Posts by Jamelle

12

Merry Christmas to all of you !!

by Country_Woman in

jw
friends

.

country woman and vivamus.

Are You Afraid To Die?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you every worry about dying?

do you think that you probably won't have a very long life?

Right now I would say that I am not afraid of death - and I don't dwell on it. Every now and then the topic comes up in my mind and although I get nervous at the thought of NOT KNOWING what will come afterwards - I end up shrugging it off.

I tend to be very practical about this matter and feel that whatever will be, will be in that department.

I grew up thinking that I was going to die at Armageddon - that frightened me. I never really thought I was going to live forever. My dearest friend did buy into all that crap though and has had issues coming to terms with her own mortality since leaving the JWs.

Someone posted a quote on another thread that I'd like to repeat:

From the movie, Tuck Everlasting: “Do not fear death. Fear the unlived life. You don’t have to live forever. You just have to live.”

I really like this quote, it comforts me. It combats the brainwashing of early childhood.

When I worry about dying, I try to focus on getting what I want out of life. A loving husband, a happy home, children and grandchildren. Friends that are like family. I want to learn to play the piano, I want to travel to Ireland, I want to get the most from my brief span...

The Witnesses put their lives on hold - they are joyless because they expect to have all their joy in the new system. Their lifestyle is a kind of death - a fate worse than death to me. After surviving that, I can take anything this universe has to throw at me!

70

Movies that make me cry

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

ok i just finished watching antwone fisher.

it's not the first time i've watched it.not even the second or third time.

i've seen it a lot.

Jamelle

So many of these had made me tear up but I'll name the ones that have affected me the most:

Steel Magnolias (from the time they pull the plug to the end I'm crying, I love it when they start to laugh again, as Truvy says "laughter through tears is my favorite emotion!")

City of Angels (The song "In The Arms of the Angel" is enough to get me to cry!)

Beyond Borders (From the moment I saw that starved child by the roadside in the desert I burst into tears - I was totally shocked!)

Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (The theme of trouble between mother and daughter hit home for me too.)

Last of the Mohicans (The ending where the Indian brother is killed and the English girl who loved him jumps to her death without speaking a word - it's all in her face - gets me every time.)

20

Our new house guest

by Billygoat in

jw
friends

this weekend mozz and i went out of town to visit some of his family.

this morning on our way back home, we decided to meet some of them at a little truck stop restaurant to have breakfast.

we got there and noticed this little dog outside of the front door.

Jamelle

Hes absolutely adorable! Good for you!

Rescue's tend to really attach to their rescuers and become very loving and affectionate pets. I really believe they know that you saved them!

8

Those Crazy Scientologists

by DevonMcBride in

jw
friends

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/crop-of-circles-a-signpost-for-scientology/2005/12/02/1133422108779.html

crop of circles a signpost for scientology

all religions have their sacred texts but scientology goes to great lengths to ensure l.ron hubbard's wise words are not lost, writes richard leiby.

Jamelle

Wow.

Yep, that about sums it up.

25

I want to see your children, but shun you!

by free2beme in

jw
friends

i have relatives in the jehovah's witness religion still, and in-laws.

because my spouse and me were never officially disfellowshipped, they have a hard time with how to shun us.

basically, they don't.

Jamelle

My best friend ( who left the JWs at basically the same time I did) has this dilemna with her mother and step-father (an elder). They have made it clear that their grand-daughter is more important to them than their daughter.

An incredbile bit of hypocrisy that when the oldest daughter is a "fader" who openly lives "in sin" as a model out in CA. AARGH!

I've seen my friend struggle with the need for childcard she could trust versus knowing that they will take Em to the meetings/teach her about Jehovah.

Thank the powers that be that I won't have to make that call. I've already decided that NEVER will my parents ever be alone with my children. They have no desire to contact me, talk to me - then they have no business spending time with my children. That's just the way I feel about it - it feels cold to me - but I WILL NOT have any child of mine exposed to their brain washing techniques.

You said it Mouthy when you referenced the JW fixation with snagging more members for the organization!

