I hug our dogs alot, especially Gus, becuase hes like a big teddy bear.
Jamelle
JoinedPosts by Jamelle
-
73
Do you hug and kiss your pets?
by Dimples ini love my cats as if they were my own children.
i was there when they were born and even cut one of the umbilical cords.
they are part of my family and yes, i do pick them up, hug them and kiss them everyday.
-
-
-
28
What did you do with your literature when you left?
by ontarget inwhat did you do with your literature when you left?
i burned my literature except for the wt cd which i sold on ebay.
i did not want to just throw the literature away as i did not want the trash man to read it and become a witness.
-
-
Jamelle
For a while after leaving the borg I had an old bookbag in the back of a hall closet filled with misc. JW books, drama tapes and mags. It stayed there for 6 months to a year. I never got it out or thought about it.
Then I cleaned the closet one day and had such a surge of anger when I saw those books that I immediately pitched them. I put them in the same trash bag as the really old leftovers from the refrigerator. I figured that I was sorting the contents of my trash logically.
Plus - I also had the old story of trashmen converted to JWs by literature they found. I have a really hard time believing that kind of story now. I mean, are you kidding me?
Once, years later, I was visiting the home of a Witness that I knew had drifted away, married a non-JW, etc. But we never really talked about where the other was at concerning the whole Witness thing. I saw a whole bookshelf full of Witness publications in her dining room and almost bolted out the door. I didn't call her again for a long time and when I did she had moved and I lost track.
I didn't consider that she might have been keeping those old books for reference. If I ever get the chance to talk to her again, I will use some discreet questioning to figure out why she still had/has those books.
-
29
SELF ESTEEM in the organization
by justice for all indid your self esteem increase or decrease after being in the organization for a while?
-
-
Jamelle
Growing up a JW was not pleasent for me because I was contantly being told I was less than I really was. The message from my parents, from the platform, from the literature, was that I wasn't good enough. I refused to believe this. Then I felt that there must be something wrong with me because I wasn't admitting my own guilt - and I must be guilty, right?
My mother was extremely critical - I believe she had/has mental issues of her own - and her treatment of me was a major factor as I was growing up. I constantly quoted the scripture - modifed - "Mothers, stop irritating your children." in my head. All her nagging just made me angry and resentful - for which I felt guilty - anyone see the merry-go-round I was on?
As a result of all of this my self esteem was strong on some counts and weak on others.
I think that the process of breaking free from the borg and making a life for myself has strengthened my self esteem.
-
6
An activists conference???
by Junction-Guy inwouldnt it be cool if we could get all of the activists together at a conference and discuss ways to counter the wt society.
we could make it a 2 day event, or even a 1 day event.
people such as barbara anderson, blondie, danny haszard, and the many more people who actively work to expose the jw cult.
-
-
Jamelle
I would possibly be interested in attending. Either location would be within driving distance for me. I would want to know more about how the conference would be structured.
If nothing else, I would welcome the opportunity to meet other ex-JWs. Especially ones that I've started to get to know by being on this forum.
-
25
How stressed were you as a JW?
by JH ini don't know about you guys, but it stressed me alot to be a jw.. i never did like talking in public, in front of a group, or going door to door.. gee, i hated the tms meeting.
the moment i knew that i had a talk, i became nervous and often i had a hard time sleeping.
just knowing that i had to talk for 5 minutes in front of the whole congrgation got me nervous weeks ahead of time.
-
-
Jamelle
I was very stressed during the final years of my time in the borg! Mild panic attacks were common occurences for me while at the meetings. I spent most of the time in the ladies restroom sitting in the area of nursing mothers.
They had a hook up in there so that you could hear the speaker - and there was a volume control. I always turned it way down. I remember one time I had done this and an elder's wife came in and turned it all the way up without asking or saying a word to me, then left. She was a royal b*&^* by the way. I turned the sound right back down again!
I was always nervous when giving a talk in front of the hall. Compared to that, speaking in school was a piece of cake. Maybe because I was less afraid of my worldly classmates than my "brothers and sisters" at the hall?
As a sister I was never expected to do "readings" of paragraphs...women can't read that well you know...so I missed the opportunity to be nervous about that one.
I was always very nervous while working in field service. I hated that moment between knocking/ringing the bell and when someone would answer. I was always praying that no one was home. My stomach was always in knots. I felt like such a fool.
-
22
What Was I Agreeing to at my Baptism, Anyway?
by prophecor ini was so awash with emotion during the day of my being baptised, i think i would've answered yes to having a root canal.
what was it i was swearing my allegiance to on that ominous day?
are there a standard set of questions that they ask all baptismal candidates at these cermonial offerings?
