the basic scoop: my best jw friend from michigan came into org with his wife when he was about 26 (he's about 45 now.
) he loved the org, but, aside from being a really cool and interesting guy, he also suffered from depression quite a lot.
more than 10 years ago he approached me about anti-jw stuff he found online.
Well that's sure disappointing. But you know how pulled active witnesses can be. You can't force them to behave normally if their not ready.
I think you'll probably hear from him again. It might be a couple of years but you'll hear from him when he's ready.
Have you been able to make other friends in your new neighborhood?
-Aude.
almost every night, i would get a phone call from my book study overseer, asking how i was, where i was.
whereas witnesses, when they experience hard times, stop going to meetings?
of course, my wife and i want to leave the witnesses, and i don't want to offend anyone in the process.
I read your opening post but unfortunately did not get to read all the responses.
someone wrote:
First, Change your phone number.
Continue to blame your wifes pregnency on missing meetings.
Tell the elders when they ask that you are depressed and are seeing a therapist.
Go to the hall occasionally, arrive late, leave early.
I agree with all of these and have one more to add if you want to fade faster: Alternate between the two halls. Go to the old hall for any meeting (arrive late and leave early if you want). 3 or 4 weeks later go to the new hall. Glance at Blondie's WT review so you have an idea of the topic for that week.
Tell them you changed your phone # because you were getting too many weird calls. If you must give out the new number, transpose the last 2 digits consistently. When called on it, roll your eyes and shake your head and say: I KEEP doing that...! (It will be true)
Don't worry skipping out with all the presents. Did you ASK for presents? Witnesses especially seem to really enjoy giving a baby shower. They had a nice time, I'm sure. People don't usually give baby presents under duress. They do it because they want to. And many enjoy the opportunity to shop in the baby section.
Those that really care about you, will come to visit. Keep the conversation focused on the baby and what ever other interesting thing is going on in your lives.
All this assumes that you want to fade. If you don't care to keep any contact with these people, then just quit going.
Congrats on starting a new family out of the org!! I truly wish you all a happy family life.
-Aude.
besides almost getting mugged a couple of times.
the closest, i came to getting hurt while at bethel was in the summer in 1972, at the allentown pa district convention.
i think its name was "the divine endurance" .
How utterly tragic.
Enjoyed your series the past couple of weeks. This story was too, too sad.
So young.
-Aude.
ok-so here's the situation in brief--note: i was a member of this congregation for all of my teen years, but haven't been to a meeting in years.... this takes place in a smallish city in iowa.
there are two congregations-north and south units.
both have nice, paid-for king.
I could be wrong but I think the older, established hall may belong to the congregation. The new one, as Elsewhere stated, will actually belong to the WTS.
It's a money-making, real-estate venture for the Watchtower corporation.
-Aude.
the cover of this issue pictures a group of modern day people standing looking up as if looking to the sky and the title says something like "christ comming what does it mean to you?
" i think it's deceptive because witnesses teach that jesus already came in 1914. the article is talking about his comming to exucute the wicked and does not even mention 1914, but the photo and title on the cover would lead people to beleive that his comming is still in the future.
isn't this deceptive?
Perhaps this is a reason for the switch to 'public' and 'private' Watchtowers in the future. This one is clearly for the 'public'.
-Aude.
having read posts over the last few months, i have come to the conclusion that there must be alot of 'active' jw's who still regularly attend meetings/field service etc.. don't you feel that by posting your many and varied topics, usually complaining/disagreeing with the wbts, that you are being hypocritical?
when you post your information, obtained sometimes in an questionable manner, doesn't it make you question your own underhanded actions?.
you converse with many on this forum who are disfellowshipped/dissasociated, yet if you knew who these ones were, face to face, you would not give them the time of day!
Winnie wrote: ...if this forum is designed to remove people from a corrupt organization, then those who choose to remain a jw because its to hard to leave are not contributing.
That's a pretty big 'If...'
Did you know that Simon was an active witness when he started this site?
It's an interesting story and a good read. Maybe spend a little time reading how the forum came about and then you may have a little more tolerance and acceptance of the people who post here.
-Aude. (meaning: Dare to Know; Dare to Have Wisdom/Understanding; Dare to Think for Yourself.)
i dont remember that much, but arent they suppose to stop by at least once a year to df'd ones?
or did that change?.
its coming up to two years now since i was df'd, and not one elder has stopped by...........not that i want them to!.
ButtLight wrote: Why the hell would the elder that df'd me, see me in a restraunt, and asked to be moved all the way to the other side???? Perfect time for him to walk up to me and say "It would really be nice to see you at the meeting sometime!"
How cold.
Loving Shephards indeed. What asses.
-Aude.
round two with me and my parents went terrble last night.
my mother was sobbing and my dad had the biggext look of dissapointment on his face.
i couldn't think straight.
tbl wrote: I just hope i can maintain my resolve while still keeping the peace in my house.
Which resolve are you striving to maintain?
You've got a mountain of issues and actions in front of you right now. Seems like you would do best to prioritize them.
By trying to discuss doctrinal inconsistancies with your parents (difficult for people 2 and 3 times your age and experience) you are inadvertantly causing them to become more domineering.
Is your resolve to speak up for yourself and prove the organization wrong? This might be a resolve to set aside for a bit and take care of other business first.
Peace in your parents house is a good thing to keep. Try to find more neutral things to talk about. Maybe just go-along-to-get-along. For now.
From my personal perspective (3000 miles away and 30 years older ), I think your primary resolves for now should be get a job (full-time to start so you can bank some money) and start scouting out schools. Perhaps make it a goal to start one or two classes in the summer and then full-time in the fall???
Once you are supporting yourself and planning for your future (education) and you have your own place, you can then resume the re-education of your parents - if you choose to.
I think if you keep pushing the religious issues with them now, they will feel that their hands have been forced and they can (and very likely will) make your life more difficult for you. And there is the very real possibility that they will permanently cut you out of their lives. That would be disastrous for all of you.
Maybe give them a little breathing space (just go along with them for now) while you make plans to start laying necessary groundwork for your own life: Employment and Education.
It's probably going to get a little more difficult and uncomfortable before it gets better. But once you finally start on your own with a job and apartment and roommates (or whatever you decide) you will start to find so many fun opportunities that will thrill you. It will get better once you 'thoughtfully' strike out on your own. Just do a little careful planning so you don't burn the family in the process.
-Aude.
i was just looking at a copy of a letter ray franz received from ny after he left, and it thanked him for returning the "branch organization" book and also the "governing body procedure" book.
i know the "branch" book is available online, but has anyone ever seen the contents of the gb book?
i can't remember if ray f. ever commented on it.
i was just looking at a copy of a letter ray franz received from ny after he left, and it thanked him for returning the "branch organization" book and also the "governing body procedure" book.
i know the "branch" book is available online, but has anyone ever seen the contents of the gb book?
i can't remember if ray f. ever commented on it.
Hopie -
I remember seeing a link to it about 6 months ago. I think Elsewhere has it linked.
-Aude.
