I never thought to check before I re-signed up again for JWD whether my old alias was still active...I just wanted to write this post to see how long ago I signed up originally...frog
Posts by Vee
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6I just found my old loggin!
by Vee ini never thought to check before i re-signed up again for jwd whether my old alias was still active...i just wanted to write this post to see how long ago i signed up originally...frog
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6
Inside Africa
by Vee innot sure if any of you remember reading my previous post but i was leaving to work in ghana, west africa for 3 months.
well i am here, and have been for a few days now.. it is great to finally be expereincing something i have been planning for many months now.
it is an amazing place just buzzing with life.
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Vee
HI there to all,
Not sure if any of you remember reading my previous post but I was leaving to work in Ghana, West Africa for 3 months. Well I am here, and have been for a few days now.
It is great to finally be expereincing something I have been planning for many months now. It is an amazing place just buzzing with life. The people are extremely friendly and this makes adjusting much easier.
I started at the school today where I will be teaching some of the time and it was quite an experience. The children are very difficult to control, and the main way teachers keep them in control is with physical discipline which is going to be very difficult to adjust to. The children have lovely natures though, they all cling on to me and call me teacher! They're extremely affectionate. As for my experiences in Ghana so far, well I would have to say they've been a real culture shock. There is nothing western about the way of life here. There is a large amount of poverty and many familes live in very basic run down dwellings. The climate is very warm, and almost nothing I have brought with me is very practicle to wear. My one white cotton skirt is now a merky shade of grey!
I am living with one of the local Did's (a yogic nun) and the organisation is AMURTEL (Ananda Marga). Where I live is also a childrens home where 10 young girls who's parents could not afford to care for them have come. They're lovely girls and the speak much better English than the children in the school.
It has been a tough few days here, I've never felt more isolated in my life. There is nothing and no-one familiar to take refuge in. But I will stick it out and do my best, and I know that it will pay off its own rewards.
Thanks-you for taking the time to share this with me. This board has been a refuge for me before and now I can see that it will be again but for different reasons this time.
All my love, V**
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11
Female Subjugation
by out4good3 ini'm aware of many couples where the man, usually the breadwinner, can no longer tolerate following the wt party line anymore.
i myself am the only breadwinner in my family and although my wife works hard to appear as the staunch jw, i never berate or hold it against her in any way as do most other men i know in similar situations.
she knows how i feel about the wt so she almost never asks my opinion on soceity related matters.. but, what of the couples where it is the woman whose fallen away but finds herself totally dependent upon her staunch jw husband for support?.
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Vee
I remember being about 12 y/o and hearing some sisters talking together after a b/study group and my mother was with them. The only things I clearly remember from the conversation was the context, which was about getting what she wanted/needed by holding out on the "goods" from her husband. It sounded as though this method was tried and tested for her. I was young and naiive but understood perfectly what she was saying, and was mortified especially by mother who laughed and nodded in agreement. This sisters husband was one of the most flirtatious arrogent self obsessed "brothers" (b*st*rds) I had ever met, and I remember thinking then that I could imagine that form of witholding would definitely work with him. I never looked at that sister the same way again though. I caught up with both the husband & wife at a wedding in my home town earlier on this year for a very good JW friend of mine (present & past). Neither of them had seemed to change, just worsen if anything. The only difference was that I was all grown up, so the husband was more flirtatious than ever, and the "sister" I came across in the ladies room completely off her head after a few drinks. Both of course are still considered a highly respectable elder & wife couple.
I've said it before and I'll say it again that I fully believe that my parents were attracted to the JW faith because it suited their ideals. My father was a crazed power hungry so and so who demanded control over all those who came under his "durisdiction". My mother was a meak mild woman who was drawn to the ideal of the headship arrangement where her husband would love and cherish her as the weaker vessel, ha ha ha ha ha. My father successuflly used and manipulated the "truth" and scriptures to suite his purpose for nearly 30 years. And would you believe that after 30 years of mental, emotional and physical torture that my mother just this November past walked out on my father! Her very words at the weekend to me were that her whole married life had been a fascade and a sham!!! Halebloodylujah!!!
V**
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18
What do you do...?
by Brummie inwhat do you do when you see jw family or jws who were once good friends on the street?
do you look at them and give them the opportunity to snub you?
or do you take the initative to cross the road and look the other way before they do it?
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Vee
Hi there Cruzanheart!
I was in the identical situation to you in the work place up until just a few months ago. I worked with 2 dubs who I had been associating with and working with for a number of years. Over the past 18months I had chosen to fade gradually and stopped attending meetings this time last year. I decided that they had no right to any privileged information about me, unless they were truly happy for me. I received several lectured lunches but over the months to follow gained enough strength just openly state that I agreed to disagree.
