Posts by Phoebe

21

Reflecting On The JW Version Of You

by pale.emperor in

lately i've been thinking over how far i've come over the last 2.5 years since leaving the cult.

when i first left i remember not knowing who i really was and what my beliefs and values were.

previously my values and beliefs were dictated to me the the governing body in watchtower magazines.. i'm politically active, being a member of a political party and i'm even considering running in my local election in a few years.. when it comes to religion, im an atheist who has little time for superstition and "god did it" answers to complex questions.

Phoebe

ttdtt

I also have fall out. I left last may after 50+years and it has been unbearably hard at times. In fact so much has gone wrong JWs might say God is punishing us! If you think Satan attacks you when you join, well seems we’re getting it for leaving. Instead of falling into the bosom of nonJW relatives, we’ve had nothing but trouble from them. Our business is on shaky ground, health scares and so much else has happened, it’s been awful. I feel cheated! I’ve read so much about people leaving and how happy they are. But, despite all of this we feel a clarity of mind we’ve never experienced before. We are no longer chained to constant guilt. We can think for ourselves. Dare to have our own opinions. I’m still massively angry the WT stole my life but we are battling through and hopefully things will get better.

8

Friends: Jehovah's Witnesses shunning drove Keego Harbor mom to murder-suicide

by adjusted knowledge in

jw
friends

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/02/19/keego-harbor-jehovahs-witness-mom-triple-murder-suicide/351559002/.

Phoebe

If you check out Fateful Slaves video on YouTube he speaks to the exJw lady. Apparently the mother believed she was anointed and the elders gave her a very hard time of it. That and other issues led to the family DA but they remained POMI to the extent I believe the suicide note said she felt she had let everyone down and sinned against the Holy Spirit and the only way to get her family into the new system was to murder them. You can find the interviews in 2 parts on YT

34

Impact of GDPR on WT HQ and EU branches?

by respectful_observer in

curious if any of our eu-based members (especially those still in) have heard anything from official wt channels on how the organisation plans to be in compliance with gdpr ("general data protection regulations") by may 2018?

it's my understanding that religious organisations must comply, and that religious data is treated a "protected" and therefore subject to some enhance requirements.. specifically, how will they comply with the following requirements:.

you must disclose to the individual: what data you collect on them, why, and what you do with the data (including what other parties receive the data and what they do with it).

Phoebe

This is going to affect every single place where data is collected and there are no excuses. I know because it will impact my business too (I am in online retail sales) A person will have the right to have their data deleted and request proof that you have done that. Physical data kept for tax reasons etc must be kept in a secure place. Policies will need to be in place including what processes are in place for a breach of security. It's very involved.

I struggle to see how JWs will comply. As mentioned above, a lot of info is kept on file in congregations.

I kind of want to request that all my data is deleted from the congregation even tho I am not DA/DF.

Even when the UK leave the EU the govt will still have the GDPR because it is necessary to protect people.

Failure to comply will carry some heavy penalties.

27

Solicitors Appontment Tomorrow - Advice Appreciated

by pale.emperor in

following up on this thread: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5012900121935872/am-overreacting-here?page=3#!#5179106934128640.

im seeing my solicitor tomorrow to see about getting an order in place making sure any contact my daughter has with my jw family goes through me and not my ex-wife.. explained the situation briefly to the lawyer, she was asking more and more about why should i be concerned if a jw had access to my child.. i mentioned the blood issue, the shunning, the inappropriate pictures of armageddon in books/mags etc.

do you think i should bring in watchtower literature to show them what i mean?

Phoebe

Jason Zelda does some videos on child custody cases. I think your solicitor should be aware of what JWs are prepared to do to get their own way. I totally agree with Diane, WE know how crazy JWs are but it's hard for outsiders to understand so take everything you can. There is also a website (it's for the US but it will give you some ideas) www.jwchildcustody.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pehwx1gAnw

30

Update on Detroit-Area Murder Suicide - Front Page Article

by lepermessiah in

jw
friends

https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/02/19/keego-harbor-jehovahs-witness-mom-triple-murder-suicide/351559002/.

this was on the front page of freep.com this morning - sadly there are some factual errors in this article that people will jump on (not allowed to go to college was in original article for instance - hopefully the reporter will correct it).

interesting reading the comments below the article - all kinds of opinions.

Phoebe

This is desperately sad. We don't know the full facts but one thing is for sure, being shunned by family and friends would not have helped. Didn't her friend say when she went shopping JWs wouldn't even look at her. Some people can give an appearance of everything is fine, life is good but inside they are dying. We have no idea how this poor lady was suffering perhaps we'll find out more soon.

