Posts by Paisley

I was stalked by the elders for 3 years after i stopped going to meetings. they followed me, came to my home, my boyfriends home, his parents house, my place of work

I hope that's all over with now! Too bad you couldn't get a restraining order or something - they were really out of line to follow you like that. Pathetic and cruel.

No, I didn't suffer too much after being df'd. It was more of a relief and I do tend to react with anger more than anything else, so no panic, no sadness. Not over being df'd anyway. I later went back for several years for the sake of the kids who were suffering psychologically over my pending death at Armageddon for being df'd though.

Panic attacks are horrendous and I hope that's over too...I've only ever had mild ones so I can't imagine the horror of a full blown one.

63

Faith in God and the Church - Part 2 of 2 The Catholic Faith

by Amazing in

jw
friends

my story is sub-titled so you can skip ahead to parts that interest you most.. by way of reminder, my posting on "faith in god and the church" is not meant to convert anyone, because i have been out of the preaching business now for 14-years.

i am sharing my views given the questions i get when i do post about belief in god or my association with the catholic church.. why the catholic church?

protestants, especially fundamentalists and evangelicals have a hard spot with the roman catholic church.

Paisley

Well Amazing you have been through a lot and are only human. I wish you well, Catholic Church association or not.

My lack of enthusiasm for the religious teachings of the Catholic Church have nothing to do with what I was taught as a JW.

It's the existence of the position of Pope, the priests who are not permitted to marry, the horrendous history of child molestation and cover up, and the past church history of forcing people to believe or at least submit.

25

I missed all of my sister's 20's

by Crumpet in

i think my sister is 29 today.

that means due to this vile cult i missed all of her 20's.

so desperately sad that a religion can break family ties this way.

Paisley

Aww, Crumpet, happy birthday to your sister...and you've put a lump in my throat. I'm sorry you've lost out on many years with your sister. I worry about it all the time, with my kids, too; and I'm just going to keep a positive thought for you and your family, that things often change and they very well may for you too!

15

Do you tend to think that many things "go without saying"? I do...

by Paisley in

jw
friends

after an eye-opening conversation with an old acquaintance yesterday, someone i don't know well but thought i had some clue about .

we've all heard it said "i'm not a mind reader you know, speak up!

i didn't know you felt that way.

Paisley

Mama

Definitely inconsiderate. My Dad was a little bit like that, he would talk and talk while we waited in the parking lot (Mom was not one to enjoy visiting after) and she would have to go back in a couple times and remind him we were waiting.
My husband was never a dub, but he has to be told everything. He cannot pick up on irritation or impatience at all. i could definitely see him doing something like that and if I didn't say something it would go on and on. Luckily, I don't keep quiet in those kinds ofsituations. I would jump in the drivers seat and say I'll be back to pick you up after lunch buddy.

Good to know! I take it you're fully convinced he means well in spite of this quirk then! Good. As far as driving off without him, see that was the problem. We wanted his company. It was so rare to be in his company. And when we were together, he was lost in thought, never fully there with us anyway. Am I whining enough today?? Lol. I'm just saying these things to see how common it all may have been and also to hopefully remind some fathers and husbands that wives and children are people too, and not to blow it for themselves and their families, only to regret it later when it would be too late.

8

JWs and tatoos

by Phil in

jw
friends

i noticed while watching the aussie tennis open that serina williams has a tatoo on her back that shows a little when her dress top shifts a little after some intense play.

what does the wt think of tattoos particularly on women jws.

i noticed she still does that "jehovah" thing in her finishing speach, that tells me that she is still in the org.

Paisley

Honesty

Hmmmm...
I wonder why not since the Watchtower Society loves to identify with Old Testament practices.
Then Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring [them] to me.” Ex 32:2

Good point. They pick and choose which of the OT things to keep applying!

15

Do you tend to think that many things "go without saying"? I do...

by Paisley in

jw
friends

after an eye-opening conversation with an old acquaintance yesterday, someone i don't know well but thought i had some clue about .

we've all heard it said "i'm not a mind reader you know, speak up!

i didn't know you felt that way.

