I'm secretly hoping that Bob Lazar's story is 100% true. If so, the global implications are immense and would almost single-handedly destroy religion in all forms - especially the jdubs. When you make the claim that humans are god's greatest creation and that there is no intelligent life beyond earth, any religion that teaches such a thing deserves to be brought down if it's proven beyond a doubt that we're not alone.
Jourles
JoinedPosts by Jourles
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28
What natural phenomena or catastrophic event would wake JWs?
by I believe in overlapping inmy dad was talking to an elder who was trying to convince him the wt is the only organization god is using to save mankind..
so my dad asked him; “would you still believe if there was a nuclear war and it destroyed 50-75 percent of the earth’s inhabitants including all the watchtower’s main offices?
elder said; “that will never happen, that can never happen, because the bible tells us the steps of armageddon.
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Jourles
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Brighton, Mi apostates? Lenawee county?
by BlackSwan of Memphis injustin curious if there's any here..
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Jourles
Lansing area, but I travel all around the state for work. It's been so long and I don't remember, but did you ever go to any of the meetups we had in the past? We did one at Kensington and downtown at the casino. Apologies if I completely forgot your name if we met.
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Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a Cult?
by Tahoe ini realize this is an older posting on jw.org, but i’d come across it again after reading holden’s thread.
quoted below, so no need to visit the website.. _______________________________________________________.
no, jehovah’s witnesses are not a cult.
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Jourles
I'd bet that most jdubs would view Scientology as a cult. There have been so many instances of Leah and Mike (and many others) explaining things, where I've thought, "Damn, merely substitute jdubs for Scientologists and it's bang on the same mind control." They're so alike in many different ways.
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"Are you the plumber?"
by Jourles ini've been debating whether or not to post this story simply because the org knows who i am (post history from pre-'05 will tell you all you need to know), and i'm not sure if they would give my parents shit if they knew what transpired earlier this summer.
but you know what, i don't care what they do, because my mom is dying of stage iv cancer and i feel this needs to be heard by anyone struggling with the loss of contact from their relatives.. for those who are not familiar with my background, i became a small thorn in the side of the wts while i was still in.
i'm not big on being deceived, and for me, the org crossed my personal 'red line' when it came to blood and the child abuse issue.
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Jourles
For the longest time, I kept up an 'out of sight, out of mind' stance. it served me well for a long period. As is the case with most of us and our busy lives, our hearts and minds change over time. I no longer wanted to be the other half of the equation that kept the communication channel shut down.
For many years, my feelings on the matter was, "Fine, I'll play by your rules and ignore you as well. Screw you AND the org." But later on I had an epiphany that rocked me to my core. Love is the most powerful emotion/energy in the universe. If you allow that hate to fester inside for a very long time, it eventually begins to take its toll on your mental and physical health. Everyone has a breaking point. So when this opportunity arose to go see my parents in the most dire of circumstances, I already knew what I had to do. For me, I simply removed my ego from the thinking process and asked, "What's the right thing to do?" By taking away any selfish motive (looking for an excuse that would benefit me), I was left with only one option - show them the love I had been holding back for over a decade even if it meant being rejected by them. At least I would have proper closure and know I did what I could to repair the situation.
No matter what happens from here on out, I'm at peace inside for suppressing my ego and reaching out. Did I make a mistake sending her that Leah Remini clip? Probably. But when she doesn't have much time left, I wanted them to know that I still love them. Even if they can't bring themselves to reciprocate, I understand. I used to be brainwashed too and know how powerful that mind control can be. It's not really their fault - we were all tricked into believing these unnatural things at one point in time. It's not their fault, it's the org's fault. In due time, the beast WILL die and millions will be freed from its indoctrination. We just need to make sure we can do everything within our power to help speed up its destruction. By doing so, we're not just helping our own friends and families, but many other millions as well.
