Posts by Had Enough

26

How long was it for you?

by expatbrit in

jw
friends

i'm curious: how many years were you in before you left?

by left, i mean either df'd and decided not to go back, or da'd, or faded, or even just realized it was a crock but stuck around anyway for family reasons?.

we're told in la-la-land that it's the newly baptized, those who are "spiritually immature" that mostly leave.

I agree with your impression that an awful lot of us are long-termers. I was raised from birth as a JW and stuck with strong till my mid 30's pioneering off and on, elder's wife, family members pioneering and in Bethel etc. etc. but did a slow fall for about 10 years before I just stopped going. But I haven't made it official because I too have family I'm not prepared to lose association with and watch their pain and suffering because they feel they have to live up to the shunning rules.

So I join the ranks of those who stick around for family reasons even though I'm not active. I'm too burned out to try to be active, so my family just trys to continue to encourage me.

Had Enough

27

I hope this is a friendly place

by truman in

jw
friends

i hope this is a friendly place, because i could sure use some friends.

this is my first try at posting on a discussion board, though i have been lurking here and at a few others on the same subject for a few weeks now.

about 4 weeks ago i took the plunge and decided to see just what all the mystery and danger of reading "apostate" material was all about.

Had Enough

Welcome Truman:

You are among friends here! I too have been over 40 years in the org. from birth, and have a daughter doing all the "right" things too. Pioneering from high school, married a pioneering brother, still pioneering etc. We understand how easily all that you knew, believed, lived, breathed just evapourated.

Many, many of us were or still are in you position, and welcome you wholeheartedly. I sat on the sidelines for a couple of weeks before having the courage to join in fearing rejection but have found only the opposite. You are only beginning on your road to discovery. Friends here advised me I'd be on a rollercoaster ride for a while but just to give it time and the pieces will fall into place. If you have questions, comments, jump in. You'll find help, support, encouragement and love.

Take comfort in all your welcomes!

Had Enough

17

Anti JW newspaper article

by Freenow in

jw
friends

this looks like a friendly forum and i will do my very first posting here because i finally feel i can trust someone to help me.

i published an article on the local newspaper against the jw and part of my sour experiences while i was a jw; they only let me use 300 words and deleted the most important ones ofcourse.

my problem is that iam now getting very negative responses to my article and i need you all to help me write something positive for us ex-jw's for a change.

Had Enough

To DISGUSTED:

Are you really disgusted with us or are you just making a sarcastic comment in fun? Since this you have only posted here twice and said the same thing, I'm ASSUMING you are serious.

If you are, then tell us WHY are you disgusted? But please consider the following:

The things that are written about here for the most part are helpful, words of encouragement and enlightenment. Sometimes too, a little bit of fun and kidding is added to just add a little bit of levity to a serious situation out there.

Have you read many of the posts that ask intelligent questions on a Society teaching that conflicts with a logical understanding of the scripture it tries to use to back itself up?

Have you read any of the the heartbreaking stories of those who have experienced injustice in the orgaization and whose lives have been torn apart by the harshness of Society rules and the elders who enforce them?

Many have studied the scriptures deeply to find gross inconsistencies in the Society's teachings and post them here to help us all.

I could go on and on but for now, if you have a valid reason for your opinion, please share it with us and let us answer your thoughts.

I've been fooled for many years and now I've...

Had Enough

20

Evidence of "Independent Thinking"

by COMF in

jw
friends

you need some history to understand what i have to tell.

i have two grown sons.

son1 is single and a staunch jw whose goal for years has been to go to bethel and to become a missionary.

Had Enough

Hello COMF:
What a wonderfully encouraging story. It seems like your family is on the right track and that your Son1 sees things with more mature eyes now.

Oviously from many experiences related here, age doesn't necessarily bring maturity to all. It's too bad that there's many still-active witnesses young and old, who seem to think treatment of df'd family members means no association with them at all and try to enforce that on others. I don't know how these ones explain the fact that there are other active witnesses who believe the rule that only spiritual association is taboo, so that family association, with those not living at home, is OK. Maybe someday I'll be able to ask the rest of my family how they explain this two-sided practice. They just don't seem to take the time to think the logic through.

I think I'll probably get an answer like, "well if they want to breakthe rules that's their personal opinion and they'll have to answer for it..as for us, we'll obey Jehovah" or something along those typical JW lines.

As for your family, I'm really glad to hear after all these years you are starting to see some progress to a smoother relationship with each other and can experience some hope now.