This time last year the 'End of Year' function (Christmas Party!!) photo's were posted in the monthly news letter. And right there in full sized colour was a big spanking big picture of Vee accepting the PFI award for my attempts at the funtion previous (that's the p'ssed f'ing idiot award...Just for the record when my name was read out I had to lean to one of the directions and ask what it stood for, such innocence I tell you ha ha ha). That seemed to be enough to ward of the wolves for a short amount of time, but it was so easy to see the anger brewing in them. Unfotunately, it was impossible to avoid contact with them altogether, which I would have preferred for comfortability sake As the 2 dubs were doing the socieity recommended jobshare thing on front reception......Anyway it got to a point where one in particular would go to the emph to ignore me. We would share a lift or have unavoidable involvement through work and she refused to deal with me. So I confronted her and dragged her into my office and told her that I wasn't asking for her approval or her forgiveness, I was only demanding that she be civil to me in our place of work as she had no right to make me feel so uncomfortable there, and if she didn't then I would take it to the powers that be. Anyway I gave her half an hour to scream and vent at me while I remained reasonably composed, and responded that her vile comments of hatred against me showed her inhumanity. My favourite comment which I must share was in respects to all of the time and effort that she had so graciously given me in the way of spiritual guidance etc..."There's is a piece of me in you that I can't get back and you're trashing it everday". She calmed down after a few weeks and was only as civil to me as was absolutely necessary, so my purpose was I think achieved.
Not long after I left the company to move directly to the other side of the planet, don't regret it a bit!
V**
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76
STOP Talking to Your Family OR ELSE!
by UnDisfellowshipped in" (the watchtower july 1st 1963 issue, page 411).
" (the watchtower july 1st 1963 issue, page 413).
" (the watchtower july 15th 1963 issue, page 446).
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Vee
Thanks very much for taking the time to research and post all of this information. Just further affirmation for most of us I imagine. The following section (have pasted below) in particular cracked me up the most. It is the most f'ing hillarious things ever, and opitimises the WTBS indoctrination, putting words in their mouths techniques. I remember myself chanting those very words right through primary school, highschool and then when I started working. Amazing that people who "so obviously" think so clearly for themselves should need a reminder as to their specific motivations for initially being drawn to the faith, so as to build a case should there be anyone demanding of them a defense for their faith???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Many try to portray the beliefs and practices of Jehovah's Witnesses as dogmatic and restrictive. When answering questions about your religious beliefs and practices, emphasize the fact that you have formed your beliefs and adopted your practices after much study and reflection your religion is not simply a matter of rules which have been imposed by the elders. You want to emphasize the fact that you are a thinking, well-balanced, and reasonable individual who is competent to act as a parent. Avoid any response which gives the impression that you are unwilling or unable to provide for your child's best interests because of your religious beliefs." (Preparing For Child Custody Cases Booklet published by Jehovah's Witnesses)
Love V**
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What was Your Fave Cartoon as a Kid?
by Pleasuredome inmine was.... edited by - pleasuredome on 22 december 2002 15:40:33.
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Vee
Without hesitation ASTROBOY ASTROBOY cause he's "stronger than all the rest..."!! I used to get teary in the opening scene where he would save those funny looking twiddlebug things from up on the powerlines, and when Astro found out that he was Atlas's brother, oh my god!!!...was a very strange lil kid! I happened to watch an episode at my bro inlawaws place a couple of years ago for a touch of nostalgia, but as is always the case with childhood memories they're best left where they are. Unfortunately us adults don't have the same sense of adventure and imagination that we once did, then there's also the outdated technology factor...
There was also this cartoon series that ran for a couple of years called something like the golden eagle, was set in the inca times and I was mesmorised by it.
Wizard of Oz wasn't bad, and never ending story even though it wasn't exactly a cartoon.
Second fav though would be inspector gadget...and all those short little cartoons inbetween that filled in between shows like Danger Mouse, Super Ted, Roger Ramjet.
Is a damn shame they don't play more of the "mouldy old" WB cartoons, but I guess they just wouldn't get the respect and the appreciation they deserve...that's all folks!!
V**
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How the West sacrifices the rest
by expatbrit insometimes you can only shake your head:us blocks cheap drugs agreement.
the united states has blocked an international agreement to allow poor countries to buy cheap drugs.
one-hundred and forty-three countries stood on the same ground, we were hoping to make that unanimous.
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Vee
Expatbrit, if you don't mind saying...out of personal interest what is your field, area of expertise, or what area is it that you have studied in, if at all? V**
Edited by - Vee on 21 December 2002 12:37:28
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My dilemma
by eyeslice ini have been associated with the jws all my life, recently turning 50 years old.
i was a true believer, a hard working elder, very zealous for the truth, a pillar in the congregation, and a fine speaker and teacher.
i even served in an extremely difficult foreign land for a while with my family.. i always knew we had our problems, but felt that it was my responsibility to effect change from within.
