Posts by Solzhenitsyn

23

Those that need to see a Therapist / and those that don`t is there a correlation of the two ?

by smiddy3 in

jw
friends

there have been a number of threads / posts here over the years about ex jw`s needing to see therapists for what they are going through , and i can appreciate that.. obviously there are many ex jw`s on here that haven`t ever felt the need to see a therapist ,and i`m just wondering why not ?.

why does one feel the need and another does not ?.

is it to do with born ins as against those who were converts ?

Solzhenitsyn

I would love to have a definitive answer to this question.

Since exiting the organization I've been able to gather together a half dozen+ ex-JW elders. We meet for lunch fairly regularly and I'm convinced there is a very different healing path between those born into the JW bubble and those who later in life converted to the JW bubble after having had real world life training.

Another anomaly is the difference between born ins who leave and converts who leave and whether or not they remain believers vs. athiest/agnostic.

Fascinating really.

9

Anybody been to the therapist to talk about the Jdub stuff? What did they think of it?

by nowawake14 in

jw
friends

what was their view of jdub rules?.

what was their view on the dfing thing?.

did they get pissed and think it was a cult?.

Solzhenitsyn

As was mentioned before, therapists who specialize in religious cult victims and their recovery, are rare.

I was able to find one who has patiently worked with me every week for nearly a year-and-a-half. She even watched many of the j-dub videos, and played them for me during therapy sessions, hitting pause from time to time to explain the details of how what was being seen and heard is emotionally abusive.

In addition to PTSD recovery, EMDR therapy, and an amazing amount of professional patience, she helped me round the corner.

Marriage saved and still together as a family with all of us miraculously having exited one of the most dangerous religious cults in the world.

45

Do any of you born into the cult feel like your mental growth was stunted?

by rockemsockem in

being born in to me was devastating.

when you are a child born in and raised with the they vs us and they are evil and worldly and going to die.

not allowed to form relationships with anyone not one of you.

Solzhenitsyn

Mentally and emotionally stunted for sure for those of us who were tried and true born and raised in what ultimately turned out to be a dystopia (negative UNreality).

From being read Bible stories inutero back in 1978 of Jehovah killing non Jehovah's witnesses in the flood, to Stormtroopers bursting in and elders shredding documents and deleting Google drives before being hauled off to JW jail.....

I was never trained nor developed the ability to recognize my true problems much less solve them on my own. Or even recognize that the problems and deficiencies I had were even really problems to begin with. I was raised from infancy by an organization in essence. A tried-and-true narcissistic, emotionally abusive, male.

Thank God for a loving and patient wife and therapist trained in religious cult recovery & PTSD care.

16

Did anyone go to the Atlanta International Convention?

by My Name is of No Consequence in

i ask because my mother went and, of course, it was great!

what was the attendance?

how many got baptized?

Solzhenitsyn

@ My Name.

Tell me about it. I've resigned myself to the fact that JW DNA will always be with me. Hoping that time will heal the life that has been sucked from me + family that is recently out. What I would give for a JW erase button.

16

Did anyone go to the Atlanta International Convention?

by My Name is of No Consequence in

i ask because my mother went and, of course, it was great!

what was the attendance?

how many got baptized?

Solzhenitsyn

I was at the Mercedes Benz stadium for a ATL UNITED game before the International Convention and there were 70,000 there for that event. There were only 47,000 JW's in attendance for the convention, nowhere near capacity. The top ring was closed off.

Sadly a longtime elder (who wayyy back went over one set of my baptism questions) died suddenly right as the the afternoon countdown timer was approaching 0 minutes on Sunday. Dead when he hit the ground. I despise all things JW Borg but this guy truly was a great person to the core. Non judgmental, non gossiper, no drama, low key, salt of the earth. Such a shame those qualities weren't put to better use elsewhere. His name was Tim Cole from the Suwanee GA Cong. https://www.crowellbrothers.com/obituaries/Timothy-Montgomery-Cole?obId=4418174 850 for his memorial service last Sunday spread out over 2 KH's in Suwanee, Suwanee Literature Depot, Buckhead, Braselton, and tied in up in TN.

Little history.... Tim's uncle was Marley Cole, a "famous" JW from years past: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/67610/marley-cole-jehovahs-witnesses-new-world-society

Steven "Goofwad" Lett was a real hoot and was the centerpiece for all the brainwashed man followers there:

58

Beautiful New "Kingdom Hall"

by Sea Breeze in

these images were posted on one of my fb news feeds.

they are legit.

looks like an upscale commercial bldg.

Solzhenitsyn

And to think the GB had to ultimately approve either the final plan for a normal looking house of worship OR a commercial Taco Bell/Starbucks looking plan. And to think that it came down to what ended up being a a 5 to 3 vote in favor of the commercial structure we will all see popping up ~~everywhere~~ here and there.

11

Music. YANNI

by zeb in

has anyone been to a concert by yanni?.

Solzhenitsyn

Yes, I have been to a Yanni concert.

No, he sounds nothing like Zamfir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ISe0fdoaPs

16

Just wondering. . .for those that are Ex-Elders . . .

by HappyBlessedFree in

did your conscience ever bother you when you were counseling/reproving/disfellowshipping ones in the congregation?

did it feel extreme or justified based on your biblical understanding at the time.

also are there any ex-elders here that dealt with child abuse accusations?

Solzhenitsyn

To the OP:

No

Yes

When you are a PIMI company man everything is cold and sterile.

It's when your out that all those judical processes, procedeures, outcomes, and damage becomes a painful reality that requires PTSD counseling and EMDR therapy.

14

Money Laundering

by Solzhenitsyn in

well friends how about another update straight from the mole in the treasurers office?

fact: tens of thousands of bethelites have taken a vow of poverty and live/work in branches all over the world.

fact: they all get a stipend based on local need, "cost of living", tenure, ect.

Solzhenitsyn

I say its a fact because i was sitting in the treasurers office listening to the Bethelite tell me the process by which they circumvent the Cesar of the US and other countries.

14

Money Laundering

by Solzhenitsyn in

well friends how about another update straight from the mole in the treasurers office?

fact: tens of thousands of bethelites have taken a vow of poverty and live/work in branches all over the world.

fact: they all get a stipend based on local need, "cost of living", tenure, ect.

Solzhenitsyn

Sir82 you are correct.

So sorry, my OP wasn't clear.

The conversation I had was specifically talking about a US based donor wanting to send money to a bethelite in another country.