Posts by done4good

12

There is no God.

by nicolaou in

it had been raining and i could smell the pine trees nearby.

god wasn't necessary.

the clouds cleared and the sunlight blazing from above paid out a bonus in the puddles at my feet.

done4good

The universe is far more fascinating when not inhibited by myth.

It makes a lot more sense, too...

d4g

13

10 Years ago today...

by done4good in

i mentally awoke.

it took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.. d4g.

Sparrowdown - Although I do not have that immediate situation, I know what you are talking about. The last congregation I attended was in that very type of community. I moved away. More specifically, actually after I started dating my now wife and moved in with her, (she was about 30 miles away, just outside of Philly), I was able to get out of that environment. So I removed myself from that small town, anywhere you go you could run into a JW you know type of place. That did wonders for moving on. I appreciate having had that opportunity. I seems too many do not have those options. I try very hard now to understand those who cannot just walk away and leave. It is much harder to do when surrounded by JW influence, I suppose.

Just so you know, a year out is about as awkward as it gets, (even for someone like myself who was already making my own life, in what seemed like very far away from the JW world I knew). The first year learning the TTATT is all new and novel. Immediately after that I went through some very uncomfortable times in 2007-2008 when I felt almost as if I knew nothing about the way the universe worked and had to start all over. I think that is what rekindled my life long interest in science. I pretty much read anything and everything I could get my hands on. That kept me sane through that rough patch. My point is, it gets easier, but you do have to work for it. It does not come automatically. Find something you can satisfy your inner self with. Don't focus too much on what was, there is no real going back.

As I stated before, I would not trade leaving for anything. Self honesty in priceless.

d4g

13

10 Years ago today...

by done4good in

i mentally awoke.

it took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.. d4g.

done4good

Sparrowdown - So after 10 yrs is it still painful?
Please tell me the pain goes away eventually.

I am trying not to post at work, but this deserves a response.

I am not sure the experience is the same for everyone. I walked away rather unscathed, and was ecstatic to do so when I did. I would not do a thing differently, in fact. Does that mean that there is no pain ever? Hardly. Like most here, I lost family and friends. I could not stand to play the game and fake it. The response of most of those folks to my leaving I really do take almost a cavalier attitude toward, not because I would not welcome them if they decided to reach out, rather because I know my life is better lived honestly. If they don't care about my well being, then I just move on.

Much more recently I felt the full blow of being shunned by a loved one, that I suppose I avoided for many years. I did avoid her really because deep down I feared that outcome. I know that now. Funny thing is, when I first reached out to her, it went surprisingly well for a few months, (basically, it was viewed I was just "inactive"), until my story came out. And when it did slam!, the door was shut, and probably for good. Yep, that shun hurt like a bitch. It still does, and I likely would not be here still posting otherwise. The pain ebbs and flows.

All of that said, don't let anyone take your authentic self away. Maintaining one's true self is worth any pain it may seem to cause.You will be a richer person for it.

d4g

13

10 Years ago today...

by done4good in

i mentally awoke.

it took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.. d4g.

done4good

Millie210 - Thank you.

13

10 Years ago today...

by done4good in

i mentally awoke.

it took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.. d4g.

done4good

Magnum - I wish I could have an anniversary like that, but, for me, it was such a gradual thing that I can't pinpoint a certain time.

Actually, the ability to pinpoint that moment took some time. Many things become clearer in hindsight. Had I been 100% aware of that moment's significance at the time, I probably would have walked away there and then. Initially, I tried to forget about what I figured out that day. However, one cannot "unlearn" what they know. As such, I gradually became less and less involved over the next six months or so, until I decided I had little reason to stay.

