Yeah, I did and I followed the rules to the letter. I believed a lot of crap though including that the WTS was a good, well-meaning religious org. Hubby and I didn't talk to his sis for 17 years. Fortunately, she's held no grudge and we're getting to know her and her family now.
Switch
JoinedPosts by Switch
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35
Did you ever really believe that god wanted you to shun people?
by jambon1 ini think at one point i did.
looking back i can't see why i thought like that.
i always had doubts about it but you would hear the old 'gods loving dicipline' line.
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28
chocolate
by John Doe ini heard a while back of a study that was done some years ago.
evidently, they took children preschool or kindergarten, don't remember which, and told them that they could have either 1 piece of chocolate now, or if they waited till the end of the day they could have two.
they kept track of which kids took the immediate chocolate and which ones held out for two.
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Switch
wahoo - good news for me. I'm definitely in the second group. I used to make a pack of peanut M&M's last for ages. I'd let each one melt in my mouth until just the peanut was left.
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Is Jdubs practice of Teenage baptism really any better than Infant Baptism?
by blkblk13 inso i was thinking the other day about how the jdubs always mock the catholics for baptizing infants who can't make a true commitment to god so the sybol of dedication is empty.
well, as anyone who's been in the org knows there is a culture of pressuring teenagers to get baptized.
if u r over 12yo it is a question that is constantly asked.
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Switch
The Society just picks and chooses whatever example THEY feel like using from the Bible. Shouldn't it be obvious that if Jesus' age was mentioned in the Bible, then that would be a good example to follow??? I just had this discussion with my mom and she doesn't see the logic. She insists that the 10 and 12 year olds that have gotten baptized from her KH are "very spiritual and mature" for their age. It boils my blood. I lost my cool and said, "well, why don't they get married while they're at it - since they are so good at making life-long commitments!" At one point she lashed back at me and said "that I only got baptized so I could get married." It stung cuz it was partially true. I was 19 and felt pressured for having waited SO LATE in my teens. I also wanted to do the right thing and live the right life. My mom is the one that wanted me to have a proper wedding cuz she never had one. Maybe i could have went her route and gotten pregnant before getting married. I DARE NOT throw that in my mother's face. I do show a little respect.
Anyway, the marriage has worked out great. 17+ years behind us. The baptism decision - not so great.
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34
How much does gas cost where you live?
by reneeisorym ini was depressed yesterday because i put in the first $40.00 tank of gas.
(i drive a toyota matrix -- i'm sure most people should think i should shut up now ...) .
i was hoping you guys could make me feel grateful for only having to pay $40.
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Switch
In Ireland it's around €1.30 per litre, which works out to be $7.92 a gallon. I just bought a new car and it took €70 to fill it! (gag)
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30
getting over it - how long does that take?
by Switch inin december i started reading things and thinking with an open mind (for the first time in my life).
i'm still discovering things daily that irritate me about the wts.
i've been to about half a dozen meetings since march.
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Switch
Well, I'm back from feeding the Big monkey and the little monkeys. It's a good thing I didn't see that post from Missinglink BEFORE I fed him. ha. ha. Thanks for all the insight. Everyone's post brings a little help in some way. Wings, I was raised in from 8, baptized at 19, getting out at 37. So it is quite a shocker to the system. I'm used to big changes in my life but this one takes the prize. I can see how it affects my life on so many different levels. But I think I'm making a decent start and have a positive outlook for the future. I recognize that reading the WT lit. is unhealthy for my sanity like some posters implied. But I think it's important for me right now and will help to put things behind me. And it probably is morbid curiousity. It's like rubber-necking around a car crash. Ya gotta see what happened no matter how bad it is. When someone digs up quotes from old publications, I always read them with fascination...like, no way did they say that...But, of course, they did.
Cunning, I feel the same way. I'd like to move on and not think of myself as a former JW. Trouble is, I haven't figured out what a normal lifestyle is yet. But I've been making better use of my free meeting nights and learning new hobbies. yippee!
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30
getting over it - how long does that take?
by Switch inin december i started reading things and thinking with an open mind (for the first time in my life).
i'm still discovering things daily that irritate me about the wts.
i've been to about half a dozen meetings since march.
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Switch
In December I started reading things and thinking with an open mind (for the first time in my life). I'm still discovering things daily that irritate me about the WTS. I've been to about half a dozen meetings since March. Have been laying low and avoiding friends from the Hall. Not that there is anything to avoid cuz they simply stop calling and dropping by whenever we aren't at the meeting that week.
I'm still reading everything WT-related, old and new. And I'm supplementing that with loads of "apostate" books. The anger and disbelief (of 6 mos. ago) has lessened I suppose but it's still there. My question is--how long did it take for you to get over the anger and disbelief of being conned for years? Weeks, months, years?? I expect it'll probably lessen if I stop reading WT material but I seem to still need to prove things to myself so the absurd curiousity continues.
Anyway, I'd love to hear your experiences.
-switch
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26
When U Read The Society's "Direction" Now, What Goes Thru Your Mind?
by minimus ini can right now only think of one thing---bullsh*t.
