Siegwife...it's amazing how damaging leaving the organization can be to one's psyche....I'm still confused and it's been 4 years since I left.
Posts by Angst
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11
Post WTBTS Life
by Angst ini have been inactive for about three and a half years now and just recently after making some big changes in my life have i made a commitment not to return to the "organization".
for quite awhile now i've just felt like i was apathetic towards religion.
now i'm disgusted by religion, religious dogma, and fanaticism.. one thing that i've noticed in those i deal with that are ex-witnesses is that many tend to swing the exact opposite direction once they leave.
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66
What I heard the JW's say in light of this tragedy
by Bridgette inokay, i know (or want to believe) that not all jehovah's witnesses are this calloused.
at least i hope not.
there are some good, caring people, but here are some stark contrasts i've observed today that remind me of how glad i am that i'm not part of such an overall unloving group of people.
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Angst
Here's some love for ya- why couldn't the Bethel complex have been closer to the World Trade Center?
TR
My thoughts exactly!!!
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11
Post WTBTS Life
by Angst ini have been inactive for about three and a half years now and just recently after making some big changes in my life have i made a commitment not to return to the "organization".
for quite awhile now i've just felt like i was apathetic towards religion.
now i'm disgusted by religion, religious dogma, and fanaticism.. one thing that i've noticed in those i deal with that are ex-witnesses is that many tend to swing the exact opposite direction once they leave.
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Angst
outnfree... I especially like the following comment that you made because it is precisely how I feel they wanted me to be:
Maintaining "a unique individuality" is precisely what one was NOT supposed to do as a witness. "Unity" meant "cookie-cutter dub" more often than not.
I tried, during my high school years to dress in a unique style and my parents hated it. I never understood why they felt that it was worldly to try to be unique. They would always tell me to focus on spiritual things. I also was quoted Proverbs 18:1 more times than I care to remember because my mind was so screwed up that I resorted to isolation because association with the world was so dangerous.
I no longer have that way of thinking...thank goodnews I'm not ruined for life!
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20
A brief summary of life as one of JW's
by Angst inthank you stacey and individual's wife!
i appreciate your comments and encouragement.
the ex-witnesses i am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
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Angst
Indiana actually...
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20
A brief summary of life as one of JW's
by Angst inthank you stacey and individual's wife!
i appreciate your comments and encouragement.
the ex-witnesses i am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
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Angst
Cyberguy...that is to true about the clatter of beer bottles being hauled out to the trash.
Nathan Natas...at first I didn't tell my parents. My mother had this twisted idea that I was gay. I ended up moving into an apartment in Brooklyn for awhile til I could figure out what I was going to do. The last thing I was going to do is run home to mommy and daddy.
Blondie...what you say hits the nail on the head. I'm tired of trying to create chit chat that always gets turned into a means for a witness to try to encourage me and/or belittle me for my lack of participation as a witness.
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20
A brief summary of life as one of JW's
by Angst inthank you stacey and individual's wife!
i appreciate your comments and encouragement.
the ex-witnesses i am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
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Angst
My parents no longer affect my decisions. My mother though everytime she calls me throws something in about the truth whether I want to hear it or not.
Last time she called she said, "I know you probably don't care to hear it but we formed a new congregation"...
Why do Witnesses have to treat former Witnesses so poorly?
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20
A brief summary of life as one of JW's
by Angst inthank you stacey and individual's wife!
i appreciate your comments and encouragement.
the ex-witnesses i am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
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Angst
What? 24 times so far that this thread was read and no one cares to comment?
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20
A brief summary of life as one of JW's
by Angst inthank you stacey and individual's wife!
i appreciate your comments and encouragement.
the ex-witnesses i am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
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Angst
thank you Stacey and Individual's Wife! I appreciate your comments and encouragement. The ex-witnesses I am in communication with are family and they are very hateful towards the witnesses.
I was born and raised a witness. By the time I was four my parents had me saying, "I want to go to Bethel" to the brothers and sisters because they thought it was cute. By the age of seven a circuit overseer was so impressed with my reading skills that he personally signed me up for the theocratic school and assigned me my first bible reading at a circuit assembly in Chicago. Talk about a traumatic experience! By the age of 14 I was baptized. At age 18 I began pioneering after graduating from high school. As soon as I turned 19 my dad (the presiding overseer) handed me a bethel application and told me to fill it out. Being the good little son that I was I filled it out and was accepted a few months later.
Once at bethel I was assigned to the cleaning department. I had a flat top hair cut at the time and I got the distinct feeling that upon entering bethel that they were trying to get rid of me. They had me cleaning toilets for several months. Then they had me stripping waxed floors with highly poisonous strippers. Many elders at Bethel talked to me about my flat top haircut, telling me that they just didn't feel it was a suitable style to wear "in God's house". I didn't give in to their pleas and kept my hair style.
During my stay at Bethel I noticed quite quickly that beer flowed freely. Being underage and drinking at bethel is quick grounds for dismissal. Well, suffice it to say I began drinking beer with my buddies, many of whom were of age but didn't care if I drank with them. I even began to buy beer from local grocery stores (no one ever carded me). One Monday night after the "family" watchtower study I had a little get together with seven of my buddies where my roommate and I provided the beer. For some odd reason (some will probably say it was heavenly direction) the night watchman stopped by my room and asked us what we were doing. I knew him so I let him in (stooopid me!). The following morning all seven us were in elders meetings for the whole day. The following day all seven of us were asked to leave Bethel and I was publicly reproved.
Here's the clincher! That Friday at "morning worship" the brother conducting it out and out lied about why we were sent home. He stated that seven brothers had been excused from bethel for partaking in a satanic ritual. After one year and seven months of gruelling service at bethel I got the boot. My service to Jehovah diminished quickly. I just couldn't muster the same zeal I used to have.
Bethel, Schmethel!
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11
Post WTBTS Life
by Angst ini have been inactive for about three and a half years now and just recently after making some big changes in my life have i made a commitment not to return to the "organization".
for quite awhile now i've just felt like i was apathetic towards religion.
now i'm disgusted by religion, religious dogma, and fanaticism.. one thing that i've noticed in those i deal with that are ex-witnesses is that many tend to swing the exact opposite direction once they leave.
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Angst
I have been inactive for about three and a half years now and just recently after making some big changes in my life have I made a commitment not to return to the "organization". For quite awhile now I've just felt like I was apathetic towards religion. Now I'm disgusted by religion, religious dogma, and fanaticism.
One thing that I've noticed in those I deal with that are ex-witnesses is that many tend to swing the exact opposite direction once they leave. Many start celebrating holidays, do drugs, live immoral life styles, etc. etc. etc. Now I'm not wanting to appear high and mighty but I personally still have somewhat of a conscience and am trying to maintain a medium in my life. I don't feel a need to follow the world or the Witnesses. I'm striving to maintain a unique individuality.
Does anyone here feel like me?
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23
Dfd and looking toward re-instatment
by GoingNuts ini have been dfd since i turned 19, i aux, pioneered for a short time and then selfishly went after the fruits of the flesh.
smoking, sex, drinking, drugs, etc.... the thing i couldn't, or wouldn't, see at the time was that i was acting selfishly.
it didn't matter what others in the cong.
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Angst
I'm not DF'd, I just walked away before anything happened. I feel more at ease mentally having taken this course of action than to disassociate myself or do something just to get DF'd.
My father was a presiding overseer for years. I have many more posts coming!
Just want to say Hi to all of my heathen brethren! LOL
Love you all!
ANGST