Posts by PandaPet

44

Mere Children who are Disfellowshipped

by BabaYaga in

this was inspired by another thread, where freetosee told of a young witness baptised at the tender age of 9, and disfellowshipped at age 12!!!

the mind goes wild at what a 12-year-old should ever be disfellowshipped for.

how would a kid be so unrepentant they would deserve losing their family and friends?

PandaPet

I myself was baptised when I was 12. Some of you may have seen my story posted elsewhere, but long story short, I began "fading" when I was 18. I have been "inactive" without being DF'd since then. Looking back, I can only say it is miraculous I haven't been DF'd and I was motivated more by my older brother's move toward baptism and the attention he received. I wanted my part of the attention too.

I always knew I would one day and it was expected, along with the pioneering during summer months and not attending college because it took time away from the ministry. I know now that it was too young to be deciding the course of my entire life.

71

WT monitors sites?

by Gordy in

jw
friends

there was a post on the other day someone was asking about whether the wt monitors websites such as this and other "apostate" sites.. unfortunately i couldn't find it to add this to it.

i remembered a jw who worked on installing computers at london bethel, some time ago telling me that the wt did monitor websites.

this jw is gradually fading away from being one, so can't say to much about him.

PandaPet

The techno details of how it is done is not as much an issue to me as the fact that I believe they WOULD do it. Isn't the entire congregation setup as spies, one against another? No one can live within their realm and not be subject to the gossiping, tattling and back-biting included in the congregation. This doesn't even touch the way everyone throws each other to the wolves anytime the elders start sniffing around.

This sounds all too plausible. Knowledge, whether good or bad, is the key to exercising control over people who are already so ready to have their free will micro-managed.

33

Your opinion: Are those raised as Witnesses more likely to end up godless?

by under_believer in

jw
friends

was thinking about this the other day and wanted to get your (yes: your) opinion.

i find myself slipping farther and farther down the agnostic scale in my thinking--it's possible that i'll end up an atheist.

my suspicion is that because i was raised being taught that all other religions are false, that i came to the conclusion that if the witnesses don't have "the truth" then nobody does.

PandaPet

I have a definite phobia against religion, in and of itself. I really enjoy researching and learning about the various organized religions in a strictly academic sense. I do believe there is a divine force at work, however, what that force is I would hesitate to say. It's enough for me to live an honorable existence.

50

Older WT quote reveals attitude toward disfellowshipped family members

by OnTheWayOut in

hey, i discovered this older quote from reexamine.org.

i could not believe how serious it was about what a family .

member was not allowed to do with a disfellowshipped .

PandaPet

At the time I left the organization, it wasn't a decision of fading, it was "I'll go back when I have my shit together", but fade is what I did. Looking back, I am extremely grateful it occurred that way. I have too many family members still in that would further strain my relationships.

I have decided not to let them take any more of my family from me, I don't agree with anything else, why should I hold myself to their lables?

I ran into a girl that I had studied when we were in elementary school, she is still in and looking quite miserable, I must say, but the first thing she said was, "Are you disfellowshipped?" There wasn't any small talk to work up to it. The second thing she said was, "Weren't you baptized?" I said, "Nope not disfellowshipped," and "Yes, I was." She really didn't know what else to say. She did leave me with the admonishment that if we pray and put our burdens on Jehovah we can find our way back. I said, "I pray all the time, it's so important."

There wasn't anything she could really say. I do realize that if I had been DF'd it wouldn't be just old friends treating me like a leper, it would be my precious family. The article above has given me chills. It's scary the amount of control they exercise.

At least I do have a few I can be myself with, love you BabaYaga!

11

When you started to arrive on your decision about leaving

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

when you started to arrive on your decision about leaving it happened one day sitting at a sunday meeting, i noticed so many in-.

dividuals reading the answer directly out of the watchtower magazine .

and my thoughts were " does anyone in this place have any imag-.

PandaPet

My decision started emotionally. I had been molested, not by anyone in the JW's, but by a step-relative. I had a great amount of emotional trauma from an early age ( if you have BabaYaga's reply, my mother is the woman who died from returning to her abusive husband, on the elders instruction) and was experienced in blocking things from my memories, so I blocked out the molestation. Years later I was engaged to be married and the memories came back. The elders met with me to council me on proper behavior for engaged persons and I spoke to them about the molestation. Their response was a non-response, I was told, in a nutshell, that I needed to get over it and concentrate on being the faithful pioneer I was supposed to be. I was eighteen. The foundation of trust that the elders and the congregation would be there for me when I needed it was gone. I began missing meetings and stopped going into service.

I didn't admit to myself that I was leaving. I always thought I would deal with my issues and return a whole person. I became a whole person but I never returned and I now know that I won't. I am considered inactive, I will accept that terminology so that my family still inside the organization will not have to make the difficult choice between our family love and their slavish devotion. My family has been divided enough by the dictates of the WTBTS.

I was very young, about 2 years old, when my mother died. I was not told about the true circumstances of her death until I had left the WTBTS and asked the right question to the right person (BabaYaga). It was illuminating and only reinforced my decision to remain outside their "brotherly love."

32

Cover Letter and Letter of Disassociation.

by AK - Jeff in

i am forced to either accept df'ing without any defense [i clearly have none against charges of apostasy], or to at least 'speak my mind' one last time as i exit, with a hope of perhaps helping others to 'wake up'.. to that end - i have elected to send a letter of da to the elders - but more importantly - a copy of it, with a cover letter, to several families in the congregation.

most of these things never have a positive result, i know.

but at least i have attempted in this way to give a little defense for my position.

PandaPet

I really appreciated the clear, detailed statement of the facts and your feelings. I have "let sleeping dogs lie" because of my family, half are in and half are out. One person in my family sent in a letter and the ones still in will not talk to him. I love my family and currently am the only one who speaks to everyone (they'll get no judgment from me).

I don't plan on putting them in the position of choosing again. It is grossly unfortunate that it would even be a matter of choice.

Of course, it helps that I'm not in the same town as my original congregation, they aren't in a position to pressure me as they did you.

Good life to you,

37

Who celebrates Halloween?

by love2Bworldly in

jw
friends

i know a lot of christians, not just jws, don't feel comfortable celebrating halloween.

for me, it's just an excuse to have fun.

are there a lot of you out there who have fun on halloween?

PandaPet

I have celebrated Halloween, in some fashion, for about 12 years now. I have been steadily making up for my lost childhood since leaving the JW's. Since my son was born 7 years ago, we have had a great time, starting with his first Halloween @ 9months old. I dressed as a witch and made him a witch's babe. It has been a fun way for us to spend time together. It isn't as much about the candy as it is going with friends and having fun. Since he's been in school we generally do a hay ride/trick or treat night with several of his friends from school. I love the fall months and it's a great celebration of the season change.