Posts by jamiebowers

The shunning aspect of the cult known as Jehovah's Witnesses makes it very difficult for those who leave or are forced to leave to get over it and move on. I think it's kind of like the death of a close friend or relative; you eventually accept it, but it still hurts. Anyone who hasn't been through this type of grief will not understand.

36

Something Else I Was Thinking About...

by str8?so is spaghetti..until you heat it up in

sometimes i look back at my 27 years as a witness and am astounded by the amount of double speak that goes on in the organisation.

god loves unconditionally, but only certain ones, god is going to save the world from its downward spiral, but first of all he is going to destroy millions of evil people.

it is all so fatalistic and unkind.

jamiebowers

They control how you act, even how you think...now they want to control how vou speak! You will find none of that here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOL5cpwTkes

4

Roller Skating Parties in Ebensburg Pa?

by Beep,Beep in

jw
friends

anyone here ever attend one of the roller skating parties in ebensburg pa?

i'm trying to track down people i know from the mid 70's that i met there.. .

jamiebowers

Finally, someone I may actually know in person on JWD. Sending a pm with details.

119

What Its Like To Be A Gay Ex JW....

by str8?so is spaghetti..until you heat it up in

i guess its time to throw my little story out there.

i keep reading everyones stories and thinking how brave you have all been, coming out of the organisation and facing all the repercussions of doing so.. .

i only last august disassociated myself.

jamiebowers

I'm old enough to be your big sister, so if you're ever in Ohio in the USA, I'll give you a BIG HUG!

11

question....being hounded by some 'gifts in men'

by Brother Gallagher in

im being hounded by elders intent on having a judicial hearing with me.

im recently separated, (i left my spouse) and i believe they are after me to df me for adultery as ive taken up with someone else.

i havent returned their calls, (they've been coming the last 2 weeks or so)

jamiebowers

Since you have family still in you may want to consider using a version of this letter from Doc Bob's website that can be found here: http://www.docbob.org/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=6

Think carefully about da'ing yourself, because it is very difficult and painful to be shunned by your family. Even if the relationship is bad now, you may change your mind about them later. Using a version of the letter will hopefully get the elders off of your back without them taking any official action against you. Good luck and God bless.

2

JW's-Won't attend High School Graduation-Part II

by Thechickennest in

hey guys,.

well, i would like to introduce myself, my name is olivia and i am thechickennest's daughter.

thank you so much for all of the great replys.

jamiebowers

My Dear Girl,

I have been out for 20 years, and the ramifications of my mother remaining in the cult are still being felt. It has caused turbulence with most, if not all of her many siblings who are not jws, culminating in her no show to a family reunion held last year. Well, we're having another one this year, and I'm certain she and her two siblings who are jws will again choose not to attend. They refuse to be a part of their own family, because there are a few, (among whom I am one) who are disfellowshipped. This type of rejection will continue as long as they remain in the cult.

I'm glad that you realize that your dad being on this board isn't living in the past. Instead, for him and most of us here, it is a way to help us deal with the present, and unfortunately, the future. Good luck and God bless you in all your future endeavors. Hope to hear more from you soon.

27

For those without Mothers 2008

by Lady Lee in

jw
friends

mothers day can bring up many issues for some of us.

for some their mothers have passed away and the opportunity to say i love you in person is forever lost.

for others, our mothers are lost to the wts.

jamiebowers

Our Mother

The image in her mirror was degraded, flawed. Her projection to others was not perfect but determinedly strong. She believed she had no credibility, but most loved her unexpected fairness and sweetness that often were revealed despite her ferocious clutch on independence. She could not love her children enough, yet they thrived.

Then her grasp on self-determination weakened, and her resolve shattered. Her children were the exacted price. She instead rationalized the illogical and continues to live without the closeness of those whom she bore. The strength she had in her youth has become a reliance on the destruction of her family.

But pure love has not turned to hatred or indifference. It is sustained by her children, the foundation upon which she developed her strength, fairness, sweetness, love and independence. If ever it is her children that she wants, she only has to ask.

51

I think I just need to tell the story to someone who will get it?

by aimless in

hi everyone, im new.

i've been feeling a burden on myself for the years that i have been out and i just don't know how to ease it.

i can't talk about the organization or the people in it to anyone... if i try i immediately feel sick and want to close up and just disappear.

jamiebowers

Hello and welcome. If talking to people on this board and reading the books that Mr. Flipper recommends, doesn't help, you may want to see a therapist. Being in the jw organization at any age is emotionally abusive, but it is particularly bad for young people. Your parents probably realized that on some level, and that's why they wouldn't allow you to get baptized. But then when they learned that you were somewhat sexually active, they flipped out. That's normal for some parents. They probably pushed you to go back to the meetings, because they didn't know what else to do, figuring you may stay out of trouble if you continued with your study, meeting attendance and field service. At your age it may be difficult to realize that parents are just people. They don't always have all of the right answers and then become frightened of it.

Just take a deep breath and keep reading and posting here. Things will probably get much better for you in time. You may also want to have your boyfriend read and post here as well, so he can get an idea of what you've been through. While reading your post I was reminded of this YouTube video I saw just the other day. Listen and see what you think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZXFYxt2Fow

Hope to hear from you again soon. You and your boyfriend sound like very nice people, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. Take care. Good luck and God bless.