Congrats on your freedom and positivity! I am honestly a little jelly of you right now. Boy, I wish I was totally out. I'm still fading and taking it easy because of my nutty spouse. But, I do feel more free lately--free from guilt, time consuming activities, and fake friends, not to mention depressing articles and lectures. Waking up each day feels like an adventure. I kind of don't mind the fight to escape because I see light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks for that great info from the other side!
Heartsafire
JoinedPosts by Heartsafire
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A little ray of hope.
by username infor all those who have recently escaped this evil cult i just want to send a message of hope.. i have just had my landlord around.
one of the first things the landlord said to me.
"in just a year i see such a big positive difference in you" .
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Did Jesus really die on a cross?
by macys inbeing raised a catholic we had lots of crosses around the house.
when my family converted to this cult they were all removed and destroyed in case they had demons in them lol but at this juncture in my life i do not even know if jesus as the way he is portrayed in the bible was real.
yes a man named jesus did live and die 2000 years ago and probably on a cross but he was definitely not the son of god.
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Heartsafire
Yes, that scripture about the print of the nails in his hands is a good one.
Here's a scripture that shows the sign Pilate posted was above his head (it doesn't say above his hands--although I guess that is possible). Matthew 27: 37 They also posted above his head the charge against him, in writing: “This is Jesus the King of the Jews.”
Crucifixion was commonly used at the time, and Jesus prophecied how Peter would also die with his hands outstretched at John 21:18 Most truly I say to you, when you were younger, you used to clothe yourself and walk about where you wanted. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another man will clothe you and carry you where you do not wish.” 19 He said this to indicate by what sort of death he would glorify God. After he said this, he said to him: “Continue following me.”
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Goodwill stores: A gathering place for Jehovahs Witnesses.
by Joliette ini recently started working at a goodwill here in wisconsin, and i've never encountered more witnesses ever in my life.
every time i go to work, i see at least two or three people that i used to go to the kingdom hall with getting suits, dresses, etc.
some of them say hi, but some of them i just ignore, or they ignore me.
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Heartsafire
So that's where all those faded prairie skirts and baggy polyester suits are coming from. Well, I guess this is to be expected when most of these folks are cleaning offices and washing windows for a living. Meanwhile, we hear about GB members running around in expensive suits and sporting expensive watches... -
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What is Your Favorite JW YouTube Video?
by cognac inmaybe it's shocking, funny, a good story, etc.. i was just watching the one below... i was shocked!
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https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e7qmypu7mxo.
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Heartsafire
Cognac,
That YouTube video you posted is definately one of my top favs. The looks on the JWs faces are priceless.
I saw it a few weeks ago and occasionally will imitate his thick accent around the house, "lit'l cheldruhn off Jeehovahs Witnesyess.."
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Hello from an exmormon
by Cold-Dodger insomeone named john free popped in on one of my posts at exmormon[dot]com and mentioned this website.
i have a lot of questions.
i never knew much about about the jw church.
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Heartsafire
Cold dodger,
I really enjoyed your post and found it fascinating.
To fulfill your request, I must say that growing up within the JW religion can be quite stressful. There is a lot of guilt and fear involved such as fear that God will kill you at Armageddon if you don't follow his rules and preach. And, if you don't preach when you have the opportunity to do so, then God will kill those who did not get the message at Armageddon, and you will be blood guilty. So, there is a lot of guilt when it comes to not doing all you can do 100% all of the time as a JW.
Like Mormons, JWs can overdo it with the cheerfulness especially when it comes to finding new recruits. People who showed any interest in the message were fawned and gushed over. Typically people we met in the ministry were reasonably kind and would simply say, "No thank you," if they were uninterested in the message. However, there was sometimes a very upset person and they would yell, cuss, or challenge us. JWs believe any opposition to the message is from the devil and is "persecution," which is actually a sign to a JW that they are doing something right and making God happy.
Of course (in the US) there was the awkwardness of not saluting the flag, not standing for the national anthem, not celebrating birthdays or holidays, not toasting a drink, nor saying "bless you" to a person who sneezes, etc. that made having a social life outside of the org a real challenge. All witnesses, including children, are taught that anyone who isn't a JW is "worldly" and is to be completely avoided unless they want to study the Bible with you.
The JW religion has really changed quite a bit in "new light", preaching methods, and other ways from the days when I was young. Heck, even the last few years I would venture to say the org as a whole has morphed quite a bit with its new dot org website, literature carts, and Internet broadcasts. The guilt and fear hasn't changed one bit though.
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My family has known I'm an apostate
by cognac ini found out that my husband has not only gone to the elders, but has been going to members of my family about me over a period of a few years.
this piece of news is just so depressing.
i've been wondering how my family knew i didn't go and thats why so many of them have becoming more and more distant.
