Great post and answers. Divergent, I think you got it spot on. The brochure does nothing to address the real issues and questions that doubters and leavers have, they never look at themselves or their terrible track record. Especially in regard to the hurt feelings aspect, all of the blame is put on the victim for taking it wrong, not being spiritual enough to cope with it, not being forgiving, not 'leaving it with jehovah'. They never address the fact that there are so many bullying, manipulative, nasty, power tripping 'shepherds' in this organisation stumbling the meek ones left, right and center. The abuser analogy is right.
Tornintwo
JoinedPosts by Tornintwo
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The new brchoure
by Sabin inthe gestapo body, brought out a brochure, i believe it was called return to jehovah.
in it they gave 3 reasons why some-one left the borganization.
if i remember 1 was because the person is angry at some one in the cong, or something along those lines.
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"Don't think too much...."
by Tornintwo ina couple of middle aged jw sisters dropped round unannounced the other day, they were only being kind i suppose, after some awkward silences i voiced a couple of my issues with the religion, (the safe ones), sort of an explanation as to why i'm no longer attending, namely: everyone else will die, lack of support for young ones, mistreatment/judgementalism by prominent ones who get away with it because 'they're imperfect and we have to wait on jehovah' etc.
well, after sympathizing and telling me horror stories about awful elders and their own kids' issues in the past (how some left the truth, had bitter divorces from fellow witnesses etc) they then begged me to 'come back to jehovah', 'he misses me' apparently.
finally, the more pushy one summed it up with 'you're thinking too much, it's not good for you', 'some issues you just have to put in a drawer and forget about....'.. hmm nice reasoning sisters, theocratic school training at its finest!
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Tornintwo
A couple of middle aged jw sisters dropped round unannounced the other day, they were only being kind I suppose, after some awkward silences I voiced a couple of my issues with the religion, (the safe ones), sort of an explanation as to why I'm no longer attending, namely: everyone else will die, lack of support for young ones, mistreatment/judgementalism by prominent ones who get away with it because 'they're imperfect and we have to wait on jehovah' etc. Well, after sympathizing and telling me horror stories about awful elders and their own kids' issues in the past (how some left the truth, had bitter divorces from fellow witnesses etc) they then begged me to 'come back to Jehovah', 'he misses me' apparently. Finally, the more pushy one summed it up with 'you're thinking too much, it's not good for you', 'some issues you just have to put in a drawer and forget about....'.
hmm nice reasoning sisters, theocratic school training at its finest! Jehovah's witnesses, please leave your brain at the door.....
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10 Years out of the JW Organization- What I've Learned ( For what it's Worth)
by flipper in10 years ago i stopped attending jehovah's witness meetings for good.
walked out of the kingdom hall cold turkey never to return based on injustices i observed among others and myself at the hands of elders giving out not god's counsel but personal opinions as counsel .
some of them weren't even giving out wt society counsel- just personal opinions.
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Tornintwo
Ding, well said, I remember when I first learned women weren't allowed to hold the microphones, whaaaat!!! Now why on earth did I not run out of the Kingdom Hall that day screaming 'cult, cult'!? Could have saved me 25 years of crappy decisions.
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10 Years out of the JW Organization- What I've Learned ( For what it's Worth)
by flipper in10 years ago i stopped attending jehovah's witness meetings for good.
walked out of the kingdom hall cold turkey never to return based on injustices i observed among others and myself at the hands of elders giving out not god's counsel but personal opinions as counsel .
some of them weren't even giving out wt society counsel- just personal opinions.
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Tornintwo
Hey flipper and otow, faders and lurkers, I've walked away cold turkey and I have to say with every day the fog is clearing more. No repercussions yet, although my jw husband is committed to protecting me and my daughter from such so we're lucky, he isn't the spiteful 'run to the elders' type. My teenage daughter has followed me out. I agree, it gave her the option, she didn't have to keep trying to please her parents and she could admit to herself that she wanted unlimited friendships, extracurricular activities, celebrations, sleep ins at the weekend, higher education and a basic normal life! Who wouldn't? To parents out there I say lead by example.
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So ... Russia and Nato at war? Should we be worried?
by Simon init seems unbelievable but turkey (a nato member state) shooting down a russian jet fighter on their syrian border seems to be "meh" news and no one is too bothered about it too much.. the world seems a bit upside down right now.
i don't think a lot of countries really know who the hell they are fighting and who is and isn't on their side in it all and really what is going on.. smaller incidents than this have led to major conflicts in the past but hopefully calm heads will prevail.
china shot down a us spy plane years ago and the world survived and forgot about it so things will move on i'm sure.. i'm guessing the price turkey pays for their gas supply from russia will be going up soon though.. man, that republican primary is sucking all the news attention from the room.
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Tornintwo
This whole situation in Syria makes you wonder why Assad won't put his hands up and say 'I messed up, let someone else have a try'...
