Very clear and reasonable . It does throw them for a loop when our reasons for leaving don't fall into the usual things they think .
troubled mind
JoinedPosts by troubled mind
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22
My conversation with my mother in law.
by StephaneLaliberte inmy wife and i recently took the decision to fade out progressively and we are now in the stage where we no longer assist to our meetings.
in this process, we have told the truth to our respective parents but have not forced ourselves upon them; meaning that: we will talk about it when you want to.
as a result, my mother in-law already had some conversations with my wife on why we no longer went, but never brought up the subject with me, at least, up until yesterday.. she was telling us that a good deal of people miss us at the meeting and i answered that i missed them also.
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Hello
by GoUnion inhello everyone it's nice to finally be able to post i had trouble getting emails last month and was never able to sign up.
this has been a very informative site which has really helped me grow and to think for myself.
please allow me to introduce myself.. i was born into a witness family and was baptized at a young age an was part of a small kingdom hall.
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troubled mind
Welcome !
Being able to think and reason for yourself is a wonderful discovery . When I first left I was very confused on what I truly believed . Everything ,my whole life, had been spelled out to me by JW beliefs and teachings . It was scary at first ,but then exciting to research ,read ,and think for myself .
It is okay to not have all the answers the best part of learning is asking the questions freely ! Don't be surprised that your thoughts and beliefs will grow and change it is part of the journey .ENJOY !
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I should'nt let them get to me, but.......
by quellycatface in.
one day, i'll have the courage to ask why she looks at me like that..
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troubled mind
Quellycatface , it is hurtful when this happens .No one likes to feel rejected or snubbed . She should be careful doing that while she is on the job ! As stated by jwdaughter ,she is an employee ,and is expected to treat customers with respect . I would bring it to a managers attention if it happens again . You have the right as a customer to be treated with dignity . Stand up to this behavior ,and you won't feel so bad .
I work in a shop ,and I have had WItnesses open the front door see that I am the clerk for the day, and they just turn right back around and leave . It use to hurt ,but as time goes on I just laugh that kind of stuff off. Some Witnesses will come into the shop ,and just act very robotic 'all business' like even though we have known each other for over 30 yrs ,but at least they converse.
Our grocery store now has a JW check out clerk .She is young and has known me her whole life . She will be courteous ,but never asks anything personal . Which is fine with me as long as she is not rude .
The weirdest experiences are running into my husbands step family that are JW . They are so rude it really is shocking .I have literally run right into his sister in law at the grocery store ,said her name and hello ,and she looks over my head as if I am invisible ....it is a really creepy feeling . The last time it happened I turned a corner, and bumped right into both of them ,and they acted like zombies ,no reponse at all . I busted up laughing ,and wished I had said, " becareful out in the rain ,because you may drown with your noses stuck so far up in the air ! "
Just last week though their JW son actually said hello to me in the store and asked how i was ! So you can never guess if or when one will talk to you .
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When they disfellowship...
by ???What??? inwhen they disfellowship someone, how do they have the audacity to say "[name] is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses."?.
being a witness of jehovah is a personal relationship between jehovah and the individual.
only jehovah and the individual know the depth and trueness of the relation that exists between them.
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troubled mind
These were the questions i answered yes to when I was baptised ......(1) Have you repented of your sins and turned around, recognizing yourself before Jehovah God as a condemned sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?
(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?So when the Elder told me it was easy to write a dissassociation letter if i no longer wanted to be a JW, I told him I did not belong to or worship an organization . I didn't need to do anything .
Instantly my brother accussed me of being an atheist ...which at that time I was not .
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What's the greatest movie no-one's ever heard of?
by rory-ks inyou know, that film you really love, but when you mention it everyone's, like, "eh?".
i'll get the ball rolling.
for me: ulee's gold..
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troubled mind
Agora
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troubled mind
Hey ,Welcome Back !
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"Worldly" Friends vs "True" Friends
by DuvanMuvan inhey guys i am new to the whole forum thing (long time reader, first time postererer) and i wanted to get some other opinions on something that has bothered me ever since i first became a jehovah's witness.. i was always taught at the kingdom hall that friends inside the orginisation were the only ones i could count on and that the ones out of it (mainly at school) were just being controlled by satan to trick me into leaving the religion.. however, i always found it to be the opposite.
my "worldly"friends were all accepting of my religion (back when i was ok with being a jw) and are the only ones i have really opened up to about wanting to leave.
the only things i have in common with the other teenagers in my hall (3 boys, 3 girls) are that we've all been raised in the truth and... well that's it.. i was just wondering if anyone else found the same thing when they were a teenaged jw or if anyone still in my age finds the same thing..
