Posts by LivingTheDream

18

This made my day...

by LivingTheDream in

i have been collecting and reading ex-jw books these last few years.

i love 'em all, just out of pure solidarity.. i went to order the fourth edition updated version of crisis of consciense for my collection (best book ever!

) and when amazon.com listed the best sellers of jehovah's witness books, this is what came up (see below).. needless to say, it tickled me pink.... brock talon .

Can you do me a favor then? As yourself, go to Amazon.com, search for "Journey to God's House". When you find the Kindle Edition of this book, select it. See what I shows for you as a "Best Sellers" ranking. Mine shows like this below:

Then, click on any of those links to see the listings of any of those rankings. For example, my book also shows as #23 in the "Cults" category...

I don't think you are correct about your assertion, but I could be wrong. If you check this out for us, then we'll know for sure and I'll be grateful either way...

Brock Talon

18

This made my day...

by LivingTheDream in

i have been collecting and reading ex-jw books these last few years.

i love 'em all, just out of pure solidarity.. i went to order the fourth edition updated version of crisis of consciense for my collection (best book ever!

) and when amazon.com listed the best sellers of jehovah's witness books, this is what came up (see below).. needless to say, it tickled me pink.... brock talon .

LivingTheDream

I have been collecting and reading ex-JW books these last few years. I love 'em all, just out of pure solidarity.

I went to order the Fourth edition updated version of Crisis of Consciense for my collection (best book ever!) and when Amazon.com listed the Best Sellers of Jehovah's Witness books, this is what came up (see below).

Needless to say, it tickled me pink...

Brock Talon

22

New book - "Journey to Gods House" by Brock Talon

by AnnOMaly in

this thread's in tandem with clarity's started here in the members only section.. remember the jwn poster livingthedream from 2 years ago?

his threads often had me in stitches and he had a real knack of hooking you into the story so that you kept reading.

who of us could forget the account of the booming voice of 'god' ordering a double chocolate chip ice cream?

LivingTheDream

Rip Van Winkle,

Thanks for the shout out! It is much appreciated.

The folks on JWN have been absolutely wonderful to me since I joined a few years ago.

The book, "Journey to God's House" simply wouldn't exist without this site and the people on it.

Brock Talon

62

Do the Governing Body members ever go Door-to-Door?

by 00DAD in

in his book, in search of christian freedom, ray franz wrote that that gb members for the most part never participated in door-to-door work.

they were "too busy with more important things.

" (gee, how come that excuse wouldn't work for the rest of us?

LivingTheDream

Do GB go in field service?

The answer is "yes", at least for some GB. I can't speak to them all and I can't speak to the current set of GB though.

When I was at Bethel (in the 1980s) I actually went out in service with one all the time. We had return visits together, did subway preaching together, etc. In fact, it was funny and horrifying as my GB field service partner would come up to guys looking at the girlie magazines in the various kiosks in the subway and ask them why there were doing that and if they would rather have literature that would save their lives...

Brock Talon

22

New book - "Journey to Gods House" by Brock Talon

by AnnOMaly in

this thread's in tandem with clarity's started here in the members only section.. remember the jwn poster livingthedream from 2 years ago?

his threads often had me in stitches and he had a real knack of hooking you into the story so that you kept reading.

who of us could forget the account of the booming voice of 'god' ordering a double chocolate chip ice cream?

LivingTheDream

Wizzstick,

Thanks for your kinds words about my book. I've had a lot of fun with the You tube comments, emails, Facebook messages, etc. from everyone since its publication last August.

Since you mentioned a possible sequel, I wanted to tell you that I have been working on one due to the positive response Journey to God's House has received. Since I took over a year to write my first book, I'll probably need that long to write another, but at least I have started on it.

I will be describing this book as a "prequel/sequel" to Journey to God's House. It will tell my story before I went to Bethel and then what happened after I returned and left the Watchtower org. I'll probably add some new Bethel stories into the mix assuming that not everyone who reads this book will have necessarily read the first one. I want this book to stand on its own.

Brock Talon

28

Why Do Some Ex-JWs Get Their Feelings Hurt So Badly By Shunning?

by RottenRiley in

i ran in to a ex-jw and had a good laugh once he realized i was not going to shun him.

i am a different soul when we are dealing with watchtower demonology, everything about the organization is fan boy based.

watchtower creates the illusion of a community that never existed, we were too blind to realize most of the people we invested time with was nothing more than a farce, once you can't offer up more sacrfices on the watchtower's alter, your going to get less attention and eventually if your kingdom hall is big enough, they won't come looking for you.. .

