Posts by Iwasyoungonce

21

How much should you tell?

by Mulan in

jw
friends

i am curious how everyone feels about this subject.. if a family member or another person comes to see you, because they know you know something about jw's, how much should you tell them?.

should you tell everything you know or point them to books to read.............the bible, coc, true believer, etc?

this would be so they could read it for themselves.. if you no longer believe in god or the bible, or both, should you tell them this too?.

Iwasyoungonce

Sentinal,

if we only present the negative, then people's curiosity is peeked

I mean this sincerly, "what is the positive?"

I mean really what is it? I have looked and looked. I tried to give a balanced and fair view of them. I tried to see things from thier point of view. That view is...well, maybe a little unbalanced to say the least. WIthout lying in their favor to distort facts, how can I give an upside besides "Go Join Them And Find Out For Yourself."

I would like to know what the upside to being a JW is if you lack the gene to that feeling of being superior to all others on earth. That gene that you are Gods exclusive pet project. I find it offensive to be lied to. And, I don't lie. I am not good at it. I find it too hard to keep lies strait. It is just easier to tell the whole truth. It has yet to kill me to say I'm sorry if I did bad. And, I find "I don't know is an acceptable answer."

It might help me to tone down a bit. But I will not blow sunshine or smear the truth or hide facts. So what am I to do? I find it more and more difficult to just let the things go that they do. Mainly because if I do where these people are concerned, once they cross that boundry they head for the next fence to knock that one down too and then the next... I find that they lack any respect for others. They do not respect my boundries at all. Even to the point of being without compassion. Maybe I am the only one who has had an all negitive experince. But I do not know of an upside. Any help?

21

A Case for Healthy Patriotism

by Amazing in

jw
friends

whether raised jws or we joined at some point in life, we learned to regard patriotism as wrong, part of the devil's system of things.

if we became jws between the mid-1960s and mid-1970s, we had additional social influence to regard patriotism as wrong, as being duped by the elite politicians who use citizens for cannon fodder in wars, or other nationalistic pursuits.

the hippie movement was partly a catalyst that spawned many anti-war, hence, anti-usa government, hence anti-patriotism movement in this country.

Iwasyoungonce

Amazing,

Great post.

Thank you for it.

21

How much should you tell?

by Mulan in

jw
friends

i am curious how everyone feels about this subject.. if a family member or another person comes to see you, because they know you know something about jw's, how much should you tell them?.

should you tell everything you know or point them to books to read.............the bible, coc, true believer, etc?

this would be so they could read it for themselves.. if you no longer believe in god or the bible, or both, should you tell them this too?.

Iwasyoungonce

Mulan,

I'm sorry, that changes everything.

What do I say to a JW that has doubts;

I had that experience this year with a young woman (jw) who left her husband. She did not divorce him she moved out. No money no job not even her belonings. Everyone turned on her. I didn't. I gave her a little money some work and told her that if she needed some place to stay then she could stay with us as long as she needed.

She asked me why I am doing this; she wanted to know why? What do I want? All I asked in return is that someday when all of this gets worked out; On that someday then you will be where I am now. You will have the option of helping someone in a situation that is just like yours right now. You can help or hurt. Please choose to help. It is better. Remember how you feel right now.

That was it. I never told her to leave or stay. And, I don't know what is the case now. I assume that she is still in it. When I chose to take a stand...I have not even seen JW since. (And I don't mind at all)

There is little that one can say to a person on the fence. (My take) I believe that people free themselves. Steven Hassen says that almost anyone who goes through his program will leave. How can anyone read COC and stay or have any respect for it?

If we were all educated about "black propaganda" all of this would be much easier. I have become quite blunt about all of this Mulan because people are dying and lives are being ruined every day. For me the issues over the Jehovah Witnesses is more than a bitch session. Some people want to be better than they are as a JW or an EXJW. I support them. For people who don't want to be better, who can't believe that things could be good without or outside the WT, the ones that just bitch the need to stagnate and run in a circle to nausia. I move on.

One thing I do ask people who are in need is "How can I help you?" and "What do you need?" Sometimes that makes it easy.

49

Veterans day is a bunch of crap!!

by LuckyLucy in

jw
friends

i have several friends that are veterans and they have to work on monday!!

yet teachers (and we know how useless they are) and students get the day off.i have an idea!!

why don't they just let the veterans off, would that be asking too much??

Iwasyoungonce

To the Veterans of the United States and all the members of the American Armed Forces, from the bottom of my heart I say "Thank You." Thank you for your sacrifies and your bravery. I am proud to live in a Country where there is so much freedom to be who I choose to be. I realize that it's not perfect. Even in my life I have seen improvements. I see people from all over the world wanting to send their kids and themselves here to be educated, to work, and to live. People come from all over the world come to immigrate here. These things too I know will continue,and this to will improve, I have hope. I believe in my own ability to contribute positivly to my little corner of the world. And I do. Veterans; Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Lucky Lucky; You are unkind. You are disrespectful to people. Why? As it is You are not worthy of any farther talk. If you hate America well "Doom On You."

If you just think that Veterans get a bum rap then go to a veterans hall or hospital and volunteer for a day. Let positive change start with you. These are but sugestions and not orders. I think you are just bitching to bitch. I'll reply in December when you run down the holiday season in your threads to come. (I'll wish you a merry CHRISTmas!)

21

How much should you tell?

by Mulan in

jw
friends

i am curious how everyone feels about this subject.. if a family member or another person comes to see you, because they know you know something about jw's, how much should you tell them?.

should you tell everything you know or point them to books to read.............the bible, coc, true believer, etc?

this would be so they could read it for themselves.. if you no longer believe in god or the bible, or both, should you tell them this too?.

