Posts by Lollylou

56

PLEASE WELCOME-MY SISTER TO THE BOARD

by zev in

jw
friends

she tells me she registered as "shunned".

please give her the big warm apostate .

j w d style!!!.

Lollylou

Welcome! You will find comfort and friends here. Better friends than could ever be found in the so-called "Brotherhood of Witnesses". Hope to hear more about you soon. Lollylou

31

Name some practices of the WTS that are'nt bibical

by Leander in

jw
friends

my personal hell has started since i told my wife i was stepping down and why i was doing so.

she has barely said 2 sentences to me in the last 24 hours, but i can understand her being upset so i'm trying my best to remain patient.. yesterday afternoon i told my cousin who is also one of my closest friends about my decision.

we ended up talking about it for more than 4 hours.

Lollylou

This is an amazing thread. I haven't plugged in for awhile and have missed the encouragement that comes from everyone here. I have read Franz's book "In Search Of Christian Freedom" I highly recommend it for the task you have at hand. I would suggest that you not let your wife see that you have it while she is in the current state of mind as you would get DFed for having it.
I wish you the best and hope your wife will join you in your newly found freedom! Lollylou

17

sad elder's wives and kids

by wheelwithinwheel in

jw
friends

after sharing their husbands and fathers with the congregation pretty well every night and weekend during the year ... finally the pagan holidays promise a bit of family time for elders wives and children ... so what does the wts do?

organize an elders course, naturally!

wouldnt want these guys to have some family time, would we now?.

Lollylou

I was an elder's wife for over 20 years, and believe me it contributed greatly to the breakup of my marriage. After every meeting there were elder's meetings on top of the regular meeting. Our kids (3) were completely done in by the end of it. And naturally Mom had to handle it all because you weren't being "theocratic" if you went home without your husband, or if you got him to help during meetings, because then he couldn't pay attention. And our poor children - goading them into answering, making them sit up straight, don't talk, don't squirm, pay attention, follow in the publication, and oh my gosh if they drew something instead of listening-Wham!
YECH! What I wouldn't give to be able to live those years over!
The WTS only thinks of putting the org first and families second.

17

What if?- A sobering Thought!

by Bill Parker in

jw
friends

has anyone ever pondered over the two scripture's at matthew 25: 31, 32 and daniel 12:1?

the first tells us that the son of man is "sitting down" ... and that then a "separating" work begins.

then in daniel 12:1 it tells us that when michael "stands up" a great time of trouble ensues.. do you think it's possible he is not yet "standing up?

Lollylou

Since most of us come from the WTBTS background, I would say we have taken charge of our lives at long last and are willing to stand on our own (not through an organization) when in fact we do stand before God. This has not been an easy road or the path of least resistance. So I think we are all betting on ourselves having a good moral fortitude and knowing that we are better off now than with the Borg as mediator for us with God.

Lollylou

20

DF'd 4 smoking........feel unworthy;yet....

by IWish4Truth in

jw
friends

i was df'd 6 months ago for smoking cigarettes.

i really reached out for help but had a hard time breaking the habit.

maybe i should have been disfellowshipped, according to why it is done.

Lollylou

Dear I Wish 4 Truth,
Well I think you found the truth of how JW's respond when we need help the most. They aren't there. I was 49 when I was df'd. I lost all my life-long friends. I didn't think I would make it without the WTBTS, so I trudged to those meetings for better than a year with no one speaking, giving me furtive looks, and even getting anonymous "love you" notes, and hang in there messages via my kids.
Well guess what? I got reinstated, I tried to pick up where I left off with my "friends" & meetings and all of a sudden I realized I didn't want to be there. I had found the truth and it wasn't there. I had learned too much while I was outside the organization. I found out there are wonderful loving people on the outside and there actually are people with a strong Christian faith that show true Christianity without bias. I too began to smoke, but I believe it was because nobody was going to tell I couldn't. I decided that things truly are between me and my God (thank God) and not everybody else. I will answer to God for my choices and never again worry more about men than Him. It is taking time, but I have made some friends and I believe they are more genuine than the ones I had for over thirty years in the WTBTS.
I agree. Do some research. Read "In Search of Christian Freedom" by Raymond Franz. It will help open your eyes to some wonderful possibilities.
E-mail me if I can help. [email protected]

10

In Search of Christian Freedom Poll

by Escargot in

jw
friends

well, a poll was taken on what impressed you about coc, now, what about franz second book, in search of christion freedom?.

when i read coc, i said, ok, just another man made religion, at least most the doctrines and the edicts were mostly right.

when i first opened isocf, i glanced the chapter index, what?, i thought, how can door to door be an issue?