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Heartsafire
Cognac, I am so sorry he did this to you and that you are hurting. Rude, coniving, arrogant, thoughtless are a few words that describe his actions. Maybe he was acting out of concern but deceit is still deceit and it isn't okay. I'm struggling with my JW-crazed husband too.
edited to say: Oh crap, this is an older thread. And...that's enough internet for me tonight.
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INSPIRED ERROR: new phrase among JW CO
by wannaexit inthere is no end to their madness.
the co gave a talk on inspired error.
i have never heard of it.
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Heartsafire
It is mind controlling drivel like this that make my efforts to wake up my hubby so much harder because now he will be thinking any news article I bring up is from demons. I wonder if this means the GB will no longer be quoting from secular sources in any articles because they're all "inspired error". OMG I hate this cult!!! -
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Doing the Right Thing, Making a Choice (shunning)
by Simon incontinuing a topic that is dear to my heart because of my experience as both a shunner and a shunnee .... some people seem to get very agitated when i talk about the responsibility people have to make the right choices and that despite all the wrongs within the wts, people themselves have a role to play and some personal responsibility for the experience.. notice i said "some" responsibility, not "complete" - this doesn't absolve the wts for the things they do wrong in any way shape or form.
so please don't get argumentative about possible meanings and absolutes - of course the wts has a significant role to play but we need to decide what we're trying to achieve here and why the personal choice is so important.. i'm also not talking about actual crimes that the wts should answer for.
if they cover up child abuse for instance, they absolutely should be reported immediately.
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Heartsafire
Simon, it is true that it is an individual choice. There are talks from the podium all the time addressing the fact that some Jdubbs ignore the borg's shunning rules and have dealings with their df'd/da'd family, so some people obviously aren't in favor of the practice. But, I really don't see the rules on shunning changing anytime soon. It would take, as you mentioned, a revolutionary person to come into power to change the rules, or the org would have to bleed membership on an unprecedented scale based upon the shunning policy for the GB to consider making changes. I think the average Jdub that shuns does it out of fear of the org. However, it seems that in some people shunning activates a dark and sinister need to elevate themselves over other people acting beneath their "standards". It's a sick practice, and how to stigmatize it with the r&f is a mystery to me.
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Stranger in my own house, Since my wife and i don't talk much anymore nor sleep in the same bed. i feel like a stranger.
by goingthruthemotions inmy wife is shunning me.
she is always in cult mode, we don't talk anymore, we don't sleep in the same bed.
i have been sleeping on the couch.
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Heartsafire
Sorry to hear you are going through this. My husband sleeps in the other room as well. He started doing this many months ago (I've lost count) when I was waking up and stupidly confronting him with questions that freaked him out. At first, it was really bad. He was super confrontational and treated me like scum. But I have countered all his hostility with love, patience, and attention. I always say I am having doubts about the org, but I will never doubt that I love him and want to be his wife. I tell him this everyday, and I work hard to prove it. My beliefs about the org have changed, and in a JW household that shifts the entire family dynamic. It will take him time to adjust and come to terms with it.
What your wife is doing to you through this ongoing silent treatment is bordering emotional abuse. (My husband has done this to me in the past as well). She is substituting her relationship with you with the org. I have seen sisters do this quite often--it's like an emotional affair--when everyone knows their marriage is on the rocks yet they insist on spending all their time in the ministry all day, everyday instead of at home working on their marriage (happens with brothers too, sadly). My advice to you is to live fully in your own home--don't confine yourself to your room. Be as loving as you can without confrontation, and keep that olive branch extended. If she is willing to go to counseling with you, I would sign up for it tomorrow. The first thing she will have to do is break her silence with you and actually work on the marriage. My heart goes out to you because she is so blind that she has someone who loves her as much as you do. You deserve to have this unconditional love in return. Good luck my friend.
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No longer wanting to attend meetings
by breezy inhello everyone.. first post here.
long time follower of this website, probably 4 years now.
i've known about ttatt since ive been 18, im now 22 going on 23 but still go to meetings because of parents.
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Heartsafire
Hello there and welcome!
Good job thinking ahead to defend your stand. Hopefully your parents will respect your decision and not cut you off from the family.
Sometimes it is good to take a laid back approach (especially since you are not baptized) and simply tell them you are having some doubts and would like to take a break from "the truth" for awhile. Reassure them that you aren't planning on going crazy but that you want some time to think things through and would appreciate their respectful support of your privacy while you sort things out.
It can hurt to lose friends you've known for years. Although, if they start waking up in the future you can be there for them.
Looking forward to your posts:-) Welcome again!