Posts by Isambard Crater

20

Sunday's W.T angered me + I found an ironic scripture

by Isambard Crater in

during the "do you love me more than these" watchtower study on sunday, i got so angry on many occasions, hearing people make comments like "if you enjoy your job, you're an enemy of jehovah" and "the only reason we're here is to preach.

work and relaxation only exist to help us to preach".. the paragraph talking about the "do more!

" attitude in the world getting people down really got me down just reading it, as it applies so much to the borg.. i also found the ecclesiastes scripture quoted to be ironic, as the rest of the article tells is that nothing is better or more of a priority than to preach;.

Isambard Crater

During the "Do you love me more than these" Watchtower study on Sunday, I got so angry on many occasions, hearing people make comments like "If you enjoy your job, you're an enemy of Jehovah" and "the only reason we're here is to preach. Work and relaxation only exist to help us to preach".

The paragraph talking about the "do more!" attitude in the world getting people down really got me down just reading it, as it applies so much to the Borg.

I also found the Ecclesiastes scripture quoted to be ironic, as the rest of the article tells is that NOTHING is better or more of a priority than to preach;

22 What does a man really gain from all his hard work and ambition that drives him* to work hard under the sun?+ 23 For during all his days, his occupation brings pain and frustration,+ and even at night his heart does not rest.+ This too is futility.24 There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and find enjoyment* in his hard work.+ This too, I have realized, is from the hand of the true God,+ 25 for who eats and who drinks better than I do?+

6

Victoria Derbyshire TV show on shunning - video link

by Isambard Crater in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyzbjz8x9y4.

Isambard Crater

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYzBJz8X9y4

5

Perhaps the reason why the Liverpool Echo newspaper social media feeds don't include links to the paedophile JW sentence is because...

by Isambard Crater in

...the liverpool echo arena is the regional convention venue for the north west of the u.k (also holding manchester's r.c this year after the grande concert bombing).

or am i just being cynical at this coincidence?.

Isambard Crater

darkspilver - thanks for finding the tweets. I have searched deep on their Facebook feed and couldn't find anything on there though, unless you might have more success?

5

Perhaps the reason why the Liverpool Echo newspaper social media feeds don't include links to the paedophile JW sentence is because...

by Isambard Crater in

...the liverpool echo arena is the regional convention venue for the north west of the u.k (also holding manchester's r.c this year after the grande concert bombing).

or am i just being cynical at this coincidence?.

Isambard Crater

...the Liverpool Echo Arena is the Regional Convention venue for the North West of the U.K (also holding Manchester's R.C this year after the Grande concert bombing). or am I just being cynical at this coincidence?

32

DA myself to relieve great pressure?

by Isambard Crater in

jw
friends

my lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but i haven't missed a sunday in years except the occasional vacation.. the nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that i, as a physically in and mentally out pimo, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all i can, and so on.. okay, i report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, i feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when i do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.. some other sisters in my congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but i know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.. i have reached the point where i want to hand in a da letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when i say i'm not well enough to attend midweek, i really mean it and it's not just an excuse.

sure, i'm only 42, but i can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways..

Isambard Crater

I guess I will console myself knowing that I'm aware of four other Sisters, one who is an elder's wife, who haven't attended a Midweek meeting for over 3 years.

32

DA myself to relieve great pressure?

by Isambard Crater in

jw
friends

my lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but i haven't missed a sunday in years except the occasional vacation.. the nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that i, as a physically in and mentally out pimo, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all i can, and so on.. okay, i report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, i feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when i do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.. some other sisters in my congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but i know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.. i have reached the point where i want to hand in a da letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when i say i'm not well enough to attend midweek, i really mean it and it's not just an excuse.

sure, i'm only 42, but i can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways..

Isambard Crater

Positive things:

I have plenty of proper non-J.W friends and around 3 or 4 J.W 'friends'
I have been in counselling for years. They all say the Org is a lot to blame

Negative things:

Like so many on this forum and Reddit, I "have to" stay in the Org and go through the motions for family reasons (my Dad is an Elder and regularly checks on me and also talks to my local Elders)

So do you reckon I just keep putting in the bare minimum Field Service and going to Sunday meetings, but keep missing midweek meetings and ignore anyone if they give me any shit about it?

