Great post Flipper !
10 Years out of the JW Organization- What I've Learned ( For what it's Worth)
by flipper 100 Replies latest jw friends
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Balaamsass
Great post Flip! Here is the next meet-up! Cheers
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LoisLane looking for Superman
Your words, are true.
LoisLane
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dog is god
Tank you Flipper.
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trebor
Great thoughts and message, thank you for sharing it Flipper!
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LongHairGal
Hi Flipper:
Happy Holiday Season! So nice to read your thoughts summed up and glad you are finally happy. Although, as a man, your circumstances were different from mine. I also mainly walked away from the religion because of injustice but it was mostly attitudes, whereas in your case you saw mistreatment up close. You also have family there. Happily, I have no family trapped there.
Thirteen+ years later I can say that I am free. As you said, when you are out and can think clearly, it is then you see how screwed up it all is. We were slowly cooked like the proverbial frog in the pot of water and gradually got used to the mistreatment. Now that we are out, we know we would never fall for this again!
My observations of the religion are similar to yours: uneducated men tampering with people's lives and giving counsel that should really be given by somebody with a lot of letters after their name instead of men with menial jobs, all puffed up with pride and ego with nothing substantial to back it up.
They are not christian or remotely spiritual and, yes, they think doing certain activities makes one "spiritual", meanwhile they'd never do the slightest real charity for anybody except close relatives. It's all about politics, cliques and "social climbing" in that damn religion. Sadly, the religion will never be held accountable for damage done to people because of it's policies. Yes, that "freedom of religion" can be a double-edged sword.
You are right to tell anybody who is leaving the religion that their life is not over. It is a new beginning for them.
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OnTheWayOut
I am so glad you came out and shared your thoughts with me personally, let alone everyone on the forum.
I came out at about the same age (44-ish, really 43 in my case). I wonder if that's a serious point of reflection for men in the United States.
You've been a great contribution toward my going from a depressed ex-JW to an optimistic human being.
Thanks.
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flipper
Thanks for all the interesting replies and kind words as well. I really appreciate it. Worked all last night, have an all nighter tonight so I'll respond while I have some time here for sure.
SPLASH- Thanks for the kind words .
SHIRLEY W- I totally agree with what you say. Isn't it amazing how Witnesses can be duped into following such surly characters like the GB and all through the WT Society history with the likes of J.F. Rutherford, C.T. Russell, and just the general perverted child molesters who have ascended to the GB at times ? Yep, God's " holy spirit " at work in full force ! Not.
YADDA YADDA- Indeed I truly believe all of us who have escaped the JW cult should be PROUD of ourselves for escaping ! You know, give ourselves a pat on the back for sure ! To escape " mental indoctrination, manipulation and falehoods " is no easy task as many of us have found out !
IOWN MYLIFE- I'm glad you enjoy the thread. Freedom is sweet isn't it ?
BREAKFAST of CHAMPIONS- I'd be honored to have a beer with you sometime my friend. One of these days for sure .
QUANDRY- Indeed, as you mentioned it drove me nuts always trying to " measure up " but falling short according to WT powers that be. I got sick of trying. After awhile I just thought to myself " who the hell do these guys think they are " telling me how to live my life when they're screwed up worse than me ? And yes the conditional friends were definitely a pain in the ass indeed. You were " liked " based on what we brought to the kingdom hall table by our comments and smoozing with the elders.
LIED2NOMORE- Yeah I'd like to hang out too sometime. Indeed what you mention is very true - there ARE class distinctions and favoritism going on constantly inside JW congregations and it causes isolation and depression among those J-dubs considered " less spiritual " because they don't perform WT Society functions. And class wars like the rich against the poor happens as well from what I observed in my years as a Witness. Really sad. I hope you will be able to exit soon someday. Just hang in there with your family maybe the light will turn on in their heads someday.
3RDGEN- Well my friend , my wife and I have mutual positive feelings towards you and your husband as well. We consider you great friends to have indeed. Thanks for the kind words. After exiting this destructive cult it certainly helps having friends who REALLY understand what each of us went through.
INSEARCHOFTRUTH 4 - Thanks my dear friend for the kind words. My family feels the same love back to you bro. We'll keep in touch with our young friend that we are trying to help but she has a tough road. It's just good that she knows we are all here for her. Yeah that JW gal years ago had this " angry " look on her face when guarding us playing basketball - indeed, she had anger issues ! LOL ! Pretty intense ! Peace out buddy, say hi to your family for us !
CLARITY- Thanks for the kind words and you have a great x-mas too ! I totally agree with your take that the WT Society by design is into the business of " crazy making " towards it's members. The WT leaders know what they are doing. On the one hand they tell JW's they are special, yet on the other hand they quote Jesus words, " you are good for nothing slaves what you have done s what you ought to have done " - so you are right- it sends all these ridiculously stupid mixed messages to these rank & file JW's constantly. Is it any wonder most j-dubs are screwed up in the head ? Blame goes to WT leaders in my opinion.
