Posts by greenie

4

Discovery Channel video on Christmas

by greenie in

jw
friends

i thought this was a cool report on the origins of christmas from fully informed christians and christianity scholars.

i'm going to show it to my jw.. http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/christmas-elements-have-pagan-roots/pqauiaq?q=christmas&rel=msn&from=en-us_msnhp&form=msnhed&gt1=42007.

greenie

I thought this was a cool report on the origins of Christmas from fully informed Christians and Christianity scholars. I'm going to show it to my JW.

http://www.bing.com/videos/watch/video/christmas-elements-have-pagan-roots/pqauiaq?q=Christmas&rel=msn&from=en-us_msnhp&form=msnhed>1=42007

12

Post Number One One, One One One (11,111)

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

.

okay, my odometer has one one too many, but i couldn't find one with 11,111..

Stayed up all night, see it is a cult now.

by gutted in

i really needed to find a place to write this as i don't believe i can talk with anyone else about my account, perhaps it is similar to a lot of yours.. last night for whatever reason i said i would go online and look up information on jws.

i have been raised as a jw all my life and baptized the last few years.

i looked at www.freeminds.org and www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com and couldn't believe how easily the whole of my lifes teachings were refuted.. i can't stop my brain from running, bs just in regards to theology alone (1914, paradise earth, celebrations etc.

greenie

Yes, take it from an outsider, and I know it's hard to believe since this took up so much of your life and JWs are typically told their preaching work is soooooooo effective and far-reaching, but most outsiders don't really know anything about JWs in-depth. I never even met one until I got involved with my JW. Truly. Outsiders are also not the evil, awful people you were taught they were, they're really nice and will be marginally or politely curious, I bet, in your new behavior. The things you used to believe in will probably blow those people's minds, but most probably won't even ask. And if they do you can simply say, "I'm making some changes in my life." That sums it up, right?

16

Non-JWs in relationships with JWs - tough questions

by JWoods in

jw
friends

i have noticed multiple threads here by faded jws, non-jws, dfd jws, and so on in marriages or relationships with a hard-core jw.. these are some of the most wrenching emotional situations we read about here on jwn.

for sure the jw religion has done everything they possibly can to make life miserable for the non-jw partner.. i wanted to do a thread on the subject in general without putting this on the specific personal threads - a hard, tough, question:.

is it really worth it to live a lifetime in this kind of mentally abusive relationship?.

greenie

Two more things:

Heaven said: "Your question "Is it really worth it?" -- I think I would say "Yes" . I say this because I know my parents were mis-led and I know that to be a good person, we have to try our best to love them regardless. We all have our own ways of dealing with this. My mehtod may not work for others."

That's another big part of it. From my perspective, I love and care about this man and what happens to him. From my perspective I also see that he is being misled and I want to rescue him, save him from it. I see him sometimes suffer from the guilt of it all and I want to make him feel better. This is someone I love. It also makes mad as hell at the organization, and at times even his parents for raising him that way...or their parents for raising them that way...and so on and so on.

You also discussed a line in the sand. I guess mine would be that IF he does fully go back, he should not expect me to change my life and way of doing things to adapt to his. I WILL not. There will be holidays, birthdays, politics, Harry Potter, extracurricular activities and worldly friends, even if he chooses not to participate. There will not be headship and full family attendance at conventions, assemblies and meetings. And no, I'm not sure our relationship could survive it, which is heartwrenching and very scary, but he is the one that wants the drastic change. And again, it doesn't make me mad at him, just incredibly sad and angry at an organization that would willingly and knowingly take advantage of kind, trusting and innocent people.