Iwasyoungonce

Just tell the truth. Tell the whole truth.

Your experinces without fear of betraying anyone.

Silence of past member is a cults greatest weapon. The next generation will have to go through all that you have. Maybe more. You are dening others the wisdom of your mistakes. If you do not speak out then you are still in a way helping to spread the message of the cult. Because people only hear one side of the story.

I can sum it all up in one sentence. "The Jehovah Witnesses are evil."

When someone says "I work with one of them and they see, fine." My response is "That is because they see you as prey." Also, "If you are not a club member you are just cannon fodder for their pipedream of the total aniolation of all of mankind, (Accept them of course)."

If you say nothing that is not palitable regarding them then you do not see their dark side, and, I do not recommend seeing the dark side. It is not pretty. It is dark and evil.

Like the "borg" in "star trek" if they do not see you as a threat they will ignore you. (For now)

"Jehovah Witnesses are the sowers of salt in the garden of faith."

15

Do you feel alienated from your JW family?

by dins in

just a general query as today i am feeling, as most sundays, like i want to move to the moon and get away from my jw family...ie, mother and father.

for years i lived abroad and didn't really think about it much, but now that i am back and in the area, just the very thought of spending too many minutes in their company makes me want to pack up and move away again.

it's been several years since i left home and the jw organization.

Iwasyoungonce

You are not wrong to feel the way that you do Diana. And there is no way you are being selfish. I believe that people who are fully shunned have it easier than those who are shunned part way. At least with a clean break you have a choice of wishing that things could be different or just creating a new life; One without Jehovah Witnesses in it. One way I have tried explaining the difference is: There are people who are just seperated from the church and their familes. Some funtions they are not to attend and some things they are permitted to. The WT still has a very strong hold on who they interact with and how they are treated. The Elders, or other members of the "org" define their life's interactions with family and jw friends, even working relationships.

Then there are those who are divorced from the church cult and their families that are inside. It does not matter who is not speaking to whom. Or, even if shunning is being done or not. The relationship is dead. That seems scarier than it is. We deserve to be happy; It is our right. Parents or friends that have a need or desire to control who we are, who need to spy and prey on us, be it for a religion, or any other cult mentality. They are not worth our time, or our happiness. They may be weak, or brainwashed, or even just plain evil. They are not worth our suffering and enduring the stupidity with them.

I say state your feelings to your parents. Make clear boundries that will be enforced no matter what. Stand up for yourself and what you believe. If meals are the issue then stop having them over or, quit attending them. What ever the problems are put a stop to them. Be happy with yourself and for yourself. After all isn't that what Jehovah Witnesses always claim? That they are standing up for what they believe. Well, so should we. We that do not accept the dominating control of this cult. We have a right to be free of it. If they then choose to not interact with us to shame or hurt us into submission; Then the bad is theirs and theirs alone. It is not our bad for being who we are. It is not bad to stand up to wantabe tyrants. That is not being selfish when that person is you that you are fighting for, the you that you want to be. What is selfish of yourself is to be unhappy for yourself because your mother is unhappy with her life that she won't change. Even if that is only your opinion that she is unhappy.

This should be the "yardstick" for all your relationships in life; Do they contribute to or do they contaminate your feelings of happiness? If the relationship contamimates you then state why it does. If they refuse to change then you might have to tell them, "OK, if you will not change trying to change me, (To make me into you) then you will be missed. Goodbye." (I did just that)

Diana, be happy. It is a good place to be. Do what you have to do to be happy with your life.

22

Dr. Phil is a Bozo

by troucul in

sorry i had to say that...all this clown does is recycle common knowledge.

all he is doing is spewing forth common sense.

it's amazing what people will do for money these days.

Iwasyoungonce

22

Dr. Phil is a Bozo

by troucul in

sorry i had to say that...all this clown does is recycle common knowledge.

all he is doing is spewing forth common sense.

it's amazing what people will do for money these days.

Iwasyoungonce

40

forgiveness?

by SPAZnik in

jw
friends

let's play "what if".... even if they *changed their ways*.... openly apologized.... and implemented drastic new policies.... would you go back?.

or are you "once stung, twice shy"?.

spaz

Iwasyoungonce

Ok here is the new policy. No more bullshit.

Now for the hardliners that like to hurt people, do the world a favor; PULL YOUR LOWER LIP OVER YOUR HEAD AND SWALLOW (Just kidding)

Those are my conditions.

But really SPAZnik as I once said "You can not polish a turd."

How can you take back all the people that have died because of this bullfarce? How can you take back all the families that have been with devil intent divided and distroyed? That time is gone. Those lives are gone. I'm sorry just makes it OK? I'll resubmit now? Bygones? NO.

You play devils advocate before any change has happened at all. I don't see that as a what if pipe dream. I see it as mean. My wifes Grandmother played this game and I put her strait. "These people have no intent of changing. They have made it clear as crystal that they would prefer KILL their daughter if only they would not loose the "protection" that ceasar gives them (they call not being allowed to kill my wife persecution of their religion in 1992) people like that don't change. They have murder in their heart. That does not change. If it did they would not be the same people. Then we might talk."

5

The sun also rises

by kenpodragon in

jw
friends

i woke up a couple of weeks ago, thinking that my life would be like any other day.

i set up in bed, doing my normal focus into the world of the living and working my way into the normal day's routine.

work was normal, a few things to get done by five and a lot of things to get done by the end of the week.

Iwasyoungonce

Ken,

I am glad that things turned out good. And, I am sorry for the unfair brown stamps given to your family. Your "thoughts" thus far are my favorite things to read at this site. I hope to one day one be willing to give such uplifting words from the heart. b