Posts by pincushion

14

MAKE NEW FRIENDS

by zipporrah in

jw
friends

i am a 22 yr old jw looking for spiritual, baptized jw's to be friends with.

are there any real jehovah's witnesses out there?

Welcome Zipporah...I only joined this forum myself a few days ago, and the support here is awesome in regards to the 'truth'. You can spend an evening reading the messages here and go to bed with a whole new outlook on what life is all about. Hope to hear from you more :P

84

Should I have a Christmas tree?

by scuba99 in

hi folks,.

i'm rather new here, only posted a couple of times.

although i have been visiting the site daily for a good 2 months now.

pincushion

OOPs me on my post and the scriptures and the reason behind the Christmas tree. They are not my thoughts at all..I had looked up the meaning of the Christmas tree and its origins and pasted some of it here. I meant to put it in quotes and refer to the site it came from but something happened there..perhaps the fact it was late and I was tired slowed down my thinking. My intention was to post some food for thought, not to preach and make it sound like that was the real reason behind the tree..I just thought it interesting and wanted to share

23

My short time WITH and AS a JW

by pincushion in

my name is 'pincushion', i reside in alberta.

in 1989 i started studying with the jw's.

i was really drawn to the 'truth' and after much trial and tribulation i was baptised in 1991 during a lethbridge assembly.

pincushion

Sentinel/Karen it struck a raw nerve with me when I read "I have been out since 1981" Sounds like everyone has been in prison and just got released. It certainly is like being behind bars with the key thrown away. For the longest time I perceived Cults as devil worshipers and blood drinkers yada yada, when I came into the Borg it never once dawned on me that supposed God fearing people were a cult. When all was said and done and I did my 'great escape' and I started to read more in depth of a REAL bible I realized how forceful and convincing words can be over action. I am far from being a religious person today..have attended a few different churches..none have really pleased me. I am more spiratual then anything, perhaps going back to my native ancestory..who knows...but it works.

Haunted is exactly how I have felt through the last 8 years. Every dream that has woken me up in a sweat, every guilty feeling I have had for doing something not chaste, etc.

One of my best friends now in the world is a JW who just quit attending. We both left the same time and never even knew..I was friends with her long before I became one, although she never told me her beliefs at the time. I did know she and her children were being abused. I was shocked the first time I walked in a KH and she was there. (she used to party with me a lot before that LOL) Today she is the only one I keep in contact with from there. She has since divorced and got her children out of the hell they were in. The abuse from the perfect JW husband and father was sexual, verbal and violant toward wife and children. I never realized until reading this forum there is so much of that within the Borg. I just thought he was a total prick.

It must be hard to be alienated from family because of departing the beliefs and sytem. I can see that now and feel really bad for alienated my 'worldly' family.

84

Should I have a Christmas tree?

by scuba99 in

hi folks,.

i'm rather new here, only posted a couple of times.

although i have been visiting the site daily for a good 2 months now.

pincushion

Nothing wrong with having a tree and a few lights on the tree. After all you have electricity and plants, right ! Why worry about the feelings of people who shun you..go for the tree. It can be hard to change onces beliefs and engrained non traditions, however in your new life with your new wife you have to start making your own traditions. Personally I could never figure out why (at least in the congregations I went to) that wedding anniverseries were so bloody important to require booking of community halls for all to celebrate...and all other occasions were frowned upon. Is not ones own birth important? Yes the birth of Christ may not be that of Dec 25, but there is so much more to Christmas...and that is being with family and showing love. I know at my house we put up the tree and celebrate the fact we can be together, most the time the religious aspect is not talked about. For many Christians the Christmas tree still retains the symbolism of the Paradise tree. The tree reminds us of the tree in Eden by which Adam and Eve were overcome and which thrust them into sin. But more importantly, the tree reminds us of the tree by which our sin was overcome, namely the tree upon which Christ Jesus was crucified. Is it a stretch to refer to the cross as a tree? Hardly, for this is the language of the New Testament itself! For example, Paul writes in Galatians 3:13, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree" (quoting Deut. 21:23). And Peter writes, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed." Therefore, the Christmas tree is a wonderful symbol and reminder of our salvation and forgiveness through Jesus Christ!

23

I am new to this site.... I wish to tell my story.

by Cyn in

my name is cynthia... i have had depression as a child ( undiagnosed ) father was possibly bipolar and mother is depressive both undiagnosed.....my journry into the org along with how the depression became a mental breakdown , which i thought was jehovah removing his spirirt.

my sruggle with the elders......and the many ways and people i sought help from.....well it is all a long story......... included in it.

jws i have known with mental health issues.......breakdowns.......psych docs have had discussed this with........ i would like to relate my story.....i was so ill..nearly catotonic i did not go to a hospital but if i relate how i felt.........it was clear...... how i was afraid of crossing the street because the green light may have been really a red light and i was told so often by the elders that my thinking was wrong...... ie " they were showing love by isolating me ( a depressed person) because i needed to be active and i was not complying..they said they tried ll that they coudl when in reality it was i always i that reached out to them ( thinking they were chosen of god)...... well..i just gave a sampler....my story is very long...i have been tenatious i read so much ( even before becoming a jw ) about depression and dysfunctional families... i was a teacher did not gte my ma ..people here know why i am sure..... well...before i write this story of mine...i would like to ask..if i can do it in intallments........those i relate my story to say i should write a book..........i am not " out of the woods yet".........by the way.......i came to the point that i could not leave my room..... i live in nyc and i was able to speak to bethel elders including g. gangus.... i was very sincere......naive idealistic.............i asked qiestions thinking that surly god understood ...that my motives were good... .

pincushion

Hi Cyn..we met briefly in chat a few days ago..took me awhile to find your message as I have little time to spend on this forum, less time then I would like to have.

