You sound like me, Sixofnine! I'd love to find a community of some kind of spirituality, but even the mildest "godtalk" and I can feel myself starting to cringe.
brunnhilde
JoinedPosts by brunnhilde
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What do you know about Unitarian Universalists?
by Good Girl or Bad Girl? ini'm just wondering if anyone has looked into this faith or church or religion or whatever you might call it?
it seems like a positive community, but i have also read things about it that seem borderline scary to vulnerable people who are looking to fit in somewhere... .
i'm not looking for a religion to convert to or anything like that.
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Your View On BREASTFEEDING In Public
by minimus inlast night on the news a woman was told by a store manager that she could not in public breastfeed her child.
she and her husband were quite offended and complained to the company's main offices.
they are now looking into this situation.. what's your opinion?
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brunnhilde
Something that hasn't really been addressed is the legal RIGHT of women to breastfeed...
"While Congress in 1999 passed a law allowing nursing on federal property, the U.S. surgeon general in October 2000 officially made it national policy to promote breastfeeding. Nearly 40 states around the country have passed legislation declaring it legal to nurse in public, and sometimes exempting breastfeeding moms from jury duty, according to the La Leche League (LLL), an organization which promotes breastfeeding."
http://babyzone.com/loadpage/article.asp?contentid=1110
Just one more thing to consider...
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Your favorite female artists?
by restrangled ini love frou frou, but the men in my house can't stand her!.
i also love cheryl crow, norah jones, enya and old joni mitchell.
there are more but will leave it to others to list!.
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brunnhilde
I LOVE Alison Krauss, Annie Lennox, Tori Amos, Barbra Streisand, Joni Mitchell, Sarah McLachlan, and a bunch of other ones I can't think of right now...
brunn
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Why can't I just get over it and move on?
by Crumpet inmonths have passed now since mr c and i officially separated.
so why can't i get over it?
why am i still jealous?
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brunnhilde
Awww, Crumpie, someone else said it and its true, you're grieving, and while this is enormously UNhelpful, you'll be done when you're done with it. There's no timeline or way to accelerate the process, sadly. I know, I've tried. Even when you're the one who chooses to end the relationship (that was me too) there is still pain and sorrow and some regret but that doesn't mean it was the wrong decision. You sound like you've got exactly the right handle on it but it does get wearisome and tiring, the sadness I mean. I know, I'm right where you are too. Best of luck on your date - sounds like good fun!
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Would I be dfd if ?
by FourMs inwell, let me fill you in on a few things first.
i have stopped all jw activity since a few months and as mentioned in other posts, i am being stalked by every elder and car group looking to stretch their service time.
when they come i just ignore them by not answering the door (or the phone when they call).. today they came (for the 3rd time in 3 days) and when i went outside a few hours later my neighbor was out front of his house and after some small talk, he informed me that i had some dressed up people come to my door.
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brunnhilde
Gary Buss, are you writing a book? I would love to see the "collected sayings of Gary Buss!" Everything you say is so pithy and dead on the money!
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What things did you do through a mtg to distract yourself?
by FourMs inwhen we were kids, my best friend and i would do each others hair.
wed have our barretts and elastics and the whole bit.
then when we got a little older we used to do our nails nail polish and all .
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brunnhilde
I used to do my checkbook *snicker*
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Good to Know When You're Leaving!
by brunnhilde inpain.
the emotional pain of leaving a cult.
by jan groenveld.
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brunnhilde
PAIN
The Emotional Pain Of Leaving A Cult
by Jan Groenveld
The following is how former cult members and members of spiritually
abusive systems described how they felt when they finally left their
group. This may give you some insight into their pain and why there
are no easy answers for them.
It Hurts
It Hurts to discover you were deceived - that what you thought was
the "one true religion", the "path to total freedom", or "truth" was
in reality a cult.
It Hurts when you learn that people you trusted implicitly - whom you
were taught not to question - were "pulling the wool over your eyes"
albeit unwittingly.
