I have been diagnosed with 'toretts' and have been asked by the elders to avoid being with the brothers
cyberdyne systems 101
JoinedPosts by cyberdyne systems 101
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32
Gimme your best excuses
by justsomedude inok folks, i know there are some creative people on this board so help me out here.
i'm successfully fading so far, but every now and again i get some well meaning zealot ask me about my missing the 5 weekly brainwashing sessions and the priviledge of hocking crap door to door.
as sort of a reverse reasoning book, lets see some good conversation stoppers that wont give away my position.
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Internally: I'm forever a JW
by Thegoodgirl ini just can't shake it.
my deep down personal self-image is that i'm a jw.
i was at my grandma's today in another city (she's catholic), and lo and behold, they knock at the door.
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cyberdyne systems 101
A good topic with some great replies. I can only agree with many view points: it is all we have known so to be away from it can feel lonely and scary. There were no choices to make as your life was already mapped out for you, it could be comfortable in some ways. But again how could one go back and deny the reality and truth about it now? The whole set up is banking on the reactions we have about leaving it. The system is set up to be dependance based, if it was easy to go many more would do so. As many of us contemplate our new lives cut loose from it, we have to start from scratch and its not the easiest thing to do, but many do and are doing so. I agree there maybe many things we liked about it and traits we may always have with us, time will create a new experience for us and that will become our past
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155
Whats the dumbest reason youve been counseled?
by avishai inmy friend was counseled for having a bad attitude because he wore white socks w/ his suit.
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cyberdyne systems 101
After reading some more replies, one of them jogged my memory:
I wanted to date this sister (now my estranged wife) and my jw mother didnt want to allow it (I was 19 at the time!) and so we were banned from doing so. The PO got involved as she went to him to discuss it, he happened to be our book study conductor at the time. In the mean time this sister and I got our parents together and got an agreement to go out with each other (with strict restrictions). My mother didnt update this elder as some time had gone by etc.
Anyhow I started to notice after a few months that I wasnt being asked to read or say prayers at the group, there were a few other brothers so it took a while for me to realise I wasnt being asked. At first I thought it was odd but enjoyed the break from doing those chores, but in the end I thought I was being singled out and didnt know why. I went to the PO and mentioned it, to have him confirm he was restricting my privileges for going against my mother. I explained what had happened and why hadn't he informed me that I was being restricted because we could have cleared this all up then. He replied he wanted me to discern there was a problem and then come to him!!! Still actions such as these created the pressure that in time would make me leave.
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Watchtower Society is NOT learning
by Amazing1914 ini believed for a while, since 2000, with the build up of lawsuits and litigation, that the watchtower society was at least trying to protect itself better.
they did publish some useful, if very imperfect, changes in policy regarding child abuse that appeared to suggest their practices were headed in the right direction.. then, in the year 2006, the hammer of hard reality smacks me upside the head.
my son-in-law's dad, who i have mentioned in a continuing series, has been back in jail for sometime because of lying to the police about his sexual deeds with children.
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cyberdyne systems 101
'Watchtower goon-squad. These Elder-goons are trained and educated by the Watchtower Society, the so-called "Jehovah's Organization" in their ways of goon-ology.'
I so had to agree with your terminology, right bunch of goons they are....
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cyberdyne systems 101
I can remember the bad reactions people would have by looking at a newly posted book study list and seeing who they were being put with! Talk about love amongst the brothers lol.
I can also remember when my eldest daughter was born, my mother a single parent (in the 'truth') got shipped away to a non local to her group. She reasonably requested to stay with the local one where I was still at, after all this was her first grandchild too. But no it caused a big stink cause the elder bigwigs couldnt agree on it!! The reality is it would start a tidal wave and one they didnt want to face. In the end one elder told her to go where she wanted and to not feel intimidated by the bully boy tactics.
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Lurkers:How To Leave The Organization Quietly And Discreetly
by metatron inan ever growing number of witnesses would like to leave the organization - but how?
you may have an extended family "in the truth".. all your "friends" ( and that word "friends" deserves to be put in quotes ) may be "in the truth".
you may not be in any position to make.
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cyberdyne systems 101
This seems overly elaborate to me, but I guess there are those who dont want a clean break and wish to fade or drift out.
In fact a friend of mine has done just that - although he still claims to feel it is the truth, but its the people he had issue with and that feeling a lot of us had of never being good enough. He has moved a few times and therefore congregations so I guess he wasn't close to anyone and was able to miss meetings without much intervention. He had no plan to do this, rather it just happened. Lets face it if your in your mid to late 30's and male and havn't made it to an MS or elder, your not wanted and are likely to be left as a weak one anyhow (lost cause).
Good luck to all you faders - I have to say personally to read about those who questioned the watchtower and left because of its falsehood, actually making a stand against it have my respect, I just stopped going myself and did most of my research after I had left, I now wish I had left by disasociating myself from the lie.
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What is 'NIV' ?
by caryl innew to the site.
have been away from the jw's since 1985. they have a new bible or what?
i remember the nwt not niv.
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cyberdyne systems 101
New International Version
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155
Whats the dumbest reason youve been counseled?
by avishai inmy friend was counseled for having a bad attitude because he wore white socks w/ his suit.
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cyberdyne systems 101
A few that come to mind:
not wearing a jacket whilst doing roving mikes
being too happy and not serious enough
having a classic car
having fairy lights up (not a xmas time)
the type of suit i wore
my hairstyle(s)
being seen in the hardware store with dirty work clothes on (was midway through a job and needed something)
growing a beard around the memorial time
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Circut Assembly 2006 Notes, Part 1
by drew sagan inmuch is what we are used to hearing, but i felt it was worth it for everybody to know.
theme: .
clothe yourselves with the new personality -col 3:10 .
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cyberdyne systems 101
Thanks for your notes there, looking forward to the next installment! The point about generalisations was a good one, how they love to 'tar' one and all with the same brush, and yet the reality is so very different
Arnie
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im hurt, desperate, confused and considering this religion - advice?
by very_confused inlike the subject title says, i'm hurt, desperate and confused and don't know what to do anymore.
i'm so desperate to have something to live for that i'm considering converting to something like the jehovah's witnesses.
i know this might seem a bit extreme but please hear me out.
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cyberdyne systems 101
Hi there,
I really related to your comments on friendships, I too am not the most social person and like one or maybe even two really close friends. Someone who will 'let you in', therefore I never viewed any of those who were 'just' friendly as real friends as I needed that almost intense closeness with someone. I too feel incredably lonely right now, this is from a background of being an ex witness who is shunned and the only two people I really interact with are my two daughters. As your aware to gain a friendship of the type we enjoy takes a lot of time and investment over years with a similar minded person and it can shatter you to lose them. I think the reality is that people do come and go through our lives though. I have even thought of the enjoyment of that temporary love bombing one could get by going to the witnesses (in my case it would require a period of time of attending whilst still being shunned so the 'loving' elders can assess my repentance!) in any case I cant and wont do that as my conscience wont allow me to head back to the life that was based on lie's or interpretation along with control that made me so fed up in the first place.
Whilst I cant suggest a particular solution to you (we all have our own ways to cope), you have a least found a place to tell someone (everyone here) how you feel. You have been able to write down your thoughts and once you start to write them you find you have written so much, I often do the same thing when typing about my thoughts. I'm sure its good to do that, it allows you to sort and sift through your feelings by putting it into words doesnt it, so dont let up.
Take care and enjoy your time here
Arnie