Posts by HereIgo

20

Dealing with Loneliness and Social Anxiety

by NoviceLocs14 in

hello, this is my 1st initiated post on this site, so i'm a bit nervous.

i did search for similar topics on this site, but a lot of them have been inactive for several years, so here goes.... a little background, i was pretty much born in "da twoof", baptized at 17, pioneered for about 6 years, was part of the rbc part time, and was even in the foreign language field for the last 3 years i was a jw.

so i pretty much had a pretty active social life within the organization due to being part of all of those things.

HereIgo

Novice,

I have faith that one day you will find someone that you "click" just be patient and try your best. Hang in there!

12

What is your happy or comforting memory from your childhood?

by MissFit in

when i think of my childhood i tend to organize my memories based on the houses i lived in.

the house i remember the most was the house on the hill when i was 6. i can still picture it in my mind.

it had a big porch with a porch swing.

HereIgo

Basically any time before my mom forced the JW religion on me at age 16 and now we haven't talked in years.. I have good memories waking up before sunrise going fishing with my dad, road trips, playing old school jams in the car with my mom talking about normal stuff, back when life was simple. Good times.

56

Would You Outlaw Jehovah's Witnesses If You Had Your Way?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i still believe in freedom of religion even if i disagree with the beliefsof the religion.

what about you?.

HereIgo

As much as it damages families and relationships, I wouldn't outlaw it. I believe people should have the freedom to believe in whatever they want.

20

Dealing with Loneliness and Social Anxiety

by NoviceLocs14 in

hello, this is my 1st initiated post on this site, so i'm a bit nervous.

i did search for similar topics on this site, but a lot of them have been inactive for several years, so here goes.... a little background, i was pretty much born in "da twoof", baptized at 17, pioneered for about 6 years, was part of the rbc part time, and was even in the foreign language field for the last 3 years i was a jw.

so i pretty much had a pretty active social life within the organization due to being part of all of those things.

HereIgo

Hey Novice, I can relate to you as I also have had social anxiety, as a teen but was able to overcome it for the most part. I also was active in the organization pioneering etc. then all of a sudden all of my JW friends were out of the picture which made things difficult at first. I agree with you husband and also recommend to just "get out there". I think if you were able to meet at least one good friend that you have things in common with, it would make a huge difference. My first "worldly" friends as an adult were co-workers. Do you work or go to school? maybe you could start there? Are there any local ex-JW support groups in your area? Just my 2 cents.

65

My Younger Brother Has Left The Witnesses!! :-D

by pale.emperor in

absolutely thrilled to give you the news that my younger brother, a zealous full-time pioneer has left the witnesses!!.

i haven't seen or spoke to him in a year.

i'd lost all contact with him, no facebook, no mobile number, i didn't even know his address because he'd moved house.

HereIgo

Wow that was deep! Numerous other young, ex jws felt the exact same way upon leaving, including myself. You just wake up one day and realize its all BS. I am glad he found TTATT and true happiness.

40

Surprise Elders Visit

by Tight Pants Twinkle Toes in

hello community!

quick background - baptized 1971, 46 years in the borg, former elder.

wife - baptized 1973, pioneer...... we became disgusted with the oranization 10 years ago but still believed it was the truth.

HereIgo

Enjoyed your story, its always nice to hear someone stick up to the power hungry elders. Looking forward to hear more of your stories as a former Elder!

32

DA myself to relieve great pressure?

by Isambard Crater in

jw
friends

my lifelong mental illnesses, fuelled significantly by the borg, are very bad at the moment and result in me missing lots of midweek meetings, but i haven't missed a sunday in years except the occasional vacation.. the nature of my mental and emotional illnesses mean that i, as a physically in and mentally out pimo, take to heart very painfully admonishment from the platform to never miss meetings, preach all i can, and so on.. okay, i report 3 hours each month on average and no elder has ever said anything, but when they make comments on the platform, i feel such great guilt and shame, but also anger, as they do not understand my illnesses and when i do mention my situation to elders, they kind of minimise and joke about it.. some other sisters in my congregation started "officially" not attending midweek meetings a few year's ago because of their own health circumstances, but i know for a fact that some elders look down on them for this reason, not showing real understanding deep down even if they do on the surface.. i have reached the point where i want to hand in a da letter as a cry for help, or more like a clear indicator to them that when i say i'm not well enough to attend midweek, i really mean it and it's not just an excuse.

sure, i'm only 42, but i can still be too fragile to go out at night with a 30 minute drive both ways..

HereIgo

Hello Isambard,

In my humble opinion, I would not recommend the DA route simply to end the pressure, as you will just be transferring even more power to them. Have you actually decided within yourself that this is not the truth? on your own? once you have reached this point, you will feel less guilt as you by then realized that this is nothing more than a man-made organization who can not judge you, unless you allow them.

72

Favorite/least favorite CO's and DO's

by HereIgo in

i posted this thread sometime last year but thought i would revive it due to the new ones on the board, and to change things up a bit.

my favorite?

bro murikami, from hawaii, very humble, kind bro.

HereIgo

I posted this thread sometime last year but thought I would revive it due to the new ones on the board, and to change things up a bit. My favorite? Bro Murikami, from Hawaii, very humble, kind Bro. Served in Phoenix, AZ area around 2003-2006. The worst was D. Allen Phegley 2007-2010, Phoenix, AZ. He was the most cocky, arrogant, company man you could ever know. Excellent speaker though. CO David Schroeder 2010-...extremely boring, dry and a company man. DO Chuck Wahler, Southern CA and Phoenix, AZ area, very humble and didn't strike me as much of a company man. Your thoughts? Go!

70

What made you stay "in" even when you knew it wasn't the "truth"?

by mentalclarity in

so i've been thinking a lot about why i stayed a jw for so long even though i had always had doubts about the doctrines.

i was born into the religion, left and came back as an adult for another decade.

some of the things that come to mind (besides the threat of shunning-and this isn't to minimize that very real threat) was:.

HereIgo

Besides the obvious threat of losing my family and being shunned, it was being told how scary the world is and how i would never succeed without the organization.

24

The little things that made you feel guilty as a JW?

by HereIgo in

watching rated r movies?

maybe a little gambling in vegas?

when i was in high school i went to the mall with my friend at the time, who happened to be a female.

HereIgo

Watching Rated R movies? Maybe a little gambling in Vegas? When I was in High School I went to the mall with my friend at the time, who happened to be a female. I was scared shitless that I would run into someone from the congregation even though it was completely innocent. Then I look back as an adult and realize I was part of a cult lol. Thoughts?