Theonlyoneleft

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Posts by Theonlyoneleft

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  17

  First Xmas? Or older traditions? 🎄

  by Theonlyoneleft in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  is anyone here doing their first xmas this year?🎄🎄.

  i love xmas!

  almost around the corner and i’ve started thinking of all the prep needed for family time.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Snugglebunny, how funny 😂🤣🤣.

  The end is near indeed of.... the chip and pin.

  Thank goodness for online shopping and for the touch and pay. Phew, Amargedon diverted for another few years.

  Funny story, thank you for sharing it.
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  17

  First Xmas? Or older traditions? 🎄

  by Theonlyoneleft in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  is anyone here doing their first xmas this year?🎄🎄.

  i love xmas!

  almost around the corner and i’ve started thinking of all the prep needed for family time.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Thank you for your thoughts, experiences and ideas. It’s good to hear your stories.

  Certainly agree that Xmas traditions need to be cultivated during life and maybe if these are not Xmas time doesn’t pull the same emotions if there was family traditions to look forward to.

  Agreed too to the commercially side of it, but I enjoy that too. 🤣 The advertising on tv, the stores loaded with things we might not need.... the silliness of Xmas.

  Latest years have been more of making gifts that mean much more than bought ones. Keeps me busy over the “don’t have nothing to do hours”.

  There was one year when my children were younger that we banned all bought tree decorations. The tree was really bare.

  In the weekends running up to Xmas we spent hours doing popcorn strings and homemade pom-poms to hang. We had such fun!.... but the mess 🤣🤣🤣🤣

  To those doing Xmas first time I would say find something that it becomes a yearly tradition for you and your family. Becomes part of your fabric to be followed by future generations. We have adopted so many things from friends and added our own.

  Two years ago around Xmas time I did a collection of food for our local food bank. Went really well. This year I’m still thinking... need to do something new. 😁

  Hope that whatever you do over those holidays days is spent doing something you enjoy with those you care about. Happy holidays & happy times. ☺️☺️
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  17

  First Xmas? Or older traditions? 🎄

  by Theonlyoneleft in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  is anyone here doing their first xmas this year?🎄🎄.

  i love xmas!

  almost around the corner and i’ve started thinking of all the prep needed for family time.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Is anyone here doing their first Xmas this year?🎄🎄

  I LOVE Xmas! Almost around the corner and I’ve started thinking of all the prep needed for family time.

  I don’t care much about the religious side of it... was something that my mum did as I recall some happy memory that I still hold dear. Mum was not a witness, she studied but left... older siblings got baptised and are IN still today.

  When I was young-ER Xmas was celebrated with my mum and siblings that “pretended “ not to care much about the Xmas tree or the fantastic Xmas meal as well as the huge table mum laid out in Xmas eve. Yummy.

  We were poor, didn’t really have loads of stuff (mum held three jobs to make do) but Xmas was something else!!!....as my mum was a chef and fantastic pastry chef the table would be gleaming of goodies that she spent the day working on...... as extras, of the Xmas customers orders to be able to DO Xmas for us.

  My two siblings were baptised witnesses by then and for them there was nothing more revolting than have to sit through dinner.... Xmas dinner!... ah ah ah... And they had to eat it too! Lol 😂

  They used to say that this was just a dinner to them, afterwards they would refuse to open presents straight away as trying to make a claim that they were not interested in those shiny wrapped presents. 👀

  They would finaly say “Well if someone wants to give you a gift then it’s ok to accept it.”

  Last Xmas with mum and siblings this way was in the late 90s. From there on... there was a time that I didn’t bothered with Xmas) (my poor kids!) but I’ve been doing it without fail since 2004.

  Yesterday made 15 years that mum passed with cancer..... no one remembered her... siblings all quiet. 😔

  I couldn’t help to think of the good times that she tried to bring us all together despite all the jw rules applied by my older sibling (yes!... 😡 implemented shitty rules like the elders were on her shoulders!).

  Mum got a tree, I decorated it with younger siblings and we ate like kings. And... we got gifts. I could tell those nasty bullies at school that actually I was not a weirdo... I had a Xmas too just like them. Xmas day 25th was spent with my grandparents, cousins and aunts and uncles. Some more great food followed with socks, underwear and some lavender goods. I hated lavender and couldn’t be bothered with those silly gifts ( I really wanted toys) that my grandma gave me but I how much I miss it all now.

  Xmas times for me is a time to get together with my kids... no one else of my family does Xmas. They stay away.

  I hear friends plans to visit family, gifts concoctions between them, family travelling in...and makes me so sad that every time I tried to share my holiday plans or traditions the response is just a silent answer over a telephone call or a change of subject. I still shared but awkward! Well... if I can stay quiet and pretend to hear that joh-boh- loh-bah dedication prayer over that visiting meal...( not anymore HAH HAH) then you can hear my tedious plans of Xmas gifts list!

  I love Xmas time because I’m building happy memories for my children and traditions for them to have in the future to pass on to their children one day.

  is anyone celebrating Xmas first time this year?

  If you don’t... what do you normally do over the holidays?

  if you did as a kid...what special traditions do you recall?

  over to you. 😊
  
  
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  18

  Is this something new?

  by Butyoucanneverleave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just heard from a friend who keeps in touch with the jw's.

  a person who has been studying found out some things on line about the witnesses and decided to not get baptized and stopped attending the meetings.

  she lives with a witness.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Blondie thank you for the explanation. Really appreciate your comments and wisdom. (Sometimes I wish I could borrow your knowledge for a few hours ☺️)

  thank goodness she had the will and wit to look online! Getting out while she hasn’t been affected by this crazy cult.

