I live in a small house, we've just been under our stairs (storage place) and pulled out decades of bound volumes. I'm all for throwing them away but my husband says keep them. But why? I'm not going to use them again - ever. So bit by bit I'm throwing them away but I'm keeping my pink paradise book. The book that scared me into baptism at 13. All those buildings falling down on people and my dad telling me if Armageddon came tomorrow that would be me!
Phoebe
JoinedPosts by Phoebe
-
37
Which Watchtower publications did you keep?
by Schnufti ini'm currently cleaning up our bookcase and need to decide what goes into the trash.
i'll keep the watchtower books that are not available online anymore (e.g.
the brown "reasoning" book).
-
-
-
25
Outraged After Watching The May 2017 Broadcast
by pale.emperor inok, so i've just put myself through another months broadcast so i can see what bull they're feeding my still in relatives.
all was going fine... well, i say fine, i mean the usual cheesy videos, rehearsed reactions from jeffrey jackson (you remember him, the one who told half truths and lies at the royal commission) and propaganda from jw land.. the last feature brings up 9/11 and the paris 2015 attack at the bataclan.
just as im thinking "how are they gonna spin this in their direction" i hear these words:.
-
-
Phoebe
pale.emperor
I share your outrage. I was given a lift to the meeting by an elder and his wife and I commented on how awful the terrorist attack was in Paris and the elders wife said 'yes, but no brothers or sisters were involved.' I replied that what about those poor people gunned down but they weren't bothered. As long as no brothers were hurt the rest were just wicked worldly people as far as they were concerned.
-
15
Australia Take 5: “I was sexually abused by a JW elder as a child”
by darkspilver intake 5 is a popular weekly 'women's magazine' based in australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/take_5_(magazine).
the following 1,100 word story is from their website - don't know if it's in the printed version.....take 5, may 5, 2017.
-
-
Phoebe
Thank you for your kind words stuckinarut2
I feel this is a safe place for me to talk openly.
-
15
Australia Take 5: “I was sexually abused by a JW elder as a child”
by darkspilver intake 5 is a popular weekly 'women's magazine' based in australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/take_5_(magazine).
the following 1,100 word story is from their website - don't know if it's in the printed version.....take 5, may 5, 2017.
-
-
Phoebe
stillin
Your post doesn't offend me. You are probably right about the money.
I tend to believe most people's stories as who would want to lie about being abused? Most people say nothing and suffer in silence as I did for almost 60 years until my doctor said you must finally address it.Now I have the courage to be quite open about it.
Of course, magazines pay money and it wouldn't be the first time someone has made something up for the money. But in the case of Tara, I don't think so. Yes, the words 'hell' and not wearing ribbons in her hair might seem suspicious but the article writer may have felt 'hell' would resonate with the readers as opposed to Armageddon and who knows? maybe her parents were super strict JWs and didn't allow coloured ribbons (growing up as a JW I had friends who weren't allowed to wear earrings or bangles) and maybe going to the abusers house to read scriptures meant 'the book study'
I hope Tara finds help but whatever help there is out there...it will never, ever fix it. Abuse damages you for life.
-
15
Australia Take 5: “I was sexually abused by a JW elder as a child”
by darkspilver intake 5 is a popular weekly 'women's magazine' based in australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/take_5_(magazine).
the following 1,100 word story is from their website - don't know if it's in the printed version.....take 5, may 5, 2017.
-
-
Phoebe
Thank you nonjwspouse that means so much to me.
-
15
Australia Take 5: “I was sexually abused by a JW elder as a child”
by darkspilver intake 5 is a popular weekly 'women's magazine' based in australia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/take_5_(magazine).
the following 1,100 word story is from their website - don't know if it's in the printed version.....take 5, may 5, 2017.
-
-
Phoebe
As a person who was sexually assaulted as a child I can say from experience the slightest thing can trigger a memory. My psychologist said it can be a noise, a smell...anything. Something that suddenly reminds you of that horrific experience. I can still 'see' the blanket I was made to lie under. I can still 'feel' it. I hate paquet flooring because that's where I was forced to lay down.
