today i had a thought and it sickened me to think it.
i thought to myself 'it is possible that satan has blinded all of us and led us away.
so i started to list the reasons why i know that the truth is a lie.
Great posts everyone!
Flower, I too have feelings like you. Alot. But then I remind myself of the things people have said here. In the end, I have to ask myself, "Am I happier now or was I happier then?' I can say, without a doubt, I am happier now. And not because of anything material or selfish. I am sincerely a kinder, nicer, more loving person now than I was as a JW. That speaks volumes for me.
All my love to you!
i think the most thoughtless thing they eva did to me...and it's rather embarrassing...is when i was still a jw at 14.. i'd just had an operation to remove a cyst and my left ovary due to polycystic ovarian syndrome.
so i'm sitting at the district convention and i get up to go and have lunch with my mum cause i was sitting with an sister a little older than me - in her 20's.
so i start walking across the oval and there's people everywhere and i'm getting a few looks, but hey, i was a paranoid teen, they made me agoraphobic, so i didn't think too much of it.
Wow LB..you go boy! I can't imagine (well I can), such a heartless person claiming to be Christian. How horrible.
Beans, as usual,
You made me crack up and pee my pants! How did you let that guy diss you? I mean, you give him rides and he doesnt return the favor? LOL Poor thing! But it made me laugh hard! LOL
All the others, what sad stories.... some made me laugh but in the end, it's sad hearing how heartless and cruel these supposed 'Christians' are like. I have so many stories...it's hard picking just one.
One was a sister taking me to her house after the Sunday meeting. I was about 12. I have blonde hair and freckles and I lamented how I hated my freckles and she said straight out,' You're not pretty, but you might be considered cute one day.' I just stared at her. Now I am not being mean....but she looked like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, only worse. I then realized how cruel someone could be, out of spite, insecurity, or just plain stupidity. What a dumb thing to say!
Another time I liked an ultra spiritual boy (we're talking Jesus material here). I told some sisters I had the hots for him and they said, 'Geez, he is so spiritual, he could have anyone...why would he pick you? You're not even a pioneer!" That just killed me.... I figured out quickly that 'status' was measured by how many hours you put in and who you knew.
are we copping out if we blame the watchtower for almost everything that went wrong in our watchtower life?.
most of us knew the rules.
most of us had the opportunity to read and study their publications and the bible.
Above was supposed to say JUSTIN instead of Kevin. Sorry!!
(Darn editting button, work! )
' ' 'The book study type
method of getting the student to repeatedly give the WTs answers to the WTs questions until they no longer have any opinions of their
own is very powerful. There are very few religions which indoctrinate in this manner (at least not for adult converts), and those who do
could themselves be considered cult-like.' ' '
~~ Very interesting, I agree!!!!! Anyone else have thoughts on this?
are we copping out if we blame the watchtower for almost everything that went wrong in our watchtower life?.
most of us knew the rules.
most of us had the opportunity to read and study their publications and the bible.
JT, Kevin, TeeJay,
Awesome posts and well put!!!
Something that bothers me is that if you come to this site, you are lumped into a category. I have seen JW's and even IW claim that members slam God on this board. I take offense to that... I don't even consider myself 'apostate'. I think of an apostate that has turned against God. I havent.. I've only turned away from the WTBTS.
Because I like to have someone who understands me....doesnt mean I vilify or even accuse the Society for being the root of my problems. They are the root of my religious problems, not my problems as a whole. I think because I was born into a Witness family, i had the misfortune of being forced to behave, believe and act out some things that I had no choice in. Did this mess me up regarding God and Christianity? Yes! Did it mess me up in my personal life? NO! I am a happy, well adjusted person, who has found many here post things that I have felt for years.
If someone says, 'I cant clean my house, my hair is flat and my husband doesnt wanna work!' I say thats not the WTS's fault. But if someone says, ' I didnt go to college, I married a man I didnt love because he was a M.S., I forced my kids to go in service every weekend and the guilt is killing me..' then I say yes, I can empathize and understand the pain resulting from following the WTS.
While I understand the overall message IW was giving, I dont want everyone lumped into a category. I love God... He and I are close regardless of my history with the Witnesses. Actually, we got closer after I left.
we all know what toilets are for - the disposing of.
waste, dead goldfish, etc.. now, the watchtower society finds charity and compassion.
to be highly inconvenient things - giving to the poor.
Metatron,
Wonderful post! Like everyone else said, you made very good points. It really was like a punch in the belly, it knocked the wind out of me! I like posts that say it straight...
Wonder what it would do to a member at Bethel? Hmmm....
the compassionate toliet thread brought this frightening memory to mind.... the field service assignments!.
did you all have the same feeling of dread of being stuck with a particular person.. knowing that you would have to listen to their dribble throughout the day.. or listening to that poor sister's sinus condition where she would make that, for lack of a better way to describe it, hock-a-luegy sound with her nasal passages every 10 minutes.
then lets not forget the positive side.. how you wished with glee, and finally got to work with the car group that would goof off half of the day and the other day go to not-at-homes that would definitely still be not-at-homes.. *************************************.
Yes,
Ofcmad, I was just going to ask that. My husband is trying to become a police officer...he has passed the first few tests and will take another next week.
Any suggestions?
a couple of very basic questions for you good folks.. 1)imagine that you are joe public who has never had any real contact with jehovah's witnesses.
none of your family are, or your friends.
you occasionally say "not interested" to them on saturday mornings.
Wow, you guys have some dissin' comebacks!!! (For those of you who dont understand, I meant they had good replies lol)
I think if I was worldly (which I was born into the Org), I would imagine I celebrated all holidays from birth, had no objections to blood transfusions, etc. I guess if I heard they didnt celebrate holidays, denied blood transfusions and shunned family members for wrongdoing.. that would freak me out. Sad thing is though, it was fed to me as a child and it made sense then!
The second question, I think, was asked to non jws, right? If so, I would say that every person going in should know they have a chance of being shunned for their mistakes, they may have to die for their beliefs and how much is expected of them (monthly field service, talks, etc.)
http://www.canoe.ca/nationalticker/canoe-wire.jehovahs-transfusion.html.
march 10, 2002 .
jehovah's witness man shunned after consenting to daughter's blood transfusion.
Hawkaw,
Please let us know when and if you find the man's address or email. I would love to send him support.
Thank you!!
my soon to be mother-in-law, asked me a question that i can't find an answer to.
we were talking about my life as a jehovah's witness, and how i don't hate my late father for raising me as one.
more importantly how i don't blame him but rather blame the religion for my aweful childhood.. her question is, "was there anything i enjoyed about being a jehovah's witness?
I guess I miss 'belonging'. If I went back, did all the right things, I would be embraced for awhile..but for how long? Until I wasnt the new kid anymore?
I thought I had true friends in the Hall..but I found out quickly they didnt care too much about me. I guess I miss the feeling that we were all a big family. Even though they proved to me that I really wasn't. It was the ideal I carried though, that I miss.
It is painful to realize you were grasping onto dreams and wishes...reality hits hard when you see what your 'family' turned out to be.
http://www.canoe.ca/nationalticker/canoe-wire.jehovahs-transfusion.html.
march 10, 2002 .
jehovah's witness man shunned after consenting to daughter's blood transfusion.
My heart breaks for that poor man. I can't imagine trying to save your daughters life and have her, your family, friends, everyone...hate you.
I want to send him a note or something, I dont think I could find out his name or address though!