As you know through reading my message..I have been through the depression...Dub thing also. You are definately not alone and it does help to be able to talk to people who understand and don't condemn.

Take your time telling your story, tell as little or as much as you feel up to. I have been browing messages on this forum for a few days now and everyone is so understanding and caring and smart.

14

Stupid Questions

by scumrat in

jw
friends

how do you respond to stupid questions?

do you honor them with an answer or do you just ignor them?

pincushion

There is never a stupid question...just stupid answers.

19

Mental Illness/Depression = Sexual Stimulation?

by Windchaser in

jw
friends

does mental illness and/or depression cause excessive sexual stimulation?

just wondering.

pincushion

There are cases where a depressed person does become a sex addict, for the reason it makes them feel better and wanted. Generally we think if a person is depressed they are automatically impotent, and this is false. What usually causes the disfunctions outside a slight headache, to a stock market crash, to Global Thermonuclear War..is the meds that cause dysfunction. So in answer to your question is YES depression can cause excessive sexual stimulation, just as much as it causes sexual dysfunction. Can go either way.

5

Dealing with different emotions

by back2dafront in

anybody else ever get angry at the fact that witnesses think they're the only righteous ones in the world?

it bothers me so much.

it's like they say it's ultimately up to jehovah to decide, but in the same breath they condemn you if you're not a dub.

pincushion

Kind of reminds me of Charles Manson...Helter Skelter..luckily he only brainwashed a couple dozen.

23

My short time WITH and AS a JW

by pincushion in

my name is 'pincushion', i reside in alberta.

in 1989 i started studying with the jw's.

i was really drawn to the 'truth' and after much trial and tribulation i was baptised in 1991 during a lethbridge assembly.

pincushion

Amazing, I think I finally found a place I can be myself and then my frustrations and hurt over what this ridiculous cult put me through! Thank you also very much for your words of support and understanding. I have done a lot a research and PROPER STUDYING of the Bible said disassociated myself from the Dubs. I think my short stint with them has ruined me to entering any other religious sect. I feel myself as a believer of God in the spiritual private way. I now know the truth from the half-truths to the no truths of the Bible and I wish to hell I knew that the day they came knocking on my door. If you are not born into their faith or come by its innocently then they get you when you're down and out and help you enter a cave of darkness of misunderstanding and conspiracy to draw others to their black sheep flock! It is so great to know I finally have a place to common talk about this. My gosh there are people who understand. As concerned mama told me in e-mail the watchtower society does not stand a chance as the Internet grows larger and brings people together forums such as this. It is quite hard to go out on the street and find it ex JW, God bless the Internet and all of you here for knowing the real truth and congregating together to support, educate, and share!

23

My short time WITH and AS a JW

by pincushion in

my name is 'pincushion', i reside in alberta.

in 1989 i started studying with the jw's.

i was really drawn to the 'truth' and after much trial and tribulation i was baptised in 1991 during a lethbridge assembly.

pincushion

My name is 'Pincushion', I reside in Alberta. In 1989 I started studying with the JW's. I was really drawn to the 'truth' and after much trial and tribulation I was baptised in 1991 during a Lethbridge assembly. It was then my life started falling apart. Because my family was worldly people, I took the steps to have as little as possible to do with them. I also took a night job at 7-11 i, so I could Witness during the day. I have always been a very outgoing and friendly person, whom when I make a friend we are friends for life. During the 80's I served in the Canadian Armed Forces, and made a lot of male friends. Strictly plutonic, but good friends. After I was baptised I was forever being called in front of the elders, for associating with males. The elders and the congregation could not understand that a woman can be friends with men and not be sexually involved. Also during that time, two young men came to visit me in my home, both were males I was exceptionally close to, as they grew up on a neighbouring ranch, I used to babysit them and was very close to the family. When the elders found out I had men alone with me in my basement suit, I was in big trouble. When a person is worldly and has worldly friends for 24 years of their life its hard to say goodbye to them do to religious beliefs. I have always had strong values through my life..even before I was brought into the 'truth'. In fact, even though I had a lot of male friends, I was not sexually active until my wedding night, 8 years ago. That is probably too much information but it is part of my story. So here I am, being shunned by the congregation, shunned by my family and friends, working 12 hour shifts 10 nights a week, and living like a hermit through the day light hours, with no one to talk to. Family wouldn't come visit me because I was a JW, JW's wouldn't come visit me because I was associating with worldy people and men, and friends I would not allow in my home for I was trying to make things right in Jehovah's and the Congregations eyes. I was worn out, alone, and afraid. I ended up in a nervous breakdown in 1993, which seen me 6 months hospitalization in the Psych hospital..being treated for depression and suicidal thoughts. 2 attempts at suicide. During my six month stay, the brothers and sisters came to visit me 3 times. Their last vist which was approximately my 5th month being hospitalized, found me smoking and dating a younger guy. So all of a sudden I was woth attention from the Elders, to be repremanded. Upon my discharge in September 1993, i wrote a dissassocition letter. I met my now husband 5 months later. The elders kept hounding me to come back, mend my ways, and also started hounding my husband. One night my husband and I went to a local restaurant and as we sat there, a 'Brother' came in and sat next to my husband, witnessing to him and not even acknowledging me, my presence or my being. When he did turn my way, I blew cigarrette smoke in his face and walked out. The next day we put a restraining order on the entire congregation. Today I am happier then I haveever been. I now work in the Mental health Field, and settled in. However the days with the JW's still haunts me to the point I have nightmares about it, literally. I feel like I was betrayed in a way I have never been betrayed before. the hurt I went through is beyond imagination. It has taked 8 years to be close to my family again, but worldly friends of those days are no longer my friends. I have had to make a new life. Although it is a very good life now, I just can't get over the past.