I was with you on that until the end of your presentation- "we came here to invite you to study a bunch of books about some men's interpretation of what the bible says about your distruction. Oh and by the way, our publications are free of charge but we need you to contribute to the printing of more of this crap."
CHG
[i'm sure this thread comes up several times a year by us noobs but it's new for me.
btw, i'm not advocating or opposing the celebration of holidays, just giving a perspective we've taken recently.].
okay, so before we got df'd a few weeks back, we weren't sure if we were going to start celebrating holidays... for a few reasons:.
I am in Blonie's catagory 1.-
so I am not really excitied about x-mas, and have a hard time getting into it, my BF has never been a JW so I want to participate in some traditions for him and not make him feel like he has to act JW even though we are not
I made Coffee Shop Guy agree to no presents this year, but thoughtful "gifts" instead...I am going to shop for some nice cards to send to friends, & maybe try some home made gift like cookies- something simple to let people know I care without going nuts buying crap for people that they may/may not give a rat's ass about.
The greed and panick that I observed others displaying as a JW made me grateful that I didn't have to go into debt, brave the crowds to buy material things that just get forgotten in days anyway- so I do not want to start on that downward spiral
CSG and I are going to a movie on Christmas day and going out for Chinese food afterward, sounds like heaven to me :)
CHG
i have noticed a growing trend for jw's to advertise current magazines and books on the internet using ebay.
they are advertised at 0.01, as you cannot start at 0.00 and the buyer is told not to pay when they win the item.
if someone else bids on the item then they are told not to put on another bid but to e-mail the seller or wait for another copy of the magazine or whatever.
damn, why didnt I think of that???? lol, I should have discovered this site many years ago...
CHG
"i love you more today than yesterday" by the one hit spiral staircase always makes me feel good when i hear it!.
what's a "feel good" song that makes you smile or brightens up your day?.
Right now on my ipod for running is a mix of moby and nine inch nails-
"the hand that feeds" puts a smile on my face and gets the blood pumping :)
feeling particularly down today--got an email sent to me showing a pic of a friend of mine (not close but we knew each other well when kids) w/her aging parents, standing proudly beside her 11 year old daughter who had just got baptized (3 generations--parents, nearing 80, my friend late 40's and her 11 year old daughter).
they're all beaming wildly, dressed up in their best dist assem.
clothes.
Ah remember that it is just a picture, a snapshot- doesn't always reflect happy lives forever, I have looked at past pics of me at DC or circuit assemblies and we are all smiling happy, but that doesn't reflect what I was feeling deep inside. I know it can be frustrating talking to dubs about all their "plans" in life of reg pioneering and meetings and service, they make it sound happy and upbuilding- but you and I know that it is BS covering over unhappiness at the core.
I will never forget what my niece told me when I told her and my sister that I did'nt want to be a witness anymore & that I was unhappy and wanted to change my life because I was praying to Jehovah to die everyday-
she said that everybody in Jehovah's organization is unhappy, she said how she hated her life and she felt ugly and unwanted- she is still a regular pioneer....still stuck single in a small fishbowl of few eligible men who onlly want a 18 year old submissive waif. It is so sad...she is so beautiful and funny....
hang in there, I am happy to be of the "conscious class" who got out, aren't you??
CHG
has anyone done this, seen it happen, or heard of it happening?
with what results?.
I was really impressed with his delivery and composure- I would not have had the "stones" to do that in front of my cong. without crying, but he ended with talk about how much he loved everyone there...it was really touching
but I imagine that aftermath of that was anything but positive for those listening-
CHG
as each instance of shunning happens to me, it seems even more ridiculous than the last.. this weekend i took our kids to the park - wife opted out, understandably - and we let our daughter call my parents to inform them we'd be there.
this was my first time in the presence of my parents since our df announcement two weeks ago.. my mom and dad were 10-20 feet away much of the time and yet they never said a greeting or.. well anything.
at one point my daughter, who is aware of the shunning, mistakenly thought my mom called my name and shouted excitedly, "mawmaw, were you talking to daddy??
I feel the same as CyberJesus, I have been on both sides- I did the shunning when I was in & absolutely thought I had no choice, I was trapped & it hurt me badly- I had to apologize to my brother and father (they were both DF'd at one time) after I got out. All I could say is, "I honestly felt that I had no choice, I am sorry I fell pray to that thinking, I know better now-"
Now I do feel badly for my mom, sister, nieces, and friends- but I understand where their mind is & I can still choose to love them even if they choose not to speak to me
Those others in my hall that look the other way when I walk down the street; thats a different story ( I kinda like the uncomfortableness it causes them, it amuses me greatly)
I feel for you SBC and your mom, chin up-
CHG
i remember a talk being devoted to use of the correct grammatical pronunciation of words.
in fact any elder or brother for that matter who didnt use the correct pronunciation was viewed as illiterate and dorky so the congregation snubbed them.... i remember the word machinations (of the devil) and the emphasis that it should be pronounced mack in nations.... another one was.
behove was meant to be pronounced 'behoooved'.
I remember a Sunday discourse where the brother denounced "the simpsons" show- "christians should never watch a show where the main character says such a disrespectful phrase as- don't have a cow man...or each my shorts"
I had to watch it in secret, in my room with the volume way down low so my mom wouldn't catch me until I left home-
Oh...yea- and the basterd who suggested in a talk that questionable music CD's should be burned! That was a very expensive collection that ended up a melted heap (and had to be re-bought later and hid)
CHG
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Welcome KP- I could relate with much of your early story- my JW mom keeping me awake nights telling me to prepare for torture and hiding when the big A comes, I used to read survivial books to find out how to survive a fire, flood, tornado, hurricane, etc. I practiced drills in my room of what to do if armageddon came.
My dad married my mom in the 1950's and got baptized just to marry her, then quit
We just talked about that last weekend, sadly he said he would not have carried through with that course if he knew the consequences of what would come for him and us kids....they have had a hard married life full of fights and strife- now he has kidney failure and diagnosed with lung cancer (he is not seeking treatment) so even the "golden years" are hard for them
I am so sorry for your loss
Thanks for sharing your story with your positive steps...sharing that helps us all that are trying to move on
CHG
just wanted to introduce myself.
i've been reading your posts for a couple of months now and i think i finally have the courage to join in.
i have written and deleted this post many times.
Hi! Welcome, you have so much of life ahead of you to live, I am glad for you that you can go forward with your eyes wide open to the real "truth" and enjoy your future with your wonderful family-
thanks for sharing!
CHG
