Posts by Phoebe

I now realise I've learnt more about the religion this year than I ever knew before. I was one of those than went blindly along with everything. I had total trust in the GB that they were doing the research for us and we could rely on them 100%

In hindsight, it was lazy. I couldn't be bothered to check for myself, but then why should I?

I think most people I know believe what the GB tell them. A few may have niggling doubts but have a 'well, I don't really believe that but I'll go along with it for now' attitude.

One thing I do know, is a lot of JWs today seem to have very little bible knowledge. When my husband was talking to the COBE the other day, he said he was shocked at how little the COBE knew. They are so busy getting in the hours, I don't think they study deeply. I didn't. I just studied WT material and accepted it as fact.

29

Do they take the GB seriously?

by Tech49 in

jw
friends

so this is an honest question that i have been thinking about for some time.. do regular jehovahś witnesses in other countries (other than the usa) take the governing body in new york seriously?.

i mean, i cant help but wonder about the publishers in japan, or south africa, or mexico, or new zealand, or even the uk, or spain, or italy...... or russia?.

not you and i (we know what you think of them), but the regular jwś...... do they take these american buffoons seriously?

Phoebe

All the people I knew venerated them.

One sister told me how much the GB had sacrificed for us, she said they probably live in little cell like rooms in Warwick with just the bare necessities....she truly believes this, by the way.

Another sister who was afraid of flying said: 'The GB fly all over the world and if they can do it, I will also be brave and do it, too.'

They would talk of the GB in the same way you'd expect them to talk of Jesus,

21

So today this happened...

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

you all pretty much know my story so i won't repeat it but.... to say i'm being hounded by my local congregation is an understatement.

today the cobe finally found us in.

well, i refused to answer the door but my husband did.

Phoebe

Thank you, everyone. All advice has been taken and is so very welcome.

Husband has been mostly good so far, biting his tongue so to speak, but he's been away for many years and tends to be somewhat emotional (it's his nationality!!) when confronted by witnesses.

I will do what you have all told me.

Thank you :)

21

So today this happened...

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

you all pretty much know my story so i won't repeat it but.... to say i'm being hounded by my local congregation is an understatement.

today the cobe finally found us in.

well, i refused to answer the door but my husband did.

Phoebe

You all pretty much know my story so I won't repeat it but...

to say I'm being hounded by my local congregation is an understatement. Today the COBE finally found us in. Well, I refused to answer the door but my husband did. I've been pretty much sticking to my story of: 'Thank you for your concern but please leave me alone, I have post traumatic stress and anxiety to deal with, I can't discuss anything with you right now.'

But, today, my husband decided to tell the COBE a thing or two so he spoke to him about the ARC, Jeffrey Jackson, Candice Conti and so on. To which he got told he shouldn't believe all he reads, the internet is full of lies, the cobe had never heard of any of it and basically it was all apostate lies and none of this abuse ever happened. My husband said the cobe wouldn't believe any of it, then the cobe said the organization were super hot on child abuse now, there was so much being done to protect kids at conventions etc.

And then the cobe told him going to the meetings was a command from Jehovah and I should be going because I am now disobeying God blah blah. On and on he went. So that's the second time I've now been told I'm disobeying Jehovah in the past week or so.

Honestly, what do I have to do to make them leave me alone? I live in a tiny town and I'm already negotiating my way around it like a ninja!

I'm thinking ghillie suit...what do you think?

27

An honest question for those who were "born-in"

by stuckinarut2 in

just wanted to ask a question of those who were born in as i was.. how did you feel to have been "privileged to have been born into the only true faith - the truth"?.

did this make you feel confident, or proud - or perhaps arrogant?.

how did you reconcile the fact that 99% of the earth's population was not born "into the truth"?.

Phoebe

I felt as if I didn't serve it. How could I be this lucky? To be born into the right religion. But it made me feel guilty because I knew I was in it by default. Never would I have had the courage to change religions like my mum did. I just wouldn't have done it. That made me feel bad. On elder explained that me being in the truth was my mum being blessed.

I was proud because I was 100% confident it was the truth. No doubt at all.

I accepted everyone else was going to die because being born in, I was numb to the people in the world around me. The phrase' the wicked will be destroyed' was banded around so much, as a child I just clumped the people in the world all together and assumed everyone must bad.