As for the kids going to college being a reason they left. I can see this. It depends on the local elders. In my own experience my kids decided to go to university and I was made to suffer big time by the congregation and the elders. In fact during one meeting the elder all but named me from the platform as disobeying the organization by allowing them to go.

People avoided me, wouldn't work with me in the ministry and wouldn't even sit near me during the meetings because the elders made such a big deal of how bad further education was.

I also have known of 3 JW suicides.

76

In one sentence, can you pinpoint a single event that woke you up?

by Brian J in

my turning point: serving on a child abuse judicial case.

.

Phoebe

My single event was the way the elders treated me when I reported the sexual abuse I received as a child. It was totally disgusting the way they treated me. That was it...I was done.

19

I feel like I am going crazy at times ...

by CovertsadJW in

good evening , .

i feel like i am going crazy - it’s so hard not being able to talk to the ones i love about how i really feel - meaning the “ truth “ is a big lie and a big waste of time.

it’s so weird - i can’t talk to my wife , or kids about how i really feel and it’s causing me probalms that i recognize.

Phoebe

Hi CovertsadJW

I wish I could do something other than send you a virtual hug. Others on here will be able to give you good advice.

Ive been reading your other posts. You are really having a tough time and my heart goes out to you.

hang on in there if you can. Waking up is such a painful, traumatic process. A massive shock to the system. Be patient and try to wake up your family slowly and gently. I was baptised 52 years and I woke up. My husband couldn't believe it, he'd been trying for 20 years to wake me up.

we're thinking of you.

xx

25

...and so it begins

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i've had an email from a sister who tells me that out in field service this morning a long standing route call has told them she won't be taking any more magazines and doesn't want them calling on her again because she has heard about the jws child abuse scandals and cover ups.

she was quite angry with them and said your elders say there is nothing wrong but there is and it will all come out.. this is the first time anyone i know of has been challenged on the doorstep and they were absolutely shocked and also angry.

angry that the organization is not preparing them for dealing with this and for not being honest with the brothers about what is going on ie: lawsuits etc.. just thought i'd share that with you..

Phoebe

Doc

Thank you so much for helping to protect me.

Don't worry about me.I have a plan. I have listened to Critical Thinker on YouTube who did a very good video on waking people up.

I am very careful. I never, ever attack the WT. I plant seeds and water slowly.

But, even so, it certainly wouldn't bother me to be DF, I have no intentions of ever going back and all the family I care about have left the organization anyway.

As it happens, I have heard from them today and they are planning a short break from meetings/service. Which is very telling, don't you think?

25

...and so it begins

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i've had an email from a sister who tells me that out in field service this morning a long standing route call has told them she won't be taking any more magazines and doesn't want them calling on her again because she has heard about the jws child abuse scandals and cover ups.

she was quite angry with them and said your elders say there is nothing wrong but there is and it will all come out.. this is the first time anyone i know of has been challenged on the doorstep and they were absolutely shocked and also angry.

angry that the organization is not preparing them for dealing with this and for not being honest with the brothers about what is going on ie: lawsuits etc.. just thought i'd share that with you..

Phoebe

Ding

thank you. I know it's important for me to not bombard them with info. They accept I know a lot about the subject because I'm one of the 'abused' and I've looked into because of that. There's a tendency to see that chink of hope and give them both barrels! But I won't do that. I'm going gently with it. Waking up can be a long, painful process. Thank you for your help.

Peter.

Thank you for the link!

25

...and so it begins

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

i've had an email from a sister who tells me that out in field service this morning a long standing route call has told them she won't be taking any more magazines and doesn't want them calling on her again because she has heard about the jws child abuse scandals and cover ups.

she was quite angry with them and said your elders say there is nothing wrong but there is and it will all come out.. this is the first time anyone i know of has been challenged on the doorstep and they were absolutely shocked and also angry.

angry that the organization is not preparing them for dealing with this and for not being honest with the brothers about what is going on ie: lawsuits etc.. just thought i'd share that with you..

Phoebe

A little update to this tonight is that the sister has emailed me again to say they are very upset and would like further information from me about child abuse scandals.For example they were looking for Stephen Lett saying 'it's all apostate lies' on the broadcast but couldn't find it.

I have to tread very carefully but I think I can trust her, she isn't the type that is totally controlled by the WT (for example she still talks to her DA daughter and takes no notice of what the org say on that)

There is a chink of hope here that they might wake up.