this one time, the night they disfellowshipped my sorry ass from the christian congregation smerk smerk,i came strolling back from a beer bar and had to pee in a major way so i stumbled my way next to the entry door of the hall and let loose with at lest a picture of rolling rock beer after it was filtered through me kidneys, it still makes me proud..
Josie's answer is my favorite!
Does joining facebook groups count? Like "I bet I can find 10,000 people who used to be Jehovah's Witness."
Also, putting stickers on the Watchtowers and Awakes in the laundromat and at the coffee shop that say:
ARE PEDOPHILES KNOCKING ON YOUR DOOR? SILENTLAMBS.ORG
and
FIND OUT THE TRUTH ABOUT "THE TRUTH" FREEMINDS.ORG
If I don't have stickers on me, I usually throw out the mags. Less of a chance of somebody falling for the drivel if they don't find it to read it!
i thought i was done with the jw's.
i knew they made an announcement last year about me.
i assumed by the avoidance of so many, and my lack of enthusiasm for "the truth", as well as i have slammed the door on the elders many times now, exiled me.
You are absolutely justified in your decision. Remember that no matter what.
You are in my thoughts, vikesgirl!
And you are right, people here do get it. I just have to be thankful that my friends don't understand. It's better that way, for them!
Rachel
the past three weeks having been so stressful and very sad.
my ex husband died after being in hospital for just over a week in intensive care.. i was just 18 and he was 21 when we first met and after a whirlwind romance we married 6 months later and have two sons together who are now adults.
although our marriage ended after 25 years and i remarried 7 years ago, he was my first love and i knew him for most of my life.
Thank you, Maddie! I have added it to my folder called "Toxic People," where I am compiling information that will help me be strong when I'm hurting due to hateful practices done on the part of my so-called family.
Thank you for reaching out. I know your letter will plant some seeds in the hearts of some Jehovah's Witnesses. We are all here because we woke up from it. Your reaching out to help yet more escape is amazing.
Thank you,
Rachel
the past three weeks having been so stressful and very sad.
my ex husband died after being in hospital for just over a week in intensive care.. i was just 18 and he was 21 when we first met and after a whirlwind romance we married 6 months later and have two sons together who are now adults.
although our marriage ended after 25 years and i remarried 7 years ago, he was my first love and i knew him for most of my life.
WOW, Maddie, I am so sorry this happened to you, but THANK YOU for that letter. I am saving a copy if I may as the line of reasoning is so sound and really puts the JWs in an ugly light! The truth hurts.
Hang in there, you are wonderful!
Rachel
i had a bit of a chin-wag with a freind of mine the other day.
we were talking about the questions that "nobody knows" and as witnesses, you can never get an answer for.
she came up with one i never thought about before so i thought i would share it here.. .
lurk3r, please don't be a jackass to Blondie. She is beloved here!!!
Butting my head in, sorry 'bout that, sometimes though I cannot resist!
Rachel
i have only been on a couple of committee's for actual apostasy, and in one the brother never showed, and in the other, the person said they don't want to be a witness.
but in having experience as an elder and a c.o., and in reading this forum, here are my suggestions.. do not say:.
"i don't believe that the faithful and discreet slave is god's channel" - why not?
Narkissos, excellent post, thank you very much for that.
step 1: get dragged into jws by your parents when you are 5 years old.
step 2: get baptized in 1975 when you are 16 because armageddon is coming and you don't want to die.
step 3: continue being brainwashed and mind controlled for the next 30 years because you don't want to die at armageddon.
Hopscotch, you are exactly right.
There is a post I feel you MUST read, but I cannot get my browser to paste it here for some reason. I created a thread called "What are my choices? Give up my niece and nephew or put up with Toxic and Abusive People?"
You can find it by clicking on my name and then clicking on Topics Started and then scrolling to the bottom of the list. All the responses are important to read, but in particular, if you only read one response, READ SCULLY'S POST.
I have printed it off and read it over and over. I have read it aloud. I have read it to other people. It rings true more and more each time. I hope it helps you the same as it has helped me!
I would rather accept the painful truth and then live my life than waste my time yearning for people who neither love me or deserve my love. Some serious food for thought.
Best to you, Hopscotch!
Rachel
i thought i was done with the jw's.
i knew they made an announcement last year about me.
i assumed by the avoidance of so many, and my lack of enthusiasm for "the truth", as well as i have slammed the door on the elders many times now, exiled me.
Yeah, seriously, the more I think of this, it isn't an issue of religion, and for the sake of your children refuse to admit how you feel about the JW religion. You do not owe answers to anybody. You do not owe answers to anybody. People can ask you whatever they want. But you do not owe answers to anybody. (It took me a long time to really understand this very important concept!)
But like Rebel said, this is an issue of breaking the law and making you feel insecure, plain and simple. If they were not JW's and doing this, how would you handle it? If it were a crazy stalker person, how would you handle it to ensure your personal safety? Handle it the same way.
Rachel
i thought i was done with the jw's.
i knew they made an announcement last year about me.
i assumed by the avoidance of so many, and my lack of enthusiasm for "the truth", as well as i have slammed the door on the elders many times now, exiled me.
vikesgirl, I think they were asking you that question to try and prove you are an apostate so they can disfellowship you, probably. If you say you are not under the authority of the Christian Congregation, you are going against what they teach you, therefore you are an apostate.
It is a weird question, but probably that is so you are caught off guard without a planned response, like you may have to more obvious questions.
Now that I have read your last post, I will ask again, can you move away?
i thought i was done with the jw's.
i knew they made an announcement last year about me.
i assumed by the avoidance of so many, and my lack of enthusiasm for "the truth", as well as i have slammed the door on the elders many times now, exiled me.
Hi vikesgirl,
I am interested in the same questions jamiebowers asked you. If your ex has even partial custody of the kids your disassociating yourself will give you even less control over what your children are told about you - I would think. In the protection of the kids perhaps you should just ignore the elders.
If you have full custody of the kids is it possible to move away? Simply leaving and not looking back might be the best solution if it is possible.
My parents know things about me that could get me disfellowshipped if they were to push it. But the annoucement would be crushing to my mother. So I believe they will never out me. And I believe it hurts them less for me to have simply left, moved away, and be inactive than to be disfellowshipped or officially disassociate myself. Plus like JWFacts said I do not recognize their rules as having any authority over me, which means I have walked away from their religion and do not consider myself to be a part of it. I got baptized as a teenager and so it was not legally binding. I do not recognize it. I am simply done with it.
Good luck!
Rachel
Edited to say: I did not see your last post before I submitted mine. I will go back and read that now.