26

What new or not so new song(s) got your attention lately?

by JH in

jw
friends

bad day by daniel powter where is the moment we need at the most you kick up the leaves and the magic is lost they tell me your blue skies fade to grey they tell me your passion's gone away and i don't need no carryin' on

you stand in the line just to hit a new low you're faking a smile with the coffee to go you tell me your life's been way off line you're falling to pieces everytime and i don't need no carryin' on

so where is the passion when you need it the most oh you and i you kick up the leaves and the magic is lost

Jamelle

This song really reminds me of how I used to feel while still in the org - it came out while I was still in and I used to listen to it in the car and get all emotional...

Angel - Sarah Mclachlan

Spend all your time waiting For that second chance For a break that would make it okay There's always one reason To feel not good enough And it's hard at the end of the day I need some distraction Oh beautiful release Memory seeps from my veins Let me be empty And weightless and maybe I'll find some peace tonight In the arms of an angel Fly away from here From this dark cold hotel room And the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie You're in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort there So tired of the straight line And everywhere you turn There's vultures and thieves at your back And the storm keeps on twisting You keep on building the lie That you make up for all that you lack It don't make no difference Escaping one last time It's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh This glorious sadness that brings me to my knees In the arms of an angel Fly away from here From this dark cold hotel room And the endlessness that you fear You are pulled from the wreckage Of your silent reverie You're in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort there You're in the arms of the angel May you find some comfort here

2

Funny Christmas song, No Christmas for The Jehovah's Witness

by DevonMcBride in

jw
friends

http://harraway.com/no_christmas_for_jehovahs_witness.html

Jamelle

Hilarious! Love it - thanks for the link!

7

The One thing I like about Xmas

by katydid in

jw
friends

i dislike the commercialism, the music, the incessant "happy holidays", and the church's insistence to put "jesus back in christmas.".

but i really like xmas lights.

i put up a 7 foot tree and three small trees in my yard and strung lights around them, strung up lights on my gutters, and put candles in my windows.

Jamelle

mmmm....Starbucks peppermint mocha....yum!

I am also a big fan of Christmas lights - sometimes I will just sit and stare at how pretty our tree looks ( after turning other lights in the room off). It's mesmerizing.

Must mean I am worshipping the demonic tree of Druids. O, tannenbaum...

9

holiday cheer/hypocrisy/dilemma

by ShepGator in

jw
friends

ok, how is everyone handling the upcoming holidays?

i was raised a jw so never celebrated at all.

over the years as a married but no kids couple, i have just done whatever my hubby wanted which usually consists of just having dinner at his parents' house.

Jamelle

I was also raised a JW - never celebrating Christmas as I grew up. When I left the JW's at age 19 I immediately started celebrating Christmas although it was my second year before I had a tree.

You may not childhood memories of Christmas to wax nostalgic about - and you may not feel comfortable with the religous overtones to the holiday (I wasn't for years) - but I do think there is a way to feel happier during this time of the year...

Pick a cause, any cause, and donate some time to it. It could be anything from helping out at a local animal shelter (an ofter overlooked area of need this time of the year) or volunteering at a local nursing home to spend time with patients who don't get alot of visitors, reading to them, etc.

If you are shy of physical involvement with people - and want more subtle options - what about calling a local nursing home and asking for the names (first if necessary for privacy) of some patients that never get any mail - then send each a beautiful Christmas card.

I guess the point that I am trying to make is that to me, all the joy of Christmas is in the giving of things/time to others. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement. Who knows - maybe the things tried at Christmas-time will lead to year round involvement. Volunteer work really helped ground me when I first left the JWs - especially around Christmas.

Another thing would be to decorate/celebrate/gift in old-fashioned ways. String popcorn, make those paper chains you never could while in school as a JW kid, give home goodies as simple gifts, and so on...

Other posters had great suggestions too regarding watching Christmas movies (the older ones are the best! ) and sipping hot cocoa!

Good luck with whatever you decide to do!