It Hurts when you learn that those you were taught were
your "enemies" were telling the truth after all - but you had been
told they were liars, deceivers, repressive, satanic, etc and not to
listen to them.
It Hurts when you know your faith in God hasn't changed - only your
trust in an organization - yet you are accused of apostasy, being a
trouble maker, a "Judas". It hurts even more when it is your family
and friends making these accusations.
It Hurts to realize their love and acceptance was conditional on you
remaining a member of good standing. This cuts so deeply you try and
suppress it. All you want to do is forget - but how can you forget
your family and friends?
It Hurts to see the looks of hatred coming from the faces of those
you love - to hear the deafening silence when you try and talk to
them. It cuts deeply when you try and give your child a hug and they
stand like a statue, pretending you aren't there. It stabs like a
knife when you know your spouse looks upon you as demonised and
teaches your children to hate you.
It Hurts to know you must start all over again. You feel you have
wasted so much time. You feel betrayed, disillusioned, suspicious of
everyone including family, friends, and other former members.
It Hurts when you find yourself feeling guilty or ashamed of what you
were - even about leaving them. You feel depressed, confused, lonely.
You find it difficult to make decisions. You don't know what to do
with yourself because you have so much time on your hands now - yet
you still feel guilty for spending time on recreation.
It Hurts when you feel as though you have lost touch with reality.
You feel as though you are "floating" and wonder if you really are
better off and long for the security you had in the organization and
yet you know you cannot go back.
It Hurts when you feel you are all alone - that no one seems to
understand what you are feeling. It hurts when you realize your self
confidence and self worth are almost non-existent.
It Hurts when you have to front up to friends and family to hear
their "I told you so" whether that statement is verbal or not. It
makes you feel even more stupid than you already do - your confidence
and self worth plummet even further.
It Hurts when you realize you gave up eveything for the cult - your
education, career, finances, time and energy - and now have to seek
employment or restart your education. How do you explain all those
missing years?
It Hurts because you know that even though you were deceived, you are
responsible for being taken in. All that wasted time ... at least
that is what it seems to you - wasted time.
The Pain Of Grief
Leaving a cult is like experiencing the death of a close relative or
a broken relationship. The feeling is often described as like having
been betrayed by someone with whom you were in love. You feel you
were simply used.
There is a grieving process to pass through. Whereas most people
understand that a person must grieve after a death etc, they find it
difficult to understand the same applies in this situation. There is
no instant cure for the grief, confusion, and pain. Like all grieving
periods, time is the healer.
Some feel guilty, or wrong about this grief. They shouldn't - it IS
normal. It is NOT wrong to feel confused, uncertain, disillusioned,
guilty, angry, untrusting - these are all part of the process. In
time the negative feelings will be replaced with clear thinking, joy,
peace, and trust.
Yes - It hurts but the hurts will heal with time, patience and
understanding.
There is life after the cult.
Copyright 1985, 1995 Jan Groenveld
E-mail: py101663@student. uq.edu.au
Cult Awareness & Information Centre,
PO Box 2444,
Mansfield, 4122
Australia
Web Page: http://caic. org.au/zhome. htm -
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Forum Skins i am making (your thoughts)
by KW13 ini run a technology forum with some friends.
not long ago i showed the aurora elements of these skins for your feedback which was appreciated.
i'm not asking just to get "oh how nice" although that'd be nice lol, i want to know if its easy to read the writing, whether colour schemes (whether ya like or not) match up etc.
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brunnhilde
First one
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brunnhilde
Boston Legal, Supernatural (pure eye candy), Stargate Atlantis, Dirty Jobs, What Not to Wear
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What to do when your parents are toxic?
by Paralipomenon infrom reading people's stories and life experiences i thought i'd poll the members here for some advice.
my inlaws are extremely toxic.
i know, every person says that about their inlaws, but the way they treat their family is absolutely horrible.
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brunnhilde
In a word, therapy.