In my dreamworld I imagine a solution where Assad calls for free democratic elections in say a year's time, in which he declares he will NOT run, declare a ceasefire and bring the peacekeepers in and a temporary government, establish safe zones for refugees. The genuine parties should want to take part in the political process so then the only ones left fighting should be the nutty psychopath ISIS etc which should then be easier to deal with (with the other two parties on ceasefire). Okay I am sure this is too simplistic and idealistic but maybe it could work....
What stands in the way of this?.... ASSAD will never step down because this conflict is about GAS supplies to Europe. Russia doesn't want to lose it's monopoly on gas to Qatar etc who want to lay pipelines through Syria, Assad won't allow the pipelines, any Western backed government would, Russia can't let that happen....
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10 Years out of the JW Organization- What I've Learned ( For what it's Worth)
by flipper in10 years ago i stopped attending jehovah's witness meetings for good.
walked out of the kingdom hall cold turkey never to return based on injustices i observed among others and myself at the hands of elders giving out not god's counsel but personal opinions as counsel .
some of them weren't even giving out wt society counsel- just personal opinions.
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Tornintwo
was feeling a bit down today and googling for support I stumbled upon this post on JWstruggle, didn't know who it was by until I got to the end and thought I would give this duplicate post a bump...
Thanks Mr Flipper for you and all the regular posters on here helping us newbies stay on the right track and cope with the fallout of leaving this damn mind control organisation which frankly 'f''s with your head.
http://www.jwstruggle.com/2014/01/ten-years-after-leaving-the-jehovahs-witness-religion/ -
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I just found out that my youngest brother committed suicide
by SnakesInTheTower inmy middle brother called me a couple of hours ago.
our youngest brother, josh, who was 38, was found by his friends in his apartment.
he hung himself.
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Tornintwo
I'm so so sorry, theres no right way to deal with such news, look after yourself and get as much support as possible. it happened in my husband's family and I know it is devastating to all. thinking of you and your family. -
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Please how can I create a website?
by COLLINS inplease i want someone to teach me how i create websites.thanks!.
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Tornintwo
Try wix -
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Searching for those who "know" TTAT
by EyesOpenHeartBroken indoes anybody have any tips for conversation starters to covertly feel out someone in the cong that you suspect is a "knower" about ttat?.
any success or experiences to share?.
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Tornintwo
"I always thought the truth would set you free, but to be honest, I find the truth is getting me down at the moment, making me feel restricted, guilty and never good enough - do you ever feel like that?"
If they are still in they will try to 'help' you with your doubts/depression but if out they might just open up...
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My first post
by thewalker inhi, i just joined the board and wanted to present myself.. i'm active, in fact very active in congregation activities serving "where the need is great" in a foreign language congregation somewhere in western europe.
as a young brother, i'm seen as an example as i'm doing all a good witness should do.. i had doubts years ago but i decided just to ignore them and move to another congregation to preach more.
that worked for some years but i'm now at the exact same point.
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Tornintwo
Hi thewalker and welcome - you wrote very clearly and as you can see from the excellent replies you already have, most of us have been where you were...
It was the lack of love in the congregation which started my doubts a few months ago, I was looking up at a prominent elder speaking about love at the assembly, knowing that he is one of the nastiest, most abusive people I know and helped to push 3 young ones out of the congregation. Unfortunately it wasn't just one incident, one brother, but a pattern and I found myself thinking - "is Jehovah really blessing this organisation?"
Finally I allowed myself to research this religion independently after 25 years as a witness - what I first found was the problem with mishandling of child abuse in the witnesses. You and I have both seen people hurt and mistreated in the congregation, it hurts but usually it's not lifechanging, but what about when elders have mishandled child abuse reports from a youngster? Leaving a young victim unheard, unprotected, continuing to be molested, then mistreated afterwards... Google it - there are lots of stories like this one:
http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2014/oct/31/jehovahs-witness-sex-abuse-judgment-lopez/
In Australia they have just had a Royal Commission Enquiry into the witnesses handling of Child abuse. It court-ordered files from the bethel which found files on 1006 known Jehovahs Witness child abusers in Australia and NOT ONE SINGLE CASE had been reported to the authorities. They held public hearings which were damning and identified 'grave concerns' with the witness policies.
Now the UK Charities commission is investigating the same thing in Britain...
Again, how can Jehovah allow this kind of mishandling and cover ups if this is his organisation?
Then there is shunning within families, where youths like you who have had doubts or done something 'wrong', have been disfellowshipped, cut off from all contact from their families when they are at a time in life where they need love and support - some have become depressed and even committed suicide...
Again where is the love?
After finding out about those two major things, I found this forum, and I was recommended jwfacts.com and Crisis of Conscience (a book by a former Governing Body member Raymond Franz). These two things confirmed the fact that the witnesses cannot be the 'only true religion'. I still love God and Christ but I now feel free of this oppressive organisation which specialises in making people feel guilty and never good enough. I look at my neighbours and fellow man in a completely different way now - not like they are under the devil's spell so I can't be friends with them.
Listen to your doubts, you have friends here who will sympathise, It is a painful process, waking up to 'the truth about the truth' but it is very freeing also! (the truth shall set you free.....)