i don't really have a purpose in this thread, but wanted to share my thoughts and updates.. fading has, at least for now, totally stabilized.
my jw wife doesn't discuss jw things and, as difficult for me as it is, i haven't been discussing anything directly against jw policy.
oh, i slip in comments when she tries to judge people or groups based on her jw training- things like gay marriage, medical marijuana, pedophile news stories.
OnTheWayOut - CONGRATS!
Hopefully this is the beginning of a new beginning. I would think nothing could be more troubling internally for her then to struggle to do something she really doesn't like to do in front of you, when she knows that you know she knows what she is doing (I have never in my life typed somethign so confusing).
Regardless lets hope this is the beginning
i figured he was going to arrange the committee and try to get me kicked out after the whole "big pile of books" labelled "take this shit".. well his call made me realize that more and more people ... elders included no longer take this religion seriously.
after he told me he heard what happened he actually laughed and said i would never expect that.
he then told me that it is apparent that i no longer want to be connected to the organization.
I figured he was going to arrange the committee and try to get me kicked out after the whole "big pile of books" labelled "Take this SHIT".
Well his call made me realize that more and more people ... elders included no longer take this religion seriously. After he told me he heard what happened he actually laughed and said I would never expect that. He then told me that it is apparent that I no longer want to be connected to the organization. I confirmed and quoted the christ, "Please do what you are doing more quickly..." we both laughed and then he said things that made my head spin.
THESE ARE HIS EXACT WORDS, "Ok ******... tell me what you want us to do?" I asked him what does he mean. He said, "Do you just want to be disfellowshipped or do you want us to just leave you alone and act like you have puilled of some great disappearing act?"
I tried not to seem shocked over the phone. I told him I could care less what they do because I just do not have any connecction to anyone anymore. If they felt they need to df me then go ahead.
Again he says, "It is up to you - I don't really care... everyone has to do what makes their life easier and more tolerable. You know if you get disfellowshipped it will alienate you and your parents. If you are fine with that then ok. However if you just want to be left alone so you can continue to keep in touch I understand."
I told him I had to get back to him on this and to call me this afternoon. He then asked me if I wanted to go on a deepsea fishing trip in November with him and a few guys from his job.
WTF is this about?? This guy I served with was a serious stickler. Tried to take people own over every single thing... now this??? Is it possible that he is coming unraveled? Probably not... but who knows
letter from a close family member... need help responding.... what a powerful illustration of the affect that our choice of friends can have on us, especially if we leave jehovah after being 'raised' by him from infancy!.
pack of wolvesthere was a farmer who raised sheep and had trouble with wolves stealing his sheep.
he loved his sheep and didn't want to lose even one of them.
The funny thing about this story is that the WOLF PACK is similar to the Watchtower and the farmer is similar to the rest of the civilized world.
For example:
1. As he turned his rifle toward a shadow he saw a puppy wolf huddling besides a fence post shivering. The farmer felt sorry for him, picked him up, tucked him inside his coat and took him home. -- When was the last time a witness helped anyone they saw in need with food clothing and shelter who WAS NOT ONE OF THEIR OWN? COnversely when was the last time you saw a church have a food / clothing drive.
2. They invited him to come on the other side of the fence with them. -- Generally speaking it is the witnesses who pull people away from their comfortable home situations where they are loved to run off in a secluded pack in a kingdom hall with them. To engage in activities that peopel are foreign to (service / meetings /shunning former friends)
3. It was such fun and he was glad for the choice he made. But winter came and everyone became hungry and restless. - Does this not describe the feeling most witnesses get when they begin to realize they are trapped in a religion that is oppressive and takes everything from them.
4. But the leader said, "You're one of us now, do as you're told!" - Who is more likely to make this statement??? The governing body or someone you know outside of this organization.
5. Wait, don't shoot me, I'm the puppy you raised. I'm your friend. Don't you remember me? - This sounds more like something someone would say to a witness parent when they are trying to recieve love from them after they have decided to leave the watchtower. I do not know many worldly parents who would turn their backs on their children because of religious diffs....
6. He raised his rifle and shot....BANG!!! The wolf was dead! -- More witness parents are willing to abandon their loved ones over appearances.
7. Brothers, when Armageddon comes and Jesus is doing his destruction work, will he recognize you" - So simplistic... beause Jesus would be confused by your outward appearance when he actually can read your heart and know works.
