Posts by wantstoleave

25

the unthinkable....college!?!

by 2pink in

jw
friends

i'm 30-something, newly out of the org.

my spouse is also on the way out.. both of us were raised in "the truth"....aka no college education.

we have 2 small children, soon to be 3. we both want to go back to school.

Definitely look into scholarships and fee help. Alot of Universities have grants and financial assistance, especially to ones in need. I think given your age, and situation and having been discouraged all these years, the University would look upon you favourably and may go to extra lengths to assist you.

I have a degree, but wanted to do more study when my children were little. I applied for an online course, through a reputable university but once I saw the course load, couldn't commit. It was so much more than if I had gone to the lectures in person. So be wary of the load you take on. If I were you, given you have small children, I would take a part time course - but in person. Even if the degree takes 4yrs to complete because you do it part time, at least it's at a pace you can handle and you reap the benefits of talking to and seeing lecturers in person. You will also network, making new friends on campus.

15

48,165 New Publishers in ONE MONTH!!!

by Ultimate Reality in

jw
friends

the december 2009 okm (courtesy of iloowy) provides a new field service highlight: in august 2009 the u.s. reported publishers of 1,154,275; a new peak and an increase of 48,165 from the july 2009 report of 1,106,110.. .

fyi: 2008 peak publishers for the u.s. were 1,105,798. therefore, an increase of only 312 publishers from 2008 to july 2009. where did these 48,165 come from in one month?.

how are they manipulating these numbers?.

wantstoleave

Oh wow, that would explain how when I got home the other day, there was a note on my door from an elder and his companion saying they'd stopped by to say hello. Obviously trying to 'encourage' me no doubt, but really just wanting me to get back into the field service!

8

The acceptable way to beat your wife

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

sure does remind me of the recent book study about beating one's wife.. at least the women are speaking up and demanding that beatings stop!.

.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcubeqytt4u.

wantstoleave

Remember the saying 'rule of thumb'...? It originally meant you could hit your wife with something as long as it was no thicker than your thumb. Just terrible that some people still think it's ok to beat a woman.

76

I am gay and Jehovah Witness

by yosisoy in

jw
friends

hello, i am jehovah witness and gay.

i am from puerto rico.

i would like to know how hard is to leave the organization.

wantstoleave

SOM - You claim Yosisy is a practicing homosexual just because he says he is gay? Where do you get off? I am straight, but it doesn't mean I am 'practicing' it. You need to get off your high horse. More flies are caught with honey than vinegar.

Yosisoy...welcome :) Hope you can find support here.

20

Did u have a well trained conscience?

by Newborn in

jw
friends

i think i did and that was one of the things that eventually made me leave the org.

i just couldn't take living with a bad conscience constantly.

when i left this was one of the things that disappeard first and it was as tons were lifted from my shoulders.

wantstoleave

Newborn, I had all those fears too. I'd beat myself up (not literally...lol) over forgetting a prayer. I thought I had a good conscience, and in a sense I guess I did - because the fact I was feeling guilty showed it was working. But, didn't stop me trying a cigarette at 13. I just got major guilts afterwards and confessed to my parents, who then promptly got the elders around to tell me off. And when I kissed a few boys, which was a BIG no no unless you were engaged, I confessed that to my parents too. I remember my dad marching over to the witness boy (my 2nd kiss) and telling him 'no more shenanigans with my daughter'. The poor boy was mortified! I learnt after that not to tell them when I snogged someone...lol.

48

Disfellowshipped and Armageddon

by IMHO in

will a disfellowshipped person survive armageddon?.

will a disassociated person......?.

will an inactive person.....?.

wantstoleave

Everastudent reminded me how many Jw's think this way. They marry and then fear dying more than ever, even if resurrected, because they want to remain with their partner forever - plus they don't want to be celibate in the 'new system'...There was a time when I was newly married that I felt this way too. I could think of nothing worse than if I died and being resurrected doomed to be single and childless forever. When I voiced that to others they would tell me 'Jehovah always provides what you need, if there is a need, he will fill it' and 'those things won't be brought to mind'. In other words, Jehovah would banish it from the resurrected ones mines, so they wouldn't feel like they were missing out when they had to remain single

77

Are Jehovah's Witness men good catches?

by garyneal in

i've stated this before on this message board but i was kind of curious about this and wanted to get some feedback from the group.

in particular, the ladies who are either current or former jw's.. about a year or so ago, my wife went with me to a church i was attending at the time.

we then later that morning attended a kh meeting.

wantstoleave

My response is Hell No too! But until 6mths ago, it wouldn't have been. I thought I married a good Jw husband but he was flakey, emotionally abusive and just plain lazy! All things a person can do without. I'm fading now, and have NO intention of ever getting involved with a Jw in the future.

63

Armagedden Suitcase

by Magwitch in

my mother let it slip the other day that all the families in their hall are putting together a small suitcase.

inside this suitcase are to be things that you will take with you if given a 5 minute warning that the great tribulation is starting and you need to leave your home.

my father seemed quite embarrassed that this slipped.

wantstoleave

Just to add, I know several older sisters who have packed clothes, and lots of toilet paper, tooth brushes and things like that. I also heard about not writing down brothers names and addresses. I think it's become a bit lax in recent years, but am sure that as time goes on, they will make an announcement saying don't write details down.

About the literature in walls, wasn't this done during the war and especially in countries where witnesses were put in jail/killed? I've heard stories of how police would search witness homes, and the WT or publications would be hidden in the stitching of curtains, or sometimes sitting on a table having no time to hide it, and the police would be 'blinded' into not seeing or finding things. Has anyone else heard of this?

63

Armagedden Suitcase

by Magwitch in

my mother let it slip the other day that all the families in their hall are putting together a small suitcase.

inside this suitcase are to be things that you will take with you if given a 5 minute warning that the great tribulation is starting and you need to leave your home.

my father seemed quite embarrassed that this slipped.

wantstoleave

Have only read the first few comments so far, but I wanted to say that in my area this has been done for many years. In fact, most families actually bought a huge bin and filled it with cans of food, water bottles and first aid kits. The brothers also said to include flashlights, wind up ones that don't need batteries, and things like that. The idea was that the bin could literally be wheeled out, in case you can't escape by car. I'm not joking, this is for real. My family never could get a bin together, as we just didn't have the funds to buy extra food each week on top of the usual groceries. In cases like that, the brothers announced from the platform that ones who could afford to buy more, should. That way they can share with others.

Honestly, I've known witnesses in the US, UK and Australia who've been collecting like this for years.

5

Have you ever been punished by the elders for objecting to the borgs treatment of you?

by highdose in

jw
friends

i made the mistake of objecting to being slandered in the congo and the resulting shunning it got me, even though i had done nothing wrong at all.

but all i got in return was "loving counsel... puke" in the form of a strict telling off... it was my first real step out of there, you might say the scales started to fall from my eyes at that point.. i'd very much like to know if i'm alone in experiancing this kind of treatment or not?

i suspect not...?.

wantstoleave

I was forced into sex by my fiance shortly before our wedding. He wouldn't allow me to tell the elders, so I kept silent for many years, until he left me - then I told the elders. Even though I was forced into having sex, I was still reproved. I didn't like that at all, as it wasn't my fault, I didn't ask for it, so why should I be punished? My parents told me to 'take it on the chin', even though they too were very angry that I was being punished for something I didn't ask for.