I'm not sure if Raymond Franz ever looks at posts here but if he does and your reading this Mr. Franz, I too would like to thank you for having courage and speaking out. Your book has helped so many who in return have helped others.
I am so glad that I got myself and my kids out of that cult. I truly regret the day that I ever trusted and studied with the JW's. We missed out on so much but I'm also deeply grateful that I can now enjoy life and be free of guilt and fear.
When I was a witness , I never really understood why it was so dangerous to read apostate literature. I thought surely the org could easily defend ANY accusations brought against it. It wasn't until I visited the web and read crisis of conscience that I really understood why the book was forbidden. They can't defend themselves. Crisis of Conscience shatters the org.
Thank you again Ray, I hope you read this.......
Jurs
Posts by jurs
-
63Thank You Ray Franz.
by Martini inhello friends,.
in a thread over at witnesses.net entitled "society bracing for law suits" fellow jw's are taking swipes at ray franz.
not too long ago, while i was still under the wt spell i also would have similarily spoken abusively of ray.
-
-
jurs
-
14
Here to vent !!!!!!!!!!!
by jurs inhello to anyone who cares,.
i am in the fowlest of moods.
last week i started cosmetology school ( i love it so much ), anyhow who did i see there but another sister from my kingdom hall.
-
-
jurs
Hello to anyone who cares,
I am in the fowlest of moods. Last week I started cosmetology school ( I love it so much ), anyhow who did I see there but another sister from my kingdom hall. She's also a student so I see her every day. I always thought she was nice and although I wasn't close to her I liked her. That little snip shunned me when I said Hi. Not only did the litlle snoot turn her head away with her nose in the air like I was trash but she puts herself in a position to shun me. I think she enjoys it !!
When I DA'd myself I thought if I ran into someone they would feel awkward and try and avoid me. Not the case here. I think she's trying to shame me.
I was telling another student that I've become friends with at this school how I was a JW . She told me her ex husbands family were witnesses and now her fiance is STUDYING with them. She's very upset. Perfect opportunity for me to bring her copies of apostate literature and Crisis of Conscience. I'm sure its eating at this siter how i'm giving out apostate literature and others can certainly hear. My favorite topic has been shunning !!
Last week I was shunned 2 times by different sisters while I was shopping. The town I live in is small and I will likely see them frequently now that I'm back home and no longer vacationing. I don't like it at all !!! It doesn't make me ashamed or embarresed at all it makes me downright MAD !!!
I didn't commit any offenses like adultry , smoking ect. I just simply DA'd myself for not believing. It is so WRONG. It is so obviously a cult to me now. It really bothers me when people say Jehovah's witnesses are like any other religion. I've even read that here . How can anyone think that? Catholics don't mistreat former catholics, ect. ect. ect. ONLY cults do that.
Thanks for a place to vent. I actually do feel better.JURS
-
15
Can't get Dissfellowshiped
by NaughyBoy inno matter what i do i just can't seem to get disfellowshiped.
i havn't been to a meeting since 1994 and have been caught many times smoking, drinking, doing drugs (silly i know) , fornicating (lesbian threesome with 2 jw girls and my lucky self), swearing and sharing my outspoken apostacy with any jw that dares listen.
it's not like the elders are slack.
-
-
jurs
Hi Naughty Boy,
Your story wasn't unfamiliar to me. I had a sister friend whose husband was an elder who should have been disfellowshipped years ago but some how always squeaks by. Many in the congregation know about her and more than a few over the years have gone to the elders over various wrongs they have witnessed her doing ( never have 2 people witnessed actions at the same time.) Any way, I assume its because her husband is very likable and is close friends with a few of the other elders.
Its strange how JW's always brag about how UNITED they are. What a crock !!
I also know of another brother who hasn't attended meetings ( except the memorial ) and he abuses his wife. He's an alcoholic and doesn't work. She's the material provider for the family as well. He's just a creep. He's never been disfellowshipped and he's not shunned. It really burns me that I'm shunned and I did nothing scripturally to be expelled from the congregation. Its so wrong that to no longer believe that the org is the truth is worse and than actual wrong doing. Don't ya just wonder how you could buy into such garbage?
I'm sorry if I sound so angry but I just started cosmetology school and guess what another student there was from my kingdom hall. The little snip shunned me when I said Hi and I don't care for her snippy little attidude !!!!!!!!!!!
jurs -
26
Loss or gain?
by Deacon inon sunday, i sat outside the local kingdom hall waiting for the meeting to start.
being disfellowshipped, i was gonna go in late.... 20 minutes later.. i went to a starbucks instead.. i think im over it....i really do.. its a shame.
