Posts by MarkofCane

161

I am leaving the JW's . I am alone and scared. Advice and help needed please

by scared and lonely in

i am sorry that on my first post i am asking for help and advice but i am at my wits end.

i have been brought up a witness all my life and it is all i know.

i am an ex-elder and pioneer and i don't know anybody outside of the congregation.. i have been unhappy for so long and wanted to leave.

MarkofCane

Hi S&L

It took me years before I signed up on this forum and posted anything, I didn't trust anyone especially these people for all I knew they where some JC committee set up in Brooklyn NY, somewhere in Bethel to out apostates. They ( bOrg) really screwed up my sense of reality. When I first came here, I was sure there was a lot of biased information dispensed by ravaged apostates and set upon myself the task of proving it lies. The deeper I dug the clearer it all became.I realized I was in a Cult.

Don't worry so much, my favorite quote from Mark Twain " I've had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened"

Thing will work out. Get some employment outside of any connection from the org and set a new course, take heart there not uncharted waters. There are many experiences on this forum very similar to yours. You are not alone.

One more thing, 'You were in a cult that has manipulated your life to this day, Now take back what is yours the rest of your life and dignity.

MC

23

If your Absence doesn't affect them, then your Presence never mattered!

by stuckinarut2 in

what a powerful quote!.

"if your absence doesn't affect them, then your presence never mattered.".

how true!

MarkofCane

Sorry Stuck, I Moaned a little.

23

If your Absence doesn't affect them, then your Presence never mattered!

by stuckinarut2 in

what a powerful quote!.

"if your absence doesn't affect them, then your presence never mattered.".

how true!

MarkofCane

"If your Absence doesn't affect them, then your Presence never mattered."

Put's it into perspective doesn't it. Shunning has commence on me and my unsuspecting family, maybe i should say undeserving, me game on, they (my family) are just victims of theocratic warfare. This has all been my doing. So now, I try and talk them into going somewhere else other than meetings, they are in a subtle deprogramming stage (they just don't know it).

Have been trying to connect with people outside the Borg, its hard when your whole life it is instilled, drilled in you they are evil, its residue indoctrination I'm trying to undo but the tentacles run deep. I now try and occupy my time on things that matter, like family, savings and retirement.

"The only people who I care if my presence mattered when I'm gone is my family"

52

Does the WT attract needy dysfunctional type of people?

by William Penwell in

in your personal experience, do you think that the wt attracts needy types of people?

over the years, my experience is that they do attract very needy, insecure, dysfunctional, types.

i had an acquaintance that i just basically cut off.

MarkofCane

The only thing is these same people are probably the same ones that are on a health craze where they eat raw garlic and reek of it.

That's them, was taking tons of garlic and nobody could stand next to them. That's weird, its not just in my hall.

52

Does the WT attract needy dysfunctional type of people?

by William Penwell in

in your personal experience, do you think that the wt attracts needy types of people?

over the years, my experience is that they do attract very needy, insecure, dysfunctional, types.

i had an acquaintance that i just basically cut off.

MarkofCane

The WT does attract needy and dysfunctional people now, In the last 10 years I would say. We have a lot of people that have weird ailments, chemical sensitive, ground minerals sensitivity. Theirs this one sister that said the minerals under her house was making her sick. There are some sisters 3 that I can think of just in our hall that can't sit in the main auditorium because of peoples fragrances (perfumes).

We have a family that are full time pioneers and are basically unemployed, they get food stamps and welfare from the state. They see nothing wrong with this, once this sister said in a comment, " In Jehovah's organization there should be a equalization, from those that have to those that don't, that's what it will be like in paradise". I just thought your paradise.

Going out in service was fun too they would always send the crazy's our way. Everybody always had plans, note to self make plans.

83

Christadelphian

by Billy1000 in

my name is stephen and i am new to the forum.

i am a christadelphian and through my discussions with fellow members of my ecclesia it has inspired me to reach out to other religions to find out exactly what others believe to enhance my own faith and further bring me closer to our heavenly father.

in no way do i mean disrespect if it has been caused.

