I came online last night to respond to some PM's, but I did not get back to this thread.
WOW- 2 pages without any prompt by me. I love you guys, thanks for your sincere thoughts.
If I stayed with the thread, I would address each individual comment, but 2 pages is a bunch.
I will try to address all of you, but if I miss your name, please just know you have my thanks.
llbh: otwo Enjoyed your story, parralels for me and others.
You are fairly new. I am going to go back and read some of your posts and try to
appreciate what you are going through. It sounds fascinating- the family that fades together,
but only some succeed. Still, you are out.
Minimus: JWs are on such a fast track, they can't even get time to think.
Such a big clue that JW's are in a mind-control cult. They don't live at a compound,
although Patterson is a compound that rumor says all the elders will visit, but otherwise,
all the symptoms are there.
nvrgnbk: Your postings were important to me while I was lurking and encouraged me to start posting myself.
So I am (partly) responsible for creating the monster of the heaviest poster ever. Thanks for making me
look not so obsessive. I am just kidding. The JWD has helped me immensely.
neverendingjourney: I have a very close family member who is an alcoholic.
You know, my wife hates when I say, "I am an alcoholic." She insists that I say "recovering alcoholic."
I think I understand why I never did that. I never felt "recovering," but just was "distracting."
changeling: You have always been one of the posters I respect the most. Now, probably more so.
That was not the purpose of the thread, respect. But thanks. I just wanted to get things off my chest.
I use the JWD for my own selfish reasons. If I can be of help while doing it, all the better.
Open Mind: Takes a lot of courage for a private person like yourself to put that out there. I'm glad you did.
You have been more help to me than you would know. Except for your having kids and choosing a
different speed for your fade, we have basically been parallel in our timing of our growth. I have only
been a Jiminey Cricket to you because I feel such a bond.
GoingGoingGone, Flipper- Thanks for the PM's. We spoke there. Thank you for your support.
AWAKE&WATCHING: The thing that I really identified with the most was looking the other way when little doubts would arise simply because I didn't have time to address them.
Once I did, just like you, my doubts became beliefs immediately. No way is this God's organization.
I did feel that this particular psychological issue needed to be said so others would say, "Me too."
Any who are still doubting, but found their way to posting here, keep doing your research. Ask
questions, but mostly do it on your own to let those doors open in your mind.
Quandry: I would love to see the world and travel. Glad you had the opportunity.
Even close to wherever you are, there is someplace you have never been. Travel is great. It is a huge
distracter from problems, but a fun one. I made a partial list of things I have seen:
The pyramids
The Roman Colliseum and Vatican
The Acropolis and Greek Ruins
The Grand Canyon
The Petrified Forest of Arizona
Walled City of Jerusalem, including Wailing Wall and Hezekiah's Pool
Glaciers in Alaska
Waterfalls and flowing lava in Hawaii (also greensand and blacksand beaches)
Statue of Liberty, and Ground Zero (also the U. N.)
The Great Wall of China (and the Forbidden City)
Washington D.C. (White House, Washington Monument, the Declaration of Independence, etc.)
The Liberty Bell
Hoover Dam
Holland Tunnel (NY)
On the east coast, I have been in every state from north of Maine into Canada down to the
southernmost point on Key West, Florida. On the west coast, I don't have as much experience, but
I have been on the beaches of San Diego and sipping coffee at Starbucks in Seattle. I have toured
Vancouver on a bus. I am one of the few Americans who has been to Cuba and passed through the
Straits of Gibralter. I have seen in the wild: whales, dolphins, porposes, eagles, bears, moose, deer,
salmon, alligators (no crocs in the wild yet), buzzards, foxes, armadillos, etc. I would love to go to
an African safari and see more. I still need to see Niagra Falls, the Panama Canal, Machu Piccu, Lebria Tar pits,
Golden Gate Bridge.
I am not trying to brag. I just want you all to understand how thorough my distractions have been.
bobbi: Hugs from Bobbi( who hopes to sometime use her real name)
Hugs back to you, and me too. I hope to say who I am and introduce the wife.
