Great question. The whole shunning thing really destroys families and friends over the long-term. I used to shun a relative who left the JW's while I was still active. When I became disillusioned and left, I tried to apologize & repair the relationship, but irreparable damage had already been done. We are cordial to each other at family functions, but the warmth and love is just not the same.
Maryjane
JoinedPosts by Maryjane
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21
Would you REALLY want to be reunited with you family after the BIG NEWS?
by Gill ini've just been thinking about my family.
they've treated us badly....really badly....especially on my husband's side.. do i want to see them 'normally' again......do i?
i've seen that i/we come after a book publishing company.
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Are you still an item of interest to the JW's?
by Honesty inaddress marked on the back of a territory card as a do not call on?.
jw's staring at you from across the mall until you head over to say, hi?.
family members who are embarrassed by your presence?.
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Maryjane
Not at all! They only harrassed me the 1st year after my departure. I still live in the same place and now even my JW aunt is living in the building and attending the congregation I used to go to. She sends messages every now & then that Sister So-and-So said hi, but that's about it.
No "shepherding calls", no "pre-memorial visits", nada. Yet they haven't officially kicked me out yet.
What's funny is my aunt knows I fornicate, smoke, etc. yet still talks to me. It's like they don't shun you until you get the "official" heave-ho from the society.
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SERVICE REPORT 2005 : WATCHTOWER FEB 1ST 2006
by BluesBrother ini have had a quick look and found no references to this, so - here goes..as in the mag we picked up on sunday.. worldwide % increase over 2004 = 1.3%.
memorial partakers 8524 (compared to 8570 in 2004).
most european and nth american lands show pretty static figs - britain 1% increase, canada 0%, germany 0%, france 1%, usa 0%... but spare a thought for the inhabitants of zambia where 1 person in 90 is a reporting witness, must be hell going down to the local market!
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Maryjane
I never thought of that Legolas....technically I might be included in those #'s lol!
I was never disfellowshipped or disassociated! The "friends" still say hi to me when they see me around the neighborhood.
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SERVICE REPORT 2005 : WATCHTOWER FEB 1ST 2006
by BluesBrother ini have had a quick look and found no references to this, so - here goes..as in the mag we picked up on sunday.. worldwide % increase over 2004 = 1.3%.
memorial partakers 8524 (compared to 8570 in 2004).
most european and nth american lands show pretty static figs - britain 1% increase, canada 0%, germany 0%, france 1%, usa 0%... but spare a thought for the inhabitants of zambia where 1 person in 90 is a reporting witness, must be hell going down to the local market!
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Maryjane
It's interesting they still list the # of memorial partakers since it doesn't matter whether the geezers die off or not (at least as it relates to the "generation").
I've been out for 5 years now...is heaven filled yet? Have they revised the 144,000 docrtine yet?
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BIG NEWS - RESPONSIBILITY
by peggy ini am sure i am in the minority, and i am as anxious as the next one to know what the big news is.
still.......i find the big news post irresponsible!
big today is far better for everyone, then big news is coming!
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Maryjane
You took the words out of my mouth Peggy!
Why not just post the big news when it happens instead of keeping people in suspense. What's the point?
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JW Group Forums - what they say
by forsharry innot sure why i've been going around to the jw forums like on myspace and such to see what they say...maybe i'm just stupid...who knows...but i was surprised at the vitriolic venom that many of the youth that still pay homage to da troof spew from their mouths.
i know i was raised jw but i would always pride myself on listening to what others said, even if i secretly didn't agree with it.
because it was a polite thing to do...and i had the truth!
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Maryjane
I've been dealing with a Jehovah-bot on a music forum I frequent (they're everywhere!). She has got to be one of the most arrogant personalities I've ever met online. Last week there was a particularly heated exchange on the board (click here if you're interested in reading it
http://www.digital-djs.com/talk/thread-view.asp?threadid=11400 I'm "maryjanewisdom" and she's "chocolate". The other JW instigator is "fingersinc")
where she set herself up by saying "there is only one true religion". Seeing a grand opening, I asked her..."what IS this true religion you refer to?" (knowing full well if she answered she'd piss off a lot of christians on the board). She never did answer me, but another JW cronie on the board said "you know she doesn't want anything to do with an apostate!). I played dumb and asked why he called me that etc..but he never answered either. To any non-JW onlookers, they must have been confused, but what wasn't confusing was the arrogance of the JW poster. Her field service hours went to waste that day! Every now & then I"ll greet her on the board so the rest of the readers can see how she shuns me...lol
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Keep Your Mind Off The "Big News"
by jeanniebeanz inbrothers and sisters:.
i think that we all need to calm down here.
afterall, all of this speculation is 'running ahead of the organization'.
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Maryjane
Wish I could but now that Barbara has planted the seeds of anticipation....I can't wait!
In the meantime I'll
write in my blog
wash my hair
smoke an L
write some more
go to sleep
get up & check the board again!
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1093
THE NEWS IS BIGGER THAN DATELINE, BBC, CBC, ETC.
by AndersonsInfo inif i told you that something bigger is on the horizon than dateline, bbc, cbc, sunday (australia), and all other tv programs which exposed the sexual child abuse cover-up by watchtower in 2002-2003, would you believe me?
have i ever misled you?
i'll answer that--no!
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Maryjane
Seems like I've found this board again just in time! I'm excited and plan to advertise, advertise, advertise this good news of the WT's demise far and wide!!
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11
Defeating 'New Light' doctrine... How?
by AlmostAtheist init does little good to point a jw to changing doctrines, since they expect it.
they get all giddy when 'new light' shines on them and they get a clearer understanding of the bible.
even if it is actually a return to what was previously declared 'old light', they still suck it down and smile.. how do you defeat that?
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Maryjane
I agree with Gopher's statement:
"Will anyone associated with JW's ever admit they taught a LIE (or even, "something not the truth") prior to 1995? If they cannot admit that, then their cling on this 'new light' (in reality a confusing pattern of blinking lights) is too strong for reason."
For many JW's the psychological defense mechanisms are too strong for any bit of reason to penetrate. I think for a JW to really be "honest" and admit that the Society has been WRONG and uses "new light" and "wait on Jehovah" to hide their wrongs, that JW has to already be looking for a loophole. For instance, about 4 years after my baptism, I became weary of all the meetings, field service, magazines, Kingdom Ministries, etc. I really had panic attack as my entire life revolved around religion. I still kept up with it because at the time I believed it to be "the truth" but was secretly hoping they were wrong about somethings and I could find a loophole to get out. The desire to be free has to be there. If they are happy being slaves of the WTB&TS or find it too painful to even consider being wrong, they won't listen to any contrary information.
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Filling the Void
by demeter inwhat do you think has been the most helpful thing you have read, heard, or learned lately?
what helps you get along in a post-jw life?.
i think the reason people go back to an organization that they once rejected is that they find a void and have no experience with filling it.. what do you do to make a new social life?.
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Maryjane
I walked away from the JW's 5 years ago and to-date have not joined another religion or any organization for that matter. I definitely DO have trust issues that I'm still working on.
A good friend of mine left shortly after I did and is now caught up in 2 equally manipulative organizations....Scientology and she also joined a Multi-Level-Marketing organization (which is like a business cult). I've tried talking to her...reminded her of the Witness experience and asked if she didn't learn anything from that. She is so wrapped up with this new manipulation that she can't even see the similiarities!
We are so fragile emotionally when we leave the JW's that one either rejects any other group or joins one that is similar to the JW's. Is there any happy medium?