Posts by Ingenuous

125

FRESH OFF THE PRESS.... 9/1/06 WT "When a Loved One Leaves Jeh."

by schne_belly in

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this just in for your reading displeasure......enjoy

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Ingenuous

jwfacts wrote:

JW mums will be sitting their grateful for these kind words from the Watchtower...

I wouldn't be surprised if they used an entire "From Our Readers" page to print the "thank you so much, Jehovah knows just what we need at just the right time" letters they're sure to get.

As for prayer for the disfellowshipped:

Watchtower, 10/15/1979, p. 31

[Previous paragraphs discuss "sin that is not deadly".]... John tells us not to pray for one who committed such "deadly" sin. This brings to mind God’s words concerning the Israelites who were so given to wickedness that He was going to let the Babylonians take them into captivity. God told Jeremiah: "Do not pray in behalf of this people, neither raise in their behalf an entreating cry or a prayer nor beseech me."—Jer. 7:16-20; 14:11, 12.
God, not we on earth, determines if someone has sinned against the holy spirit. Yet, we can appreciate from John’s inspired words that we should not pray in behalf of a person who gives evidence of practicing sin deliberately. John also wrote in 2 John 9-11 about persons who spread unchristian views. [Read: "Hint, hint - we're gonna apply this to anyone who disagrees with WTBTS teachings."] Prayers in their behalf would be offensive to God....
[Paragraphs that follow talk about praying for people once they display "evidence of repentance and turning around" and not praying for DF'd people in public because it might offend those who think the person is toast and don't deserve to be prayed for.]

61

Why Do Inactive Ones Sometimes Go Back To The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

Ingenuous

I've got another vote right here for "fear."

Especially for someone like me - who was raised "in" - it is overwhelmingly frightening to have to think for yourself. I had no practice doing any such thing, no experience being solely responsible for the consequences and implications of my decisions (especially when it came to religious beliefs - someone in New York understood it all, so I didn't have to). Since I thought my identity as a JW was the most reasonable and noble thing about me, I had no confidence in my intelligence and perception of reality once I left. I've dealt with strong inclinations to return because being a fully-functioning adult is hard. When you've had no preparation and are late doing the work of self-actualization that you should have done decades ago as a teenager, any appearance of stability and safety is tempting. As dysfunctional as my life was as a JW, it was familiar, contained, predictable and programmed. It was what I'd known all my life.

It's a challenge to stand up to the feeling that you aren't safe when part of the reason for leaving the Org is because it is so unsafe psychologically, spiritually, and emotionally. To step out and find that there's no warm, cushy comfort zone to rub up against anymore can create feelings close to hopelessness. There's confusion about what to put in the place of the Org when you have a raw, gaping hole in your soul. Honestly, at one point I was looking for another high-control group/cult to join because being self-sufficient was as painful as going without food and water.

Those who leave have to literally burn new pathways into their brains. In the meantime, we have to override those automatic behaviors that make up bad habits - or wait for them to fade.

I found support before I left - online, in person, and via mental health professionals. I continue to look for support, continually challenge my thinking, and try to be patient as I learn mature social skills. I've also learned that if I wait out the yearning to go back, it eventually goes away. And those feelings don't come as often or as intensely as they once did. Even if I went back full-force, things would never be as they were. I'm much happier about the potential for my life now that I'm "out", whereas my life among the JWs promised nothing but more F.O.G. (fear, obligation, and guilt - "Emotional Blackmail").

As Robert Fulghum once said, "The examined life is no picnic."

23

last time in field service

by darth frosty in

another poster had the topic about your last meeting, but what really stands out for me is my last time in service.

it was a nice day and i was trying to keep up appearances.

i offered the rags a one door and the householder took them (i didn't bother with the donation spiel.

Ingenuous

The last time I actually remember being out in FS, I was trying to convince my PO to talk to me.

This is a man who knew my parents most of his life (grew up with my Dad) and knew me for most of my life. He was constantly (and loudly) ribbing the friends at the meetings - he always liked to get in the last word and could stoop to embarrassing levels to do so. He cornered me one day after the meeting and said, "I'm going to pay you a shepharding call," nice and loud so everyone could hear, though he didn't mention any particular reason for it. I smiled and, in the same tone, replied, "Thanks for the warning."

He took it personally and decided to stop talking to me. Needless to say, I never got that shepherding call. I also never had a greeting returned by him or his wife after that. At the DC that followed, my grandmother fell down the stairs of the arena we were meeting in. (She was fine, BTW, just a harmless but painful bump on the head - nice that they had EMTs on site. Not so nice that they pick places that are so treacherous to navigate.) A few hours later, back at our seats, the PO made a point of leaning over me to speak to my grandmother farther down the row and completely ignored me, even when I touched his arm as part of my greeting.

I didn't find out what his problem with me was until I mentioned the situation to my Dad - many months later - and he told me the PO had told him he'd been offended by my joke. My Dad acknowledged that it was stupid, that the fact that I was young and female and he hadn't had a comeback might have hurt his pride, and that I'd have to be the one to make nice if my Presiding Overseer was ever going to speak to me again.