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I can't seem to keep shaking my head in disbelief at all the cult-ish aspects. And I think, OMG, was it always this way? And then I answer myself - of course it was. lol
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43
The copper serpent....drives me nuts!
by oompa ingraven images are so thoroughly criticized in the bible....totally forbidden.
yet any idols made where powerless...just a piece of wood you can also cook on.
yet god sent out zillions of vipers (thanks dude) to bite everybody....and actually has a scary viper impage made an put on a pole....with some serious power attached.
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Its great how they take about 6 lines in the bible about some ancient snake curse and draw a picture of it and have us teach it to our kids (nice bedtime story) so that they know that if you disobey God he will send snakes to kill you.
Our kids are supposed to visualize these stories and believe them as nonfiction, yet they are not allowed to read fantasy stories for entertainment like Harry Potter, etc. I know one sister that didn't let her daughter watch Shrek. Go figure.
(Why don't we make a story about St. Patrick in Ireland chasing off the snakes too. Has about as much credibility.)
I like St. Paddy. At least his story had a happy ending. lol.
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38
Did you return to celebrating holidays?
by song19 inwith this new light, i am starting to try and figure out what to do with my life and my time... now that the world is opened up for me to finally explore.. i have been wondering if i will return to celebrating the holidays with my 'worldly' relatives.
my parents, brother, and in-laws are all witnesses.
i have pretty much rejected the holidays say for 25 years.
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Switch
Hi Song. I'm probably at the same level of re-integration into the real world as you are. I stumbled upon the pinata articles that Gopher mentioned last year. Here's excerpts from Sept. 22, 2003 Awake:
We found that for many people in Mexico, the piñata has lost its religious significance and is considered by most to be just harmless fun. In fact, piñatas are used in Mexico on many festive occasions, not just for the posadas or for birthdays. And piñatas can be purchased in many forms other than the traditional star shape. They are sometimes made to resemble animals, flowers, clowns.
When considering whether to include a piñata at a social gathering, Christians should be sensitive to the consciences of others. (1 Corinthians 10:31-33) A main concern is, not what the practice meant hundreds of years ago, but how it is viewed today in your area. Understandably, opinions may vary from one place to another. Hence, it is wise to avoid turning such matters into big issues. The Bible says: "Let each one keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person."—1 Corinthians 10:24.
And in the July 8, 2004 Question From Readers:
Piñatas
I read with interest the article "The Piñata—An Ancient Tradition." (September 22, 2003) It left me with some questions. The ties to false religion are well-documented. But the article seemed to take the position that as long as it doesn’t bother someone’s conscience, it is OK. What about birthdays and holidays such as Christmas?S. W., United States
"Awake"responds: Christians refrain from any celebrations or customs that continue to involve false religious beliefs or activities that violate Bible principles. For example, the Bible definitely puts birthday celebrations in a bad light. (Genesis 40:20; Matthew 14:6-10) However, if it is very obvious that a custom has no current false religious significance and involves no violation of Bible principles, each Christian must make a personal decision as to whether he will follow such a custom.We're taking things slow and I've been testing what I'm comfortable with. I'm not sure how we'll handle Christmas. Our parents are still JW's and we're not officially "out" of the congo yet. We recently took my 5 year old to a friend from school's birthday party. He had a great time. I was absolutely fine with it all and I'm not sure what the big deal was all about. Another post had mentioned that the two examples of B-days in the Bible didn't actually condemn the celebrations. And what if those two deaths had happened at a wedding celebration, would weddings be considered bad for the rest of time? It's simple reasoning to the average person but when you've been brainwashed for so long your mind automatically wants to reject these celebrations as bad.
It's interesting though that the above articles about pinatas say that it's basically okay because pinatas have lost their religious significance. Haven't Christmas, Easter, etc. pretty much lost their religious significance? My brothers that are not JW's have always just considered it a family holiday and gift-giving time.
Nobody says you have to do it the "traditional" way either. Every family can start new traditions. Think about it and enjoy the new possibilities.
-switch
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138
Why I will NEVER be an elder again
by stillajwexelder inso the po confirmed what many on this board already know.
at latest round of co to elders meeting, the co quoted from the society outline.
any elder or ms who encourages college for his kids or others or who allows his children to go to college will no longer qualify.. he then asked if i was going to take the cos encouragement and reach out again to be an elder and get my hours on the ministry up.. i replied "i will never be an elder again - i strongly approve of further education and college and have been through college myself.
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Switch
I really hope the r&f become aware of this. I suspect this is another one of those things that are spoken but not going to be in print. Elders: write your own interpretation in your personal Flock book. I know of 2 prominent elders in my hall that have recently said they'd send their kids to univ. if they want to go. They still have a couple years before they have to make that decision, but should be interesting. I doubt they'd remove the elders in my hall. Maybe they'd be encouraged to step down??
I remember when the WTS was encouraging young ones (if they reeeally wanted further schooling) to attend trade schools or a local 2-4 yr. college so they'd still live at home and be able to attend meetings/service with their families. They didn't like the idea of teenagers being in the dorm setting with total freedom and being surrounded by overdrinking and sexual encounters. It sounds, like one poster mentioned, that the elders will only have the ultimatum of stepping down or being removed if their kids live at home OR sending their kids away to univ. to that "dangerous" environment and not being responsible for them cuz they're not under their roof anymore.
Yet another thing that I think the brotherhood won't be united in. Some congos will be hardline and others will overlook it. I feel bad for the unfortunates that happen to live in the first category.