i was thinking of some jw lyrics that are so funny!
if you write it in "plain english" and show the mind control in them...do you think you can name it??.
here is an example....feel free to play!.
Moomin, You said: I sang that song (We're Jehovah's Witnesses) once in the super market (quietly, of course).
My daughter was 3 or 4 and was singing it at the top of her voice in a super market. I tried to have her quiet it down, but she was in good voice. A little embarassing, but a great witness no? hee hee
It is not one of my favorites, either.
Love and hugs,
Velta
i'm talking about the new posters, like kitten whiskers, who started posting today (hope this works: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/120817/1.ashx).
and it seems like we're getting a few like this nearly every day.
people who were raised jws, really worry that they are doing the right thing in leaving, yet who have been made to feel not good enough by the wts, who felt they never measured up, who struggled with it, but came to realize that what they'd been brought up to believe was just not the truth.. the same stories are told over and over again, and they come from sincere, good people - not whiny, fault-finding apostates like the rest of us riffraff around here!
Thanks so much for the warm welcome, AuldSoul, Estee and S4,
This has been so encouraging. Our testimony is so powerful and we all need to share them. Revelation 12:11 says: And they conquered him (the accuser of our brothers) by the blood of the Lamb and their testimony".
What God has done in our lives is something that no one can deny. Our testimony is something that no one can refute. It is something that no one can say is not true, it didn't happen.
Wonderful things are happening and I am glad to be a part of it.
Love and hugs,
Velta
i'm talking about the new posters, like kitten whiskers, who started posting today (hope this works: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/120817/1.ashx).
and it seems like we're getting a few like this nearly every day.
people who were raised jws, really worry that they are doing the right thing in leaving, yet who have been made to feel not good enough by the wts, who felt they never measured up, who struggled with it, but came to realize that what they'd been brought up to believe was just not the truth.. the same stories are told over and over again, and they come from sincere, good people - not whiny, fault-finding apostates like the rest of us riffraff around here!
WOW!!! I am overwhelmed, excited, exhiliarated, by this thread!! I was an occasional lurker on this site for a few months, maybe years I am not sure. I just started reading again a couple of weeks ago and posted to a few things. This however, is something else! I just finished reading the entire thread (took me 2 days)
Quandry said: "Now hubbie wanted to delete himself as an elder. He did not feel as though these men were loving. He also said that the P.O. was an unfeeling man. I tried to tell him that he was needed, as the one that I knew would do everything in his power to help people and be their advocate. He said he was getting burned out and I could see it."
I totally understand this. This happened to us.
My husband and I were JWs for over 50 years. There were a few things that happened that gave us pause (for a few moments) but for the most part, we believed that the WT was Jehovah's Spirit-directed organization. Right around 1981 a lot of things happened in our congregation that started us thinking that something was wrong and my husband, who had been an Elder (servant) since 1947 began to have doubts that being in that position was beneficial to him and to the brothers. He felt helpless to really help some who were going through some tough things. He felt hog-tied by the WT and the congregation rules. The final straw came sometime during that year (I do not remember what month he stepped down). He said that after stepping down as an Elder, he began to see the hypocrisy in the year text that was above the podium (not sure what it was, but it was about love) He said that he began to see that the decisions that the Elders were making were not about love, but about keeping the rules of the organization intact. We continued to stay in the organization however (It takes a long time for some of us to get to the point of leaving something that has been your total life for so long) What finally happened was that a sister in the congregation told us that when she became a JW they told her that they would study the Bible with her and that they never had. She wanted to take the Bible and with no other study aid just read it and talk about it. My husband said: We can do that. After several weeks, we came to the scripture in Luke 11:11-13 where it says that "God will give holy spirit to those asking". We were reading from the New World Translation. If anyone thinks that you cannot get the truth from that translation, they are wrong. After reading that, sometime later I read an article in Newsweek (I think) about Ray Franz and those who were leaving the WT and somewhere in that article (I thought it was a big issue, but in going back and reading the article, I could hardly find it) it said that these people were saying that the "great crowd" was in heaven. This was a shock to me. I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were wrong. I recalled that I had read in the Bible, that I could ask for Holy Spirit, so I did. I asked HS to show me the truth, just as Bro. Russell had asked and been shown. I believed that I would find out that the JWs had the truth. Praying, I began to read the Kingdom Interlinear Translation, checking the Greek when I had questions. When I finished reading it the first time, I was confused. It seemed that there was no concrete proof that there were two groups. Where did I miss it? I read it again! This time I was sure that I could not prove that the great crowd was on earth, in fact it looked like they were in "God's temple" "in sight of the throne". So I read it a third time and began to research the Greek word for "temple". When I finished, I was angry because in the foreword of the KIT they said they would use "one English word to translate each Greek word" and they had lied. I thought if they are not honest about this, what else have they lied about. It was the beginning of my journey out and when I shared it with my hubby he could see it too. He was about 3 months behind me in leaving. I am grateful for that.