Love your sense of humour re: "Millions now living..."

Had Enough

15

Seek Jehovah or His Organisation?

by ozziepost in

jw
friends

today's watchtower study (feb 15, p17) seeks to reassure jws that jehovah will take action against all opposers to the wtbts.. it states: "unscrupulous men slander jehovah's witnesses, branding them a 'dangerous cult'.

god is aware of their actions-and these will not go unpunished.

"(para 11).

Had Enough

Good point Ozzie:

<<"It is not explained with scripture references in the Watchtower article how the organisation is linked to salvation.">>

I so often wish now that I had thought about these things years ago. My dearest friend and I have discussed this kind of thought many times lately saying 'where does it say that in the Bible?'

Before I began thinking more deeply (dangerous thing to do??) I fell into the category so many still active, go-by-the-book, totally pro-organization witnesses are in now. The WTS says it so..OK, they believe it. Or if they don't believe it they feel guilty that there's either something wrong with their spirituality or they'll wait for Jehovah to fix it. How long will they keep their blinders on? These points we question may not seem like 'life and death' questions, but its statements like those in today's WT that keep many witnesses tied to org. and keep them following all the rules and regulations no matter how hurtful they are.

Hopefully more and more will open their eyes and seek the real 'truth'.

Patio34: Old habits die hard...I still capitalize my "I"s...

Zev: I feel for the position you're in..I've read several of your posts and I understand what it's like to be caught between that rock and a hard place, and how you feel that for now you have no choice but to sit through the meetings for family sake. For now I guess there's no other real option...at least here you're not alone.

Had Enough

21

Pinpoint a Pedophile

by silentlambs in

the "pedophile survey" is a way to give information and it be used to give survey results to see the extent of the problem.

we have added victim stories and a few other modifications it is a gradual work in progress.

check in from time to time and sign the guestbook.

Had Enough

Hello Silentlambs:

I have only recently gotten to know about this horrible, discusting problem in the org. and each day I'm finding our more about how widespread it is and I still have a lot to read about.

My first reaction was utter shock that this too could be added to the heap of wrongs being carried out in the name of "being the one and only true org. of God". (I guess I shouldn't be so naive)

Question:
How do you answer those in the position of authority in the cong. and on up to the final decision-making level, who say, everyone who expresses repentance deserves to be forgiven either by not df'g them or by reinstating them after the required time of penance when df'd?

Is that the reason they give for allowing these perverts to remain in the congs. or are they trying to not make waves in the non-witness world or what? I don't know enough about the org's. stand on this.

Sorry if I seem uninformed on this...I have a lot of reading to do on the websites that carry these facts.

Had Enough

26

BS Vacuum

by hippikon in

jw
friends

why do so many substitute one type of bs for another.

as if there is a bullshit vacuum in the universe or something.

im referring to those that leave the jws and join or start something even more wacky.

Had Enough

Hi there:

Interesting thought!...one I've thought of for my own situation.

I guess part of it depends on why one became a witness in the first place. Some joined having a spiritual void needing to be filled. Some were convinced by witnesses that their (church) beliefs were wrong and their efforts of worshipping God were displeasing so they left their former church and became witnesses.

Now, perhaps these kinds, after finding out all the errors in the "truth" are once again looking for something to fill their spiritual void. Some having been treated harshly by the org. find the salve for their wounds in becoming emotionally entrenched in another org. that "guides" them and makes their decisions for them. Their confidence, in being spiritually blessed to be the only ones who have the right religion, is now shattered, and they have to replace that with a new 'right' religion to feel their confidence again.

Some like myself were born into witness families and didn't know anything else but now, having all that you've ever believed in destroyed, are crushed. With my confidence, in being spiritually blessed in the 'only right religion', now shattered I join the ranks of now being faced with trying to find our niche in the realm of belief in God. One by one all the former teachings are now in question and we have to find our "happy place" in beliefdom. I for one have a long road ahead trying to figure what's real and what's not so I've got a lot of my own studying, reading and searching to do. Jumping into another religion would not work for me

Each one has his own need to fill and perhaps jumping from the frying pay into the fire works for them. For many, its non-belief in any God, Bible or religion that works for them, and like Ozzie said they turn to agnostic/atheist beliefs "having been completely destroyed in faith by the machinations of the borg, they are spiritually depressed and empty". I can easily see that taking place.

I've been encouraged to take my time and that's what I feel will work for me and for many others who are searching.

