Posts by rollercoaster

13

Donations, .taxes.and b&S !

by MacHislopp in

jw
friends

hello, redhorsewoman,.

i was reading the long post of 2nd may 2000, about donations, and i could not .

help myself to send you this information concerning your quote:.

I thought the society was "cash heavy". So why am I not surprised to hear that they keep trying to get more money? And aren't they somehow meddling in stocks which support the military? Please help me get this cleared up.
I haven't contributed to the society. I never felt right about it. I'm not sure why. Instead if a family or person needed help, I would find a discreet way to do so. Then I knew my contribution went where I wanted it to.
I am also surprised to have read an Awake a few months back that now says being involved in the stock market is a matter of conscience, and the society saw nothing wrong with it. Isn't it gambling? Taking a chance with your money? And doesn't the society now have a lot of involvement in the stock market? At one time I'm sure we were told not to be involved in stocks.
Oh well..... as usual, I'm am on another rollercoaster ride.

RC

56

Why I Think Its The Truth!

by normie67 in

jw
friends

this is normie thoughts on the threads about the truth..... i have huge doubts about a lot of things about the org.

i have been a jw for 20 yrs and still active(family reasons).

but nobody but nobody has refuted to my mind, the fact nobody does the evangelizing work jesus did.

rollercoaster

Ianao,
Just to back up some of what you say, the JWs do hide the abuse in the org. I was home and a neighbor, (JW) was seriously abusing her child. Foul language, beating, etc., the child was crying "no mommy, no" it tore me up. I called the elders, and told them to get over there now or I would call the police. Their response;"we will call her and distract her." I was determined the next time, I would call the authorities. The rest of the time I lived there, I heard nothing next door.
To this day, I wish I had called the cops first. The child deserved better. Now I carry the guilt. I resent the elders for their lack of serious and proper action.
You are right. The org., does not want the world to know. So it is up to others to let everyone know.
Thanks for making the point you did.

RC

9

Mental Anguish

by doubtingsister in

jw
friends

i'm getting ready for the book study.

the only reason i'm even going is because i've got several friends i don't want to break ties with yet.

they are counting on me to help them stay strong in the "truth".

rollercoaster

Hi Doubtingsister,
You are not alone. I understand how you feel. It is so hard to break away when your "friends" are asking why you weren't at the meetings or why you aren't staying in touch as much. You feel guilty every time you talk to them. When you do finally make the break, you will have to explain to your family. I was very lucky to have family that understand and are relieved that I am now questioning the society. They are impressed with my self progress. Being sure of what I do regarding business and finances. They listen to me when I am upset or doubting.
Your children will thrive. I have been concerned about my child. But when I think about all she has missed out on. She doesn't have the life experiences to make good, informed decisions. Now I am trying to fill in those gaps. She has to cultivate new friendships and build trust in her choices of friends. As you know, it's hard in this day and age to find healthy activities when in your teens.
You will be O.K. just keep telling yourself that.
I am still in "good standing". But I don't even attend meetings. I don't have association with the witnesses either. I am in "transition" right now.
What are your reasons for pulling away from the organizaiton?
Just remember that the people here are very understanding and will always be there for you. I know they have been for me.

Keep me updated on your progress.
RC

14

Is therapy the answer?

by ShaunaC in

i just finished reading the thread started by seven regarding therapy.

i saw that many of you have gone to counseling as well.

still others are cautious about it.

rollercoaster

Hi larc,
You are right, but I still have to find a way to be secure in my self-direction. I was raised with good morals, but also was never given the chance to make decisions for myself, and when I did, my parents quickly corrected me. The WT org., took over where my parents ended. I guess now I have the ability to make my decisions, but a lot of the times question the motive behind my decisions. I am still trying to break away from the society, and that is hard when business finances are involved. It's like kissing butt to stay in business. I hope within the next two years, I will be free of any society influences.
The changes I have made and the new contacts in this room have been the most wonderful expereinces I've had in the last 5 years. (pathetic huh?) I guess I should get out more.
I still need to know how to continue in following Bible principles and Jehovahs direction. What is his direction anyway?

Love ya!!!
RC

14

Is therapy the answer?

by ShaunaC in

i just finished reading the thread started by seven regarding therapy.

i saw that many of you have gone to counseling as well.

still others are cautious about it.

rollercoaster

Zaz,
You can probably guess it's my spunk that keeps getting me in trouble. Thankfully the man I want to marry thinks it's great. I am so glad I found this place. Everyone I have met is honest, and helpful. I see all the different points of view, and realize none of you have been struck dead for speaking to others about how you feel. My sincere question now is, how do we meet up to the Bible principles. I'm a little lost on how to proceed. Any help is more than welcome.
How is Shauna doing? Anyone hear from her?

