Posts by LongHairGal

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.

24

Becoming a JW

by Mum in

jw
friends

i rarely post here, but i often check in.

i used to post on h2o as well.

i think i once posted some of this on h2o, but there are many new ones who have joined since then.. i first encountered jw's at the age of 9. it wasn't in the door-to-door work, however.

LongHairGal

MUM:

So glad to hear that you did end up getting a job with a decent Retirement plan even if it was a little later in the game - but, fortunately, not too late.👍🏻 In fact, you were lucky, I think.

And, yes, all’s well that ends well!

26

More money and meeting with 3 elders

by Foolednomore in

jw
friends

so, we had this meeting with 3 elders ( larry, moe and curly) my uncle who is the lawyer sat in the room and stayed quiet, and fact for 40 minutes we let them talk.

we would just sit there.

they went into along winded monolog about how the world is in bad shape and getting worst.

LongHairGal

FOOLEDNOMORE:

The poster MUM above seems to think the meeting discussed here with your uncle and the elders was a ‘committee meeting’.. Was it?

I got the impression that it was a ‘friendly’ meeting that you arranged that may have been over somebody’s house. I didn’t think it was at the hall. You didn’t give any details. Please clarify a little.

24

Becoming a JW

by Mum in

jw
friends

i rarely post here, but i often check in.

i used to post on h2o as well.

i think i once posted some of this on h2o, but there are many new ones who have joined since then.. i first encountered jw's at the age of 9. it wasn't in the door-to-door work, however.

LongHairGal

MUM:

I’m glad you escaped from the JW religion at an early age!

Instead of 32, it could have been double that at age 64. Just think about how many Witnesses reached that advanced age with no preparation for retirement!.. They were discouraged or intimidated into not preparing. They were afraid to face shunning and not being invited to gatherings. I experienced this, but I stuck to my guns.. You got out at an early enough age to get an education, a decent job and preparation for retirement. You also had the chance to get some happiness out of life instead of the JW gloom and doom outlook.

Good for you!