I feel for anyone that has endured this. 60 years later and I'm still suffering the effects while my abuser is still a well respected elder. I did write to him this year and ask for an apology with the full backing of the elders in my congregation who were 'always going to be there for me' Well, he got the letter and didn't reply and suddenly my elders backed off from me. I think he must have pulled strings or something. I asked why and the reply was 'it's your word against his. Nothing we can do. Life is tough sometimes.' If they couldn't do anything then a little bit of spiritual care might have helped but nope, nothing. They distanced themselves from me.
I'm done with it now. No more meetings for me. Not going back. My heart goes out to those suffering.
-
1
Maintenance Co-ordinator
by Phoebe ini don't know if anyone has mentioned this, i've scrolled through to see but don't see anything.. last saturday our congregation had a special meeting and everyone was supposed to attend.
i didn't go of course because i'm trying to stay away but my jw neighbor filled me in.
a brother and his wife came and he has a title, i think it's maintenance coordinator or something.
-
-
Phoebe
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this, I've scrolled through to see but don't see anything.
Last Saturday our congregation had a special meeting and everyone was supposed to attend. I didn't go of course because I'm trying to stay away but my JW neighbor filled me in. A brother and his wife came and he has a title, I think it's maintenance coordinator or something. Anyway, he's been appointed by the society to go around a bunch of congregations with his wife and talk about maintenance of kingdom halls and how the hall has to be kept looking nice. Then everyone was divided into groups and his wife took one group and they walked around the hall looking for any jobs that needed doing.
After, he asked everyone what they thought of it and someone commented that is was nice that sisters were now allowed to be involved in the maintenance instead of having to ask a brother.
I'm so glad I wasn't there. I would have been boiling at that comment. So now a sister can change a light bulb instead of having to ask a brother first! Jeez. Has anyone else had this special meeting?
-
24
Do you find it therapeutic coming to this site?
by UnshackleTheChains ini read on another thread how this site has helped another user and that for them it has been a form of therapy.. for me yes, jwn has most certainly been a form of therapy.. i recall the days i first came to jwn (in 2004) and couldn't believe i had found people who were of the same opinion as myself in regards to the society.
it was this site that led me to reading ray franz's book 'crisis of conscience' which i read twice within a week.
it also led me to jw facts that goes into every nook and cranny regarding the society's teachings, policies and history.. note: i also visit many other sites and watch you tube videos a lot, but gravitate here most of the time.. coming here to express my inner most thoughts and feelings has helped me no end and allows me to overcome my frustrations.
-
-
Phoebe
pale emperor
Re: Captives of A Concept
I've just ordered it!
-
24
Do you find it therapeutic coming to this site?
by UnshackleTheChains ini read on another thread how this site has helped another user and that for them it has been a form of therapy.. for me yes, jwn has most certainly been a form of therapy.. i recall the days i first came to jwn (in 2004) and couldn't believe i had found people who were of the same opinion as myself in regards to the society.
it was this site that led me to reading ray franz's book 'crisis of conscience' which i read twice within a week.
it also led me to jw facts that goes into every nook and cranny regarding the society's teachings, policies and history.. note: i also visit many other sites and watch you tube videos a lot, but gravitate here most of the time.. coming here to express my inner most thoughts and feelings has helped me no end and allows me to overcome my frustrations.
-
-
Phoebe
This site has helped me so much because as you say, you 'get' it. Even my psychologist doesn't really understand. You've got to have been there to know. This site has helped me so much. People have been so kind and supportive.
-
3
Effectiveness of exposing child abuse
by Tallon inthought i would try and gauge your views on the effectiveness of current child abuse exposure within the jw's.. i am aware of the arc investigation into historical and current child abuse, the uk charity commission investigation, and the excellent work of trey bundy.. however, how effective has the above been in exposing child abuse?.
would not an investigation in the manner of spotlight, be more effective in exposing it to a wider audience?
to prove that the abuse is 'systemic'?.
-
-
Phoebe
Apart from the fact my JW neighbour has just heard the BBC radio 4 programme on JWs and abuse, no other JW I've spoken to has a clue. In fact they say, the organization is 'very hot' on dealing with child abuse. So, no, from my point of view it isn't getting heard and here no one has heard about the ARC or anything.