Posts by kitten whiskers

well i wont go into huge detail, but i had a friend of mine that was 16 years older than me, really close friend and actually i considered him a brother.

i went to meetings and book studies with him for many many years and he wanted me to become a jw.

my family being christian was mad that i was attending meetings and learning their doctrine.

My heart completely goes out to you. Unfortunately it is true he is instructed to avoid you at all costs for his own spirituality's sake. For the past few years the society has taught that we need to befriend the householder and listen to them. (we were so hard core to avoid bad associations it was hard for me to even listen to anything personal the householder would bring up). But anyone expressing doubt causes the jw to become paranoid about exploring those doubts. We are told doubting is a subtle form Satan uses to destroy our faith. He may be scared by your findings because they are repressed ones he has been wrestling with himself.

When I expressed to my best friend (fellow jw, same age, best friends since youngsters) my doubts, she was there to encourage me to study. For awhile. Then she told me that my doubts had caused her to realize she needed to make sure she was solid in the faith so that she wouldn't be in the same situation. Conversations became fewer ( we talked 3-4 times a day on the phone-kids the same age, did EVERYTHING together as much as possible although living long distances apart). They eventually stopped. I have written her. We are not d'f or d'a yet though she knows we are celebrating holidays. I haven't heard a peep from her in the last few months. I had to hear through the grapevine she is pregnant! With her first she called me in the middle of night to tell me as soon as she found out! What a drastic cut off. You are not alone. This behavior is preached from the platform at every kingdom hall. I have no idea what you could say to change his mind. I do agree though that since you are unbaptized, a sincere plea to go over one topic at a time in an effort to "help you understand" is about the only way. However that may be handed off to an elder or ministerial servant so that your friend doesn't feel his spirituality threatened if he doesn't feel strong enough to refute your doubts or has them himself (which he would NOT admit). If this is the case, even though you "study" with someone else your friend may still be wary and guard himself from associating with you. Those not baptized, though studying for years are always associated with and included in hopes they will see the organization as a loving environment and take a stand through baptism. But doubt them or show them their error and you are the devil.

Best wishes to you. Hopefully your friend will reflect on you and your knowledge and not cast you aside in his heart or mind. You may have just planted the seeds of doubt that get things turning in his mind and regain your friend in the end.

Kitten Whiskers

6

Barter system?

by looking_glass in

does anyone remember jws and their barter system phase?

i was thinking of this the other night.

i remember when i was pretty young, the jws doing the barter thing where a jw would clean a restaurant and they would get their meals covered or they would clean a dry cleaners and they would get their dry cleaning done in exchange.

kitten whiskers

I remember the field service barter too. Where we lived, soda cans had a deposit on them. when you returned them to the store you got 5 or 10 cents. I remember my mother trading a broke householder the literature for their soda cans! sometimes they would even trade garden vegetables for the literature. This was back when you paid for the literature before placing it in service. You just had to feel you were getting back what you had paid at the literature counter! I remember being embarassed by the whole procedure. Especially riding around with a gross bag of soda cans in the car!

I also remember a very talented young artist telling me she thought in the New System there would be a building where you would take the goods you had the talent to make (rugs, paintings, blankets, quilts, ceramics) and trade them for something someone else had made. I envisioned a museum like atmosphere where you could take home the beautiful works of art!

Times have certainly changed in the organization. I grew up around a completely different generation of people than are there now. Hmmm. Just reminiscing. (this was late 1970's-mid 80's).

15

I can put bumper stickers on my car now!

by kitten whiskers in

jw
friends

this may seem silly---but ever since i could drive, every car had to be acceptable for field service.

no vanity plate on the front (have one now!

), no bumper stickers or advertising slogans (have 3 now!).

kitten whiskers

mkr32208-

What in the world is a "flying spaghetti monster"? I guess I have been a stay at home mom too long.

Thanks. K.W.

15

I can put bumper stickers on my car now!

by kitten whiskers in

jw
friends

this may seem silly---but ever since i could drive, every car had to be acceptable for field service.

no vanity plate on the front (have one now!

), no bumper stickers or advertising slogans (have 3 now!).

kitten whiskers

You guys are hilarious!

Gwnyth!!!! you made me laugh so hard instantaneously that I slapped my mouth with my hand! I know a couple baptist, so I can see your dilema with your neighbor! You must laugh every time you think of it! I have to tell my husband that one! In our family whenever the kids or I ask where someone or something is, he always responds with "I ate it/her/him". He will love it.

K.W.

P.S. Thanks for being so kind all of you!

15

I can put bumper stickers on my car now!

by kitten whiskers in

jw
friends

this may seem silly---but ever since i could drive, every car had to be acceptable for field service.

no vanity plate on the front (have one now!

), no bumper stickers or advertising slogans (have 3 now!).

kitten whiskers

Hey Kudra! I'm leery to put that up here because it would be obvious who I am to anyone from the congregation who saw it! in case they are lurking here. I will tell you one is actually a pun for my husbands heritage and the others are advertisements. Am i being paranoid? The fact that you asked warms my little heart. I appreciate the friendship I've found here already!

Kitten Whiskers

15

I can put bumper stickers on my car now!

by kitten whiskers in

jw
friends

this may seem silly---but ever since i could drive, every car had to be acceptable for field service.

no vanity plate on the front (have one now!

), no bumper stickers or advertising slogans (have 3 now!).

kitten whiskers

This may seem silly---But ever since I could drive, every car had to be acceptable for field service. No vanity plate on the front (have one now!), no bumper stickers or advertising slogans (Have 3 now!). I always thought they were funny to read, but tacky. Now that hubby bought me a gorgeous new vehicle (2002-new to me) I feel so liberated to put some on! Anyone else find liberation in such little things?

Be kind, this is my first try at starting a thread!

Kitten Whiskers

70

NEWBIES how many of you

by plmkrzy in

jw
friends

have joined in the past month or two?.

i can't keep up there seems to be so many so i wanted to start a welcome thread for new newbies.. sorry if this was already done recently.. note: the in-built search system is currently being redeveloped so i am not able to check for this topic without looking through tons of pages.. anyway...say hello!.

plm.

kitten whiskers

Hi! I joined yesterday, so i guess you could say I'm still wet behind the ears.

Kitten Whiskers

26

"Leaving the Truth" The Easy Way

by metatron in

jw
friends

i noticed that we have a lot of new lurkers here - and, in particular, some elders who are agonizing over how to get free.

from the watchtower without causing too much damage to themselves.

here are some suggestions that have worked.

kitten whiskers

Most definitely (sp?) number 2!

Don't discuss it with anyone! I mistakenly, although all the while thinking i was saving my family spiritually, asked my best girlfriend how she coped when her hubby was slipping in the truth, talked to the "mature woman" I dearly loved and known since childhood about my doubts and how did she "know" it was the truth, even my own mother. Whoops! I guess it only helped propel me out and even though not officially "out", I am allready feeling the shunning. i guess we already know for a certainty it WILL happen, it still hurts.

Keep tabs on topics here and you'll find the friends you need and the will to continue. Best Wishes.

Kitten Whiskers