(that he came out too) However, I heard from my DIL that they said I was the Jezebel that took my family "out of the truth". (my three daughters left also) While we were JWs I did not hear about any of the judicial committees that my husband sat on. He followed the rule that brothers should not tell their wives about what went on. But many times I could tell that he was disturbed by what went on. I later found out that he had a hard time judging adversely some of the things because it seemed to him that the evidince was not conclusive, but the others wanted to disfellowship anyway and sometimes he felt compelled to go along. As time went on, he said it got harder and toward the last, he would abstain from voting, even though pressured to go along. There is a lot of emotional decisions that Elders are called on to make and sometimes, if they have a heart for their brothers and truth, they are hard. Some Elders apparently are able to make these decisions without remorse, but others cannot. I hear the concerns of the Elders who are posting and I know how hard it is for them to make the decision to leave or stay. It is not a decision that can be made lightly. My advice, from what I have learned is this: Ask for Holy Spirit to guide you. God will put in your heart the right thing for you to do. If He wants you out, you will not be able to stay. I wanted to, because of my son and his family and for my mom and my sister and her family, but I just could not. I began to feel sick to my stomach at the meetings, so I just stopped going. I went to my last meeting, the Memorial in April, 1983. This is a serious and personal decision. No one can make it for you. I feel bad that some feel they have to drag others out.
AuldSoul said: "I have been asked many times why I left, and all I can come up with is the questions that I had even though they didn't seem to convey the real reason for my leaving. It wasn't the questions that caused me to leave. It was the insight I gained into how the organization really works, through the process of trying to get my questions answered, that caused me to leave."
I think this says it well. It is not only the questions that were asked, but the inability of the Elders to answer them or the unkind way they did that worked together to leading us out of the organization.
I was privileged to hear so much insight in this thread. I was also glad to see the love and understanding extended to those who are in this quandary to "leave or not leave". We need to extend UNCONDITIONAL love to one another. We should not condemn, just encourage each one in whatever circumstances they are in.
With much love for each one of you,
Velta
Our story: www.geocities.com/veliveleth
a few days ago, i met an old lady that has a jw as neighbour.
she knows that jw couple since years, although she isn't a jw.
so, i asked that old lady, "do you still see that jw couple once in a while", hoping for some kind of juicy news..... so, my question is, "how can a person love to be a jw" when so many others just "hate" being in that religion?.
My parents became JWs when I was about 7 years old. That was in 1938. My childhood was very difficult because i was going to school during WWII and was treqated badly by both the teachers and other kids because I would not salute the flag or stand for the national anthem. However, I believed that I was being persecuted for my beliefs so I was not emotionally harmed. I always loved God and was baptized when I was 10 because I wanted to serve Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. My (servant/elder)father was emotionally abusive and as soon as I graduated from High School, I left home. I am not sure I "loved being a JW" all the time, but I had moments when I enjoyued the things that I did as a JW. I loved the fellowship at the KH, assemblies, conventions and I loved travelling to them. It was the only vacation that we ever had. I thought I was happy, but looking back, I can see why I drank too much, to the point of being a closet alcohnolic. I hated going from door-to-door, becoming ill each time I forced myself to go. When you are in a place, you make the best of it and attitude is what gets you through. You are happier if you don't complain. Did I love being a JW? I thought I did, but I am so much happier now that I am free to worship God the way I feel He wants me to and to do the things that I feel are right, not dictated to me by others.
Velta
i am new here and have been "lurking" for several months.
the discussions have helped me tremendously to break free from the society.
i want to thank you all for your help and heartfelt posts.
Kitten Whiskers,
My husband and I have been out for 23 years, and I have lurked on this site for many of the last years, but only recently started posting a bit. There have been times when I thought from the ones posting that most of the posters on here did not believe in God, but had left everything they knew about Him. I am finding that it is the subject that is discussed that people reply to that brings out different posters. I respect all of them. It is hard to believe in God when you equate God with the Watchtower. We have a young woman staying with us who has rejected God because she was molested by a Catholic priest. We all have issues. So happy for you that you are finally making the steps to free yourself from the bondage of the WT. It is hard to do and it takes years for some to get completely free. I am a newbie myself here, but have felt welcomed by everyone who has answered my post. I know your experience here will be the same. We are all at different places, but we have all had the same experiences.
