I gotta say, even with all I know that happens in the congregation, I don't see how a JW, elder or not, could justify such a thing to themselves. Whether Byrd is a JW or not, he is monstrous to have allowed this to go on (apparently with more than one victim!) without intervening to stop it.How could he DO that to a child?
JWdaughter
JoinedPosts by JWdaughter
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15
Not on jw.org : Jehovah's Witness van driver arrested for ignoring rape of child
by JimmyPage inhttp://5newsonline.com/2016/06/23/report-van-driver-arrested-for-not-stopping-rape-of-child/.
i don't believe the article says he's a jw, but he is..
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Using the depression card: Only when critical to family?
by JWdaughter ini just was reading a thread and it occurred to me that "using" depression as a way to deflect from wt obligations is a mistake.
it feeds their sense of superiority-because when you do finally leave or get kicked out, they will say how leaving jehovah ruins lives.
they won't do anything with you anymore in any case, but why feed their delusions?.
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JWdaughter
I just was reading a thread and it occurred to me that "using" depression as a way to deflect from WT obligations is a mistake. It feeds their sense of superiority-because when you do finally leave or get kicked out, they will say how leaving Jehovah ruins lives. They won't do anything with you anymore in any case, but why feed their delusions?
Yes, the WT does put people in depressions, but how about being too HAPPY to put up with all the doomsaying? How about life being too good to live like it is over already? The weather is too good, the kids are filled with energy and busy with school, work is going great. . . We always say that living well is the best revenge-so LIVE WELL, and crow about your joy. Not in being out of the org, but in being part of this glorious world that God created for us! Then invite them to dinner and have fun without religion being the topic. YOU will not forsake the gathering of yourselves with other believers, you just don't want to waste your time in the meetings when all they do is repeat the same stuff you already learned. Nothing about Jehovah's word changes, right? You actively read and study scripture! When it comes down to it, you are not doing anything against the WT or the elders. If you are going to play a game, take the highest road possible (might want to refrain from offering them a joint, though!).
What kind of an asshole JW is going to argue that statement? (I know the atheists on this board will take issue with it, but you are dealing with JWs, not atheists). Being in the org was depressing, sure. But you are OUT now, even if you don't want to DA for family reasons Stop being depressed. Stop playing that card.
I think that it also puts those who are truly depressed in a bit of a pickle when it starts getting obvious that it is a common apostate ploy to get out of meetings. God knows that the JW life is depressing enough-all we need to be doing is making it harder on those that are suffering from a real illness as a result of this cult.
Emotionally, the WT has done a number on everyone it touches. I guess I prefer the idea of promoting happiness and a truly better life as an alternative to meeting attendance rather than depression and vague physical illnesses. My idea is not going to work in every situation, and I'm so long out of it that I am not a good experiment for how it works, but I saw the office space video ( can't say I'm "missing" it) on another site and it got me to thinking. Life is good! Why put a sad face on things and give them any ammo about how leaving jehovah/meetings destroys lives?
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ran accross this news this morning "apostates" will Wachtower like this idea?
by gda inhttp://unitycoalitionforisrael.org/?p=18553.
'according to the muslim faith, if someone tries to apostate, he or she could be killed' .
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JWdaughter
Vidiot-you just painted a picture of PARADISE!!!
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Printing presses, bye... bye...
by sp74bb inbye... bye.... no more new printing presses for jw.org... the growth is so tremendous (irony...).. all printing work in europe will be arrange in the next month only in selters (germany), but no renovation or upgrading in printing presses is expected... it will be a full outsourcing :).
a worldly company axel s******* will be used.
this company is known to be printing bild newspaper... the interesting part of it is the logistics will be as well outsourced.
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JWdaughter
the GOOD NEWS here is that there will no longer be slave labor used to produce the WT materials. These are being produced in a more straightforward way that actually will enhance the community and allow people to have PAYING jobs,marry who they choose, pay taxes, raise children and have a puppy if they want.
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UPDATE: My existential crisis comes to a close
by Freeandclear inin case you read my other thread regarding my existential crisis and how it was making my life miserable and left me feeling hopeless, purposeless and joyless i though i'd share what's recently happened to me and my way of thinking and have i've for the time being resolved my existential crisis.
i write every day in a journal.
i've been doing this for years.
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JWdaughter
I'm happy for you.
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Need advice
by Drwho ini'm a middle aged man.
i dated a jw lady for 3 months ., we never had sex, just made out , half naked , well everything except underwear .
she has been a jw for 40 years ., was married to a jw but he committed adultery 13 years ago so they divorced .
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JWdaughter
Just walk away. Nothing good will come of this for you. You may help her eventually to see the truth (in that what you have told her will eventually reach her brain, not that she is going to come back unscathed from her JW experience, never to deal with it again).
Honestly, she is just a heartache and so are you. She is damaged goods-most of us are forever or for a good many years. Life is too short. Move on and away.
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slimboyfat joins the Mormons!
by slimboyfat ini 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.
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JWdaughter
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.
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slimboyfat joins the Mormons!
by slimboyfat ini 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.
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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.
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I've been found out!
by pale.emperor inwell, 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.
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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.
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That good old JW rumour mill
by punkofnice inbecause 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'.
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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.