i have been back to meetings for a month now.
prepared for them all except for when i went on holiday.. todays wt is about jehovah's organisation, it's clear loaded language and manipulation through fear.
i am not perturbed by it in the least.
Kate, perhaps it's good that you were reminded (although in an unfortunate situation) of just how non-loving and rude the shunning policy causes people to become. It's sad, really.
And I had to laugh when you said you were now an activist...LOL!!! You, my dear, are the flag-bearer for exjw activists!!! We love you! ((((Kate))))
i thought it was high time to introduce myself (without my name of course).
as my name would suggest i have been reading your intriguing post, thoughts and discussions for some time now.
around 3/4 months to be exact.. i guess to start with it would seem fitting to give a little background on my current situation.. i'm a born-in, but have over the last few years found that through a number of varying occurences, (some of which i may discuss in future posts) that my 'zeal' has gone from regular field service and meetings to no service in over a year and very sporadic meeting attendance.
Lurker, welcome to you and Mrs. Lurker --- your news makes for many happy hearts!
You have a wonderful future ahead of you and I know you'll plan it out wisely. I'm looking forward to more of your posts and am thankful that you found the safety net of JWN. Yay!
Same marketing consultants, no doubt. Very high-priced and holding contracts with secrecy clauses.
i've noticed, partilcularly on instagram, a advertising blitz for jw.org by the dubs.
primarily its the younger ones 35 and under vs older ones.
i dont know if its just my friends or everyone but they are obsessed with jw.org.
So my friend's daughter had a new job orientation today but she blew it off to go out with other dubs and post selfies with hashtags about "historic month" and "jw.org" and they are holding tracts that say "where can we find answers to the big questions about life?"
The saddest thing is that they have zero concept of reality yet think they know everything. So much wasted energy. So many wasted lives.
it's a giant boil on my butt, thinking how long we all were tricked by a cult.
reading so many of our fellows threads, it help's reinforce we made the correct choice in mentally or physically leaving the watchtower's path to truth, they never had it and nobody can prove they did!
ray franz jr. came to that conclusion, even he had to accept "this is not the best of all relgions, in fact, it's on the bad side!
BSBill -- I think that's a common reaction for those newly out or fading. Just removing yourself from the physical presence of the cult doesn't clear all the cult-crap-thinking out of our heads, it takes time and venting and going through a rediscovery of self.
So yes, I think when I first began posting it was very uncomfortable (you know, having the big A word ringing in your ears). But with time and personal growth and removing the sticky cobwebs of cult thinking from my brain processes, it's definitely changed to a place of companionship and support.
Use JWN to vent, it's safe here (well, if you don't post personal data as we all know the crazy borg watches this site).
We are here to support each other, even if we don't always agree with one another. It's like REAL family, not the conditional jw kind.
Keep on the march to mental freedom!!!
as a former elder, i know that there was always friction with the c.o.
(funny.... sounds like "commanding officer, doesn't it?).
anyhow, i do wonder how much 'submission' or toadying many of these "men" can endure now that circuit overseers have been given absolute power.
ADCMShirley -- very thoughtful and well-written post. It must be much more difficult for an elder to walk away than those of the sheeple class.
a loud get well grace from all of us to you.
everyone, grace has been in and out of the hospital and i'm sure she would love to read your get wells.
we miss you grace:) wish i could post pictures.
Grace, so wonderful to see your post and know that you're still here to keep us in line!!!
i just wanted to share the good news that wednesday was the last day of my summer teaching internship.
i had a great time with the kids-- they were ready to learn, be challenged and have fun.
and this was summer school!
Well done! Congratulations!
after reading from another thread, i felt it was worth asking this question.. if you left the borg on your own, have you attempted to meet others whom you used to be connected with while you were "in", but who have also become ex-jw's before or after you have left the wts?
if that's the case, has it remained a friendship, or the connection grew cold?
just curious as to what keeps friendships "stick" [or not] once you no longer have the borg's doctrinal glue.. your experiences are welcome.. eden.
I've attempted to reconnect with several df'd ones on FB, particularly those who were df'd as teens and remained out. Haven't been able to be too open about things as I'm a non-attending, inactive for 3-years fader.
about a month ago, i realized that i didn't really care about my still-in jw family.
i just want to be left alone by them.
they caused me so much grief.
Skeeter, keep on your journey. You are right, I think, to walk away from the toxic family. None of us needs to drink poison.
You are obviously a very cool person in your own right, and that doesn't depend on having someone special like your husband to make you special. You just ARE.
