Posts by wildfell

60

To ex-JW's who became real "Christians"

by startingover in

i have a question.. what is your belief now regarding hell?

a place of torment?

the grave?

wildfell

I agree with justhuman.

I do not believe in a literal hell. I never did, even when I was being taught the concept as a child at a Catholic school. Does not coincide with what I intellectually and emotionally know about God.

27

Met an exJW when I was out Friday Night. His pain broke my heart.

by str8?so is spaghetti..until you heat it up in

jw
friends

i was out friday night with a few of the friends i have made since leaving jws behind, when lo and behold, it turns out that one of their boyfriends was an exjw too!

i was excited at first, as i had not yet met someone who was exjw and gay in the flesh until now.

however, my excitement was shortlived.

All of the suggested reading made here is excellent if you are ready to hear what those books/websites have to say. But if he is really depressed and perhaps suicidal, I wonder whether it may be too much for him to undertake right now? There is a lot of initial guilt at looking at 'apostate' material, and then the distress of finding out the truth about the jw's can be overwhelming.

You are right, he does need therapy and maybe antidepressants. He has been out for 8 years. He may be unaware that the society has softened its stance on getting medical attention and counselling for depression etc. I knew MANY jw's who were on antidepressants - about half of them were elders wives! Once he is more stable within himself he may be in a position to look at crisis of conscience and jwfacts.com.

It's great that you can be there for him.

36

Are the "Converted" ever really accepted by those "Born In ?"

by Casper in

jw
friends

my old hall was made up of mostly 3 large families, with some extended added in.

all seemed to be related in one way or another, several generations represented.. coming in from the world at the age of 28, i never really felt that i belonged there.

i stuck it out for 13 years.

wildfell

I found born-in jw's are an exclusive club. They don't trust those 'from the world' and definately do keep them at arms length. I was a convert from early adulthood. (slapping forehead- what was I thinking!)

I remember repeatedly hearing comments refering to converts such as "the quicker they come in the quicker they leave", or "they'll be gone in 18 months". Converts were judged harder and scrutinised far more closely for years after converting. After you have given up family, friends, work and education opportunities and to a large extent, your identity, it's very discouraging to be treated like that. So many converts do leave and then the born-in jw's say "they didn't have the truth in their hearts. We knew it."

Also, as a convert, you have no family in the congo, no one to turn to if things go pear shaped in the congo, no uncles/fathers who are elders. Jw's know that you are on your pat malone (alone) and you have no-one to intervene on your behalf if they treat you badly. Being a convert is very lonely.

Maybe it's a result of the brainwashing that the world is an evil place? So anyone from the world may also be evil? It's only after you have been around for 20 plus years that they figure maybe your ok?

Maybe it's a result of jw's being a small religion? You find the same thing happening in country towns all over the world. For example, I understand that some villages in Britain will not accept you until your family has been in the village for at least two generations.

Similar thing in Australia (although most white Australians have only been here a total of two generations LOL), in country towns you are not accepted unless you grew up in the area. They just don't trust you and what may be lurking in your genes.

72

I'm new too!

by Annointeds Daughter in

jw
friends

i'm new to the forum.

i've been lurking for some time, since i was "disconnected" by my husband, "tooktheredpill".

i'm a 3rd generation witness, and still inside of the borg, because all my family is inside.

wildfell

Welcome Annointeds Daughter. I first started my research with 607 too. I happened to watch a tv program that said Jerusalem was destroyed in 585, so I thought I would google it. So 607 was flushed down the loo and like dominos 1914, 1918, 1919 followed closely behind. And then eventually the rest of the garbage that the jw's teach.

Realising that you have been lied to on every level really hurts. Especially when all you wanted to do was serve God. The pain will eventually pass. You will eventually build a new life for yourself, even if it is only being mentally free of the influence of the watchtower lies. Having your hubby to share your thoughts and feelings with is a blessing.

kind regards

wildfell

2

Anyone Know When The Australian Conventions Are?

by str8?so is spaghetti..until you heat it up in

just concerned my dad might decide its time to make a sneaky visit to sydney for a coffee and a chat.. if its anything like last time it will be at 2am in the morning with much load knocking and crying...so i'd prefer to be prepared... (last i saw him i had just disassociated).. many thanks in advance.

.

wildfell

The big conventions are usually in August/September time.

31

When you were a Jw did you have a relationship with God?

by Fisherman in

jw
friends

difficult to understand how even heavys that taught about having a relatinship with god now proclaim that it was imagined after leaving the truth.

puts into question appointments and people serving.

i can understand if some one new leaves the org.

wildfell

Interesting you should pose this question because when I was a jw I used to wonder where all the Christians were? There seemed to be so many men and women alike who were 'superfine apostles' and obeyed everything the watchtower said, but they overlooked the spirit of the Bible entirely. This forum is full of examples of followers of the watchtower who are hard hearted elders, parents and cold congregations.

I have observed many people in the org who just follow the governing body and I wonder if that's what they end up having a relationship with?

15

Believer's how long will you allow this blasphemy?

by dawg in

as all of you know, i do not believe the bible's divine... but if i did, i find that much of what the society says is outright blasphemy.

notice this insert from the april 15th, wt... you can look it up for yourselves as i'm certain i'm not taking this out of context.

if you believe the bible is the word of god (i find it hard to believe that anyone can take it literal) but if you do, then what about the souls of your family still in?

wildfell

I have no control over the watchtower. But I continue to tell people what a corrupt cult jehovah's witnesses are. I carefully drip feed one of my friends who still talks to me. This is the only action open to me.

Every single watchtower is a blasphemy because satan's little helpers the governing body claim that salvation is through them, not Jesus Christ.

54

Finding Faith

by Ima Apostate in

how many of you ex-jw kids were able to believe in mainstream christianity after leaving the borg?

within the last year, i have opened up to getting to know god again.

what's funny is that when i prayed for truth and to know god, i knew and had a real feeling in my heart that i was getting closer to something real, but there was still a voice going, "hey, it's me jehovah, and you have rejected me!".

wildfell

Am I not enough of a defender for you?

Hi BurnTheShips

You are an excellent defender of the Christian faith!

In my opinion, you won this little debate hands down. I greatly enjoy your knowledge, your logic and your faith.

kind regards

wildfell

32

A Touching Heartfelt Experience at The ATM Machine!

by caliber in

a touching heartfelt experience at the atm machine!.

it was a very touching experience that i had this last weekend at the atm machine.

it was about half an hour discussion but what follows is the highlights that i remember most vividly.. it begins with a once a upon a time pioneer partner of my wife (h4o) coming in to the atm.. jw says....how are things going?

wildfell

It's such a relief to leave the "them" and "us" mentality behind, isn't it? We are all Jesus' brothers and sisters! There is beauty in people everywhere. Caliber, you expressed yourself very well. I just read your experience to my husband and he thought it was great too! Had a laugh at the poor jw - I'm sure this would have sent her into cognitive dissonance overdrive.

13

Its been a year...

by truthsetsonefree in

yesterday i celebrated my one year anniversary of leaving jehovah's witnesses.

i have no regrets, except to coin a line always recited at assemblies about pioneering: i only wish i had left sooner.

my life has been anything but dull.

wildfell

Hi Truthsetonefree, CONGRATULATIONS on your one year anniversary!

Glad your life is on track and that you are happy! Definately puts to bed all that garbage watchtower spins that you can't be happy without them . . . out there . . . in satan's world.

We celebrated our one year anniversary on April 2. We went out to a really nice restaurant, ordered wine and raised our glasses to toast coming out of captivity. In our calendar April 2 is now called Freedom Day. "Let us be nothing but joyful"