and introduce myself.
i was raised in "the truth", and for the longest time it was all i knew.
i spent my childhood going through all the things that other witness children went through; not celebrating holidays, not standing up and reciting the pledge of allegiance, not going to school events, or associating with "worldly" children much.
Welcome SacrificialLoon, I'm so glad that youv'e joined us - most of us lurk for a while before posting. Then we usually wait for the bolt of lightening to strike us -
That was a good first post - we hope to hear from you again - you'll find lots of friendly people here with plenty of good information.
Twinkletoes and Kaytee
if you could rewind the clock, i became a witness when my mother and farther were still alive.. like many on this board while i was reasonably down to earth, looking back i was still overboard, this was because of the doctrine of the wts that i had accepted.. i look back with regret that perhaps i could have been a better son to my parents.. one instance when my farther was in hospital, the surgeon told my mother that dad had a growth on his heart.. my mother was extremely upset, not over just the news, but was worried stiff that if my farther asked me, my mum knew i would tell the truth.
(there are other ways of answering).
many will say get a life, and we should not reflect on what has gone on in the past.
I'm very lucky (lucky!) that both of my parents (now in their nineties) were around to see me exit the JWs. For years they tried to gently warn me about the cult, but of course, I thought that I knew better. I cried the night I phoned them to let them know that I had come to realise that they (parents) were right all along. Of course, they were so happy that I was out.
I foolishly made "the stand against blood transfusions" for two of my three sons, (rhesus negative blood incompatibility) I now have to live with the knowledge that I could have lost both of them. One son asked me a few months ago, how could I have allowed him to die? It's heartbreaking to know that for the rest of our lives, we will always have that question in our heads (myself and my son)
If I could turn back the clock, it would definately be by 32 years, before I started to get subtly drawn into the Org.
Twinkletoes
hello all.
i just joined the site.
does anyone know of a hotline or a phone number i can call to talk to someone about how to leave the truth?
A Very BIG Welcome ((( Coolcat )))
It's good to read your story, and I hope that you will stay around - you'll find lots of help here.
We (me and Husband) were in the JWs for over 32 years - we feel that we have wasted the best years of our life. Now we are pensioners and cannot get back those years. You are lucky (did I say Lucky !! ) you are still young enough to re-adjust and look ahead for a life of freedom.
By the way, have you read Crisis of Conscience by Raymond Franz (was governing body member) it will give you the strength you need at this time. Many of us have found help with this book.
John 8 v 32 ............"You will know the truth and the truth will set you free"
Love
Twinkletoes X
the last congregation we were at, decided to invite a neighbouring congregation to their territory to help them with the field service.. the elders asked my husband, if we would host the bbq for the brothers and sisters after the ministry, as we have a large garden.
we were told not to worry about the amounts of food, as everyone from the other congregation would bring something.
not even a bag of crisps arrived.
Quandry,
The invited congregation was NOT at all stumbled, it was only this one brother (a Ministerial Servant) who made this statement in his letter and sent it to us anonymously.
With (2 out of 3) vegetarians in our own family, we were very well aware of people’s eating preferences. We therefore catered for both types, with LOTS of real meat and also meat substitute products. In our pursuance of the brother who sent this letter, the elders became fully aware of what had happened, but as usual did nothing.
It was the smell and the eating of meat, that made this brother retaliate the way he did. He could have just left, but he chose to stay, and then write this letter when he arrived home.
Don’t forget that when no food arrived (as had been promised!) we had to dig from the freezer - Catering for 100 people or so is not too easy!
Twinkletoes and Kaytee
the last congregation we were at, decided to invite a neighbouring congregation to their territory to help them with the field service.. the elders asked my husband, if we would host the bbq for the brothers and sisters after the ministry, as we have a large garden.
we were told not to worry about the amounts of food, as everyone from the other congregation would bring something.
not even a bag of crisps arrived.
The last congregation we were at, decided to invite a neighbouring congregation to their territory to help them with the field service.
The elders asked my husband, if we would host the BBQ for the brothers and sisters after the ministry, as we have a large garden. We were told not to worry about the amounts of food, as everyone from the other congregation would bring something. Not even a bag of crisps arrived. Fortunately we have 2 large freezers!
Over 100 bro./sisters arrived, we thought it went O.K. (that was on the Saturday), on the Monday we received an anonymous letter saying that we had stumbled all the brothers in this visiting congregation.
Keeping this story short, we found out that this brother (MS) was a vegetarian and was stumbled at the bbq food on the menu, (meat as well as veggy) (my wife and son are veggy also)
No "thank you" for looking after this amount of people, Just a complaint!!!
Has anyone else experienced this sort of thing?
Twinkletoes and Kaytee
if it's true that the end is so close (matt.
24 fulfilled etc.
), then why aren't elders, jw family members and friends .
Hi DNC
You have a good point there. When I look back on the JWs teachings, I realise how they tried to brain-wash us into being hard and cold individuals. Quite often they would say that when Armageddon came, we would see dead bodies everywhere, and even if they were our family members (who obviously were not faithful JWs) we would NOT feel sorry, as Jehovah would wipe away the memories of them. Usually followed by the comment - It wouldn't be paradise if we felt sorry for ones who had died at Armageddon!
Since coming out of the JWs, I have realised that there are some very, very good and caring people in the world who are not JWs
So sorry to hear that you are being shunned by your mum, that's hard to take, but hopefully she will see-through the cult before too long.
Love
Twinkletoes
XX
i am not talking about questions or inquirying about what to do with a problem.. when you post what are some of the reasons you give your thoughts on matters?.
for me, i enjoy talking to others who can understand my experience but more importantly for me, i know there are lurkers or people right on the fringes who are sick of all of it.
i try to give a biblical explanation on matters that shows the error of going beyond the things written.
When we first started looking on this forum, we were amazed at all the lovely people posting here, and the great answers that they were giving, it was such a help for us in coming to terms with being "taken in" by the Org.
Now we post, to share with others, and hopefully encourage others.
Twinkletoes and Kaytee
hi folks, .
i,ve been lurking for ages and had a password months ago.
only today i've been able to get in.
Hello DNC
You may like to read of our resignation letter - it's a long one though ! click on the link below
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/52176/1.ashx
Yes, we are definately close enough for coffee and biscuits. We must arrange a visit, if you would like to take us up on the offer.
Twinkletoes and Kaytee
hi folks, .
i,ve been lurking for ages and had a password months ago.
only today i've been able to get in.
A very big welcome DNC and of course Mr DNC, who appears to have led you in the right direction. We are quite close to the Welsh borders - Hereford.
We hope to hear from you again soon
You will find many of your questions answered here, they are a great bunch.
Twinkletoes and Kaytee (husband)
what happened to all the people who died before c.t.
russell?
for thousands of years, there were no j.w.'s.
...they say that the 144,000 are a literal number, but the rest of the book of Revelation is symbolic !!!!
twinkletoes
