sweet pea

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Posts by sweet pea

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  26

  Presents to children from JW grandmother?

  by sweet pea in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we received a parcel for our boys today from besty's mother.

  presents, photos (of seals!

  ) and a card addressed to them asking for some photos of them!

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  sweet pea

  Thanks for that momz. I know in my heart I can't shun her, I don't want to be mean.
  
  However, the boys are 2 and 1 years of age so it's me that will be writing the thank you notes on their behalf and it all feels very weird when you are being treated as if you don't exist. It's very painful. I'm not used to being ignored ....
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  26

  Presents to children from JW grandmother?

  by sweet pea in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we received a parcel for our boys today from besty's mother.

  presents, photos (of seals!

  ) and a card addressed to them asking for some photos of them!

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  sweet pea

  We received a parcel for our boys today from Besty's mother. Presents, photos (of seals!) and a card addressed to them asking for some photos of them!
  
  I find it all quite distressing. It makes me angry, sad - a whole raft of emotions.
  
  Half of me wants to return it unopened with a note saying - unless you can act like a normal human being and stop shunning us then we cannot accept these gifts. The boys want a grandmother who is in their life 100pc and speaks to their parents, not just one who sends the odd gift or letter.
  
  Then I remember, she's a victim of mind control. A broken hearted victim who truly believes she's doing the right thing.
  
  I want to send her a thank you note because we're bigger than all this childishness but on the other hand I think why should I, she wants emergency contact only.
  
  Sigh.
  
  What would YOU do?
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  216

  I'm a Pioneer Married To a Wonderful Brother Reaching Out to be an MS...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  and petrified... i just recently became a pioneer and always had nagging questions in the back of my mind.

  so, i decided that when i have get a study i would research all the questions as i go along so as to prove everything in the truth... i got 4 studies in about 2 months.

  all was fine, until i reached i think chapter 6 in the bible teach book about the resurrection.

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  sweet pea

  With regards to Aleman and that little voice inside your head that says "maybe I'm wrong about all these doubts..."
  
  Listen to the wisdom of the crowd.
  
  It's a big crowd here at JWD and you can see that there is a lot of wisdom in the majority of the posts on this thread.
  
  Trust your gut feeling.
  
  Freedom feels scary at first but you will find yourself in a better place eventually. Everyone's journey is different but we are all here for you.
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  13

  Just supposing I was thinking of emigrating to Australia..

  by katiekitten in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .. what advice would you give me?.

  anyone who lives in australia - is there a need for secondary school mathematics teachers?

  what general advice would you give about location / quality of life / anything else at all you think i should know.. anyone who has ever emigrated anywhere - any advice at all about anything to do with moving ?.

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  sweet pea

  Hi KK
  
  I'd say Go For It! Follow your dreams - what's the worst that can happen? You don't like and come back but you've had a great experience.
  
  We're moving to California in the next couple of months for a couple of years, maybe more. I'm excited and anxious at the same time but I know it's going to be fab and if it's not, well we'll be coming back at the end of the contract, if it is then who knows maybe we'll stay forever or jet off to New Zealand where all Besty's relatives have moved to (the non-JW ones that still talk to us that is...).
  
  The world's your oyster darling.
  
  Sam :-)
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  58

  How Does a July 4th Lake Tahoe Apostafest Sound in California ?Let me Know

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello friends !

  my wife, mrs. flipper and i were talking about getting an apostafest together for july 4th , 2008 weekend this summer.

  this year the 4th falls on a friday, so it would at least be a 3 day holiday weekend when some may be able to get away !

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  sweet pea

  ApostaTahoe 4th July 2008
  
  Up for it -
  
  
  Flipper + Mrs Flipper
  
  Mrsjones5
  
  The Package
  
  Mincan
  
  SnakesInTheTower
  
  JK666?
  
  Dagney
  
  Besty + Sweetpea
  
  
  Surely there must be more with this amount of notice and such a beautiful venue?
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  216

  I'm a Pioneer Married To a Wonderful Brother Reaching Out to be an MS...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  and petrified... i just recently became a pioneer and always had nagging questions in the back of my mind.

  so, i decided that when i have get a study i would research all the questions as i go along so as to prove everything in the truth... i got 4 studies in about 2 months.

  all was fine, until i reached i think chapter 6 in the bible teach book about the resurrection.

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  sweet pea

  Welcome Fadeout! and all the other Newbies that this thread has flushed out.
  
  We thought as you did and never thought for a minute we would be punished for telling the truth but that it was happened.
  
  We were DISFELLOWSHIPPED FOR TELLING THE TRUTH.
  
  Surreal.
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  216

  I'm a Pioneer Married To a Wonderful Brother Reaching Out to be an MS...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  and petrified... i just recently became a pioneer and always had nagging questions in the back of my mind.

  so, i decided that when i have get a study i would research all the questions as i go along so as to prove everything in the truth... i got 4 studies in about 2 months.

  all was fine, until i reached i think chapter 6 in the bible teach book about the resurrection.