-
-
Jamelle
I think that for many people the experience of baptism was heartfelt. They were offering themselves to God.
The Witnesses take advantage of a person's sincere desire to please God. Viewed one way, it could seem that going through with a Witness baptism ceremony is meaningless. But I like to think that God would see the heart of a person and know the value of what was being offered. This is probably an over simplified way of looking at things, but its just how I feel.
None of these thoughts are a result of my direct experience. I was terrified I was going to be struck dead when I answered those questions with a "Yes" - because I knew I was lying. I wasn't good enough and never would be.
-
63
Aliens/UFO's...Do You Believe In Them?
by Legolas in.
after reading another thread it got me thinking...how many here believe in aliens?
have you ever seen a ufo?
-
-
Jamelle
I don't what others who grew up as JW's were taught - but I was always told that UFOs/Alien Encounters were demons messing with mankind. Consequently, I've always been a little nervous when watching the shows they put on about this subject. I still watch them, but I still get nervous.
Putting aside the programming of my youth, I think that there is way more about our own planet that we need to learn, let alone just our little solar system, before we assume ANYTHING.
Something strange is going on - crop circles, animal mutilations, sightings, etc. and so on... I think its fascinating but I don't know if there is enough evidence at this time to really support any one theory on all these phenomena.
-
57
I'm going to give you one more chance.
by LDH ini hope all of you genx-r exjw will get a kick out of this story from my childhood.
i was just talking to jt and he says i should post it..... my daughter is studying wwi history in school.
i told her that when i was in 10th grade, i had a social studies teacher named nancy galbraith.
-
-
Jamelle
Great stories, everyone! I've racked my brain, but I can't remember ever using the WT publications to support a paper at school. If I ever did it was something from an Awake article on animals or something.
My desire to not get picked on the other kids outweighed any desire to be a "good little witness". I was already different enough - no holidays, birthdays, etc.
My experince was kind of the opposite actually. I remember that 6th grade teacher taught us about Greek/Roman mythology extensively. I was fascinated and checked out books from the library on these myths for some further study. My mother wasn't happy about that at all and put a stop to it real quick.
I think she even called my teacher with complaints about the pagan teachings I was receiving at school. Par for the course where my mother was concerned.
-
22
What were/are your dating adventures like?
by stillAwitness ini try not to take dating too seriously at this point in my life.
i'm only 22, still have so many things to figure out as far as my future goes and so i try to see every date i go on as simply an adventure.
a journey that will bring me closer to whoever "mr. right may be.
-
-
Jamelle
Lets see...I started off by dating a bad boy, or at least he wanted to seem like one, rode a motorcycle, had a leather jacket, the whole nine yards.
Then there was the slimeball - sexy as hell but very evasive about how he spent alot of his time. Oh yeah, that would be with his WIFE. Moving on (because I immediately did)...
Then there was the stoner. More of a summer romance if you will. He gave me a bs excuse about not being able to date because his daughter was visiting (for a few months) and I got the message. He tried to start dating me again later but I was already seeing someone else. He actually ended up being killed a few years back in a freak construction accident - weird, huh?
Then there was the era of the sensitive, animal loving, not-quite over his breakup with long term ex-girlfriend guy. He started acting weird so I broke up with him. He tried to get back together but on practically the first date he was acting goofy and I had had enough of THAT.
Then there was the heartbreaker. Everything I had ever wanted in a guy. Tall, handsome, smart and funny. Two years of my life went by while I danced to his tune. I was a low priority for him but I was so crazy about him I didn't let myself see that. I also didn't let myself see the alcoholism or the total phobia about commitment of any kind. I got dumped when another girl came along. (I am happy to report that she wrecked his car and broke his heart by dumping him 6 months after they started dating. )
And finally, there was Mr. Right - my wonderful husband who loves me and spoils me rotten. He kind of swept me off my feet, ya know?
It's funny to read back over this! How can so much emotion and experience be summed up in so few words? Go figure!
-
-
-
Jamelle
Hubby and I will go over to a friend's house for a small party. It will be us and 3 other couples squeezed into a small living room and/or equally small kitchen. There will be plenty of drinking - although not on my part - due to the meds I have to take right now I am temporarily "on the wagon" - which really sucks during the holidays by the way.
More than likely the evening will be spent drinking, gnoshing on deli trays and rehashing funny/outrageous stories from this group's collective past. Many of them have known each other since kindergarten.
I plan to plant myself on a couch and let hubby bring me food and glasses of sparkling fruit juice (yippee. ) and watch all the guys make fools of themselves as the evening progresses.