Posts by JWdaughter

6

What the freak was this on Facebook?

by Sugar Shane in

i just saw a video on fb, posted by a jw, which shows a bunch of kids singing to some recorded orchestral backup.

it was recorded last saturday, or sunday.,.

it almost looks like the kind of sunday school sing-a-long that you'd find at a 'normal' church.

JWdaughter

I just saw this Happy video for the first time. I saw the other one a few years ago from the main Bethel.

This time it struck me as so sad-because I have rarely ever seen JWs actually or truly exuberant. If we did the "moonwalk" we would have been counseled about it. Dancing in a hall or on any of their property would have gotten any of us dragged into the back room for a lecture. Hell! I saw CLEAVAGE in this video!.

Throwing medical supplies around, playing with machinery and making it dance. . .OK. I am not a person that is always railing at the entire WT system and all the little hypocrisies. This one though just made me cry-because I realize that while I had a "good childhood" in the sense that my parents didn't harm me beyond the occasional spank-physically, I do remember feeling constrained from even laughing out loud, from goofing off, from being silly and acting like a kid. To this day, my mom is the most joyless person I know. My aunt is a close second. Their superior, condescending attitudes put rain on everyone's parade. What is worse? I didn't change a whole lot even when I left. I am still shy about expressing myself. I have recently opened up to husband about some things (he had difficulties because of his family financial situation when growing up and everything for him felt like it was about survival, literally). I am sometimes ashamed of my "issues" because I know how good I had it compared to 99% of the world in many ways-but laughing out loud with my friends? Even if we had skating parties, we were sedate.

I hung around a family from S. America for a season when in an area far from my home and the JWs there were a lot more relaxed than my congregation and family, but still-dancing down Bethel hallways Moonwalking? Be bopping across WT signage?? Never happen in 1985 in any part of my world.

36

Gorby says goodbye

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

my eyes for ttatt opened in 1995 with the generation change and the wt magazine stated "some witness thought that the generation started in 1914".

since 1997, with internet at low speed, i followed h2o hourglass, www.xjw.com and later on www.jehovahs-witness.net.. did a bachelor and post bachelor since then.. now, nearly completed with fading, i feel it's time to go on with my life and do some other things, spending more time with my wife abd children instead of thinking about jw topics in my head.

goal is being a better person and less grumpy at 45.... everything what could be said is already said.

JWdaughter

Congratulations Gorby! You graduated! We will miss you, but are happy for you.

33

I'm still on my JWN holidays but had to pop back to share this experience.

by nicolaou in

i'm a postman with the royal mail and was assigned to train a new starter yesterday.

my line manager introduces me to 'dave', within seconds my jw radar was on maximum!

in his mid to late 30's, politely spoken and with that haircut - i just knew it.. the post he'd applied for was saturdays only, he said he did a lot of volunteer work.

JWdaughter

Hi Nic. I'm glad you are a good guy. The more JWs are exposed to EX's that are decent, kind, normal people, the less they will be inclined to demonize you and the more they will question the WT/JW teachings that are doing so. Every time now, you will be the face of the former JW. Good for you. You can start his cognitive dissonance if he hasn't started already-I mean, he has a SATURDAY job, for crying out loud. He might be glad his cards are taking a while to transfer. Who knows?

Steve: He may not have asked any questions because the more he knows or digs, the more likely it is that he will have to treat Nic like crap, and most JWs would rather NOT treat people like crap. "I'll ask you no questions so you will won't need to tell me any truths that I can't deal with". The other side of the coin is that the new guy knows all KINDS of good reasons why Nic left. He isn't stupid! But if he engages, even for the purposes of "encouragement", then he could be exposed to MORE dirt, and the JW mind just can't deal with the imperfections of the organization because it is "the TRUTH" and the first time you see a GB leader walking around the truth, you can't unsee it. EVER. None of us can unsee what we know, and we all know that the more we learned, the more it was difficult to act as if we still bought it hook, line and sinker. Like the woman who knows in her gut that her husband is cheating, but as long as she doesn't confront him, she can keep the illusions intact before the kids/world/etc. The new postman is clearly embroiled in the org. His life is totally woven into his WT persona. He feels his options are limited. He isn't that old, but he likely feels ancient with that background, poor kid!

41

Angst and the Jehovah's Witness Mindset

by cofty in

there is no typical jw personality type.. any of us who were in the religion for a number of years will remember all sorts of individuals.

there is as much variety among jws as there is in the general population.

some were arrogant and judgemental but others were humble and kindly.

