Posts by troubled mind

66

Halloween at Ziddy's House!!!

by ziddina in

(not sure if this is the right category, but....).

halloween at my house!!!.

13 ghosts floating in the breeze... over my mini-cemetary.... .

troubled mind

Ziddy that was great ! You obviously enjoy life girl :)

Quit Wasting Time ........I myself grew up as a JW, and recently quit after being fed up with the persistant pressure of having a manmade religious organization trying to tell me how to live my life . My whole life I was not allowed to follow my OWN conscience ,but rather the conscience of men that wrote JW literature .

I have come to the realization that holidays are a way people celebrate life , family ,fun and make memories to look back on in fondness . I really don't care how they began .......It is how we view it today that counts . I view dressing up and handing out candy to kids as good clean fun .

I am sick and tired of the humdrum life I was forced to live as a JW . I no longer view life as if God is looking at me through a microscope judging every little thing I do .

I also am not judgemental any more of how others choose to celebrate OR Not celebrate life . To each his own .

18

For those still trapped in the cult, be careful with your sanity

by TastingFreedom in

jw
friends

i relate to your pain and suffering.

you remind me of the struggle i had for over a year, where i was pushing myself to go the meetings and even gave public talks because of friends and family, even when i knew it was all bullshit.

i was so sick to my stomach, that i literally felt like puking during the meetings.

troubled mind

This is a wonderful post ,THANK YOU for putting into words how I think many of us felt . I know my experience was very much the same as you wrote . One day I just felt if I didn't DO something quick to relieve the pressure that I was going to explode . It was not an easy choice and it has taken me five yrs to re-build a sense of SELF , but it is SO worth the time and effort .

I enjoy my life now ....I don't have the ever looming dread hanging over me i use to feel . On Saturday mornings I awaken with a smile knowing I can spend this day any way I want . No longer am I forced into spending the morning driving around the country side with a car group of whiners/gossipers trying to find someone at home to talk to us .

The stress and anxiety in my face is now gone replaced with a smile . It just feels so good to be really happy after all these years ...

I hope lurkers will read this thread and find the courage to take the first step out for their freedom ,leave the fear behind . Start today .

29

Mind Control on Dr. Phil

by brotherdan in

usually i'm not into dr. phil at all.

but yesterday he had on dr. philip zimbardo from standford university on the show to talk about obedience to authority.

now the focus was on people doing bad and cruel things when obeying authority, but i could not help but see how many of the psychological issues also seemed to take place in jehovah's witnesses.. for example, a man was waiting outside the studio when a security gaurd walked up to the waiting man with a supposed thief.

troubled mind

I saw that show too . It was actually a Dr Phil show that got through to me and empowered me enough to stop going to meetings !

He had a show on about cults and was interviewing these two young girls both named Fawn . (They had been in a cult in Colorado ) They were not happy in the cult because they were going to be forced to marry older men or the leader . They felt captive though because of a strong fear of being shunned by their family and also the fear of being killed at Armagedeon .I could see how their fears were so much like mine and how religion was the basis of those fears .

In that show he had Steve Hassan on and links to his books . That is were I found a link to Freeminds and ultimately to JWD ....

So in my world Dr Phil rocks ! haha

5

Mini Apostafest in Mid Missouri this Friday!!

by crazyblondeb in

jw
friends

yep, that's right....a few of us will be gathering in the columbia mo area!!.

the silence, heartbreaker and her hubby, and awake&watching will be here!!

my sisters!!

troubled mind

Darn ! We are busy this weekend ,but please let me know if you do this again. A trip to your area is very possible .

33

I'm Baaaaack

by mouthy in

jw
friends

my grandson got me back on!.

troubled mind

WELCOME BACK MOUTHY !!!! I like seeing your real picture again .

6

Our first Costume Party

by troubled mind in

jw
friends

what do you think :.

.

troubled mind

So does anyone else want to post their Halloween pics ????

18

My husband's first exposure to being shunned by family ......

by troubled mind in

friday we were in the grocery store shopping .both of us were in a very good mood because our son was coming home for a visit ,and we were planning on some fun activities .

then around the end of the aisle comes by husbands sister in law ( she is married to his step brother that is an elder) we nearly bump into her literally we are that close ...so i say ," oh hi ***** !

" she would not even look at us and the expression on her face gave me chills ..pure contempt .

troubled mind

I read him stuff from here all the time ,but as far as I know he has not joined .

I think it would do him a world of good though !

Just a few months ago he was still under the impression that the Elders still cared for us ,and their sheparding call was because they really wanted to help me ........