  Disfellowshipping is insane in itself. One day you’re my friend... next day you’re not... then you are again.... 🙄.

  Looks to me that the tight message they put out to members the more control they want.

  Hopefully this will be the downside of the whole thing and will help many to free themselves of it.
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  55

  Unique JW Phrases 101

  by Solzhenitsyn in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what unique to jws phrases do you remember?

  something fun for those of us taught to speak an entirely unique and pure language.

  there have been posts in the past in this forum but perhaps some have new ones after having kept up with jehovah's chariot as the light gets brighter.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  I think no one can deny that at least this shitty religion has taught us all something.... vocabulary.
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  26

  As a JW Did You Prefer a “Stricter” Congregation or a More Liberal One?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my experience, there were three types of witnesses.

  some were barely witnesses while others were extremely conservative types who followed the letter of the law.

  and then you had those in the middle who just went with the flow.. i knew many witnesses who “felt safe” being in a stricter environment.they were actually proud that they belonged to such and such congregation because it was filled with strict bethelites..

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Redvip I agree with you.

  To be special and one of the Jehovah’s Witnesses they need to apply the rules that WT puts into place over all members.

  otherwise... they would not be in a clique of their own as it is....and no longer...special. 🧐

  
  They suffer as God’s people’s via the sacrifices they make, just highlights it even more....that special feeling.

  “I'm such a good parent - thought brother Tom - even though my child was ill I didn’t let Satan persuade me to stay home and miss Sunday’s meeting. I’m so glad we came...the talk was exactly what we needed to hear as a family!”

  I was once appalled that my nephew that was visiting us, went to visit the Bethel here.

  but the poor lad had the flu... I mean the full FLU not a cold.

  Temperature, non stop cough and he looked so ill that the only place he belonged was inside a warm bed.

  none the less... as a guided visit to Bethel had been booked... the poor boy was made to dress up his suit, and travel for the long way to his unsavoury destination.

  i told my sibling... why don’t you leave him here, he’s so sick.

  The simple reply was a no without explanation.

  once they returned I was told that he was ok, had not been that bad as he had slept on the bus.

  Strict or just insane decision?!

  I’m still trying to process some situations that look crazy to me.
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  36

  how do you perceive God ?

  by stan livedeath in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what i'm trying to do is ask what theists think god is like.. also--why is he invisible.. how big is he ?.

  in fact--why is god a he--not a she.

  or is he / she hermaphrodite ?.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Stan,

  until a while ago, I still believed that there was a God and a son, Jesus as well as an overall of religious beliefs.

  but... since I have joined this site I have had the privilege of reading some of many experiences and stories and explanations of some of the things that I believed.

  I’m no longer 100% sure that there’s a God, or even the story of evolution. This is so weird to me.

  i used to say often to myself.... better do the right thing... God’s watching. I still feel like that some of the time but then I wonder why I’m still thinking like it.

  I’m on the path of researching. I no longer know what I believe.
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  55

  Unique JW Phrases 101

  by Solzhenitsyn in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what unique to jws phrases do you remember?

  something fun for those of us taught to speak an entirely unique and pure language.

  there have been posts in the past in this forum but perhaps some have new ones after having kept up with jehovah's chariot as the light gets brighter.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  “Last days.”

  ”no illness in paradise”.

  Here’s a good one “Conscientious decisions.”

  “Blood fractions”.

  Governing body.

  so many... hard to keep track of it all. So much bullshit that my eyes water. 💦
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  30

  The Watchtower stole from me and you too

  by rickroll in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  think of how much time and money the tower stole from any who were in the cult.

  think of the vacations as a child you could have taken with your families the memories you could have made instead of sitting in a hot bs week of echo talks and propaganda.

  they stole so much from us.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  @stan,

  Oh stan that’s so sad. I hope they one day get released and can meet you.

  Darn! The ones that don’t have a grandpa...want one.... and the ones that do.... don’t know how lucky they really are. 😔

  ••••••••••••••••••

  I was lucky to not stay in there for long even if my family is still there. All siblings and nieces and nephews.

  Every time my children do something amazing I’m reminded that they are free to do whatever they want and to see life in a different way that I did when I was their age, I’m happy and satisfied that they escaped all the bullying that I went through.

  in other hand I know that my nephews are pretty happy going to meetings and social events and conventions etc. I have a nephew that has the most kind heart and naive soul ever.

  I’m glad I know the truth isn’t the truth and that I have options in life.

  To those that spent many years inside.... I can only wish that you are making the most of it now.

  Life is really sooo short, the only way to win is to live and stick two fingers up to the GB, the WT and the rest of it.

  Long live us!
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  16

  The reactive mind vs the thoughtful mind...

  by RayoFlight2014 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a thought came to me as i was posting on another topic.

  my reactionary mind, responding to watchtower's cruel and hostile treatment of genuine truthseekers who can no longer reconcile with watchtower's narrative was, " may the collapse begin".. but then my thoughts turned to how that would affect my parents and siblings who are blissfully oblivious with their collective heads in the sand.

  all their hopes and future joy has been postponed for decades awaiting paradise while fighting off the black dog that is depression.

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  Theonlyoneleft

  Rayoflight,

  i really feel for you and understand your worries.

  Whatever or whenever happens in the future, they are blessed for having you to help them deal with the ugly feelings and also maybe the reality of the freedom that they will have too.

  I wish you all the best, your family is very lucky to have someone that deeply cares and will continually support them in their struggles.

  I’m sure when the times comes you’ll be there awaiting in the wings to take action.

  Good luck for the future ☺️.