Posts by Cath

5

Gasp! My dad stepped inside church

by Cath in

jw
friends

i went to my non jw nephews wedding very recently which was held in a church and imagine my surprise when i saw my jw dad standing in a side aisle waving to me.

i had to pinch myself.

needless to say he didn't remain indoors for the ceremony but i didn't think even walking into a church was allowed.

Cath

Hi Dakota,

Thanks for the info as I dont have access to any.

That is so sad that you missed out on walking your daughter down the aisle. I don't know, but I would think that would be a fathers biggest delight after their daughters birth. Hugs to you.

When I was still 'in' I seem to remember that it was a big no no to enter a church, but that may have just been the cong I was in. So much is changing and has changed since I was ousted and eventually found my way to this board some 29 years later that it all is so hard to keep up with. Since I don't really have the opportunity to talk with the family much and when I do I avoid talking religion at all possible costs I don't know what is what now. It IS nice to see SOME softening on some of the issues but I still don't trust the WBTS. Wouldn't trust 'em as far as I could kick 'em!

onacruse,

I feel terrible now because of my attitude. Yes there is always hope that people will get thier wings and I do hope with all my heart that the rest of my family will grow thiers. I just thank the "all that is" that I was born with mine... although it took me a little while to stretch them...and that I was able to keep my darling daughters clear of the murk that is the WTBTS.

Carmel,

It seems like a century ago since I was in so how long is your century?

5

Gasp! My dad stepped inside church

by Cath in

jw
friends

i went to my non jw nephews wedding very recently which was held in a church and imagine my surprise when i saw my jw dad standing in a side aisle waving to me.

i had to pinch myself.

needless to say he didn't remain indoors for the ceremony but i didn't think even walking into a church was allowed.

Cath

I went to my non JW nephews wedding very recently which was held in a church and imagine my surprise when I saw my JW dad standing in a side aisle waving to me. I had to pinch myself. Needless to say he didn't remain indoors for the ceremony but I didn't think even walking into a church was allowed. Has that all changed since I was outed nearly thirty years ago?

My JW brother stood like a dill keeping vigil outside the door and you could almost see the terror on his face. I had a really quiet chuckle to myself.

Actually I felt like a dill myself when I was the only one that cried at that wedding but he was my dearly departed twin sisters son so I felt a lot for him not having his mum there.

I just had a thought. If it isn't allowed for a JW to go into a church then maybe,just maybe, there is a ray of hope that my dad is waking up. HAH! Pigs might fly also. Oh well, one can only hope.

Cath

20

Am I the only one here from Perth WA?

by Cath in

i am just getting the courage to post again after being offline for some time.

since i last posted there has been a lot of activity with newbies joining at quite an astounding pace so i find it amazing that there seems to be no newbies from western australia.

perth is said to be the most isolated capital city in the world and it sure feels like it at the moment.

Cath

Hi Prisca,

It's nice to meet you and thanks for the info on the Canberra bash. Now all I have to do is find a sugar daddy who will pay for the trip LOL!

Hey RF aka Ned,

Nice to be in touch once more and thanks for the perpetual invite. Know of any good lookin' 45+ sugar daddies?

Seriously I do feel very isolated over here and the cost of the trip far exceeds what I can afford on my little Centrelink payment but thank you anyway guys. I WILL work on trying to get there somehow tho so will let you know if it becomes a likely possibility. Again crossing fingers etc.

Thanks again

Cath

ps: I will work out one day how to get all the darn emoticons to work, not just this smiley face

20

Am I the only one here from Perth WA?

by Cath in

i am just getting the courage to post again after being offline for some time.

since i last posted there has been a lot of activity with newbies joining at quite an astounding pace so i find it amazing that there seems to be no newbies from western australia.

perth is said to be the most isolated capital city in the world and it sure feels like it at the moment.

