Oh no Grace, you're fine. You are plain spoken and I do not mind that at all. In fact, you are a reminder that we need to mind our manners and play nice, or be sent to our rooms. LOL. Keep doin' what you do dear.
applehippie
JoinedPosts by applehippie
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
Thank you all for so many kind encouraging words. I have seen a general postive change of tone on this forum compared to when I first registered. It is much more focused on encouragement and the pursuit of the facts, and the voice of reason. It was a really scary place before. Part of that is because I was afraid of what I would see but also because the change is real. I know who to read, and who to pass by. I'm not interested in bashing, I'm trying to find my way to doing my best to live up to my personal dedication to Jehovah, and accepting the value of Jesus sacrifice. I was baptised at 14 after careful thought. I resisted doing when my friends did it and even when my sister who was younger than I did it. I meant it then and still mean it, but that was when the vow was different.
I enjoy the sermons by the Pastor at my husband's church. He puts a lot of thought into what he teaches and it's refreshing to hear the same familiar scriptures presented with a new perspective that still rings true. Wow, a breath of fresh air, and something new to learn.
My mental blocks in order of importance are Hell and eternal torment, the trinity and the cross. I'm pretty much over the fact that maybe he was hung on a cross. It's certainly possible. But I can't see wearing it, and loving it. It is what it is, a physical object. It's what Jesus did for us that counts.
Whoops, just looked at the time- gotta get dressed and out to church.
Thanks again for the warm welcome.
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My mother was kidnapped- could that really have happened?
by applehippie inmy mom has been telling me since i was a kid stories about how my grandparents got divorced and amazingly enough the court awarded custody to my grandfather.
he was a hardworking lumberjack, and a drinker.
he was also irish catholic.
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applehippie
My mom has been telling me since I was a kid stories about how my grandparents got divorced and amazingly enough the court awarded custody to my grandfather. He was a hardworking lumberjack, and a drinker. He was also Irish Catholic. Now this happened in Massachusetts in the late 40's and my grandmother was a JW so I suppose that's why custody went that way.
Anyway, my mom was a baby. There was an older sister, and a brother. And as the story goes, in the middle of the night the local elders came and took them and my grandmother away and hid them at the Watchtower Farm in Pennsylvania. My grandmother worked there as a cook for a while. Their names were changed, papers and ID created and they moved to Florida where my mom grew up. For eighteen years until my mom was legally an adult, this was an open case. It was in the papers of which I did see old clippings. Originally, this story was told in the sense that they were rescued from the "Catholic court" that wanted to take them away from their mother and Jehovah. My mom feels now that her childhood and the right to know her father was stolen illegally by the Society. Due to her state of mind she dwells on this quite a lot. It was only after she was eighteen that she was reunited with her dad. My aunt, who is much older had found him earlier and convinced him to drop all charges and she would tell him where my mom was. So, in the end, family was brought back together, but you can never get the past back. I loved my grandfather. He always said I was his favorite- but I'm sure he said that to all of us. Who knows. He was a good man when I knew him. He had remarried and my step-grandmother was my third grandma. She made him happy, and "straightened him out". And when he died, we all went to the church for his funeral.
How could this have happened? Did this really happen with the approval of the Society? How did the authorities never find them? It amazes me.
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A frog in boiling water?
by hoser ini don't know where i've heard it before(perhaps from a circuit overseer talk) but someone associated with jehovahs witnesses made the analogy.
that if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water it will jump out immediately, but if you put the same frog in a pot of cold water and slowly heat it up.
the frog will not notice the gradual temperature change and will cook to death.. the overseer or elder used this illustration as a warning to say that gradual changes in morals around us- we will not notice and get cooked alive.
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applehippie
No I heard it too at an assembly I'm pretty sure.
Edited: actually, I think I may have to backtrack for honesty's sake. I may have gotten it in an email from a sister that used to send me many Fwd: fwd:fwd: if you know what I mean. It certainly made an impression at any rate. sorry.
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
Lunitic Faith- My mom is still alive. Through her down to my girls we were fourth generation JW. I'd like to tell her story soon. It's a whopper.
My dad died in 2003, in March. I miss him every day, desparately. He taught me so much about living. Reading as I said, food, wine, music, carpentry, stonework, almost anything you can do with your hands. We used to go for long drives with no plan and have a glorious day of total spontaneous escape. Old book shops, gift shops, restaurants. This was after my parents got divorced and I was married. I have held onto the hope of the resurrection to see him again.
