They even use the language of the slave trade, calling all of the positions "overseer," instead of more traditional religious terminology like deacon, priest, pastor, minister, bishop.
Posts by Odrade
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18JW's are slaves- but not in a good way
by joey jojo ini was reading about the american slave trade again recently.
as anyone who has read anything about the subject knows, it makes for very uncomfortable reading.
every time i read the history, i'm left with a sense of outrage and seething anger at the pure inhumanity and injustice of what life must have been like for those people.
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Letters Project - What do I say to my family
by Odrade inhey my old friends, i figured since this is where we landed when we first fled the watchtower, looking for support, back in '03, maybe i should pop back in and show you my latest project - i see some familiar faces around here.
i've been working on a website to function as part story, part news.
my plan is to feature what people are doing to integrate/reintegrate into their community - whether that's remaining in the xjw circles to help others who are leaving, or moving out into the larger social sphere and starting projects, being activists for other causes, etc.
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Odrade
Thanks for the kind words. I think maybe there are fewer letters like this, because they're just so damn hard to write. When you write to family after leaving, it's almost impossible to detach from the emotion - whether love, anger, grief, sadness, frustration...
I hope it helps people. Not everybody will need something like this, and that's a good thing. I'm always in favor of a good fade, if possible, but it's not always possible, is it?
I can tell you this community talked me down off a ledge several times, when I might have been inclined to scorch everything and salt the earth.
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Letters Project - What do I say to my family
by Odrade inhey my old friends, i figured since this is where we landed when we first fled the watchtower, looking for support, back in '03, maybe i should pop back in and show you my latest project - i see some familiar faces around here.
i've been working on a website to function as part story, part news.
my plan is to feature what people are doing to integrate/reintegrate into their community - whether that's remaining in the xjw circles to help others who are leaving, or moving out into the larger social sphere and starting projects, being activists for other causes, etc.
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Odrade
Hey my old friends, I figured since this is where we landed when we first fled the Watchtower, looking for support, back in '03, maybe I should pop back in and show you my latest project - I see some familiar faces around here. Hi!
I've been working on a website to function as part story, part news. My plan is to feature what people are doing to integrate/reintegrate into their community - whether that's remaining in the xjw circles to help others who are leaving, or moving out into the larger social sphere and starting projects, being activists for other causes, etc.
Leaving Omelas - Walking Away from the TowerMy pet project with this website is to gather and curate letters (or links to letters,) that our community has written to friends and family. This was so hard for me after leaving, I posted messages that I wanted to send, several times right here on JWD. I know I saw a number of other letters in the several years I checked in here daily. A few years back, when I went to write THE letter I eventually sent, I needed the help of others' examples, but it was hellish trying to find any that had been shared. You can read a bit about that in the post linked below, if you like.
What do I say to my family?
This project is obviously in its infancy, and I'll take all the help I can get. I should probably make it really clear that I'm not looking to rip off any content. Letters that have been shared publicly will be linked, unless I get direct permission to post on my site. If you've got links or letters that you think could be helpful in this project, please contact me. PM here or through the website, wherever you feel comfortable. I understand that a lot of us still need to maintain our anonymity.
Stacey/Odrade -
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Still alive and kicking
by Jourles inhowdy everyone!
just wanted to pop in and say hi to all the old timers and the new.
i can't believe i've been a member of this site for 18 years now.
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Odrade
Hey Jourles! Another long-timer here. Good to see a few familiar faces.
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Roll Call for the benefit of Newbies and Lurkers. In One Sentence tell why you left the Org.
by Wasanelder Once inroll call for the benefit of newbies and lurkers.
in one sentence tell why you left the org.
not 2 sentences.
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Odrade
Found out the "ban" in Mexico was about owning property.
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Those who have not defiled themselves with women
by Doug Mason ini am seeking a copy of this article:.
those who have not defiled themselves with women: revelation 14:4 and the book of enoch, daniel carl olson, catholic biblical quarterly, 59.3, 1997, pages 492-510, issn: 0008-7912.
if someone is able to locate a copy, you will find my email address at:.
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Odrade
Bible: "Those disgusting women, they are revolting, if you touch one you are filthy forever."
Christians: "My religion teaches me to be so respectful of women!"
Mmmmhmmm.
*fap*fap*fap*
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Gaslighting abuse
by Illuminated inas a former wt member, would you say the wts intentionally abuses it's members in the form of gaslighting?.
gaslighting or gas-lighting is a form of mental abuse in which information is twisted/spun, selectively omitted to favor the abuser, or false information is presented with the intent of making victims doubt their own memory, perception and sanity.. sociopaths frequently use gaslighting tactics.
sociopaths consistently transgress social mores, break laws, and exploit others, but typically, are also charming and convincing liarswho consistently deny wrongdoing.
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Odrade
Absolutely. Date changes where they claim that "some have misunderstood...," "Jehovah's happy people." The ever present 'it's not us, it's you, if you are having trouble it's because you aren't praying hard/studying enough,' etc.
It's a constant twisting of reality to suit their aims. Gaslighting 101. -
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My mother says I should just DA already.
by Julia Orwell incut the cord.
sever all ties.
start new.. and she's right.
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Odrade
When I was newly out, somebody on this board said: "I am not above using their own stick to beat them with." I immediately adopted the phrase for my own emotional well-being. It changed how I thought about DA'ing.
Ultimately, I never did, because I ended up not really needing it, but I gave myself permission to do it if I needed it. It was definitely on the table for me. 12 years out, I sometimes wish I had done it early on, because I ended up cutting ties after suffering through years of my father preaching to me, until I had a bit of a mental meltdown this year and ended up in counseling. It's possible it would have saved me a lot of grief and time.
DA'ing is more than just making a statement. It can be closure. Your questioning means they don't want you in their club unless you follow all their rules. But even though they don't want you, the unstated reality is they always have an intention to drag you back. You have made the circumstances in your life that they never get the opportunity, but THEY still have that intention. It's like an undercurrent that never stops.
If you are the kind of person who has to book-end your life events, you may need the explicit closure that DA'ing can provide. If you really feel like you can walk away and not need to use/subvert their rules, then it could be that your emotional energy would be better spent in other ways.
You may or may not need it, but you can have it if you want. -
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Trashed WT's found in Dr.s' waiting room Friday. Do you trash literature you find?
by Wasanelder Once intook the magazines in the waiting room and dumped them in the trash.
was a great feeling.
to think many witnoids wont dare throw out the surplus magazines they have in stacks around the house is amazing.
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Odrade
Also, I now refer to the literature almost exclusively as "propaganda material." Makes me feel better to call it what it is. -
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Trashed WT's found in Dr.s' waiting room Friday. Do you trash literature you find?
by Wasanelder Once intook the magazines in the waiting room and dumped them in the trash.
was a great feeling.
to think many witnoids wont dare throw out the surplus magazines they have in stacks around the house is amazing.
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Odrade
Yep, I trash them, usually in the bathroom, because people will dig things out of a paper trash, but not usually out of a bathroom can. If there's no bathroom trash available, I take them home and toss them in the recycle bin.