Posts by outnfree

14

Blood -- How Many Die?

by Marvin Shilmer in

blood -- how many die?

when it comes to estimating deaths related to the wts blood doctrine articles such as the following may be valuable.

the december 2004 (volume 32, issue 6) issue of anaesthesia and intensive care(1) has a well-written audit article on jehovah's witnesses and blood.

outnfree

Bem,

Bless you for donating your Rh neg blood! I can't do so anymore, and I regret it, as donating blood was one of my first acts after gaining independence from the WTS.

I, too, am Rh neg and had the Rhogam decision to make with my children. I wasn't yet a baptized witness, but with my last pregnancy I was already dedicated. So it was a very tough decision to make as I had been unaware that Rhogam was a blood product! Only when I mentioned to the OB/GYN that I would refuse blood were there to be complications was I let in on the fact that I had already chosen to protect my two previous unborns by using a blood fraction. I elected to take the Rhogam, feeling it was unfair to my husband and unborn child to put the baby at risk because of my newfound "beliefs." But I DID opt not to take the post-partum Rhogam, so I made CERTAIN that we did not want any more children. If I were to become pregnant again, I would have faced the same sad and scary situation that your cousin is now facing.

What I don't understand is WHY she chose as she did (with her Mom's guidance/support?). What positively INFURIATED me, and nearly made me leave Jehovah's Witnesses less than two years after my baptism, was the June 1990 (can't remember if it was in a WT or an Awake, but I think the 6/15 WT) article saying that blood fractions were now allowed. Your cousin did NOT have to put future pregnancies at risk according to that article's "new light." Taking Rhogam, like other anti-venom or immune-boosting treatments, is a conscious matter. I FREAKED out and confronted the CO when he arrived shortly thereafter asking him why something forbidden was now okay? His response was, "Because the Society says so." And he dismissed me and moved on!!! I should've left right then, but it took me almost another decade to extricate myself. Silly me!

I'm sorry for your worry over your cousin and her developing child.

out

39

My response from the CCoJW inre UN/DPI

by AuldSoul in

outnfree

How does this compare with some earlier responses from the organization? Seems to me they've "refined" their response. Of course, they still use a lot of conditionals...

Wouldn't it have been nice just ONCE to have had them say, "We messed up. We shouldn't have joined (for TEN years!). We apologize for having stumbled anyone." But nooooo.... it is Satan who stumbles the weak members of the organization, and the WT never fails to squarely put all blame for its shortcomings on Satan or the poor publishers!

Thanks for sharing this, AuldSoul.

outnfree

29

Fourth and Final Chemo Treatment Coming Up

by simplesally in

jw
friends

well, its coming up on monday, my last chemo treatment!!

i cannot believe i have had 3 treatments already.

after the chemo, i will be treated with herceptin and taxol for 12 weeks, weekly infusions.

outnfree

(((((Sally))))) It is so nice to see a "Progress Report" from you! I have been keeping you in my prayers. I am about to begin my Taxol/Herceptin regimen this month, too -- next Thursday. For me, the Taxol will be every third week, but the Herceptin will be a full year of weekly treatments. I was dreading the weekly thing, but was told that once I get to the Herceptin alone phase it'll be a breeze. I certainly hope so, for both our sakes. As for the hats-in-the-house, I wear one, too, but find myself yanking it off from time to time when the hot flashes occur. And yet, it's winter in Michigan, and so I laugh about being "... Mom in her cap, all settled down for a long winter's nap" when I find my bald, cold head prevents me from falling asleep!!! I am glad to hear your reconstruction is going well and I, too, applaud your can-do attitude! Love, Brenda

38

I just found this site....THANK GOD!

by confused_101 in

jw
friends

ok long story short i was baptized at 17 (because i felt pressured into it), and i was df about 2yrs ago i believe (i'm 27 now).

i wasn't at the final meeting, or any meeting about my dfing.

i had an elder call me twice at work and tell me that there was meeting that night.

outnfree

(Gerard, loved that parable!)

confused,

I haven't read all the responses, but wanted to welcome you to JWD. And also to share this quote:

To be a person of truth, be swayed neither by approval nor disapproval.

Work at not needing approval from anyone and you will be free to be who you really are.

- Rebbe Nachman of Breslov

Good luck on your continued journey out.

23

HEY I MADE IT!!!!

by Pistoff in

jw
friends

you are lookin' at a jedi master my friend!!

congratulate me.

when i can to this place, i was one sick puppy.

outnfree

CONGRATULATIONS, Pistoff!!!!

It's wonderful to lose the guilt/misinformation!

2

DOING THE RIGHT THING

by Rodmotown in

jw
friends

gwendolyn williams

gwendolyn s. williams wilson

gwendolyn williams

outnfree

You (or Ms. Williams) may have to threaten to sue the local elder and his wife, too, to get a reaction from the Society.

Are you from the Detroit area, Rodmotown ? If so, and you'd like to be kept informed of upcoming social events in the SE Michigan area, send me a private message through this site.

