Posts by Faithful Witness

11

"Apostate" Letter Writing

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

during these cold months i need a way to keep my hours up and stay under the radar.

i'm still an ms so i can't totally fake it.

so i decided to try letter writing to avoid going out into the cold.

Faithful Witness

I'm an outsider, but I think that sounds like a great idea!

22

me and the spouse looked over the wt and decided it wouldn't be in our best spiritual interest to stay for the wt (we usually don't anymore).. so, took the kids to the public talk (was actually great, nice brother), took them outside for a snack and snuggled/played...and then left (an hour early).. .

felt great!

gotta do what you know is best for you spiritually!

Faithful Witness

Good for you, making steps away from the indoctrination! It sounds like you had a lovely afternoon.

I'm not trying to be negative, but the public talks are "encouraging?"

As a member of the public, I must disagree. After not going to meetings for about 2 years, we decided to visit and observe during the month of September, as new light was revealed. I wanted to see the reactions first hand.

The public talk was strange and sort of creepy. The nice man who was speaking, kept saying there were over "Ten thousand million" angels!!!

The public talk we heard the next week was so full of subliminal messages and blatant phrases like, "Jehovah will deliver us." "Remain united in Jehovah!" "Our important work has never been more urgent!"

They are encouraging you to remain as servants. They are encouraging to JW's perhaps, but you have to have a JW mindset to appreciate them. If you miss a few meetings and go back, I think you might notice the heaviness in the air at the KH. I felt oppressed and had a hard time sitting through the whole speech. Every cell in my body was telling me to leave immediately, and obviously.

We did stay for the WT study also, so this is probably tainting my memory a lot. The comments I heard from people about 1914 and the changes they were making... mind-jarring.

I wish you and your family all the best. I just wanted to share my impressions of the public talks, as a non-JW. Not encouraging or uplifting to us, and the songs are like funeral dirges.

31

Getting bariatric surgery in March!

by marmot in

jw
friends

after being on a waiting list for three and a half years i've finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel and am going under the knife for a gastric sleeve operation in march.

i can't tell you how pumped i am because i'll finally be able to re-take my life after being severely overweight for several years.

i gained a ton of weight after being put on meds for bipolar disorder and it made exercising a painful chore.

Faithful Witness

I lost half my body weight in about 18 months. I was left with excess skin on my abdomen, that the insurance paid for to be removed. I feel great!

I know people who have had the sleeve, with great success. At the time I had my surgery, it was a pretty new procedure, and my surgeon thought I might qualify, since my bim was 55, but we opted for the RNY, since it was already approved. I do not get the dumping syndrome, and I only puked twice, at the very beginning.

Your success will depend greatly on your following the instructions. It is hard, and a lifelong battle. You can do it. I know the liquid diet is hard, but it will soon be a distant memory, especially once you are back to your old, active self again!

7

The Problem with FAMILY

by Separation of Powers in

jw
friends

i woke up early this morning.

i had a dream that my mother had cut-me-off.

it was a painful dream for me...but it was only a dream.

Faithful Witness

I have heard the comment or observation made to me (not sure where), about how the JW's are either obviously or sublminally discouraged from forming strong bonds with their children. Your relationship with Jehovah comes above all else. You are caring for and raising your children, out of obligation to Jehovah. Raise them up to serve Jehovah, or be prepared to discard them.

31

Getting bariatric surgery in March!

by marmot in

jw
friends

after being on a waiting list for three and a half years i've finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel and am going under the knife for a gastric sleeve operation in march.

i can't tell you how pumped i am because i'll finally be able to re-take my life after being severely overweight for several years.

i gained a ton of weight after being put on meds for bipolar disorder and it made exercising a painful chore.

Faithful Witness

Marmot:

I had gastric bypass 5 years ago. I am a success story. I am female, 5'8". My highest weight (non-pregnant) was 335#. I was 390-395# at the time of delivery for both my children. My son was 8 months old when I had the surgery. It has changed my life dramatically.

I am currently 185#, but that is my post-holiday weight. I will be back down to my normal 165# by summer time. I now know that I CAN lose weight. That is an amazaing realization.

I have always been overweight, so it has been a challenge for me to make the lifestyle changes. You will be a success. You have great goals and reasons for getting this lifesaving procedure.

Feel free to contact me privately if you would like to chat or just vent. It has been quite a journey for me.

Unless you've been there, it is hard to understand how small the world becomes for a large person.