Reflecting on "why" I left after being completely out for about 3 or 4 months brought that moment into focus.

d4g

56

Hello Everyone

by MarieK in

i hope everyone is having a good saturday.

i've visited this many times in the past month or so, joined yesterday and finally got the nerve to post!

needless to say, i'm super nervous, being new to this whole experience.

done4good

Great to hear MarieK. Today marks 10 years for me being mentally awake. Give yourself time, it gets easier, and whole lot better.

d4g

13

10 Years ago today...

by done4good in

i mentally awoke.

it took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.. d4g.

done4good

I mentally awoke. It took another 6 months or so to walk away for good, but this date marked the end of my belief in any conventional sense of the word.

d4g

43

Why Is This New Batch of Governing Body Members So Stupid?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

well there are lots of reason for sure, denial, delusion, wishful thinking, ego maniac, infantile understanding of ancient writings, satanophobia, xenophobia, out of touch with reality, limited choices scrapping the bottom of the barrel,and many more.. listen to this ted talk and see if you can pick out something that helps explain why these guys are such ass holes:.

organizations are often run according to the superchicken model, where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others.

and yet, this isnt what drives the most high-achieving teams.

done4good

They are absolutely not geniuses. Anyone with an above average IQ can see that.

Those that stated the current batch are dummied down versions of their earlier peers have it mostly right. The reason for this, quite simply is the organization is authoritarian in nature. Authoritarianism exists on far right of the socio-political spectrum. Ultra-conservative groups like the WT breed and promote these types of "leaders". With every iteration of newly promoted individuals comes increased requirements for obedience to that authority, and decreased levels of logical approach. This is how authoritarian organizations feed on themselves and eventually die off. They cannot evolve properly in a society that is increasingly better informed, (overall), so their methods become more about control and submission to authority rather than any appeal to critical thought. WT are not alone in this. All fundamentalist organizations, (religious or otherwise), follow a similar pattern.

The men at the top are merely a representation of the organization that sponsored them. Hopelessly backwards, and doing everything in their power to prevent others from figuring that out. What they fail to understand is that only makes things worse for their position, and hastens their demise.

Make no mistake, lakeside compounds or not, these guys are not intelligent by even the most basic of measures. One needs to look no further than Donald Trump to see one can be successful and still be an idiot.

d4g

59

A difficult yet necessary decision

by Brother Jeramy in

the past five weeks have been perhaps the most painful in my life as a witness.. some months ago a young man (i'd say in his late thirties or early forties) began attending meetings at my kingdom hall.

he had just moved to my area from another state.

he had disassociated himself from his home congregation many years back, when he was 20 years old and going through many of the typical trials and temptations most young men experience.. two of the elders met with him initially, and they later shared the details with the body of elders.

done4good

Good on you, Brother Jeramy! Don't apologize for anything.

I really do not see how anyone could remain in after they experience the judicial process, or any aftermath of it. The judicial process and what stems from it really sheds light on this evil cult. It brings out the absolute worst possible behaviors in human beings, (the elders and any who willfully obey the shunning rules), even those who are genuinely good people. The organization and its anti-social policies dehumanizes people.

I knew I was d4g after I went through it 10 years ago, and I avoided being DF'd.

d4g

6

No education. Not just to avoid critical thinking

by StarTrekAngel in

i was listening to my brother in law talk about his job this week.

he had a stable job for a long time.

it was not without problems but it was there.

done4good

I hadn't thought about the idea that keeping people from getting good jobs makes them less likely to find good association outside the cult, but that makes perfect sense. I've seen it in my wife too - when she worked it was always around uneducated people and most of them were lazy and directionless and it's easy to get the idea that "this is just how worldly people are."

There are many reasons for the anti-education position WT holds to. I agree 100% with the statement made above.

Learning to think critically is only part of the equation. A person who is college material likely has that worked out anyway before they even go. As an ex that went to college during my JW days, I also know that going does not automatically make someone wake up and leave. It took 11 years after graduation for me to finally leave. Many JWs have gone to college and remained in the organization for many years afterword. What really contributed to my eventual leaving was realizing that my success was independent of anything having to do with the JWs, and that the organization was responsible for any major failures I had in life.

A very key part of the equation is success itself. Successful people do not make good robots. Successful people generally do not struggle with the same financial issues, and other higher order issues caused by financial stress, (such as marital issues). Successful people don't need their egos constantly validated by peers, and certainly not of those who are less successful. Successful people do make good friends with others who are generally equally educated, and successful. They also learn much from this socialization.

In short educated = successful, and successful people by and large do not make good JWs.

d4g