Posts by nativenyr23

19

Getting over this Memorial pressure

by nativenyr23 in

jw
friends

when does it end, you guys?

i've been out of the org for 9 years now.

my family is still in .....and after not speaking to me for 5 years, they're now talking to me again.

nativenyr23

Thank you all for your replies....i feel so much better knowing that i'm not alone. I try telling my friends of my frustrations but it's hard for them to understand because they don't know the complexities involved when dealing w/the witnesses.

MOUTHY: thanks for your words of encouragement.

DMOUSE: your phrase "teach them how to think" really rang true with me. I am so worried they'll win over my children that what i tend to do is to what they do with the opposite message...adamantly oppose their teachings. I'll work on it. any more advise you can give me with regards to the children will be greatly appreciated. I really want them to have a balanced life.

Yadirf: UGH. your comment - "help your children to not know God". My children do know God. They know he's loving....and they don't have nightmares nightly like I did about armaggedon coming and destroying us....and nightmares about the tribulation coming - and someone holding a GUN to my mother's head and asking me, Jehovah or your mom! And feeling "weird" at school because i was sooo different from the others. And having stomach aches at the beginning of each school year because i knew i had to EXPLAIN to my NEW teacher WHY i was different. I've spared my children all these "LOVING PROVISIONS" your organization gave me as a child. And what's a shame is that this LOVING organization I grew up in, the one in which i had so many friends, all turned their backs on me....IN SUCH A "LOVING CHRISTIAN MANNER".....never again. I know what tonight's REALLY about...."Which sister has the most expensive dress tonight at the hall.....and Who's Kid is dressed the best;" My children will know God....don't need your demented ORG to warp their little heads.

Francois: YES! YES! I'M THE FIXER. my god you were so RIGHT ON on your description of me. the only abuse in my home was excessive discipline from my father (a ministerial servant) and his obsession with having the "model" family. . . and then his drinking when he was upset about something. Never drunk, that i could tell, but he would lock himself in the den and drink while listening to sad music.....and play the "Woe is Me" game.....still does it too! depression bad, but of course, he won't see anyone about it. Anyway, i'm the first born and i'm CONSTANTLY the fixer. Even had my parents calling me to help FIX their marriage! ugh.

Would love to chat further with any of you. Please email me if you like: [email protected].

LOVE ALL OF YOU ....thanks for making me feel better!!!!

19

Getting over this Memorial pressure

by nativenyr23 in

jw
friends

when does it end, you guys?

i've been out of the org for 9 years now.

my family is still in .....and after not speaking to me for 5 years, they're now talking to me again.

nativenyr23

When does it end, you guys? I've been out of the org for 9 years now. My family is still in .....and after not speaking to me for 5 years, they're now talking to me again. I "blatantly" celebrate xmas, halloween, thanksgiving, birthdays, etc. And it's not a secret i don't wish to have any more dealings with the witnesses. About an hour ago, my grandmother calls me to ask me, "you know what today is"? my reply was "Thursday"....although i knew where she was going with this....So she tells me tonight's the memorial, and would I go with her... I told her "NO WAY. Why would i want to go?" she gets mad and then I tell her "grandma, let's not discuss this" but she won't let up and wants to know WHY i've changed so much.....I tell her i know too much about the "truth" to know better. anyway, we get into a big fight and now things are tense between us again. she'll surely call my mom and now give her her "side" to this and things will get weird w/her too. I've been out for almost 10 years! WHEN WILL THEY LET IT GO!
UGH. and to make matters worse, my ex-husband (who is still in the Org. and has our kids every other weekend) lied to me about taking the kids on a trip and him needing them tonight. So i called him and flat out asked "When are you leaving for the trip"? He says "6:00 a.m. tomorrow morning". and I said "well then why do you want them tonight?" knowing what he'd say. When he told me he wanted to take them to the memorial i said I'd rather they didn't attend. Well, he got bossy on me (like he used to) and said I'M TAKING THEM TO THE MEMORIAL, TONIGHT. and i said NO YOU'RE NOT. IT'S NOT YOUR NIGHT. I'LL LET YOU HAVE THEM EARLY IF YOU'RE LEAVING FOR THE TRIP BUT NOT FOR THE MEMORIAL. He finally said, ok. I'm not fighting you on this. (like he'd win, HA!) So he's picking them up afterwards.

Whew...ok. There - I've vented. But i'm still angry. I'm having such a hard time cooling off from these 2 conversations! When will it not affect me so???? anyone else out there still getting this pressure from family and ex's trying to brainwash your kids? and how do you deal with it so it doesn't become a HUGE ISSUE and destroy the little progress you make with them?

2

The Star in Bethlehem

by nativenyr23 in

jw
friends

ok. i have a question.

i was raised jw - actively in it for the first 23 years of my life.

god, i remember at 13 thinking all i wanted to do was grow up and work at bethel; puke!

nativenyr23

Ok. I have a question. i was raised JW - actively in it for the first 23 years of my life. God, i remember at 13 thinking all i wanted to do was grow up and work at BETHEL; PUKE! Anyway, i grew up.... Then I too started to ask too many questions, did my own research, and have been happily out for about 10 years now (officially out 10). However, I still have very strong ties as my entire family is still in (only 4 of which speak to me). So it's difficult.

