GoingGoingGone

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Posts by GoingGoingGone

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  50

  Has your " Self Esteem " Improved After Leaving Jehovah's Witnesses ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems to be an issue that some have after leaving the witness cult because none of us were ever made to feel we were " good " enough or "valued " enough for what we were trying to accomplish in the cult.

  growing up i had pounded into my head by my jw elder father what jesus said, " after doing all things remember you are good for nothing slaves , what we have done is what we ought to have done.

  " then i thought to myself - " where's the joy in that ?

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  GoingGoingGone

  My self-esteem as a JW was actually not too bad. I was a pioneer, then married to an elder, exemplary family, etc, etc, etc. I was a "good example". I was also your typical people-pleaser.

  When I finally realized how wrong the WTS was and left, I understood how much of my self-esteem was tied to what other people thought of me. My friends ignored me, my husband threatened to leave me, and the elders made 'visits' to try to 'encourage' me. I felt like I was worthless, a disappointment to everyone who mattered.

  Today, my self esteem is tied to who I am as a person, and is measured by MY opinion of myself and no one else's. I am a good person, a good mother, a good wife and friend and neighbor and goshdarnit I've got lots of talent, too, even if I never did go to college! Of course I care what other people think of me (that's just human nature I guess.) The reason I want to improve myself today is so that I can be proud of myself, and be a better person tomorrow - not so that I can please someone else.

  I think there's a special kind of freedom in that.

  GGG
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  10

  I Keeping Thinking of the Pictures of Paradise

  by TooBad TooSad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember one picture of a pretty little girl holding a plastic bucket in paradise next to a tame lion.. i asked my wife if there is going to be polution in paradise?

  of course the answer is no!!!!!.

  to make this bucket you will need plastic.

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  GoingGoingGone

  I don't think they use plastic buckets in their pictures anymore.

  My kids were in a "photo-shoot" for a WT article years ago, and it was done on the beach. They needed different props, and we were asked to bring what we had if we wanted to - for example, beach blankets, wicker baskets, large shells, fruit, stuff for the kids to play with on the beach, but nothing plastic! Try to find a kid's beach toy that's not plastic... nearly impossible! I asked my husband, "What are they supposed to play with, a chunk of wood? A coconut?" Sheesh!

  So I guess the WTS has gotten too many questions about plastic, and the Jehovah-will-snap-his-fingers-and-make-it-disappear answer wasn't working anymore.

  GGG
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  10

  A good JW studies all material

  by megaflower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i guess i was a lousy jw because i was never very good at preparing for all the meetings.

  the "special needs" talk would point out how a good dub will buy out the opportune time.

  start the day with the daily text, next listen to the wt on tape as you drive to work.

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  GoingGoingGone

  When I was in 5th grade, we moved to a new neighborhood, and our new school was just down the very busy road, so there was no school bus. One of our new neighbors drove his daughter to school on his way to work, and offered to take my sister and me as well.

  That was the year that my mother decided that we would have to do the daily text every morning before we left the house. She would drag it out so that we were ALWAYS at least 5 mins. late to the neighbor's house. She asked question after question, and I would get stomach aches as I watched the clock. It was so embarrassing to come late to our ride every single day. This neighbor was doing us a favor! And I'm sure he thought it was our fault we were late. We didn't exactly tell him that our mother made us late every morning by dragging out the daily text...

  I could never stand reading the text after that.

  GGG
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  20

  Stew recipes?

  by John Doe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've only made stew a couple of times, but am trying a new one today.

  any of you ever used a recipe like this?

  i'll let you know later on if it's any good.

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  GoingGoingGone

  Thanks HappyDay! And MrsJones5!

  Well I know what I'll be doing tonight... and it's not going to the meeting!

  GGG
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  20

  Stew recipes?

  by John Doe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've only made stew a couple of times, but am trying a new one today.

  any of you ever used a recipe like this?

  i'll let you know later on if it's any good.

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  GoingGoingGone

  Oh yum... !!

  So does anyone have a good recipe for cornbread? I love cornbread!

  Pretty please!!

