I don't know how often improper English is used in the WTBTS' publications; however, I have noticed that JW lingo is quite unusual compared to that which is used everywhere else. It didn't seem odd when I was an active JW…but now that I've gone through a spiritual 180-degree turn, I often find myself having to translate my JW horror stories from JW-ish to English.
Sunflower1982
JoinedPosts by Sunflower1982
-
12
Improper English in the Watchtower....
by Preston inmachislop posted a quote from a watchtower on a thread that went something like this:.
"....c. t. russell was patently of that governing body back there in the last quarter of the nineteenth century.".
excuse me, but the expression "back there" makes the governing body sound like a bunch of backwood hicks.
-
-
-
22
How does one Disassociate oneself?
by lv4fer ini am just curious.
unfortunately i don't think i'm going to be able to do the slow fade as i had hoped.
there is no way they are going to df me, if i go it will be on my terms!
-
-
Sunflower1982
OutNFree,
Your experience with DA sounds absolutely glorious! I've dreamt of acting out that exact scenario…I just don't know how I'd handle such a situation in reality. Being a JW has been such a trying experience for me that I think stepping foot in a Kingdom Hall would bring me to tears. I never want any of the brothers or sisters to see me in that condition again (especially not over something they provoked). Whenever I do see them, I am at least on neutral ground (anywhere outside of a KH) where they have no more control than I do. I know that probably sounds silly, but that is just what works for me. Considering I have been completely inactive for over a year now, returning just to DA myself seems a little too emotionally costly and not worth the worry. What is important is that I have spiritually disassociated myself from the religion, and feel a growing sense of freedom and confidence everyday.
However, I definitely applaud you on handling your departure with such composure and class. It seems like you have gained a sense of closure and calm that is absolutely priceless to people in our situation. Perhaps one day I will DA myself and close the door once and for all, but for now I am just focusing on being myself…unrestrained.
-
22
How does one Disassociate oneself?
by lv4fer ini am just curious.
unfortunately i don't think i'm going to be able to do the slow fade as i had hoped.
there is no way they are going to df me, if i go it will be on my terms!
-
-
Sunflower1982
Hi! I am a newbie as well, and what you are asking now was one of my first questions when I started posting here. I got a lot of really good advice from other posters, and I feel a lot less pressed to make a decision as to my standing with the JWs now.
One point that many of the board members shared with me was that disassociation is a creation of the WTBTS. Just like disfellowship-ment, it is just another way for JWs to label those who have dissented. If you really feel in your heart that you have unquestionably changed paths and never want to go back, let your actions speak for themselves. If you do not attend meetings or participate in any of their activities, they will get the message loud and clear that you are no longer interested in being a JW. Unfortunately, no matter how you leave…whether it be inactivity, diassociation, or disfellowship-ment…they are going to look down on you and treat you with the same contempt. So don't worry about labeling yourself for their convenience. Go on and life your life the way you've always wanted to but were never able to…AND if you need any help doing that, I'm sure everyone here would be happy to ease you through the process!
-
8
Isn't/ wasn't Pam Grier a JW?
by WildHorses inif i remember correctly, i think i was told that she was a jw.
isn't she the same actress that played a cop and said.......gotcha!?
just wondering since she is on a movie i'm watching on ppv called bones.. lilacs.
-
-
Sunflower1982
Pam Grier is best know for her roles as Foxy Brown (a woman who would be considered BAD ASSOCIATION by any JWs standards). If she was a JW, she was probably disfellowshipped after this role.
-
28
GOSSIP In the Kingdom Hall
by Sunflower1982 inthe overwhelming amount of gossip that circulated through my kingdom hall was a major factor in my decision to stop attending meetings.
every meeting, every day of field service, and every gathering was plagued with vicious rumors that people told to keep themselves entertained.
surprisingly, the pioneers and elder's wives were the worst of everyone.
-
-
Sunflower1982
The overwhelming amount of gossip that circulated through my Kingdom Hall was a major factor in my decision to stop attending meetings. Every meeting, every day of field service, and every gathering was plagued with vicious rumors that people told to keep themselves entertained. Surprisingly, the pioneers and elder's wives were the WORST of everyone. I guess since all other forms of entertainment are subject to the WTBTS' criticism, they resort to speculating about other people's "spirituality" to pass the time. Their constant gossip resulted in a total lack of trust in the congregation and exacerbated the already growing division between the brothers and sisters.