I remember being taught that Satan put that Star in the Sky when Jesus was born, so that they'd find him and come kill him. However, I couldn't find reference to this in the NWT??? Where did this story come from!? Just curious. And i don't think i have the attention span to read entire bible to try to find the answer myself.
Thanks.

2

The Star in Bethlehem

by nativenyr23 in

ok. i have a question.

i was raised jw - actively in it for the first 23 years of my life.

god, i remember at 13 thinking all i wanted to do was grow up and work at bethel; puke!

nativenyr23

Ok. I have a question. i was raised JW - actively in it for the first 23 years of my life. God, i remember at 13 thinking all i wanted to do was grow up and work at BETHEL; PUKE! Anyway, i grew up.... Then I too started to ask too many questions, did my own research, and have been happily out for about 10 years now (officially out 10). However, I still have very strong ties as my entire family is still in (only 4 of which speak to me). So it's difficult.

I remember being taught that Satan put that Star in the Sky when Jesus was born, so that they'd find him and come kill him. However, I couldn't find reference to this in the NWT??? Where did this story come from!? Just curious. And i don't think i have the attention span to read entire bible to try to find the answer myself.
Thanks.

39

Anyone Remember The Chaperone Thing?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

back when i was a lusty young lad of 17, a certain sister caught my eye - i swear that she could make her eyelashes beckon - and i duly decided to pay court to said sister.. however, it was not to be so simple.

round about that time, it would have been mid-60's, the wtbts were having a real downer on anyone who wore a short skirt (not me), danced the twist or grew their hair (me) over their ears.. but, the worse thing was still to come.

folks, i am talking about chaperoning!

nativenyr23

oh i remember the chaperoning thing VERY WELL!

this is how bad it was.....i was engaged to be married and my fiancee and I were NOT ALLOWED to go to the Tuxedo shop to pick out the tuxes w/out a chaperone!

that load of crap is exactly that....they can't watch you for the entire 24 hrs a day! If you're TRUELY faithful, you don't need someone to chaperone you. Your conscience should be your chaperone!

Typical Watchtower KGB mentality!

33

What would you say to Jesus?

by YoYoMama in

jw
friends

if at the end when jesus comes to make justice on earth and it turns out that jehovah's witnesses was the one true path, what would you say to him?.

notice i said if...

nativenyr23

I truly believe he'd have compasion for those people who SEEK him...regardless of their religious affiliation. Many non-JW want to please him and are trying to find him, and they do the best they can to live by his example.

If the JW's WERE right, i'm sure he'd have a LOT of cleaning up to do in that organization before asking others what they have to say for themselves.

43

Are you afraid?

by YoYoMama in

jw
friends

are you afraid of death?

nativenyr23

YoYo:

Just because one chooses not to remain in the organization does not mean they don't believe in the Bible. I feel MANY of the people here DO believe in the bible; they just choose to not have their interpretations of it DICTATED to them.

Now, you say you're a JW and you're afraid of death. Why? If your faith is what it "should" be per the WT, you should have nothing to fear. Perhaps your fear stems from an uncertainty you should explore further. Listen to your heart. God gave you the ability and intelligence to research and draw your own conclusions.

13

Dressing Up for Halloweenie??

by safe4kids in

jw
friends

okay you wild and crazy people...who is dressing up for halloween and whatcha gonna be?.

i'm going to be maid marion and sit on my front porch handing out candy to all the little neighborhood monsters...my daughter is harry potter this year and my son is some gruesome grinning skeleton with fake blood dripping down his face....what can i say??

how 'bout the rest of youse guys???.

nativenyr23

Greetings all:

I too shall partake in the pagan festivities! Can't WAIT! the best part about halloween is watching all the witnesses who know me DRIVE BY AND LOOK AT MY HOUSE IN AWE......you know....checking out all my jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, that annoying ghost that makes noise when you come to that door.....i do it ALL! LOVE IT!

15

Watchtower Study Oct 1-7, 2001

by dungbeetle in

do not give up in doing what is fine.

well, do not give up!

things?.

nativenyr23

YIKES!!! I JUST HAD AWFUL FLASHBACKS!!!!! BABYLON,,,,,TAKE ME AWAY!

40

British JWs ignoring the GB.

by dmouse in

jw
friends

when we have american jw relatives visit they are frequently shocked at the difference between how they live their lives and how jws over here live.

its almost as if we are from two different religions.. that divide seems to be getting wider.

i have noticed in the past two or three years a noticeable relaxation among british jws.

nativenyr23

wow. this is an interesting question. Would i go back if the rules were different and if we could question? That's hard to answer....i don't think we'd actually be going BACK....since it would be a different organization completely! I'd see it more as going forward, and i think possibly, yes, i'd go and check it out - without committing to anything though. I'd be vary wary....i'd have to make sure we could ask questions without getting in trouble; and i'd also have issues with why intelligent women couldn't conduct talk #4 in the Ministry School!