Since stopping I have the freedom to choose what I want to do without having to think about it. Celebrating holidays and birthdays has been fun. Learning how to perform magic has been a good mental exercise. I am watching films and TV series I would probably thought twice about. I don't shave my face when I don't want to (most of the time!), I say what is on my mind without wondering if I will offend or be controversial. I am being me!
happy@last
JoinedPosts by happy@last
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17
If I was out I'd...
by OneDayillBeFree inwhat kinds of things would you like to do if you were out of the organization?
and if you're already out and free, what kinds of things did you do that you really wanted to do but couldn't because it was against jw beleiefs?.
recently, i overheard some of the younger crowd of jw's after a meeting talking about how they wished they could have this or do that, get tattoos, play the newest video games (you know, the ones with all the violence and realistic 'kickass' graphics and such), grow out their beards for 'no shave november" wear miniskirts and dye their hair crazy colours... etc.
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The TRUTH about Jehovah's Wittnesses (from MY 22 YRS. EXPERIENCE) - A MUST READ!
by gmason972 ini have learned to stay away from all religion and jehovahs wittness doctrine (that includes the watchtower and awake magazines).
stay away from positions of ministerial servant, pioneer, aux pioneer, elder, and the like.
once you become a full fledged jehovah wittness you are doomed to be unhappy.
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happy@last
Welcome, I agree with your opening comment, except for the bit about staying in and doing the minimum. I am an all or nothing person and I want nothing to do with them, no attendance, no socialising, no field service, nothing.
You will hopefully find a ot of support here, there are many who are in different stages in their lives with some attachment or having had some attachment to the JWs, so unlike people who "don't get it" when we talk of the turmoil, most of us here do.
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Is JWN an unforgiving place
by usualusername inover many years i have looked at jwn.
in fact barely a day goes by without my fix.. .
it is a site of contradictions.. .
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happy@last
I was once told, believe nothing of what you are told and half of what you see. This place can be a great board so long as you keep your sense of humour. Yes there are serious discussions and serious matters, for which everyone is entitled to their opinion so long as the posting guidelines are adhered to. If someone wants to get personal, or throw their toys out the pram that is their choice. It's hard to form an opinion of someone unless you actually have met them face to face.
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15
Are YOU In A Good Place At This Point In Your Life?
by minimus ini think the longer you're away from the watchtower, the better you feel..
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happy@last
I am a whole lot better, am I in a good place though? Yes and No, I still need to save my kids from the cult.
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26
Did you suffer humiliating childhood experiences as a JW?
by yadda yadda 2 inin john cedar's (jwsurvey.org) latest excellent article on his blog about a us teacher that got reprimanded for trying to force a jw boy to salute the american flag, he relates a similar childhood experience where he was terribly humiliated at school in view of his classmates.. this reminded me of a similar humiliating experience i suffered at school, when i was 11 years old.
during our school's end of year 'prom night' (not actually called that in the country i live) which was in the style of a disco night, my unbalanced jw mother came to pick me up early and stormed right into the hall and grabbed my arm and pulled me out in front of all my friends right in the middle of the dancing.
on the way out she gave the teachers a lecture about the music being far too loud and how unwholesome the whole thing was for children of my age.
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happy@last
During my first year at school my mum became a JW. The head teacher was incensed at me being excluded from assembly so made me sit right outside the school hall during school assembly and put the straws into everybody's milk bottles.
THen she married a JW pedo!
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happy@last
"No Eric, I said why not grow a goatie, as in beard!"
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should I tell the CO my doubts?
by Captain Blithering inits possible i might be asked by the co to work with him today.
hes gonna want to know why i'm holding myself back.
i'm itching to tell him about my doubts (only about the new light, how i cant get my head around how the hs would direct us to believe falsehoods for decades, not about everything, that'd be suicide!
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happy@last
Tell him your doubts and you'll be pulling the trigger. Play the ill health card is my advice.
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Should I go back to the meetings???
by Crazyguy ini stopped going for a few months and have been real busy with work using this as a bit of an excuse to not go.
my family has gone on as if not much has changed and i feel marginalize as my family goes on and does scocial thing with the ones in the hall etc.
most of my kids are under the age of 11 and so i don't know if i tell them little things if it really sinks in anyway.
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happy@last
It's tough as many use the witnesses as a social club, however I think it might send out mixed messages to your children doing half and half. This will only confuse them. Shower them with all the love you have.
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71
Trying to overcome my homophobia.
by Julia Orwell ini had a music album by a gay guy before i was a jw and had no problem listening to it.
it's good music.
some of the lyrics are what you might call 'gay', that is there's some talk about boyfriends, gay bars, and queens and the intolerance the artist encountered as a gay man.
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happy@last
I would agree with Blondie, it is sometimes the circle of people we are with that can dictate our 'prejudices'. Don't look at gay people as being gay, look at them as being people.
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10
Finished Crisis of Conscience Recently
by wallievase inwell i finally got around to finishing crisis of conscience.
2 things stood out to me most.. 1. the fact that the gb can question beliefs and noone else can.. 2. strangly the most disturbing fact- its a small one- but actually made the biggest impression on me out of the whole book-.
the fact that they agreed to send him a copy of his meeting tapes and then refused and admitted in writing that they lied.. obviously there was much more that i got from it and i do find franz situation unique in that he had a whole support system outside of the "truth" and most today including myself have nothing- if i leave my wife hates me, my family wont talk to me, etc- it doesnt provide any solution for that scenario.. any thoughts on the above points- let me know.
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happy@last
Hi, welcome here. I read it a few years ago but I think it shows that even the GB can't question the belief system. Even the GB consulted past watchtower articles to find the answers, rather than consulting the 'head of the congregation'