Again a crock of crap when looked at without the rose-colored glasses
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
I am sure it isnt over. The thing is, due to being raised in a closed off family in a closed off religion I had no real friends.
It was just me and my 4 other family members. I got married and moved away and it was just me and my wife and now kids.
3 of my original four family members are at odds with me and I do not miss them. I still have my wife and kids and that is all i need so when they decide to berate me and disfellowship me, I wont lose anything. So they can harrass me all they want. However - I do not care what they do because their "authority and power" are nothing but a joke.
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
I am sure it is going to be a big deal. The fact that I have stopped going has already caused a huge issue in the previous hall I was in apparently. Some people I assisted are apparently all broken up. I can't help that. If they LOVE JEHOVAH then my actions should not matter.
The did actually go through them to get the elders book. They also took the OD books(4) and the reasoning books and left the rest. All that other stuff is going in my firepit. I told them as well that if they want a comittee that it is up to them because I will not appear at any kingdom hall and no one is welcome in my home.
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
Good Evening,
So at 5:07 the gate buzzer is pushed and it is my former secretary and my for field service group overseer. I have been waiting for this "fact finding" mission of theirs. Everyone knows how I feel, I have expressed it to many. So this meeting is just a religious formality... I was an elder so I knew what this was about. FORMALITIES in a religion sicken me. Much like everything in watchtower.
Anyway I buzz them in, they get to my front door and give me the traditional phony greeting... Anyway my old group overseer asks the other brother to pray. I said, "Wait a minute... no one asked ME if they could pray in my home!"(THE LOOKS ON THEIR FACES WAS ENOUGH TO ALMOST GIVE ME A CHUBBY)
This was followed by me loudly saying, "Look, if you are going to pray then please take it right back outside... this is not a judicial committee!"
Secretary (who is slightly older than me) says, "My father doesn't yell at me why would you think you can?" I said, "YOUR IN MY HOUSE... I WILL DO WHAT I WANT. If you do not like it then leave..."
He proceeds to ask me what is this all about. I told him it is about you thinking you can come here and have some form of control over me and my life, but I have already made my choices and I have made them known. This visit is not what you said it would be. You said you wanted to stop by and see how we were doing. Instead you both came in with bibles in hand. Get over yourselves and get out.
However before you leave I have some things I need to return to the hall. I directed them toward the garage and on the floor was a pile of craptowers and books that my family has amassed. With a nice little note. I have included a picture.
I told them my SHepherding the Crock book was in the pile somewhere so they could have fun finding it and then leaving.
I also informed them that they are under no circumstances to contact my wife or my children ever again. If they do I will make sure that it will be on the news.
They were mostly quiet but the looks of horror on their faces was priceless. LET THE GAMES BEGIN
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
" I guess the "I love you" tag is a salve to their seared consciences. " - My point exactly....
Well I am off to dig up all the publications I can find as well as my meeting bags and I will pile them in disarray on the floor and tell them to take all of it with them. I plan on making this visit as uncomfortable as possible. I will return this evening. Wish me luck
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
I just got the phone call that I will be visited by the brother who's bookstudy I was in and the secretary this evening.
This will be great!
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
@Sapphy I have already been informed by my brother that he is NOT going to pay for anything because he has a family. Mind you his family is smaller than mine LOL. Such love amongst them LOL. He has spent all these years sucking money from them to turn around and give them the middle finger.
@Ray - Thanks ROFL. I will forever remember that he spelled conscience "conshints" and then said spellcheck did it... ROFL
this is the exchange of text messages i had with my super spiritual brother.
it is sad... it is pathetic... it has helped me realize that i have no connection to these people anymore.
i feel free today.
mindnumbed - I hear where you are coming from. I have no problem giving them the money. One of the many problems is the fact that they are RUSHING me to give them money before I get disfellowshipped. That to me is disgusting and it is pathetic. Me and my wife discussed it and even she is depressed by their actions.
Please note as well that my mother has already made it known that she will not speak to me until I comeback to Jehovah and that she has other "spiritual children" in the congregation who love her.
So it is kind of difficult to do nice things for people when one of them refuses to speak to you, the other is only speaking to you because they want money and that the speaking will end as soon as an announcement is made.
