Posts by lauralisa

8

The Watchtower Ruins Children and Families

by metatron in

jw
friends

i repeat this subject because i see it come up as a defense.

of the organization ("do the math").

it makes my blood boil!.

lauralisa

Metatron,

Your post is articulate and succinct, and so accurate...

It is refreshing and healing to realize that there actually ARE people out there who can just say it like it is so well... helps me organize my thoughts and own internal struggles.... why is the phenomenon of global denial so endemic in this religion? I still have to fight the impulse to "go back there" even after a year of complete inactivity and more awareness than I can tolerate at times of just how completely screwed up the entire organization is from top to bottom.....

Maybe it's like addiction.... I've not been addicted to drugs before but have known people who are in recovery. They speak about the "substance" they abuse providing them at first with this initial blast of euphoric wonderfulness, and each time they use the substance it's an attempt to get back to that first initial experience. But usually it doesn't work... then the hamster wheel behavior begins and they can't get out of the cycle.

I wasn't raised a jw, came into it at age 31, and had no family or friends involved... but my initial experience when I started to study was such incredible relief and joy. I just believed in this dream world - was led to believe - that absolute love, peace, truth, knowledge, all those absolutes that some of us simply crave - were available HERE and NOW..... they were practiced and were daily experiences of those who were "worshipers of Jehovah". For years I believed I saw these things and people were actually capable of living this way (like the "new system" had already started.... yes, we had these pesky imperfections to deal with, but with enough determination - enough insertion of ingrained, BS platitudes - they could be, well, just ignored?). Then over the years I began to see that it was not only a charade, it was a blisteringly-wrong, even deliberately evil deception of a type and on a scale that is still difficult for me to grasp intellectually......

But I still want to recapture that feeling of safety and security and hope because it was the greatest drug imaginable. Ick... thank you for having the insight and courage to just say it like it is.

have a good one, lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

7

The lesson my child taught me today

by Esmeralda in

jw
friends

i know that my child is well off.

we're not rich, by any means.

we're still in the post college, young years of marriage, just "starting out".

lauralisa

Essie,

it is an honor to read your posts... thank you.

lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

30

worst site for any Convention

by hillbilly in

jw
friends

what do you consider the worst venues holding conventions?.

indoor?, outdoor?.

my votes go to: #1- the hollywood (broward county)florida "sportatorium" why?

lauralisa

closer to fine:

add me to your "Vet" veteran list

lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

32

May I have some comments, please?

by Kent in

jw
friends

i did get an interesting mail from "mommy" - and i think this might be interesting to dig into.. please, let me have some comments!.

http://watchtower.observer.org/apps/pbcs.dll/artikkel?nocache=1&dato=20011015&kategori=news&lopenr=110150008&ref=ar.

yakki da.

lauralisa

Well, Kent,

You asked (very politely!) for some comments... so far, you've gotten some pretty good comments, don't you think? And as far as I can tell, NO ONE is just reading them right from the paragraph.

lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

8

'To Whom Do They Belong There's Much Uncertainty!

by hillary_step in

jw
friends

it is not a new revelation to see the striking and overwhelming parallels between the wts, its modus operandi and the legalistic leanings of the rabbis of ancient israel.

these interpreters of the law, developed rabbinical prisons enclosed by walls of complex rules and regulations by which they held power over their adherents.

note how the wts explains their actions :the decisions of the rabbis quoted in the mishnah would affect the day-to-day lives of jews everywhere.

lauralisa

up...

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

19

Are you the one with the answer?

by ring in

jw
friends

first off, i am not a jw anymore,was one for over 20 years.haven't set foot in the kingdom hall for 9 years.

my question is"why not be truthful about what this site is?

"this site is set up to look at first appearence as a legitimit witness site.why the "front"?if users here are proud of their x-jw status,or are proud of the fact they have left the wbts organization,why isn't this site named x-jehovah witness.com ?

lauralisa

Any active Jehovah's witness is welcomed here.

Dialogue is open to any subject, but this is not a place where one can come and find encouragement to spew stale, disproven rhetoric. There are other forums where one can go and get plenty of positive warm fuzzy feedback for spewing that day's current "light" on subjects as promulgated in the Watchtower and Awake magazines.

