Posts by Phoebe

21

Being a jobo. It's not the same as it was.

by punkofnice in

i've been hearing this from what i'd call 'dyed in the wool' type jobos.. 'it's not the same as it was a few years ago.....'.

i believe from what comes back to me via my spies -.

the dyed in the woolers are referring to how the gb are now blatantly pontificating threateningly it seems, about wanting money even from children, all the time.

Phoebe

Maybe some are waking up due to the changes but the majority will stay firmly in it, especially the older generation. My friend (she's 69) said the recent WT study about giving up your riches upset her and her husband as they give a lot of money and now they know it's being used for the wrong reasons (ie compensation in court cases) but despite that they will still continue to give anyway.

It doesn't matter what the WT do or what they change, people like my friend will always go along with it.

(I wanted to take issue with the 'used for wrong reasons' because compensating an abuse victim is the least they can do, but thought I'd better shut up and let it go.)

14

Yoga for JWs

by EyesOpenHeartBroken in

i was chatting with my very jw pioneer mother (aged 65) and out of the blue she tells me she is sore from a particular pose she did in yoga class.

"wait, what??

" i say in my mind.

Phoebe

When my COBE heard I was attending counseling, he came to my house and said I'd better be careful or they might start getting me to do YOGA and that isn't allowed. Clearly he has no idea what counseling is!!!

6

family violence

by zeb in

jw
friends

this from the australian broadcasting commission (abc).. the aftershocks of the arc continue.. "thanks for your email, and for sharing some of your personal story.we are absolutely aware that violence exists in jehovah's witnesses families.

as this series is ongoing, we will be continuing to report on this issue for some time.

in the meantime, you might be interested to read the story of "jennifer" in a feature we published a few weeks back (link below).

Phoebe

My so-called devout JW parents violently fought almost every single day. Rows were constant. Screaming, hitting, beating, smashing up stuff, throwing anything they could get their hands on. Both parent as bad as each other. It was a living nightmare leaving me completely traumatized as a child (well, that and the sexual assaults by my brother...but that's another story) Then they went to the meetings as if nothing had happened.

In my congregation a sister left her JW husband because he hit her regularly. Do you know what the COBE said to her? He said: 'You do realise you are now going to die at Armageddon.'

Another sister I know left her JW husband after years of abuse. Her elders tolerated it but she was denied any privileges in the congregation. She wasn't even so much as allowed to make tea at a quick build (when they had them) or give a talk or pioneer - nothing. She could go on the ministry and meetings, that's all.

13

"... climate of disfellowshipping in Hull currently... " - Hull Daily Mail

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

article from the above news paper... .

http://www.hulldailymail.co.uk/news/hull-east-yorkshire-news/hull-jehovahs-witnesses-speak-out-444185.

maybe boe in north east england having an attack of zealous fervour!

Phoebe

disfellowshipping children as young as 10....that is disgusting! What can that child possibly have done?? They are destroying peoples lives. It makes me sick and ashamed I belonged to them for so long.

26

Prayers ,are they answered ? or is it just self delusion ?

by smiddy3 in

after 33 years as a jw and leaving 25 years ago i think prayer can be summed up with the jews praying at the wailing wall.. all they are doing is talking to a brick wall ,and getting no feed back.

and they expect an answer to their prayers ?!.

christians /other beliefs might find that funny but they are no better off.. prayer is always a one way street you talk either vocally or mentally to god however you never get the same back .. if god " so loved the world that he doesnt want any to be destroyed but have everlasting life " then whats the problem with him audibly answering his servants prayers ?

Phoebe

I always hated it when someone would say they'd prayed for a job or a house and hey presto! they got it.

Or what about the Watchtower who wanted that equipment (cameras?) for the JW Broadcast and the company didn't have any available and so the brothers went out to the car and prayed and hey presto! A man from the company came running out to the car and said a company in south Africa (?) had gone bankrupt and didn't need their order so the brothers could have it...and cheaper, too. The GB said it was Jehovah answering their prayers because he was backing the broadcast.

How does that make sense compared to the child praying for angels to be around her bed to protect her from her JW dad abusing her?

No, I don't believe prayers are answered. It's just coincidences.

