Posts by mimimimi

67

How do you feel about exJW's who resist our efforts to effect change?

by nicolaou in

i've met a few.

i'm not talking about the jw who, whether df'd or not, falls off the radar and just gets on with living a normal life - good luck to them and may there be many more!.

i mean the former jehovah's witness who is now enjoying all the benefits of a cult free life thanks to the efforts of many bloggers, posters and activists, but is critical of the efforts of someone close them to free more jws.

mimimimi

I do not make an effort to bring people out of the cult. What conversations I have had with them, my younger sister and my mother before she died, were met with great resistance and a lot of JW-speak. I know that I did cause my mother to really think about things once because she responded that she didn't know how to answer to me once. So I have chosen to let sleeping dogs lie as far as my family members who are still in.

But I do speak up quite honestly at times to others about the cult, ones who have never been members. I feel educating the whole world about JW's being a mind control cult is beneficial. Also I have two nephews who have left the cult who I am able to give emotional support to, one in particular because he suffers PTSD that he attributes to being raised in the cult. I am fortunate in that my husband was never a cult member and my three sons want nothing to do with it. So the only family I could ever lose over it are extended family and we have never really been that close anyway.

Though I am not active in trying to effect change in those who still believe, I would never resist anyone's efforts to effect that change. The more who can be helped to see the truth about the truth and leave the Watchtower cult, the better. But I am too busy living my own life to spend time beating the drum.

51

Just found out my older brother has passed away

by stuckinarut2 in

jw
friends

i have just found out that my brother (who was one of a bunch that shared this login) has died.. he and his wife were living in another country where they once pioneered.

i didn't see him that often.. such an empty feeling.....

mimimimi

I am so sorry about you losing your brother. So hard. My heart goes out to you.

15

A Watchtower quote about apostates I never knew about

by Saintbertholdt in

i knew the watchtower didn't like me, but i didn't know they wanted to physically kill me (if they were allowed)from the 15 november 1952 watchtower magazine under questions from readers:.

in the case of where a father or mother or son or daughter is disfellowshiped, how should such person be treated by members of the family in their family relationship?.

we are not living today among theocratic nations where such members of our fleshly family relationship could be exterminated for apostasy from god and his theocratic organization, as was possible and was ordered in the nation of israel in the wilderness of sinai and in the land of palestine... (and a bit later)..being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and also by the laws of god through jesus christ, we can take action against apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets of laws.. so let me get this straight: if our secular pesky laws were not an obstacle and jesus was not in the way we'd be hunted and exterminated?.

mimimimi

My mother used to point out that Israelites could stone a rebellious child and regret we cannot do that today. Of course, she considered me and my youngest sister to be rebellious and would tell my nonbelieving father that about us all the time trying to get us in as much trouble as she could.

31

What Road Would You Choose---IF?

by John Aquila in

say you could go back in time to when you were 15 years old.

no watchtower in your life.

but the experience you have now you could keep.

mimimimi

I would get my college degrees; bachelor's, master's and doctorate, probably in something to do with literary arts or history and then hopefully become a college professor and definitely an author. I would be involved in movements for social change.

In high school my plan for my life included never marrying, being an author, having a little cottage with lots of flower gardens and lots of pets. If I could go back and know what I do now and not have Watchtower influence, I would try very hard to have that life and be a college professor as in above paragraph. But I know now I would never be able to drink and should stay away from recreational drugs - being a recovering alcoholic, I know those things are a life destroyer for me.

But out of this life I have today, I have three wonderful sons and four grandchildren, one more on the way in the next week, and a very happy life, so no regrets.

7

Independence day.

by zeb in

jw
friends

to all of you in the usa i wish you a safe and happy "independence day" and many more of them!.

cheers.

zeb .

mimimimi

Happy Independence Day to you all!

128

Looking Back In Retrospect To 1975...

by titch in

greetings, folks: so, it's been 40 years since 1975. and, if you were actively involved with the witnesses back then, the mindset of many was, that by early autumn of 1975, it would mark the anniversary of 6000 years of human existence.

and, the hope was then, that it would mark the start of the 1000-year of christ, from the heavenly realm.

but, looking back now, 40 years ago, in june of 1975, only 3 more months remained until early autumn.

mimimimi

I was disfellowshipped in 1975. My dad, who was not a witness, died of cancer that summer. I was working full-time during the day at a bank in St. Louis and going to college at night. I was busy with my own life and had made up my mind at that point that I did not believe what the witnesses taught. There were a lot of things in that organization I was unhappy with and I wanted no part of it. In looking back, I know they were anticipating Armageddon in 1975 but I had a total disconnect from them at that time and was unaffected by it.

