By selling this property and "using up" the proceeds the Wathctower Society begins to make itself judgment proof. Really, this about protecting their asses. Oops, I meant assets.
Shoshana
La Capra
JoinedPosts by La Capra
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More Confirmation
by worf inhere in jamaica queens new york, one of the congregations is named, rochdale congregation.
my brother-in-law went to the meeting at this congregation this past sunday and he saw that notices from the wts have been posted on the bulletin board which officially say that the wts is moving all printing operations upstate to either patterson or wallkill.
evaluating.
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After 15 years, finally living for real
by La Capra init was in october of 1987, as a 19 year old, raised as a jehovah's witness, that i disassociated from them.
i have had countless emotional, relationship and professional struggles that i know came from the years of mental control, training to be judgmental, and the culture of everything being all right or all wrong.
when i disassociated, i promised myself that when i reached the point where i had more days out than in (it's about four years from now) that i would truly celebrate my freedom-the crossing point when i can no longer say i was a jehovah's witness for most of my life.. .
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La Capra
It was in October of 1987, as a 19 year old, raised as a Jehovah's Witness, that I disassociated from them. I have had countless emotional, relationship and professional struggles that I know came from the years of mental control, training to be judgmental, and the culture of everything being all right or all wrong. When I disassociated, I promised myself that when I reached the point where I had more days out than in (it's about four years from now) that I would truly celebrate my freedom-the crossing point when I can no longer say I was a Jehovah's Witness for most of my life.
Granted the number of days is a technicality, I am somewhat attached to them as a symbolic concept (and besides, I am totally into numbers).
In anticipation of this event, I decided to go back to school to become a lawyer. I also took a brave step, met with the Rabbi and have started my conversion to the religion that, in my heart, I know I have always been (All that Torah reading instead of paying attention at meetings and assemblies).
When I was in college I chose an easy career with high demand-teaching math. While I love mathematics and know I am doing something very important and valuable to my students-it wasn't "for real". It was just until I figured out who I was. The mistake in that was that while I was good at it, it distracted me from decision making and ultimately, living a real life. (Anyone out there in college with the same plan-think carefully before going through with it).
A few years back, I hurt a man terribly by accepting his marriage proposal when I knew deep down he had habits I would never accept. But since I wasn't really living who I was anyway, it didn't matter right? Wrong. I did the right thing and broke things off with him before the wedding (but not before he went out and bought a beautiful new suit and I went out and bought the gown).
Since I started Law School last June, I have been putting in a whole-hearted dedication into my studies. I have never done this before. I have never studied and worked so hard in my life. And all the while I was doing this, I had no idea whether I was studying enough, learning enough, writing well enough, all that stuff-there were no quizes along the way.
We had midterms in December and we just got our scores last week, and the grade distributions for each class was posted today. I am very proud to be able to say that I did well. I earned the highest grade in both contracts and torts and while I didn't earn the highest grade in crimes, I was only three points under the highest grade.
I have done well in school generally-but when I did I was generally just going through the motions and not really throwing my soul into it. The satisfaction (even without knowing the rankings) I feel is completely new and wondrous. I can't believe what I have been missing all these years. This is totally awesome.
Shalom, Shoshana
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I am new here.....just wanted to say hi
by jesusstolemyhotrod inhello......so this is my first time here......i have been inactive for about 6 years now.....i was disfellowshipped about 11 years ago......but lucky me they let me back in......but i slowly just "fell away" and now i guess i am just an outsider who no one really wants anything to do with......mine is actually a sad story of rejection.....some one very close to me actually killed themselves while disfellowshipped......i am very bitter towards the whole thing and how he was treated.....and how i am still treated.....i guess now i am just a closet anarchist (hope that is spelt right) who secretly wishes the whole damn organization would just fall apart and disappear......anyway.....i just wanted to say hi......i am interested in everyones comments and theories in here......i have one of my own on how god is either falible or screwed the whole planet up on purpose......but that is probably not the kind of thing discussed here......i hope to check in regular and get involved in the discussions......thanks
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La Capra
Hey there,
About ten years ago or so, there was a really cute little independent film that was going around the local film festivals in Sonoma and Marin County California called "Jesus Crushed My Car". By John Hardin...The story of his car of which he had film footage from high school days until it died and Jesus (Haysoos) at the wrecking yard finally demolished it. Very sweet. Your UserName reminds me of that film. Nice name.Shoshana
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What is your job/career? Like it?
by ashitaka ini'm a deskside support guy working for a service company, at one of their contracts.
i enjoy fixing things, although some of the customers could use a good knock on the skull sometimes.. i make pretty decent money for what i am doing.. for me, it's what i've wanted to do my whole life.
i had a computer from the time i was born, and love it since then.. what do you guys do to bring home the bacon?.
