My recovery is getting there, but not as quickly as I'd like. I no longer have any contact with any JWs - I've been separated from my spouse for over 3 years now, and my mom, who never shunned me, passed away recently. I still find myself transferring my anger toward people who are not JWs, but sometimes exhibit behaviour similar to the JWs. I have no tolerance for anyone who in any way tries to interfere in, police, inquire about, or in any way invade my personal business or personal space. The closer people try to get to me the more I push them away. I was virtually friendless during my 20 years as a JW, and it seems that solitude is what I've become comfortable with.
((((W))))) I'm so sorry about your Mom, sweetie. And I've felt and done a lot of the same as you have. I think it keeps me pretty much isolated from people now, but then, that's not all bad. Gives me time to think and do things that I like and want to do.
What I found out about the WTS/JWs far exceeded even my pretty scathing opinion of them over the years. Pedophilia, murder-by-blood-policy (I knew it happened, but not the extent of it), the theft of minds and lives, and the cruelty -- I was astounded and still am. The information triggered a latent anger about my own experience, and this forum allowed me to get it out of my system.
I understand now that the shabby treatment I received from the elders and JWs pales in comparison to the truly vicious treatment others received, some of whom may suffer the rest of their lives from it.
Amen to ALL of the above, (((Parakeet))).
Trev had been out almost 6 years when I started to visit him discreetly, and knew just what to do and say, what information to show me, what websites to click on, to help me to escape. He always prepared very well for his assignments as a jw, and thankfully, he prepares just as well now. He got me to sign up here when he knew I was on the verge of leaving, and knowing that there was somewhere else to go, with like-minded people, was the final push I needed to leave the wts behind. Then he got to work on freeing me from wts influence, and he's done a great job there as well. I know I'm luckier than most to have had someone like that to help, as well as having had a life before the jws.
(((((Fullofdoubtnow))))) You are so fortunate to have someone like Trev to help you, as you say. I, too, wasn't raised as a JW, but joined when I was 28. They caught me at a vulnerable time. If I try really hard, I can imagine the difficulties that those who were raised as JWs go through in their exodus from the WTS. And everytime I read one of their JW bios, I marvel at their strength of character and profound determination in undergoing the exit process, whatever it may personally entail for them individually.
one of the good things I think I have achieved in continuing seeing her is educating the mental health people in my area to what extent the Watchtower is a brainwashing/mind control cult.
(((Gill))) Thank you for that. You're SO right about that, too. Most of the mental health people ARE unaware of the hidden agendas of the WTS practices and teachings. My psychiatrist told me she was totally unaware that the WTS is a religious cult. She had her eyes opened when I gave her my experiences with them to read.
mines is getting rawer by the day...(today I was in the perfect storm)but I know things will work themselves out
(((((ninja))))) I'm so sorry. How long have you been out? You're right. It will work itself out, but it does take time.
Frannie