My parents got married in 1960 in NY, near the city. He was a very young congregation overseer, only 26. I don't remember if it was John or Russel Kurzon that married them. One of them. My mom did work at Bethel but I don't think she was ever officially a member of the Bethel family.
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
It's kind of funny Palm, when I first registered, I just made up my name sort of free-association, pulled out of the air, totally random, whatever hit me. But now I think it suits me. Must have been my subconsious trying to tell me somethin'...
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
Quandry- that Watchtower was October 15, 2006. Really quite irritated me.
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
I just want to say one thing before I create the wrong impression re: my domestic violence issue. I know there's no such thing as "mild". But it certainly wasn't often. And I wasn't shy about researching and reading up on it and getting the advice and solutions that worked. I like to tell my husband it's all his fault I'm the way I am now- tough and resilient. I tell my girls "you don't have to take garbage from anybody, you can do something about it". I fought for what I have- it was worth it.
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
beksbks- These days I honestly don't know what to think. It's been really bad the last couple months. I believe the Bible. I believe Jesus came to save us. I've always felt good about our Father Jehovah. I believe he's been good to me. But I've learned that's not much different from what's taught in many churches by Bible believing folk. I go to my husband's church sometimes, but often I feel I will never be a member. I just don't feel like I belong in Heaven. I am very Earthbound. I "trained" for a productive life here. I'm a herb gardener, love animals and have raised rabbits, goats and chickens. I sew, spin and knit. I renovate old houses. Heaven- not so much. I read COC and ISOCF both. I found out that very likely the WT articles I had read and enjoyed the most and retain the best were most likely written by R. Franz. My whole worldview is upside down. I have no footing anymore. I missed my first Memorial last year. I pray and think a lot.
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55
Longtime lurker - first post
by applehippie inbeen listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum.
i'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.. i am a born in jw, inactive for at least 2 years now.
i originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to".
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applehippie
Been listening for quite a while to the many conversations found here on this forum. I'm a good listener as my friends will tell you.
I am a born in JW, inactive for at least 2 years now. I originally joined this forum to find out what my husband was "up to". He was very angry and hurt with organization and put me and our family through a lot of heartache. However, I now think it was one of the things that aided him on his journey and his growth to the man he is now. Many of you became his good friend. Even tho' he is not active on the board these days I'm sure he has not been forgotten. I still have a need for some anonimity so I don't want to say who he is just yet.
It's taken me longer to get to the point of posting because my experience has not been catastrophic or terrible for most of my life as a JW. I would have said I had a very good life. Perhaps as I've come to learn, I had very good parents. Particularly my father. He was a very intelligent man, validictorian of his High School but never went to college. (My nephew was also validictorian of HIS class and did go to college) He passed on a love of reading and learning. We read everything- the Bible was exciting when he read aloud. So was Winnie the Pooh, Wind in the Willows, and the Hobbit. I read all the OZ books, Narnia and Lord of the Rings. I had no idea ever that I shouldn't read certain things. At the same time I tried to study for the meetings. I always answered and did well in my assignments. I enjoyed the "deep" studies more than anything else. I liked having a reputation for giving comments that weren't just reading out of the paragraph.
For me, the problems began after I got married because my husband and I had some really serious problems. I was very naive and always thought the Kingdom Hall and being a good Witness was a protection. I had no exposure to domestic violence. I admit I was kind of a "princess". I thought if I asked for help it would get fixed. Hmmm. I was told to go home and be a better wife. I tried but eventually I decided that I needed more help and ended up going to the "worldly authorities" which didn't go over well but got the results we needed. Over the years we have truly grown together thru some really rough times. I wouldn't trade him for the world.
I'm not a black/white, cut and dried, judgemental person. My "worldly" best friend says I am the most free thinking liberal witness she's ever known. I don't know about that- I just think if I let you think what you want, you should let me think what I want without trying to change me. I'm open for discussion- but no coersion. What's fair for you is fair for me. Live and let live. Come to find out- if I really said all the things I think and believe at the Kingdom Hall I might not be accepted as kindly, but I'd been one who just minds her own business and doesn't yak a lot. Perhaps a bit oblivious. That's gotten harder as time goes on. Things really started to bother me a few years ago with "rules" (like the study article on Weddings- really?) and emphasis on the Governing Body to the point of being uneasy as to what life in the New System was really going to like with the brothers in charge. I noticed being passed over for comments and wondered why. Maybe I should just stick with the paragraph? Not very challenging.
Anyway, this first post could get overlong if I don't stop now. I have a bunch of questions that I'm curious about and haven't turned up just by poking around and reading. I'll get to them. This is just "hello".