Finally Awake-ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! So funny!!! I actually do know quite of few of the ones you know !!!
rip van winkle
JoinedPosts by rip van winkle
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31
The Elders "want to meet with us"
by finally awake injust ron and i were sitting outside on our porch, enjoying the beautiful late afternoon weather when our middle son came outside with the phone.
it was brother lazy slacker calling.
just ron took the phone before he knew who was calling.
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31
The Elders "want to meet with us"
by finally awake injust ron and i were sitting outside on our porch, enjoying the beautiful late afternoon weather when our middle son came outside with the phone.
it was brother lazy slacker calling.
just ron took the phone before he knew who was calling.
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rip van winkle
"Brother Lazy Slacker and his sidekick Brother Big SHot" - Finally Awake- I'm sure you and I must be in the same Congregation!!!!!!!
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rip van winkle
Was told the site is not yet complete- will be launched in Sept. (any day now- or soon!!!!)
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16
ICSA Conference Listening to the Still Small Voice
by Lady Lee inthis was one of the last presentations i took in.
very powerful stuff.. icsa 2012 conference listening to the still small voice: reclaiming the self after leaving religious totalistic groups.
most people go through a stage in late adolescence or early adulthood where they ask this question of themselves.
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rip van winkle
Lady Lee!!! the question "Who Am I?" speaks to me. It was only a few short months ago that I recognized I have been in a cult all these years, but it was years that I knew something was really wrong.
"Cults are different. They do demand that you give up your personal identity. Other interests are forbidden."
The things that I enjoyed preJW ( art, music, reading) I completely disengaged from these as my studying was progressing. Totally eliminated.
"Disengagement from a cult however is different. The person may not know what they like, what their interests or even what talents or skills they have. They haven’t had social interactions with enough interests or activities to know what they want, what their interests are, their talents. They have to start exploring these things at the same time that they are dealing with leaving the group, all their friends,"
So, true. I am lucky that I wasn't raised as a JW in that I had the time to learn and explore and get some sense of self.
But ultimately you still have to wade through all of it and decide what is right for you. And that is where the “still small voice” comes in. We need to sit quietly and sort through it all, the good, the bad, and what falls in between to find that voice inside that says: “This is who I am.” And then you find the courage to stand by your beliefs simply because they are your beliefs and say something about who you are as an individual apart from any group.
This has been the hard part-listening to the "still small voice"- that's the voice I've missed paying attention to!!!!! And then finding my way in the world.
Now I can do things just because I want to learn something new. There doesn't have to be a reason for the "Why do you want to do that?" question. Maybe I will realize I don't like it but at least I tried.
Lady Lee- you were smart enough to continue to do things even though you said you had to make sure there was a reason behind it. I was one of those waiting, waiting, waiting for "the new system" and "the real life" to accomplish things. So, I just completely stopped living. It's absolutely insane!!!
Heaven- So from what Covey says here, JWs are fundamentally destroying the very foundation for action, responsibility, accountability, ownership, and creation in their lives. They have been conditioned to stop their natural response to stimulus. They hit the pause button and do not hit resume. No wonder many of them are ill. That's my story-right there!!!
I've really enjoyed all the info that you've shared from the 2012 ICSA conference. I started to write bits and pieces of my own story as a way to understand how and why I fell victim to a cult. I have used the method of writing from your 1st 2012 ICSA post. It has been an invaluable process of finding ME again. Thanks Lee!!!
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Candace Conti Awarded Millions in Punitive Damages!
by God_Delusion inrighty, i've just been talking to kathleen (candace's mum) and the good news is that the judge has awarded millions in punitive damages!.
read and share the article here - http://www.jehovahswitnessblog.com/jw-lawsuits/candace-conti-beats-the-watchtower-society/.
what a victory for the conti's and for all ex-jehovah's witnesses everywhere!.
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rip van winkle
she's now a millionaire? I think I still have enough residual guilt and brainwashing left over not to have some qualms about this.
The money was a non-issue. (jury originally awarded 21 million in punitive damages). They recognized her suffering at the hands of the WTS.
Candace Conti has been wrestling with a Giant. She was victimized not only by the pedophile perpetrator, but by the rules and regulations of a "religious" organization that saw fit to protect the pedophile before protecting the innocent child.
