I have suffered from depression since I was 10 and planned suicide on more than one occasion when I was in my 20s. I wouldnt be here to share with you if I was still in the org. Those feelings are a horrific place to be . My heart goes out to anyone visiting JWD who struggling with those feelings now - please listen to those who have been that low and have made it out the other side. We are not a substitute for professional help ( - counselling has been my life line.) but knowing others have "been there" and that you have a network of support can help a lot. Big hug from E
Posts by enz
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39Suicide
by Nicolas ini know it's a touchy subject, but anyone here has ever thought of suicide while they were still in the organization?
it seem to me that jehovah's witnesses have a much higher rate of suicide than the rest of the population.
i contemplated suicide myself when i was struggling to get piece of my life back together after being raised as a "perfect little jw" when i was young.
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Disfellowshipping is good for a person
by Honesty inmy spouse was df'd 4 years before we were married.
within 13 months she was "re-instated" and by the time we were married had almost healed from the "loving" treatment she endured in her "disfellowshipped state.".
she sincerely believes that her life was enriched by being disfellowshipped because, as a third generation jw she had never "made the truth her own.
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enz
Sparrow - have a great first bday party - mine was my 30th . Seemed weird at first but I quickly got over it !
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Went to bookstudy last night, ugh!
by Wasanelder Once inok, i didn't go the kh at least.
i have a couple who have been my friends for years, i studied with them and they became witnoids.
he is now and ms and was conducting a book study in a home last night.
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enz
thanks for sharing (or is it more like debriefing after the trauma) - have recently been wondering whether they still use the Rev (erse) book (posted yesterday re question to my bkstudy conductor when we first "studied "it ) . For me , the thought of attending a bkstudy makes me cringe. I'd spend all my time biting my tongue - and after 10 minutes and going thru 7 tongues (completion ) I'd have to leave ! Last meeting I went to was 1999 and got so angry re the content about families I left halfway thru the P .Talk. Went to a convention in Australia in 2003 to see what they were dishing - same old same old
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WHAT WAS THE BEST EXPLAINATION DISHED TO YOU?
by enz inwhen you had questions about jw teachings - what was the craziest reason / answer you received?.
when we "studied" the revelation book (is it still used ) i asked my bookstudy conductor what he thought about the interpretations that pointed to conventions (early 1920s -getting a bit hazy on details thankfully) ..... he said ".... that was such a long time ago , i havent really thought much about it" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
ok - so if he didnt give anything "that long ago" any thought , did the same count for everything pre-1920 - i.e everything in the bible ???
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enz
When you had questions about JW teachings - what was the craziest reason / answer you received?
When we "studied" the Revelation book (is it still used ) I asked my bookstudy conductor what he thought about the interpretations that pointed to conventions (early 1920s -getting a bit hazy on details thankfully) ..... He said ".... that was such a long time ago , I havent really thought much about it" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ok - so if he didnt give anything "that long ago" any thought , did the same count for everything pre-1920 - i.e everything in the Bible ??? What did he think about ? How many attended the bookstudy that night? What tie he would wear on Sunday? I was speechless (hard for anyone who knows me now to imagine) . To sit there and watch people swallow this stuff hook, line and sinker while I couldnt fathom how 2 + 2 = 67 ( or 607 in some cases ) was a scary , weird , lonely place to be. Imagine a teacher or professor (not that I'm putting elders in the league of qualified teachers but thats another topic) responding like that to a student?
Another time I commented to my mother that it seemed to me that if the WBTS (aka the Wot-now Babel & Trick Society ) published that one of the beasts of Revelation was in fact a supermarket chain that the witnesses would believe them - (probably get excited about new light blah blah blah ) . She had no answer ( I am sure she hoped for a Special Pioneer / Bethelite daughter but got me !)
To be out and be honest - to be able to breathe - thats freedom! (the truth has set me free ) E
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first post
by enz inhi everyone ( "a great crowd ....
") with my first ever post .... i discovered this site a couple of wks ago and have lurking nearly every day since!
wow - what a fantastic forum - really impressed with the support and validation i see here.
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enz
thanks for the great welcome . tijkmo - no the name wasnt an intentional reference to the band - but great to hear you know of them !
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first post
by enz inhi everyone ( "a great crowd ....
") with my first ever post .... i discovered this site a couple of wks ago and have lurking nearly every day since!
wow - what a fantastic forum - really impressed with the support and validation i see here.
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enz
hi everyone ( "a great crowd .... ?") with my first ever post .... I discovered this site a couple of wks ago and have lurking nearly every day since! Wow - what a fantastic forum - really impressed with the support and VALIDATION I see here. 9 yrs out this year (story later ) and thinking how good it would have been to have a support network like this when I was doubting, struggling ...drifting out. After all - who can you safely talk to when you have doubts ?? Its not like questioning whether you want to stay in a job/ career - it wouldnt usually be "unsafe "to talk to family / friends re that ! The experiences (ha ..sounds like witness-speak) wisdom and support have really impressed me ... enough to want to share some thoughts. Looking forward to hanging out with you all for a while. E