Posts by Xanthippe

18

Being Disfellowshipped + On-Going Cycle of Depression

by Cimarrona in

i've been disfellowshipped for six years, since i was 18. i struggle with depression and self-destructive habits (minor in comparison to the suicides, substance abuse, risky sexual behavior of others i've grown up with who have left or were too afraid to leave).

i'm fairly successful for my age - respected in my field, i have an extensive curriculum vitae of published writing, presentations, and other projects.

yet, i often feel worthless and unloveable.

Xanthippe

The misconception I had about depression was that you have to vigorously pull yourself out of it. Probably because of the WTS writing things like 'if you are depressed get out and help someone else to take your mind off it'. My personal favourite, not, 'if you feel down get out in the yard and dig in the dirt'.

From personal experience because I seem to have naturally low serotonin which then gets even more depleted when I'm stressed, if I start to feel depressed I pull back immediately, cancel whatever I can, don't do anything socially I don't feel like and I rest, rest, rest. Guess what, resting tops up your serotonin and other neurotransmitters very quickly.

Also have fun, whatever you want to do. It doesn't have to cost a fortune. Cook yourself your favourite meal, walk in the woods, have a coffee out and don't necessarily make yourself have to talk to someone else which may exhaust you. Treat yourself to your favourite magazine, sip your coffee and have a leasurely read. It really works, your brain releases happy chemicals and you start to feel better.

This is how I survive now and it's how I got through five years of suicidal clinical depression. Try it, good luck 🌷

33

The Second Coming of Christ

by maccauk in

the second coming of christ was in the 1st century at the destruction of jerusalem the temple the law and the old covenants.

so the new eternal covenant came into force in which people of every tribe tongue and naation would enter into.

the new jerusalem not built by human hands nor with bricks and mortar its spiritual cannot be seen but people will stream to it the sin issue is done there is no more judgment for those in christ .

Xanthippe

and the old covenant meant he now dwells in those who love Christ ..........and that great mystery is Christ in you

I always found the idea of Christ dwelling inside me creepy. Sounds like possession or some kind of science fiction story about aliens who can take over your mind. Why do you like the idea?

23

Is it better to have a false hope than have no hope?

by sinboi in

just got the news.

a very close classmate of mine met an accident and died last nite.... just 4 months after i da'd from the borg.. if i am still in, i wouldn't be so sad.

he has the hope of resurrection.. but now that i am out, i realise that resurrection in paradise is all bullshit.. so what's next?

Xanthippe

I am very sorry for the loss of your classmate. This is a really hard time for you. My daughter lost two of her school friends who were just teenagers and she was devastated. I didn't tell her what to believe either

There are plenty of ideas about life after death beyond JWs. Many varieties of religious explanations of course. Many atheists say it's not true but there are also atheists who say it is and it's nothing to do with religion.

Take care of yourself at the moment because grief is physically and mentally exhausting. What you believe and what you hope for in your heart is up to you and nothing to do with anyone else.

49

Dietary Quirks Among JWs

by millie210 in

i recently had to accompany an older family member out of state to a family reunion.

it was a big reunion and not much was overtly made of the fact that i am "misguided" and not attending meetings (lost soul that i am) which was nice.

the thing i noticed that i was most struck by was all the dietary quirks in evidence during our 3 days together.

Xanthippe

I don't know about JWs as I don't go any more. My JW sister doesn't eat meat but she eats fish.

Where I work it's the custom to bring chocolates, biscuits or cake when it's your birthday or you've been on holiday. This gets harder every year.

Two are gluten free. They won't even eat chocolates unless it says on the box they're gluten free. One can't eat additives of any kind or she goes into anaphylactic shock. She keeps an epipen in her office drawer!

One can't have sugar because she's type one diabetic and she keeps a sugary drink and some sweets in her drawer in case she has a hypo.