DESIROUS of CHANGE- Well thanks. I try to hang around here and offer help to folks exiting because I didn't have anybody to be there for me back in 2003 when I left except my son. So I know how lonely and challenging it can be when you get chucked to the street so to speak by the organization that once claimed to love you as a special person. It does real damage to people and unless you have a security net to fall into of sorts it can cause irreparable damage. I feel we do well to be here for each other, who else is gonna be here for us as a support but we ourselves ?
RMT1 - Thanks for the toast my friend, I'll toast some kind thoughts back to ya. Appreciate it.
D- I agree. This mind control cult posing as a religion DOES need to be destroyed or at least be exposed even more for the fraud that it is in wrecking peoples lives . WT Society has a lot to answer for and bloodguilt on their heads.
FARKEL- Hey you old geezer ! Nice to hear from you ! LOL ! Yeah I might get the spiritual " creeping crud " if I keep hanging out with guys like you, eh ? LOL. Indeed let's have some Mexican food soon and we'll engage in patting each other on the back for exiting the dastardly mind control organization WT Society - AKA - " Big Brother ".
LOCUTUS of BORG- Hey nice hearing from you ! So you experienced similar stuff that I did ? So you know how I felt after going through it. Thanks for the recognition of the experience. I hope these last 17 years have been happier years for you and your family exiting the cult my friend.
PHIZZY- Thanks. I would enjoy hearing other people on the boards perspective after 10 years out as well ! I think it would be cool and informative. I agree the elders or " shepherds " really didn't care all that much. Initially they wanted to meet with me but that was only just to set my spiritual balls on fire and roast me on the BBQ grill . They didn't want to " help " me - just destroy my family and relationships. Like yourself after exiting the JW cult I realized I had a lot of reading and informing of myself to do in order to " catch up " on non-Witness information I never had access to as a JW. So I have been a voracious reader these last 10 + years even MORE than I was as a Witness. I agree- freedom of mind is a sweet thing indeed !
DESIGNS- Indeed, here's to healing friend.
SNARE & RACKET - Cheers back to yu as well !
AUNT FANCY- I'm glad that you and your husband exited the cult and are finding happiness now. Real happiness. I know how hard it is for your husband- especially when close JW relatives treat us like crap. But just remember please tell your husband he has a whole world of ex-JW friends here who will gladly be supportive and offer true friendship. Myself included. If your hubby ever wants to chat sometime just PM me your phone number and I'd be happy to share support with him
O.K. End of pg. 1 responses. Gonna go pop some popcorn up and come back in awhile to tackle pg. 2 responses. Thanks again. Peace out.
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flipper
SCARY 21- Thanks, I appreciate it.
BALAAMSASS- Hey thanks buddy. I appreciate it. Here's a toast back to you and my wife and I look forward to seeing you folks again soon.
LOISLANE LOOKING FOR SUPERMAN- Appreciate it.
DOG is GOD- Thanks.
TREBOR- Thanks indeed, appreciate it.
LONG HAIR GAL- Happy Holidays and a Merry X-mas to you as well my friend. I'm sure you did experience much different forms of oppression for sure as a JW female while in. I was always pissed off at seeing how elders or other WT powers treated women. It disgusted me. I even got in the face of some JW men who would psychologically control women. Even got in the face of my own JW dad a couple years ago trying to control my JW mom. Good point you make that we WERE like a frog in a boiling pot being cooked slowly by mind control tactics in our brains and not until we GET AWAY from the propaganda type meetings at the kingom hall will we ever start thinking clearly again. I totally agree with that point. Because like yourself it was AFTER exiting the organization that I really strated seeing things so clearly and educating myself about what the WT Society had done to me personally. Steve Hassans books helped a lot as did Ray Franz's books. Reading 1984 was a big assist as well.
I agree with you that appointed elders are generally a bunch of knuckleheads being instructed to do the bidding of WT leaders who control elders like huge corporates control managers of individual offices. WT Society has a stranglehold and emasculates elders by cutting off their proverbial balls so they have no other option but to tow the WT company line . It's insane. As you say there is nothing " spiritual " or even " Christian " about this organization. And you are right- WT Society will never be held accountable for the criminal activities they've done. Because it's done behind the veneeer of being called a " religion ". So WT Society takes advantage of laws of the land that protect said " religions ". Sickening. I'm glad that you have your freedom Long Hair Gal and life DOES start after we exit !
ON THE WAY OUT- Thanks for the kind words. I consider you a dear friend who has helped me to reason things out in my life as well. We were all put through the mill as Jehovah's Witnesses and I truly believe it was a real " gut check " for all of us once we freed ourselves from the droning mind control of JW meetings where we weren't around the propaganda anymore. No more " garbage in- garbage out " syndrome once we stop attending meetings. Only then can our minds be filled with positive access to outside world information which helps us on our way to freedom of mind. I'm glad I've helped you, you've helped me as well my friend. Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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Dagney
Well said my friend.
We've come a long way baby!