Celebrated WT scholars
Oh yeah? Who are they then? Name names and tell me how they're "celebrated"
70 years of captivity?.
i myself have always believed that when archaeology disagreed with the bible the bible must be right.
that is how i dismissed the idea that jerusalem was destroyed in 586/587 bce.
Celebrated WT scholars
Oh yeah? Who are they then? Name names and tell me how they're "celebrated"
i have been out for 5 years.
my wife and i left together.
she saw the sham long before i did - though neither of us could 'put our finger on' what was wrong until we read coc, found the internet, etc.. i believe my wife leans toward atheism more than i do - i consider myself agnostic of the whole matter at this point.
Yeah sometimes. But to be honest Jeff, its part of our lives, for many of us a really significant part which can't be ignored. I liken it to being in prison (think Nelson Mandela) for many years. You may be free now but the years spent incarcerated can't be ignored or dismissed as never happening. Our experience shaped us and made us part of who we are today. By acknowledging that, we can accept what happened to us and enjoy what we have now. But that takes time, and for some, more time than others.
I still need to visit here as it helps me make sense of the delusion I was under for many years. It helps to see that others felt the same way and there is comfort in cameraderie, especially with talking to those who really "know" what you're talking about.
I see posters here that have been out for years and their posts are lighthearted and jokey at times. Me? I'm still very serious about so much because I still feel the pain, I'm not ready to laugh yet. But, in time, I hope to again. I hope to get to a stage when I can look back over the 21 years as a JW and laugh at my "silly" years.
this is podcast 8 in the death or obedience series.. this was recorded on christmas day 2008.. after our last visit from two local elders my wife felt she could no longer be known as a jehovah's witness and had chosen to disassociate herself in november 2008.. we had been on a family holiday and had returned to find that one of the local elders who had visited us had warned off my mother-in-law from having anything to do with my wife - her daughter.
he also made false statements about one of my children.. i decided to confront this elder at the kingdom hall.
this podcast is the recording of our conversation.. notice how he denies making such statements to my mother-in-law and falsely accuses me of teaching her beliefs contrary to jehovah's witnesses.. i ask whether it's a sin to no longer be a jehovah's witness?.
I agree Matt, It'll be the Society shooting themselves in the foot again that'll rock the world for the likes of Ronnie and his ilk. Its that kind of opening that I believe Holy Spirit uses to start the unravelling. It did with me. All it took was a quote from the Watchtower from years back that said the GB were not inspired. Once I read that, I couldn't understand why we had to believe and obey them as if they were.
Just that one thing opened Pandora's box and started me questioning and researching. Then the whole thing fell apart like the Berlin wall in my mind. It was fast and furious. I started researching in Jan 07, DA'd in April 07. A totally euphoric fantastic time for me, yet hugely unsettling too.
I hope Ronnie gets the same wake up call. Can you imagine how shocked the congregation would be if he left? My cong are still in shock with my departure and I'm only a sister.
i have already lost nearly all my friends....maybe just a handful will even be social........but i so hate to lose my mom and dad and my jw son.....one is df......so he still shows that he loves me.....but damm........i so hate to lose the little bit of fam i have left.......is that normal?......stupid question.....i guess i know from my time here....i so hate these guys that can take them away.....oompa.
i know a bunch of you have done it.....just please help me through it...........
OMG! Bible Student!! Is all ths true???
ok it's no secret my mother is seriously ill. the neighbors and friends who have grown to love her are constantly asking for updates.
at the end of virtually every conversation is stated, i'll pray for her or some other mention of divine request.. in the other corner are the multitide of jw's i've known and helped over the years.
no mention of prayers.. i know it's obvious but the love from heritics clearly out paces "the friends".. i'm just annoyed that's all.. .
Lovely prayer Mouthy, I said it too.
May your mum have a painfree night wha' happened.
God bless
this is podcast 8 in the death or obedience series.. this was recorded on christmas day 2008.. after our last visit from two local elders my wife felt she could no longer be known as a jehovah's witness and had chosen to disassociate herself in november 2008.. we had been on a family holiday and had returned to find that one of the local elders who had visited us had warned off my mother-in-law from having anything to do with my wife - her daughter.
he also made false statements about one of my children.. i decided to confront this elder at the kingdom hall.
this podcast is the recording of our conversation.. notice how he denies making such statements to my mother-in-law and falsely accuses me of teaching her beliefs contrary to jehovah's witnesses.. i ask whether it's a sin to no longer be a jehovah's witness?.
