Posts by Hapgood

36

How Did You Become Irregular and Then Inactive As A Publisher?

by minimus in

jw
friends

did you suddenly just stop reporting time?

did you do it gradually???

what reaction did you get from the elders when you missed your first month reporting time?

Hapgood

I was irregular for years, none of the elders said anything to me. I think they asked my husband once in awhile if my daughter or I had any time to turn in, but they never asked me. In Jan. 1998, I became totally inactive, but still continued to attend some meetings until I stopped going altogether in Dec. 2001. All that time, almost 4 years, that I was inactive, but still attending meetings none of the elders said anything to me about my lack to time. I guess I wasn't worth their time or trouble. Ah, now I'm feeling sorry for myself (not).

Hapgood

14

Study July 6, 2003 Listen to What the Spirit Says

by jgnat in

study july 6, 2003 listen to what the spirit says wt may 15, 2003

jezebel women in the congregation!

5 let no self-appointed prophetess seek to manipulate others in the present-day christian congregation .

Hapgood

Well said termite! As I was reading this article all I could think was "Sisters keep your places!" This is pretty hard hitting and very degrading to the women. We've been called "hunks of hair bag of bones", cows, now Jezebel's. I can't help but wondering if some of the jw women have been talking among themselves about the child abuse issue and are starting to question the way things have been done. Just a thought. I agree with Francois, that something is brewing. When I read this article I felt sick to my stomach, my jw hubby just takes in this poison without thinking about what is being said, very scary. He's probably thinking to himself "that woman Jezebel sure fits my wife". The women now get to have two labels slapped on them, we get to have the distinction of being known as apostates and Jezebels.

And thank you jgnat for doing such a fine review.

Hapgood

19

JWs always become frightened....

by MegaDude in

jw
friends

....when meeting a former member.. .

a few weeks ago i was outside doing the old yardwork routine: mow my postage stamp size of a yard, trim the bushes, edge it.

it was saturday and the jws were once again working my street.

Hapgood

Great job MegaDude! I like your style, anger doesn't do a darn thing getting the jws to think, and anger is what they expect. I like the statement that you made (I don't know how to do the quote thing so I'll paraphrase it). You said, "That the jws talk about the Watchtower being God's organization, you asked her how many times did God destroy the nation of Israel, and to think about why did God destroy the nation of Israel?" Wow I love that, the jws think they are so invincible, that might get her to think that maybe the jws are not. I think you really planted some seeds.

Hapgood

15

You LURKERS Out There......This Could Happen to YOU !!

by xjw_b12 in

jw
friends

1000 posts, i thought it would never happen.

i originally joined and lurked for the longest time, before i started posting on a regular basis.. this board was a place of comfort through justification.

i still clung to some old feelings of dread, and the old "what if?

Hapgood

Congratulations xjw_b12 on making 1000 posts ! I was a lurker at the H20 board, then when that board had some tech trouble (I think), I followed the group that was posting there, here (as a lurker). I probably have been lurking for years. I just came out of the lurking mode 2 weeks age (still a little paranoid). I really don't think I'll ever make 1000 posts, I enjoy reading all the other posts so much that before I know it my time on the computer is up. I too look at this board as a place of healing, comfort and of course for all the great information that you all find and share with the rest of us. I was feeling so alone, I prayed to God to help me find fellow jws that were feeling like I was, I found H20 then I came here.

Hapgood

32

What In Life Have You Kicked Yourself For?

by minimus in

jw
friends

we all have wished that if we had just one more chance to make a decision and could have changed things, we would have done something differently.

is there anything that you would have changed in your life if only you could?

Hapgood

Studying and getting baptized as a JW at the age of 19, I would really like to kick myself for that one. At the time I started studying with the JWs, I was going to college (this was in 1974-75). College was really frowned upon back then, so I dropped out. I could really kick myself for not finishing college.

