My mom professed to be one of the anointed. I think this was about 15 years ago when she was in her early 50's. According to papers I found when she died, she was hounded and harassed and almost disfellowhshipped by a number of congregations because of this. She wrote many letters to the society begging and pleading for help in a very eloquent way.
These letters horrified me because I realized how sincere she was in her beliefs and how scared she was by her situation. She had some women friends who also professed to be of 144,000 and the elders accused them of apostacy! These women were definintely some of the "lowly ones" in the congregation. Were they subconsciously attempting to create some power for themselves and get out from under their submission? Just a theory.
My mother never heard from the society as far as I can tell. She did eventually find a cong. that would allow her to partake without harrassment. I don't think they treated her special, just another lowly sister.
Eva
Posts by evita
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31One of the 144,000
by out of the box ini wanted to share this story.. we were (many years ago) going out in service.
i was in the car with annointed one driving, his wife and the person who had 'brought me into the faith' and my daughter.
we went through an intersection where this old man (annointed one) was not paying attention.
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evita
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25
What do you think the main guilt trips are in the jws?
by misguided ingreendawn asked this question at: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/94462/1604122/post.ashx#1604122 (hope i did that right).
i think this question deserved a thread of its own.. rose.
i hope that's ok, greendawn.
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evita
When I left many called me to tell me I was "breaking my mother's heart". This broke my heart as it was never my intention to hurt anyone, especially my mom. I felt guilty for years. It took me many years to understand that is how they control people.
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56
Would you go to a funeral at the Kingdom Hall?
by Dustin inso my brother and i have been having talks about what will happen when our dad passes away eventually.
most of his brothers and sisters have died in their 50's or early 60's.
i flat out refuse to attend any part of the service that would be done at the kingdom hall.
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evita
My mom died last December and I did attend the KH. Many of her dub friends had helped care for her while she was dying. I went out of respect for her and those who loved her. I sat right up front with my siblings. We are all faded from the borg.
The talk was boring as usual. The only nice thing was the remembrance card we had printed up and handed out to those in attendance. It had some witnessy stuff in it but also some things that were meaningful to us. Amazed that they let us do this. They would not let us bring our own guest book. I suppose they were afraid it would have a cross on it or something.
Most of the people were nice and offered condolences. Some tried to witness to us. We were so grief stricken that we could have cared less about what others did or said. I had taken some Atavan and that really helped me get through it.
I'm glad I went. I have been justifiably angry and bitter for over 20 years. Now it's time for me to let go of some of that. I hope I can.
My mom was my last connection to the dubs. I miss my mom so much but I don't miss any of the joy-less witness religion. It really sucks the life right out of you. -
74
who escapes more often, those born into it or adult converts?
by kid-A inwhat strikes me on this board is the number of adult converts that have left the borg, either fading out or getting df'd.
from my experience (i was born into it, 2nd generation, left before getting baptized) most of the faders or escapees were also like.
me, born into it, never really accepted it and just bowed out at the first opportunity.
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evita
outoftheorg
Thank you for sharing your story. It was very moving and really shows how difficult things can be for those raised in the org. I am grateful that I had some years in the world even though they were very strange years. I hope your life is better now.
Eva -
74
who escapes more often, those born into it or adult converts?
by kid-A inwhat strikes me on this board is the number of adult converts that have left the borg, either fading out or getting df'd.
from my experience (i was born into it, 2nd generation, left before getting baptized) most of the faders or escapees were also like.
me, born into it, never really accepted it and just bowed out at the first opportunity.
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evita
My mom started studying when I was 14.
Before that, my parents were hippies and into drugs, free love, etc... My childhood was pretty wild. We lived in the Haight-Ashbury during the "Summer of Love".
My parents divorced when I was 9 and my mom became very isolated and paranoid. She was unhappy and "searching" for something to help her cope. A neighbor befriended her and told her about the "truth". She became a devoted dub right away and forced me and my siblings to study.
I resisted for a year, but I had no place else to go. I was baptized at 15 after being sucked in by the love bombing. Then I grew up. I had always had doubts and I hated field service. I just didn't believe it enough to convince others. I wanted to go to college and I definitely could not see myself being in wifely submission to some icky dub boy. (no offense to all you former icky dub boys)
After graduating from High School I got a job and was exposed to "worldlings". I worked and saved in order to move out. I think I was 22 when I finally moved to a different town and faded. My mother was devastated.
Eva -
63
What do you miss most about being in the truth ?
by prophecor inevery once in a while, i'll drive thru the blocks of our old territory, remebering the friends, how we would share time in the ministry.
reminiscing about those i left.
every so often, i'll pull out the old photographs.
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evita
I miss:
My funny elder friend who couldn't resist telling me congregation "secrets"
Skipping out on meetings with my best girlfriend. Going down to SF or Disneyland or maybe sneaking down to Tijuana. Oh, the naughty freedom!
Scoping out all the guys at the DC.
Singing the final song at the DC. It sure felt like we had the "truth".
Feeling superior to wordly people because I knew the "truth".
