Letter from the Void 080123 (page 3)

VoidEater

Dear Open and OFC: Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I wasn't sure what kind of response this part of my life would get. I am deeply touched.

VoidEater

Dear RD: I am eclectic in my beliefs. I would never turn down comfort from anyone, whether they happened to share my beliefs or not.

Care and compassion comes through regardless of the language used.

Void Eater. I don't even know what to say. I just feel such hatred for this evil being that did this to you. I'm glad he is dead. Thank you for sharing this. It is really important to talk about this stuff, for you and for others, like you posted.

You said this:

It needs to be acknowledged, I think, so it can be stopped - if more people are aware (especially those still "in" who may be thinking that this sort of thing cannot happen within the congregation, or the family), then maybe it can be more easily spotted and stopped. If others have similar stories, they need to know they're not alone, and that it's ok and helpful to speak about it.

I worry so much for the little ones. I worry so much for my little nieces and nephews, as their parents are JW's and so are their grandparents, my parents. I hate this religion with a passion because I feel powerless to help the little ones in the congregations, because many/most JW's just are in such denial about this, and because of all that has happened and has been covered up. I know people talking about it is a first step. But I wish I knew what else to do beyond that. I brought it up one time, the news stories about the pedophiles, to my JW mother, and she denied it immediately. The poor JW children.

Oh, VE, I'm so sorry. I'm just so sorry.

avishai

((((VE)))) Wow.

VoidEater

Avi, thank you for reading - I always enjoy reading your posts.

GoddessRachel (I couldn't abbreviate that one! You must be both!), thank you as well - about 2 years ago some Witnesses came to my door. They wanted to share some good news with me. I, rather politely, said I just wasn't interested in an organization that had child molesters protected in its ranks. The poort sister - she quite vocally proclaimed that such a thing "doesn't happen in God's true organization". I replied that I knew, first hand, that it did, because I was a survivor of sexual abuse. I felt bad for her, all she could do was stand there with her mouth open. The brother she was with quickly recovered and pulled her away, and they walked down to the sidewalk and down the street.

I am conflicted about my own rage against perpetrators, these predators. I can more easily get angry and in touch with my rage when I see what's done to others; while I'm pretty OK with a lot that happened to me, there are still two incidents where I feel mostly just numb inside (and this is one of them), and another where I still just feel helpless within.

I would like to believe Brother Smith had convinced himself that no lasting harm would come from his abuse. I fear that he just didn't care.

Maddie

I wish you healing, peace and love from the horror of your past VoidEater

Maddie

VoidEater

Thank you, Maddie - as much as I think it's done and gone, and I know the past is over, stuff lingers...my ordinary consciousness can be clear, but the body remembers, and there ar still thoughts lurking below the surface...and then the opportunity to deal with it a little more comes up, like sharing here, and it does ease...

quietlyleaving

I understand why you would call yourself voideater

VoidEater

Dear Quietly: yup, after a soul-killing childhood either the void would swallow me whole or I would need to contain the void...

I don't know how anyone takes that first step back.

I do know that a lot of people helped pull me out, though.

free2think

Im so sorry VE.

I hope that time brings you healing and relief from the pain.

Letter from the Void 080123

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