Cath

Hi all,

I am just getting the courage to post again after being offline for some time. Since I last posted there has been a lot of activity with newbies joining at quite an astounding pace so I find it amazing that there seems to be no newbies from Western Australia. Perth is said to be the most isolated capital city in the world and it sure feels like it at the moment. Surely there is SOMEONE out there who wants to have our own little apostafest. They sound so much fun and if I had the funds I would travel to the east coast just to attend one if invited.

Slaps self and admonishes self not to feel sorry for self.

I have put my name down for the meet-up anyway and am keeping fingers, toes, arms and definitely legs crossed.

Cath of the falling flat on face class

20

The Merry Widows/Widowers of Dubdum

by Room 215 in

jw
friends

hi all,.

maybe this is a local phenomenon, but does it aver occur to you that jws whose mate dies often remarry in what society in general regards as an ``unseemly'' short time after the death of their spouses?

i guess the most prominent example of this is audrey knorr, who tied the knot a second time not long after ``pappy'' knorr was interred in 1977.. just wondering.

Cath

My father remarried only nine months after my poor mother passed away.
I was so pissed at him for wiping her out so quickly. No proper grieving was done as far as I know.
I remember going to visit mum in hospital just before she went and I heard my dad say "I know she (mum) will be resurrected so why do I feel so sad?" Duuur!
I had to remind him of how many years they had spent together and how close (I think) they were. How could a person spend almost 40 years with a partner and not be sad to lose them?
I also remember that my mum went to her death petrified that she hadn't done enough for Jehovah. Poor woman!
Naturally, still being shunned, I did not go to his second wedding.
Nor his first come to think of it! LOL
Seriously I wouldn't have gone even if asked. To his second one that is. LMAO
BTW the only time I get any phone calls from my family is when my brother calls to tell me a family member has passed away, thank you very much. Can anyone relate to that?

Cath

17

Aussie BBQ - Feb 17

by Prisca in

jw
friends

hi to all our aussie friends,.

it's that time again - another aussie apostate bbq bash is almost upon us!.

anyone who wishes to meet up and cook up a steak, drink some of ozziepost's fine red wine, or just to have a chin-wag, is welcome.. anonymity is highly important for those who may be currently still in the org, or those who are inactive but not da'd nor df'd.

Cath

How I wish I had an air fare to join you over there. We in the west are a tad disadvantaged by the miles that seperate our good city from yours. In fact I have been told that Perth is the most isolated city in the world. Bummer!!!!
Have fun and have a few for me too.

Cheers
Cath

8

Post-Cult Trauma Syndrome

by FreePeace in

jw
friends

here is some interesting info from a website at http://www.refocus.org/postcult.html that may help those just leaving the wts to understand the feelings they are experiencing (and the rest of us too).

it is not about jw's per se, but it still applies.. --------------------------.

post-cult trauma syndrome*.

Cath

Freepeace,
Thanks for the link.
I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a while back and that was because of abuse I survived but I now also can see many of the symptoms of Post-Cult Trauma Syndrome coming out.
It has been 29 years since I was df'd but until recently I still thought the JW's had the truth and that I was undeserving of eternal life or anything else for that matter.
It was only after visiting the umpteenth therapist in October last year that I was given the details of web sites to go to for ex JW's and that was when things really started to fall apart for me, including my marriage which is definitely over now.
It feels like I have just freshly come out and I don't know who I am and don't belong anywhere that I can see. As recently as last week I was very tempted to just opt out of life altogether because of depression. When I'm up I'm up but when I am down I find it hard to come back as I am sure others can relate to.
Well I am still surviving and it is due to the fact that there are many wonderful people willing to give their stories and perspectives on sites such as these and I thank you all.
Please keep 'em coming.

Cath

6

Mindfield - What is god - Jan 13

by Cath in

i was just going back through some of the older recent material to see what i may have missed and i came across this question - what is god?.

better late than never i suppose.. i no longer believe in god as a seperate entity but believe in a life force that is within each of us and everything else on this planet and also the planet itself.. that got me to thinking about the origin of life also as he is said to have created us but as i dont believe in him where did we come from.. in my search i came across this site - http://www.spiritweb.org - which has a section on channellings.

the channellers name is john payne and if you scroll thru his stuff to his seminar called manifesting with joy (you'll need real player) and have a listen to the thing, then to the question time at the end it is quite interesting and thought provoking.