  GGG
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  20

  Phonecall from a JW witnessing.....

  by sweet pea in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  finally i got my chance to see what a witness was made of on the phone yesterday.. .

  her opening line was "we haven't been able to reach you at your door, so that's why we're calling (barefaced lie as we have had witnesses call latey who even came back for a return visit but that's besty's story...).

  we had a lively but ultimately very frustrating conversation.

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  GoingGoingGone

  I had two young mormon guys at my door a couple months back. They started their sales pitch, and I told them that while I appreciated their effort, I was not the least bit interested. I said that I had been a JW my entire life and that my husband still was (he was out in service at the time!) I had spent decades knocking on doors, going to meetings, and building my life around JW beliefs.

  What I wanted them to know was that it's ok to change your mind, no matter what anyone else might say. It's ok to question and it's ok to reach a different decision than your parents did. The one guy kept agreeing with me... and the other guy (whose 'door' it was) kept throwing him worried looks.

  In all the years I knocked on doors, there were a handful of people who engaged me in conversation and asked me questions like you asked your JW caller, sweet pea. And they made so much more of an impression than they could ever know. I totally agree that no one will leave the WT before they are ready. But hopefully, what you said will be replayed in her mind and the doubt will start to grow.

  One can but hope...

  GGG
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  21

  What is the WTS financial position?

  by Roddy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i know this may seen an obvious question but i'm wondering if their downward financial situation is accelerating in the last five years.. we know of the large real estate sell-offs in brooklyn and their large bethel layoffs -- things they never report on in their publications.

  pushing more and more of the traveling overseer expenses to the local circuit and congregations.

  how they have taken a lot of shortcuts with regards their printing operations.

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  GoingGoingGone

  “It was a failure to get coal supplies in 1918 that drove us from Brooklyn back to Pittsburgh,” Brother Rutherford replied. “Let’s make coal the test. You go and order some coal.”

  “How many tons do you think I should order to make the test?”

  “Well, make it a good test,” Brother Rutherford recommended. “Order 500 tons.”

  This story always bothered me when I was a JW, considering the scripture in Deut. 6:16: "You must not put Jehovah your God to the test." Although, what do I know... maybe there were special rules for Rutherford. GGG
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  29

  Recently Received Wacky JW Spam re: UN Destroying Religion

  by Olin Moyles Ghost in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i recently received the following email.

  i don't know whether to laugh or feel sorry for the sender.

  it looks like i'm not the first person on this board to receive this email (see http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/166981/1.ashx).

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  GoingGoingGone

  I heard this story a few years back, but it was told by a brother who'd been in service, met a woman at the door who said she had worked at the UN for years, and he asked her when they were planning to destroy religion.... and she asked how he knew what they were going to do... blah blah blah. Amazing.

  GGG
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  31

  Why I suspect most people do not really believe in god

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  growing up as a jw i never really believed in god.

  i thought everyone else didn't really believe either.

  when some sort of religious activity or speak was going on i was just pretending and i thought everyone else was pretending too.

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  GoingGoingGone

  The very fact that we have to wonder if god exists adds to my belief that he does not. People ponder this stuff their entire lives, and everyone comes up with a different opinion depending upon their upbringing, their life experiences, their country of birth, etc, etc, etc.
  
  Why do theists think that we have to put so much effort into even believing that god exists? Anyone who is a parent knows that as soon as your child is born, you love that child with your entire being. It's something that happens automatically, and virtually all parents experience that love of their child. Did "god" put those feelings into place in humans? If so, then why didn't he create a similar in us so that we KNOW that he's there?
  
  I've prayed to God since I was a small child. I always felt that no one was listening, no matter how hard I prayed. As a child, it reinforced my feelings of not being worth anyone's time or attention. As an adult and finally free of the WTS, I am open to the idea that perhaps there really is no one there.
  
  GGG
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  24

  Do you think the Economy will get better in 2009?

  by asilentone in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  GoingGoingGone

  If it doesn't, it's because we're living in the last days and critical times hard to deal with are here and Armageddon is right around the corner.
  
  If it does, it's because Peace and Security is approaching and that means that Armageddon is right around the corner.
  
  Personally, I think it might take a while for the economy to improve significantly. But I'm happy to be proved wrong!
  
  GGG