Posts by OnTheWayOut

6

Out of the blue

by uriah in

jw
friends

i was thinking the other day about a problem and you know how one thought leads to another and you go off at a tangent and arrive somewhere totally unrelated to what you where thinking about.

well i arrived at a time when i was walking home from work.

i pass by (thankfully) a cemetary and i was looking at all the graves thinking (at the time i was a good dubby but not very active by-the-by)about the ressurection and how i hoped not to die and all the usual programmed stuff when out of the blue a thought, as though injected by some other-worldy means entered my head and said, clear as a bell "what if it's not true".

OnTheWayOut

I actually started the "What if it's not true" thinking based on movies and television.

As an elder, I got good at editing talks. Even though a point seemed crucial, I could edit it out and find a way to
make the point without the one I had to cut. This would save time. I started really improving my talks and being
able to convince people with (JW) logic.

I started to analyze the same thing with tv and movies. You can tell why the clue is "stumbled" upon- they need to
get on with the show, no time to carefully figure it out. You can tell when they are going to catch the bad guy or get
a confession in a tv show- when you look at the clock and they have 7 or 8 minutes left. When television got the
characters in a serious situation, with no way out, suddenly there was a way out. IT'S ALL IN THE WRITING.
You can get any situation turned around, solved, you can bring back the dead if you say it was a dream.

If it's all in the writing, then how do you make your point in a public talk? Same way.

Is it possible that the WTS is doing that in the Watchtower? I could not believe I managed that thought.
It was so against the mind control that I was given. Are they just writing in such a way as to defend the
undefendable doctrine? Is it hopeless to prove that Jesus started ruling invisibly in 1914, but a good writer will do it anyway?
YES, it is possible. Is it possible that my doubts about THIS GENERATION are caused by good writers of the
"old light" conflicting with good writers of "new light" ? (To be honest, the new light writers were not as good.)
Maybe both writers were misleading me, keeping me distracted (just like movies and television) so that I stick around.
That's how it developed in my mind.

21

Shattered LivesThe Watchtower Trauma and your Healing Process

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

shattered livesthe watchtower trauma and your healing process a few days ago a topic of discussion presented itself .

regarding the subject of suicide and former jehovah's.

witnesses.

OnTheWayOut

Fully agree, Solo

Blame is a normal reaction. It doesn't do much good, but we can't say "Don't do it." to everyone.
What is important is to go through the entire process, just like grieving.

I forget the exact order- Denial, guilt, anger, acceptance. Something like that.

No matter how difficult, we need to get to acceptance. Forgiveness is somewhere after that.
And no matter where we are at in the process, we need to start living a normal life.

I have an obsession with the JWD right now, but I am going to let it die down soon.
I am going to switch to exercise, hobbies, work as my outlet and just check back here less often.

Soon, I will. I am still at the anger point, because I am still early in my journey on the way out, but
much of me is able to accept that individuals in the WTS have no anomosity toward me. They were
not out to waste my life, they thought they were helping. They are just victims of the Evil Empire, like me.

21

Shattered LivesThe Watchtower Trauma and your Healing Process

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

shattered livesthe watchtower trauma and your healing process a few days ago a topic of discussion presented itself .

regarding the subject of suicide and former jehovah's.

witnesses.

OnTheWayOut

No harm, Outlaw.

I know that some people will tell a quadraplegic, "Yeah, yeah, a drunk driver made you this way. Just get over it and move on."

That's not always easy or possible. The best therapists will help that person start healing, though, while acknowledging his anger.

We always need to use care with our comfort for others.

I am happy that we are able to post here, and occasionally offend someone, but be able to put that behind us.

I have never been offended by any remarks here, as they are nothing compared to what the WTS has done to me.

56

What Emotion Do You Have Now Because You Were One Of Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you angry that you ever got involved in this religion??

depressed??

confused??

OnTheWayOut

If you do send a letter, don't put your name or address on the outside. They might "return to sender" unopened.

Better they have to open it to know who sent it.

56

What Emotion Do You Have Now Because You Were One Of Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you angry that you ever got involved in this religion??

depressed??

confused??

OnTheWayOut

I truely wish I could take the good things I learned and move on or away and not lose friends.

