i know, i know...it's all part and parcel of the whole fading thing.....but..... i missed a phone call from an unknown number tonight....oddly enough, had this been a few months ago the number would have still been programmed in my phone.
the number was to the kingdom hall i used to attend over a year ago.
i have not set foot in it since probably late april, early may, of 2009. but tonight an elder called.
It could be that the CO's visit is coming up and they have to put in the appearance that they have been "shepherding the flock". In that case, if you manage to avoid them for a week or two, they may forget about you again and leave you in peace.
There used to be a custom (at least in my area) that if you hadn't been to meetings or identified yourself as a JW for over 12 months, you would not be pursued. But often it depends on the local elders.
Hope it goes well.
penny
the post on the athiests on the march thread reminded me of the weekend gone.... as we were in traffic the other day, there was a dude ringing a bell and wearing a sanswich board urging all religions to unite.... anyway, after my daughter had a chuckle at this sight, i remarked how back in the 'old days' the witnesses would walk around the streets like that around the conventions...and proclaim that millions now living will never die... needless to say, i could not help but tell her those millions were now dead.. she was really amused and surprised i can tell you!.
small seeds, small seeds...i plant everything i can think off.
oz.
Hopefully the penny will drop one of these days.
hi, folks.
it's been a while since i've posted here.
i've been trying to figure out a way to live inside my mind.. i'm not going to post my entire history again, but here's the deal.. i am a baptized, card-carrying forty-year-old borg member.
easyreader, so sorry you are going through this. I don't have any answers but many others are experiencing similar problems if this board is anything to go by.
I think you would benefit from seeing a therapist because you need to be able to talk to someone about your problems. Even though a therapist can't change your situation, they may be able to offer suggestions on coping or how to see things in a different light.
Thinking of you.
penny
my apoogies to my northern hemisphere friends who have already commented on the new releases at the district convention over the last couple of months.
wifey is at the first australian one today and came home last night with 2 new brochures; was life created?
& the origin of life - five questions worth asking.... at first glance, nice quality print job (printed in japan) colourful pictures to keep the kids busy all day at the convention site, but on further look the style of reasoning is sickening.
Our DC (Adelaide) is next weekend. I haven't been for about 10 years so for me, I'm just relieved I don't have to sit there for 3 days listening to those boring talks.
That your wife couldn't remember what the talks were about, that's not surprising. Shows what a waste of time it really is.
penny
ok i've had three elders from other halls come encourage me to come back ( been disfellowshiped for year and a half now), but none of the elders in my home congregation would even look at me when i vist.
i asked my old p.o can he encourage me and he said i won't do that, when three other elders encouraged me to come back.. .
my question is was my p.o right are was he just being a jerk..
Hi Pitchess, welcome to JWn. Your question has been answered in another thread but basically the gist was that no, the elders are officially not supposed to encourage dissed persons but they can pay a yearly visit to explain what the options are for coming back.
There are plenty of elders who manage to bend the rules and be friendly, so I think your PO is being unnecessarily harsh.
Hope you are coping OK despite the treatment you are getting.
penny
in ballarat victoria, australia, under the floor of the garage in a little yard, it a pile of wt literature.. in 1974, expecting banning and persecution, mother and we 3 children dug a hole and buried bibles, watchtowers and god knows what.. i wonder if it is still there?.
took a look on google earth and the shed still stands!!!.
oz.
Yep, same happened in our family except in about the mid-1960s I think. Was this an Australian thing?
penny
i know its been awhile since i've been around, so i just wanted to drop in and let you know whats been going on with me.
it's been a long hard road since leaving the wts back in 06. some amazing things have happened in such a short period of time.
for much of the time i was full of anger at the wts.
IronClaw, great to hear from you. You posted on my very first thread over four years ago. Glad you're happy.
penny
every time i hear the following song by elton john, i have to pull over and shed a tear or two or twenty and think of all the other people like me who lost a brother whose name was daniel.... my brother daniel would have turned 40 today august 6 (southern hemisphere time).. i sadly lost daniel when i was 5 and he was 4 .... i still have vivid memories and photographs, yet sadly due to the religion that is called the jehovahs witnesses have not yet fully grieved or coped with my younger brothers death in a road accident.
i have never spoken to anyone outside my family about daniels death as i was raised up with the view that as a young person i would witness any day now the resurrection of my dear little brother.
not a week goes by when i do not visit his gravesite at fawkner cemetary looking for closure or the fact that i may never see him in the new system.
(((Matty))) So sorry about the loss of your brother Daniel.
So sad that your family now feels compelled to shun you, simply because you are no longer an active JW.
penny
new here, but have followed this site from the very start.
as my name states, i have seen it all.
former elder, bethelite, po, ms, 4th gen and still active as pub.
Welcome seenitall. Fully understand how some have to stay in for family and their own reasons. Hope you can make a real difference in your congregation, especially by encouraging the kids to get an education.
penny
You wouldn't think so at the moment with the election going on! But no-one outside Oz would know that it's happening.
It's a bit more laid back here than other countries I think. Possibly because of the heat and there are lots of pubs everywhere. Even the JWs seem more friendly here than in America.
