Posts by FreeChick

7

One thing that REALLY bothers me

by Abandoned in

jw
friends

i was just watching the news about an organization called bundles of love that puts together kits for new parents that can't afford to get things for their newborns.

it was a touching piece.

one of the volunteers talked about why she decided to help out and the first thing that came to my mind was how ashamed i am of how as part of jw i would have instinctively found someway to discredit her kindess as just another worldly person walking blindly through satan's world.

FreeChick

I know how you feel. My mom was living with a sister after she left my abusive elder father of 24 years. Anyway, my mom paid rent to this sister, etc. but then she got sick. The elders came and told my mom that the sister didn't want her to live there anymore, even though she was still able to pay rent and utilities, and they handed my mom a list of homeless shelters they felt she should check out.

And we were always told how horrible the world is, but they pushed my mom to these very charities.

FreeChick

27

My heart hurt today at all the wasted years in the ORG.

by purplesofa in

jw
friends

it was on the history of the morman religion.

one of the docs i work for is morman.

i always try to find something to chitchat with the docs with, so i asked him about his religion.

FreeChick

I'm sorry you are having a rough day today. I had that exact realization a couple of months ago and it was quite devastating. I'm still angry about it, but trying very hard to get a support group around me so that I can starting doing some of the things that I missed out on.

I hope you can find some peace soon.

FreeChick

69

Did you ever think you'd stop being one of Jehovah's Witnesses?

by sandy in

i'm sure this question has been asked before .

i've come a long way in my thinking.

a very long way!

FreeChick

I appreciate the comment that a couple people made about being more honest now then when a witness. I hadn't though of that, but it's so true. No more half-truths to the JW's or non-JW's. No more lying to myself. I was born and raised a JW and always lived in fear. I didn't think I would ever leave, but always wanted to. I hated going to meetings, service and assemblies.

I always get the answer from my elder father that I had the choice to not become a witness. True, no gun was pointed at me. But, when threatened that I would lose my family, be kicked out of the house, or hear things like those kids are getting baptized what's your problem. Oh and one time in my senior year of school (age 18) I finally just left the house and went to a dance at school. Came home and the entire living room was full of open magazine volumes and I had to sit down for a couple of hours to hear how bad I had been. Yea, I had a choice...not!

FreeChick

121

Mom Died -- and I found out from an old friend!

by BrendaCloutier in

ok, i'm writing this thru tears as i just found out in the last 5 minutes.

my dad died in august, and they had been together just 1 or 2 weeks over 70 years married!

i didn't expect her to last without him, and visa versa.. i just tried to call my sister, and no answer there.

FreeChick

Brenda,

I'm so very sorry for your loss and the pain you are going through. (((hug)))

FreeChick

23

Why do we tell our stories: reconsidered

by Lady Lee in

many of us were victims of various kinds of abuse: physical, emotional, sexual and definitely spiritual abuses.

many people have created an atmosphere where it is finally safe for us to tell our stories.

we do this for a variety of reasons.

FreeChick

Lady Lee,

Thank you for this thread it is extremely well written. I have been thinking many of the points you brought up. I feel so much better today after finding this site and reading other's comments and knowing that we aren't alone in our pain.

FreeChick.

23

Proir to th Donation Arrangement

by concerbedbf in

prior to the donation arrangement, what was their mode of operation.

since my girlfirend emphatically denies that they have ever sold their publication and are not door to door saleman, im wondering how this was done?.

if a pioneer was at you door trying to give you a magazine, did he ask for money?.

FreeChick

I remember when I was really young we asked for a .10 contribution to pay for the printing costs for the awake and then it went up at some point but I can't remember to how much. But we asked for specific contributions for everything. There were set prices, but then we had to pay at the book counter to get them to place in service. There used to be a little chart with the items and their corresponding prices or "contributions" it was printed up and by the the monthly time cards and invitations. Actually we were encouraged to never give away the literature unless we felt someone was truly interested.

I think it was in the late 80's that they went to donations. It was weird to go and get the magazines and not pay after all those years.

37

Why the number of "anointed" will never decrease...

by dozy in

jw theology suggests that the work of gathering in the "144,000" has all but ended , particularly since 1935 , and that the number will inevitably diminish to nil.

indeed , some jws maintain that all the anointed will have died and resurrected before armageddon arrives.

the watchtower claims that the fact (?

FreeChick

I haven't thought about all this in years. Isn't armegedon (can't even spell it anymore) supposed to come once all the anointed have passed away or something like that?

They are going to have to spin out quite a story in a couple of years about why they are still here. (eye roll)

FreeChick

11

Finally got the Tract

by liquidsky in

jw
friends

>>she was by herself which i thought was kind of strange.

don't they have to go in groups of 2?.

during these hit-n-run tract campaigns they often go to doors by themselves.

FreeChick

I'm on the "Do Not Call" list! woohoo

Every couple of years they come around and I have to get them to put me back on the list.

22

A Message To All The Lurkers

by Anitar in

in recent weeks, i have seen several posters that some call the jw "lurkers," meaning the witnesses who read the articles of this site, and are perhaps questioning what the watchtower has been teaching them, yet are still very defensive of the watchtower's actions.

as a result, i have seen and participated in several heated debates.

it seems the main criticism of us is that we focus too much on the "negative," that we dig up the past too much, and worst of all, that we have nothing to really complain about, other than the personal vendettas some of us have against the watchtower.

FreeChick

Anitar,

Thank you for a beautifully articulate post. Well done!

FreeChick

22

The Inquisition. Have you been a victim?

by hambeak in

reading crisis of conscience, the part of the inquisition of the chairmans committee is very disturbing to me.

has anyone here been before the jc and treated in such a secretive and destructive manner?

with my temperment i would probably tell them go to hell and walk out.

FreeChick

Since I was still in the complying mode in my early 20's, I went to my meeting. There were actually 2 of them, each 3 long hours. I was asked very personal questions. In the end, they said that they felt that I was sorry, but that I didn't feel sorry towards Jehovah and they felt that DFing me for 6 months would remedy that. They were very clear that they hoped I would want to meet with them after 6 months to discuss my reinstatement.

During that time I switched cong since i had moved about 15 miles away. 6 months came and I wrote a letter to the elders in my new cong. Note that I was going to every meeting, etc. during the 6 months. The new elders said they never reinstate someone after 6 months in their cong and that they never would have DFed someone for just a 6 month period they would have only reproved them. Well there I was stuck and really upset.

There's more to that story, but this part concerns this thread.