16

Non-JWs in relationships with JWs - tough questions

by JWoods in

jw
friends

i have noticed multiple threads here by faded jws, non-jws, dfd jws, and so on in marriages or relationships with a hard-core jw.. these are some of the most wrenching emotional situations we read about here on jwn.

for sure the jw religion has done everything they possibly can to make life miserable for the non-jw partner.. i wanted to do a thread on the subject in general without putting this on the specific personal threads - a hard, tough, question:.

is it really worth it to live a lifetime in this kind of mentally abusive relationship?.

greenie

JWoods, you said, "Not at all - much the same with parents as marriage. My point here is the irony that what I am seeing is that the non-JW side of these things is usually the one to suffer the mental torture so as to maintain the relationship. Most posters here are taking far more of this abuse than I ever would.

The JW will in many cases treat the non-JW as practically non-existent or worthless (except, as you say, to physically take care of them)."

I think there are a couple of layers or steps into how a nonJW might get involved with a JW that you have to try to understand first. In the case of the majority of the nonJWs' acccounts I've read on this board, it seems like we all got involved with non-practicing or lightly practicing JWs and became very involved with them before they ever decided to go back to the religion. GaryNeal has been married for years, so has MarriedtoJW, and Carla as well, I believe. All of us have children with the JW. DGP became very deeply emotionally involved with his JW. It wasn't until weeks, months, or even years later that they decided to go back to the organization. Add to that the FACT that, unless you have family or friends involved, the average person doesn't really know that much about JWs and the WTS, so there would have been no way for us to really know what we were getting involved in. Seriously, never in a million years would I have imagined myself involved in something like this.

Can you try to imagine, from our shoes, trying to wrap your head around your mate - who you've built a life with, had children with, made many good memories with, had fun times, made plenty of other nonJW friends with, etc. - suddenly deciding to abandon you and the life you've built together to go back to an extremely high control group? I hate to liken the situation to a loved one on drugs, but I know if my significant other, sister or child started abusing drugs, I would do everything I could to bring them back from it, even if it meant suffering a little myself. At least for me, the idea that my wonderful life with my fiance could end due to the teachings of an extreme, small, high-control group is so very disconcerting. It's really, really hard to fathom. At this point, I feel like it's not something I'm willing to give up without a fight.

18

The effect of this religion on my children & the action I had to take - Part I

by jambon1 in

i have been meaning to tell this story for some time now.

i feel that i would like to share it so that it may serve as a warning to anyone who thinks that the jw religion does not have a negative effect on children.. i have been out of the religion for 4 years now.

i wasn't brought up in the organisation.

greenie

BTT

18

If the heavenly hope was not for the "Ancients" then how do JW's explain .....

by restrangled in

hebrews 11:13-16. particularly verse 16: nwt version,.

but now they are reaching out for a better (place), that is, one belonging to heaven.

hence god is not ashamed of them, to be called upon as their god, for he has made a city ready for them.. niv version.

greenie

BTT

28

new light over the next 5 years?

by dozy in

the next new light?.

ok a bit of idle speculation here feel free to add your own thoughts.. a few changes that the wts might make over the next 5 years and my odds:.

144,000 is symbolic odds 2/1.

greenie

Somebody said: Bearing in mind that the GB back in 2002 temporarily allowed this then backtracked , I think it is certain that eventually they will allow it.

When did this happen? Any details?

51

Has anyone tried to prevent ex-spouse from training the kids as JWs?

by Michelle365 in

i am at the point in my custody battle where i need to decide if i'm gonna "go for the gold" and bring religion into the fight.

my lawyer thinks i have a chance based on the parental alienation aspect of the religion.

i'm df'd and my kids are being raised to turn against me.

greenie

Teel said: "It's a very special order item, most JWs don't even know about it. I'm sure someone here will be able to provide you with a digital copy."

It's posted on the message board at the KH near me. Yikes.

12

Funny how brothers "MISS YOU" so much ONLY during the memorial and C.O visit??

by Witness 007 in

11 months and 3 weeks.....nothing.

then one week before the memorial all the brothers start to ring and visit with the "we miss you....loved to see you there.

" same with the c.o visit.

greenie

I've noticed that exact trend as well. Get a call or visit out of the blue and it's usually because the CO is in town or it's memorial time. When is the memorial? Next Tuesday?