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28
"Are you the plumber?"
by Jourles ini've been debating whether or not to post this story simply because the org knows who i am (post history from pre-'05 will tell you all you need to know), and i'm not sure if they would give my parents shit if they knew what transpired earlier this summer.
but you know what, i don't care what they do, because my mom is dying of stage iv cancer and i feel this needs to be heard by anyone struggling with the loss of contact from their relatives.. for those who are not familiar with my background, i became a small thorn in the side of the wts while i was still in.
i'm not big on being deceived, and for me, the org crossed my personal 'red line' when it came to blood and the child abuse issue.
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Jourles
I've been debating whether or not to post this story simply because the org knows who I am (post history from pre-'05 will tell you all you need to know), and I'm not sure if they would give my parents shit if they knew what transpired earlier this summer. But you know what, I don't care what they do, because my mom is dying of stage IV cancer and I feel this needs to be heard by anyone struggling with the loss of contact from their relatives.
For those who are not familiar with my background, I became a small thorn in the side of the WTS while I was still in. I'm not big on being deceived, and for me, the org crossed my personal 'red line' when it came to blood and the child abuse issue. I fought back, anonymously, but in a very public way by releasing the BoE letters and other publications to the web and assisting SilentLambs behind the scenes. In time, I was found and df'd for apostasy -- a badge of honor I literally wear proudly these days on a few t-shirts I created (shameless plug - https://www.cafepress.com/cultlife).
Back in late May of this year, I received a call from one of my mom's brothers. My uncle informed me that my mom wasn't doing very well, had stage IV cancer and was in the hospital in Des Moines, IA for treatment. He doesn't get emotional AT ALL, so when he began breaking down while explaining her condition, I knew it was serious.
My "worldly" wife had never met my parents. We met after I had already been df'd for a few years. She had always held a deep seated hatred against them for cutting me off as she couldn't even fathom how a parent could cut their only child off completely. After some contemplation, I made the decision to go to IA to see them. My wife came along. I almost talked her out of coming with me, because in my mind, I was already setting myself up for a final rejection and I didn't want to waste her time in traveling to IA for nothing.
Prior to all of this, on occasion, I try reaching out to old jdub friends of mine to see if they're still in. I had found an ex-sister from our previous cong in Fairfield, IA who was one of the nieces of Reinhard Lengtat. (she goes by a completely different first and last name now) She lives in Des Moines, and our long lost meetup actually happened at the hospital. She grew up around my parents and knew them well. Odd circumstances to get reacquainted again for sure, but I'm very happy that she was able to be there. She was df'd a while back.
When all three of us arrived at the hospital for the first time, I was a nervous, emotional wreck inside. I had prepared myself the best I could for this final rejection. I was certain that when my mom saw me, she was going to simply turn her head away or tell me to leave. Standing outside of her room, we asked one of the nurses if she was awake. They said she was. I took a deep breath, exhaled, gave my wife a 'this is it' look and stepped in through the door while they waited outside.
As I walked around the corner of the wall, I could already see her legs covered by the blankets. When we made eye contact, she asked me, "Are you the plumber?"
"Umm, no."
"Oh, they said they were sending the plumber to check on the toilet in the bathroom."
I just kept looking at her.
"Are you here for something else?"
At this point, my eyes began to tear up.
"Who are.....Josh?" as she finally came to the realization it was her only son standing in front of her as she began crying.
I don't even remember what we immediately talked about right after. She was on quite a few different pain meds, so I'm sure that had something to do with her not recognizing me when I walked in. After several minutes, I told her that I had two others waiting outside to see her. I brought my wife and XXXX into the room. Another round of crying commenced when she saw XXXX, who she immediately recognized, now a grown woman with her own teenage son.
We all talked about our current families, major life events, etc. Nothing was mentioned about the org in any way. We merely caught up over the past 13 years - the last time I had spoken with her since my df'ing in Feb '05.
After we left, I called another ex-jw friend whose family were extremely close to ours. Stacey Peterson(maiden name) and my mom were very tight. Stacey used to babysit me and I studied with one of her brothers, Jeff. We were also in their book study group held at their home in Alpine, CA. (Stacey wouldn't mind me posting her name)
After telling Stacey about the outcome of our initial visit, she made immediate arrangements to fly out to IA. When she arrived and we went back to the hospital again, I told my mom she had another visitor. She recognized Stacey right away and they chatted as if hardly any time had passed since they saw each other last.
