after waking up and wanting to get out of this nightmare, the word apostate is really bothering me.
if i quitely become inactive, fade away will i just be looked at as "always weak".
i want to scream out how big a fool i was.. and now telling my poor young daughter how wrong i was to bring her up as a jw.
Yes, I agree with Terry saying, "I'm so normal-looking I make JW's look rough-edged!"
Here's are a few selfies from my apostate Iphone of me and my brother. I have heard that other apostates love beards! and gums! I don't know why the brothers and the beautiful sisters in heels ignore me at the Kingdom Hall, but I feel absolutely ostrasized. I was thinking of meeting with the elders to re-activate my publisher status so I could date some younger sisters.
this was me driving into the parking lot and into the kingdom hall:.
every week the same brothers and sisters are late getting to the meeting.
elders are talking with other elders ( who always have notes and folders in their hands).
Heay mon, Island man says, " Gratuitous, plastic displays of affection that boastfully scream: "See how loving we are? That proves we're the true religion!"
Just because active witnesses don't enlist in the armed services and actually kill people, does not prove that they "have love among themselves"= "we're the true religion". Absence of murder doesn't mean that there is love. My disfunctional family is a great example. Just saying.
below is a statement from gb member gerrit losch.
notice what is said about the fds.
is this true?
Followed BobCats references, Thanks. Bumping this discussion, particularly Leolaia's contributions.
Leolaia, what a wonderful mind. Thanks:)
one of the thing i appreciate most about this site is reading other people's experiences while in and out of the cult.
when i read other people's stories, it helps to validate my own experiences.
i rarely talked to anyone else besides my husband concerning my doubts, and so for the entire time that i was in i thought i was the only one having these negative experiences with the brothers in the kingdom hall.
Losingit, wrote, " I suffered bouts of depression during my time in the cult, and I now understand that jwism holds the brunt of the fault there. "
I believe this to be true and couldn't agree with you more. I have experieced the cycles of depression myself. It would make an interesting study if someone was able to prove a connection between the beliefs of Jw's, their environment, the indoctrination at the meetings, guilt trips, congregational politics and etc, and physical or mental disorders.
i received a parcel at work from my daughter and her boyfriend.
it contained a birthday card in the shape of a motorcycle leather jacket and a book on rides you can take using the back roads in my part of the world!
my eyes filled with tears as i was reading the card.
NVR, happy birthday, please be careful riding those scenic routes in your part of the world. I totalled my bike this year and at 50, it's hard to heal up physically. Uhg
i think only in strict religious circles, is it considered taboo.. does someone's "fornicating" bother you?.
Let's take this discussion a step further, does anyone look down on someone committing adultery? What are the current standards that you see?
one of the thing i appreciate most about this site is reading other people's experiences while in and out of the cult.
when i read other people's stories, it helps to validate my own experiences.
i rarely talked to anyone else besides my husband concerning my doubts, and so for the entire time that i was in i thought i was the only one having these negative experiences with the brothers in the kingdom hall.
Jen 1, welcome to the forum. I understand what you are going through as I have suffered similar health issues and symptoms, and difficult situations in the congregation. You can find support here, it does take time to heal though. I particularly can identify with your comments about elders wives. I have not figured out why JW congregations are so prone to one or two elders wives believing it is their mission in life to run the congregation.
I am seriously working on trying to cut the final emotional strings so that I can put the witness life behind me and move on, hopefully, with the previous life slowly forgotten in the rear view mirror.
Welcome again, if you wish to post an introductory post and tell us about yourself we would certainly be interested.
only scanned,,couple articles on necessary on having a old-age long-term plan now.
reality is hitting them more than ever.. also, australia showed "publisher" amount.
i assume it was the "peak" stat.
Just scanned through the articles, yes they set it up well. First article, Be content sacrificing even further, (second article) maintain a positive attitude about being screwed, then they lower the boom on responsibility of the elder Jw parents resting not only on the family,
but if members of the elderly are in Bethel or in full time service then they provide a wonderful guilt trip for the congregation to accept the responsibility of taking care of the elderly so the grown children can remain in Bethel service or pioneer.
"Evidently", WTBTDS wants their cake and eat it too. Basically, the message is, as I take it, whoever is not in full time service take care of these old people that are getting in our (GB's) way.
well,i have been lurking here for a couple of years.
i was babtized at 16 for all of the wrong reasons and when i moved out after highschool i really never looked back, although i suppose i always thought it was the truth.
at 36 i met the love of my life.
Welcome to the forum. I can sympathize with you about the family shunning.
this past summer has been rewarding and distressful, as some would say, it has been bitter sweet.
my wife finished her degree and is now working at a hospital, (as a janitor cleaning windows), lol.
oh, we also live in a van down by the river!.
Aroq, says, "Why do you owe it to anyone to DF or DA? What good will that do for you? not much I presume. The only thing it will do is give other's a reason to behave a certain way. Why should you make that decision for them on how they treat you? Isn't that for them to decide based on their own morals and beliefs?"
Aroq, you bring up great points, and thanks for the encouragement, really, I shouldn't feel compelled to play by their rules. (edited)
