Posts by GoddessRachel

27

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

by GoddessRachel in

hello.. my parents converted to jehovah's witnesses when they were pretty much newlyweds and raised their children as such.

i was 100% in it until a series of events happened to me as a young adult that ultimately led to my deciding it's simply not worth it.

i haven't had a relationship that could pass for normal with my jw family ever since.

GoddessRachel

Hi Rachel, it must be hard dealing with the mom trying to check in on you and get you "back on track". Is your whole family "spiritual" or only your mom? It sure helps when you have siblings to lean on, especially when they have also been "in" and realized the same things you have about the "truth". Distance also helps sometimes, when you are a great distance away from the family it may help in getting deprogrammed from a lifetime of JW-ism.
Best wishes.
Serg.

Thanks for the well wishes, Serg. Methinks this belongs on a different thread. I don't recall posting about my mother. Thanks, friend.

27

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

by GoddessRachel in

hello.. my parents converted to jehovah's witnesses when they were pretty much newlyweds and raised their children as such.

i was 100% in it until a series of events happened to me as a young adult that ultimately led to my deciding it's simply not worth it.

i haven't had a relationship that could pass for normal with my jw family ever since.

GoddessRachel

It's always a challenge to decide to be who others expect or demand, or to be ourselves. Following the rules of "mother church" might give some a sense of satisfaction or safety, but declaring your own truth can be a spiritual awakening.
I think that's a good reason to break away - despite the pain.

Well put, VoidEater. Some days it's like 'what am I fighting for again?' Next day it comes back to me. On my good days I'm the happiest I've ever been. On the not-so-good days, well, this too shall pass, right?

40

For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead...

by Chalam in

jw
friends

this one bugged me for a while.

i will quote the nwt for all the ex jws here ;) .

ecclesiastes 9 nwt .

GoddessRachel

Interesting thread. I've often wondered about the verses in Ecclesiastes that JW's use to describe what happens when you die. Every time I pick up a Bible now I have a negative association to my time as a Witness and thusly haven't (yet) been able to read it without my Watchtower blinders on. Someday I will. Someday.

5

could my friend have seen some light?

by 4mylove in

so i'm on the phone with my friend, and to make a long story short, i explain that my brother in law is now not answering phone calls from his sister in reference to my parents in law.

they were out of town, and my fil became ill. the haven't been able to come home for a month now, and my sis in law has been working, her hubby has been working, and yet they have taken on the business while they are gone to be able to keep money coming in to cover medical expenses, while they are out of the country!

this holy roller had initially spoken to her but the communication line is tight because she ran away with her bf 2.5 years ago and have been married ever since.

GoddessRachel

You're welcome, 4mylove. I wish there was a better answer. I wish all of our loved ones could just snap out of this nonsense.

29

"Who would you like to meet in the new system?" - Answers

by LtCmd.Lore in

sound familiar?.

this question was recently asked for the children in my congregation to answer.

i was kind of amused and disturbed at the same time by their responses.. .

GoddessRachel

Nope, sorry... I wish one of them would, Lot would have been fun to write about!

Lore, EXCELLENT post, please do write about Lot. You are so good at this!

5

could my friend have seen some light?

by 4mylove in

so i'm on the phone with my friend, and to make a long story short, i explain that my brother in law is now not answering phone calls from his sister in reference to my parents in law.

they were out of town, and my fil became ill. the haven't been able to come home for a month now, and my sis in law has been working, her hubby has been working, and yet they have taken on the business while they are gone to be able to keep money coming in to cover medical expenses, while they are out of the country!

this holy roller had initially spoken to her but the communication line is tight because she ran away with her bf 2.5 years ago and have been married ever since.

GoddessRachel

Thanks for clarifying.

Well I think Witnesses are able to justify certain things when they know they themselves couldn't do it. Or sometimes they are able to be more objective when it is involving someone other than their own family.

So, let me get this straight... Your friend who thinks it is wrong what your brother-in-law is doing is doing the very same thing to her own family but for different (in her mind) reasons?

I don't think this much sounds like seeing the light as it does sound like just being able to be slightly more objective regarding a situation that is not her own.

Of course, I could be completely wrong. This is just my thought process after reading your posts.

Peace,

Rachel

13

Things that are really bad.

by joelbear69 in

jw
friends

as jw's we were taught that almost everything was bad for some reason or another.

xmas, birthdays, lucky charms, watching r rated movies, not going to meetings, .

going to college, liking sports, etc.

GoddessRachel

As JW's we were taught that almost everything was bad for some reason or another.
Xmas, birthdays, Lucky Charms, watching R rated movies, not going to meetings,
going to college, liking sports, etc. etc. etc.

but what is really bad. my list would be

abuse
lying
cheating
physical or psychological harm to other beings (human and non human)
desiring that bad things happen to other people.

what is odd and truly sad is that most JW punishment is doled out for
sex, smoking or deciding you don't believe that same way they do anymore.

congregations are full of gossipping, lying, manipulating and abusive people
(especially at the elder and CO level). yet the Watchtower overlooks this
with "we are all imperfect" rhetoric.

Well said, joelbear.

10

NOW THEY HAVE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE............

by vitty in

jw
friends

thats right, i think weve blown our fade.

we had our non witness family to stay over the holidays and my (reckless) husband took photos from my sisters new camera with our lovely , big xmas tree in the background.

she went home was showing my other jw sister (she didnt know it was there cant work the camera yet), and there it was.

GoddessRachel

Sorry, Vitty, this is part of the reason why I didn't put up a tree. They still have such a hold on us and always will unless we are willing to deal with the full consequences, i.e. never speak to our family again that we love so much.

I can see you feel like I do - I am not ready to lose my family completely, even though I know if they knew the complete truth about me they'd drop me so fast my head would spin.

5

could my friend have seen some light?

by 4mylove in

so i'm on the phone with my friend, and to make a long story short, i explain that my brother in law is now not answering phone calls from his sister in reference to my parents in law.

they were out of town, and my fil became ill. the haven't been able to come home for a month now, and my sis in law has been working, her hubby has been working, and yet they have taken on the business while they are gone to be able to keep money coming in to cover medical expenses, while they are out of the country!

this holy roller had initially spoken to her but the communication line is tight because she ran away with her bf 2.5 years ago and have been married ever since.

GoddessRachel

I'm confused. So the friend you were talking to on the phone is a JW? Why was she talking to you in the first place if you are not a Witness and she is?

Sorry, I'm just confused.

27

Allow Me to Introduce Myself

by GoddessRachel in

hello.. my parents converted to jehovah's witnesses when they were pretty much newlyweds and raised their children as such.

i was 100% in it until a series of events happened to me as a young adult that ultimately led to my deciding it's simply not worth it.

i haven't had a relationship that could pass for normal with my jw family ever since.

GoddessRachel

Well, thanks so much for embracing me so wholeheartedly!