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troubled mind
When you distance youself from JW thinking you come to see life is not so black and white as you were taught to believe. People are people . Some people have good character traits ,and some don't ....it has nothing to do with what religion they belong to, or if they are religious at all.
There are some very nice people that are JW's ,but they are ultimately controlled by an organization that is expecting exclusive devotion . Many teenagers are trying to find their individuality at that age ,but it is so hard when the religion is constantly telling them to fit into a pre-determined mold .It becomes frustrating as they want to try out new things ....these teens are not 'bad' or 'good' they are just individuals trying to figure out life .
I spent 44 yrs as a Witness .After all that time I was told my Witness 'friends' were my 'true ' friends ...this was a lie . Most of those people were only my friend so long as I believed exactly as they did ,and did exactly as they did .That is called conditional friendship and is not authentic. I began to realize this about two years before i actually faded from the congregation .
I now have made friends with many non-witness people ,and have found we can have differing religious ,political,ect.views ,and still be great friends . Diversity is awesome and interesting .
Here are a couple of examples I can share that happened to me personally :
My Mother ,was a Witness for over 50 yrs ,had heart surgery and then suffered a major stroke that left her in a coma and hospitalized for three months . During that time my JW sister in law came to the hospital one time during the actual surgery . In fact none of my so called JW "friends" came to support me emotionally during that whole time . Yet at work my non Witness workmates gave me hugs ,asked to pray for my Mom ,and showed they cared . When my Mom came out of the coma I asked a JW friend if she would come by and see her ,because she was asking about her ...this witness told me she was aux. pioneering that month and had not made her time yet .She was very put off that I would even ask her ! That was a pivotal moment for me . Another awakening moment for me was that my Dissassociated Brother was so loving ,and such a support during this time ,yet I had been told for years to limit contact with him because he was now a 'Worldly" individual .
Compare that with my experience a few yrs later when I had been faded for a couple of years ,and i had to have surgery myself . My new friends knew I was scared ,and without even asking they came to the hospital for support . One friend even slept next to my hospital bed all night just to make sure I was out of danger ! (This one kindness has made the biggest impression on me in my whole life .) When I got home these new friends that i have known less than three yrs were bringing over meals ,cleaning my home ,and genuinely just showing concern for my well-being . I did not have to ask for this support ,they just knew from the heart what was needed and followed through .
So in my experience 'worldly' friends have been my true friends in the long run . Of course as I stated in the beginning it is the character of the person that matters ,surround yourself with genuine caring .loving ,honest hearted people ,and you can't go wrong .
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How often do you see the Witnesses out on the ministry?
by rory-ks ini only ask because i hardly ever see them out on the ministry.
it is a very rare sighting to spot them actively engaged in the house to house ministry.
or out on the street work, in the marketplace, etc.. the other reason i ask is because they are constantly pictured as being on the preaching work.
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troubled mind
I drive by the KH everyday M-F ,and am surprised how many cars are there meeting for service . Wednesday is still the biggest turn out day ,and Thursday the lowest . However I never see anyone going door to door in town ,I wonder about that ? I drive my bus route through the territory, and have never run into a car group doing rural territory either .
During the spring and summer I will see them in town, usually on Saturday ,going to the donut shop for break . Once a year, usually during the Memorial campaign, I will see them walk past my house . They no longer stop here :)
They use to meet for Saturday sevice at my neighbors home ,but they moved recently so I don't know where they meet now . Our town is pretty small .
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10
Humbled Valentine's chicks pics ;)
by Bruja-del-Sol inhere's a few pictures of the little chicks saved from the snow and hatched by mom goldie.
(click on them to see larger pics).
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troubled mind
So sweet ! I had a pet chicken when I was 10yrs old .
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My Former Congregation is Dead
by Nosferatu inwhen i left the jw organization, there were about 80 publishers in my congregation.
within the last month, the congregation was abolished because it only had 29 publishers in it.
the apparent reason for this was one elder on a power trip.
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troubled mind
The Congregation I grew up in was dissolved too ,and no longer exists . They sent the people to suurounding halls . I think there was some kind of Elder trouble going on with in the old hall ,because it had a fairly large group meeting there.