Posts by twinflame

they are often accused of letting the watchtower steal god from them, or throwing the baby out with the bath.. are you one those that rejected faith altogether after your exit?

twinflame

I feel spiritually raped and hollow. I don't know if I am willing to engage again; maybe at some point.

I believe in God and I hope he understands. Whatever the outcome is, I know it's not all the WTS crap I was fed for years. I feel like I escaped but feel scarred and confused.

157

Where are you on the map? New Maps

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

ok there are so many americans on the map now i had to split you all in half.. valis was kind enough to let me place the maps on his website until i found a new home for them.. photobucket seems to be a good option - at least for now.

so i have uploaded the new maps which have been updated to include everyone who has asked.. so if you were wondering where we are from.

or how close you are to other jwd posters in your area just take a look.

twinflame

I'd like to be included in Northern California.

Thanks,

Twinflame

27

JWS and Body Piercings!

by kristyann in

jw
friends

this may sound strange, but do jws have any specific teachings on body piercings?

i know that mormons do... they only allow females to have one piercing in each ear and then they must wear "tasteful, modest earrings"... in other words, i don't think they're wearing big hoops or dangling chandalier earrings... but what do jws think about piercings?

my boyfriend's sister got her eyebrow pierced... and her "jw" parents encouraged it.

twinflame

Some victims of child abuse have seen it as a means of claiming control of their bodies.

This definitely shows it should be okay for witnesses, right?

119

Since you left Jehovahs................................

by defd in

organization and the faith.

what hope do yall entertain for the future....the everlasting future?

do you still believe, want to be on a paradise earth or what?

twinflame

Since I left the JWs I haven't thought too much about the future since I used to feel so oppressed by the present. Even though they say they all look to a bright, promising future, what they really dwell on is how horrible it is living temporatily in this 'wicked system of things'. My JW husband always tells me how typical it is for the apostates to tear down all my beliefs but then not give me anything in return. My response to that is this:

I'm in no rush to fall victim to control again. I find it a tremendous relief to not live each day agonizing over yet more bad news and the downfall of mankind and the wickedness of 'this system'. To me, the JW doom-and-gloom outlook on everyday life, far outweighed any promise of living in a paradise on earth.

For now, I am happy to be alive; something I lost being a JW. All the years I thought it was depression and it was simply unhappiness. I have discovered the truth about the lie (s) and will enjoy that freedom each day.

30

Can JW beliefs contribute to suicide?

by TD in

jw
friends

it may sound like a strange question, but aspects of jw behavior that are incomprehensible to outsiders actually make a morbid kind of sense when viewed through the lens of jw doctrine.

for example, about 10-12 years ago there was a single mother in my wifes congregation.

during the course of conversation, she learned that my wifes grandmother had recently passed away.

twinflame

Before I was hard core, anti-JW....I figured if my kids were not going to survive Armageddon, I didn't want to survive either and started pulling away. Of course this showed my weakened sense of spirituality as my husband pointed out. I should have stayed in to show them the way. NOT!

45

Feeling sooo isolated.....

by Michelle5480 in

jw
friends

.

hello to all, i was raised pretty much as a jw and became one of the super goodie two shoes type, you know......didnt even swear when i was alone.. im now disfellowshipped and since i followed the guideline of not having friends outside the organization i now find myself completely alone, my friends are all jw's and none of them can talk to me.

so now i feel lost....on another planet almost .

twinflame

I'm so sorry Michelle. You have come to a good place for encouragement and you will find you are not alone.

30

Good Comebacks - Any Help?

by atypical in

jw
friends

i am trying to do the "fade" for the sake of my wife and family, but it is getting extremely difficult.

my wife's cong.

is even more nosy than most.

twinflame

Guess my excuse, or at least the one my husband used for me, would not work.....menopause!

You could always use depression since most there either do or have suffered from it. That can sure take away motivation for everything.

17

Elder Abuse and Special Committees

by twinflame in

i thought i would share an experience from the congregation i was assosiated with in utah.

about 17 years ago i caught my 15-year-old stepson molesting my 3-year-old daughter.

of course, the first action taken was to call the elders.

twinflame

Thank you Lady Lee, for your suggestion. I think I have read about this method before but have never drug myself up far enough to actually do something about it. Isn't it amazing how easy it is to wallow and not take action. I suppose my first step is to identify who I would address the letters to. After 20+ years and so many painful memories, it will take some digging around.

I know I am but one of tens of thousands who share the same experiences and I admire those who have been able to move on. When I first left I spent a lot of time talking to others but then stopped, thinking I was done. After coming here, it reminds me that all is not forgotten and I'm not sure if I'm not healed or just reopening new wounds.

I feel I should be at the point of helping others but sometimes find myself almost back at the beginning. I've wondered if one is actually able to put it behind them when they live with an active JW and the constant reminders that accompany that, but I think I have seen others here who have overcome that hurdle and adjusted. Must be the old 'what's wrong with me' mentality that is so hard to shake.