JWdaughter

ctrwtf

I have been out for over 30 years and still have the same things going on in my head sometimes. I realized that it is coded in my dna.

4

Kids to refugee camps?

by JWdaughter in

i was at a garage sale the other day and decided from the books that they were in a ministry.

so, in talking to the husband, turns out that sold their house and are headed to greece with 4 kids to be missionaries to the refugees.

4 kids.

JWdaughter

The man was clearly a christian. He's a dentist and I am sure that he plans to be a good witness-but I got the sense that he really wanted to help-which is more than many are willing to do. Once he gets to Turkey, I am not sure how the mission work is supposed to go, or to whom. Folks there are pretty open to westerners and prefer a western doctor in many cases, so maybe its a career move, too. I don't know! If he really wanted to be a good witness and make money, he could get a sweet package arranged in Saudi :)

14

Special Day for our family today!

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

my son graduates with his bachelors degree, cum laude!.

he is the first in my family to graduate with a four year degree.

and he is already in talks for a teaching job.. so, gerrit lush....up your nose with a rubber hose!

JWdaughter

35

“Even if this wasn’t the Truth, I need the structure.”

by Londo111 in

i remember many years back a fellow ministerial servant saying this to me.

he felt that even if jehovah’s witnesses were not the only true religion, the regimented routine of meetings and field service and the strict rules and enforcement provided a beneficial structure for his life.

at the time i thought if this wasn’t “the truth”, i’d have no need for all that “structure”.

JWdaughter

If I wanted a religion just for "the best way to live", I'd say the best way of life is honest, clean, drug free, prosperous, hard working, generous and kind to others. The JWs don't really try for any of those other than drug free(except for prescriptions and alcohol!). Most of it is considered a waste of time-seeking prosperity, being generous, being honest-that's for schmucks who don't have "the truth"!

Everyone has struggles unrelated to their religion, but many JWs struggles are a direct result of their religion. Does anyone ever consider that?

The poster who feels trapped. Man, I feel for her :( She really is trapped and all our big talk about leaving on our own terms is kind of a slap in the face for a person facing retirement with no spouse, children or financial backing or friends of any kind if they leave their religious group. It's not always that easy, is it? For a 26 year old-yeah, maybe. Or maybe not. We can only walk in our own shoes.

We have been seeing KateWilds struggles for a few years now. She isn't elderly, but she has lost almost everything because of her decision about the religion. We all pay a price for every decision we make and some things that weren't ever really our choice (whether perceived or literally).

17

My son has a very significant interview today..

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

he is just days away from graduation with his bachelor's in english, and today, he has an interview with a recruiter for an agency that help with finding teaching positions in south korea.. i took it upon myself to research the company and his interviewer, and it's been high marks all around on both of them.

so that's a great ease on my mind.i just hope the interview (over the phone) goes well, and results in the next steps to getting a position.my son spent a month in seoul last summer, an loved the place.

he has friends out there as well, including a young man that he attended classes with here in the states, so i think that's a real plus in taking this very giant leap.when i was his age, i was slowly working my way through a two year degree, still living at home, and aspiring to nothing more than a job as a repairman.

JWdaughter

HI! How'd the interview go? I taught overseas for a couple of years and I loved Loved LOVED it!!! The students are excited to learn, they are happy to know you and they are from this very different place-and yet, under all the social, tradition, custom differences, it was fun to see how much we are the same. Hope all goes GREAT for you son.

171

RC 2016 Leaks & Releases

by wifibandit in

in an effort to reduce the number of posts, this year i will try to add links to this post.

now, on with the leaks & releases!

first up.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nzvwhflss4.

JWdaughter

Cairo elections were a lot livelier than whatever was going on in that video.

11

Watchtower State

by nelim in

i was watching a documentary from last week about saudi arabia.

there are many human rights violations going on, supported from islam ideology.

apparently is(is) is an off-shoot of saudi society.

JWdaughter

Seriously? I spent time in Saudi and I know a very respected and loved sheik there who is Canadian, black and highly sought after as a teacher and leader in Arabia. I would say he is a rock star over there. I traveled with Africans, we were not turned away from any checkpoint, holy site or 5 star hotel. That's not the military. Wonder if they had an issue with Condoleezza Rice or Colin Powell? Oh! Or Barack Obama.