Reopened Mind

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Posts by Reopened Mind

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  48

  AJWRB---What Have They Done???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i still never really understood what these phantoms ever did.

  i've read many praiseworthy comments lauding the site or people behind it.

  but in reality, what major good have they done to change jehovah's witnesses' views on blood?.

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  Reopened Mind

  minimus,

  Like yourmomma AJWRB was the first step in my exit from the JWs.

  On the day my second son was born in 1982 I was told he would not live the day out if he was not given a blood tranfusion. Like good JWs my husband and I both refused to give consent for a tranfusion. We were threatened with a court order but since our son began to improve it was dropped and no blood was given. We were the talk of a large university hospital. For many years that cemented our belief that blood was bad and the WT was right.

  Fast forward to January 2007 when an article in our local newspaper by Kerry Louderback-Wood appeared with a reference to AJWRB. Cautiously I looked up the site and began reading. What started turning my thinking around was the letters written by Lee Elder to the Watchtower Society and their replies. From there I followed links to other websites, notably freeminds.org, JWN, jwfacts, and others. Thus began my journey out of the WT. O, and my husband, an elder at the time, was beginning to have his own questions. We had plenty to discuss!

  Minimus, I was an active JW when I first visited AJWRB. The site may not influence JWs view of blood as a whole, but as you can see it does influence individuals like myself to begin questioning the whole fabric of JW teachings. I would say that is a good thing indeed.

  I would like to thank those of you who work hard to keep websites like AJWRB up and running. You never know how you will affect people's lives. You have certaianly affected mine!

  Reopened Mind
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  61

  I made it!! I'm just so freaking happy!!!

  by Rocky_Girl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as some of you know, i started college 5 years ago for the first time at age 27. i had been out of the "truth" for 9 years at that time, but had just broken free of the mentality.

  well, on saturday i walked across the stage with the 130th graduating class at rocky mountain college!.

  after 5 years of working several jobs, taking care of two little boys as a single mom, and trying to get the most out of my college experience, i earned my master of accountancy, bachelor of science in business management, and minors in writing and organizational leadership.

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  Reopened Mind

  SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!

  Reopened Mind
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  30

  To Attend or Not Attend JW Relative Funeral - Experiences You've Had ?

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was moved to put this thread out after talking to a board member here who was treated very disrespectfully from her jw family after her own husband died.

  my question isn't trying to pigeonhole anybody or i'm not saying there's a right or wrong answer - the question is designed to just openly discuss the negatives and positives of going to a jw funeral or not, and the implications or ramifications for doing so or not.. i believe it's definitely a personal decision based on different circumstances for each individual.

  for example : let's say a person is an inactive jw and they were sexually abused or treated in other inhumane ways by still active jw relatives .

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  Reopened Mind

  Hello, the wife of TotallyADD checking in here.

  Thank you to ziddina and flipper for your comments concerning my MIL. When TotallyADD's dad was alive he was able to keep her under control much of the time. Being an elder helped. But when he died we were left to "handle" her as she lived next door to us. As TotallyAdd said the elders in the local congregation sided with her. I called the police when she attacked me. They told me I could press charges and if I did they would take her to jail. I did not think that would help her at all so I declined. They then suggested we go to the courthouse and file ex parte papers so she could be evaluated. So we did. She was taken involuntarily to the nearest facility and released the next day, finding nothing wrong with her. We were flabbergasted!!

  zid, you are right. My MIL does have a mental disease but because of cult induced fear of psychologists she would not get a proper diagnosis. Her doctor told TotallyADD she could not diagnose but was pretty sure the woman suffered from paranoid schizophrenia. I did find a mental health facility that would admit her but she would have to come in voluntarily. That just isn't going to happen.

  flipper, we, too, noticed the effects of the increase of homeless, helpless people when Reagan decreed that people should "pull themselves up by their bootstraps". It has gotten so bad that one city in FL passed a law making it illegal to panhandle inside the city limits.

  Would TotallyADD and I attend his mother's funeral? That's a question we still have to contend with as she is still alive. As of now we feel it would dredge up too many bad memories. There is no reason to honor her memory or face the ones in the congregation who turned against us even though at the time we were considered in good standing. I really don't know how they consider us now.

  flipper I'm sorry for hijacking your thread.

  Reopened Mind
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  22

  I never thought I would

  by Kool Jo in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well.....what can i say...after lurking and much research and eventual signing up on this forum...i filled out my fs report for april with average hours and magazines, but i never went out in the ministry.. it feels odd, and i feel bad for filling out time that i knew i never did...i hate the idea of going out to people's door and telling them a lie...not sure how much longer i can do this for .

  just had to vent!.

  peace.

