Posts by JWdaughter

95

slimboyfat joins the Mormons!

by slimboyfat in

i know that some people on the board have experience of being mormons, so i would be interested in your feedback.

at church this afternoon it was an uncanny experience.

in the past i've read a lot about mormons, so i thought i was prepared in general for what it would be like.

Joe, I went years ago in a western state. The chapel is one part of the building, but the rooms were in a busy rotation throughout the day with church, Sunday school and then the priesthood/relief society/youth and children's groups(which were for personal growth, charity projects, and other activity planning). As you know, church was an hour in the chapel, but "church" was a 3 hour tour each week. Plus midweek stuff and weekend family picnics, cookout, fireside, etc. Our chapel was usually pretty full and it was good sized. There were always things to do and activities. Of course, not all Mormons are super pious any more than JWs or baptists, but no one seemed unwelcome. I was just a kid though. My last serious connections to my local ward died, literally. My friend still in had the faith built in her like Sunday dinner rolls have yeast-couldnt get it out of her even surgically. She has the selfless service to others thing in her DNA.

In my area, ward meetings weren't on boards outside. You can likely check online, but the west is the center of the church. Not a whole lot east of the Rockies, I think.

95

slimboyfat joins the Mormons!

by slimboyfat in

i know that some people on the board have experience of being mormons, so i would be interested in your feedback.

at church this afternoon it was an uncanny experience.

in the past i've read a lot about mormons, so i thought i was prepared in general for what it would be like.

JWdaughter

SBF was in a Stake Building. They are usually a center in the community of nearby mormon churches, each of which usually hold 3 + congregations. Stake buildings usually are the cultural center for larger events as well as normal weekly meetings of which there are several for various groups. Young men, priesthood, young women, whatever the ladies groups were, any community or charity kinds of functions. Primary. Forgot all the kids stuff, then family events, cultural festivals---I can go on. They do plays, have musicals, dances. Those buildings stay kind of busy. Plus any local missionaries have their meetings there.

Missionaries are loved and respected and usually are invited to dinner at homes a few nights a week. They usually sit on the front (stage) area (by the choir), but since SBF was with them, they kept him company in the normal seating.

I think the LDS church is contracting in a lot of ways, even if the strict numbers of members aren't dissolving, the faithful adherence to sunday meeting is probably less for those who haven't left because they have gotten the message that it IS just a social club. I think the religions credibility has been shot for those who care about how "true" it is. They have testimonies that it is just a nice bunch of people to hang around with. Not that their "gospel" is actually true. So, it has become a bit of a shell of its former self. I don't think many are even pretending any more that it is really about a deep truth, but on the positive side, the church more than ever is emphasizing all the warm fuzzy positive messages of Jesus, so that isnt a drawback if they refocus on that, I think. But yes, I still have overwhelmingly positive associations with them and my dear friend is LDS and I have known her since I was in the church in my late teens.

135

I've been found out!

by pale.emperor in

well, thats it folks.. my identity on here has been rumbled and reported to the elders.

someone, somehow, has figured out that im a member of this site and - rather than speak to me - has promptly reported me to the elders.

i just feel sad for my daughter.

JWdaughter

You are well out of it. The bandage has been ripped off. You now know that your sis in law is untrustworthy and should not be allowed in your home or have access to your daughter. Next will be seeing how human the rest of the JWs in your life are.

54

That good old JW rumour mill

by punkofnice in

because i simply decided the watchtower corporation wasn't the truth(tm) i was da'd in a secret jc that i didn't attend.

i was writing songs with a friend that day instead.. jws wasted no time in labelling me as an evil villain.

the rumours abounded.. i was labelled as 'a false prophet'.

JWdaughter

Years after I left, a JW met me with my then school aged son and asked about my daughter. I mentioned she was home with dad, taking her afternoon nap. "No, I mean your older daughter-middle school aged?"

(This is representative of more than one conversation, so not verbatim). I was maybe 27,28. I said my son was my eldest. . .apparently, my showing up at school homecoming parade with a toddler in high school cemented the rumors of my illicit life post jw. I was babysitting during homecoming and we were both invited to ride the float with my group who decorated it. Somehow, word got out to JW community and I was branded an unwed , unrepentant sinner. Still a virgin at the time, I was branded as a hussy in a time when unwed moms keeping their kids were the subject of after school specials, along with shoplifting and runaways being lured into prostitution.

I set several straight. I was DAd because I didn't know that an baptised person stating that they were not going to become a JW meant exile. I soon learned that, but had no idea that my reputation was a fornicater. What baffles me is how many knew I was not an unwed mom! I babysat for neighbors who lived next to JWs! I was in demand as a sitter by JWs until I was DAd. No one set the record straight, not even my mom, who probably preferred a fornication daughter to the apostate that I truly was.