We have several vegetarians who can't eat certain sweets because they contain gelatine. Although I'm used to that because my daughter became vegetarian at about age 10, her decision.

We also have one lady who is vegan.

So it's a nightmare trying to bring anything in for people to eat!

21

Many Witnesses are just plain tired out!

by UnshackleTheChains in

i believe that many witnesses are tired out or at least tiring out.

i know....... because i am tired out!.

imagine going to college for 20 years not knowing when college is finished.

Xanthippe

I agree UnshackleTheChains. An old 'friend' got in touch a while ago and I explained I was never going back. Doing everything I was supposed to do as I didn't have children, regular pioneering, left me completely burnt out, exhausted and ill.

She said did someone force you to pioneer? This enraged me, yes I said, every meeting, every Watchtower, every assembly and every circuit visit. Unless you want to spend your life living with guilt and personally I think guilt is the most destructive emotion any human being can feel. This cult has turned guilting people into an art form.

80

Favorite Quotations from Movies

by compound complex in

"the way you walked was thorny, through no fault of your own, but as the rain enters the soil, the river enters the sea, so tears run to a predestined end.

now you will have peace for eternity.

" -- maleva, the wolf man.

Xanthippe

CoCo I love your quote.

What we do in life echoes in eternity - Gladiator

Certainly true for Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard, may their beautiful music last for eternity

34

THIS Is How JWs Feel About The Cut In Magazines And Content

by pale.emperor in

i asked the question on quora "how do jehovah's witnesses feel about the announcement that the public edition of the watchtower and awake!

magazine is being reduced to just 3 issues a year and the number of books, tracts, and online content are being discontinued?".

https://www.quora.com/how-do-jehovahs-witnesses-feel-about-the-announcement-that-the-public-edition-of-the-watchtower-and-awake-magazine-is-being-reduced-to-just-3-issues-a-year-and-the-number-of-books-tracts-and-online-content-are-being-discontinued.

Xanthippe

Let them stay and live a fantasy if they can't cope with the real world. Plenty of people are leaving, those that want to stay can't cope with the nasty, frightening world and want to snuggle down in their comfort blanket. Frankly they are no use to the real world anyway, they can't even help themselves.

44

Did you leave the JW RECENTLY? Really? Recently? WTF were you thinking?

by The Real Edward Gentry in

jw
friends

not to be overly harsh...but if you just left, what the hell were you thinking?

between 1995 and now, you never did an internet search of "jehovahs-witness" or "watchtower"?

good god.

Xanthippe

Edward Gentry I guess you haven't read How to win friends and influence people.

63

October 1, 2017 TO ALL BOE IN NIGERIA Re: Local Needs For the Week of October 16-22

by wifibandit in

october 1, 2017 to all bodies of elders in nigeria re: local needs for the week of october 16-22.

Xanthippe

Whose italics are they in the paragraph about children should be encouraged to see donating regularly as part of their worship? Are they wifiBandits?

25

Who has a harder time leaving JW's - Born Ins or those who converted?

by HeyLittleGirl in

my freind (who is also out) and i were talking about this the other night.

i was a born-in, 3rd generation jw and she converted when she was in her late 20's.. when she left, she said that she knew the world wasn't as bad as she was told as a jw, so she knew she would be fine.

also, she still had lots of "worldly" family who welcomed her back with open arms.. it was harder for me - i had nobody in the "world", no family or freinds.

Xanthippe

As a born-in you usually have no education or training so finances are very difficult when you leave. Plus if you have pioneered for any length of time, very little experience of even having a full time job. No house because you could never afford a mortgage while pioneering.

Added to that complete fear of the world. No friends at all outside the religion and having lost contact with my small amount of nonJW family, I found the couple or three cousins I had left were distrustful of me and some were annoyed I think because they didn't understand the distance we used to have because of the cult. Who can blame them.

Losing your faith cannot be underestimated either. That's very hard to cope with. Some converts go back to the church they were in before but born-ins can't do that.