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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  life is to short

  I just saw this post flipper it is so great. You so spot on, everything you said is so true. I love the way you write. All the points you brought out are so true, the part about being told over and over we are special people, etc alway made me feel strange when I was a JW. I never liked that I just did not know why. I remember so many JW's that felt eltist when we would go on coffee breaks and look down on the other customers in the store. Sometimes I just wanted to crawl away when we were in a coffee shop. OH my goodness you are so spot on with that point. Especially around this time of year with Christmas some JW's would be so rude to others.

  Anyway thank you for being here to help people and your stand on the child abuse issue. I am so glad that you have given a voice to the problem. So many people even ex JW's do not want to know that there is a pedophile problem in the relgion. I am just so gald that you stand up and talk about it.

  You and Mrs. Flipper mean the world to me with the help you have given to me and so many others.

  Thank you.

  LITS
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  flipper

  Mrs. Flip here - I would like to put in my 2 cents here. Before I met Flipper I thought of the JW religion as pretty harmless. Now I would do all I could to keep someone out of it, especially if children are involved.

  Of all the dangers in this cult (loss of family through shunning, blood transfusion bs, preventing education and retitrement planning), the child abuse problem is the most important thing to inform anyone about. There are children right now who are in danger because their parents are JW's. These kids are unable to protect themselves. Not only are their parents clueless, but the general public has no idea either.

  The problem is huge. If you have read the experiences here of LifeIsTooShort her story is one of many. There are so many others we have met and spoken with about horrible similar child abuse experiences - enough to turn your stomach.

  If I only had time to say one thing to a JW at my front door it would be don't let your children out of your sight at the kingdom hall or in service car groups EVER.
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  flipper

  LIFE IS TOO SHORT- Thanks. I appreciate it. I felt like you did - so unworthy to be calling myself or other JW's around me " more special " or " more privileged " than non-Witness people. To me it was pure arrogance on the part of the WT Society to claim that. In reality- looking back- we as Jehovah's Witnesses should have been more PITIED due to being sucked into a scam, a mind control cult. I remember going from door to door and householders saying " I feel so sorry for you ". After 10 years out of the JW's I NOW know what they meant. Indeed Mrs. Flipper and I agree that the child abuse is one of the biggest if not the biggest crime of the WT Society at present. It needs to be addressed and exposed for what it is - a crime against children.

  MRS. FLIPPER- Thanks for bringing this out about the importance of exposing child abuse within the JW's. It is something that needs to be mentioned as often as possible to JW's coming to our doors, ones we see in the street, or anybody contemplating becoming a JW, especially if they have children. WT Society is a criminal organization victimizing people of all ages- but especially children and women
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  flipper

  I'm getting into a debate on another thread here about the WT Society's accountability- so I felt motivated to bump THIS thread up in order to share ideas and gt some expressions as well from folks. Thanks for any input. Appreciate it. Peace out, mr. Flipper
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  RayPublisher

  Kudos Mr Flipper!! You have a PM!
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  Legacy

  @Flipper,

  Sorry for not replying sooner. The comments are so far between, so I thought this issue wasn't being addressed anymore...I do hear what you are saying. I have been to many places of worship. The same folks everywhere, except in the Org. you just can't pickup and leave, no matter what. Oh you can but there are repercussions...

  Regarding child molesters, etc. I'm not condoning it, but what I'm saying is that I don't care but if someone touches my child or brother is a wife abuser & that person doesn't think to call the police...what is that saying about the person, you love the org. more than your love ones. I know why, because some of the parents get help from the freinds so they are beholding to them, I see that. Again, I do know the scare tactics of the org., but I hope this never happens to me but, if it does..first to the police then I will inform the brothers that I informed the police & they should expect to hear from them...Again, don't get me wrong, I do know how the org. operates...don't air dirty laundry, well maybe folks should, if enough of them do it...then maybe, just maybe folks will find out TTATT. Oh yes, every now & again, you hear of a scandal, but the Org. has the best PR dept. I've ever seen...In this time where the media picks up on any & everything, why hasn't the org. been exposed as of yet ? Why are they teflon, what & who are protecting them. If all the sites re: witnesses have a story to tell, what hasn't it hit the media...I have heard that witnesses are not really on the radar that much for folks to care. Everybody in the world is getting exposed, down to folks we didn't know existed. So all the scandal & what have you has been buried. I have heard about so many messed up things personally in the org. & yet, it's like water off a duck...the same answer...WELL YOU KNOW WE ARE NOT PERFECT..well, my answer is...who is ?

