William Penwell

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Posts by William Penwell

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  12

  Need some advice Re: JW marking by a family member

  by William Penwell in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so anyone that has read some of my posts on here over the years knows i have done the slow fade over the last 30 years.

  i do not claim to be a jw and have not being in a kingdum hall now to attend a meeting or convention for religious reasons for almost 15 years.

  now i know the discussion on here from this past dc was the rank and file dubs have being pressured to distance themselves away from family members that are no longer active dubs that they deem are not living up to wt bible principals.

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  William Penwell

  How much interaction did you have? Would ignoring it be a possibility?

  Even though we have not had a lot in common as far as the religion was concerned, we would meet up the odd time for coffee or lunch and talked about stuff in general but never got into the religious stuff. That was the relationship we have had. We were close in age and we had a lot in common growing up. The last two years since my parents have passed away we have not had much contact. Seems like it was our parents that kept us together. The signs were there that she has being somewhat distant the last while. I think she has been getting some heat from maybe another family member or the organization that she should not have too much to do with me as a non practising dub. I have no problem walking away now if this is what she chooses as I am not going to be emotionally black mailed. I think I will just make a brief reply stating that it is her choice not mine (as I do not recognize the WT authority anyway) and that I have to do this for my happiness because I want to not because someone else wants me to.

  You have done a slow fade for the past 30 years , have not attened a meeting for the past 15 years ?
  And you are concerned about what your JW sister thinks of you ?
  It sounds to me , WP , that you are a typical person that has left the "truth" however the "truth" has never left you ,
  You need to do research and decide for yourself whether JW`s have the truth or not and stop sitting on the fence.
  Research information on this site using the search option at the top right hand corner on subjects that relate to the truth.
  The time has come for you to make decisions in your life that map out your future ,go for it.

  No I am not concerned what my sister or anyone else thinks of me, otherwise I would still be a Dub. I am at a good place in my life and am happy without the cult in my life. Not sure of your back ground but if a person still has some family members in the religion, regardless, you never quite get away from the whole BS. I know it was discussed on here that the WT this last DC was putting pressure on Dubs to cut ties with other family members that were ex Dubs if they are not living a what they deem as a "Christian" life style.

  As far as the cult or religion is concerned I have made my choice. I am no longer consider myself as dub. Like I mentioned the only reason why I stayed somewhat close was because for my parents sake. Now they are gone I am not worried if my other brothers or sisters cut ties with me. I am happy in my life and will just move on with my own life. I will not be emotionally black mailed in to doing what someone else wants me to do. After I received my sisters email, I just didn't want to respond out of emotions but give it some thought. My reason for this post was to get some input from others on here that has had to deal with a similar situation.

  
  
  
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  17

  Rape Victim Forced To Listen To a Tape Of Her Assault In A JC

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this is absolutely outrageous.

  a rape victim was forced to listen to herself being raped while the elders stopped and started the tape claiming she was consenting.

  even though during one of the assaults she was duct-taped, gagged and had a pillowcase over her head.

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  William Penwell

  I swear that some of these old fuddy duddies actually get off by listening to some of this. I recall one of the judicial meeting I had to sit through to get reinstated they asked me if I had any relations with a certain woman and I said no. Well that wasn't good enough, the one elder had to then ask questions and went into details like did you touch her there or kiss her etc. A bunch of sick f*cks.
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  17

  Anybody else having trouble walking away?

  by JW-Matrix in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok...so i'm a 19 year old fifth generation jw.

  mentality, i've been out of the "truth" since i was 16(woke up after i was baptized ironically), but on the outside i'm a model jw.

  my parents are really devoted, my grandparents are super devoted, and so are my ants and uncles.

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  William Penwell

  The bottom line is you have to do it for yourself, not for anyone else. If you are only going back to make other happy then you are not going back for the right reasons. I myself had to come with those terms years ago and I told my family that I would only go back because i want to not because they want me to. It is not easy to walk away when all your family is in but you are going through a time where you have to search within yourself and do what is right for you.
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  25

  Is disassociating worth the hassle?

  by HereIgo in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have been out now for 6 years but lately i have been giving some thought to da.

  i just kind of feel that chapter in my life is still open and for some reason i feel like da'ing might close that chapter but i'm not entirely sure.

  im not df either, when i left i basically faded and disappeared.

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  William Penwell

  I think by DA yourself you are only empowering this J Dub cult. I do not look at this cult as having any authority over me, so if all is going OK without them then just live your life and be happy.
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  12

  Need some advice Re: JW marking by a family member

  by William Penwell in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so anyone that has read some of my posts on here over the years knows i have done the slow fade over the last 30 years.

  i do not claim to be a jw and have not being in a kingdum hall now to attend a meeting or convention for religious reasons for almost 15 years.

  now i know the discussion on here from this past dc was the rank and file dubs have being pressured to distance themselves away from family members that are no longer active dubs that they deem are not living up to wt bible principals.