Hopefully she will use that money to assist others who have been victimized; will continue to receive treatment for what she has suffered, and make a difference in the world. She has certainly had an impact on The WTS- they will not push her aside any longer.
Edited- Thanks Barbara for the clarification of Candace's "award". It's still enormous. Punitive Damages:
According to the latest court decision, the punitive damage award was reduced by the judge to $8,610,000.
$8,610,000 + 2,800,000 = $11,410,000 is the total of what we believe that Watchtower owes Candace Conti.
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My nephew is awake!
by redvip2000 inmy 17 year old nephew is visiting from florida and to my surprise, last night in conversation, he revealed that for the last 2 years, he has come to realize that the watchtower society " is a bunch of bs" and that he can see how people are brainwashed in the organization.. interestingly, he has come to realize this, without knowing any of the facts and scandals that we all know about - he simply can see things don't add up.
naturally our conversation progressed to discuss the inconsistencies in the org which he had no idea about, and the flood gates were opened.... he now wants to read the ray franz's books, and get as much information as possible.. he told me that the young people in the hall are beginning to speak to each other about " the issues", while keeping these conversations away from the parent's ears.
sadly, my sister still expects and somewhat forces the kid to attend the meetings, but i told him that he should be wise and patient in the process of stepping away from the cult, to avoid too much collateral damage.. i often feared that the kid would be pressured into being baptized in the cult, but he seems determined to make sure that will never happen.
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rip van winkle
That's really Good News!!!
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52
Are you pro-activist, anti-activist, or passive?
by cedars ini ask this question because, having been on this forum for a year now, it's clear to me that there are many shades to so-called "apostasy", and this is particularly evident in the realm of anti-watchtower activism.. when i use the word "activism", likely picketing kingdom halls and conventions springs to mind.
however, activism can be far more subtle than that.
just having a website or a book that sheds light on the flaws of watchtower dogma is really a form of activism - arguably the most effective form at that.
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rip van winkle
Rub A Dub- thats a funny!!!!!!!!!!
I'm anti-activist but pro-phylactic.
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Candace Conti Awarded Millions in Punitive Damages!
by God_Delusion inrighty, i've just been talking to kathleen (candace's mum) and the good news is that the judge has awarded millions in punitive damages!.
read and share the article here - http://www.jehovahswitnessblog.com/jw-lawsuits/candace-conti-beats-the-watchtower-society/.
what a victory for the conti's and for all ex-jehovah's witnesses everywhere!.
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rip van winkle
Thanks for the info, Jaymes
I'm happy they accepted the change in punitive damages to $11.2 million !!! This amount is still substantial and should have major impact on the WTS!!!
Now, we just have to wait to see if the WTS will appeal the lesser amount of punitive damages.
At this point: 11.2 million punitive damages
+ 6.8 million compensatory damages
= $18,000000.00 !!!!!
Congratulations again to Candace Conti!!!!
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This board is full of broken and hurt'n people
by Cagefighter inbut it also has some wonderful information about the org and getting help and moving on.
please don't let the nitwits or my arguments with them keep you from looking at a lot of good info on this site.. peace and farewell,.
cf.
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rip van winkle
I even like the people I don't like.
Still thinking- ME, TOO!!!!!! LOL!!!!!!!
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Are you pro-activist, anti-activist, or passive?
by cedars ini ask this question because, having been on this forum for a year now, it's clear to me that there are many shades to so-called "apostasy", and this is particularly evident in the realm of anti-watchtower activism.. when i use the word "activism", likely picketing kingdom halls and conventions springs to mind.
however, activism can be far more subtle than that.
just having a website or a book that sheds light on the flaws of watchtower dogma is really a form of activism - arguably the most effective form at that.
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rip van winkle
Cedars, I'm all for the aspect of activism as a means of helping others regarding imparting information which results in a positive change. I appreciate all those who have put in so many hours of their personal time uncovering the truth- not just about the WTS, but injustice of any kind. I personally don't like the activities of extremists.
I want to comment on what you said: " I only ask because there seems to be those on this forum who are less sensitive than others regarding the need to help lurkers out of what is essentially a very damaging cult. The sentiment of such ones seems to be "I figured it out for myself, so lurkers should too."
There are some who are less sensitive, but as a whole, I think that everyone has in their way, tried to offer support. If you are specifically speaking about a topic posted that people were less than helpful, in which there was a genuine inquiry, then could you provide the topic, please?