Posts by dawn27

21

The Best Response To Memorial Invites?

by dawn27 in

jw
friends

they will not give up!!

i live a ways away from my old congregation and i work with a couple of active witnesses who know i'm inactive.

so, i've been bombarded with phone calls and asked by my co-workers to go to the memorial.

dawn27

They will not give up!! I live a ways away from my old congregation and I work with a couple of active witnesses who know I'm inactive. So, I've been bombarded with phone calls and asked by my co-workers to go to the memorial. If I was df'd, I would have no problem explaining why I am not going (it is a cult recruiting night that they put Jesus name on). Because I am inactive, though, I have a hard time up and saying that, because I don't want an elder's visit and I still have to work with these people. Does anyone have a good response to "why" you don't go that does not get you df'd? I can't believe how judgemental they are. It is one frickin night. One sister at work didn't even ask if I was going, she said "What time are you going to the memorial?" All I said was "If I go, I'll attend with my family". They live a few hours away and I'm sure she probably knew it was a cop-out.

If I did go, it would give my family a false hope that I was coming back and it is "associating" with the congregation so I would be probably be asked to a judicial meeting. So, that's not an option. By not going, the co-workers can act better than and self-righteous and my family will be upset with me for the third year in a row. It's a no-win situation. I hate this cult!!! Any advice?

93

What's Your Opinion of Michael Jackson?

by minimus in

jw
friends

is he a molester?

a nut?

a gifted musician??

dawn27

Somehow my gut feeling is that, as weird as he is, he did not molest the kids. From watching his interviews and everything, he seem more emotionally and developmentally immature than mean or cruel. I think that you would have to have a certain darkness in your heart. The guy needs some counseling, but I do think that he likes kids to much to hurt them in such a way. Atleast I hope so.

92

Who Is The Most Beautiful Woman or Man In The World???

by minimus in

jw
friends

pictures would be nice, too.

dawn27

For the guys I would say Al Pacino or Keanue Reeves, both dark and handsome. Brad Pitt and Val Kilmer are "cute" but maybe lack a little mystery. For the women,, definitely Beyonce (beautiful, looks like Eve in the garden of eden) and Angelina Jolie (mysterious and sexy).

7

Df'd for celebrating with worldly husband?

by dawn27 in

jw
friends

i was just wondering if someone can be df'd for celebrating x-mas with their worldly husband's family?

i thought that i had successfully faded away but it was found out that i went with my husband to his family's home to celebrate.

being that it was his wish for me to be there and he is "head" of the family, do you all think that i will be brought in before a committee after three years away?

dawn27

I was just wondering if someone can be df'd for celebrating x-mas with their worldly husband's family? I thought that I had successfully faded away but it was found out that I went with my husband to his family's home to celebrate. Being that it was his wish for me to be there and he is "head" of the family, do you all think that I will be brought in before a committee after three years away? I was just wondering if that had happened to anyone. Just curious what to expect here in the next couple of weeks (ugh!). Not that I would agree to meet if they wanted to,, Any input would be appreciated.

32

The Black & White Thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses---Are You Still Affected?

by minimus in

jw
friends

as witnesses, we were taught how to think.

we were force fed whatever "mother" told us was best for us.

we were constantly having ideas "inculcated" into us.

dawn27

I find that I am not as judgemental toward people in general. After dealing with the elders, though, I have very little tolerance for arrogance and people feeling that they have 'power' over the lives of others. Like Mulan, I see alot of that in George W. right now. Pointless, arbitrary rules bother me more now that I am out.. For example, getting pulled over and getting a fine for going just 10 miles over the speed limit or having to show my liscence and give my phone number to buy Sudafed the other day. Little things like that irk me now more than they use to,, I have never tried cannabis before, but the fact that they can get people hooked on oxycontin and loopy on ativan at the hospital and ticket you for possessing a less harmful pain reliever seems hypocritical. I have more appreciation for diversity and variety, but less tolerance for any kind of hypocrisy or "controlling" behavior.

4

Ever Make Friends With Someone Whom You Once Shunned?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

i did.. i'd made an aquaintance, also named mike, in the old portsmouth south congregation.

it turned to friendship and we became friendly rivals.

we were very similar in outlook, had the same persuasive ways and vied with each other to be top of the pile.. after a couple of years, mike was disfellowshipped after breaking his terms of a recently imposed probation.

dawn27

I shunned my father for about a year after he got df'd,, I was mostly angry with him for cheating on my mom. He understands now that some of my hurt was justified, but that I regret that time of not being close. There was alot of issues involved, but the elders telling me to shun him and not leaving the descision up to me played a big role in my finally getting out. I told them that my dad had wronged me and not them.. so to stay out of it. I then started thinking about why my dad had left the jw's and that his actions might have been a "way out". So, now we get along well and understand why each of us did what we did.. He had been unhappy living in dubville for longer than I had realised. He forgives me for being angry and shunning him and I forgive him for leaving the jw's in a less than honorable way and causing tension in the family..