But miracles DO happen.
My family never dreamed for one minute that I would leave, but here I am, thanks to a serious wake up call from Holy Spirit I was shown the truth about the "Truth".
Ronnie may have that same blessing too one day. He'll be a tough nut to crack thats for sure, but Jesus has cracked tougher (Saul) so you never know....
i hate everything.
i am so angry at my mother, at my father, my sister, my brother.
nobody understands me.
Hi Rachel
I've been out 2 years and can't believe I'm still struggling to come to terms with everything. I get really fed up with myself and try and tell myself its about time I moved on, but I can't, I'm stuck. I wonder if its to do with my dad. He hurt me so badly last year when he utterly betrayed me to the elders when I was being spitefully shunned as my mum was battling cancer. He promised to help me cope with the shunning but instead went along with everything the elders said and left me alone to cope with an overwhelming situation. I broke down completely 3 months after this and have struggled since. I love my dad, but at the same time I hate him, or should I say I hate the JW side of him. I can't forgive him for what he did and I'll never trust him again, never.
But I miss not trusting him.
Now i have to take care of him and mum and I don't want to be near him. My stress levels go through the roof when he comes round even though I manage to hide how I feel. Mum senses all isn't well, but like most men I know, dad is oblivious.
You really think yoga will help? It sounds like it could be a real asset in easing anxiety, I might give it a try. Thanks again for the suggestion and for bringing this thread up. I wasn't gonna say anything or tell anyone how I'd been feeling, instead I was just gonna bury the feelings again and hope they'd go away, but having this thread here has helped me let off steam and have clearer thoughts.
I really appreciate this, can't thank you enough.......now I'm gonna do what Billy suggested and get some SLEEP xxx
this is podcast 8 in the death or obedience series.. this was recorded on christmas day 2008.. after our last visit from two local elders my wife felt she could no longer be known as a jehovah's witness and had chosen to disassociate herself in november 2008.. we had been on a family holiday and had returned to find that one of the local elders who had visited us had warned off my mother-in-law from having anything to do with my wife - her daughter.
he also made false statements about one of my children.. i decided to confront this elder at the kingdom hall.
this podcast is the recording of our conversation.. notice how he denies making such statements to my mother-in-law and falsely accuses me of teaching her beliefs contrary to jehovah's witnesses.. i ask whether it's a sin to no longer be a jehovah's witness?.
You know brothers, do you know that that man was wrong in saying that. He was wrong to say that we think we're right." Do you know why he was wrong? Because JWs don't THINK they're right....we KNOW we're right !"
Of course they're right! When you're surrounded by those that agree with every word you say, never read anything that contradicts your viewpoint and are never encouraged to research what you're told, then the only conclusion to draw is "we're right!".
The man is delusional, totally delusional.
recently it's come to my attention that the other teens in my congragation are being pressured by their parents to pioneer.
the main problem is that, like me, they're all "apostates".
because of this amusing turn of events, i'm thinking about starting my own apostate pioneering group with them.
can you define "actively speak"?
Please give a real example so we can have an idea what you mean. Do you express your thoughts only to an elder? Or to each other? Or in your answers during the meetings? Or do you actively contradict all the time?
i hate everything.
i am so angry at my mother, at my father, my sister, my brother.
nobody understands me.
Yeah too true Journey-on. I'm really pleased rachel brought this thread up again, its helped to know I'm not the only one who felt this way. Sometimes I look around at the people in my life and think just how upset they would be if they really knew how I was feeling or what I was thinking.
Thats why I tend to keep quiet and put a smile on. I can't joke or banter, when I feel like this, I'm not that good an actress, but I get by and most of the men in my life aren't that perceptive to notice my heavy heartedness. I think they don't understand anyway and just expect me to "get over it" whatever "it" is.
So thats what I do, I get over it, at least for a while. Then it gets overwhelming again and the valleys get a little deeper every time.
Sometimes I think I should just go back, I know its all false, but you just get so tired of the battle, you get me? So tired of being looked at as if you're dirt, of dear friends who deliberately come into my work and pretend I'm a total stranger to them. Of JW's who I've known and loved for years, turning and walking away if they see me in the street. To know that my dad, my caring, laughing, whistling, joking dad thinks that its right for his daughter to be treated this way and will defend JW's to the hilt and get furiously angry if his defense is shown to be flawed.
I'm just really tired, physically, psycologically and emotionally. Its too heavy, this burden. Too much.