Nice letters. I find letter-writing a useful tool for connecting with what I'm feeling.
As I reflect on my DA letter from almost a year ago now, I wish I'd just kept it simple, like "I hereby disassociate myself from the wts."
I feel now that I didn't owe these people an explanation for my choice and the more I said the less likely it was read or understood. Even the letter to my friends, I wish I'd never bothered. I just realize how much I've grown since then and how it didn't really matter what any of these people thought about me and my reasons for leaving.
I wish you well with your journey.
tall penguin
tall penguin
JoinedPosts by tall penguin
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my disassociation drafts, longish but i'd like comments....
by isthisit in<div> <div> <div>we decided to leave before being pushed, these are my letters, her letters are very similar but she is still working on them, any suggestions would be more than welcome....bear in mind my dad is po, should this change anything?
<br></br> ________________________________________________________________________________________________-- brothers this is perhaps the hardest letter i have had to write, and it is likewise the letter that i least expect to have to write.
as of this letter being received, i no longer consider myself as a jehovahs witness.
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tall penguin
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Something funny I had to share
by keo15929 inhad a conversation with my little niece today.
she's a little smart mouth.
but she's funny.. i said to her "britney, your 5 right?.
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tall penguin
Sounds pretty wise to me. Young kids seem to know that it's okay to just be where they are...that being 5 isn't just a prep stage for being 6. Being 5 is just about being 5 and when she's done with that, she'll move on.
I really love 5 year olds. I worked with many of them over the years and it seems like one of the last ages where innocence prevails. Something about entering the school system tends to kill their spirit.
Thanks for sharing keo.
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The Final Truth?
by Mistah MOJO in"the final truth is that there is no final truth.
" this statement was contained in a recent email from a close friend who is an existentialist, and by extension a nihilist.
how many here would agree with this?
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tall penguin
"Tits on a brick." You so funny James. :)
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Teaching a Toddler to Reason...
by jgnat ini'm working on my "unbelieving mates" book today.
i'm putting together the best ways to teach a child to reason from infancy to adulthood.
i firmly believe that a child taught to reason can be permanently inoculated against pyramid schemes, con artists, bad dates, fear-mongering, false politicians promises, quackery, and destructive religious extremism.. reasoning ability is closely tied to language development.
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tall penguin
"The Little Engine That Could -- for some reason that book drives me batty. Probably because it's so repetitive..."
Limbogirl, I hear ya. It's that repetition though that kids LOVE. That sing-songy kind of verse can be grating to parents but the kidlets love a good rhyme and rhythm.
tall penguin -
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Teaching a Toddler to Reason...
by jgnat ini'm working on my "unbelieving mates" book today.
i'm putting together the best ways to teach a child to reason from infancy to adulthood.
i firmly believe that a child taught to reason can be permanently inoculated against pyramid schemes, con artists, bad dates, fear-mongering, false politicians promises, quackery, and destructive religious extremism.. reasoning ability is closely tied to language development.
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tall penguin
Nice post jgnat. I've read so many of those books listed. I work in the Kids section of a major bookstore here in Toronto. Fairy tales and picture books are a great way to introduce children to fantasy which lays the ground work for reasoning skills. I was always amazed in the org how rarely I saw parents read to their children, as in non-wts publications. It excites me everyday to see parents at the store reading to their kids.
I think kid's books are great for adults to read too. The simplicity of the language and the pictures can teach very profound lessons quickly. Since working at the store I've started my own collection of children's books and I share them with my adult friends. There are some basic lessons in these stories that I think many jw's missed out on as kids. Sad really.
From the list you linked to, here are some of my faves:
The Carrot Seed
Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus (all of the pigeon books are wonderful)
Goodnight Moon
The Very Hungry Caterpiller
Where the Wild Things Are
Some must-read titles that weren't on the list (for kids and adults alike):
The Red Tree by Shaun Tan
Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers
How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers
Dougal the Garbage Dump Bear by Matt Dray
A Frog Thing by Eric Drachman
The Little Engine That Could by Watty Piper
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Coffee time with the dubs - Where did you go?
by truthseeker into name a few that are popular with my old congregation.... .
dunkin' donuts.
quik chek.
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tall penguin
The shrine of Tim Horton's aka Brother Horton's.
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A bit reluctant
by saki2fifty ini'm a bit reluctant in writing this post, for i dont feel i should be here.
even a bit nervous... .
i've never officially dedicated myself to jehovah, but i was brought up in the truth, very strong, and at times when getting older, there were lulls in my attendance... yet to this day i still attend.
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tall penguin
Welcome saki2fifty. It's great to have you here.
Each of us on this board is here for different reasons. Personally, I'm here to connect with others with a similar background to my own, much like you congregate with jw's for the common ground you share with them. There's a certain need for community that we all have and it is provided in different ways at different points in our lives. If you should choose to find that community at your local Kingdom Hall that is entirely your choice.
I disassociated almost a year ago now. I am happy with my decision. I am now enjoying a happier existence. My health has improved dramatically and I feel a deeper sense of contentment than I ever did as a jw. I also feel freed from the limiting concept of god as portrayed by the wts and the bible itself. This freedom has expanded my awareness and appreciation for life in a way I could never have imagined while a jw.
We all must make choices in this life and live with the consequences. I uphold your free will as I uphold my own. May the choices you make bring peace to you and your family.
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Who else is living in a "Sauna"
by JH in.
it's hot 85f and very humid 95% right now.....ewwww so uncomfortable.. i don't recall seeing such a humid summer.......it must be the end.....
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tall penguin
"That must be very challenging for a..well..tall penguin."
Yes, us penguins don't handle the heat so well. Right now in Toronto it's only 10 am and already 28C (82F) but it feels like 41C (106F). The humidity is 84%. It's going up to 33C (91F) this afternoon. I'll be sittin' by the AC today. Can't let my beautiful penguin skin get all dried out. :)
tall penguin -
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Getting Hitched
by fullofdoubtnow ini just want to share this with you all.. a few weeks ago, trev (dedpoet) popped the question, and of course i accepted, so we are getting married!!
we have been busy getting things started since then, hence the slight delay in posting our news.
we aren't in a particular hurry, as we have no desire to have children.
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tall penguin
Congratulations. I'm so happy for you both. Friendship is indeed a lovely way to start a marriage.
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Who else is living in a "Sauna"
by JH in.
it's hot 85f and very humid 95% right now.....ewwww so uncomfortable.. i don't recall seeing such a humid summer.......it must be the end.....
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tall penguin
It was 38C here in Toronto today, but with the humidity it felt like 50C. That's 122F. Fortunately, I have AC but I was out in it for brief periods today and it was stifling to say the least. Tomorrow's going down to a cool 32C. It's all relative.
tall penguin