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La Capra
I also broke the rules and went to college. I was lucky, my Dad is not a JW and I played my Mom against my Dad to my benefit. I was treated very poorly at the Kingdom Hall for my decision, but I have been a high school teacher for over ten years. I'm lucky, I am good at it and have some fun doing it. I make pretty good money at it too (California Wine Country). I have been getting a bit bored with it over the last few years-you can only spout the quadratic formula with passion so many times. Last June, I started law school. I just got my midterm grades last week. I did pretty good. WooHoo.
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Surviving Conventions.
by embalmed inany tips on how to get thru convention meetings as painless as possible?
i have the most awful time doing nothing for 4 hours straight.
last time i resorted to doodling in my "note" book, but i got it taken away.
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La Capra
I actually did develop a bit of a condition that sometimes gives me mild anxiety attacks when I am in large crowds (rock concerts too-which sucks). That would be a very good one. Heavy breathing, pounding heart, images of the entire auditorium (and the people) spinning around. Refuse to get out of the car out of panic-act nutso. Yes. This might work, especially if you can work it into a session of weeping/hysterics as well. If all goes according to plan, you may even be able to work this phobia to avoid the meetings as well.
As for getting out of field service. May I recommend getting a weekend job. This will do two things-the first being your primary goal, getting out of field service. It will also get you out and around normal people-a step towards building a life outside of the cult. Just make sure it isn't a job that requries you to be around crowds.
And keep us posted, I would love to hear your antics-and the reactions of those around you.
They play games with our lives-go ahead, play back.
Shoshana
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Drifting Away Signs
by JH inwhat signs did you give, when you started drifting away?
were you able to tell who was slowly drifting away in you congregation just by their attitude?edited by - jh on 19 january 2003 19:18:56.
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La Capra
I quit cold turkey. I had decided several months before I was going to do it, but my mother had already booked a very nice trip for me with some "friends". I quite pragmatically decided it would be bad form to waste my mother's money, so I kept my decision under wraps til we all got home. The last meeting I ever went to was in Kauai. I savored every second, knowing it was the last lame waste of weekend time (and vacation time) I would ever spend. I told my mom on the ride home from the airport. This was in August 1987. I sent a letter in October. She wasn't devastated. I think she knew it was a crock of bull and was relieved I was escaping.
Shoshana
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Paradise Lost
by Perry inthinking back to my most earliest of memories, i remember the wonderment of life.
i can still smell the pugnent floral breezes and experience being mesmerized into hypnosis watching the white linen sheets dance to an unheard accompaniment on the clothes line.
mother seemed like a god to me the way she hung that laundry so effortlessly and happily.
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La Capra
I was right in between the Paradise book (Dry Tang colored as I recall) and My Book of Bible Stories (Suspiciously the same gold color as the vinyl upholstery on the Kingdom Hall seats). I couldn't quite read when I was regularly handed the Paradise Book. But I understood the pictures. My mother was a kindergarten teacher and she held it to be perfectly appropriate for her 3 year old child to view the graphics. I have no clue what she was thinking. I regularly awoke in the night from nightmares of armageddons, holocausts, war, death and destruction. I felt guilty for those nightmares-as though if I had been a good enough little girl I wouldn't have to worry about that kind of end. I could never tell my mom what they were about. When she asked, I wouldn't answer and then whenever she would name something, I would just say that was what it was.
Then when I was 10, My Book of Bible Stories was released (international convention, Candlestick Park $2.50 "donation"). By that time my reading was well beyond the text and I found it tremendously condescending. But I did use it not to pay attention at meetings and assemblies. Interestingly, a few weeks ago, while at my parents, I went in search of one. I wanted to have one again to remind myself of my younger ideas of G-d and such. I searched everywhere one might be in the house. I couldn't find a single one. I was dumbfounded. I have two young nieces that spend a lot of time with my mom. I was surpised to see she didn't keep one around for them. But after reading these posts, maybe my mom figured it out that some of the images really are too violent for kids.
I can't wait til the next time I am there, I am going in search of the Paradise Book too. Would not surprise me at all if that one is AWOL too.
Shoshana
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La Capra
Ditto on the Jewish History. Knowing the Torah and the Prophets is making my conversion very easy.
Shoshana -
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La Capra
I think, "What's up with the six foot high fence and the locked gate? Is it to keep us out, or them in?"
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Not invited
by dmouse ini am alone at home tonight.
my wife and children are busy having dinner and 'spiritual association' with an elder and his wife.. i wasn't invited, even though i am not da or df, just inactive.
and although i've made my position clear in that i'm not interested anymore i've never made any trouble really.. i didn't think it would hurt but it does.
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La Capra
The most tragic element to this JW practice is that your typical JW gets a thrill out of being able to be cruel to others on "biblical" grounds. And then the truly saddest part is that they all are so eager to do this to others that most of them end up being the wounded one by getting excluded. Instead of learning from how it feels, when back in golden status they do it to others all over again. This surely must be evil behavior.
Shoshana