Posts by bernadette

11

Nearly went into a gospel hall today

by ninja in

jw
friends

i still have a belief in god and through advice from an ex-witness in another part of the country by e-mail decided to try a local gospel hall...mostly for company as all my ex-friends are jw.s and my whole social framework has collapsed since i started questioning....i drove up to it and was going to go in...what stopped me though was i don't really know the procedure at the hall and didn't want to stand out like a sore thumb..plus the usual ex-witness trepidation of doing am i doing the right thing...what should i do?...i have to tread carefully as my wife and family are still in the truman show....awaiting your advice and/or sarcasm....(ninja puts his hard hat on..enters the trench..)...ok guys and gals ...shoot

bernadette

Hi ninja

I put my head round the door of a unitarian church a few weeks ago picked up some leaflets that were by the door and then bolted.

Then also attended a church service for my sis's wedding. The vicar was very down to earth - wore a plain shirt casual trousers and sandals. What struck me was that he seemed very genuine, he'd taken the time to get to know my sis and her b'friend (they'd recently moved to the area and are athiests but wanted to get married in a church).

The unitarian church also welcomed both believers and athiests and upcoming events included talks by a shaman, a sufi and a female healer with a spiritual healing session afterwards.

So it seems church services are very different from what they were in the past and also from jwism.

best wishes

bernadette

26

One more newbie, yeiks!

by wings in

jw
friends

my story as a witness follows much of a 'dumb and dumber' sort of path.

i get to be both dumb, and dumber, of course.

what drove me to post on this site was sheer despiration.

bernadette

Hi wings, hugs to you

My issue with DA has to do with the FACT that I have become a shell of a person, hollow, worthless, whithout depth, or direction. All because I have been playing dead. I have been doing this for YEARS!!!!!!!!!

Your above statement is very moving and profound - I wonder if when you look back you will find that that empty shell that you thought was worthless was the real you, your stong foundation, compassionate and loving and most of all it gave you the peaceful pause that you needed at the right time.

When you come to realize that you have no depth or direction and are hollow and worthless that's when the new you emerges similtaneously - but perhaps you won't see it's effects till later when you look back.

bernadette

24

Ok here is my problem.........

by fifi40 in

jw
friends

i just read some of the thread about keeping our kids away from jws and their teachings.......this is my situation and any helpful advice would be appreciated.......... i have a 14 year old son.

his father and i have not been together since 1999, when i was disfellowshipped.

we now share custody.

bernadette

Having been a mum, to me a danger area for young teenagers constantly being indoctrinated by JW's is that they may be taken in by the false spiritual security they offer, their ' watertight philosphy for life'.

Teenagers are bothered by social injustice etc. on top of that they want meaning and purpose in life but they want that for everyone - so JW's can seem quite attractive to the inexperienced.

But it seems to me that you are exposing him to a broad spectum of experiences, it may be an idea though to gently find out how he feels about philosophical stuff.

bernadette

5

How much control do you give to others?

by poppers in

jw
friends

check out these youtube videos (if someone could make the links active that'd be great): http://youtube.com/watch?v=zyqjr1yl0zg ............. http://youtube.com/watch?v=befugtgikmg&mode=related&search=

bernadette

wow that's quite disturbing poppers but revealing too

32

First impressions of Dallas

by Crumpet in

jw
friends

hi all - well i got here a few hours ago.

the flight started off well, but i got over greenland and suddenly got very ill - high temperature, and nausea.

i called the flight attendants who moved to the back and in the process i fainted.

bernadette

Glad you got there safely -

Looking forward to you filling us in on the celebrations - its weird but your descriptions make me feel as if I'm actually there.

How exciting

35

Is a rapid graceful exit possible?

by besty in

we will find out soon.

as a brief update my wife sweet pea and i have 'announced' to a few friends and close family - less than 10 altogether - that we are no longer going to meetings.

some friends have probed for details, others don't want to know.

bernadette

Hi besty

I'm in more or less the same boat as you. Be careful when you are questioned by dubs - I've have some very direct questions put to me - others here have reccommended to be kind and gentle but brief, practice the art of changing the subject too and if all else fails politely decline to answer or say you don't know.

Once dubs start feeling insecure and gossiping in little groups at the KH (which they are going to do anyway) the elders start asking one another "who is dealing with this situation with bro and sis x" cos look at the poor sheep they are bleating in distress.

Seriously, on a more positive note many years ago a family nearby did just stop attending. The elders put it about that they were 'disgruntled, amd were murmuring and complaining'. But no announcement was made. I believe that they threatened to go to court if any announcement was made.

I met them occasionally when I was out and about and they were very dignified but remained quiet.

hope you succeed

bernadette

Just to add: to my nearest and dearest, like you, I have said "its not for me" and simply repeated that.

24

Going back to the Watchtower Society right now would be like....?

by journey-on in

jw
friends

"the dog returning to his vomit".

"sticking a needle in my eye".

"spiritual suicide".

bernadette

.......being squeezed into coffin

25

Summer Weight Loss - Join me! - We can do it! - Operation Keychain is on!

by UnConfused in

ok folks - here is the deal, i gained my weight back (and some more) after i got my taste buds back from last summer's cancer o' fun.. i'm calling this operation key chain because weight watcher's gives away a key chain if you lose 10% in 11 weeks.. i'm now 172 lbs - 26.9 body index.

i want to lose 12 lbs by july 1st.. who wants to join me?

post your goal here and we'll do progress updates.. my "program" is this.. 1 cup of cereal in the morning.

bernadette

count me in unconfused

I want to lose 15lbs

my bmi is 25.8

losing 15 lbs wil take it down to to 23.3 - (fine by me)

am allowing 1000 cals.

bowl porridge

soup or salad for lunch

protein veg and some carbs for dinner.

35

Without Any Observer Can The Universe Exist?

by frankiespeakin in

what do you think?

it is kind of like the question: if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it does it make a noise as it crashes to the ground?

bernadette

Bernadette - We are at the same time, so small and so large! I agree we have some effect on the universe, but really we are quite powerless except in our own small circle and when it comes to the big inevitabilites of life, ie death, we have NO power at all. We cannot change, stop, alter, the 'circle of life', we can only walk along the pre laid road and try to make it a pleasant experience for ourselves and others.

Gill

I like the pregnant woman illustration from revelation as a metaphor for life as it manifests itself (having had 2 children myself and how many times did we study the revelation book ?)

31

I cant believe........

by Es in

jw
friends

that my baby is 6 months old tom, its going so fast.. she is a great little girl couldnt have asked for a better baby.

.

bernadette

she's a star