This is my first post (page 12)

truthlover123

Dont know if this was mentioned - ever think of going to the papers?

truthlover123: I mentioned that we did not have a plan. What happens is we are taking things as they come. Trying to balance everything so no one is hurt, left behind, or angry. That was and is tough. My journey included believing that God would make all things right in the end. How are story potentially will be told did not come about because we choose them, they chose us. We already know that the story cannot include all the details. In fact the more in our group that are offering to come forward the less time will be spent on me. That is the way it should be. Victim first, family second, the rest added if there is time.

I also know this. This story is going to be told the way the reporter, producer, and editor want it to be told. I have a cautous optimism about the story. The reporter is spending a great deal of time looking at this from many different angles. He has done great work. He "gets it". What can I say when our actions will speak for themselves. He asked, we said yes. Let's all hope the information that gets reported will help victims and their families. Also, the public and the members of Jehovah's Witnesses.

LisaRose

I am glad you are doing OK Make Lemonade. This is a pressure situation for sure, being involved in legal proceedings is stressful enough, never mind having your whole world turned upside down and losing friends and a way of life. I am sure you will have moments of doubt and despair in the coming months, but you know you are doing the right thing, so hang in there. We are all rooting for you here.

It's extremely hard to explain to a JW that my conscience, that is partially based on things they taught me, would never allow me to go back. I learned to be honest, and this organization is not honest, not when it comes to hiding what they are. When push comes to shove, will you be loyal to a dishonest organization, or true to yourself and being honest? That is the crux of the matter.

Take care.

truthlover123

Sounds like you are very balanced in your outlook.. I always pray that Jehovah will clear up the mess, one way or another - that is all I can do at this time and have wondered how HE will make it come about. His name can't be slandered anymore that it has been over the past 10 years when all we ever thought was that we belonged to an upright moral representation of Him, just to see it shattered from one country to another, with many innocent victims along the way.

Press on!

dynamiterose77

Lemonade

A big virtual hug to you.

Make Lemonade

LisaRose: you said, "this organization is not honest". That tells us that you have "been there and done that". I am wondering what you have seen. Was it the "idealized history"? The misquotes in the publications? Did you have a legal matter come up? I should just read what you have already posted. It is just that you have 2886 posts. LOL. I do remember some of your comments that included wrong teachings. Just to let you know, the first thing I did was read the Finished Mystery, cover to cover. The history was what I wanted the most.

The phrenology made me laugh out loud. (The part where baldness was an indication that something was wrong.) I remember thinking they forgot about the prophet who was teased for being bald. The funniest comment was saying that the founders of the Catholic Church must have been bald. Hilarious stuff.

I am going to search for your experience now.

Thanks for the encouragement. It is nice to hear words from a person who knows what it is like.

cha ching

OpenMind: haahaa! Luuuuuuv it!

Only when he hears it from another person does he change!!! (and he hates me saying that, but it is true)

I tell him: "Too long" (and yes, they were good, but dry this time, because he just can't trust anything but a tool)

Well, one more thing he does trust, and that's "the facts, just the facts." Good thing you included a web page from the US dept of Agriculture! Wow!!~ now I can rest my case!!!

cha ching

LisaRose: Interesting that you brought up how "Your conscience is based on what this org taught me" and "I can't 'conscientiously' go back." I just came across a stray old WT(Feb 15, 1994) RE: "Jehovah's Witnesses- A Cult or Ministers of God?" and was talking to my sister (not a believer in the cult any longer) and she said that if asked, she would basically boil it all down to, "Well, I don't like liars or hypocrites, God doesn't either, so I can't attend JW's any longer, the leaders, the writers, the GB are liars and hypocrites."

cha ching

jgnat: Although you say "why spend so much energy on that person"... it's because she can turn people against me. I told my boss (after a year and a half) how this girl would make me cry, etc, etc... I had nightmares. (I had probation of 9 months before becoming permanent)

One week, when my coworker said "I notice you haven't been getting so much done" I replied: "I am working every minute." but then, because I have this "need" & then I 'remember'... "Oh, yeah, our new person hasn't been filing in the back of these forms (I did tell her that I would so that our team and process c/go faster) and I have been filling them in for her, and it takes a while."

Now, at the beginning of my employment here, if I didn't have an 'x' in a box, or a check mark in a box (versus a line thru it) I would have hell to pay "
Why didnl't you do that, you are not being complete" Well my "co" likes the new girl, and DID NOT SAY ANYTHING to her about it, she just 'filled it in for her'... So when my 'co' replied, 'yeah, i have noticed that too, do you want me to say something to her about it?" I said (naively) 'if you want to'l

The next week, I come back to work, the new girl is treating me totally different, before she was friendly, talkative, etc. My boss spoke to me verrrrry strictly business.... I finally got an inkling of what happened when new girl said, 'i don't want any trouble, I will just do my job, I don't want to involve the boss, no problem, i will stay after work, i don't want people saying I don't finish my stuff... (something my co w/threaten me with in an indirect way "I don't want to say anything to the boss about this, but....)

My boss finally says to me "It seems to me. cha ching, you are just like the person you described!" "You do the same thing"

Lately, the health and information dept has arranged for "communication" classes once a month... My problem is that my co & I are basically an isolated 'team' (use the word lightly) and no one can see what happens but her and I.

In one day, she had people who liked me looking at me as if i was evil. Alot like the WT, ambient abuse.

LisaRose

LisaRose: you said, "this organization is not honest". That tells us that you have "been there and done that". I am wondering what you have seen. Was it the "idealized history"? The misquotes in the publications? Did you have a legal matter come up

No, nothing so dramatic as that. I was in for thirty years, I got married very young, like many, eager to get hitched before the big A, in 1972. My ex was disfellowshipped early on in the marriage, though I stuck it out, no scriptural divorce, I was stuck. After 28 miserable years I finally couldn't take it any more, left the org and my husband. At the time I just thought any God who was worth my worship couldn't possibly expect me to live like that. After years of half hearted attempts to be a good JW, I realized that this group had no more clue than anyone else about anything. I thought the Watchtower was earnest but mistaken, I had long since figured out that Armageddon was not coming any time soon.

It was not until many years later that I found out about the many lies I had been told. The big one for me was the 1914 date. So much was made of that in the years before 1975. I was told that Russel predicted the last days would start in 1914 due to his special understanding of the scriptures. It seemed he did have special understanding, since world war I started that year. I converted at 13, convinced that this was the truth.

I now feel that I converted based on lies and half truths. Russel thought he was already in the last days, that the end would be 1914. Huge, huge difference. Of course his prediction was based on the Seventh Day Adventists chronology, which was in fact based on a fictitious date for the fall of Jerusalem. Lies on top of lies. It disgusts me that I made so many decisions because of this fraud.

Of course I can't go back and live my life over, all I can do is make the most of my life now. I am very happily married to the love of my life, who I wouldn't go out with in high school because he wasn't a JW. I am happy.

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