Honestly, I loved Paul Carlson. He died in 1990 along with his wife, because his son killed them both. I thought he was such a great guy, just a big teddy bear, good hearted...and he really tried to be a good elder.
I liked him as an elder better than my dad the elder, from the "elderly" perspective.
Nikki
it confused me that my friend was hit and abused by her dull hubby for years and was told by a elder to just put up with it as she was warned not to get involved with him as a teenager (the best way to throw two people together , usually) and she did put up with it for years and finally left him and the religion at the same time , then 8 months later was disfellowshipped for smoking (i thought you could not get disfellowshipped after being inactive for 8 months ) anyway how come hubby was not even told off for hitting his wife but as soon as she had enough and walked and smoked to cope with the stress she was straight out , i think its sexist , anyone know of a guy getting kicked out for domestic violence ?.
Dinah-what ever happened to my parents? Well, thats a loaded question, but since you asked...I will summarize:
1983 - mom & real dad divorced, then mom remarried my step dad who adopted me since my real father gave up his rights to me
My step dad was a die hard JW-my mom then became die hard JW
he became an elder, and mom a regular pioneer...I was an only child, and my life changed very much so in 1983
Later on, the bad disipline started...I left home and the org in 1992. I have not seen my step dad since 92, and my mom and I did not see each from 92-2000. When we reunited (my mom), she was divorced from step dad. She had become a an alcholic, manic depressive. We have not had the best relationship since. In fact, when we got together the 2nd in later 2000, I did not know she had problems with alchohol, until we went to Sedona, AZ for the day, and her & I were drinking wine...it seemed to be nice...I thought she just wanted to hang out and enjoy...well she had too much, and started talking privately to my husband...and my husband informed me of what she said...she wanted me to have the same problems as her...and she basically was telling my husband this...
I confronted her on the way home to Scottsdale, she came from the back seat and started pucnhing my neck and head...my husband pulled the car over and threatened to press charges after he stopped her while we were driving. She stopped and then she passed out in the back seat. I road for 2-1/2 hours or so on the floor in the front seat because I was so afraid she was going to go balistic again...when we returned, she woke up, and did not even remember what happened. Wer have never talked about it...
Fast forward to today, my step dad was paying her alamony per month, she got a settlement of like 600K because she wanted to remarry. That was 1-1/2 years ago. She is penniless, spent it, is currently addicted to all kind of pain meds...and has moved back to Illinois just last week with my aunt and I really do not know what to do.
It is so sad to see what has become of her, it breaks my heart....I do not know this woman. I am not quialified to help her and she lies alot because she is in denial, and blames everyone for her problems...I know alot of it is because of being in the org for so long...
Anyway, she is my mother, I love her...but it feel numb.
Nikki
it confused me that my friend was hit and abused by her dull hubby for years and was told by a elder to just put up with it as she was warned not to get involved with him as a teenager (the best way to throw two people together , usually) and she did put up with it for years and finally left him and the religion at the same time , then 8 months later was disfellowshipped for smoking (i thought you could not get disfellowshipped after being inactive for 8 months ) anyway how come hubby was not even told off for hitting his wife but as soon as she had enough and walked and smoked to cope with the stress she was straight out , i think its sexist , anyone know of a guy getting kicked out for domestic violence ?.
Well, in 1983 when I was 9, my mom finally was able to get divorced from my dad because she had PROOF he commited adultry. But, all the years prior, he beat the crap out of her, and her and I would leave, then come back, then leave, then come back...all because the elders told her to do so, but they told her if it he tried to hurt her or myself, we should leave...but then they said go back...
By the time I was in 4th grade, I think I had already gone to 5 different schools because of them getting separated, then getting back together...
Nikki
i only got to see bits and pieces of it cause i had a hectic day yesterday ... but even on my satellite dish under info it listed it as a devout j.w.
family show/drama.
just curious what others thought and if anyone watched it in entirety.. then i did a google search under "lie to me" jehovah's witness and got some reviews on it.. on one site a active j.w.
Yes, I watched part it last night and recorded the rest, but it is a re-run, it was the pilot episode...so you should be able to watch the full episode on line....