32

DA myself to relieve great pressure?

by Isambard Crater in

jw
friends

my lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but i haven't missed a sunday in years except the occasional vacation.. the nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that i, as a physically in and mentally out pimo, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all i can, and so on.. okay, i report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, i feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when i do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.. some other sisters in my congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but i know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.. i have reached the point where i want to hand in a da letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when i say i'm not well enough to attend midweek, i really mean it and it's not just an excuse.

sure, i'm only 42, but i can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways..

Isambard Crater

I already realised it's not the truth in 2014 and have been stumbling on for family reasons only since then.

When I mentioned a cry for help, I don't really want the elders to help, as "preach more, pray more" isn't the answer for me - but what I want is for them to outwardly say that if I feel the best I can give means missing midweek meetings til I feel a bit better, that's "ok" as long as I listen on the phone system or something.

What I can't bear is my perception that every time someone on the platform looks in my direction when talking about spiritually weak ones or opportunities to pioneer, that they're thinking and talking about me.

Since starting to miss lots of mostly midweek meetings, nobody has officially talked to me, arranged a shepherding visit or showed any genuine sign of love and concern. Ironically - and predictably - the only time my group overseer mentioned a a shepherding call was the week the Circuit Overseer was here, just to make the elder look good. So I refused the offer and was busy anyway.

I guess my fade started in 2014 but I just want to feel more comfortable with it, not feeling the guilt for missing midweek meetings and having to back out of many oh-so-wonderful (sarcasm) field service demonstrations and stuff like that. But because the J.W's don't recognise mental illness, or at least say preaching and praying can really help (note: not if you're PIMO like me), I feel they're always glaring at me and on my back, even if that's just me exaggerating the feelings and perception.

32

DA myself to relieve great pressure?

by Isambard Crater in

jw
friends

my lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but i haven't missed a sunday in years except the occasional vacation.. the nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that i, as a physically in and mentally out pimo, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all i can, and so on.. okay, i report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, i feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when i do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.. some other sisters in my congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but i know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.. i have reached the point where i want to hand in a da letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when i say i'm not well enough to attend midweek, i really mean it and it's not just an excuse.

sure, i'm only 42, but i can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways..

Isambard Crater

My lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the Borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but I haven't missed a Sunday in years except the occasional vacation.

The nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that I, as a physically in and mentally out PIMO, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all I can, and so on.

Okay, I report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, I feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when I do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.

Some other sisters in my Congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but I know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.

I have reached the point where I want to hand in a DA letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when I say I'm not well enough to attend midweek, I really mean it and it's not just an excuse. Sure, I'm only 42, but I can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways.

21

Watchtower Study June 18 from April 2017 issue

by BluesBrother in

https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-april-2017/judge-of-all-earth-always-does-what-is-right/.

the judge of all the earth always does what is right.

intended as a confidence builder in the organization ..see what you think.. theme is from deuteronomy but it is really highlighting that passage in genesis where abraham had a dialogue with god, (gen.18) would god destroy sodom if 50 righteous men would perish?

Isambard Crater

I couldn't stomach this Watchtower study. As someone with depression and low self esteem who can still tell an injustice and other negative events or occurrences for what they are, I didn't like how the study dumped most of it on YOU, the one who believes and perceives he was wronged. Shut up and don't say a bad word about the Organization, trust in Jehovah and remain loyal. Kind of reminded me of the injustices made regarding child abuse and how congregants are told to shut up, not talk negatively and wait on Jehovah patiently, talking only to the elders but nobody else.

29

Disfellowshipped for being complicit in someone else's sin - really?!

by Isambard Crater in

a close friend of mine who is pimo (only staying in for family reasons) in a neighboring congregation called me in tears tonight saying her dad (elder) is telling her he is seriously considering reporting her to her local elders and she could get disfellowshipped.. the reason?

because she is complicit in a gross sin, according to him, by going with her best friend (not a j.w.

) when the friend had an abortion.

Isambard Crater

It's a small town where everybody knows everything.

We all became friends after attending depression and anxiety counselling together a few years ago.

All this emotionally damaging trauma created by the Father and Elders is the last thing any of us need, but the straw and rafter really does apply to this Organization.