I would not call "apostate" a religion but get togethers should be considered a "support group". For many of us, we are recovering from a childhood of mental torture, brainwashing, neglect, social isolation and ignorance. It's a strange world for us and we see things very differently from everyone else. True story.... I went to a wedding in a church ( as ex JW's know. this is a BIG no no ) I sat in the church and admired it's beauty and was not paying attention to the ceremony. Suddenly the priest said something like "and god be with you". Then the entire church all at the same time said " and be with you". I literally jumped in my seat!! I had never heard this before and I sounded like a sacrafice ritual. I looked to my boyfriend and said " what the hell was that! " It was normal for him raised as catholic. I was confused and a little terrified. These are things that everyday people know? I once told someone on ash wednesday that they had a little dirt on their forehead. I didn't know what it was and once explained to me I was very embarrassed. Sometimes I feel socially stupid.
KatyMomof2
JoinedPosts by KatyMomof2
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28
Biggest issue effecting apostates
by joe134cd ini got to thinking today & you know what i think the single biggest issue effecting apostates are.
its they cannot unite and this is what gives the watchtower the upper hand.
what needs to happen (and quite honestly i don't think it will)they all have to come under one common body.
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Trying to handle my JW mom
by KatyMomof2 inmy mom is a recent widow.
she, being a jw does not have means to support herself and does not seek higher education ( because that would take from her studies ).
so, she is living ( sponging off of ) me.
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KatyMomof2
Thank you for all of your great advice so far! This has been very helpful! My mom IS capable of taking care of herself and I need to recognize that. She is only 56 and has a minimum wage job. I guess she will just have to learn to live a life a little less extravagant now that her six figure income ( non JW ) husband has passed. I have asked her to start pulling her life together. It's been 3 years since dad has died and she should be able to figure out how to write a check and pay a bill by now. I told her I would assist her in anyway I could to help her become a more independent, self sustaining adult. While I don't expect her to move out right away, I do expect this to be her goal. Second, I will sit down with the kids and make them aware of what is going on ( on their age level ). While I don't think my mom can stop preaching, I will have to work on making the kids strong against her. Chances are they will encounter cult religions at some point in their lives and I want them to be able to think for themselves. At this time my mom does not pay rent, she does not help out around the house, she does not help with meals or dishes, and she does NOT babysit for me at anytime. She takes up the guest room and half of my garage. Third, I ordered some great coffee table books by Raymond Franz and Steve Hassan ( per a great suggestion ). This reading material should make things a little more uncomfortable for her while she is here. P.S. I told her to get upstairs and clean her room yesterday because it smelled bad. ( she did not like that one, but it felt good ) I will continue to read all your posts and ideas. Thank you to all my new friends :)
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FACT: "Apostates" are more loving and understanding than JW's
by El_Guapo ini love this site, it has been instrumental in my "waking up" as i have read thread after thread i realized something, people who have left the borg "apostates" (i used that term loosely, and mean no offense) are much more understanding and loving to someone who's learning the ttatt.
once someone states they don't want to give out too much personal info.
while telling "their story" (for obvious reasons) no one attacks the person and says if you really believe the ttatt you need to defend it all times!
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KatyMomof2
I am new to this site and love it. I do understand you. Only an Ex JW can truly understand. My husband bashes and hates the JW, but I don't bash people that have been seduced by this religion. They open their arms to you and promise love and everlasting life. I get it. But you have to step back and look at what they are really asking of you. I was told I could not attend a college in the 90's. Furthering your education was only to gain materialistic goods. But how was I to support myself? Oh yeh, I really enjoy working three minimum wage jobs to put food on the table. As long as God is happy, right? Oh, it gets better. Now they allow JW's to go to college. Oops, rule change. That happens a lot with the JW's. I know why people get sucked in, I just don't get why they stay. I really just want to set them free.
P.S. I never had a birthday or a Christmas till I was 20. Now we go BIG at my house for every little occasion and I am much happier. Holidays are about families taking time off to be together, not about origins.
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Is the U.S. headed toward financial ruin? Your opinions please....
by tresdecu innot trying to sound like a conpiracy nut...but just read this article:.
http://www.moneynews.com/archives/trump-aftershock-american-economy/2012/11/06/id/462985?promo_code=103fc-1.
is this just a lot of talk?