I was just wondering if any of you had similar experiences with gossip in the Kingdom Hall. If so, did it contribute to your leaving the organization?
-
33
Why doen't God perform miracles today?
by sleepy inwhy did jesus do miracles?.
it is alledged that some 2000 years ago a man claimed to be the son of god , or even god himself (depends what religion you are).. in order to give some weight to his cliam he did some miracles, cured a few lepers, made a slap up lunch out of some fish and bread, and took a walk on some water.. all this to prove he was gods son.. but to prove it to who?.
if you ask a witness why god doen't perform miracles today , what do they say.. we don't need miracles today we have it all written in the bible.. der.
-
-
Sunflower1982
A friend of mine says, "If the Bible proves the existence of God, comic books prove the existence of Superman." I think you have a good point. People take comfort in stories of miracles, but ultimately "faith" is believing something because you want to believe--not because someone walked on water to convince you. Besides, I'm not so sure that "miracles" are a good thing. I have a hard time believing that God would deliver miracles to help a few people while millions of other people suffer. I like to believe that we are capable of performing our own miracles through faith in ourselves, because we may never have proof of God's existence, but we have daily proof of our own ability to overcome adversity.
-
6
Disfellowshipped Friends
by Sunflower1982 inim sorry for filling up the boards with my mindless ramblings but, being new here, i have to so much to ask.. recently, two of my good friends were disfellowshipped.
i feel bad for them because they were raised as jws and now their relationship with their family and friends will cease to exist, but i also feel like this is the optimal time to talk to them about the truth.
ive told them both that i love them and that i dont care what standing they are in, but all they want is to get reinstated and become pioneers to prove that they love jehovah just as much as everyone else.
-
-
Sunflower1982
I’m sorry for filling up the boards with my mindless ramblings but, being new here, I have to so much to ask.
Recently, two of my good friends were disfellowshipped. I feel bad for them because they were raised as JWs and now their relationship with their family and friends will cease to exist, but I also feel like this is the optimal time to talk to them about the “truth.” I’ve told them both that I love them and that I don’t care what standing they are in, but all they want is to get reinstated and become pioneers to prove that they love Jehovah just as much as everyone else.
I don’t know what to do. I feel a sense of urgency because I know that they are at a pivotal point in their spirituality. They could see through the deception and never look back or they could lose themselves in a fight to regain acceptance in the congregation. They are already crippled by their own guilt, the last thing they need is to subject themselves to further judgement by the hypocritical brothers and sisters that govern our congregation.
So, I my question is “How do I help them to see the detrimental nature of the organization without losing their trust (seeming like a flaming apostate)?” I know in their hearts they know something’s not right, but they have been locked in the WTBTS’ cycle of guilt and blame since they were born.
-
23
Disassociation?
by Sunflower1982 inhi people!
i was wondering if you all could take a moment to give me some advice.... since leaving my congregation and regaining clarity, i have been contemplating disassociating myself.
i know it seems like a silly thing to fret about, but i think disassociation might give me the closure ive been looking for.
-
-
Sunflower1982
Thank you all for responding! Wow, I just started posting here today, and already I feel so welcome!
All of you have good points, and it is going to be a difficult decision either way. Fortunately, my family is not in the “truth,” so I do not have to worry about losing them (in fact the further I distance myself from the WTBTS the happier they are). As for friends, I don’t really have any friends in my congregation. The few friends I had have been inactive or disfellowshipped, so I don’t think it will matter much to them if I disassociate myself either.
But just because I don’t have anything to lose doesn’t mean that I should DA myself. You make a good point in saying that by disassociating myself I would again be submitting myself to the rules of the WTBTS. However, like a few of you have mentioned already, I don’t want to wait for the elders to find a reason to disfellowship me. If I have to go, I’d rather resign than be fired. It doesn’t make much of a difference, considering my opinion of the organization is permanently changed, but I’d like to have some finality. Just to say the door is closed, you can’t fool me anymore.