I would worry that my prayers were never answered and others seemed to be. I thought it meant Jehovah didn't like me.

There's a sister in my congregation who actually put up her hand and said her family think she has her own angel as ALL her prayers get answered, so if you want something just ask her. How utterly stupid is that??

Or the sister who constantly puts on social media the phrase 'tick...another prayer answered by Jah'

10

Carts in Florence/pisa

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i have just had a holiday.

i don't get many so this was special.

i went to italy.

Phoebe

I have just had a holiday. I don't get many so this was special. I went to Italy. I saw carts in all the touristy places in Florence and also in Pisa. I also saw brothers standing holding up magazines and as we walked by they said ' free magazine.'

I felt sorry for them, I really did. I almost took a magazine off one brother because he looked like he really didn't want to be there all by himself, holding up magazines.

It was also the first holiday for me since I left the JWs. I went in all the churches, they were beautiful. I also didn't spend the entire flight in fervent prayer as I used to do, because I'm a nervous flyer. I just embraced everything with a what will be, will be attitude. For the first time I really enjoyed the flight. In fact, I had the best time, I really did.

It made me realised what a nervous wreck the Watchtower had made me. I was always so, so worried about everything. It made life the opposite of enjoyable.

One morning, I watched a little girl chasing a bird. She was a sweet little thing and I thought to myself, according to witnesses if that little girl doesn't have JW parents she's going to be slaughtered very soon. How utterly cruel to even think that?

7

How long until the WT takes advantage of Mexican earthquake?

by Chook in

it will be another money call followed by a reminder about how the end is imminent..

Phoebe

Just saw an Instagram of a headline re the earthquake and underneath this sister has written 'pray for our brothers in mexico'

It made me so angry. What about everyone else? Guess they don't matter do they?

34

Just need to vent a little

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

in the last week i have had three visits from brothers.

so 6 witnesses in all as they come in pairs.

now considering i used to go to the meetings, sit by myself and literally no one talked to me - ever - why the concern all of a sudden?.

Phoebe

LV101 - Great post - thank you!

Iown Mylife - I shall follow your lead and not open the door. This sister today, barely spoke to me at the hall, yet shows up telling me I'm being disobedient and new a new hair do! Honestly, you couldn't make it up, could you??

34

Just need to vent a little

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

in the last week i have had three visits from brothers.

so 6 witnesses in all as they come in pairs.

now considering i used to go to the meetings, sit by myself and literally no one talked to me - ever - why the concern all of a sudden?.

Phoebe

hybridous

I'm not going back. Luckily no family in - well, none that I care about anyway. I can't unring that bell, as they say. I'm determined. I honestly don't think I could go into a KH ever again. They'll get bored soon, hopefully ;)

Carla

I work from home so am always in but husband says we're going to put a note on the door from now on.

34

Just need to vent a little

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

in the last week i have had three visits from brothers.

so 6 witnesses in all as they come in pairs.

now considering i used to go to the meetings, sit by myself and literally no one talked to me - ever - why the concern all of a sudden?.

Phoebe

Diogenesister.

I'm married but I've been at the meetings on my own for nearly 20 years now. Husband used to be a RP/MS but left. He just plain burnt himself out. No one cared. He never got any visits.

So, I've been attending on my own for a long, long time. I studied with the kids but gave them the choice and none of them wanted to be JWs and went off to university. Strangely, they've all become upright citizens contributing to society and all have good jobs and fine reputations. (i'm being sarcastic as y'know we're told uni will turn them into evolution believing, drug addicts with morals of alley cats) But them going to uni pretty much made everyone in the congregation think I was bad association. I literally walked a mile to and from the hall on my own for years, in all weathers. Cars going to hall passed me. Get there, sit on a entire row on my own, no one would speak much. Maybe one or two might say hello.One sister was nice to me when she was there. I ticked all the boxes - ministry/answer up etc. But still everyone so cold towards me. Walked out of there nearly 5 months ago and haven't been back since.

Dubstepped - I think you are right. I think I give them permission to treat me badly. My psychologist said that, too.

I won't let them in next time.Husband says we should get one of those doorbells with a camera.

Anyway, thank you all so much for your advice and concern. I really appreciate it. It helps enormously being able to talk to someone.

xx