MarkofCane

I Billy welcome to the forum

Billy you are in a vary interesting place in your faith. You are waking up to a new reality. We have all crossed the bridge you are standing on. Many here have concluded that religion is a man made utopian fantasy created, as a control mechanism to demand obedience, others here are of the mind that God exist just in a different temple. If you are honest with your question's you will find answers, just keep in mind your answers will be as true, as you are to them. In other words go where it leads you, even if it uncomfortable the truth is the truth no matter what.

My journey started with just researching the history of our organization. Once the painful realization that it was all built on deception and out right lies set in. I set it aside and move on to the authenticity of the Bible. There are to many to share but I started with Noah Flood then Pharaoh and the exodus from Egypt and the ten plagues. Compare what you have been taught and what the bible says with what the evidence has to say. Look a secular history and archaeology, biology, evolution. Remember; Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, If you chuck it up to God is all powerful and can do any miracle you just have to have faith. Then you will accomplish nothing you are working with preconceived assumptions that you are unwilling or unable to question. JWfacts is a good place to visit, he has done an excellent job with the research.

My whole family is still in, wife and kids, my parents and siblings, my wife's parents, aunts and uncles. There are some on this site that are 3 or 4 generation JW's. My journey has been very painful for me and my family but necessary, I cant imagine having lived my life in a lie. Where am I now, I consider myself a agnostic with a pinch of atheism. If the evidence presents itself I'm open for discussion.

MC

79

What's a word that describes the way Witnesses behave as a group?

by paul from cleveland in

jw
friends

i can't recall the word that describes a group that keeps to itself like the witnesses do.

i thought it was "insular" but i don't think that's the one i'm looking for after reading the definition.

i remember an elder using the word "clannish" and that has the proper definition but it reminds me of a group of elves.

MarkofCane

Pharisaical; practicing or advocating strict observance of external forms and ceremonies of religion or conduct without regard to the spirit; self-righteous; hypocritical.

I feel this fits pretty good too

83

Christadelphian

by Billy1000 in

my name is stephen and i am new to the forum.

i am a christadelphian and through my discussions with fellow members of my ecclesia it has inspired me to reach out to other religions to find out exactly what others believe to enhance my own faith and further bring me closer to our heavenly father.

in no way do i mean disrespect if it has been caused.

MarkofCane

Hi Billy

This video really makes you think, nice foundation to build from. check it out.

Good luck on your journey.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl_TrvIIcBY&feature=youtu.be

30

When Did Higher Education Become Taboo?

by Wild_Thing in

jw
friends

i have been reading about the early history of russelites/jws and in the beginning, it seems the organization was formed and headed by quite a few educated people.

lawyers, doctors, businessman.

you could buy voting rights within the organization for $1000, which by today's standard would be somewhere between $15,000 and $20,000, something most of us do not have on hand, unless you are highly educated and/or wealthy.

MarkofCane

Education is Kryptonite to religion.

It shines a critical spotlight on there silliness.

MC

33

Need to vent: My loathing for the JW cult increases more and more, while my wife clings more and more to it

by goingthruthemotions in

just as i think my loathing for the jw cult has peaked, it goes higher and higher.

i wish this cult would just go away.

i wish my wife would just wake up.

MarkofCane

eyeuse2badub

I attend some Sunday meetings with her so she won't have to go alone and some assemblies. No attending the CLAM, no longer go in service, participate in meetings, clean the kh, donate, etc. Very much a fringe member to keep peace.

You are living my nightmare too? Lol.... 'That's me in the corner, losing my religion'

My wife said to me yesterday in front of the kids " Dad has been different, he seems more calm and not so distant, don't you guys agree?" There like, yes are you taking something?

Well the truth is, since I signed up here, I have a place to vent and stopped venting on my wife which affects the kids.(now I vent on you kind people) Now my approach is, subtle ways, I will mention a news report about cult's or about JW's, I don't criticize anything, I let her come to her own conclusions and let her own it. It works she missed 3 midweek meeting in a row, I didn't mention anything nor did she. She's even shared with me some negative stuff that's going on in the KH recently. I just shook my head and said "terrible"

I have been keeping her busy with stuff, I spent some time and found out what her passion's are. As a JW you reject any time consuming hobbies and focus on WT agenda, well now we spend a lot of time and some money on her interest. I'm not saying this is the solution but it does break the hard shell and once your inside, its easier.

MC