Yeah, they gossip. In fairness, many do, but their brand is extra hateful and potentially life altering for the subjects of it, even if the elders informally "mark" you.

4

Assembly Hall Re-Furb Australia

by jonahstourguide in

so, after congs handing over all the cash, a request i believe, has been made in melbourne australia recently for a contribution box to be placed at the kingdom halls in melbourne for contributions to pay for the estimated 1.6 million dollar refurbishment of the melbourne assembly hall in melton.

i'm told by a angry attendee that the letter came from the branch in australia.

anyone else in oz hear of this ????.

JWdaughter

They are pretty much doing as predicted. If they don't get it will it be sold? Or will it be sold AFTER its refurbished. That's my uninspired prediction.

19

Disfellowshipped ex-wife Dies - Now What?

by snugglebunny in

it was a shock despite us being divorced for over 40 years.

my son from that marriage phoned me with the news of sandra's death a couple of days ago, followed by my daughter.. sandra was one of 5 siblings.

the other 4 are still jw's.

JWdaughter

I'm sorry for your loss. I feel the same way about ex. At the end, he is my kids dad. That matters to me mostly because of them, but there are good memories, too.

It sucks about her family.

38

Should I just tell my parents

by BlackWolf in

jw
friends

lately i've been feeling just so fed up with this stupid religion i really can't take it anymore!

i'm starting to think that maybe i should just tell my parents how i really feel.

if they treat me too badly or kick me out i could probably stay with my non jw aunt.. ive just reached my breaking point, i don't really care what people think of me anymore.

JWdaughter

If you could go to public school while living at aunts home, that would be good so you can prepare for college, maybe get a junior and senior year so that you have college options. It's asking a lot of aunt, but will get your dad off the hook and give you a protected view of the big, bad, world. Might even be a selling point to parents that you don't want to check out of family life and live in the back of a boyfriend's van. Their plan sets you up for a desperate life. That means you won't come back out of conviction, but desperation.

20

My life has ended (be careful what you wish for part 2)

by nevaagain in

jw
friends

noone and nothing can really prepare you for the burning pain you feel when your spouse leaves you after 8 years of marriage.

from one day to another, all your dreams, hopes and plans are shattered.. i still have so many questions which will remain unanswered in eternity.. the thread i made a few weeks ago, is part of this story.

after learning about ttatt my plans involved to wake up my wife as well and exit the truth.

JWdaughter

Marriage is meant as a lifelong bond. There is nothing weird about being thrown for a loop when it ends so abruptly.

I'm sorry!

She has given you an exit strategy, because you are stumbled. Just keep withdrawing.

I'm sorry, again. I know you must feel shattered.

95

slimboyfat joins the Mormons!

by slimboyfat in

i know that some people on the board have experience of being mormons, so i would be interested in your feedback.

at church this afternoon it was an uncanny experience.

in the past i've read a lot about mormons, so i thought i was prepared in general for what it would be like.

JWdaughter

If there were no religion involved, it's a nice social group. Have a Mormon tell you the joke about how many Mormons it takes to change a lightbulb. In fact, get a Mormon jokebook. You will at least get an idea of how they see themselves (and don't take themselves too seriously for the most part.)

95

slimboyfat joins the Mormons!

by slimboyfat in

i know that some people on the board have experience of being mormons, so i would be interested in your feedback.

at church this afternoon it was an uncanny experience.

in the past i've read a lot about mormons, so i thought i was prepared in general for what it would be like.

JWdaughter

I was a mormon for a few years. I don't believe the religion, but I thought they were generally nice folks and the religion was more about living than preaching their unique faith(though they do think every member is a missionary, it is about being a good person, good example, more than knocking on doors preaching.

It's a nice social group to belong to, and they actually help people and emphasize education. If they could lose the crazy doctrine and keep the good social foundations, lose some of the judgier ones, that would be great.

My friend came out as gay, died of aids in 1991 and his church was packed with people who loved him, lds and otherwise. I buried my 25 year old friend that day, and no one rejected him.

My dad, a non JW, died after years of helping with repairs and remodels of every KH my mom went to, even after a brother ripped him off in business, and not one JW sent flowers or came by, because my mom was inactive as she lived at hospitals and nursing homes his last 6 months. No one even brought her magazines.

I think the WT breeds ugly human beings purposefully. I don't think Mormons have truths religiously either, but they nurture goodness of humanity more than a lot of religions do.