Posts by Flossycat

12

Memories of Fred Franz

by Sic Semper Tyrannis in

jw
friends

i've only met the man properly three times, and all of them through my uncle who was the district convention overseer.

however, there was another time when i ran into him by chance that was amusing.

we were all staying at the marriott.

Memories of Fred Franz

by Sic Semper Tyrannis in

jw
friends

i've only met the man properly three times, and all of them through my uncle who was the district convention overseer.

however, there was another time when i ran into him by chance that was amusing.

we were all staying at the marriott.

Hi sd-7. Please understand that I'm trying to understand why you've said the above. I can't find anything in Tyrannis' story that's disloyal or demonic. What point would there be to lie about such an innocent memory? I don't understand why you've responded this way.

Best regards,

Flossycat

17

Think of Truman today

by laverite in

jw
friends

in a few minutes we will be heading to glendon's memorial service.

we live around the corner from that hall.

the service is in just over an hour.

Flossycat

45

Introduction Bio

by JakeM2012 in

jw
friends

hi everyone, i would like to introduce myself and tell my story.

from the standpoint of being one of jehovahs witnesses, my whole family is deeply involved as i was the 5th generation of witness and any children that my brothers or sister have will be the sixth generation.

as some of my brothers and sisters are grandparents, i guess that makes their grandchildren a potential 7th generation.

Flossycat

Hi Jake, from Melbourne, Australia. Wow - what a well written and powerful testimony. So glad your wife has seen the hypocrisy with you.

I was a teenage JW in the early 1970s and remember well how everyone was holding their breath for the big event in 1975/76. (Kingdom Ministry praising brothers&sisters for selling their homes to pioneer etc) I left the JW early '80s. About 9 years ago bumped into an elder from my old congregation - at my local gym. I had really loved the people in that congo, and he was just the best elder. I went over to him. He didn't recognize me after so many years - turned out he and his wife and kids got disfellowshipped in the mid '80s. He said in the lead-up to 1975, at the elders' meetings, he was the only one to voice doubts that Armageddon might not come in 1975. Shock-horror! The other elders looked down on him, to the extent (he later found out) they'd begun having 'special' private elders meetings without him, to discuss him.

On the point you raise on how could we have fallen for such a string of lies and hypocrisy and just plain crazy doctrines: In March, at the national (Australian) Cult Info&Family Support conference, one of the clinical psychologists spoke of this. Might just add here - there were testimonials given from some who'd joined cults as young adults (early 20s) who had come from very well-educated secular backgrounds; they had university degrees, great incomes, good friends - yet still got sucked in to the most severely controlled cults that totally stripped their dignity and ability to think for themselves. It can happen to anyone, which is the mystifying part - all they could say was they were looking for something more fulfilling in life's purpose. But for those born-in, this is how the psychologist explained it: - the brain is 'plastic', the brain's neuron-synapse connections need new experiences, needs to continually learn to think outside the box. If it doesn't get this stimulation the brain 'whithers' in its capacity to rationalise. Also the brain, from childhood if living in a good-v-evil/reward v destruction environment, quickly normalises this kind of behaviour and attitude. That's it in a nutshell.

Look forward to hearing more from you.

Flossycat

24

out of the closet

by so confused in

jw
friends

so this week was stressful and emotional.

my husband's witness family found out that we where not attending meeting anymore.

she stated if "i keep talking like i am i'm going to get myself disfellowshiped.

Flossycat

Hi and welcome, So-Confused. Great advice here - you have lots of people around you to help you and support you and your husband through this. Someone's already mentioned it - find a good therapist - one who knows about Jehovah's Witnesses/cult-mentality if possible.

In March, at the Australian Cult Info&Family Support conference, I met a psychologist (we'll call her Cath) who had a JW patient. The JW only came to see her a few times then stopped. Cath didn't know why. I said 'I've written a book about having been a JW, and the problems of leaving, and it includes a experiences from a psychologist who had problems trying to get through to 2 JW patients he'd had.' She bought my book. Two weeks later she emailed me thanking me so much in showing her how to understand everything. (Obviously not everything - but for her it answered her dilemma with this JW, and why therapy wasn't working.)

Keep in touch - because being able to vent and talk - as was explained at the conference - "helps bring down the terror."

Love and best wishes from Helen. Melbourne, Australia.

32

Talked to 2 Elders Today

by 2tone in

jw
friends

i had a conversation on the phone today with two different elders today.

i dont want to post the topic that we discussed on here at this time.

they had a problem with something going on in my life and i said where is it written that this is a problem.

Flossycat

Hi 2tone. You said: 'I think they were more surprised at my pressured speech towards them than anything.' Good for you:) The first time I stood up to an elder it took him by surprise. His only way of response was to look down his nose and deride me for once having been a Pioneer and 'leaving the Truth'. Probably didn't help that I'm female, bowled up to him, spoke with him on equal footing - and questioned him!

I'm not sure of your history within the congo. Sounds like they're looking to find fault. They love trying to make people grovel and tow the line - gives their own small-mindedness an ego-boost. To me it just shows how pathetic and unhappy they are within their own skins.

Good to hear you on this subject. Keep us posted, please.