Megsmomma: You are a wonderfull asset to this board and I appreciate having you here.
I occasionally post on your threads. I always read them. You have been a great strength, too.
Gayle: The problem with the organization is it put a 'hold' on us to keep us from our personal progress in that process. .......
It actually stunted us I think for awhile. Thankfully, we can move forward. Here, I left long ago but have more recently come onto this forum and don't post often and still have anger or 'righteous indignation' -whatever- for the insidious control the WTS has ....
Thanks, Gayle. Your insight there is great. I have decided that I was on "hold" for 20 years, so if
I obsess a bit about anti-JW stuff and stay here a little too much, WELL- I have 20 years of water
behind that dam, so it could take awhile to clear up.
AK-Jeff: I for one look forward to the time when you can invite me over for a good cold... er.... coke, right there in front of the wife and everyone. That may be a bit off now, but you are moving along quite well it seems.
If that doesn't happen soon enough, I will still come to your living room for that coke (make it coffee or Ginger Ale).
That's part of what I am needing- moving forward means being able to enjoy like as a former JW. The fade holds me
back from enjoying the company of other like-minded people. That is changing. I have met AK-Jeff in person and
a few others. I will eventually go to Apostafests and meet many more of you all. Meeting fellow JWD posters is
every bit as good as seeing the Pyramids or the Great Wall of China.
Monophonic: ...it's sad, but there's no relationship with her mom w/o jws b/c she can't relate to anything else and it dictates her whole personality. ((shudders)).
I used to think that about my mother, that her whole personality was dictated by JW's. When you are in a JW's
presence, look harder. The true personality tries to get out sometimes. Sometimes, this is less true than other
times, but there's almost always something trying to get out. Even those born into JW's have contradictions in
their brains that leak out the doubts every now and then.
Mouthy: I dont wish to offend anyone- but I believe prayer is like medicine -it heals> me if not others. I will remember you in my private prayers at night .
No offense taken. Thanks for that. I still have some doubts (not about JW's, but about God and religion) but
sincere thoughts and prayers cannot hurt.
Eclipse: It probably will be like unlocking a door for you and you will feel relieved and free when you figure that part of yourself out...
Thanks for the positive thoughts. I have learned from the alcohol counseling that I am able to learn about
many psychological issues through breakthroughs. I have been able to make breakthroughs on my own, so
I already know what direction to go. I will be able to get through it.
sspo: Time heals everythings.
Same back at you. Thanks for taking such a personal interest in me. It's a two-way street. I am there for ya.
JWdaughter: ....the WT is so busy they don't have time to think-introspection is tacitly discouraged.
Introspection is so necessary. That's another evil of WTS- discouraging personal reflection and growth.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Hortensia: I was afraid, when I started reading your post, that it was another "goodbye" post and I was glad it didn't turn out that way.
Even if I fade a bit (in the future) I see myself coming back to JWD for updates.
I miss many who were here last year. I hope they find what they are looking for.
BabaYaga: Thank you.
...and... thank you for being here.
You are welcome. Thank you, also.
Sarah Smiles: It looks like the JW did you some good! like many people. I am glad you met your wife and moved toward something positive. It sound that you had a positive outcome but doctrines made you mad!
I understand the intent of your post here. I did meet a wonderful person. I just can't look at it as positively
as you do, though. I could apply their own example of the glass of water with a drop of poison. Don't drink
it. While I needed some serious help 20 years ago, I was ready to get it. I am confident that I would have
found the real help I needed if it weren't for the false prophets of WTS transforming themselves into my
angel of light.
Going to WTS for serious help is no better than traveling the world for serious help. You get too busy to
notice that you never got serious help. Only WTS is worse- it damages instead of just distracting.
Still, thanks for your positive thoughts. As you said, you are "glad to see [I] know what [I] need to work on!"
If more posters add on after this bump, I may or may not get to thanking you and answering your post.
So thanks in advance for all your concern. I had a tear in my eye as I got to reading all these responses.
(A manly sort of dust-in-my-eye tear.) I am glad I didn't delete the thread.
