I'm a born in. It's hard to find my place. All support from friends and family gone. Who is on your side? Gotta find it in yourself. Gotta de-program yourself. Most people don't understand. It's lonely, no?
Mil
were you really screwed up because of having been a witness?.
I'm a born in. It's hard to find my place. All support from friends and family gone. Who is on your side? Gotta find it in yourself. Gotta de-program yourself. Most people don't understand. It's lonely, no?
Mil
Because it's a Myth. Not that it devalues the story, it actually makes it more interesting.
Mil
most of us are familiar with the watchtower bible and tract society's association with the un as an ngo.
this fact has been confirmed via correspondence with the un numerous times, notably in a letter received recently by one of our own members.
for details and photocopies, see here:.
I agree with SNG that this is an important piece to a puzzle. Another piece being the carefully worded Awake artice or articles, I'm not sure and don't remember them exactly, that kept with their agreement to write favorably about the UN. This showed conscience intent to manipulate. Someone deep inside the Borg will ignore it. It was huge for me.
Mil
this is a tangent from another thread where angry responses to jws was a side-topic.. my opinion is that it is important to remember that the rank and file jw is a victim of the cult and that focusing our anger on any of them individually is doing them a disservice for two reasons:.
1. their behavior, thoughts, and feelings are not their own and are only informed by the borg.
it isn't just or appropriate to attack those who are victims just like many of us were.. 2. opposition, especially angry opposition, reinforces the false information that the borg has indoctrinated in them: that one of the proofs they have "the truth" is that they are persecuted.
Mad Sweeney,
Here's my theory on how to "save the family". I was devastated by having to leave the family. I really do love them. I realized that there are other layers of love and higher love. The highest says, "I love you just as you are, even if it means you never talk to me or see me again." Again, easier said than done. This forces you into your own individuation process which can be hell. But in a strange way it does "save the family" Here's how I think it will.
The family has a layer that let's call the "psuedo-family". It's the false layer where everyone plays their roles and basically hides their real self. They compensate and adjust for other members weaknesses. Let's say Dad is drinking and molesting Jimmy, the middle brother. The whole family pretends it's not happening so everyone changes their behavior. Say Dad is the sole provider for the family. If Jimmy tells, then the security of the whole family is shot. All the kids feel it and so they all collude for Jimmy not to ever tell. Jimmy is now 25 and in therapy. Even then, the family may be in denial and angry that Jimmy is trying to get help because it confronts everyone with the knowledge that Dad was a creep and they did nothing to help Jimmy.
This is an obvious example. However, I think that this "psuedo-family" is always trying to stay in stasis and balanced and not be disturbed. I believe when one member frees him or herself psychically from dysfunction, then it forces other family members to confront their shit. Things start happening even if you never speak to them or see them. I have noticed this in my family. You will be disturbing the equilibrium by finding your own power and fully individuating. This will throw the "psuedo-family" into a bit of chaos. It gets bad before it gets better. Some members begin to wake up. You have to look long term.
Greek mythology (and just about all mythology) is full of this stuff, it's not just childrens stories or superstition. It was meant to help family and communities. What they called family curses is what we are dealing with here. I don't think that the JW's are the main problem. The Jehovah's Witnesses are one big exercise in AVOIDANCE. Nobody wants to look at their own shit so let's tell each other how bad the world is and how we are going to save it.
Going to therapy is good. It's a sign of strength not weakness. Start peeling the onion.
Just my opinion.
Mil
this is a tangent from another thread where angry responses to jws was a side-topic.. my opinion is that it is important to remember that the rank and file jw is a victim of the cult and that focusing our anger on any of them individually is doing them a disservice for two reasons:.
1. their behavior, thoughts, and feelings are not their own and are only informed by the borg.
it isn't just or appropriate to attack those who are victims just like many of us were.. 2. opposition, especially angry opposition, reinforces the false information that the borg has indoctrinated in them: that one of the proofs they have "the truth" is that they are persecuted.
I believe the Borg exists because the people want it to. It's a surrogate parent to them. They are not ready for freedom. To try to convince them that their Parent is a fraud will do nothing but trigger survival and boundary issues in them. The best and only effective thing to do, in my opinion, is to create a forum or a "place to go" for them when they have their own internal realization and are looking for support, backup and info to validate what they are feeling. (much like this site does) The doors of the mind only open from the inside.