Velta
my parents were baptized when i was three years old.
so, you could say that i was "born and raised" as a jw.
i was baptized at age 11. i was a regular auxilary pioneer from age 14 to 15. my parents became inactive at about age 14. it was very hard trying to be a "good young sister" especially after being told you're a burden to the pioneers that have to always provide rides in service and to/from the meetings.
Ladybug,
My heart goes out to you in empathy for what is happening in your life. When we left in 1983 and were disfellowshipped, my husband left too, but he did not do anything with his life for 10 years. Even though I began celebrating everything the next next, Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, St. Patricks Day, Ground Hog Day, Green Leaf Day, (hee hee) I celebrated everything!!!, he did not get involved. He was mentally out of the WT but still not willing to step up to a new life. He finally started going to a church fellowship with me and was invited to a PromiseKeepers conference. This was in 1994. He came back wanting to be a pastor. It takes time for some people (maybe it is just men's caution) to shake the old and get into the new. Just keep loving him and in time, he will come around to at least looking at some of the things that you feel are important.
Dansk,
I enjoyed reading your story and I feel your pain at losing your daughters. My son and his family have not talked to us in over 8 years. Over the years it has become worse since Joe became a pastor and is "a clergyman of Babylon the Great" as our son has said. They refused to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary even though we rented a hall so it would not be held at a church building. It is hard to deal with, but I know that they love God and are trying to please Him. The Bible says "they will kill you thinking they are doing God a favor". This is essentially what has happened, we are dead in their eyes. But God is faithful and I know that He reads the heart. Take heart, we will see them again even if it is not in this life.
Our website is at: www.geocities.com/veliveleth
Velta
i went to a ex-jw's potluck the other day and it will be my last time going.
there were about 20 ex-jw's there just bashing the watchtower society for 2 hours.
i had all i could take and left.
I think that most of us when we first are disfellowshipped, react as if we had taken poison. We have to vomit it out until it is totally gone. At first, it is often and sometimes people get in the throw-up and get it all over them, which is regretable, but this process must take place. I remember when we were dfd in 1983, we told everyone who got in our path "what had happened to us". It didn't matter if you were interested or not, you heard it. We thought we were the only JWs who had ever disagreed with the WT. My husbands' brother who had been at Bethel, a DO, a CO and who was currently in the process of leaving the WT gave us the names of 30 or more people we could write to to be encouraged that we were not alone. We bought our first computer then so I could "copy and paste" to make my letters personal without having to handwrite all of this information. This was before the days of the Internet. I am so grateful that today people can find websites where there are others who are going through or have gone through, the same thing. It takes a while to get back on your feet after the hurt that is imposed on us. Some longer than others depending on their circumstances.
Velta
garybuss
your sense of humor makes my day!
thanks for showing up here to provide insight and comic relief.
Hi Gary,
I'm new here, but I think a sense of humor is one of the most important traits a human can have, esp. if he is or was a JW. You can die if you take yourself too seriously. I am looking forward to being part of this group.
Velta
http://www.greatyarmouthmercury.co.uk/content/yarmouthmercury/news/story.aspx?brand=gymonline&category=news&tbrand=gymonline&tcategory=news&itemid=noed28%20sep%202006%2015%3a26%3a37%3a993.
(edited to get the link to work, if it don't get you straight there go down to "more news" "couple's faith tested").
couple's faith tested miles jermy.
Thank you, for the welcome,
and Happehanna, I will probably have more time to post now that Summer is past. I spend a lot of time in my garden, but it is slowing down now. Still have a few tomatoes, but nothing else. Thank you for asking.
Velta
no hype - no rumor please.. anyone who still goes to the hall might hear something during the announcements.
i will be going myself and will be sure to report back what is said, if anything.. from channelc.. .
http://www.channelc.org/cgi-bin/eboard30/index.cgi.
Well, I remember at one of the New York 8 day assemblies, they announced that some of the "Princes" would be there and everyone was so anticipating and excited. Turned out to be the Elders were the Princes. What a disappointment. All of the "exciting" things they said would be announced turned out to be just a new campaign that we had to do. I am sure this will turn out the same way.
Velta