If any active JW can support an argument, defend their position, back it up with logic, facts, and reproducible results, they will find at least some people with whom to relate.

That would actually be interesting! But, the prohibitions against going on-line that currently exist for JW's make it such that most people who are lurking already have questions. This is a good forum for such people.

After getting to the point where they have to choose between reasoning and "loyalty" to an organization that is leaking faster than they can bail, well, that usually reveals what they are truly seeking......

just a few thoughts.

lauralisa

HI ANDEE!!!!!!!!

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

8

Getting busier all the time

by Simon in

jw
friends

in case anyone is interested in how much this site get's used, here are the 'highlights' from last week:.

over 2 million hits (this is a request for 'anything' including graphics).

over 985,000 page views (this includes the 'chat' feature which bumps it up though).

lauralisa

Simon,

You totally rock
Enclosed please find my check in the amount of $1,000.000.000

love, lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

11

<=== Noob here.. my story...

by Stash Daytripper in

jw
friends

it was asked of me in chat to post my story here.

i had plans to do so.. but wanted to meet everyone in real chat first.. first off... any info i post about myslef will put me at a great disadvantage on these boards.. so if you could please relpy.. tell me your story as well.

ok where to start.... i grew up, like most jw's, in a troubled home.

lauralisa

Welcome Stash,

What struck me the most about your story is the number of times you have experienced abandonment.... either outright rejection, or the insidious threat of rejection. You have also had to endure people in authority over you either disregard or simply ignore situations that to you were simply wrong (by their definition, no less, even though you were an eyewitness.

Sorry if the language offends, but I have always called this dilemma 'mind-fuck'... when two inconsistent realities collide like this and you have to play into their denials or risk consequences that affect your ability to feel "safe" in the world, it screws with your thinking. Conform or be cast out, etc.

Add to this whole thing the elements of addiction and its whole basket of crap and you have the perfect recipe for PTSD.

I am among many here who have to contend daily with the effort of reconciling what seems true with what feels right with what is supposed to be right with what is obviously not right but who really knows what is right? huh?

Some people are just born into a fortunate situation where they are fed healthy things like love, consistency, security, etc. Others, following their instincts, seek a place where they don't always have to be guessing, panicking, wondering wtf. I don't know about other people specifically, but I find that living in such chronic confusion feels shitty, and I am always seeking relief from it. I tried lots of mood-mind-altering agents and behaviors in my youth, but now really try to do it cognitively. It's hard work.... but it is MUCH LESS DIFFICULT NOW THAT I'M ALMOST A YEAR OUT OF THE MIND-FUCK called WTBS.

There is a lot of wisdom here as well as compassion and empathy.... also, lots of anger and despair. Also lots of comic relief. Also lots of people whose agendas are weird as hell, but hey, there is room for them. You don't have to read their stuff or respond to it. I find it endlessly fascinating to watch people evolve in their paths. I can't seem to get into the chat room because I have a macintosh, which is of course superior in all ways to a pc, but that is another discussion... wish I could though, so I could develop a more personal connection with some others here. My postings usually go completely unnoticed. But I get much insight into things just studying others' stuff and it has helped me immensely.

Hope you find some peace... I'm glad you have such a wonderful partner... I have one and it has made all of the difference in the world.

lauralisa

ps...... typing doesn't count!!!!

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

12

Jehovah Cancels New System Because of UN Stuff

by ISP in

jw
friends

reuters.... in a surprise development today, jehovah, the god of the christian fundamentalist sect 'jehovah's witnesses' made a statement about the recent controversy regarding the watchtower bible and tract society(wts) and its ngo status.

the 'wts' has now dissassociated itself from its previous ngo connection but had held such a position for the past 9 years or so.

'i've had enough' said the diety, 'i just don't know what i am supposed to do with these people.

lauralisa

thank you, ISP... perfect foil to a freaky day

still cracking up, lauralisa

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)

91

WHAT`s YOUR FAVORITE BEER!

by OUTLAW in

jw
friends

i like molson canadian,except when i`m out of the country.then i only drink imported beer...molson canadian.

lauralisa

I love beer; my longtime fav is Blue Moon belgian White ale. There is a microbrewery in Virginia, USA that makes a bunch of different batches of "Victory ales" which are awesome!

It's only water from a stranger's tear (Peter Gabriel)