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  sweet pea

  Welcome Cognac, good to have you here. Another one with a brain of their own, not fully controlled by the Borg. :-)
  
  You are at the start of a journey that will be rocky. Things will get worse before they get better.
  
  I was where you are now back in April and it has been a rollercoaster ride ever since.
  
  When I first started to realise there was something wrong I spent 3 days on www.jwfacts.com and JWD and the whole thing came crashing down. I had been 100pc committed, raised from birth, auxilliary pioneered, and had many deep friendships. I had no idea what would happen when I started telling people about what I had found out.
  
  Overnight my closest friends turned against me and the elders, friends and family (hubby's, not mine) conspired to get us disfellowshipped, which happened in August. Just for making a stand doctrinally.
  
  I almost had a nervous breakdown. My initial reaction was to get involved with another church and attend an Alpha Course but I no longer attend as I do not believe in organised religion of any sort. If there is a God (which I am not sure of anymore but feel ok about that now), then I believe he/it loves me and has a plan none of us know the half of!! Seeing as it doesn't make sense why he hasn't done anything about the suffering, allowing me to be in a cult, etc, etc). The bible has lost all credibility with me now and I am finally happy just being me, a normal(ish) member of the human race - it's the most wonderful thing to ever happen.
  
  So my advice to you - stop pioneering - do your research - take time for everything to sink in and to experience all the emotions that you are bound to experience - try and hook up with a decent counsellor who specialises in cognitive behavioural therapy - arrange some cool, fun things with your hubby and get making babies (we have two little ones and I can't tell you how exciting it is to know that they are going to be brought up to be free thinkers, not isolated from their peers, able to celebrate the holidays, the list goes on. Previously, I was dreading bringing them up as JW's - how sad is that?).
  
  If you ever want to talk on the phone - we're here for you.
  
  Oh, and has been said already - DON'T TALK TO ANYONE OTHER THAN YOUR HUBBY (and us of course). No one else will be able to handle it and you may regret it. You may think you're different and that people will give you the benefit of the doubt, like I did, but this is not the case. Things you say will grow arms and legs and turn into a monster before you know it. This happened to us.
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  14

  Have You Ever Reported An Abuser?

  by sweet pea in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just wondering if any of you ever decided to report any kind of abuse, however small an incident it was.

  tonight i reported an incident of 20 years ago to the authorities.

  a man came up to me in london on the pretense that he was recruiting for christian dior and to cut a long story short we arranged to meet the next day for an interview.

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  sweet pea

  Just wondering if any of you ever decided to report any kind of abuse, however small an incident it was.
  
  Tonight I reported an incident of 20 years ago to the Authorities.
  
  A man came up to me in London on the pretense that he was recruiting for Christian Dior and to cut a long story short we arranged to meet the next day for an interview. A few pervy questions and his general demeanor convinced me not to attend "the interview". I felt stupid, slightly dirty but ultimately that I'd escaped a situation that could've been dangerous.
  
  The police probably wont do anything with the information but you never know what it could lead to. If I ever saw him again I believe I would recognise him.
  
  I feel strongly that all cases of predatory action should be reported, however small.
  
  One of my relatives was abused by an elder when she was 6 years old and she will not report him - as far as I know he is still active in her old congregation, old, but active (and who knows how many others he abused). I respect her reasons for this choice but I don't agree that it's the right thing to do.
  
  Thoughts?
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  27

  Allow Me to Introduce Myself

  by GoddessRachel in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  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.

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  sweet pea

  Welcome GR.
  
  It's so sad - your real (not the cult personalities) family are missing out on a beautiful relationship with the real you. I'm sure if the blinkers are ever lifted they will have many regrets.
  
  Look forward to hearing more of your story.
  
  Sam
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  17

  Do you still have faith in humanity?

  by lfcviking in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just yesterday at the airport i dropped my wallet coming out of a shop and a very kind man picked it up and ran up to me and asked "excuse me is this yours?

  " to which i gave a startled but relieved reply of "yes, thankyou very much!"..

  i was amazed by his honesty & kindness for doing this deed and wondered for a moment what would have happened if he'd have put it in his pocket instead.

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  sweet pea

  I had a similar experience the other day - having just got back from the US with gorgeous new handbag (early Xmas pressie from Besty), we were out in London and I put it down next to some railings while I sorted the children's paraphernalia out, promptly forgot all about it and went into our friend's flat a few doors away. When we eventually came back out I remembered and had that heart stopping moment where you know you've lost your bag, purse, phone, etc and you feel sick. Besty tried calling my phone to see if it was anywhere near and someone called us back on it to say "they had everything, had been trying to get hold of us via some numbers on the phone, had spoken to my dad who had been trying to get hold of us and were sorry that they'd read my text messages!" Needless to say we got their address and drove to another part of London to pick it up.
  
  I was amazed and ecstatic that my faith had been totally restored in humanity (and I'd got my all my stuff back obviously).
  
  We live in a wonderful world where sadly good news doesn't make the headlines, but we can all choose what we focus on and there is so much good stuff to focus on.