64

Do you feel sorry for the family members who shun you?

by SweetBabyCheezits in

jw
friends

as each instance of shunning happens to me, it seems even more ridiculous than the last.. this weekend i took our kids to the park - wife opted out, understandably - and we let our daughter call my parents to inform them we'd be there.

this was my first time in the presence of my parents since our df announcement two weeks ago.. my mom and dad were 10-20 feet away much of the time and yet they never said a greeting or.. well anything.

at one point my daughter, who is aware of the shunning, mistakenly thought my mom called my name and shouted excitedly, "mawmaw, were you talking to daddy??

troubled mind

I wish you would just go up to your Mom at the park one day and give her a big hug and tell her ," Mom let's cut out this nonsense ...just because I no longer want to be a witness does not mean I no longer want you to be my Mom " , "Please don't let a policy kill your natural affection for our family ,Mom"...

I have never understood how witnesses believe the dfging policy is a discipline meant to bring someone to their senses .... If after let's say a year the person still does not want to come back into the fold then for crying out loud MOVE on .Just treat them as an unbeliever , BUT why in the world destroy the family over it ?????

I saw my Mom go through the inner turmoil of trying to shun her son for 40 some years ....it was the stupidest thing I have ever witnessed ....

Growing up seeing that made me know for a fact I WOULD NEVER TREAT ONE OF MY OWN KIDS THAT WAY .

I also saw what pain my mother in law went through when her youngest son was df'd . She would call and cry to me for hours over not being able to talk to him anymore . He disappeared for several years in a way to say screw you to his parents for shunning him . When he finally came back to the area they decided to at least see him once a year .... He is now in his 30's and has three children ......they still only see him once a year .

Before I left I honestly told her how stupid I thought all that was here she is doing something she really does not want to do ,but only because she is being tolod to do it .......I told her IT IS YOUR CHOICE ! You are choosing to shun your son and you can CHOOSE NOT to shun him just as easily ! I think deep down she knows it is all BS ,but she is afraid to rock the boat ....

18

My husband's first exposure to being shunned by family ......

by troubled mind in

friday we were in the grocery store shopping .both of us were in a very good mood because our son was coming home for a visit ,and we were planning on some fun activities .

then around the end of the aisle comes by husbands sister in law ( she is married to his step brother that is an elder) we nearly bump into her literally we are that close ...so i say ," oh hi ***** !

" she would not even look at us and the expression on her face gave me chills ..pure contempt .

troubled mind

I could tell it has been eating at him all weekend . It has just taken him a lot longer for it to really sink in that these people really do not love him ......

He see's the hypocrisy and knows the witnesses can be harsh ,he just never personally had it turned towards him . He works with some JW's and at work they still at least say hello to him or deal with him on work related matters . Slowly the personal interactions have cooled off ,but never has he had someone totally shun him as if he did not exisit . Especially coming from a family member will be a huge impact on him .

18

My husband's first exposure to being shunned by family ......

by troubled mind in

friday we were in the grocery store shopping .both of us were in a very good mood because our son was coming home for a visit ,and we were planning on some fun activities .

then around the end of the aisle comes by husbands sister in law ( she is married to his step brother that is an elder) we nearly bump into her literally we are that close ...so i say ," oh hi ***** !

" she would not even look at us and the expression on her face gave me chills ..pure contempt .

troubled mind

Friday we were in the grocery store shopping .Both of us were in a very good mood because our son was coming home for a visit ,and we were planning on some fun activities . Then around the end of the aisle comes by husbands sister in law ( she is married to his step brother that is an Elder) We nearly bump into her literally we are that close ...so I say ," OH HI ***** !" She would not even look at us and the expression on her face gave me chills ..pure contempt .

Now I am use to the witnesses acting this way towards me ( I am the evil one ) , but usually people are nice to my mate . This is the first time he has had to endure shunning ,and I think it hit him like a ton of bricks . The joy drained from his face in that instant . I am sure he was totally taken off guard by her behavior . I joked around with him and acted like it was no big deal ,but for him I am sure it was a big deal .

Made me feel so sorry for him . I feel a tinge of guilt since it is because of me he is now going to suffer these kinds of humiliations .....however I continue to tell myself he is an adult and is free to make his choices .....his lack of choosing is a choice too .

The mood was lightened up a bit a few aisles over when another JW from the hall walks by us......This time when I say 'HEllO' the JW is cheery , bubbly and returns the hello with no hesitation , as she grabs a big bottle of booze and a six pack of beer ....... her only purchases . We just turned to each other and laughed .....guess she is getting by anyway she can .