I was a JW for 12 years, I entered the organization at 15 and disassociated myself at 27. I am in a different situation than many, when I da'd I actually REGAINED my family. I had shunned them so long for being "worldly" (remember "bad association spoils useful habits!"). When I left at 27, it was like starting my life for the first time. I didn't even know my parents or siblings because I had always looked at them through the eyes of a Witness....now for the first time as an adult I have a great relationship with them...It really HURTS when I hear them talk about how they felt while I was in the organization and how much they suffered. My poor parents felt like they had been totally cut out of my life and decision making process when I was 15, they say it was like the JW's just took over! And they did....but I'm out now and that's the most important thing....
soylibre
JoinedPosts by soylibre
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How Many IN, OUT, etc.
by troubled ini'm wondering how many here are "active jws," "inactive jws," "x-jws," or "never jws.".
i don't mean to be nosy.
i'm just wondering how many are in a situation like mine (still in, but struggling).
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A Question for You
by individuals wife injust a couple of quick questions, the first directed at exjws - could you ever see any reason for you to return to the organisation?
what would have to happen for you to return?
under what circumstances would you ever go back?
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soylibre
I somewhat agree with Amazing.....if they would change the shunning practice...I would like to find some old friends that I cared a lot about....if indeed they truly changed the PRACTICE and not just what's written in the WT.....but I will never again belong to anything Organized again....don't even want my name on the vistors list.....Too many bad memories.....it's just like a divorce...well if your ex changes and makes someone else a great spouse great....yippee..but you're still finished...no more...that's it...I'm out....no looking back...BITE ME BROOKLYN!
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WTS CORP LIST - BIG!
by Amazing inwatchtower convention.
(520) 622-1870. watchtower convention.
(858) 560-9464. mira loma california assembly hall of jehovah's witnesses.
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soylibre
I agree with Hawkaw....I have a friend who is involved with a class action law suit against the Society for alienation of affections...one of the things mentioned was "Which one do you sue?" They made it simple and sued them all! I live in Oklahoma and was a Witness here for the majority of my 12 years in the Borg....I hadn't ever heard of them incorporating here....but you can bet I'm going to try to find out.
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Prevalence of JW Suicides - Real or Imagined?
by AMNESIAN inin one or two recent threads i've seen reference to the possibility of a rising number of jw suicides being another of the organization's very dark realities about which it is vigilant in keeping concealed from its pub populace.
is there anyone reasonably informed regarding this?
is there reason to suppose the incidence ratio among jws is any higher than among any peoples/religion?
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soylibre
There is a video called "Mental Health and Jehovah's Witnesses" by an ex-JW, phd, clinical psychologist....he asserts that rate of mental illness are higher amongst JWs than other religions....
I personally have known three people who have committed suicide...
1.Wife of an elder who had been severly abused by JW parents...hung herself in a mental hospital.....JW parents have never been brought before a judicial committee even though their sons who are now elders knew of and remember the abuse in the family....
2.Grown son of an elder...he went to the assembly to see his little son give his #2 bible reading talk...said he didn't feel well at intermission and went home....hung hisself...wife found him when she returned from assembly.
3.Young man who was the son of a very close friend of mine...he was df'd in his mid-teens, emotionally a little unstable, his father had been a wife beating elder....his step father an inactive porn freak, and when he got df'd his own mother wouldn't pray for him....he always had classic symptoms of problems...would even wet the bed as a 13 year old...anyway...he hung hiself about 6 weeks ago.I'll never forget them....Starla, Kevin, and Cameron...
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RE: Busted by Wife (thanks to all for your help)
by Big Jim ini really do appreciate all the advice that i received from you all on this matter.. i even appreciate the ones who gave critical advice and downed smoking.. i took all advice that was given and have resolved the problem with your help.. here is where i am at with the issue now; i have been with my wife for almost twenty years now and we have always had a very strong and good relationship especially when it comes to communication.
well to her i betrayed that special bond by not telling her i was smoking.
so in her mind she figured if i would hide this from her what else could or would i hide from her.. so after digesting all the good advice that i have received from you all, i had a long heart to heart talk with her and reasured her that even though i am no longer a witness that i would never do anything to destroy the family that i love.