Paisley

Thanks RV

From a man's point of view, yes it was inconsiderate, and should have been painfully obvious. The shame of it is that the bible tells us to take care of those of our own household first. So even if there was important cong. problems, it still would have been wrong.
RV

It always amazed me that the bible instructed men to take care of their own, and if they did not do that, how could they take care of the congregation? And yet many, though clearly not all, families of elders were terribly neglected. First our elder child was reproved, being told she had come "this close" to being disfellowshipped, but due to mercy, sincere repentance, and extenuating circumstances, was only publicly reproved; then our second child was shocked to be disfellowshipped for something he had done only once, but there were other things he was involved in such as underage drinking (gee I wonder why). But he was deeply remorseful and humble about it all. He didn't resent the action taken by the congregation at all. Very interesting to me. My sweet kids. But in all this, their dad never considered stepping aside, and the brothers reassured him that it was due to no neglect on his part, he had after all always studied with them regularly and had taken them to the meetings and out in service....Never mind he never did any fun or family things with them and always holed up in his study from the moment he came home till after they went to bed every night.

21

Grandma's in the Hospital- Help on a "JW in the family" problem

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

a bit long, but i really need to vent, and i really need your replies.. my uncle is a jw, his wife and son and daughter-in-law are jw's, too.. they all moved away from family over 15 years ago, serving where the need was greater.. they went out west to new mexico, then other places.

they all broke off all contact with their .

parents (my uncles parents who are my grandparents, and my aunt's parents who i don't know well).

Paisley

Well you have certainly done your best to find this person, I assume for the sake of the dying mother, so that's undoubtedly commendable.

One has to wonder why someone would so urgently try to track someone down who doesn't want to be found. Seems a little controlling to me; it is his business, after all.

81

As of Thursday night I am no longer a Jehovahs Witness

by Es in

jw
friends

yep my fade has come to a stop, got the phone call off my dad today he asked me if i celebrate christmas and birthdays and i said yes, and so he said they are going to go ahead with the disassociation letter i sent over two years ago!!!!..

he said that after today the only phone calls i will get are if there is an emergency, but nothing social my response to that was well you havnt seen or spoken to me for over a year im used to it.. he also said there was no bad feelings and that i should never doubt there love for me, and that the stupid thing of it is they can associate with mike and the kids just not me.. im really happy and calm about it, ive had my initial cry over it, and now i feel good that i dont have to lie and hide things anymore.. its such a relief.. luv ya all.

es.

Paisley

This is sad...it's the fear that many of us live with. You're taking it well Es and I'm glad for your sense of relief. Also very happy that you have your own family with you.

Maybe in time things will change - the others may start to see the real light. Till then, all the best wishes for you!

15

Do you tend to think that many things "go without saying"? I do...

by Paisley in

jw
friends

after an eye-opening conversation with an old acquaintance yesterday, someone i don't know well but thought i had some clue about .

we've all heard it said "i'm not a mind reader you know, speak up!

i didn't know you felt that way.

Paisley

Thanks Odrade

Wouldn't have mattered in our family as we were not allowed to approach and/or interrupt Dad when he was talking with another brother. But it also wouldn't have happened. We used to stand just out of earshot and wait for him to pause the conversation and ask what we needed. He always did within a minute or two. As for leaving us sitting in the car, he would have handed mom the keys and said "go on home," then caught a ride or walked home (1.5 miles) when he was finished. It happened lots of times.

Your dad sounds more reasonable and thoughtful in this. And I'm very glad to hear that he would pause his conversations to ask what you needed. My husband would never do that for his children. I do not exaggerate. They would get someone's cell phone and call the KH from the parking lot to get him to come to the phone so they could tell him something. Or they would have someone else pass him a note at the Hall, after a meeting, to try to say something to him.

So the good part of all this is that the kids were not in fear of him, so I always appreciated that. He was not brutal or violent nor was he a punisher. But oh my goodness, thoughtless and insensitive to the nth degree.

I always thought he must be missing a chip in his brain somewhere!!