Nikki
i have been lurking on here for some time and i finally decided to join the fray.
i am 25 years old and was raised in the society.
fortunately when i was 8, my father left the organization and this allowed me to see the wrold from both angles, the jw (mom) and not (dad).. at first, i was strongly on the side of the witnesses and i even allowed myself to be convinced that getting baptised at 11 was a good idea.
Welcome, and your story made me cry...I just am so sorry, but at the same time happy you got your little girl out of it!
Nikki
i have to confess that i really wasn't.
it wasn't that i was bad.
i just didn't do all the things that were expected of me.. i remember being envious of those kids they would interview at meetings and assemblies; the ones who could stand up in front of all their classmates and talk about "the truth".
It was so difficult being a kid & being a JW! By the time I was in 4th grade, I had gone to 5 different schools do the elders advising my mom that we should go back to our abusive father/husband. When it got bad, mom & I would go, that meant changing schools. I longed to be normal secretly in that aspect, to just stay put. I led a double life from the standpoint of girlfriends & boys...I just loved my friends at school...and the boys too-LOL.
I joined facebook recently, and found so many of the girls I went to school with, and their response back to me on average was "where have you been"? I can't tell you how much that means to me...but these worldy people I went to school with actually someway helped me get out of the org young too...
After freshman year of HS, my parents had me home schooled...it actually made my life easier...at least until I could escape!
Nikki
when i got home from work tonight i was told my neighbor's daughter had commited suicide.
the daughter lived several hours from here and i had only met her a couple of times over the years, so i didn't know her at all really.
from what i understand the daughter had struggled with substance abuse problems for a long time.
I am so very sorry to hear this...having gone through this with my husband's uncle 2 weeks ago...he hung himself in his mom's garage...everyone is still so stunned...I do find it peculiar that he tried to get his anti depressants refilled but because he could not pay, he could not get them...so he had been off of them for a few days...then he does this...I wonder.
Again, its so sad to hear...
Nikki
i have to confess that i really wasn't.
it wasn't that i was bad.
i just didn't do all the things that were expected of me.. i remember being envious of those kids they would interview at meetings and assemblies; the ones who could stand up in front of all their classmates and talk about "the truth".
Wow, I feel like this question is directed at me-LOL, how selfish of me-LOL
You see I tried to be a good JW girl, but I loved school for the main reason of getting away from my very strict parents. I lead a double life. I also got into alot of trouble with my parents because I went to school with othe witness kids. I was not a bad kid...I just wanted to be normal.
In fact, I got in so much behind closed doors that the counselors at school and some members of my family that were not JWs inquire into child abuse. In my freshman year of highschool, this JW kid saw me kissing a boy and told his elder dad. I got home to a surprise that day, the biggest beating I ever had. I had bruises on my fingers, my mom cut 8 inches off my hair.
Want to hear the kicker? This kid who told on me, a year later he murdered his parents, and my dad found them.
Craziness!
Those poor JW kids! ***Nikki****
i had to sort through that for some years ago.
i concluded my parents were victims of the watchtower society too.
dad was a prisoner of war, under nazis at 19 yrs of age, almost died there due to no medicines or antibiotics and lost almost half his weight, his nerves were shot and he was drawn to the jws promise of a new world without war.
Yes, I forgave my parents. In regards to Renia's comment, I have to diagree with for my case. I have three children, 12, 10, & 2. I do not practice any religion and my kids know it. But, I do not tell them to stay away from religions, or what they want to believe in. We just talk when they have questions. I do not raise them with my way of thinking, because I am agnostic, they know I am but I do not encourage them to be agnostic, I encourage them to think for themselves when it comes to this and they need to learn for themselves. I do not think religion is something I can teach my children, nor do I want to.
This comes up because their dad is Lutheran, not a true practicing one, but that his affliation. My older two have asked if I wanted to be Lutheran, I said no, but that its their decision if they want to be Lutheran.
In the end, if they chose to be JW though, I would warn them...but they know what happened to me...so I doubt that they will go that way...but I will always be their mom no matter what, will always be there for them no matter what religion.
Nikki
i was unaware that don johnson was a singer.
i came across this, and couldn't help laughing.
there was certainly a lot of emotion in this genre, but this is intense enough to border on comedy.
Dr Hook's "Sharin the Night Together" was my favorite song when I was 8 in 1982. To this day, I am 35, when I go out with freinds to a bar, I look for that song...I have it on my IPOD.
Nikki