Or how about this....go live your life. Channel the anger into assertion. Assertion for what YOU truly want. Figure out what your true desires are and go fulfill them. Success is the best revenge. Somehow you have to get over the tremendous loss of family and friends. You can't make them love you so go find love somewhere else. Easier said than done, I know. It's difficult because the wound takes time to heal and you may appear weak to them. Keep going and build your strength. You must completely severe the psychic relationship with them, which doesn't mean you will never have a realionship with them, like your parents. It will just not be like it was.
Mil
a philosophical ending.. in the end, real life doesn't have happy endings for the happy.
it's even better, because its real.
you are real.
I want the end of my movie to be where I'm working my low paying job in the factory and Ray Franz comes in and picks me up and wisks me away like An Officer and A Gentleman. No just kidding. Great Post!
Mil
my whole freaking family is still in.
i am 5th generation and i use to have tons and tons of "friends" that are still in.
when i was little my dad was co substitute for years so we got to travel alot and meet even more jws.
CyberJesus,
I'm 4th Gen. I was only person to leave ever in my family. There was a point that I realized that I was brainwashed. This very fact really really sucks. So I told myself that I would make it a point of my life to heal ALL the damage done. To gain control of my mind. I was angry that my mind was so weak. The progression for me went this way:
1) I read a sh*load of books. Religion, Philosophy, Science, etc. When I was done with that I...
2) Went to a therapist and took meds for depression. When I was done with that I....
3) Tried alternative things like Traditional Healing in South America and some New Age crap. Then I...
4) Found something called Qigong and learned something called Internal Martial Arts from a genuinly pure teacher. It's the most fascinating thing I have ever encountered, and it works for me. I am slowly gaining control of my mind and emotions.
What the Jehovah's Witnesses are doing is as old as dirt. It was called Black Magic in the olden days. You and your family have been fed on by a machine called the JW's. Save yourself first. Then you may be able to re-enter the Matrix and do some good. Try to be open to different things. However, realize you are in a weakened state and the vultures can sniff you out. Trust your gut.
Mil
at a young age i remember watching tv and commenting why is the red cross always helping people and we don't.
the second big one is if the witnesses only started up in 1890 - 1900 did jehovah not have anyone else doing the preaching work?.
as a child i don't think we think about theological problems so what tipped you off?
My body/intuition/gut rejected it long before my mind did. My mind just had to catch up. Then the holes were everywhere.
mil
i guess it only took three years, but they were hell in so many ways for both of us...she was not happy and lived in denial as much as possible...i was not happy and lived in a bottle as much as possible and glad that is over for me....but it was one of the saddest things i have ever experienced in my life....as was the visit to my parents before i told her....but yes...she said she kind of expected it...was thinking something was going to happen soon as she noticed i had more and more trouble saying i love you back to her when she said it on the phone at the end of goodbyes...and when i was leaving the house...i had noticed it for over a year and it was killing me..... i told her how sorry i was for changing so much again....and that she still walks on water...and is a great person and so pretty....and that she will be ok because she was happy single before me for many years and had all she needs for that again...her closeness to jehovah and her freinds in the congregation...she is very close to both and will be ok i hope...it was very surreal....very calm...very sad.
my bitterness and disdain for wt rules came through when talking to my parents and i was very open about how i feel as to their upcoming shunning of me, and how it feels to my son since he was just 17....and how the fear of losing them had kept me trying in my marriage for the past few years...dad was firm in his position of future action....mom said they will still always love me...and will still talk to me until i get dfd.....oh how this hurts.....dad said there is a name for people who only live for themselves and deny god but could not think of what it was....i told him i was not living just for myself...that i am a good person and there are values from him and the bible i hope i always have....i cry so hard as i type this and tell you just so you can know how painful this is....i told him i so loved the rule of treating others how you want to be treated and have always done that...even allowing myself to be wronged on so many occasions to keep peace....... he said that was a good rule....i agreed and said it was a big one too....and that while i could do it...treat him the way i would like to be treated...he would not be able to!.......left as i became emotional...big hug from mom, but i just barely put an arm on dad............oompa.
Your are walking the Hero's Path, my friend.
Mil
it's two hours long but worth watching.. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnujmz9-w2i&feature=relate.
mil.
Someone sent this to me. It's two hours long but worth watching.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNUjMz9-W2I&feature=relate
Mil