Thanks,
RC

14

Is therapy the answer?

by ShaunaC in

i just finished reading the thread started by seven regarding therapy.

i saw that many of you have gone to counseling as well.

still others are cautious about it.

rollercoaster

Hi Zazu,
What wonderful advice. You are so right about the therapist you see. I went to one that made me feel very inferior. It is hard to talk to someone about being a JW when you are told over and over again that you can't say anything bad about the organization, and everything that happens to you is for a refining. So how does abuse strenthen you over time for better service to Jehovah? Certainly you don't feel happy out in service when you suffered abuse just before you walked out the door. And MOST certainly nobody in the car group is going to feel comfortable hearing about it. They resent the fact that you have interrupted their day with a big dark cloud. Therapy is good. After you say outloud the concerns you have about the organization the first time, you don't fear sudden death the second time. After awhile you realize your concerns are real, and you have rights to your feelings and emotions and when something makes you feel unfairly a lesser person, you start standing up and saying "wait a minute".
The organization talks about balance, and wants people to demonstrate balance (so they say) wouldn't you say that balance means being treated as an EQUAL? I want to run the mics, and sound and sit on the committee to counsel the brothers. O.K.?!!? Can I huh? Can I?
Oh...sorry, got a little carried away here. Didn't realize I climbed on the soap box.

RC

14

Is therapy the answer?

by ShaunaC in

i just finished reading the thread started by seven regarding therapy.

i saw that many of you have gone to counseling as well.

still others are cautious about it.

rollercoaster

Shauna,
The questions you ask are great. I am still in good standing as a JW, but that doesn't mean I will be for long. Do you work or have other areas of your life you can focus on? Are there people you know that are not JW to help you? To validate your reasons for not being a JW any longer?
The female concerns are legitimate. I was in an abusive relationship during my first marriage, and the elders were encouraging me to stay. After my spouse held a gun to my head and said he was going to pull the trigger, I managed to leave under the disquise of a vacation to visit my parents. I divorced him.
I remarried a brother, what a joke. He left me....
anyway, to make a long story short, I decided not take any crap from the Bros. anymore, ended up working on a construction site with a couple of them, told them off because they were trying to run my life.
I ended up owning my own construction type business,have to deal with men on a daily basis, the brothers are afraid to talk to me because I wont be bullied or be a submissive woman. They have no grounds to df me.
You need to realize that they are just men trying to be control freaks.
You have intelligence, ability, and the right to make your own decisions.
If you need to go through some counseling to help build your self esteem, then do it. Before I left my abusive situation, I went through therapy. They put me on drugs, and gave me a label. The brothers thought it was great. Now, I am O.K.!!!! The therapy helped me realize that abuse is not acceptable, and the brothers like to put women through a form of mental abuse. Load you down with guilt to please Jehovah. Jehovah would not want the people he loves to stay in an abusive situation!!!!
Well....I think I may have said to much..... hope you get answers that will help you.

RC

3

A little something for the ladies

by expatbrit in

jw
friends

received this through e-mail.

hope you enjoy it (and have or know all of the following items).. expatbrit.. every woman should have:.

1. one old boyfriend you can imagine going back to and one who.

rollercoaster

Hey,
I have everything including the cordless drill.

Rollercoaster

17

An open letter to Waiting, and those she misled.

by RedhorseWoman in

jw
friends

now, i'm sure all of you have seen waiting's statements on multiple threads that i started the introduction thread in the sex forum, with the implication that i am constantly thinking about sex and sexual innuendoes (well, this second one may be true, but i almost never think about sex...just ask my husband).. rather than reply to each of her misleading statements, i decided that it would be best to address the issue in one post, one open letter (besides, my cut and paste finger is otherwise occupied at the moment and unavailable for the repetitious task).. let me say this.....if reincarnation is true, then waiting was the evil stepsister to my cinderella (sigh).

i am such a wonderful, patient person, and waiting.....well, waiting.....she....(sniff)....makes fun of me.....(of course she's really good at it, but that is not the point).. i am stating here, once and for all, unequivocally, that i am not the perpetrator of the introduction thread in the sex forum.

waiting did it.

rollercoaster

HI?,HI!!,Hello?!?!,
O.K., here's my intro., I am a JW in good standing, but inactive, for some reason, I can't make myself go to meetings. hmmmm... anyway, been in since 83, and am a little disappointed in the lack of sincere love and understanding in the organization.
I am single, with one beautiful child. I'm older than 44. I have a lot of questions and at this time, no answers.

Rollercoaster.

116

Confessing

by STRUGGLE in

jw
friends

hello, i was reading judical com.

was really suprise to find out how some of jw's feel.

some have, like the single mom, have such a negative experience with them.

rollercoaster

Struggle,
After reading your many posts, and everyone elses, I have to tell you I am going through nearly the same thing. I refuse to talk to the elders anymore about it. I am engaged to a wonderful man. He is not in the truth. He wanted to study at one time, but when the elders decided he wanted to study only to marry me,no one would study with him.
There is a question about my being free to remarry, although my "ex" admits to staying with a past wife on the weekends, while we were married. ( they didn't sleep toghether of course)Since there aren't any other witnesses of them sleeping together, although I have a tape recording of him admitting staying with her overnight on weekends, I am considered not free to remarry.
I too want to please Jehovah. I also want to see the paradise earth. I want to have pure worship of Jehovah. I pray constantly to Jehovah.
I hope you find your path. I hope you gain confidence in your decisions and stop seeking the approval of earthly, imperfect men.
I am still working on all the above.

Rollercoaster...