You can take much good with you. You can send some of the dearest friends a card or letter. You won't get an answer, but you can imagine the good it will do. True friends will read it. It may heal them some. It may help them some. It will certainly help you.

21

Shattered LivesThe Watchtower Trauma and your Healing Process

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

shattered livesthe watchtower trauma and your healing process a few days ago a topic of discussion presented itself .

regarding the subject of suicide and former jehovah's.

witnesses.

OnTheWayOut

"Just get over it and move on."...OUTLAW

Of course this is easier said than done. Some cannot do this. Many are not ready for the first part- "Just get over it."

But all of us can "move on" in many ways. Start to live again. I know that you are doing so, Outlaw.

Will I always carry some bitterness, I imagine so, but I won't let that prevent me from enjoying life.

Since I want to fade and not DA-
I can see myself ditching the CO visit, or meeting non-JW family secretly at holiday time, and saying
"Why am I hiding from them?" At those times, I will be bitter. I will feel like they still control me.
But, then I will improve that situation over time, meanwhile I will find good things in life.

Moving on can be small steps. Getting over it is optional.

56

What Emotion Do You Have Now Because You Were One Of Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you angry that you ever got involved in this religion??

depressed??

confused??

OnTheWayOut

purplesofa,

Some individuals don't forget you and leave you alone, because deep down, the individuals care
about your welfare. They are victims, just like you were. They pity you for falling for Satan's
snares, you pity them for falling for WTS snares.

9

HELP with history and daniel and damned confounded circular reasoning!

by TheKings in

i've been put into the corner arguing with my jw mom about 607/587 being the destruction of jerusalem.. i got her to admit 607 was wrong, but she says the prophecy in daniel with the cutting of the tree and removing the crown (anybody know what i'm talking about???

) was referring to when in 607 the kings and nobles in jerusalem were taken captive to babylon (i think it was babylon...she confused the hell out of me) and it was destroyed in 587, but that doesn't matter.. so counting the seven times is from the time the crown was removed in 607 to 1914 and jesus' invisible reign.. .

anybody understand this and want to help me?

OnTheWayOut

No matter what you say or do, it sounds like she will revert to "It doesn't matter because..."
"I can't explain it, but the WT/ Daniel Book/ Elders/ FDS understand it, besides I don't need
to understand it as long as I have faith."

The good news is that you got her to be unsure of the doctrine. If she goes for help, she will
discover that either you are right or the elders/ WT/ etc. don't answer your questions.
Even if she sticks to "It doesn't matter because..." you have achieved something in her mind.

56

What Emotion Do You Have Now Because You Were One Of Jehovah's Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you angry that you ever got involved in this religion??

depressed??

confused??

OnTheWayOut

Since my separation from the Borg is going on right now, I am still bitter. It's helping that
I see others who have delt with it. I will be a better person as I get over the bitterness.

I will try to keep the anger focused on the organization and not any individuals.
They are victims with me, who are not AWOKE at this time.

21

Shattered LivesThe Watchtower Trauma and your Healing Process

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

shattered livesthe watchtower trauma and your healing process a few days ago a topic of discussion presented itself .

regarding the subject of suicide and former jehovah's.

witnesses.

OnTheWayOut

It is human nature to assign blame to something or someone. "I can't help it, my mother made me this way."
"I want to be better but the WTS warped me."

IF YOU MUST assign blame, go ahead. BUT DON'T CONTINUE LIMPING ON THAT CRUTCH.
"My mother did this in the past, I need to overcome that."
"The WT warped my mind back then, I am recovering."

You must decide that, no matter what you experienced, even if you are in jail for some crime committed
by someone else, or are an invalid for the violence of others, you will not continue being their victim.
Say that you got a bad deal, it wasn't fair, there was nothing you could do at the time- OKAY!!
But now, You are dealing with it, the best way you can. You are moving on.

Examples: Suppose the WTS told all your friends and family not to talk to you. NOW, you realize there
are people who will be your friends out there, and your family and old friends are victims JUST LIKE YOU.
That could be you shunning them. Send them cards, letters occasionally. Tell them you aren't mad (if true).
Move on.