Posts by Darren

97

What generation JW are you?

by crazycate in

jw
friends

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i'm 3rd generation.

cate

Would You Like It If The Elders Called You To See How You're Doing?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i read how some seem to complain that the elders never visited or even made 1 call to see how they were doing.

would you really want the elders visiting and calling you at this point in time?

Darren

Not sure if this still happens but I know that some years ago in my cong. the elders visited those disfellowshipped/dissasociated when the Circuit Overseer was in town.

I haven't had any contact me yet, but bring them on I say. As some previous pepole said it'd give me a chance to let them know how well I'm doing and how happy I am.

24

How can I get my JW publisher card back from those $%* JERKS!

by NaruNaruChan in

i've heard stories of people finding a way to get their publisher card back... is it possible?

if so, how can i get mine back?

i want to know what those pricks have written in there.

I'm in Australia and currently in the process of trying to get my records. I've spoken with the Privacy Commission a number of times and it seems I do have a case as they have now taken over. They will be contacting Bethel and the congregation to enquire on my behalf. If anyone else in Oz is trying to get hold of their records I can provide you the contact information and my approach to the situation. Email me at [email protected]

cya

Darren

27

growing up scared of Armageddon

by bittersweet in

i was just curious if any of you growing up in the truth were overly scared of armageddon?.

when my mom came into the org.

in the 70's,the only so called kids book was the paradise lost book.the pictures in that book scared the pants off me!at night when i was lying in bed,if i would hear a loud plane go over head,or there was a thunder storm,i was sure it was the start of armageddon and i would be sooooo scared.i was wondering if i was the only one overly scared,or if their were others.. also,was anyone out there extremely frightened of the demons?i would hear all these crazy experiences of people having problems with demons,and i was sooo frightened they would come bother me.maybe i was just a big old scaredycat,but if any one else has any experiences,please post them!

Darren

I was also definately terrified of Amargeddon, and when I did anything "wrong" I would pray in tears begging for me not to be killed. Fear is a strong power over the mind, and I think one of the determining factors for a lot of my ex-friends and family remaining witnesses. Breaking past that fear can often take a long time, as it's been programmed into the witnesses over many years and especially as children when most vulnerable.

27

Are the Disassociated shunned?

by NotBlind in

on a whim, i recently visited the jw media site and found this question in their beliefs faq at http://www.jw-media.org/beliefs/beliefsfaq.htm:do you shun former members?those who simply leave the faith are not shunned.

if, however, someone unrepentantly practices serious sins, such as drunkenness, stealing, or adultery, he will be disfellowshipped and such an individual is avoided by former fellow-worshipers.

every effort is made to help wrongdoers.

Darren

I think this is a really interesting topic.... because I have tried to speak to my family about this a number of times. Namely, can an ex-witness just be a normal person? Or will they always be labled an ex-witness?

I disasocciated myself 2 years ago, which for me went that I DON'T WANT TO BE A WITNESS ANYMORE. What it doesn't mean is that I don't want to talk to my family and friends (extended family). However the winesses don't seem to grasp this very well, and it seems that forever I'll be labeled as an ex-jw rather than a normal person. They of course say that this is because I have known the 'truth' and have shunned it. But once again I make the point, just because I don't agree with the witnesses doesn't mean I deserve to be treated as an ememy the rest of my days. I guess this makes sense to all of us, but the witnesses will never understand.. unless they also leave.

16

Will any disrupt meetings & assemblies?

by Dismembered in

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as the ranks of jw's continue to deplete, what are your thoughts on meetings and assemblies being disrupted or heckled by angry ones as more eyes become open to this cult and the damage it has done.. anyone?.

dismembered

Darren

Nothing would be acheived by such an outburst except for the further justification of their thoughs on people like us. I remember an assembly I went to as a child, the one I was baptised at actually, and there was people protesting. My, very self righteous, thoughts were that they were disgruntled and had been blinded by Satan.

The witnesses will think and hear what they want to... and such an outburst would just prove their own point stronger. I find the best way to 'protest' is to be extremely civil, even annoyingly civil, to witnesses. To show them that you are the same person you have always been, minus the jw part, is a powerful message.

26

The dreaded disfellowshiping

by link in

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i have been informed on good authority (a dub for 27 years) that you cannot get disfelowshiped for committing a wrongdoing, only for being unrepentant.. can anyone tell me if this is true or not, and if it is not where the misunderstanding comes from?

link

Darren

In my experience two of the elders on my judicial case spoke to my father (also an elder) before my first meeting who instructed them to disfellowship me "for my own good". So what chance did I have walking in? None at all, their decision was already made. The first meeting with them they didn't even open in prayer, which they are supposed to do.

Dia, just in response to your comment... In some circumstances I agree with your thoughts, but in other instances the elders involved get a real kick about what they are doing. The power trip is surely adictive.

Edited by - Darren on 25 September 2002 23:20:43

22

Hi, I'm Darren from Melbourne, Australia

by Darren in

jw
friends

hi everybody... i stumbled across this site in my travels and thought i'd say hi.

as mentioned in the subject my name is darren and i'm from melbourne australia.

i was born into the witnesses, the perfect little jw child.

Darren

Hi everybody... I stumbled across this site in my travels and thought I'd say hi. As mentioned in the subject my name is Darren and I'm from Melbourne Australia. I was born into the witnesses, the perfect little jw child. I was baptised at the age of 11, and even pioneered unofficially before I was baptised. I was destined to be the youngest elder in Australia, or so I was told. Once I got to the age of 16 or so, I started to come out of my shell and look at things differently. I was disfellowshipped when I was 18, reinstated 10 months later. But my love for the organisation was truly dead by this stage, and I only got reinstated because I wasn't quite ready to leave and needed the comfort zone of my friends and family. For the next few years I lived a complete double life, enjoying the 'worldly' side of life but still a token witness. After some months of inactivity I disassociated myself from the organisation in 2000.

Most of my family are still witnesses, and as is the case with most ex-jw's who's family are still members I've been through a fair bit. I'm no longer in contact with my parents, and happier for it. Things recently deteriorated with one of my younger brothers, which has probably hurt the most so far in all of this. He has married a witness girl, he's only 20 mind you not that that's strange in the organisation, and his mind has been warped.

A lot of my new friends are quite amazed at what I have gone through as part of the process of leaving, but it has actually just strengthened my character. I wouldn't change what has happened cause it has shaped me. And I certainly don't have any interest in being a witness, not after what I have seen and read since my leaving. I don't feel any anger towards the witnesses, rather sadness at how brainwashed they truly are. Especially for my younger brothers who are subjected to the same brainwashing that I received. Hopefully they one day break though it like me, and I feel that in some way I have paved the way for them if they wish to do so. By my hardships I hope to of given them the option, and shown them that it's possible to leave and be happy which is contrary to what they are taught.

I'm engaged to be married next June, and it's my fiance who's probably been treated the worst. She was previously unaware of the witnesses. How she has been treated, as an innocent party in all of this, by my family and friends has left a lot to be desired. It would seem the 'good witness' they are supposed to be always giving was completely thrown out the window. All they could say was to "not take it personally"... yeah right guys, put yourselves in her shoes!

I'm happier now than I have ever been, my conscience is clean and I'm already enjoying my life outside the control of the organisation.

Anyway that's enough about me, just wanted to give you all a brief overview of my story.

Cya

Darren