Posts by Nellie

41

Halloween - Are you celebrating?

by Nellie in

jw
friends

.

of all the holidays that witnesses shun, this was the one i could understand most.

but after leaving the organization, how do you feel about it now?

Nellie

Of all the holidays that witnesses shun, this was the one I could understand most. But after leaving the organization, how do you feel about it now?

37

Inactive ones - new light.

by unique1 in

i didn't go to the district convention this year.

my mom however did and she sends out a daily text email every day.

she asked all members of the email group to share their favorite part of the convention.

Nellie

Undercover - We have very similar experiences - right down to the not being invited to the wedding bit.

Interestingly though, I ran into this former "good" friend two weeks ago, she was just as friendly as always (I mean this seriously), and I told her that I had called her a few months back and she didn't return the calls. (She never did return calls - always her m/o.) Anyway, I told her that I got the message she no longer wanted to talk to me. Imagine my surprise when she said, "Well, you know what's going on in my life, right?" Apparently her 15 year old son did "something" worthy of dfing (but got reproved because he was repentant), her hubby chose to step down as elder (although he didn't have to) and she wasn't returning anyone's calls back then - she was too distraught.

If it wasn't so sad, i'd have laughed! As a mother I sympathize with the whole disobedient kid thing, but as a an inactive, I wanted to say "na, na, na, na, na, you always thought your kids were better than mine!"

87

What is your quirkiest quirk?

by damselfly in

jw
friends

i, damselfly, can not knowingly eat the little squiggly, umbilical cord things in eggs.

i have to very carefully separate the whites from the yolk and remove the squiggly bits with a knife.

i get gaggy just thinking about them.

Nellie

I make my husband kiss me in three's. (Once or twice is not enough!)

87

What is your quirkiest quirk?

by damselfly in

jw
friends

i, damselfly, can not knowingly eat the little squiggly, umbilical cord things in eggs.

i have to very carefully separate the whites from the yolk and remove the squiggly bits with a knife.

i get gaggy just thinking about them.

Nellie

Minimus - I bet you "wave" too ....

34

Intellectual starvation among JWs

by zagor in

wanted to write another topic entirely, but after quite some thinking i thought that one particular topic should be addressed.

especially, for people still feeling confused.

we often wonder why so many dubs looks like zombies, why it is hard to make them see the real truth about the truth, why cant they discuss any topic in depth without resorting to reasoning book or other wtbs literature, why it is that they are so easily manipulated, why it is that they are filled with apostate state of mind fears (fearing to question anything), why, why, why?

Nellie

Terry - Very well said!

49

Ok we've left the Org - Now what?

by Nellie in

i am no longer a witness.

i've told all my worldly friends and my immediate family - my kids have told their friends.

i haven't been to a meeting in over a year (and have no desire to go to one) - but i'm not dad or dfd.

Nellie

JamesT -

Thank you. I think I have self-trust - that's what allowed me to use the filing cabinet. But this is self-trust at another level - after being instructed on the proper way to worship for a lifetime, it's a little scary to accept the responsibility for yourself. While I feel up to the challenge, it's nice having the JWD family to share the journey with!

35

what do ex jws become

by jwfacts in

.

what do most ex jws become, christian, athiest/agnostic or some other religion?

and since we all need to be labelled, what do i call myself now?

Nellie

Those whose intellect compelled them out are generally very cautious about being fooled again and develope an affinity for the self correcting scientific approach to life.

That's me .... "very cautious about being fooled again"

I've posed this same question to the board - I still don't have an answer - I'm leaning towards the "why do I feel it so necessary to have a label" position. But I realizing it's hard to let go of the need ....

22

Memories of your JW Youth

by Nosferatu in

after reading the responses to amazing1914's recent post, i decided this would be a great thread to start.

please share some of your memories!.

when my mother first became a jw, i was very sporatic with meeting attendance.

Nellie

I guess I was a rule follower. Since my mother wasn't a witness, I wasn't pressured into service and meeting attendance - I went when I wanted to. I wasn't really into service - but I went to all the meetings.

As for birthdays, halloween, etc. - I knew they were wrong, so I didn't participate. I was always afraid of displeasing God by joining in - so even though I could have, I didn't.

I had friends in the congregation and we hung out and had fun. I started dating my husband when I was 14 - he was 18. My mother (remember, not a witness) fell in love with him immediately and trusted us not to do anything wrong since we were witnesses! And of course, we were perfectly obedient. For two years. Then it became interesting .... (that's for another thread!)

Anyway, I guess the difference is whether you are choosing your way of life or if you are being forced into it! I have no one to blame for the years I spend following the GB's direction, but me. Now, I choose not to!

24

not dfd but no-one speaks to me

by dedpoet in

jw
friends

i am ex pioneer, ex ministerial serpent not been near a kh in 6 years, smoke, drink had a live in gf until recently, but not dfd, so much for keeping the cong clean!

still, none of my "brothers" with a couple of exceptions, speaks to me now, their way of trying to win me back perhaps?

not that it'd work - i am happy now after 10 years of bs from people who ought to know better but don't

Nellie

none of my "brothers" with a couple of exceptions, speaks to me now

..... and your complaint is?

No, seriously - are they treating you like you're disfellowshipped - meaning they look you in your face and don't speak, or are they not calling you on the phone and hanging out like they used to?

If it's the first, you have a right to be angry - and I'd say "hey, hi - cat got your tongue?" everytime I saw one of them. If it's the second, then what really do you want to hang out with them and talk about? Consider it a blessing - you're free!

31

at a pioneer's birthday party... YEAH THAT'S RIGHT!

by in a new york bethel minute in

a few days ago i had the privilege of being invited to a regular pioneer's birthday party.

i met her a couple of weeks ago, and even though she knows i am inactive and have serious doubts, we hit it off on a social level.

so that's why i was invited... .

Nellie

I started studying with the witnesses when I was 8 - my parents were divorced and neither was a witness. I lived with my mother who stopped celebrating anything because I was studying and then baptized (at 13). My dad continued celebrating with his new family, but never pressured me to join them.

When I was 14, I went over my bestfriend's house (who's family was witnesses - Dad a MS) and saw on the kitchen table a birthday card. I was shocked! Actually, I was scandalized! They tried to blow it off like it wasn't really anything, but I can still remember how I was blown away by it. Her mother told me they weren't "celebrating" the kids birthdays, but they were just acknowledging it! I remember thinking - Huh???

But the biggest shock was a story my husband told me about. At a district convention about 10 years ago, he was behind the stage when an elder in our congregation gave another elder in our congregation (who was the convention overseer) a birthday card! They laughed and showed it around and continued on with the program like it happenned all the time! I remember thinking THESE are the ones setting the example for the flock! Yikes!