Good luck with the [promotion of the] pursuit of justice and welcome to the board.

outnfree

33

It's almost Christmas!

by under74 in

jw
friends

anyone else excited?

i'm not excited about everything...there was a family fight at thanksgiving that hasn't been totally resolved yet.

not sure how it will all turn out.

outnfree

under,

I promise you'll get an invite to my party.

out

5

Mad Apostate Letter Revision?

by Confession in

just came across this "mad apostate" form letter in the best of area.... to whom it may concern: .

your harassing inquiries into our personal affairs are not welcomed, and any further attempts at such will result in legal action against the individual harassers, the --city--, --state-- congregation of jehovah's witnesses, the watchtower bible and tract society of new york, inc., the christian congregation of jehovah's witnesses, inc., and all associated watchower legal entities.

to the best of our recollection, we have not participated in field service in approximately __ months, have attended no meetings in approximately __ months, nor have we participated in any other activities which would specifically identify us as jehovah's witnesses during the same time period.

outnfree

I'm pretty sure MadApostate wrote that suggested letter BEFORE the change to "Joe Blow is no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses" was instituted. In fact, I wonder if the change was made because many of us had the nerve to threaten specific legal action against local elders and the Society should we be slandered as a result of our fading/disassociation/cause for disfellowshipping. I know I did, and that was in 2001. At the time, I believe the exact wording used was "Sister Cxxx has disassociated herself and is no longer considered one of Jehovah's Witnesses." (I was present at the announcement.) I'm pretty sure MadApostate offered up his template after March of 2001.

outnfree (and not regretting a single moment!)

33

It's almost Christmas!

by under74 in

jw
friends

anyone else excited?

i'm not excited about everything...there was a family fight at thanksgiving that hasn't been totally resolved yet.

not sure how it will all turn out.

outnfree

Oh, I LIKE birthdays, under74!

"Double holiday" is the problem. All of us poor suckers who have birthdays in late December have to cope with people not being around to share them -- vacations out of town, visiting other family members, people having limited cash to buy presents with as they spent most of it on Christmas gifts, people wanting to tie what should be your special day in with Christmas parties, people outright forgetting that it's your birthday because they are all caught up in the obligations of the holiday season, not getting separate B'day cards but rather Christmas cards with an "Oh! and Happy December Birthday, too!" tacked on, etc., and, as a kid, never being able to have a birthday party on your actual birthday because all your friends have family obligations!

In fact, I am planning on starting a tradition next year to have an annual "Having a December Birthday Really Sucks!" party each year for all my friends and acquaintances who have been relatively gypped all their lives. Not sure if I should hold it in December or in June. December is the common link, but in all reality the financial crunch still exists, whereas in June we could be generous in choosing really nice gifts for one another. Bears some thinking about as I myself try very hard not to forget ANYONE born this month.

But I still like the trees, the carols and the wrapping!

38

Shocking News!

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

what was the most shocking news you have ever heard ?.

for example: jfk assassinated in dallas!.

elvis found dead in bathroom!.

outnfree

I don't think you're heartless, BluesBrother! I remember all the things bikerchic listed (except it was a nephew dying at 2 and my sister dying at 43 on the homefronts), and I knew Cowboy's sad story, and yet I was really, really upset when John Lennon was assassinated, for example.

My four biggest personal hells to date were the news that my father had died while I was attending school in Switzerland, my own diagnosis of breast cancer (if you think realizing that living forever is a lie and that death awaits us all is a shocker, wait until you have been told you have a life-threatening disease!!!), and, undoubtedly the WORST, 9/11/2001 which even eclipsed my daughter's brain surgery!

Not only did I share in the enormous grief of my entire nation at what was happening, but I watched the events on the TV in a hospital waiting room and was called away from the second tower crash to be told that my then-husband was a ticking time bomb. Four clogged arteries and a miracle he hadn't had a heart attack yet; transfer imminent to a different hospital where open heart surgery would be performed ASAP and I had absolutely NO relatives living in the same part of the country with me!!! And I had DA'd from the "Friends" in March of that same year. Thank God for nice neighbors and newly minted friends!!!!

Then, to make things worse, we had to sit on pins and needles for another TWO days before the surgery was performed because Beaumont was a National Trauma Center and they were only performing emergency surgeries in order to conserve blood that might be needed for the airlifted wounded from the World Trade Center. Sadly, as we later learned, the proportion of "wounded" to "killed" was very low.

In the meantime, my sister-in-law and my mother bravely drove out from Connecticut and New York, respectively, to be with me, but the two of them nearly drove me insane with their "needs" at a time when I needed help with my own!!!

I have never lived through a more stressful week because of the double whammy of national and personal tragedy. I felt more reassured that Lena's brain surgery would be successful, albeit stressful, because of the way everything had unfolded -- I had time to absorb, reflect, plan, ask questions, research, and pray. Her attitude was positive and the whole family was pulling together (even my estranged husband was truly "present" for a change). The thought of losing her to death or impairment was terrifying, I nearly lost it in the hospital about 1/2 way through the 9-1/2 hour surgery (the open-heart surgery was "only" 5 hours) -- and had to escape first to the chapel and then outdoors to ground myself, but at least it wasn't all sprung on me within a couple of hours as it had been on 9/11.

God, I think my blood pressure must be about off the chart just reliving all of these! Time to visit a happier thread! LOL