So, the last time I remember spending out in FS, I spent most of my time that day trying to figure out how to get back in the PO's good graces and had to be the first to make a move to get him to acknowledge my existence.

Such loving care for sheep who've entrusted their souls to their shepherds!

7

For History Buffs--Photo Drama of Creation Sequence?

by cabasilas in

i just obtained a cd of movies and slides of the photo-drama of creation.

it has movies of russell talking and some movies of bible themes.

then there's a narrated slide presentation that appears to match the text of the photo drama book.

Ingenuous

There are quite a few versions of it out, maintained by Bible Students.

http://www.agsconsulting.com/menucn3.htm

http://www.bibletoday.com/photodrama/chapter1/pd_intro.htm

http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/Contents/russell/PDRMAPRF.PDF

At least one Bible Student organization - the Dawn Bible Students Association - has the Photodrama in book form.

9

A child's innocent questions about shunning

by Esmeralda in

jw
friends

one night last week, my five year old daughter couldn't fall asleep.

we could hear her upstairs as she tossed and turned a bit, then finally reappeared from her bedroom and crept down the stairs.

"what's wrong?

Ingenuous

Awsome job, Esmeralda. Thanks for sharing.

87

YOUR LAST MEETING.........................

by vitty in

jw
friends

........................at my last meeting, the elder was talking about 1975 and said "it never happened, it is appostates using a time when (some) brothers took the info in the wt wrong"...................i just blinked and finally woke up.. i had been on this site lurking for a couple of weeks, and realized thing werent right, but to have some creep say on the platform " it didnt happen"............when this ruined my and my siblings childhood, just made me snap.

on the way home, i told my hubby "that was the last meeting im going to"................boy was he pleased.. .

so if you didnt get df ......................what happened at your last meeting.?.

Ingenuous

Thanks to everyone who's shared and those who may yet do so - especially the painful, personal details that make all the difference.

I don't remember my last meeting. All I know is I quit last August and am looking forward to celebrating next month...

110

WT desparate: Aug 15 WT- In Our Next Issue: When A Loved One Leaves Jehovah

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

no, i don't have this article yet, it will appear in the sep 1, 2006 wt.

it may even be a wt study article.. in the august 15 watchtower, the box "in our next issue" has three forthcoming articles, and one of them is "when a loved one leaves jehovah".

of interest, it's not when a loved one leaves the society, it's jehovah.. will keep you posted.

Ingenuous

The bit about parents not blaming themselves just makes it that much harder for reconciliation or for family acknowledging their "lost" relative's point-of-view. My folks have already blamed me for their inexcusable behavior and manufactured motives for me. This is yet more encouragement to blame the person who left the Org for the loyal dub's behavior, continue to ascribe selfish and immoral motives to the one who left, and continue refusing to listen to and hear what their "straying" relative really is saying about their experience and understanding of the situation.

Yet another propaganda tool to circumvent rational thought in the loyal JW...

40

Disassociate the Inactive? Maybe Not.

by metatron in

jw
friends

imagine what would happen in countless congregations across the globe if the society formally announced that "so and so is no longer one of.

jehovah's witnesses" simply because they became inactive.. not only would many congregations suffer under the burden of having their younger witness demographic get "expelled" , often one by .

one, in a steady drip as they fornicate/smoke/do weed/whatever, man - but you now add a regular stream of .

Ingenuous

I have little doubt that this will be coming soon.

I've heard second-hand that it already has in some areas. Seems to depend on the particular BoE.

10

Help! My "devout" JW's mom is "pioneering" at age 76 on a cane.

by booker-t in

posters i have tried "everything" to show my mom that the wts is full of beans but she just won't budge.

i have heard through some non-jw's relatives that my mom who is 76 years old and having alot of problems with her knee is pioneering.

i am so worried about her standing in front of the donut shop or supermarket at 6:00 am.

Ingenuous

My grandmother pioneered for over 40 years until her late 80s. After an illness, she went on the disabled list, but still got high hours until around 91. She walked from her home to the Hall - and this is in a major urban area where drug dealers hang-out on the corners only a block from her home. While she got rides on meeting nights, the congregation let her walk to the Hall - something my family didn't know she was still doing after we left that congregation. The only reason she isn't out now is because of another major illness and failing memory. But my folks still had to go over for a while and stop her from going out after she got sick this last time.

Letting the elders know of you concerns sounds like a good idea, especially if you ask them to encourage her in alternate forms of service. I like the disappearing cane trick even better - though it could possibly hamper her getting around at home. And if she's that determined to go out, she'll likely find a way around that. You may be able to only slightly diminish the risks to her if she insists on going and she enjoys doing it; hopefully she's not being pressured, though she's likely being "encouraged" by commendation from other publishers.

350

Called JR Brown regarding Cano Pedophile situation

by LDH in

just called their media line:.

http://www.jw-media.org/contact.htm.

asked a young man named bryce where is the official press release on the cano pedophile situation.

Ingenuous

LDH, you rock!

My jaw hit the floor when I read his responses to your questions re: the Org.

I want to see all this published so bad, it hurts.