Being so naive, and young, and THIN.
That's about it!
Eva -
113
Kristi died about 30 mins. ago
by Frannie Banannie infor those of yall that didn't know, kristi was a 37-yr-old ms patient that i took care of for the last year of her life.
she had a wonderful ribald sense of humor and talked like a sailor at times.
but it was all to cover up the ultra-sweet and tender heart she had.
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evita
So sorry to hear about the loss of your special friend. Grieving is hard and sad. Take care of yourself in the months ahead.
Hugs, Eva -
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Paying for the pioneer
by Thegoodgirl inhi guys, let me get your opinion on this:.
my mom's a pioneer, so she scrapes by on little money, refuses to work overtime, and tries to even survive on part time entry level work.
she can survive, but when it comes to getting appliances fixed, going on vacation, buying new clothes, she has to rely on others gifts and donations to her.. i want her to come visit me, and i need to pay for her ticket.
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evita
I faced a similar problem some years back when my mom needed a new car. My sister and I each contributed quite a few thousand dollars for a used 4-door Honda. I was sort of grouchy about the fact that my mom was pioneering and would just use the car to haul dubs around in the FS. But my wise sister reminded me that a gift is just that - a gift. It really need have no judgements attached to it. That freed me up to give freely and let the rest go instead of being eaten up inside.
After my mom died, I was grateful for the few times I was able to be generous to her without feelings of anger and resentment. Most of the time, I was understandably sad, angry, and bitter. Lot of good it did me.
Eva -
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Education - How encouraging low self esteem creates better witnesses.
by BigG infunny title you might think but consider this point and apologies if i am covering old ground here...its not intentional.. i was raised by my mother who was and is a devout jw and as such until i was 20 (10 years ago) i was the same...trying my best to fit into the social environment i clearly was not made for but benefiting from good wholesome association with fellow brothers and sisters (note the sarcastic tone...make what you will of it).. althought at the time i didnt realise it but i was what others consider intelligent and quite academically able; i had a mind like a sponge and would spend hours in the jw library at the kh (which surprisingly enough contained non jw literature)...it was this that i read and would digest endlessly where i could.. one of those books (why it was there i dont know), was what i later undertood to be criminal law reports concerning cases that had gone before the courts.
my childish thirst for knowledge was intrigued...(i was then about 12).
the legal arguments i hadnt a clue what they meant but the facts surrounding these crimes were good reading.. i then knew i wanted to be a lawyer and that was what i said when an elder asked me what i wanted to do when i grew up; i mentioned trusting this man that i had read a book in the kh library and found it interesting...and that i wanted to be lawyer...i remember him smiling and saying that it was better to pioneer rather than seek a highly paid job...personally i didnt know what he meant properly but i felt a bit sad...and demotivated...i later in the week went back into the library and found the book had gone...!!.
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evita
This really strikes a nerve. I had two teachers in High School who actually cried when I told them my mother would not let me attend college. They were trying to help me get scholarships and couldn't believe that my mom wouldn't sign the necessary papers.
So I worked in low paying jobs, saved my money, and eventually moved out. I started college at the age of 24 and got my B.A. in English Lit. almost six years later. It was hard work to support myself all the way through but I did get some grants which helped a bit.
Wish I had gone on to get my MA while I was in the groove but I had three great kids instead, so I can't complain.
I am glad I finished college. I regret not going earlier. Even more so, I regret that the dubs don't encourage people to use their gifts and abilities and to follow their passions. Even attending college, I didn't know what that meant or how to do so. In my senior year I finally found a couple of mentors and started to understand some of my potential.
So I say, go to college! But also explore all of your possibilities and find good mentors.
Eva -
34
Inheritance and Ex JW children
by greendawn inwe all know how disfellowshipped or disassociated children get treated by their jw parents, that they are totally shunned.
but what happens when it comes to family inheritance do they get treated fairly or do they get a lesser share or in extreme cases perhaps nothing at all?
and would jw parents that have no children left in the wts choose to give everything to the org?
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evita
My mother died last year. She had been living with a young JW woman and helping her for many years. This girl was like a daughter to her. When she died, she left her mobile home and most of her possessions to this young dub. This girl is now 24, she has living parents but her family situation was not ideal.
This situation was quite complicated as my mom had 3 children but we are all long faded from the borg. This caused her extreme distress throughout the years and included some years of shunning.
She did leave the family photos to us and we are grateful for this. But, my brother could really have used that mobile home. He left the witnesses later than my sister and myself. He has learning disabilities, physical and social difficulties that have made it hard for him to earn a living. In addition, we all live in N. California where the cost of living is extremely high.
It's true our parents don't really owe us anything. It's also true that my mom and this young dub were extremely devoted to each other. But as you all know, that is only the surface of the story when you are talking about the JW's.
I am trying to accept the decisions that my mother made during her life, and while she was dying. So that I can find some peace and move on. But it is so painful still, that she chose a religious organization over her three children and five grandchildren. I know she thought she was choosing Jehovah.
Eva