John Free

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Posts by John Free

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  12

  A useful MacDonald's advert in Taiwan teaching tolerance attacked by religious bigots

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqlfpbfiuly

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  John Free

  600 000 really? Wow that's quite a tidal wave of public opinion. Clearly, many of your country folk don't want to 'leave it alone'. Good luck.
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  12

  A useful MacDonald's advert in Taiwan teaching tolerance attacked by religious bigots

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqlfpbfiuly

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  John Free

  I have to admit I was a bigot it the past. This is another part of my JW history that I look back on feeling ashamed. When a good friend came out as gay it was a game-changer, he's a wonderful human being and it would be wrong to judge him because of his nature. Great ad.
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  56

  jw family loves to ask df'd ones for money!

  by Ghiagirl in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well it finally happened!

  we have been waiting about a year for this, my dfd husbands family asked us for money.

  even though his own father hasn't met our 8 month old son.

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  John Free

  Its shocking how the cult conditions its members to use the same mind control it espouses. Using emotional blackmail such as- 'I don't like the type of person you're becoming'- is the type of shockingly rude statement no normal person would utter. But mind control runs through the DNA of this cult. I'm glad you've found the strength not to believe this debased attempt at psychological coercion!
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  11

  I asked my wife why the memorial was not on Nissan 14 in April, and why is it in March

  by goingthruthemotions in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  the initial conversation had to do with someone who has the ability to reason for them self's.

  i than asked her.....why is the memorial in march and not in april when nissan 14 is?.

  her response..."pray to jehovah for understanding.

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  John Free

  Can't imagine Jesus inviting guests to an event but insisting they do not 'partake'. If that man could see what has evolved from that event in the upper room within the dub cult he would surely laugh out loud.

  Jesus would like you at his memorial but doesn't want you drinking the wine V friends have invited me for a few glasses of red at a local establishment. Hmm...
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  19

  Chronic relapse - what do I do?

  by wayoutthere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my first post here and unfortunately it is asking for help.. i was a born in jehovah's witness and from my earliest memories, i know i hated being one.

  i hated the embarrassment of being the "outsider" at school and i hated not being allowed to have any friends.

  of course i had the obligatory friends in the kingdom hall - none of whom were my age exactly and none of whom i would have personally chosen to be friends with if i had been left to pick them myself in a natural setting.

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  John Free

  One of the reasons I left the JWs is that it became clear to me that their literature is full of mind control-guilt trips, emotional blackmail, group pressure, scare mongering. So while my parents did choose to make the decisions that marred my upbringing they were made under a duress that to this day they are unaware exists. They live in a pressurized, highly controlled environment that has become normalized to them. Hassan's book mentioned earlier is excellent since it makes no mention of WT, yet its description of how cult mind control works, reveals WT for what it is.

  I have found talking to 1 or 2 friends about my past to be a great release. I have some exjw friends too and 1 in particular has massively benefited from professional counseling.

  A warm welcome to the forum!
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  25

  Inviting disfellowshipped to the memorial

  by wannaexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i read in a european ex jw forum that this year they are making a special effort to invite not only the inactive but also a special effort is made to invite all disfellowshipped.

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  i don't know if this as always been a common practice, or something started anew so they can boast about the numbers of attendees..

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  John Free

  They don't count everyone that partakes of the emblems anymore. Only the ones 'they' think are 'really' anointed.
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  36

  Gay ex-Bethelite

  by Chip Williamson in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just now finding this web site and have enjoyed reading the comments.

  i've never written down my story and it could be a jerry springer episode but here goes.

  i was raised as a jehovah's witness from as early as i can remember.

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  John Free

  Welcome chip!!

  Quite a twist at the end of the story!

  And they all lived happily ever after... ...

  Sorry to hear about your parents situation though but I'm glad you're living life your way.
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  9

  What if your mother tried to cut her heart out?

  by dubstepped in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is the title of the latest episode of a podcast called "this is actually happening".

  i love the podcast and imagine my surprise when this title came up.

  imagine the surprise when i realized this was about jehovah's witnesses.

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  John Free

  I think she said the father was 6 when his parents converted, and the mother was born in. The abuse would have been the catalyst for the depression followed by not seeking professional help due to the cults demonization of psychologists ect. I have 2 friends who were severely depressed when dubs to the point of attempting suicide, within a few years of leaving they have both fully recovered. Some personality types become depressed under the strains of a control group in my opinion. Thanks for sharing the story BTW.
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  9

  What if your mother tried to cut her heart out?

  by dubstepped in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is the title of the latest episode of a podcast called "this is actually happening".

  i love the podcast and imagine my surprise when this title came up.

  imagine the surprise when i realized this was about jehovah's witnesses.

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  John Free

  http://misfitrad.io/happening/71

  It was a very sad story, I understand her feelings for her dad, he was the healthy one yet his spare time was devoted to elder duties instead of fixing his disfunctional home environment.
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  4

  Intro 3

  by hillfy333 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  intro 3.

  before i continue chronologically i will need to back track a bit..

  when people ask me what caused me to wake up, i find it hard to pinpoint the exact moment..

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  John Free

  Thanks for sharing what is a powerful account. Looking forward to the next part.