-
-
jurs
Hi Deacon,
Good for you. I can't imagine how difficult it must be to go to meetings and go through such humiliation. I'm glad you opted for Star Bucks.
I believe your on the path to healing now too. Here's a toast for your new life.....Cheers,
Jurs -
10
Marking brothers and sisters
by jurs ina few weeks ago in the chat room, i learned that jw's didn't always mark their brothers and sisters.
i was baptized in 1994 and i believe that "marking" was done as early as that.
was this "marking" new light ?
-
-
jurs
A few weeks ago in the chat room, I learned that JW's didn't always mark their brothers and sisters. I was baptized in 1994 and I believe that "marking" was done as early as that. Was this "marking" New Light ? How did the org establish this new practice ? How does someone know if their marked since their not shunned. An elder during a talk about marking said that these ones would not be invited over to social gatherings. I can think of plenty of JW's in good standing that were at every party and were a bit on the worldly side and in contrast I can think of JW's who lived the JW life without hypocrisy and were never or rarely invited to gatherings. Wanted to hear your thoughts on this subject as well as when it started....
jurs -
36
most HATED thing about the meetings ...
by alliwannadoislive inhey ya'll ... ain't tuesdays, thursdays and sundays even better nowadays ?.
i was wondering what it is that you hated most about the meets ?.
the one thing that used to really rile me was the pressure to control the children - the frowns and the disapproving looks when they were just behaving like normal kids .... the worst of it all for me was seeing any little person being taken outside and hearing the loud slaps even when the door was closed .... what is it that you least miss ?
-
-
jurs
I also hated when parents took their children to the bathroom and you could hear a loud slap and then crying. There was one sister in particular whose children I felt very sorry for.
The service and school meeting was by far the worst to attend. VERY BORING !!!!
jurs -
11
How I Married A Borg
by Ray Skyhorse inive been posting for about a month now.
ive finally finished writing about my life.
its long and complicated.
-
-
jurs
Hey Ray,
Your ideas are great. You seem like a wonderful husband. Keep us up to date with your progress.
jurs -
11
Making Strides
by Kristen ini realized that one year has passed since i initially signed up on this board.
a year ago i was afraid of being part of this place; but knew it was necessary if i wanted to move beyond where i was.
today i am totally comfortable being around here.
-
-
jurs
Kristin,
This is a GREAT place!!!!!!! Its so nice to be able to read posts and chat with someone who understands and has been there. I think I'd still be wonderering if the org was really the truth without this place.
Glad your doing well,
Jurs -
18
Met my first Elder after diassociation
by aud8 inwell i met my first witness (and it would have to be an elder who i always got on well with) last night after my disassociation 3 weeks ago and i was not prepared for how hard it felt.
i had the most human reaction of recognising someone i knew and had to stop myself saying hi.
he just rushed past me.
-
-
jurs
Hi Aud8,
I'm sorry to hear your about your experience, and too think I use to believe shunning was a loving provision!!
I DA'd myself the end of may and ran into a sister last week for the first time. She walked away from me and was trying her best to avoid me. I felt sad. Hope it helps to know that we understand what your going through.
jurs -
10
Craziness and JW's
by joelbear ina simple question.. does being a jehovah's witness drive people insane or are insane people attracted to being a jehovah's witness?.
drooling hugs.
joel
-
-
jurs
Hi Joelbear,
I think it drives people who were born into the borg insane and that fragile or vulnerable people can be recruited and drove to the same insanity.
Witnesses knocked at my door and started a study with me when I was 24 , I was baptized at 27. I grew up in an abusive household and my mother was mentally ill to boot. I was completely messed up when witnesses came to my door. I had been fresh out of a treatment center for drug addiction and was just starting to deal with issues with my mother. I was scared shitless that I would be mentally ill , I craved a NORMAL life. JW's had the answer to my greatest fears. I had 2 babies and didn't feel confident about being a good mother. I was so scared I'd be like my own mother. An elder shared the scripture in Isiah 30:21 it says.....and your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: "this is the way. Walk in it, you people ." in case you people should go to the right or in case you people should go to the left."
That scripture gave me such confidence !! I didn't feel confident about being a mother but now Jehovah will help me ! He will whisper it in my ear so I don't go to the left or to the right. I now had the way in which to walk. It was so easy , all I had to do was go to meetings and do what the watchtower told me and I would be a good mother and wife and human being.
Before I started searching for truth about the org. I was feeling really good about myself. I can't exactly articulate the change in myself but I felt stronger than I ever had before.
Sorry to make this so long.
Jurs