32

What do you think is going to happen in the future...

by Country Girl in

our planet is chanigng so much.

there are wars, there is pollution, there is over pupulation.

what do you think is going to happen in the future?

dawn27

If something is not done about the corporations, insurance companies and credit agencies having free reign, I could picture a time when the middle and lower classes will have to rise up and basically take the country back for our own survival. In my economics class, they told us recently that the richest 2% of the US population own 60% of the nations income and 75% of the nations riches, the majority of these being CEOs and political leaders. The very ones that, under the Constitution, were to protect the common man have become the very ones dominating and using us to their advantage. The problem is that so many feel that we cannot make a difference or change anything, so we just keep taking it and taking it (also why voter turnout is usually so low). If something is not done soon to save social security and health care, it is a very real possibility that the next generation will not be able to retire or see a doctor in their lifetime, those will be luxuries of only that richest 2%. This is why I believe it could get to a point where the lower classes are forced to rise up in self-defence. I say let's make sure we are heard before it gets to that point.. Many of you are saying that things aren't that bad right now, but how would you feel when it is time to retire and social security is a thing of the past, or all of your grandkids have college degrees but cannot find work or buy a home,, I am optomistic that we can make a difference, but it must begin soon or we could face a standard of living far, far worse than the great depression.

16

New Brochure released at District Convention

by anew in

jw
friends

i just got off the telephone with my mom.

she wants me to take this brochure and i don't want it.

she tells me that they were instructed at the covention to only give it to those who showed an interest, and in other words not to waste these on those who don't seem like they deserve it!

dawn27

My family gave me one after the convention, too, and I thumbed through it. It is one of the "kingdom news" tracts to get them all enthused about field service again. I heard that in the month of October they will be trying to get to everyone with it. It just seemed like the same old, same old. Very similar to the one that was released about 5 or 6 years ago. Interestingly, I don't think that this one is worded as strongly as the last one was. I was a bit suprised. It seems almost like the old "paradise" brochure.

21

They hired a JW at my job

by dura-luxe in

jw
friends

a new girl was hired at my job, and within 4 days it came out that she was a jehovah's witness.

amazing how you could go years without knowing another coworker's religion, but we all had to know about this girl within 4 days.

they had an assembly this weekend, and of course, we all knew exactly why she was taking the day off.

dawn27

I found out that one of my co-workers is a witness and I have been inactive and living away from my former congregation. I simply said that I had witness family members and that it would be nice to work with someone with the same background (ugh!!). That backfired, though. I didn't say that I had ever been baptized and she assumed that I hadn't. Eventually, a sister from my former congregation ended up at my place of work (a public place) and said that she knew me. My witness co-worker asked how she knew me and she told that I was inactive and had married an unbeliever and that they "missed" me. I think my co-worker was relieved that I am not Df'd, but now it is always, "When are you going back to the meetings? You are a servant of Jehovah." Right in front of my other co-workers!! Talk about embarrassing, now they probably think that we are both nuts. I think my co-worker feels that I should have told her about my baptized/inactive status earlier. I think your best option is to either talk to her privately and share your story or maybe even avoid the topic (as it is a work-place) and maybe transfer departments if that is an option. I found that leaving out details or brushing over things can come back to bite you, it only takes one person who knows you to tell your story and fill in the blanks. Then, you have one stressful work environment. Just my two cents,, Dawn

6

Escape is never clean

by ColdRedRain in

jw
friends

hey, i've been away for a few days.

the reason why is that i found myself a new girlfriend.

(sorry, gals at slippy's forum) it should be a joyus occasion except for one thing.

dawn27

I agree with "elsewhere", it could be good to maybe make a fresh start and relocate. I moved atleast 2 hrs away from my home cong. when I was still active and was a good little dub for a while. I ended up dating and meeting my now husband. I took a break from the meetings and I was able to make descisions with a clear head, without family and elders influencing my every move. It is not right for an organization to tell you who to love!! I was told that I needed to break it off to remain in good standing and I had everyone pressuring me, but it really woke me up to the fact that they would judge someone so harshly whom they had never even met or laid eyes upon. I would say follow your heart, but only if you are in love, because there will be many challenges. I love my husband, but it is still hard to be around family members who made things very difficult for us. If my husband and I were not united it would have torn us apart by now. I guess what I am saying is go for it, but first make sure it is worth it, because you are the one who will have to go through the heartache of dealing with your family, the elders, the witnesses, ect., not the unbelieving spouse.