warning - vent ahead....... so, my father (still very much in jw but who has at least had the decency to still keep in contact with me and hubby and to show interest in why we aren't attending and respect where we are at) is in intensive care at a local hospital and is intubated and sedated with some serious health issues.
i'm next of kin so i get all the phone calls from the hospital.. so, the rest of the "family" has cut me off because we are inactive and because the ever-active jw gossip grapevine has rumoured with a sibilant slithy hissy voice: "apossstassssy" is the cause of our inactivity.. whatever.. but now i've had to contact said "family" with the news about my father and what is going on....... so, dad's sisters answer my calls and manage to act and conduct themselves with a degree of decorum.. my sister on the other hand - well, she doesn't deign to answer my calls and texts for most of the day.
i push the issue tonight and insist on speaking to her when my brother-in-law answers the call.
SummerAngel: Firstly be a visible presence on the ward, ask DRs and nurses yourself for updates and ensure they and any social workers involved have your details. Make them aware of the issues and stress you want to be involved in any case meetings.
^^^ THIS ^^^
The JWs may play their petty little bullshit games but they can't bully the medical professionals. Make them your allies and take no game playing from your small-minded cult member family.
during mao's cultural revolution images of the past were destroyed by the red guard.
temples and churches were looted and religious statues destroyed.. this image was taken by li zhengshen at the jile temple in august 1966. the sign on the wall translates as "smash the old world".. will the left never learn?.
.
It's not just "the left" and it's not just political. Mob rule and extremists of every stripe (political, religious, social, etc.) are guilty of this type of behavior everywhere and at every time throughout our history.
I've come to the sad conclusion that it's who we are as humans.
It's not all of us perhaps-maybe not you, and maybe not me--but it is the portion of us that, at least for all of recorded history, has defined what it means to be human.
so i'm pretty sure my fade is complete.
haven't stepped foot inside a kh in 9 years.
but the concept of fading still makes me wonder.
All of the above plus I enjoy the occasional cigar, somtimes shoot firearms recreationally, have assisted at least three people in leaving the cult and have presented at an international conference about the challenges ex-cult members face after leaving.
Nevertheless, I am still TECHNICALLY a member in good standing, not that I know for sure or care.
that's what i've been told by a family member (elder) who went to one of the regional conventions in the north of the u.k lately, who told me the 300 or more disfellowshipped who returned to jehovah by attending show that the end is so close, just like the final talk says..
Ruby: This [is] backed up by research that indicates that over half of those who leave do return
OMG, here we go again! Empty assertions of "research" without any actual EVIDENCE or even a reference. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; you learned it from the WTBTS.
What Steve says:
Steve2: I'd be interested to know whether there has actually been an increase in numbers returning. Has there? Evidence please. - [Emphasis added]
i would like to state publicly, on this forum, i no longer hold the views i had a year ago.. with much thought, research, study and logical examination i have come to a better understanding of my beliefs and where i stand on all these issues.. i'm very happy to announce i have returned to healthful teaching of the holy scriptures and i firmly believe that the governing body of jehovah's witnesses is the faithful slave.. sorry if i have contibuted to any kind of stumbling and know that if i can turn things around then there's hope for all who come to there sence.. phill4:6,7.
CC: I firmly believe that the Governing body of Jehovah's witnesses is the faithful slave.
And I am sorry that you believe delusional nonsense and have abdicated thinking for yourself and turned your decision-making and personal responsibility to be an autonomous person over to seven uneducated and equally deluded fools.
What will you say to defend yourself when you're old and broke, the current GB members are all dead and Armageddon STILL hasn't come?
Will you ever be able to admit that you and they are wrong? Will you?
i never thought i would see that in the us, a "free speech rally" (which has distanced itself from and organizers have nothing at all to do with the right, republicans or extremism) is being counter protested by thousands in boston today, the counter protests being organized by a coalition of black supremacists and sjw's.. on the other hand, google is building a database of speech that doesn't align with the left-wing political values.. i'm not sure what youngsters are thinking these days, but free speech used to be the cornerstone of american civilizations only a few decades ago.
the only way to drown out "bad" free speech is more free speech..
It's sadly ironic that extremist and fanatics never seem to realize they all end up behaving pretty much the same in spite of their supposed ideological differences.
on my way into town from my office.
two carts set up a few feet from each other.
one manned by a man and woman (i assume they're a couple) in their late 30s.. the guys walks off to the other cart as im walking by, i wasn't going to approach but the woman holding the awake!
The man told her "i was talking there, do you mind?" she backed away.
What an asshole.
And how fucked up that the woman puts up with that crap.
i am sure we have all thought of this before, but it struck me again today:.
why does the society promote such vitriolic hate toward, and about those who have left "the truth" ?.
surely it is obvious that such critical attitudes towards ones like us who have left, only serves to proove that they do not have "the truth"?.
Because it's what cults do.
https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2017-08/report-on-criminal-justice-released.
Good news, finally!
If only the US would follow that example!
Sparrowdown: maybe I 'm just a crazy optimist.
You are, but that doesn't mean you're wrong!