10

Do not watch this video if your a devout JW

by iamwhoiam in

jw
friends

...the reason being is that you will see how it all works...it is very scary and it will definately make you doubt.

this maybe about scientology, but just replace that word with jehovah's witnesses and there is absolutely no difference.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfdl6ga1di0&feature=related.

Flossycat

Thanks for that IamwhoIam. The cult catchphrase of having certainty. That's why my mother joined the JWs when I was a kid, (and why thousands of others join of course). Any JW who watched this though, would jump on things said like: 'We don't charge any money to join or do levels of membership. We don't rip people off like that.'

Remember the newspaper article in the UK recently about JWs calling ex-members mentally diseased? I think it was on JWR I read about an exJW who decided, when speaking to an still-in JW to talk to her about this newspaper article about a religion (she didn't say what religion) who calls it's ex-members mentally diseased etc. The JW woman was saying how terrible that a religion would treat others that way. Then - when the exJW said the article IS about JW Org - the JW woman said: well it must be the right thing to do then - the WT Society is divinely governed....

Was at the Australian Cult Info&Family Support conference in March. Heard plenty of testimonials from various ex-cult members, both Christian and non-Christian. Some of these ex-members joined as young adults, very well educated with multiple university degrees, from loving families. They had it all. It's hard to know why some fall for this kind of mentality. However, I think the point made early by this ex-Scientologist - about the 'certainty' factor has a lot to do with why people convert. For those born in, their brains' hard-wiring doesn't get exercised via new (outside) experiences, so (the theory goes in research so far) they haven't developed skills to think critically. The brain needs new and varied experiences - it needs exercise to function properly. JWs don't allow their members to think critically or think outside the square. Poor people.

Steven Hassan's book on mind-control by cults.

Thanks again IamwhoIam. Hope this helps anyone here who's sitting on the fence to wake up.

4

MTM Experiences

by Momma-Tossed-Me in

if witnesses could only feel the freedom to speak their minds, what would they say?.

well, being fully free from the org via my ex-communication really allows me to engage in conversations with members who allow me to do so.. what i have found interesting in every conversation is this common phrase, "you know (looking down their nose at me) the truth.

you know that the information is correct so imperfect organization or not this is jehovah's chosen organization.

Flossycat

Yes, MTM. I agree with you - JWs think those who leave live terribly lost, unhappy lives. And I did for many years because I hadn't stopped believing it was the truth. So my JW family were going: 'You know it's the truth. Please come back.' Then once I learnt the JW teachings are a load of bull****, quit feeling guilty/condemned, I really got my life together; 7 years ago found a wonderful man (who isnt the slightest bit religious) who any mother would love as a son-in-law - he's kind, caring, honest, honourable, financially well-off and supports me in every way. He really, really loves me - and I, him. AND THAT is what gets under the skin of the JWs, (despite my mother saying she's glad I've found stability). They don't like it when an exJW 'makes it' outside their confines. She sent me a short note about 3 years ago asking me to 'please come back to the Truth; time is fast running out...'

And yes - you can't discuss doctrine with a JW. You can actually see them go into robot/program mode - they stop listening and just preach AT you.

14

Preaching in vain.

by LouBelle in

on my way to work (my temp job) i drove past my witness uncle.

there he was on the street preaching to a man.

i knew that stance so well, publication in hand, leaning in towards to hopefully interested person and telling your story.

Flossycat

Hi everyone. Been a couple of weeks since I've visited the forum. Davidl7, and Ray Publisher. Nice to have you with us. I really like to see what's going on in JW world. For me, joining the Watchtower Society (my mother converted when I was 10 years old circa 1970) was a bitter-sweet experience. But mostly bitter. The Witnesses I knew were really lovely people, but the teachings were severe - so much can't do this, can't do that; must do this, must do that; If you don't, then don't expect Jehovah to let you survive Armageddon. Big emphasis on expectations for Armageddon to arrive 1975 or 76. Kingdom Ministry telling us how reports of JWs selling their homes to go full-time preaching in the short time left and what a wonderful thing they were doing in this way. My father's parents were Witnesses, but he never got baptised. He never went to meetings. He said Armageddon wouldn't come in 1975, and he didn't like this scare-mongering technique. Still, I stayed with the Witnesses and became a Pioneer, well after 1975 had passed.

BTW, those who sold their homes, then ended up leaving the WT Society were said to have been stumbled - yes?

To cut a long story short - while I love the JW people, (and my brothers and sisters are still Witnesses) I've found over the decades through reserach, that the Watchtower Society Governing Body are the blind leading the blind. Life outside the Watchtower Society is, for me and thousands of others who've left, a much happier, kind, trustworthy and caring experience.

Just a thought on your comments/views that on this forum has so many who seem bitter and angry - have you considered why this might be so? If you could sit down with them one-on-one to listen to their story, you would understand the pain they've been through.

Best wishes from Flossycat, Melbourne, Australia.

10

It makes me sad.

by Matsimus in

recently, when saying goodbye to my grandmother, who i only see a few times a year, she started tearing and said something that made me very sad.

she said she had to tell me that the door to jehovah's kingdom is closing at any moment now, and that if i didn't do anything now, it would be to late.

to her, she is facing an eternity without her grandchildren and it makes her very sad.

Flossycat

I think JamieB has put it so suscinctly.