it amazes me how many of you have left it all behind, including family, brothers and sisters, friends and a full network of people.
i for one cannot find the courage to breakaway, and this causes me great anxiety and stress.
it eats me alive to think that if i open my mouth everyone i know will simply turn their back on me.
I'm not going to say it was easy, but living a lie is much harder. I could no longer stomach listening to the outright hate they had towards anyone who lived different lifestyles then they insist upon.
I truly don't regret moving on, especially because I'm not the same person I was as a JW and I never ever want to be that person again. I would rather have moments of sadness then a lifetime of hypocrisy.
will just post the general findings by counsel for the commission (angus stewart) - case specific ones are prior to them.
in short, absolutely damning.. not been through every submission myself yet.
available for download here: http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.aspx.
As someone who has personally been effected by those horrendous policy's, it feels good to hear someone who's doesn't have a axe to grind with this Org come to the same conclusion we all have known for years.
a new montra that was recently adopted by the wife and i is this:.
dont give them more power than they deserve.. here's why i say that, and i point this to those of you still in the congregation, still trying to decide what you want to do.. recently, our family had a little family reunion gathering of sorts, and we were in the company of some extended family that were either df or da, to varying degrees.
we made it very clear, to any and all in attendance, that we wanted to be respectful and kind, despite any previous perceptions about our "status".... and that our feelings on a lot of things had "softened", and "changed" over the last 2 years.. i am being purposefully slightly vague, but i think you get the point.
Great post!
It took us a little longer to come to the same conclusion, but when we did it was wonderful! It's pretty funny watching their shocked faces when you say no to them.
my middle brother called me a couple of hours ago.
our youngest brother, josh, who was 38, was found by his friends in his apartment.
he hung himself.
So sorry for your loss. Some suffer so much internally that while we as loved ones can't understand why they would choose to end their lives, it's the only way for them to end their suffering.
Of course it doesn't feel any better being the ones left behind with questions of " what if's" and "why?"
I hope you talk to someone who can help you process this loss and again I'm very sorry for your loss.(((hug)))
this guy, dale standridge, was the coordinator of the body of elders in the eureka east congregation in humboltd county california.
http://johnchiv.blogspot.com/2015/11/100000-bail-for-dale-standbridge.html?m=1.
it's not getting a lot of play in the press for some reason.
Innocent or not these JWs will always have supporters offering a witness to their great character. I had to hear it when my child's molester was on trial and yes he had his own lawyer and yes he was convicted. But his side of the courtroom had plenty of support the whole time.
with all the evidence stacked against them on child abuse issues, why do you think they are still refusing to play ball with the authorities?
why not put their hands up & say "we got a problem, we need help to change our medieval policies, we need advise on how to conduct our affairs in away that is in the victims best interests".. do you think that it is blatant, selfish pride.
the risk of losing money & struggling as a consequence, or they truly believe that jehovah is protecting them & by admitting they have acted in this inconceivable way would bring reproach on his name?.
They are very proud individuals. They truly believe they know what they are doing because they have millions hanging on their every word, too bad for them the real world with their real lawyers and judges see them for who they truly are...nut jobs with power!
side by side, on the grocery store magazine display, i saw two celebrity magazines with cover stories about scientology.
i purchased both.
i find it interesting, how similar this "church" is to the organization of the watchtower.. i thought i'd share some of the interesting quotes from the articles, which are both mostly about leah remini's new book, troublemaker: surviving hollywood and scientology.
I'm reading Leah Remini's book right now and I definitely can understand her feelings as if it she were talking about JW's. Their terms may be different but the way they handle things are very similar.
At one point in her book she talks about comforting another "SP"(apostate) and how unlike most people, she understood her pain and what they had put her through. To explain it to someone outside the church would take months, and if you were to explain it to someone inside the church they probably wouldn't care, wouldn't want to hear about it, and would most likely write you up in a knowledge report for even discussing it."
That sure reminded me of what I went through.
warning!
long post ahead!.
i didn't know what to expect but i was really excited to be invited to accompany my daughter and her closest friends to a large (300+) party held at a famous hot spot.
What a fun!! Just shows we may have the whole JW baggage but that doesn't mean we can't have fun and make friends.
Thanks for sharing.
or do traces or attitudes still rear its ugly head of your past involvement with the witnesses?
well tomorrow is a big day for me.
i'm finally going to be interviewed by the police about what happened to me as a kid.. im running the whole gamut of emotions at the moment.
sad, anxious, angry, guilt, fear and many more that cannot be quantified.. i feel physically sick, cannot sleep, have lost my appetite and i am desperately trying not to self harm.. i've got my sister to thank for getting this far.
We have been through it and can tell you the build up in your head is much worse then the actual interview. Just try and remember the police are professionals and they will treat you in a very caring way. It's nothing like dealing the elders.
I think it's very brave of you to speak up and I hope you get the outcome your looking for.