LivingTheDream

RottenRiley,

Like your moniker, I think your attitude is a bit rotten. You obviously lack empathy outside of your own experience.

For born-ins like me, the point is that I DIDN'T KNOW IT WOULD HAPPEN! I didn't see it coming. How could I? I was a child, literally, believing hook line and sinker everything taught me about the so-called spiritual paradise from my parents and the elders my parents obeyed.

It's not even just about family shunning either, it's about friends you thought you were building a life with that shun as well. How does a six year old understand what a cult is and that their friends aren't "true"? When does that begin to dawn on them? At 15? 30? 50?

If you didn't have the experience of being shocked by the lies and unfaithfulness of it all, good for you. But others have. Not having sympathy for people that jump of off bridges because their world collapses beneath them is simply heartless.

I hope you reconsider.

Brock Talon

11

Did any bethelites here see first hand books of magic and witchcraft in their library?

by EndofMysteries in

another thread made me remember hearing rumors of books of witchcraft and such found in if not the main library a restricted library at bethel, for research purposes.

i wonder if anyone here had seen those first hand and if so, what exactly were the names of the books?

.

LivingTheDream

EndOfMysteries,

I wrote a post a few years ago about my Bethel experience with a book called "Angels and Women". It was supposed to have a demonic influence, at least, that's what my bethel elder told me. So, this is not a book about witchcraft or magic, but it was widely avoided due to some believing it had occult ties.

You can read more about it on JWN here:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/205039/1/A-Bethel-Memory-14-Angels-and-Women-kinda-like-a-Playboy#.UtcUQrTRUmU

There is also an expanded version of this story in my book "Journey to God's House", avaliable at Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Gods-House-Headquarters-Witnesses-ebook/dp/B00EEIWUFW/

Brock Talon

34

Are You Embarrassed Because You Were A Jehovah's Witness?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i am not.

everyone makes mistakes..

LivingTheDream

Minimus -

I used to be somewhat embarassed about my JW past... the degree of my shame depended on who I was telling it to though.

But thanks to this forum and all you folks, I've noticed that I'm now completely free from all that.

Brock Talon

46

I CAN'T TAK

by Caupon in

jw
friends

LivingTheDream

Caupon,

This thread is a great example of how good this site can be, especially for young folks like you who need advise from people with no ulterior motives. JWN is full of such people.

Don't worry about giving advise out to others... just yet. In time you will be able to do that too. Sometimes though, just telling your own story helps others. There may be other young people reading this very thread who are going through the same thing but are too frightened to speak up. So, you are in a way giving them advice by telling your story and letting others chime in. The issue wouldn't be "out there" if you hadn't the courage to put it there.

I wish you well and hope you do not do anything too drastic. This is a time for you to be careful with what you say and do. Love bomb your mother, even though she is not dealing with you in a mature way. From her viewpoint, she is trying to get your to "come to your senses". She thinks she is "saving" you. Of course, you have come to your senses and it is she that has not, but that is lost on her right now. It may always be.

If you can appreciate her intentions (not her actions) then maybe you can get through this. In time you will be able to move out and make your own life away from a controlling home.

Brock Talon

61

Thoughts on going back, am I the only one that feels this way?

by excaliber in

jw
friends

hello everyone, i know you have heard this topic before and your probably thinking.

...not again lol.. but i was wondering if anyone has thought of going back for the same reasons as myself, i don't think its the truth but i searched and my conclusion is that other religions don't have the truth, they are all wrong in my opinion.

if there is no other religion to go too, why leave were i was born and raised.

LivingTheDream

Excalibur,

I personally think you are experiencing a form of Stockholm snydrome. This is a psychological phenomenon that sometimes occurs in kidnapping victims, but also can occur in any abusive relationship including religious cult indoctrination.

The victim comes to irrationally and traumatically bond with the perpetrators of their harrassment, abuse and intimidation. It results in strong emotional ties between the victim and the perpetrators where the victim can "miss" them or even defend them.

My advise to you is to hold out going back for as long as you can and to fill your life with something else, anything else, but preferably something constructive.

I went through these feelings myself, but was able to shake them when I filled my life with other things. Eventually I realized I never needed to be around those people at all and it was all in my head.

Brock Talon