what percentage of Witnesses in any congregation did not prepare financially?? I would guess a considerable number. Of course it may vary from some who did a little to some who did nothing.

This is why I’m Glad I got out of the JWs ages ago... I would never tolerate any of them coming up to me looking for money.. I’m sure this is the new ‘normal’ there and I would not put up with it!

46

Nobody else understands

by ElderBerry in

if you once were fully pimi and truly believed jw doctrine to the core like i once did, when you come to the reality that it is not the truth at all it can be extremely devastating.. i think only other ex jws could ever understand.

i wasted my entire life i thought the real life was yet to come to wasted the best years knocking on doors.

now i’m so angry.. i can understand why so many top themselves when they realise it was all lies..

LongHairGal

MAGNUM:

You are totally right that people cannot grasp how all-consuming the Witness religion is.

Even lapsed or POMI people aren’t fully aware of this!!! I have felt frustrated with people I know who might have had exposure to the Witnesses when young - but never got involved. They lived their lives in the so-called ‘world’ with jobs, getting married, etc. having absolutely No idea what JWs who are ‘In’ go through!.. Even somebody I know who only went to the Sunday meeting and didn’t stay for the WT and attended the once a year memorial doesn’t fully comprehend.. This person doesn’t fully ‘get’ why I feel the way I do!

The reason for this is that the above mentioned meetings are for the general public and do NOT reveal what the JW religion is really all about!.. What saved me was that I HAD to work. Thankfully, I held onto that job they all hated me for. When I heard about them dropping the requirement to report hours, I despised them. I got persecuted over this.

We should ALL be glad we are out and savor freedom - taking one day at a time and enjoying the small but important things in life!

29

No Reporting of Time, Tithing is OK, Now WT Teaches a "Rapture" - What's Next?

by Sea Breeze in

those who will be taken to heaven will first need to be “changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet.” therefore, while we do not use the term “rapture” here because of its wrong connotation, the remaining faithful anointed will be gathered together in an instant of time.

- the watchtower—study edition | july 2015. ok so they refuse to use the word "rapture".

kinda like they refuse to use the word church and clergy (except when it suits their purposes in court cases).

LongHairGal

NOT FORMER:

With regard to little ‘Rick’ and the turkey:

When I was a little Catholic school child in the earlier years of grade school, I was worried because Mom served meat one Friday. Anybody who knows about Catholics years ago was that you were supposed to eat fish on Friday.

Anyway, I anxiously told my mother that we should be eating fish! Know what she said? “God understands that you eat what you have.” In all likelihood, my Dad did not want fish so often and it was he who usually told her what to make. My parents were not strict Catholics.

I accepted what she said and never thought about it again. The point being it’s not just Witness kids who can get anxious about displeasing God!

32

Life in a spiritual (UN)-paradise

by Reasonfirst in

jw
friends

a long, long time ago, when i was young, i became a 'special' pioneer.

it meant that i had to spend 150 hours a month, and i received a small allowance.

i was then assigned to a small country congregation, in western nsw (australia).

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

Yes, that’s true. We are in the internet age and you just can’t feel sorry for such naivety and ignorance any longer.

But, if you read some of those Reddit posts, there are individuals still imagining elderly and other needy are going to ‘depend on the organization’. 😳 Last time I checked the religion/organization had No social programs whatsoever to help anybody... Ah, so that would mean anybody sitting in congregations anywhere are going to have brothers coming up to them with an envelope asking for money for people who never worked. Anybody who wants to tolerate being viewed like a walking ATM - well that’s their business.

So Glad I’m not there anymore.

32

Life in a spiritual (UN)-paradise

by Reasonfirst in

jw
friends

a long, long time ago, when i was young, i became a 'special' pioneer.

it meant that i had to spend 150 hours a month, and i received a small allowance.

i was then assigned to a small country congregation, in western nsw (australia).

LongHairGal

BETH SARIM:

I remember those days years ago when young regular pioneers were put on the ‘pedestal’ as you mention. I was compared unfavorably to them. I remember hearing about those special dinners with whoever and those other perks they got.

But, what about Today? These pioneers have reached their senior years.. For those of them who DIDN’T get married and/or somehow manage to save for retirement - what does it matter NOW if they were the congregation darling forty years ago???.. (It wouldn’t mean anything to me.).. I mean, can they track down any of these admirers and ‘spiritual’ friends and ask them for money?? Maybe some of those ‘great ladies’ 🙄 who hosted those dinners are still living?