I was also an abused child, so no, I didn't question anything. I once dared to ask about evolution and my mother went completely berserk at me. So I learned to shut up and do as I was told.

I was 100% a JW robot until this year.

61

Saying hello for first time

by pimojw in

i have been sneakily looking at this forum, almost every day, ever since it began!

it has taken me till now to actually register and contribute.

(actually i did register with a different name in the beginning but never commented).. i am a pimo elder with a fairly long history of senior "positions" in the organization.

Phoebe

Hello pimojw... welcome!

I'm fairly new here too and I also hung around a bit before going to ridiculous lengths to conceal my identity (i care less and less about that now tho!)

This forum has been a life saver for me. So much love and support from everyone.

Without giving to much details of yourself, we would love to hear more of your story.

I also enjoy meletvivlon's website and read my bible and pray.

23

last psychology session tomorrow

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

so tomorrow is my last appointment with my psychologist.

we are going to commemorate it by giving each other a letter.. sept 2016 i sat, a quivering wreck, in her waiting room.

i was terrified.

Phoebe

All or nothing

When I started looking for a therapist I had no idea what to look for. I chose a 'psychologist' as opposed to a counselor because they are more qualified (that is, here in the UK - it may be different elsewhere) They have specific training into human behaviour and can use different techniques to helps you.

Now I had decided on a psychologist I googled for one in my area. I looked at a lot of profiles. I chose mine because she was a woman and felt more comfortable telling a woman about my past. The minute I saw her I felt at ease. I knew I'd chosen the one.

There are some therapists that specialise in cult behaviour you could also look for one of these.

What I will say is, please do it. It is the best thing I ever did. It's not an easy journey and some sessions you feel like giving up and some days you go one step forward and ten back, but stick with it. I can't stress that enough. It saved my life. It really did. Message me if I can help you in anyway.

23

last psychology session tomorrow

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

so tomorrow is my last appointment with my psychologist.

we are going to commemorate it by giving each other a letter.. sept 2016 i sat, a quivering wreck, in her waiting room.

i was terrified.

Phoebe

Thank you, thank you...for the love, support, virtual hugs (and flowers - flipper!)

crazyguy

To answer you. Apart from initially asking me if I would ever consider leaving the JWs, she never pushed it - ever. They don't. You do all the talking. They just asking questions here and there. Guiding you. It just became so apparent that almost everything went back to me being a JW. So I guess I inadvertently woke myself up!

I told her I had been warned not to say I was a JW but I saw no point in going if I wasn't going to tell her everything. I had no idea it would lead me out of the WT. It wasn't my intention. I was just trying to save my life. If I didn't address my health issues I was in danger of a heart attack or stroke. so I had all this stress and I was stuck in an anxiety peak. Like a car in top gear, constantly.

But slowly as we unpicked my past, it became so clear being a JW played a major part in my anxieties plus I'd never addressed the issue of being sexually abused hence the undischarged post traumatic stress.

At one point, I decided to write to my brother and ask for an apology. I told my elders and they were 100% behind me, or so they said. We love you, we'll support you, they said. Well, they lied. I wrote to my brother. The first time I didn't sign it properly (typed it) it so he wrote back and asked if it was from me. I sent it again. No answer. Then all of a sudden my 'supportive elders' wouldn't talk to me. Wouldn't discuss it with me. Wouldn't even look at me. One ran away from me in the supermarket. Something had happened. My guess is the branch were involved. My brother is very well connected.

I had laid bare my soul to the elders and now they wouldn't even acknowledge my existence. It was then I knew for certain. This was not God's organization. There was no love, no compassion. At this point in my sessions I had began to accept I was a victim in all of this. That I was one of many victims that had been ignored by the WT. The psychology sessions gave me the strength to walk away.

23

last psychology session tomorrow

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

so tomorrow is my last appointment with my psychologist.

we are going to commemorate it by giving each other a letter.. sept 2016 i sat, a quivering wreck, in her waiting room.

i was terrified.

Phoebe

Thank you everyone, your beautiful, kind words have brought me to tears...in a good way.

I am so proud to be associated with you all. You are good people. Caring people. You have shown me more support and compassion than I ever got in 50 years as a JW. You gave me the strength to do this. Thank you all so very much.

Wish I could hug you all.

xxxx