39

RE: Ozzie's post on "Restrictions"

by had_enough in

jw
friends

i have a question about restrictions on df'd persons wanting to come back to the org.. i finally joined here on mar 26, after reading posts for about a month, with telling my story first.

what moved me to join in was reading ozzie's post on mar.23(i think), about "restrictions" regarding reproofs, probations, and df'ing.

i appreciated his comments and was so glad when he brought the subject up.

Had Enough

Hi Waiting:

Thanks for your interest in answering my post. Just want to clear up though, when I said thanks to all who jumped on board "to try and expose to Humble, the truth of what really goes on", I wasn't saying we were trying "to expose" humble but rather "to expose *to* humble the truth of what really goes on", meaning to open *his* eyes to the facts.

I expressed my appreciation a couple of times to him for trying to answer me. I hope he sticks around to read more so he can get a better understanding of how things really are not what the appear to be in the "truth" and get a better feel of how many in the cong. are feeling the pressures and pain and have to hold it all in.

Anyway your answers to 'humble' were right on about the reality of elders df'ing ones even though they were repentant and your point on the elders' prayer for God's direction on committee cases being more earnest than your prayers for your daughter added to my thought that if God directed their decision to df someone, why is there a need for an appeal committee.

Thank you too for your welcome to me in my "Hi-I'm new here post" last week. Your empathy and encouragement of the comfort and imformation to be found here and your welcome to me to stay on,as well as your shared feelings on associating with our df'd or da'd children are so very much appreciated.

Looking forward to reading more expressions from you

Had Enough

104

Elders' Gems of Wisdom

by stephenw20 in

jw
friends

my dad asked the co about this one.

mat 27:52-53. and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, .

and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

Had Enough

Thanks riz for the post: I needed those laughs.

I'd like to add a story my dad and others in the cong. remember from when they used to have a 10 minute intermission after the public talk on Sundays.

The brother dismissed the congregation by saying "And we'll return for the Watchtower study after a brief 10 minute intercourse". He left the platform not realizing what he said. You can be sure he was told about it though.

Had Enough

39

RE: Ozzie's post on "Restrictions"

by had_enough in

jw
friends

i have a question about restrictions on df'd persons wanting to come back to the org.. i finally joined here on mar 26, after reading posts for about a month, with telling my story first.

what moved me to join in was reading ozzie's post on mar.23(i think), about "restrictions" regarding reproofs, probations, and df'ing.

i appreciated his comments and was so glad when he brought the subject up.

Had Enough

To Ozzie: I'm just getting around to posting to your reply even though I saw it at the time you posted it. (I've had trouble with my computer and couldn't post.)

Anyway, thank for such a well-put-together answer to my post and to others' thoughts on the subject. It has been something I usually think of daily as it is a wound that hasn't yet healed because I have had no one to discuss it with. I just started visiting this site a few weeks ago and last Sunday, when I saw your post of March 23 on "Restrictions", I just couldn't keep still and had to register to be able to express my thoughts and questions on this subject. First though I introduced myself with "Hi..I'm new here". Then I just had to get into this topic.

It feels so good to have support on this subject and to know I'm not alone and not somehow less of a person for not "believing what the Bible says" as all the rest of my family. They are active witnesses and all uphold the shunning of my da'd son who doesn't live at home.

I've wrestled with these questions for 15 years now and I can finally feel some satisfaction that others feel the same way and not just for emotional reasons but for solid, sound scriptural logic. Your support on my thoughts on the prodigal son was important to me because I've never yet had a logical answer only a typical WT answer as Humble gave.

I have never before had support like this on the subject of how a person can be df'd even though repentant, and that the seating restrictions before reinstatment are a fact here too.

I truly thank you Ozzie and the others who jumped onboard to try and expose to Humble, the truth of what really goes on. He started out trying to "help" and I guess I can't be surprised at his 'pat' answers because most of us were there at some time. The WT was always consulted for answers, over the Bible, and the 'theocratic blinders' we wore pushed away our doubts and clouded over the logic that we should have seen.

So many still trapped are struggling with this harsh treatment and so many other inconsistences, I truly hope that perhaps with the loud crys of discontent and exposure of the facts coming out on sites like these, that the WTS will be forced to fix the problems, stop crushing the spirit of the honest-hearted and treat the flock the way Jesus intended...with tenderness and love.

I look forward to reading more of all your posts.

Thanks for all the healing salve I received on this subject.

Had Enough