Lollylou

I totally agree with your comments on both books. They are a must read. I read COC when I was disfellowshipped. I was shocked by what I read and dismayed. I still trudged to the meetings, feeling what else is there. I got reinstated. Even though I had gone back to meetings and gotten reinstated I still had a desperate loss of faith. My son gave me ISOCF. It helped put the pieces back together for me. I found there was faith outside the org. I choose to leave only three months after I was reinstated. I too feel the "the truth will set you free" and am thoroughly enjoying the experience.

8

I'm facing a new dilemma...

by Stash Daytripper in

jw
friends

i have been floating on these boards for close to a week now.

kudos to all you peeps who actively search out the real truth and make it apparent to everyone.

i posted my personal story earlier, hopefully those that read it will understand my dilemma now.... do i try to convert my brother out of the organization?.

Lollylou

Hi,
I would like to share a thought I had with you during the period of time I was torn between going and staying.

In Matthew chapter 7, JW's teach that the narrow and cramped road leading to life is the "truth" as they know it. You get on the road to life by studying with them and continue on by remaining in the "truth".

Since leaving the WTBTS I have been to other churches and I have studied just the Bible and found out there is alot of good out there besides JW's.

Bottom line I think is that "The narrrow and cramped road" Jesus spoke of isn't one certain religion, but a way of life. Each of us needs to decide what makes us the best person we can be. Different people use different vehicles to stay on the "road". For some it may be attending the Baptist church, for another it might be the Catholic church or Christian Church or so on...or maybe for some it is being a Jehovah's Witness.

Just a thought. Lollylou

8

Questions concerning world events!

by Lollylou in

jw
friends

as someone who was once associated with the wt (over 30 years) i have to say i am in a quandary.

with world events shaping up as they are i keep reflecting on many things i learned as a jw and some of the pieces fit together.

however, the many things i have learned about the organization upon chosing to leave have me stumped.. how can an organization put out teachings about the "scarlet colored wild beast", apply it to the un and yet be a ngo of that organization?.

Lollylou

All who replied - Thank you for the comments. It helps to just be able to sound off what I am thinking. Their are not many who understand unless they have gone through the process. I will do some more research and land on my feet (outside WTBS).

Lollylou

8

Questions concerning world events!

by Lollylou in

jw
friends

as someone who was once associated with the wt (over 30 years) i have to say i am in a quandary.

with world events shaping up as they are i keep reflecting on many things i learned as a jw and some of the pieces fit together.

however, the many things i have learned about the organization upon chosing to leave have me stumped.. how can an organization put out teachings about the "scarlet colored wild beast", apply it to the un and yet be a ngo of that organization?.

Lollylou

As someone who was once associated with the WT (over 30 years) I have to say I am in a quandary. With world events shaping up as they are I keep reflecting on many things I learned as a JW and some of the pieces fit together. However, the many things I have learned about the organization upon chosing to leave have me stumped.
How can an organization put out teachings about the "Scarlet Colored Wild Beast", apply it to the UN and yet be a NGO of that organization?
How can an organization allow members of it to be so brutally persecuted in some lands for not carrying a government card, and yet in another country say it is okay to do just that to avoid "brothers" having problems?
How can the same organization that says it is Christian and yet treat some of their members so unchristian?
The list goes on and on.
Yet how can they have so much reasonable truth when it comes to explaining basic bible teachings?
I have seen the good and was totally devoted for so long. But now I have seen the bad, perhaps the worst and can't get balanced.
I need a voice of reason! Is there any out there?
I have thought about calling a one time witness friend to discuss this, but I am sure their main thing will be to just get me to come back and before I do anything I need some answers!
Help! Lollylou