Hapgood

40

Did Any Of You Ever Believe In The Explanations Of JW Prophecy?

by minimus in

jw
friends

as a born and raised jw, i was taught that not only did we have the truth but we also had the keys to understanding of bible prophecy.

i was able to explain the gentile times timetable, the reason for 1914,etc.

but there came a time when i really came to appreciate that i had no real foundation for these "truths".

Hapgood

I believed in the explanations of jw prophecy with all my heart and I would try to defend it the best I could, but I didn't understand the majority of it. I just figured that if it was taught by the fds it must be true. I just let others do my thinking for me without really trying to understand what was being taught. It wasn't until after leaving the jws and researching the religion that I began to understand the beliefs. Boy, what an eye-opener.

Hapgood

18

A child of nine.

by nicolaou in

"it's paradise, a 1000 years!".

"no more sorrow, no more tears.".

see the pictures in my book?.

Hapgood

Nic, thank you so much for kind words of comfort. My daughter will be 23 this year, she left the "truth" when she was 18, she was never baptised, so at least we didn't have to deal with her being df (my hubby is still a jw). I think the guilt will always be with me, I was raised as a non jw, so I had a normal childhood. She had to deal with all the JW stuff as a child. I think that is why I feel so bad. She's seen pictures and heard stories about me when I was a child growing up, living a normal life, holidays, birthdays, dating, doing all the normal stuff kids do. And there she was stuck with this JW lifestyle. She did have some bad problems as a teen, I was in denial that her problems had anything to do with the JWS, but now I know that was the main cause of some of the things that she went through. And yes, I realize that the Watchtower is part of the blame and at the time I was trying to do what I thought was best for her. I'm working things out, and reading others experiences really helps, and that we are not alone. Now I'm trying to be the best Mom and Grandma (she has a son) that I can be.

Hapgood

23

For those who raised children "in the truth"

by berylblue in

jw
friends

whose children have left "the truth".... .

i don't even know where to begin to broach this subject with my daughters (should they ever speak to me again.

they are not witnesses, and were never baptized, they are angry at me for something else).... .

Hapgood

Rosemarie- I'm going through the same thing. I still feel the guilt. My daughter never got baptised, she just left the "truth" when she was around 18. I like what some of the others posted and it is so true, that we did what we thought best for them because we loved them. We wanted our children to live forever on a paradise earth, it was, we thought at the time the ultimate gift that we could give our children. We thought that we were protecting them from all of the evils out there in the "world". The guilt I have I'm still working on getting over, I was raised as a non jw, I don't know if that is the reason why I feel so guilty, I didn't have to deal with all the jw crap as a child, but my daughter did. She claims that she is over it, she doesn't talk about it much. Right now we're working on having a normal relationship, and I'm trying to be the best mom I can be now, trying not to think to much about the past.

"Hugs" Rosemarie, your not alone.

Hapgood

63

Do You Know Of Reasons Why Some Got Removed From Their Privileges?

by minimus in

jw
friends

pioneer, ms, elder publisher???

?

Hapgood

My husband got removed as a MS for turning in less then 10 hours a month of service time several months in a row. I guess he just wasn't creative enough in counting his time.

Hapgood

51

Do You Feel That Your Parents "Did a Good Job" Raising You?

by minimus in

jw
friends

being raised a witness, my mother has asked me whether or not i held her responsible for her bringing me up in the way that she has.

i feel that my upbringing is something my mother can be proud about.

even though i do not believe in the "truth", i do feel that she did a good job of raising us.

Hapgood

Hi Minimus, long time lurker, love your questions!

I wasn't raised a jw, so I didn't have the jw issues that some of you had to deal with. My parents were very loving, couldn't do enough for us. Sometimes they did without, just so we could have the things that all kids seem to need. My Mom and Dad were always there for us, they were kind but strick. I grew up in a nice middle-class neighborhood. My parents did an exceptional job in raising me. My Dad died 12 years ago, it still hurts, but I have such great memories. My Mom just turned 73 last week, I got to celebrate her birthday for the first time in years.

Hapgood