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  William Penwell

  So anyone that has read some of my posts on here over the years knows I have done the slow fade over the last 30 years. I do not claim to be a JW and have not being in a KIngdum Hall now to attend a meeting or convention for religious reasons for almost 15 years. Now I know the discussion on here from this past DC was the rank and file Dubs have being pressured to distance themselves away from family members that are no longer active Dubs that they deem are not living up to WT bible principals.

  Now my J Dub sister has being a little distant since my parents passed away but we have always we have being on speaking terms. I thought she was aware of my situation that I have been living together with my GF for the last 2 years. Now she has found out we are living together and I got a "dear john" type of letter just giving me the ultimatum that since I am living against her principles she can no longer have anything to do with me. Well I did not not to respond right away as I would only be replying out of emotions and end up saying the wrong thing. One thing I will say to her is that it is her is if she chooses not to speak to me than it is her decision/choice not mine.

  Any other helpful points would be much appreciated.
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  44

  Canadian Appeal Court decision made the news: Judges can overturn unfair church edicts

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://news.nationalpost.com/news/religion/alberta-appeal-court-rules-judges-can-overturn-unfair-church-edicts.

  the other day, this court decision was posted on jwn along with a link to the court document, but few expected the media to pick up the story.

  so to all involved, i understand it was a surprise to see the story in print.

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  William Penwell

  This case will have less to do with the shunning that arose from the JC and more to do with whether or not Mr. Wall's civil rights were upheld in the elders' judicial process itself. The elders will be held responsible for the consequences of their action of disfellowshipping based on whether or not their process to arrive at that decision followed natural justice rules.

  I can see the WT, if they haven't already done this, getting elders to sign some sort of release saying that any decisions made by a local JC be held solely libel and the WT is off the hook. In other words if anyone is ever sued would be the local JC, leaving the WT off the hook.

  
  
  
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  44

  Canadian Appeal Court decision made the news: Judges can overturn unfair church edicts

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://news.nationalpost.com/news/religion/alberta-appeal-court-rules-judges-can-overturn-unfair-church-edicts.

  the other day, this court decision was posted on jwn along with a link to the court document, but few expected the media to pick up the story.

  so to all involved, i understand it was a surprise to see the story in print.

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  William Penwell

  Even if this is up held by the Supreme Court, like another poster mentioned the WT would just drop the official DFing but make it a conscience matter but then all they would have to do is get word around the congregation that this person is a "bad associate" and the good dubs would fall into line and shun them.
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  30

  After 52 years a Watchtower slave 9/11 gave me the push I needed to get out.

  by new boy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i turned in my letter of disassociation on september 18, 2001 but it was 9/11 that showed me what the witnesses really feel about human lives and the future wished for.. i was in limbo after my wife of 27 years left me on july 30, 2001. she knew i wasn't buying the jw program anymore.

  she told me she come back to me when "i got my head straighten out about god and the church".. so for 40 days i was in limbo.

  i stopped going to meetings.

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  William Penwell

  So I really don't get all this insanity I hear all over the place about JW's believing billions will be destroyed at Armageddon. That completely contradicts what my roommate (and various other JW's I've known) has told me.

  The way it was explained to me or my understanding of their teachings was that if you were destroyed at the big A, there is no second chance but all those that died before the big A would be resurrected to a paradise earth and given a second chance under perfect earth with no devil to tempt them. Then at the end of the six thousand year reign, the devil would be released to try and tempt away as many as he can. Then after some time, I guess when Jehovah feels that we have being tempted enough, the devil and all his followers would be destroyed forever. Makes sense to me....

  
  
  
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  30

  After 52 years a Watchtower slave 9/11 gave me the push I needed to get out.

  by new boy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i turned in my letter of disassociation on september 18, 2001 but it was 9/11 that showed me what the witnesses really feel about human lives and the future wished for.. i was in limbo after my wife of 27 years left me on july 30, 2001. she knew i wasn't buying the jw program anymore.

  she told me she come back to me when "i got my head straighten out about god and the church".. so for 40 days i was in limbo.

  i stopped going to meetings.

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  William Penwell

  What you are describing sounds very much like my ex brother in law. I could see him joyful that soon Jehovah will destroy all these wicked people at Armageddon. Every time there was some tragic news event on the evening news it was like he was taking delight in the fact that thousands of people might be dying but this is the signs of the last days. Just sick. Even as a dub this would turn me off.

  I recall one of the last times I went to a convention, with my parents was shortly after 9/11. Some good elder friend of the family that we had known for years came over and talked to us. With the dubs the fact that I was not a good active dub was common knowledge so, he kinda mumbled something under his breath but loud enough for me to hear, "oh it is a wonder how some start coming back just because a couple planes flew into some buildings". You know that was my real wake up call as I don't think I went to too many more WT meetings or conventions after that.
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  28

  Daughter doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her

  by jws in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i was talking with my daughter the other day and she tells me that she doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her.i am agnostic.

  which isn't a belief.

  it's a lack of belief.

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  William Penwell

  You want her to be a critical thinker which she isn't but you can't just teach that, she has to want to do it for herself.