11

Reading exJW then JW facebook sites can make you go crazy!

by ILoveTTATT in

jw
friends

it's absolutely amazing what exactly the same event can do to the jw community and the exjw community.. the difference is that the jw community does not think and has the expected response... we think and, of course, have the exact opposite response as the jw's.. take for example the march km with the "will this be the last?

here are some comments from a jw site:.

wow it comes like that in the km?

Faithful Witness

Thank you for sharing your observations here. I am one who is also very interested in watching how JW's respond to such blatant manipulation.

I was never quite submissive enough to join the ranks, but I got enough exposure to really have compassion for the people who are trapped by this BITE mind control. Now I am outside, witnessing the changes to members of my own family. My sister has taken on the new personality 100%.

I got a chance to talk with her about the July Watchtower, and it was interesting how she reponded to her first "new light." Me: "What did you think of that article and the changes about 1914?" She: (blank stare, extended pause...) "It made sense..." (???)

Her husband jumped in with, "I just wish they wouldn't spend so much time talking about what we USED to believe, but tell us what we believe today, so we can move on." (???Really???!!!)

A recent comment from my father, regarding the amazing new JW app: "They are smarter than me!"

I appreciate your sharing these comments here. I don't have the discipline to do Facebook in moderation.

24

Decided on the local C of E Church.

by quellycatface in

jw
friends

have decided to check out my local parish church.

it has a real mix of people.

old, young families and military personnel/families.

Faithful Witness

I hope you enjoy it, and meet some nice people.

We have visited Episcopal churches twice, and the chanting sort of gives me the creeps. They did have real wine for communion, and they made you go up front and kneel in a row to get it. (I watched from my seat, although we do participate at our local Baptist church).

Your clothing choice sounds fine to me. They should accept and welcome you, no matter what you're wearing. If not, then try somewhere else.

The real test for me, is how the people act, and if they welcome outsiders. Time tells the truth on that issue. The truth is, you will find imperfect humans, no matter where you go. It's a matter of what you can accept and enjoy.

I like the charity work! Pay attention to see how much begging they do for volunteers and donations.

Hope it goes well for you tomorrow!

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

I don't know that it would actually dawn on her, that she is under mind control, or that there is even a possibility of that even existing. She lept at the chance to put on her new personality. I would like to remind her how far from reality she has gone.

I have made many mistakes in this process. Thanks for your insights. I'm going to keep quiet for now, and continue communicating with my mother and the rest of the family, as if we are all normal people.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

I haven't sent anything yet.

I agree that a face-to-face meeting would be a better way to approach her, but I don't think that can happen. This is really hard to arrange, because she lives in another town. If I knew when she was going to be at my mom's house, I could just show up coincidentally. When this has happened before, they rush out the door before I even get out of my car. They make quite a spectacle about it, and then I go in with my kids, and talk to my parents like everything is normal.

I forgive them. Somebody needs to act rational in this situation.

I like the points you all have made. I am still leaning toward reaching out to her once more, but I will sleep on it. I know I won't change her behavior or mindset, but I would like to make her think.

42

I want to send a follow-up question to my sister who has recently cut me off

by Faithful Witness in

recently, i received this email from my jw sister: .

while i appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.. our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.. at this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, i think it would be best if we didn't communicate.. i hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.. .

i sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me.

Faithful Witness

Recently, I received this email from my JW sister:

While I appreciate the thought, please do not send us gifts.
Our kids are not missing out on anything other than things we try to protect them from.
At this time, based on prior encounters and their affect on me emotionally, I think it would be best if we didn't communicate.
I hope you can understand my decision and the fact that it is not meant to offend anyone.

I sent her a loving and forgiving message, and know she has no intention of answering me. I don't know if she will open another email from me, or if I would be better to send a card in the mail. Here is what I am thinking of saying to her:

Dear ,

I can't stop thinking about that last email you sent to me. The more I think about it, the more convinced I am that you did not write those words to me. That is not my sister (name) talking, and I know it is not directed at me. I am the sister who has loved you since you were born. I have always found you to be a reasonable and logical person, so I am confused by this sudden inconsistency.

This question is for the real (name): What is causing you this fear? What have I done to deserve this unkind reaction?

This response you sent makes no sense, based on prior encounters I have had with you.

Try to see this from my perspective. My sister is cutting me off, for reaching out with generosity? Help me understand this cruel reaction.

Is this a Jehovah's Witness policy, or is it something personal between us? I don't get it, and am still interested in making peace.

Any advice you have is appreciated. I am not good at being concise with my words.