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  Reopened Mind

  They want you to feel guilty about not doing their brand of ministry. I agree with OnTheWayOut. Your ministry is personal. The WT has been lying to you and lying to the public, calling it "Theocratic Warfare". You are beating them at their own game.

  The most effective tools a cult has are FEAR AND GUILT. Make no mistake, the WT is a cult. So come here and vent. It will help you lessen the fear and guilt the WT has been laying on you.

  Posting here is a form of ministry. My dictionary says that minister is to give aid or service. You are aiding and serving others by sharing your story.

  Reopened Mind
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  65

  A Brother Died At Bethel

  by MrFreeze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i got a text from my mom when i got into work today saying that a brother i've known for a while had died.

  he was a bethelite and they found him dead in his room.

  he was the same age as me.

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  Reopened Mind

  Deepest symapthies from TotallyADD and Reopened Mind.
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  32

  If the Watch Tower Society discontinued shunning.... new survey!!

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm pleased to announce that juan viejo2 has launched a new mini-survey on jwsurvey.org.

  the survey tackles the premise that the society might one day abandon shunning (at least between family members) and asks: what effect might this have on us?.

  the survey is primarily targeted at df'd/da'd and active jws, although there is one question applicable to all, which asks simply whether you agree with the practice of shunning.. there are only a handful of questions, so if you feel inclined, please do visit and take the survey on the link below:.

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  Reopened Mind

  cedars,

  I looked at your survey regarding shunning. I am neither an active Witness nor DF/DA. Therefore I did not answer any questions as I felt it did not pertain to me. I do agree with the above posters who say the Society will never do away with shunning. Shunning those who leave and instilling fear into those who stay is a powerful tool to keep the flock in line. I must say I was a good JW while in and communicating with someone who left had no bearing on my leaving. What began my awakening was an article in our local newspaper, then looking up an internet site, and reading, reading, reading.

  When our oldest son was 18 and still living at home he was disfellowshipped for what would be considered by any non cult member as normal teenage stuff. His father, an elder at the time, and I would talk to him about anything not related to Watchtower land. He was reinstated a year later and has since left. He confessed he knew then there was no holy spirit guiding the elders on his committee because they would not believe him when he told them the truth.

  TotallyADD and I moved 1000 miles away to fade from the clutches of the WT. Although there is an active congregation in this town we have not been contacted in the year we have lived here. Maybe they're not that active after all. We do live on the outer fringes of their territory.

  Reopened Mind
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  52

  cowboy films.

  by bigmac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some of us uk members of a certain age really enjoy cowboy films.. what was your most favourite cowboy film of all time?.

  mine was on tv again today-----.

  ---- the magnificent seven.

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  Reopened Mind

  My favorite cowboy movie is "Dances With Wolves", especially the four hour version.

  I named a dog Sisko after the horse in the movie and a cat Two Socks after the wolf in "Dances With Wolves". Next month Two Socks will be 23 years old. Sisko, being a rottie only lived to 14 years of age.

  Reopened Mind
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  56

  5/15 WT - WT Society Displays Condescending Attitude towards Marriage

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as most of us know the wt society has always claimed that it's dissapproved in god's sight to marry a non-jw .

  although they've never made it a disfellowshipping offense, any jw who marries outside the jw organization is looked at as " weak " or lacking " spirituality " and loses certain alleged " privileges " in the congregations.

  they use scriptures in the old testament as support for this.

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  Reopened Mind

  TotallyADD and I dated according to all the WT rules, including being chaperoned during our courtship, then we were married in a kingdom hall. We raised our two boys in the organization. Were we happy? Not really, the WT kept us too busy to notice whether we were getting what we needed for our own happiness. Now that we have both left together we find we are freer to express what we really feel. We have drawn closer together as we discover our authentic selves. My life is so much better now that I am married to someone who is not a WT drone. TotallyADD and I just passed 38 years together March 23.

  Reopened Mind
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  79

  What does your profile name say about you?

  by usualusername in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i use usualusername as i am not creative enough to think of anything sexier.... .

  what significance is there behind your profile name?.

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  Reopened Mind

  I closed my mind when I joined the WT. Sites like AJWRB.org, freeminds.org, jwfacts.com, and of course JWN have helped me reopen my mind.

  Reopened Mind
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  31

  Be a part of research about leaving the JWs...

  by TerriO in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys,.

  some of you may remember me, i've been on here before in the past and been about on the exjws forums on and off for about 7 years now.

  you've probably also seen me advertising the xjw meet ups in london as well..... :-).

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  Reopened Mind

  I was happy to participate in your survey TerriO.

  Thanks to JamieBowers for making the link clickable.

  Reopened Mind