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KatyMomof2
It's going to be long and slow recovery. But we ARE in a recovery! We will have our ups and downs like everyone else. Our survival is crucial to the world economy. China, Mexico and Canada need us to buy their goods. We are also the third largest exporter in the world. If we go under, they go under. We cannot, and will not fail. People just need to relax. There is no need to doomsday prep. Those people scare the crap out of me. Really, how many guns do you need for an economic collapse? I bet Glenn Beck has the answer. ( but you gotta buy his book )
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Trying to handle my JW mom
by KatyMomof2 inmy mom is a recent widow.
she, being a jw does not have means to support herself and does not seek higher education ( because that would take from her studies ).
so, she is living ( sponging off of ) me.
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KatyMomof2
Wow! I like that. I feel empowered like a momma lion. I don't think she can ever truly have a relationship with my kids. She will always have some reason to relate a topic back to God. She may not even know she is doing it. She keeps saying, "but it's the truth". Yeh, right.
My mom also HATES gays. She bashes them constantly when on T.V. or in the news! I am trying to raise kids that accept people for who they are, and respect the choices that are right for them. It's not easy when she keeps pointing to a bible. JW's are so driven by their religion it's almost impossible to break through. My kids watching GLEE is not a sin.
I never thought I would have to protect my kids from my own mother.
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Watchtower Quotes Condemning Disfellowship for dissenting views as Radical, Satanic
by BU2B in"rather, like the church of rome their ["religious leaders of today"] influence is exerted to restrain investigation within the sectarian limits.
with the implied threat of disfellowship, they urge their ministers and students not to search continually for truth, but to accept the voice of their sect as infallible.
" watchtower 1887 apr p.923.
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KatyMomof2
JW's are good at recruiting outcasts and "lost" people. They offer them a family and support as long as you shun out the rest of the world. Sounds a little like a Cult don't you think?
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What to say if JW tells you the big A is coming very soon, Jehovah's day will come here like a thief? etc..
by Iamallcool ini like terry's topic about noah's day not being armageddon enough.
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KatyMomof2
I just tell my mom this " If God didn't show up when Hitler was here, he's not going to show up just because Obama is in office"
I mean really, how bad does it have to get for some God to save us all?
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Trying to handle my JW mom
by KatyMomof2 inmy mom is a recent widow.
she, being a jw does not have means to support herself and does not seek higher education ( because that would take from her studies ).
so, she is living ( sponging off of ) me.
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KatyMomof2
My mom is a recent widow. She, being a JW does not have means to support herself and does not seek higher education ( because that would take from her studies ). So, she is living ( sponging off of ) me. I was raised as a JW and ran for my life when I turned 18. She is now terrifying my kids! She told my 10 year old daughter that demons are everywhere trying to get into our bodies and make us do bad things. The only way to make them leave is to say Jehovah. Well, I don't allow that word to be spoken in my house. My daughter is so terrified she will not sleep in her own bed. She makes me stand outside the bathroom door! I think I need to send her to a shrink to undo the damage. I want so badly to kick my mom out of the house but where would she go? I told her she can NEVER talk religion with my kids again, but she just can't help herself, especially around holidays. I don't trust her around my kids.
Anyone else with family members pushing the JW beliefs onto their kids?
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Jehovah
by Crazyguy incan it really be said that the spelling of this name means god of ruin?
hovah means ruin but doesnt jeh mean god?
so should the letter h not be used, should it be jeh, ovah?
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KatyMomof2
Never really thought of that. Good point. I just hear the word Jehovah and slam the door. ( "sell crazy somewhere else, we're all stocked up here" )
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Their is no evidence/record of Jesus ever using Gods personal name , let alone making that personal name known during his 33 years of life on earth.
by smiddy injohn 17 :26 states "i have made your name known ".
just where and how many times in the christian greek scriptures has jesus made the personal name of god known .
he has had 33 years to do so you know.. in "the lords prayer" / "the our father prayer" jesus says of god "let your name be sanctified ", just where, and how many times in the christian greek scriptures does jesus sanctify or make known the personal name of god ?
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KatyMomof2
I think the JW found the reference in the bible and used it as a way to make themselves different from other groups. Like ONLY they are allowed to use his name. It's the whole "us" against the world mentality. What gives any mortal man the right to call God by his first name. I can't even call my mom by her first name? My active and blindly devoted JW mother did not have an answer to that one.