43

Advice Needed - JW Grandparents

by What Now? in

my family has been out (inactive no meeting attendance or field service) for just over two years..

weve made many changes in our lives, including with our personal appearances (tattoos, piercings etc) that are a pretty obvious sign that we arent going back any time soon.

our families went through a period of time about a year ago when they made a lot of threats that if we left the truth, they wouldnt even be able to share a meal with us, they would stay loyal to jehovah etc.

mimimimi

My nephew and his wife have this same situation with their little boy and my sister, JW grandma and her husband who is an uber-elder. My nephew and his wife have repeatedly told my sister and her husband that their child is not to be taught Watchtower doctrine, but they continue at every opportunity to try to indoctrinate him. I think they have not been allowed to have him alone for a while now.

I do agree with DesirousofChange, though. They will be exposed to all sorts of doctrines, ideas, what have you, over life and you could do exactly what Doc says, explain to them why you don't believe what Grandma and Grandpa believe. And, yes, Doc is right - tell them that as they grow older they need to make up their own minds about things, but that to do this best they need to seek out knowledge from many sources, not just one.

Another thing I think about this is that you need to reach out in your life and get to know other people, maybe some parents of children in your children's age group so your children can make new friends too. Join some things where you can meet other people, maybe some family things. Don't keep yourself in the situation where your only support group is your JW relatives because it may eventually backfire on you when they decide to kick you to the curb for "Jehovah; I.e. Watchtower Society".

Best wishes to you.

51

Getting it out of my system, a VERY long introduction/outpouring..

by adimmedlight in

warning, novel ahead:.

after a few months of lurking on this site, i've decided to take the plunge...i don't really care so much about introducing myself, but somehow there is some relief in the thought of getting my little story out there, just getting it out of my system.

i am the oldest of 5 kids.

mimimimi

My heart goes out to you. With time and new experiences, things will become more clear to you. I too felt a lot of guilt when I left the JW's - it had been so deeply ingrained that you had to be doing more, more, more and watching everything you did, not stumbling anyone. You learn after a while that sometimes less is more. Enjoy your life. Remember that Jesus said we are to love God with our whole heart, mind etc. and we are to do unto others as we would have them do unto us. Those two commandments cover everything in our lives. They do not come with a set of rules and dos and don'ts. We can figure out what is beneficial to ourselves and others and if we are doing those things, we will have a good life and find satisfaction in it. Not that you will not have problems in life, but you can find ways to deal with those problems without the Watchtower's twisted input and have peace in your life.

Educate yourself, too, regarding the Watchtower Society and the mind control techniques they use and the corruption that exists in that organization. Look for guidance in other spiritual publications. At 12 step meetings they always tell you "Take what you need and leave the rest." Apply that in what you read. Fill your mind with positive things. Continue praying for others. That shows you have a good heart. God recognizes that in you and he will guide you along your way.

53

I Don't Get It!

by John Aquila in

there are literally about thirty young single very good looking sisters in this one kingdom hall under the age of 30. that is just one kingdom hall.

in the circuit there are literally hundreds of young beautiful jw girls under 30 who are single and anxious to get married.

about two years ago, this one single good looking brother who is about 30 years old and who is an elder married this plain looking sister who is 59 years old.

mimimimi

Really, I want to say something nasty here, and actually did, but now I am editing my comment to get rid of it. Who knows why any of those people do anything they do. For someone to be in that faith and stay in it requires some mental/emotional illness on their part. It has to have something to do with that.

19

"Deep Down , He Knows That It is The Truth"

by BluesBrother in

jw
friends

this phrase i heard again at the weekend when a diehard dub was discussing his non believing, but much loved son.

"it is just that..... [insert any excuse here].

it is something that they all say about us, yet nothing could be further from the truth.

mimimimi

I have heard this so many times over the years from different ones whose children or other family members had left the organization - he/she knows it is the truth. I know my own mother believed this about me for a long time. But then we had a couple of conversations where I spoke up strongly about JWs and the wrongness of their beliefs and she finally came to realize that I truly did not believe it any more. She even told my younger sister who was still in "Virginia does not believe the same way we do". When I heard she had said that it was such a victory for me! My mother is deceased now - passed away from brain cancer in 2012 and I really don't see or talk to my JW family members much, nothing really in common with them any more. I still love them but I deplore their choice in religion and I hate the way they like to bring up things and people JW to me thinking that somehow they will bring me back to the fold.