my sister recently wrote a short piece on the impact of our parents' becoming jehovah's witnesses in the 1950s.
she was a teenager at the time.
what is so striking and disturbing is that the same predicament faces so many teenagers to this day.
Hi DNCall!
Thank you for sharing your sister's story. Wonderful they had such clarity at that age and got the heck out! I remember having to back away from school commendations and having cognitive dissonance. It just seems so ridiculous now to not pursue what you are good at. ***sigh**
What matters is we are out now, right! *clink*
xxx
greetings, friends:.
today, i saw an old friend in town, and, after we got caught up and finally said our goodbyes, she asked me to pray for her.
family problems were eating her up.. how have you responded if and when you were asked this?
They are asking because they are looking for comfort. My prayer may not be what they think prayer is. I was and still am comforted and very touched by nonJW's, I think usually Catholic, who tell me they will say a prayer for me or a loved one.
If they are older, or distressed, I just say "I will!" without going detail, and privately send positive thoughts.
In another circumstance, I would just say "Sending positive and healing thoughts your way."
so i am reading from many that they have an excellent thought-stopper for jw's.
(remember reasoning from the scriptures used "thought-stoppers?
)"if you just show them [this scripture or use this logic or expose this problem with the organization], you will shut them down.".
Hi OTWO! waves.
I echo your thoughts. All the JW's I know have seen this organization pivot so many times on issues and doctrine, they are used to it. Right now the focus is "Don't Give Up!" They make up their own reasons for staying, family, social, it's easier...hanging on to the hope of a pet tiger, a very strong tether. I am convinced you cannot argue with faith; it is a waste of time.
With that being said, my little arrows are at the corporation. I tell them they are doing things that go against my conscience. They don't want to know or ask...so I know it raises a niggle in them.
We can only hope more and more will have the courage to step outside the box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wktxjuyiat4.
.
I got lost yesterday at Iomoio listening to Joe Cocker. I had just watched a Netflix doc on him, and had no idea about the man other than his popular songs. I can't post youtubes because I'm at work. He recorded a favorite Jimmy Webb song, "The Moon's a Harsh Mistress" back in the early 70's and again in 2007 I think.
Who knew. I bought a ton of songs.
so after three years of fading, my elder father has never really asked why we have chosen to stop attending.. today, after a mixed discussion, he starts talking about the "solution to all the world problems" and says "i don't know what you now believe, but i believe gods kingdom will fix everything" i let the comment go, and didn't respond.. then he goes on about the video "remember the wife of lot" because he just came from the convention last weekend.
"don't get caught up in this system...blah blah".
i couldn't help myself, and said one thing "dad, that video failed to show the next chapter of that account.
Good response stuck.
Sadly, most of the time it doesn't matter. I've been there...like most of us have...and just voiced the company lines like your dad.
Don't give up! it would be hard for him to not respond like you did, but you never know that what you said might just stay in his subconscious for the next time the Bible reading rolls around to that part of the Bible.
i had this point highlighted to me yesterday by a dyed-in-the-wool j.w.
who is beginning to see cracks in his beloved golden calf of warwick.
so encouraging to hear his disgruntlement with org-related topics.. “many in the christian congregation may not have expected their loved ones to die this side of armageddon.” (july 2017 study wt).
I just finished emailing my brother, a COBE/elder. We have been corresponding a bit lately as he lives near one of the disaster areas, and I am concerned about them.
Yesterday he sent an email telling me he turns a particular age this week, (late 70's), and said "who would have thunk it!" I just wrote him back and said "nobody thunk it, especially me!." LOLOLOL
Ay yi yi...in the same email he is bragging about his grandson taking a trip to Warwick, "and the NYC museums." I can only imagine what is going through his mind. Yet again, I think they really wouldn't know what to do with themselves without the social aspect of the congregation.
Whatever. **sigh**
what an arrogant thing to say.. "you shouldn't complain about us knocking on your door.
you should worry when we stop.".
wish i had a snappy response to shove up their pompous ass every time i hear a jw spew this..
"Well isn't that a loving Christian thought!"
greetings, dear friends and fellow survivors:.
i am grateful to be alive and associated with like-minded people, both here on this wonderful forum and in day-to-day interaction with friends, neighbors, clients, but, sadly, few if any jehovah's witnesses.
i have, somehow, become detached from the sadness and sorrow of the past, about which i have written on this and other ex-jw forums for some dozen-plus years.
(((Coco))) beautiful expression on a complicated journey.
i started watching game of thrones and it has become my fav tv show in a long time.
i may even read the novels.
i love fantasy novels and movies, i always tried not to like them and felt bad when a new book came out and always gave in and read it lol.
Absolutely. Totally geeking out in it, and I'm not a fantasy type gal.
I'm totally immersed in it and not watching the news at all. lol.
so, now that some time has passed, i’d like some input/thoughts/analysis/etc.
on the jw construction situation in the last few years.. first, why did they discontinue the rbc arrangement and institute the ldc arrangement?
was it for more and/or better control?
What a story Morpheus. It sickens me.
I have to remind myself the WTBS is nothing more than a corporation. Every decision has been for the corporation and to insure the continuation of the corporation. Every decision.
We had an old KH dating back to the 1920's...a small neighborhood church. The congo looked for years for a suitable property to build, and for some reason, it never happened. The congo had some wealth, and the building was paid for. Come the year 2000. The elders' starry eyes saw the scam of the RBC. They were told to get 5 bids from general contractors for the rebuild. The "corporation" took the largest bid, and that is what they charged the congregation for the construction which was done by volunteers and the RBC. Those elders are still there...serving faithfully a corporation.
Oh well...
My brother was (is??) heavily involved with the building work. I would just love to ask him WTH happened. But we aren't in a place where it can be discussed. Oh well....