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Vee
Dear Brother,
One thing that I have learned over the past year is that I have been denying myself the right to trust my instincs. If you have certain feelings or thoughts they are there for a reason, that is after all who you are and is the most natural thing in life. I now instead of censoring my thoughts out of fear listen to them and explore them. You should be extremely proud of yourself for questioning your doubts, how long do you really think that you can continue living in your current situation without being true to yourself, you will only loose respect for yourself and all those wonderful qualities that have shun through in your writing above will diminish. You need to accept that you don't think exactly the way you used to. Afterall you're of obviously very intelligent and intune with your inner belief structure that you will have nothing to fear, either it will in the long term strengthen your existing belief structure or you will move on from it and attain more inner peace and mental freedom than you might have not otherwise known. I started reading a book about 12months ago called the 'Road Less Travelled' by someone Becks, I would recommend it to everyone. Completely non-denomindation and is purely self help. It has a section in it that talks about 'Map making' which discusses the fact that all throughout our lives we receive new information that forces us to re-map our perspective or more appropriately our 'working view of the world'. It talks about this at times being a very painful thing to do and sometimes we will go the emph degree to denounce any new information that comes to our senses as evil because of the fear of letting go. We do it when we're children, we remap again when we're teenagers, we do it again when we move into adulthood, then into middle life and again into old age. We can't possibly work with an outdated map right through our lives, and when new information makes itself present it is vital for our personal growth that we address it.
In my experience perhaps rather than stepping entirely out of your comfort zone and visiting other churches that maybe you start seriously meditating on your own thoughts and reading some self help material which if it's good will only teach you more about yourself rather than persuade you. This is what I have recently done in the last 12 months, and I'm happy to say that my departure from the JW org has been an intellectual decision rather than a behavioural one. I haven't actually been disfellowshiped nor do I plan to, and will go to whatever degree legally to make sure that doesn't happen. I do this because I am determined that I want to know my younger siblings, and because I know that above else my family still loves me. If you do decide to allow yourself to fade and cut off associations with your friends in the org I doubt that too much pressure would be put on you to be on a judicial committe now that you're no longer an elder. If you do become reappointed you will only make the inevitable an even more bitter pill to swallow should the time come.
On this forum as a tralier to one of the posters here there is a saying that "When the pain of being where you are is greater than the fear of letting go. You will risk and heal and grow". This has had so much truth in it for me personally. And I realise that although my family do love me that their being a part of my every day life was based on conditions that I could no longer stand by in good conscience. You will still have a full life if you do the right things by yourself. I'm leaving for Africa Ghana in a month to work in an orphanage/school and my family to my absolute bewilderment, even my Uncle elder who has always exerted much pressure on me respects what I want to do. The key is just giving them a little bit at a time, not too much because you know what it would be like if you were in their position. It is very rare that in a situation like you are in and we have all been in that anyone close to you will be in the same frame of mind as you are at the same time. Unfortunately when it comes to such a mammoth issue in your life you are all on your own with it.
I wish you all the best, I have a very strong sense that you will make the absolute best choice for yourself no matter what that might be.
All my love V**
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How the West sacrifices the rest
by expatbrit insometimes you can only shake your head:us blocks cheap drugs agreement.
the united states has blocked an international agreement to allow poor countries to buy cheap drugs.
one-hundred and forty-three countries stood on the same ground, we were hoping to make that unanimous.
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Vee
I see your point Animal, that drugs like this would not exist if it were't for the billions of $$ invested...but is it still not inconceivable that a price can be put on the value of millions, and some who will without question suffer and die an excruciating death that could otherwise be prevented if the laws were lifted? There is the question that if the patent laws were lifted where would it stop, but perhaps it is long overdue for the entire structure to be reviewed and overhauled to come in line with basic humanitarian principles, such a thing cannot possibly happen without some sacrifice on both sides...but which side is it that has sacrificed far too much already? After all how long ago was it that these laws were put in place?...that is a question as I myself do not know. Was it in a time before these drugs, the only means to treat millions were available, or even available in such large quantities to be of benefit in a situation like this? It really is only a matter of time before this wall comes down, those standing in the way cannot possibly hold it back forever, or even that much longer with the rising statistics that appear in papers every week.
It reminds me of earlier on in the year where the US would not come to the party on the environmental treaty that was drafted as a follow-up to the Kyoto treaty. This was because it would be too much of a sacrifice financially on their industries one that they weren't prepared to make. And yet the US themselves are the largest producers of greenhouse gas emitions. Pres Bush stated their goal is to reduce America's greenhouse gas emissions "relative to the size of the US economy".
Thank-you for posting this expatbrit :-)
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Watchtower & Sex
by JH indo you think that witnesses in general have a good sex life?
with all the pressure they have to produce and assist meetings, they have less time left on their hands for other things, like sex.
asked to be spiritual, reading the bible, talking about god and angels, takes their mind off sex.
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Vee
Is my sex life better since I left the org?...well I now actually have one!!!
I was raised in the borg since very young, lost my virginity when I was 17 to my "worldly" boyfriend. The sex was horrid, despite the fact that I wanted to enjoy it I hadn't by any means thrown off all the guilt about engaging in this most disgraceful act! I went back after a year out and 6+ years since then I'm now out of the org and in a very strong relationship and have a fantastic sex life. Although my boyfriend often says how cute it is that I still giggle when I think certain things are "naughty".
I remember reading a Greek philosophy that stated that good regular sex helped to prolong life. Whenever one of those threads comes up about how much time did the WT borg take from you, I will be sure to mention the lack of sex that has decreased my life span.
V**