During these visits, my dad was sometimes there as he was driving back and forth from SE IA to Des Moines because of work. We were never very close. Due to his alcoholism and drug use from my early years, he just wasn't what a dad could have been. I see so much of him in myself now and how it relates to my actions and compassion towards my stepsons. I hate myself for not coming to this realization sooner. So many missed opportunities for better bonding. The relationships I have with my wife's sons could have been much better, and I have readily admitted to her and a couple of other close friends that she married a broken man thanks to what this cult did to me.
During the next few months, I would reach out via email to my mom and ask about her situation. She would always reply with a long email going over all of her treatments and how she was feeling. That was it. No motherly words, just clinical statements. I would even sign off my emails with Love, Josh, but hers simply ended with, Ma. Even when I said, I still love you, nothing. I think that's what hurt the most. She cannot even bring herself to say it, even as she faces death.
At the end of Leah Remini's special on jdubs, the closing statements during the credits by the various folks hit me hard. I recorded that last part and sent it to my mom. That was the second to the last time I sent her something and I haven't heard from her since. Did I go to far? Probably. But the intention was well-meaning. I'm just waiting for that next call from my uncle now.
Part of the reason for writing this was to show that the WTS may win some battles, but it also loses more than it wins. I considered this a major win. The fact that they didn't completely shun me from the outset spoke volumes. That alone is the perfect middle finger to the WTS.
Suck it, WT. You lost
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58
Do You Ever Wonder Where Certain Posters Are?
by minimus indo people simply leave because the site has given them what they wanted?
are they now infrequent lurkers?.
did they go back to the watchtower?.
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Jourles
This site took off right around the time that the old H2O forum gave up the ghost. For me personally, it was a nice enclave to hang out on when I was still PIMO. Met a LOT of folks from here through apostafests and during the course of my work travels (and yes, even met you, Minimus).
This site was therapy in a way. It certainly helped having fellow ex-cult members know what I was going through, and I hope I was able to help others in a positive way during those earlier years. I'm still kicking it in the Michigan area, and would love to come to another apostafest if one materializes in the future. Hell, I'd even fly to another state if a BIG one was thrown together.
I don't really post here much anymore simply because I don't feel I have much to contribute. I gave it my best effort in the early years, but now I'm just enjoying life. My folks are still in, so I do have that one last tie to the org. My mom probably doesn't have much more time to live as she has stage IV cancer. Crazy story behind that. (I may just post about it because, what the hell, why not?)
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One Partaker
by Jourles inthe memorial last night was nothing new.
the routine never changes.
two congregations joined together for the night in one building.
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Jourles
>The sermon has become an incoherent mess that no outsider could possibly understand
Wasn't that always the case?
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What Is The Most Ridiculous Thing You Have Heard From A Witness?
by minimus ini remember an elder questioning a woman who had admitted to giving and receiving oral sex from her unbelieving mate.
he asked her the most intimate questions which clearly flustered her.
interestingly, she “confessed “ to the elders because her conscience bothered her.
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Jourles
"The decision is to disfellowship you."
My mind was already made up and I pissed on the ashes of that bridge I just burned down. Nothing they said would have no affect on me. But in hearing that phrase, they are the ones who set me free.
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Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean
by Jourles ini've had this thought for quite a while and wonder if fits with the recent talk about the wts claiming that matt.
24:14 has been fulfilled.
my thought was this --- in the wake of the recent cutbacks at bethel, scaling back of literature, and other cost cutting measures, could the wts be preparing the r&f for the complete or massive reduction of literature that would normally be placed with "householders?
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One Partaker
by Jourles inthe memorial last night was nothing new.
the routine never changes.
two congregations joined together for the night in one building.
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Jourles
While trying to reconcile my past life with where I'm at today, I came across this old post and was wondering if the memorial is still pretty much the same? Has the format changed at all?