Posts by ESTEE

22

DID ANY OF YOU actually bring anybody into "the truth" from scratch?

by journey-on in

in all my years of jwing, i never actually brought anyone up to the stage of baptism.. i had bible studies occasionally, but they usually fizzled out after a while.

i can't think.

of more than a small handful of witnesses that ever actually got a study from door-to-door.

ESTEE

My two children . . . and they are still in, shunning me. I trust that one day they will take their blinders off and see some light.

ESTEE

81

Born in or Converted to JW? What are the stats here? and why....

by oompa in

jw
friends

can't everyone just put this one item on their profile before posting.

it seems like most posters have no profile, but this info could help in several ways.

i am just guessing, but it seems like more here were born in.....your thoughts on this?......oompa.

Born in.(It is stated in my profile.) My dad "caught" the dis-ease first, witlessed to my mom and her family. This resulted in my mom and her whole family converting. Then dad married my mom and showed her what a hypocrite he was (alcoholic, womanizer, abuser). I was second born (6 bros, 0 sisters).

Exit 1999. I started taking dance lessons and got involved with my dance partner --- and was seen in public by an elder's wife, and got disfellowshipped. Getting df'd was the "kick in the pants" I needed to get me to start living my own life. Once I read "Crisis of Conscience" I was well on the road to freedom and discovery of my true self.

Still dancin'

ESTEE

32

Crisis of Consciousness: Finally Got It

by RAYZORBLADE in

oops, well i had intended to post a message along with this new topic and my fingers were faster than my brain (need more coffee .

well, i suppose it's like preaching to the converted; me obtaining this book, but i guess it's one of those things i just needed to do to finalize everything.. i know there are countless topics on ray franz' book.

but to finally pick it up, i feel like: 'i can hardly wait to read it'.. before, i more or less figured: 'i am out of the wtbts, so why bother?'.

ESTEE

It totally removed any traces of "maybe they are right" thoughts lingering in the hidden recesses of my mind

What Lee and Dinah said applies to me, too. Ray, once I read this book, I could see that the borg was a creation of man --- not god's organization at all. The "god's borg" talk is just part of the brainwash to keep members out there selling books.

Stay true to your Self.

Love you

ESTEE

4

Time Mag: JW's Experience Lots of "Masked Churn"

by pseattle2 in

http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1716987,00.html.

last week we learned that jw's are the fastest-growing religion in america, with between 2-3% growth nationwide.

but the survey in question also noted that the turnover rate in jw's is alarmingly high:.

ESTEE

Only 37 percent of those raised in the sect known for door-to-door proselytizing said they remain members.

I wonder why this type of report is not included in the yearbook.

Really, who would join a group if only 37 percent got in and liked it enough to stay?*chuckle*

ESTEE

76

ROAD TRIP!!! Would like to meet as many of you as I can in two weeks.

by wings in

jw
friends

so, i leave from new mexico.

i have $2500, a prius, and two weeks.

how far can i go, and how many of you can i meet?

ESTEE

Never mind the health care. It's the beer that would make you want to stay.W

I say it's the Okanagan wine that would make you want to stay!

ESTEE

76

ROAD TRIP!!! Would like to meet as many of you as I can in two weeks.

by wings in

jw
friends

so, i leave from new mexico.

i have $2500, a prius, and two weeks.

how far can i go, and how many of you can i meet?

ESTEE

Vancouver, Canada!

ESTEE

4

Goddam it

by sass_my_frass in

jw
friends

just talked to a mate, he was disfellowshipped a few years before me, came to my wedding after i was.

he's a bit of a party animal but a good kid really.

he's back in his hometown and going to meetings, i think he'll try to get reinstated, the poor suck.

ESTEE

Sorry to hear your friend got sucked back in.

That tells me just how deep the "programming" goes. People are really and truly brainwashed when they are jw. And the religion sets you up to fail, if you leave. The fear and control go very deep. Unless a person really makes a concerted effort to change their core beliefs, they run the risk of falling back into the religion. The only way to successfully leave is to "de-program and re-program" yourself with healthy "replacement" beliefs.

Release all the jw beliefs and replace them with some healthy beliefs.

Sounds like your friend still believes that stuff at his core --- plus the shunning is no fun. I know, because my mom "slipped" back in because she did not like the shunning.

Hugs

ESTEE

30

Forced Seating

by Tired of the Hypocrisy in

anyone else have to deal with being herded to the front of the hall before a meeting?.

i recall one cong in particular...west sacramento was notorious for this crap.

i was a large individual and today i am even larger....lol 6'2" and around 250 lbs back then.

ESTEE

The "herding to the front" process happened at our KH, too. As soon as the meeting began, even before the song was played, the speaker made the announcement, "There are lots of empty seats at the front." Usually about five rows. "Let's leave the back rows for the people with small children. Everyone else come to the front!" Then he waited for people to feel guilty enough to move. Basically the meeting did not start until people were "rearranged" according to the chairman's whim.

More control . . .

Glad I herded my Self out the door!

ESTEE

41

New 2008 Rules for A$$emblies?

by WTWizard in

we know that the a$$emblies have become more programmed every year.

they did away with food service.

they cut off the great outdoors.

ESTEE

sisters standing in the womens ...toilets handing out 2 squares of toilet paper

Been there, done that.

Or, the time I went into the washroom at a Saskatoon, Canada convention to discover all the mirrors had been papered over so the temptation to look at one's self in the mirror was averted . . .

ESTEE

20

Pay attention to yourself and your flock - secret elder book

by MOG in

have any of you got a hand on this book?

ESTEE

Wow, this is an amazing resource! Thanks, JK! I saved the link in my Favorites. I took a brief look, and the first couple of paragraphs says a lot, in my humble opinion.

When man rebelled in Eden, Jehovah took prompt action
(Gen. 3:8-19, 23, 24) Today, elders must handle cases of
wrongdoing and thus safeguard the spiritual environment of
the congregation. Hence, they should be well-informed with
regard to the application of Bible laws and principles.
When you as elders are assigned to care for a judicial
problem, it is beneficial to take the necessary time to do
research in the Bible, the Society's publications, and any
special letters from the Society that may contain information
applicable to the particular case.

Authority to judge, and decide on people's lives, is a dangerous type of power, especially when these men barely know anything about members of the congregation who they are compelled to judge (which is what happened in my case). They have no idea what is involved, being uneducated window-washers, etc. Not to mention their own FEAR issues, since the elders are also indoctrinated, just as the lay members. I wonder what "special letters" means. Likely letters nullifying scriptures where mercy could be exercised, since the religion is all about FEAR and CONTROL, rather than love and mercy. At least that was my experience with a JC. Sheesh!

ESTEE