Posts by scotsman

because in england and most of the uk, school is most definately compolsory and enforcable by law up to age 16.. further education beyond age 16 is never refered to as "school" except jokingly.

scotsman

Also Stilla,
discouraging college is basically discouraging a traditional UK university education -usually beyond 18
I'm not quite with you on this. Compulsory schooling in the UK ends at 16.

Technically yes. Here schooling for JWs tends to end at 17/18 after Highers (A level equivelant). There was a period in the 80s when kids seem to be encouraged to leave at 16 to pioneer, but that passed.

25

Went to church for 2nd Sunday in a row...

by findingmyway in

people remembered me from last sunday and actually made an effort to fellowship with me (even though i bolted for the door after the closing prayer).

everyone seems very warm and genuine.

i'm looking forward to going again next sunday.

scotsman

I've attended a few Church of Christ meetings and they made me feel very uncomfortable because they were so similar to JW meetings. This was 3-4 years ago and I know they've made some changes with their leader Kip McKean standing down, so I hope things are better but my impression was that they were very intrusive on each other's lives. They also mocked those who didn't share their faith. After the first meeting I was invited to lunch, play football and then attend a BBQ as well as offered a bible study. They've had bad press here because each year they seem to target students new to the city who are vulnerable and lonely with love bombing and make it very difficult for them to disengage.

Granted they knew their bibles (on palm pilots no less) but their (over)friendliness didn't mitigate the absence of women in any significant role and negative attitude towards homosexuality.

Use your freedom to visit lots of faiths to broaden your experience.

38

Smells that evoke memories...

by LittleToe in

jw
friends

isn't it funny how certain smells can have a strong effect in evoking distant memories?.

i was reminded of this when i just opened my desk drawer.

a little earlier today i bought a local newspaper (which is unusual for me) and didn't have time to read it so i stuck it in the drawer.

scotsman

The smell of creosote reminds me of summers at my grandparents. I wanted to lick it off the fence.

The smell of the 1980's perfume Charlie reminds me of my first year primary school teacher.

Charlie reminds me of my great aunt.

My boyfreinds head smells of soil and earth and I love it#

I had a girlfriend that said I smelled of this and I was never sure that it was a compliment.

40

Did Your Experience As A Witness REALLY "Damage" You?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

.

or was the experience just a glitch that can be overcome?.

englishman.

scotsman

What about me? Well we do not see ourselves as others see us - so ;you will have to make your own judgement about that from my posts!

It has indeed damaged you Trevor, and trapped you in perpetual analysis.

40

Did Your Experience As A Witness REALLY "Damage" You?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

.

or was the experience just a glitch that can be overcome?.

englishman.

scotsman

Not for me. Just part of my life's rich tapestry, freakier than a lot of people's but not as shitty as a lot of other's.

3

New Governing Body members reveal WT weakness

by Smiles in

scotsman

Just curious, but are the new appointments announced at the Kingdom Halls?

I doubt it. More likely to be announced in the WT with their CV.

23

Gay ex-JW Members: do you exclude?

by RAYZORBLADE in

jw
friends

non-gay members of this forum, have probably discovered some interesting behaviour here on this site.. me too.. with in the confines of specifics (if such a term even exists), how many folks here who are gay or identified in some way with that term, can say outright: "i am gay/homosexual" without guilt, embarrassment or shame, post-jw?.

i joined this site almost three years ago.

i do not post often, but i am still around from time to time.. gay people.

scotsman

Hi Ray

With in the confines of specifics (if such a term even exists), how many folks here who are gay or identified in some way with that term, can say outright: ; "I am gay/homosexual" without guilt, embarrassment or shame, post-JW?

I can and do.

For those of you whom identify themselves as gay exJWs, do you perform your own mini-sheep/goat exclusion?

I've got 4 friends that are gay ex-JWs and 2 that are still JW but I'm not sure what you mean by alliances.

15

RANT: Desultory ramblings of a frustrated cult member

by dorayakii in

jw
friends

after almost a year of living abroad, away from my parents and away from anything even remotely watchtower related, having allowed myself to not worry about these silly little things (yet convincing my parents that i was still going); now that i've been back for about 6 weeks, i feel that i have to put on a double effort to cover over things that i've said or done, and avoid using "suspect" words or phrases like "cheers" or "good luck".

its driving me crazy at the moment, and 10 times more than it was doing before i moved out.

today, i had a mini panic attack at having told a "worldly" friend of mine "good luck".

scotsman

Dorayakii

I have too strong a relationship with my aunt and cousins to force them to have to make such a decision. I live for them... life without them wouldn't just be "lonely", it would be completely meaningess.

The decision is not forced by you, but by them. I thought life would be meaningless too, which is why I stayed long enough to be an MS, then Elder. You know it wont be, having had your year out and made friends and potentially a support system outside your family. Losing my family and circle of friends at 30 was tragic, and I still go through periods of grief, but my life remains rich. I wish I'd left at the age you are now rather than waste a decade of emotional investments that never paid off.

The departure is hard but the fear of it was harder. Stay and you'll face intermittent meltdowns that will be inexplicable to your family, and you'll end up leaving and being shunned at a later stage. You need to look after yourself, and you know you're worth it!