Cath

I was just going back through some of the older recent material to see what I may have missed and I came across this question - What is god?
Better late than never I suppose.
I no longer believe in god as a seperate entity but believe in a life force that is within each of us and everything else on this planet and also the planet itself.
That got me to thinking about the origin of life also as He is said to have created us but as I dont believe in Him where DID we come from.
In my search I came across this site - http://www.spiritweb.org - which has a section on Channellings. The channellers name is John Payne and if you scroll thru his stuff to his seminar called Manifesting with Joy (you'll need Real Player) and have a listen to the thing, then to the question time at the end it is quite interesting and thought provoking. It talks about the origins of life.

If you are sceptical or dismissive from the start let it pass and have a listen. If nothing else you will get a laugh but if you are serious then hang out and you may find the closest you will get to an answer.
The seminar may even help you get what you want in every-day life.
I hope this helps some-one even if it is only to help them have a laugh.

BTW does anyone remember a thread that refuted the existence of Jesus as we have come to know him and drew parallels between him and Buddah, Isis and a few of the other gods.
The post was only in the last 2-3 months but I can't remember the name of it and I desperately want to send it to my still active JW family along with a few other facts. I have looked thru and can't locate it.
Please if anyone knows I would really appreciate a reply.

Thanks in advance
Cath

5

Support group

by Cath in

jw
friends

i would like to form a support group for those ex jw's that live in perth western australia.

we all of us have a story to tell about what life was like on the "inside" for us and for some it was harder to get out than others.. i dont necessarily want everyone to tell their story as some find it very hard, but for myself, going it alone without just knowing someone who had been there was the hardest.

i dont want a very formal atmosphere, but it would be nice to be able to get together with like minded others for coffee and a chat.

Cath

I would like to form a support group for those ex JW's that live in Perth Western Australia.
We all of us have a story to tell about what life was like on the "inside" for us and for some it was harder to get out than others.
I dont necessarily want everyone to tell their story as some find it very hard, but for myself, going it alone without just knowing someone who had been there was the hardest.
I dont want a very formal atmosphere, but it would be nice to be able to get together with like minded others for coffee and a chat.
If you are interested and from Perth WA please dont hesitate to contact me. You dont have to go it alone.
Cath

41

Jesus never existed!!

by jw_uncovered in

jw
friends

buddha of india .

he performed miracles and raised one man, el-azar-us, from the dead.

the sun is the "light of the world.

Cath

Well jw_uncovered I am impressed. I have only just been given information that there is a site that we ex JW's can go to for sharing and am pleased it was this one.I thought I was the only one out there and have gone it alone since I left "the truth".
I was born into the JW cult and lived in absolute terror for most of my 44 years. I got out when I was 16 and had to get pregnant to do it, but what you are brought up to believe in childhood generally sticks, hence the terror, about the "end".
Even though I was scared I just couldn't bring myself to ever go back and now I know why.I wasn't so stupid after all.
I am currently being helped by a psychic healer/therapist even after all these years because there are so many deeply embedded false beliefs and fears that have stayed with me and affected the way I think about myself. You know the old stuff, sinner, apostate,not worthy, inferior and the list goes on.
It's funny but my therapist said to me just the other day that he believed Jesus was not a real person, only a metaphor, and I was taken aback but it got me thinking. Now with the information that you have posted you have confirmed what he was saying. Thank you. You and he (therapist)have just allowed me to get on with the rest of my life without the fear that was holding me back. I still have some way to go but at least I know I am on the right path now after all the wasted years.
I would love to know where you got that info from as I would like to study it more. In the meantime I will wait with baited breath for your next posting on the mind control aspect of the JW cult.
Thanks again.
Happy ex.