Posts by Soledad

23

Did you ACTUALLY do this?

by Frequent_Fader_Miles in

as part of your "dedication and baptism" did you actually go to jehovah in prayer and "dedicate" your life to him prior to your baptism?

at the time when the elders were reviewing the "questions" with me, i hadn't a clue that i was supposed to do this until one of them asked directly.

i answered in the affirmative anyway ... wanting the incessant questioning to be over as quickly as possible.

Soledad

No I didn't. Does this mean that my baptism is void?

10

I think my drum beat is off...

by Sparkplug in

jw
friends

not sure what it is, but i need a new tune to tumble to cuz' my old one is just not working.. ever felt like that?

like there is a whole world happening around you that you just don't know about?

that someone forgot to send the memo to you...clue you in to half the going ons, or explain things to you?

Soledad

you know I completely misread the title of this thread. you figure out what I initially thought LOL

32

Discussion at the bank...

by sammielee24 in

soooo...i was in at the bank last week and had a great discussion with the teller there.

she has been in banking for over 20 years and despite using this bank for the past 3 years, this was the first time we had a chance to gab.

this was a bank in california by the way.

Soledad

This is absolutely true. I worked at a bank for years and I can't even begin to tell you.......

97

I went to the Memorial.

by RichieRich in

jw
friends

i'm just going to start at the beginning.. i was anticipating the memorial all day.

i was nervous but excited, kind of like standing in line for a roller coaster.. ok. so erika gets ready at her house, and i get ready at mine.

i'm wearing a black suit with a light green shirt, and a tie that had hues of green and yellow in it.

I guess that's cool Rich if you felt the need to go back and do so. Closure is always a good thing. It's kind of like when someone here asks about writing a DA letter; some say do it others oppose, why play by their rules, etc. I didn't go to any memorial after I officially DA'd, that was almost 10 years ago now. I didn't give a rat's ass what anyone thought about me and how I lived, and I still don't.

97

I went to the Memorial.

by RichieRich in

jw
friends

i'm just going to start at the beginning.. i was anticipating the memorial all day.

i was nervous but excited, kind of like standing in line for a roller coaster.. ok. so erika gets ready at her house, and i get ready at mine.

i'm wearing a black suit with a light green shirt, and a tie that had hues of green and yellow in it.

Soledad

Hi Rich. What a night for you. Thanks for sharing what happened.

Your mom is a lot like my mom. She needs to exert authority and control over her kids and does it with religion. She also likes having an audience and getting sympathy from others, hence the tears. Your attendance and brief exchange of words with her will unfortunately make her dig her heels in deeper into this cult, I know from experience. Furthermore, any others who were for a mere moment looking to make an escape will be set back at the sight of your mom in tears at this memorial. Some parents really really know how to play that emotional blackmail card with the utmost precision and perfection. No disrespect intendend towards you and all the other parents and children trapped in this cult, but I don't believe for a second that your mom didn't know what she was doing.

Now that being said, I found what you said earlier about "reintroducing" yourself as your own person very interesting. Why would you want to re-introduce yourself into this cult? You don't have to reply if you don't want. I just hope you take some time to "mull" over this experience. Dont be surprised if you find yourself remembering some things and reacting to it. It's part of the healing I guess. Love to you as always.

117

I'm Attending the Memorial

by RichieRich in

jw
friends

my lovely girlfriend and i sat down over a homecooked meal, and discussed the pros and cons of attending the memorial.. i decided, with her support, that we would attend.. i spent years of my life pretending to be a witness to please my mother.

when i left the witnesses, my mother said some hurtful things.. and those things really hurt me... for a while.

but i established myself as my own person, developed my own relationships, and have gotten a good start on my own life.. i don't know that i want to hurt my mother back, but i do want to make it abundantly clear to her, my grandmother, and all the members of my former congregation, that richierich is alive and kicking.. and i think that walking into the kingdom hall, dressed respectfully in a suit, yet with full piercing jewelry intact, and with erika wearing something classy that steals the brother's eyes, and draws glares from the humble sisters, will be just the thing to send that message to my mother.. i don't plan on partaking or making a disturbance.

Soledad

Well do let us know how it goes.

I'm with the "don't do it" crowd on this one. But it's your choice and I respect that.

1

On Wednesday April 4th

by Soledad in

jw
friends

at 14:36:40 exactly i will be 1.000.000.000 seconds old!.

completely useless facts about your birthday.

Soledad

At 14:36:40 exactly I will be 1.000.000.000 seconds old!

completely useless facts about your birthday

16

Do Watchtower Flashbacks Still Haunt You?

by The wanderer in

jw
friends

do vietnam watchtower flashbacks still haunt you?occasionally, there are times in which i get up from a sound sleep.

tearful because of my vietnam watchtower flashbacks of being.

one of jehovahs witnesses.. sad to say, these dreams come back to haunt me in a negative way.. do you ever dream of still being stuck in the organization?are there times in which you find yourself back in the kingdom.

Soledad

I frequently dream about being back in the KH or at an assembly. Just the other night I dreamt that my mother was driving me and my brother to the KH that we attended many years ago, in an old station wagon that she once owned about 25 years ago. My mother is and always was a very careful and slow driver, in this dream she was driving quite recklessly. Once I got there I saw all the familiar faces and was asking around for some people who I didn't see. Weird. I think the whole JW experience will forever be etched into my memory and psyche.

10

Going to write to my mom

by Mrs Smith in

jw
friends

i want to write to my mom to tell her of some of the things that led me to fade.

i think if it's written in a kind and loving way she will read it and i may plant a few seeds of doubt in her mind.

i don't want to bombard her with too much info, but give her enough food for thought.

Soledad

Why? JW parents don't ever know how to have an open mind when their kid fades/walks away. They result to emotial blackmail, manipulation, threats, passive aggressive behaviour and crying jags. You're setting yourself up to get hurt.

31

Remember how great the get-togethers were in the 1980's??

by PaNiCAtTaCk in

jw
friends

i remembers skating parties at least once a month, volleyball at the park, get-togethers where everyone would play bible charades and sing kingdoms songs, going to the river to swim with the whole congregation after the sunday meeting, spending the afternoon at the lake eating watermelon and water skiing.

it was a great upbringing!

also, i dont want to leave out the strong feelings of eliteness that i had even as a child, of having the truth.

Soledad

No I don't because I was never invited to any. I remember the friends bragging about the good times they had. I was about 7-8 years old and felt the tears well up in my eyes everytime I would hear about these get-togethers. The congregations I attended were always very cliquish.