These RPs might have been in their heyday back then and high on admiration from everybody, but that doesn’t mean anything now if somebody is struggling.

29

No Reporting of Time, Tithing is OK, Now WT Teaches a "Rapture" - What's Next?

by Sea Breeze in

those who will be taken to heaven will first need to be “changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, during the last trumpet.” therefore, while we do not use the term “rapture” here because of its wrong connotation, the remaining faithful anointed will be gathered together in an instant of time.

- the watchtower—study edition | july 2015. ok so they refuse to use the word "rapture".

kinda like they refuse to use the word church and clergy (except when it suits their purposes in court cases).

LongHairGal

SEA BREEZE:

I might have seen a Reddit post that said something along the lines of how all the recent talk about a rapture, etc. and people carrying on without the GB might hint at a disappearing act of some sort(?) It made me wonder…

THOMAS MORE:

Yes, I guess God didn’t think much about that monthly FS report either!.. I remember all the remarks I had to listen to years ago because I wouldn’t quit my job to be in the ministry! Now, poof the requirement is gone (unless God changes His mind again).

I’m just so Glad I never listened to these people.

49

The ''dreaded'' birthday cake

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

the watchtower—study edition | september 2023. study article 39. let mildness be your strength.

11 if a workmate asks, for example, why we do not celebrate birthdays, consider: could he be wondering whether we are allowed to have a good time?

or might he feel that our position will dampen the company’s team spirit?

LongHairGal

HOSER:

You hit the nail on the head.

I always believed the religion’s ban on celebrating holidays is really about separating their members from their non-Witness family and friends.. I always suspected it was about isolating a person! .. I remember when I joined they tried to separate me from my family and friends. I reasoned that an isolated Witness must be easier to ‘control’. 🙄

Then the JW can be shunned when they break any ‘rules’ and they supposedly won’t have anybody to turn to! Nice. Eh?

But, there’s another reason I think. They fear that if a JW experiences unconditional love and acceptance from people who aren’t judging them - they might wake up from the stupor and not want the religion anymore.

45

How Do Jehovah's Witnesses View Education?

by southyukon in

i have a question about this article.. https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/jw-education-school/.

higher education can lead to moral and spiritual dangers.

a bible proverb says: "the shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself.

LongHairGal

SOUTH YUKON:

Quite simply, the religion hates higher education for its followers…But, if somebody comes in who already has education, they will gladly benefit from that persons skill and secular know-how. Now they have letters openly asking!

I had an elder once admit to me that ‘college educated brothers are harder to counsel’. So, there you have it. This bias against college is because some elder, co or whatever was made to feel stupid when getting into a ‘discussion’ with some educated person in the congregations.. They don’t care if the average JW can’t put food on the table, as long as they sit there ignorant and not asking questions.

BETH SARIM:

Yes, needless to say, a large percentage of the vast rank & file are unprepared for retirement having been told ‘Armageddon was coming and there was no need for a career..’ Now, with the new ruling as of November 1st, that hourly time sheets no longer have to be reported, I wonder how many of these unprepared JWs are angry that they spent decades in the ministry knocking on doors - when they should have been holding down a decent job!!!..I think this was a slap in the face for many JWs and wonder how many will still hang around?

13

What are 5 Things You are Grateful for this Thanksgiving 2023 ?

by Sea Breeze in

jw
friends

here in america, we have a tradition to set aside one day to be especially grateful.

that day is today.

the psychological benifits of being grateful is well known and promoted by business experts, healthcare professionals, secularists, believers ... you name it.

LongHairGal

I’m very grateful for everything.

Especially for:….The small but very important pleasures in life that maybe some take for granted, such as family, nature, etc. But, maybe that’s because I’ve reached a certain age.

I can’t not mention that I’m grateful enough (to get down on my knees) that I got out of the JW religion over two decades ago… I’m grateful I had a ‘life’ before the religion that I could go back to and feel like a human being again - enjoying family and Holidays once again. I am grateful I was able to reconnect with the only people in the world who really ever cared about me…I freed myself from the illusion and judgmental strangers who meant nothing.

Last but not least, I’m glad I kept that job until retirement!

18

anniversary of JFK assassination

by desbah in

jw
friends

this is for all the ex-jw's on that dreadful day..... do you remember where you were when jfk was shot in dallas, tx?

LongHairGal

I was in Catholic grade school. (The nuns were so proud we had an Irish Catholic president.)

Anyway, the principal cut in and announced over the loudspeaker: ‘say a prayer because your president has been shot’. A short time later she cut in and said: ‘say a prayer because your president is dead’.