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soylibre
Congratulations!!!!!! Enjoy your freedom!
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Prevalence of JW Suicides - Real or Imagined?
by AMNESIAN inin one or two recent threads i've seen reference to the possibility of a rising number of jw suicides being another of the organization's very dark realities about which it is vigilant in keeping concealed from its pub populace.
is there anyone reasonably informed regarding this?
is there reason to suppose the incidence ratio among jws is any higher than among any peoples/religion?
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soylibre
There is a video called "Mental Health and Jehovah's Witnesses" put together by an ex-JW elder, who happens to be a Phd, clinical psychologist....according to him rates of mental illness are much higher amongst JWs....
Suicide....I personally knew 3 people...
1. wife of elder who was abused by JW parents...wents nuts and hung herself in a mental hospital...parents have never been brought before a Judicial Committee...even though her brothers who are elders remember the abuse that went on in the home.
2.Son of an elder...married with a young son...went to the assembly to hear his son do the bible reading, went home at intermission and hung hisself....wife found him after assembly.
3.Young man who I knew since his adolesence...was df'd at about age 16, mother totally cut him off, father was a wife abusing elder...step father JW with a porno-habit....mother...really thinks she's doing the "right" thing..hung hisself about 6 weeks ago, he would have been about 24..left behind an infant son.All victims of the BORG!
Kevin, Starla and Cameron....I'll never forget them....
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Which meeting was the hardest to attend for you ?
by NoLongerAjw infor me i think it was the sunday meeting.. just wanting to stay home and sleep in.. but i think the watchtower study was the hardest to sit threw... you had to have it studied before hand.. and highlighted.. then sit there and listen to it all over again..
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soylibre
All of them....however, the School and Service meeting were always like death by torture.....hell, you've worked all day....rush home...change clothes, eat if you can and try to read over your publications....it was just easier to stay home....I hated the book study too because if you didn't comment everyone looked at you crazy because it's such a small group...then the public talk....well at least you didn't have to study for it...and the WT...well....death by torture again....just an overall pain in the ass...that's what they all were...and field service...well the best time was break...over all I guess you could say I hated it all!
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Am i the only one lerning agan for the frist time?
by New Eyes inwhat are we to do when we need to find the truth for ourselfs?.
well i am looking into what the wt tought me about so many things like this site by the cathloics.. i found this site can any one tell me what if any thing are lies on this site?
the cathloics are not what i thought thay were if this is what thay realy teach.
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soylibre
New Eyes.....there isn't a lot of difference in the structure of the Catholic Church and Jehovah's Witnesses....there are really many similarities.....if you read the book Angela's ashes by Frank McCourt...you can see the influence the Roman Catholic church had on him and his thinking....not that different from JW's....
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Americans...
by closer2fine ini saw the post on "canadians" and thought we should have one too!!!.
i'll start.....i live in connecticut, usa.. if god dropped acid, would he see people?
-- steven wright
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soylibre
Tulsa, Oklahoma
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For all x-JW's: quick question.....
by Kathy inif you remember, i've been inquiring about how to discuss jw issues with my boyfriend's sister.
it appears she is accepting the watchtower driven interpretations of the bible, but we are still not giving up.
if you are willing, would you respond, in a nutshell, to the question, "what is the doctrine or belief that the jw's hold that was most instrumental in leading you to abandon this religion?
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soylibre
I would say that for me it was this......The WTBS sets itself up as mediator between God and man....thereby assuming the role of Christ. By teaching that to be a true Christian you MUST be a JW....i.e. part of the organization....and that if you leave their organization you leave God....they have become your self-appointed messiah! I also couldn't deal with the fact that I had no freedom to express my thoughts or opinions...I didn't have the freedom to disagree....it's relgious communism at its finest...