-
23
Disassociation?
by Sunflower1982 inhi people!
i was wondering if you all could take a moment to give me some advice.... since leaving my congregation and regaining clarity, i have been contemplating disassociating myself.
i know it seems like a silly thing to fret about, but i think disassociation might give me the closure ive been looking for.
-
-
Sunflower1982
Hi People! I was wondering if you all could take a moment to give me some advice…
Since leaving my congregation and regaining clarity, I have been contemplating disassociating myself. I know it seems like a silly thing to fret about, but I think disassociation might give me the closure I’ve been looking for. I’m not lacking resolution as of how I feel about the religion itself; there is no way I will ever believe in the “truth” again. My concern is my relationship with the congregation. Although I’ve been inactive for a little over year now, part of me still wants approval from the congregation. No one in my congregation knows how I feel now and, on the few occasions when people come to visit me, I find myself nodding and feigning interest in whatever they’re saying.
I’m so tired of hiding my true feelings and living in fear of JWs. Not that I’m harboring resentment against anyone in my congregation, but I’d rather not speak to any of the brothers or sisters again. I’d rather not have to make awkward small talk while quietly losing my mind whenever I see them in public. And the only thing I can think of to put an end to that happening is to disassociate myself. That way, I can state my feelings honorably, and not have to worry about shying away whenever I’m confronted by an eager witness. I was thinking if I do disassociate myself, JWs will run from me like the little apostate from Hades, and I won’t have to hide from them anymore :oP
So what do you all think?
-
12
What I Have Learned
by Sunflower1982 inthis is my first post here, so i guess i should introduce myself j i'm a 19-year-old college student in baltimore, maryland.
i was involved with jws on and off for about 4 years and, after being baptized for a little over a year, i stopped attending meetings.
although my time as a jw was very brief (compared to the decades many people have spent in the organization) it is amazing how much my experience as a jw has affected my life.
-
-
Sunflower1982
Hello Everyone! This is my first post here, so I guess I should introduce myself J I'm a 19-year-old college student in Baltimore, Maryland. I was involved with JWs on and off for about 4 years and, after being baptized for a little over a year, I stopped attending meetings. Although my time as a JW was very brief (compared to the decades many people have spent in the organization) it is amazing how much my experience as a JW has affected my life.
It has taken a great deal of time and thought for me to sever my ties with the organization, but it was a decision that I will never regret making. I have learned so much about myself and mankind that is simply incompatible with the teaching of the WTBTS, and the best part is that I learned all of these things on my own. I didn't need an elder or a pioneer to tell me what to think or to categorize what was right and what was wrong. I know now that I am just as capable as everyone else of living, learning, loving, and understanding the people around me.
I guess that is what got me entangled in this religion to begin with. I didn't believe in myself. I wanted absolute truth, and I really believed that some religion out there had to have it. So, when I started studying with JWs, I was enchanted by their façade of confidence and rightness. They had answers for every question I could think of, I just never stopped to wonder if they were the right answers or not. Being a troubled teen, I was also drawn into the "brotherhood' that existed in the religion. What I perceived as spiritual family ties were really tourniquets cutting off my life with every "worldly" person around me. In hindsight, it seems almost as it was all planned out, like some kind of hunt or something.
I've had some deeply painful experiences, like most JWs. But what I have gone through is not what is important because so many others have experience much worse than what I have. The important thing is that I have seen through the deception and saved my life before I was completely drained of any will to think freely. My heart aches for those who are still involved in the WTBTS, many of which will never leave. But I cannot dwell on things that I cannot control. All I can do is be grateful for my insight, and find/share as much happiness as possible.
So, despite the pain I went through being a JW, I really am thankful for the lessons that I have learned. In leaving the WTBTS, I learned that beauty is not only in physical diversity, but in mental diversity as well. Individuality and creativity in thought are what make the world turn. It wasn't until my own individuality started to diminish, as a result of what I was being taught, that I realized something was wrong. I found that passion (at least mine) cannot survive in a religion where there is no freedom to explore. Now I am strong and I know to never let anyone control my heart/mind again J
I'm sure your eyes are worn from reading this long drawn out post, but thanks for caring enough to share in my experience. I look forward to drawing support and encouragement from all you!