by Kaylen 24 Replies latest jw friends
...but to me on the outside looking in, he dosen't deserve to be punished for his dads faults or be made to feel any sort of guilt.
You are correct. Get used to the emotional and spiritual abuse. There will be plenty to come if you or him hang around the Kingdom Hall.
You two are still on time to make an informed decision, Purchase and read thios book:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0914675044/002-5033724-3266407?v=glance
Hi Kaylen
I haven't been to any of the ex JW meetups so can't really comment.
But I see you are from Australia and wanted to say hi and welcome you to the online community here!
Looking forward to reading more from you and getting to know you!!!
the experiences I had at school and with my childhood are not as important as what they have to go through
Kaylen, These experiences are some of the most hurtful, and have the most long lasting pain. HL
Wow Kaylen, that's how I feel, but the person who puts down my experience of being raised in the bOrg and not getting baptised is my mother - who told me once that the experiences I had being associated with the jws didnt count because I never got baptised even though I was raised in the madness since birth and it was all I knew
Anywhoo, nice to meet you Kaylen!
Josie
It is like being not good enough for any side, not good enough for the witnesses and not good enough for the ex witnesses.
Kaylen -- Like any group, some are good and others not so good. Some of that is determined on what we need from a given group, and what the members are capable of giving. Ex-JWs are not all the same, but some are more understanding of feelings and experiences others have.
I attended an ex-JW group a few years ago that spent a good deal of time praising the lord and helping others find Jesus. That wasn't what I was looking for........
Misunderstandings are bound to happen. I am a natural introvert (I know, hard to believe). In a strange crowd I have to force myself to interact with others. I ask lots of questions, and since my curiosity is boundless, I quickly find something in common with my conversation partner. Some people are sillier than others. I persist until I find a soulmate.
I did something very similar when I started on this board. I just started posting like mad. I find real life accounts (rather than ideas or theory) get the most friendly and energetic hits. We are all lonely corks on a big ocean, and it is great to find a fellow-cork who feels the same as I do.
On the odd occassion, I am on the receiving end of a bit of ex-JW insensitivity. I had an early experience on this board when someone commented, "Oh, I didn't realize you were never a Witness. If I'd known I would not have opened up so much." That made me mad for a few days. I need this site as badly as you all do. After that experience, I comment on my "status" more often, so no-one is fooled.
Also, when an ex-JW manages to corner me in real life, they have a really bad habit of informing me of all the ins and outs of society life (Blondie, and Irreverent, you are notable exceptions. Your comments are always spot-on). I get it. I really do. I understand large organizations, and the WTBTS is not so unique they don't have at least a few things in common with totalitarian states. I can also relate to the abusive language, having been primed by a narcisstic mother and violent, controlling ex-husband.
I've learned that EVERYONE'S pain is relavant, especially in the JW context.
I've had the same remark given to me, "Oh, you were never baptized, so you can't REALLY understand" the answer i give to insensitive clods like this is...."Well, I guess I was just smarter and left as soon as I could, rather than going out and letting my brain be poisoned and poisoning the minds of others, I got out right away!!!" I then procede to tell them all of the hassle and pain I've had to go through, at the hands of JW's (which is a LOT!!) and it usually shuts them right up.
For anyone else, this is just an "in kind" response, and I mean no disrespect to those who took a little longer to get out.
you pray for yourself and ask god to forgive you for your sins, reguardless if there is a paradise on earth, in heaven or whatever mostly everyone would agree reguardless of your beliefs there is a right and a wrong that we'll all answer for.
jg -- Welcome to the forum. Your thoughts about god, forgiveness, and so forth are normal ways most people think. As you've found out, high-control religions and cults expect followers to be led by the nose ring the sect implants. Hopefully your spouse will shift out of the JW-mindset and see the Watchtower for what it really is--just another cult controlling others.
"Oh, you were never baptized, so you can't REALLY understand" the answer i give to insensitive clods like this is...."Well, I guess I was just smarter and left as soon as I could, rather than going out and letting my brain be poisoned and poisoning the minds of others, I got out right away!!!" I then procede to tell them all of the hassle and pain I've had to go through, at the hands of JW's (which is a LOT!!) and it usually shuts them right up.
Andy
Welcome to Kaylen and mrsjg
never mind the rest, you are welcome here
