I was about 7 years old when my parents started studying with the witnesses and soon after they started studying we were told that association with our worldly relatives was not a good idea - and no more Christmas, birthdays etc. Our new family was the brothers and sisters in the Kingdom Hall. Just like many other newbies into the witness religion, we stopped associating with our relatives. I really missed one of my aunts who was always so kind and generous to us and always made us feel welcome in her home. After we became witnessed the few times that we did see her ended very badly as my parents always tried to convert her and she wanted no part of changing her own religion. Needless to say we became estranged and after many many years I found out that she had started getting dimentia and was in a nursing home. I really wanted to see her and hoped that she would remember the little boy who stayed at her house many weekends and all the fun we had at Christmas and New years and other occasions. When i got to the nursing home she did not recognize me but i did stay and talk to her for a long time about everything and nothing. When i left i realized that i had missed so much by not having her in my life and cried in my car on the way home. She died a very short time later. I dont blame my parents for alienating our family from loved ones, as they were simply doing what they were told. I blame myself for listening to the witnesses and buying into the fact that "all worldy people are evil and must be avoided. I blame myself for trying to adopt the brothers and sister in the congregation as my new family - when in reality they could really care less about me and I have realized that in this religion " love " is absolutely conditional on toeing the witness line and that obedience to the society is first and foremost and trumps all family ties.
inbutout
JoinedPosts by inbutout
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63
Do You Blame Your Current Life's Issues Because You Were A JW?
by minimus indo you tend to blame your problems on the fact that you were a jehovah's witness?.
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Marry in the Lord
by Rattigan350 inthey do not do a good job of exploring why different people stop going to the meetings and make any improvements.. this is a quote from another topic.
it reminds me of the may 15 2012 study article about marry only in the lord, p 4 para7.
they are not trying to improve their product (the people).
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inbutout
I find it very interesting that a person who has grown up as a witness, is a publisher but not yet baptized, is considered to be a non-believer. If a baptized individual was to date a person who grew up in the "truth" but is not yet baptized, but who regularly attends meetings and is approved to go in service, they would be reproved and i have seen this happen firsthand. I guess it is ok to preach to others and recruit even if you are classified as a non-beleiver, but if you are not baptized yet, you better not be dating someone who is baptized. Seeing this, makes me realize that the rules have become so ridiculous and the result is alienation of many people like me who used to believe that this was the true religion.
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Governing Body Hates Higher Education Because It Destroys Their Delusion
by frankiespeakin inin an effort to keep their delusion alive it is only natural for them hate something that lifts the vails of their delusion and lay it barren.
their hate is transfered to the faithful rank and file and manifested in their forbidding it to the young who will surely see the ignorance of their delusion.
narcissistic delusions of divine appointment are resisted at the expense of the young.. they hate higher education to the same extent they hate psychiatry because both tread on their delusion and identify it in clear terms..
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inbutout
I am new to this forum, still attend meetings but slowly slowly fading. I did go to university and obtained my degree in finance. At that time no one really bothered me. Unfortunately I have seen too many bright and eager young witnesses who wanted to learn, who wanted to go to university, but did not get post secondary education because of pressure from elders, family, or other witnesses who would not mind their own business. These ones who did not get a higher education have become part of what makes up most of the modern day witnesses - the working poor. Where does it say it the Bible that someone should not get higher education. If someone wants to pioneer and dedicate their life to the ministry - that is fine, but for the 99% of young people who don't, they get pushed aside, neglected in the congregation and lose their focus. Also who is going to support the voluntary donations to the society when many of the witnesses struggle just to make ends meet? Its interesting to note that when a witness needs a medical procedure, they will go to a doctor who is university educated and will be thankful to that person for healing them, taking away their pain and in some cases saving their life. But what would happen if no one became a doctor? The flawed thinking and incessant rules that govern this organization are enough to drive a person insane. A nice glass of red wine (cabernet or shiraz) helps to ease the stress of entering the Kingdom Hall.
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Marry in the Lord
by Rattigan350 inthey do not do a good job of exploring why different people stop going to the meetings and make any improvements.. this is a quote from another topic.
it reminds me of the may 15 2012 study article about marry only in the lord, p 4 para7.
they are not trying to improve their product (the people).
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inbutout
I am new to this forum, still attending meetings but am slowly fading. I was very young when my parents became witnesses and I got baptized at 14 (too young) and have realized after more than 30 years that this religion is not about obeying or being loyal to Jehovah God but really it is all about loyalty to the society and the man made rules. I believe that marrying in the Lord means that someone is free to marry and that everything is legal. But according to the witnesses as long as you attend all the meetings and you put in your time in service and are baptized then you are ok to marry. This flawed thinking has produced a generation of witnesses who are depressed and very unhappy and stuck in a miserable marriage and has produced many many unsuccessful marriages. I find the attitude that "worldy people dont matter cause they are going to die anyway" and the superiority attitude of witnesses and the way that witnesses look upon non-witnesses with disdain and pity, to be absolutely ignorant and repugnant. I am one of the silent majority of witnesses who still attend meetings but wont rock the boat so as not to lose my relationships with family and there are many like me within the rank and file. Unfortunatley the vocal minority have taken over. Back in the late 1980's, I and most of the congregation I was in at the time - including all the elders, attended the wedding of a baptized sister to an individual who was only studying at the time. That would never happen now - What has changed? When did this religion become so pharasaical, so rule oriented? I went to university and recieved my degree and no one seemed to care - now it would be a major deal - I am disillusioned and disenchanted - just like so many that sit at the meetings and assemblies. We kinda know who we are but are silent - I guess in a way I am a coward cause I afraid to say anything out loud.