  Again, I like my congregation, they are just regular folks just trying to get along. I know some of them are a mess, but I stay down wind from them. Flipper, I'm glad to talk to you....keeps me from drinking the kool-aide...I will pray on it & I know God/Jesus will lead me the right way....I am making a personal relationship with faith myself...doesn't matter if I go door to door, I still have to make faith my own, because I will have to stand alone during judgement...&&&& guess what, if this bible story is all true...so will all in the org...will have to make their stand...ON THEIR OWN..

  Legacy
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  flipper

  RAY PUBLISHER- Hey buddy, sent you a PM back today, please check. Been sick for a couple days. Peace out.

  LEGACY- I see the child abuse crisis within the JW organization the same as you- if I became aware of a child being molested - the elders would NOT even come up on my radar to inform- I'd go straight to the police. And THOSE SHOULD BE the instructions that the WT leaders give to elders or any other member of the congregation for that matter. WT Society should NOT circumvent law authorities to handle felony child abuse as an " internal matter ". That's such BS.

  Your comment about the WT Society getting off scot free without media attention regarding it's child abuse scandals is not true. In 2007 the associated press ran stories on 16 child abuse victims here in California that the WT Society settled out of court with in multi million $$$ settlements and WT Society put a gag order on the victims to not talk publicly about their molestations. Also in 2002 Barbara Anderson who was a former Bethelite and in the Writing department exposed how the WT Society had hidden in many congregation files hundreds if not thousands of child abuse victims reports so as to not come to the light in the media. And how JW's were DFEd for reporting it to media. She did this on the show Dateline in 2002. Just google it. Also in 2012 I believe Candace Conti won a multi-million $$$ lawsuit against the WT Society for allowing her child molestation as they KNEW her molester had access to her and the elders did nothing. Stil sent the molester out in service with Candace alone although she was 8 yrs.old at the time. Google it. There are plenty of examples you can research. I wish you the best in whether you decide to remain a Witness or not , it's your decision - but please open your eyes to the facts and evidence. Take care, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  flipper

  Wanted to bump my last thread up in case somebody missed it and wanted to comment. Thanks, Peace out, Mr. Flipper
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  Legacy

  @Flipper,

  Sorry again for late reply. I do know about cases & media coverage, but what amazes me is the that friends don't say to themselves or maybe they do, but if the org. does this then whatelse are they doing & we don't know. Back to how most feel about the org. It has been said all over this site, nothing that the org. can do what chase the majority away, it's their Mom, they are emotionally tied to the org. Remember many have forsaken their real Moms & family & replaced them with the org. I am very close with a sister that the org. is her world. She loves the org & the friends very much, they are her life & no matter what happens or what changes, she'll stay there. And get this she has had her bad times at the hall, but she still keeps coming...I always have to correct her when she talks about worldly people, I tell her if they were all so bad, we would be stepping over dead bodies all over the place. Folks that are not in the hall, are doing the samething we are doing, just trying to make it in this world...Witnesses complain about every day necessites, like everybody doesn't have the same thing on their plates...To me witnesses don't celebrate holidays or spend their money on what they feel the world does, but trust me, they think the money they don't spend they are not to pay for nothing...I know this personally..when they start talking about how much this & that is, I say you aren't the only ones who have to buy, what do you expect not to pay for nothing ???? Crickets...

  So all that to say, no matter what happens at the org., many will not leave the witnesses are here to stay...I do believe many are waking up, just not enough to leave. I have been to the meetings where you can tell that folks are not really drinking the kool-aide, because you can see them stiffen up...since they can't argue the point, they use body language.

  This site keeps my eyes open...& also, I read the bible too, & I do understand...English Grammer....

  Legacy
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  LouBelle

  Dear Mr. Flipper you have hit the nail on the head with what you have written. It truly resonated with me and I feel as you do - happier and more alive than I ever have since exiting. The freedom to assocaite with whomever I want, the freedom to do what I want when I want is something you just cannot put a price too.

  I am guilt free! If I do something well or get a job it is not because of some god it is because of me and my talents.

  You and Mrs. Flipper carry on enjoying the good life.