I never found a counselor that was able to truly understand and empathize with the exit from JW situation ... I found my "counsel" in support groups attended by Ex JWs .... at one point I couldn't find one so I started one on Meetup.com ...I found strength advice and friendship in these groups ... Also I had attended (for another reason) Al Anon which is a support group for family members of addicts ... really it was this support group where I found the "permission" I needed to end my involvement mentally with the JWs and it allowed me to overcome the "Guilt" we have been manipulated with while "inside"
patient
JoinedPosts by patient
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33
Leaving the jws is a "lifestyle choice" according to a counsellor
by purrpurr inso i had my first appointment with a counsellor, of course i explained about being a born in jw, mentally leaving, the penalty of doing so and therefore the mental strain of pretending to be someone i'm not.
her response was that she couldn't help me with that because leaving a cult was a "lifestyle choice".
i tried to say to her that its a cult not a religion and how it brain washed me but no.
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Jason Cobb's posts documents on Internet
by Rufus T. Firefly inbe sure to read timelines 1 & 2 which include some interesting documents.
jason doesn't seem to realize that the course he has chosen has placed him completely at odds with the wts.
as much as he hates to admit it, he has become the thing he despises most...an apostate.
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patient
I give this man credit for trying .... But can he not see the obvious? The only party to benefit from this is the organization itself! ... He appeals to someone higher up to help but he is telling them nothing new .... They are the problem ... They run the CO DO etc .... Does he explain why he does not think anyone higher up is involved?
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"Deep down inside even they know it is BS." Discuss
by rory-ks innope, bungi bill's interesting statement from this post didn't take, so i'll start its own.. from my own experience, i hated the field ministry.
it might just be because of the kind of character i am, whatever, i never was able to overcome that feeling of dread every time i went door-to-door.
i felt aware of how much people disliked having strangers cold-calling trying to sell them something.
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patient
I was in for nearly 30 years and never believed it ever ... always knew it could not be true .... but thought (as a kid/teenager) my parents are really smart people there must be some truth or merit to the whole charade ... but no as I have gone on in life and now look back I feel so much sadness that my parents although intelligent lacked any confidence in themselves and this "false hope" gave them a carrot to follow ... I have had indepth discussions with my mother who all but admits it is all BS but say " at 75 years old what can i do".....?"
makes me very sad to have wasted 30 years of my life on one hand but I fell very grateful for the last 15 years of mental freedom
As far as the current rank and file JWs I would say they all have doubts and probably 80% understand the reality that it is going nowhere but they are caught by the family/social trap of the religion or as my parents have given their whole life to it ... as an earlier poster said there is not any easy way out .. they are all ugly
so my advice is if you are going out do it in style head held high loud and proud ... let them know you are making the right choice and not looking back!
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The most disturbing Watchtower quote in 2013.
by never a jw ini am trying to put together the worst of 2013. the first quote that comes to mind is possibly your "favorite" too.
do you have any other disturbing quotes from the publications in the wt?.
elders who are reading this article can draw some useful conclusions from the account we have just considered: (1) the most practical step that we can take to prepare for the coming attack of the assyrian is that of strengthening our faith in god and helping our brothers to do the same.
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patient
i have to say that one is pretty good ... seeing as many have died in the past obeying what has now changed! thank you for sharing will follow thread
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Looking for advice
by Liveandlearn inhello, i've finally been approved here so it's time for my first post.
i got disfellowshipped a few months ago as i was unrepentant in my judicial.
i'd lived with a situtation for a long time.
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patient
Get out stay out ... dont look back enjoy your life with your new partner ... dont drag them into this disgusting organisation! Your parents and family will wise up in time ... mine did ... you asked for advice .... all the best my friend
nigel
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Gay MS??
by andysmiles inabout me, i am being raised in a jw family.
all of my family expect for one aunt, who had left but not disfellowedshiped thankly, are in jw.
my father is an elder and so is my grandfather.
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patient
Good for you my friend ... although not gay myself I truly embrace all and encourage you to free yourself of the BS this organization brings to your life ... be yourself ... it at times will not be easy but you will never look back ... my exit was painful but worth every tear! Thank you for sharing you have support!
Nigel
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I Do Not Think Everyone That is a JW Wastes Their Life
by Magwitch inmy 97 year old grandmother died last week.
she was actually born and raised a jw.
her mother (my great grandmother) was a russelite.
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patient
I am sorry for your loss - sounds like a wondeful lady - happy for her..... I had a wonderful friend in Michigan Naydean Boedecker who died in her 80s very happy having been a "faithful" JW for so many years - I was happy for her in her faith to the end - made her happy ... was not for me but not all bad for some as has been said many have improved their lives with the "faith" they developed .... Mag again sorry for your loss ... many good memories tho ....
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I AM THE NEW MEETUP ORGANIZER FOR EX-JW's IN MICHIGAN
by AK MCGRATH inhi all you fellow michiganders.. i wanted to make you aware that the meetup site entitled, "ex-jehovah's witnesses of michigan" will not be disolved.
i decided since today was the last day before it would be no more, i should step up, and so i gladly did.. seeing that there has not been one meetup since it's inception, i plan to change that.
i know there is at least one person from here who is registered with our meetup.
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patient
I will come please pm me details ... Located west of flint
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"Mentally diseased" article to be published in The Independent tomorrow
by cedars inhi everyone.
as a parting gift to you all before i take a much needed break from this forum, i thought you would be pleased to know that the independent, a leading uk newspaper, will be publishing a piece on the "mentally diseased" watchtower article in tomorrow's edition.. i would like to thank everybody who has assisted the journalist, jerome taylor, in his investigation.. best wishes to all of you,.
cedars.
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patient
Class action lawsuit!!! any lawyers here could be a big payout - lawyers can keep it all just really need to set this straight - they screwed up a lot of lives..
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5
The Cost of Lies
by designs in112 us b109 tomahawk missiles were launched at a cost of $100,000,000.00 each and congress and the senate want to defund national social services and health care insurance.
in one 2 hour window of time the us government launched $11,200,000,000.00 worth of weaponry.
100 war protesters were arrested yesterday in front of the white house.
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patient
"On March 19, 2011, 112 Tomahawk missiles [ 8 ] were fired by U.S. and British forces against at least 20 Libyan targets around Tripoli and Misrata [ 9 ] at an assumed cost of approximately 34 million GBP(inexact)"
still about $60 million! a lot of $$ plus all the expense to get the war ships there and man them!!