by Tallon 38 Replies latest jw experiences
Hi there folks.
I took a bit of time out from the forum, however I'm back again.
What was it really like for you, your experiences good or bad, etc, in the Org?
If you were granted a listening ear by the GB, what changes would you like to see implemented?
Very unfulfilling. Can't do a thing without asking a man. I got to thinking, would I really want to live forever as a Stepford Wife?
The answer is no. Even if I believed their prophecies of "paradise on earth", having it like that is not for me.
Also, I have no interest in talking to the GB about changes. They are the problem.
Totally strips you of any sense of self and your only purpose is to be "quiet and mild" while you "support arrangements."
I'd say the only difference with a male is he can "reach out" if he qualifies iow jumps through hoops for the BOE, but, that in itself is an illusion of power and control as men too are subject to the same rules and following direction to become good little soldiers for WT.
Sucks all round for men women and children but in different ways.
I was a handful. The elders were glad when I was finally out of their hair. They tried multiple times to “adjust my thinking” but they always ended up getting nasty with me when it didn’t work. I pretty much told them when they start writing the checks they might have a say in how I lived my life.
When the COs would come around I agreed to sit down with them a few times. We would argue about different subjects like the flood, abortion, blood transfusions and CSA. Specifically the 2 witness rule.
Always, some stupid comment would be made about my medical degree clouding my mind and blocking the Holy Spirit.
Really all it amounted to is every single one of them was a tool.
If the GB would hear me, I would ask them to include women on any CSA investigation or any assault allegation on a woman.
But we know their answer already from the ARC hearings.
I felt like a second class citizen. I have NEVER felt that way anywhere but in the JW world.
Personally, for me, it wasn't too bad. I was baptized the summer between my 11th & 12th grade school year. Then the summer right after graduation I went to visit Bethel, it was one of those tour groups. That September I signed up to be a regular pioneer and got to go to where the need was greater for two weeks. It was pretty cool getting away from my mom for that time period. I got to go to pioneer school, and I stayed with a family in KC. They had the coolest house ever. It was an old two-story house that had hidden hallways that you would find going to the back of the closets of the home. I was a volunteer in the food service, which meant that I was able to go places that the majority was not allowed to go. This was a welcome relief because I really hate being around large crowds of people. During this time no one bothered asking me why I wasn't in my seat. Also, my friends were doing it the same as I.
Being a regular pioneer also opened up for me to be on the electrical crew for the Kansas Hall Builds. I did that for 3 years as well. It was an elder who...I forget what the correct term was called but he was part of the committee for the building projects. I learned a lot of very useful electrical knowledge, and I was able to get away in telling the brothers what to do because I was in charge of something. If I had a problem, I would just tell them to take it up with the elder who got me into it in the first place.
I remember there was this one time there was this brother, I don't know who he was, but he wasn't going to lower himself to following the direction of a sister, and this is what happened; At the time we were installing the light fixtures, and the power was on to the building. I informed him of this and told him whatever you do, DO NOT cut through all three wires at the same time. His response to me and these were his exact words, "I'm a small appliance repairman, I know what I'm doing." And at the very same time he said I know what I am doing, he took his wire cutters and cut through all three wires, and BOOM!!!, he went flying off his ladder, and the lights went out, and shortly after that he left the site. I was laughing my head off so much, and replied, "So you're a small appliance repairman, huh."
While in Kansas things were good for me, but later I met my husband who lived in Missouri at the time. After moving to the new congregation, I was treated like an outsider. There was only one brother who actually took the time to talk to me from time to time, he was one of my husband's groomsmen for our wedding. The sisters at that congeration were mostly a bunch of bitches, and that is putting it nicely.
But that was not what put me off with that "religion", it took another seven years before I finally had enough, and decided to do my own personal research on that group before I left.
TALLON:
My experience in the JW religion was mostly negative...But, since I’m totally out and have no interest in religion there’s no way I’d talk to the GB. I have no regard for them. I’m glad I’m done with this BS.
I never expected anything from anybody in the JW religion except friendship and acceptance. I really got neither. I had some acquaintances but that’s about it.. Single working women were at the bottom of the list. I certainly was not interested in any hierarchy or titles and thought to myself how stupid it really was.
These USERS thought they were going to target single women to do favors. Single women were fair game for elders especially if they had no family there...Well, they got NOWHERE with me and I had no intention of helping those married women with a cushy life. No way!..I was busting my a$$ working full time and was viewed negatively because of it...I wasn’t going to give the time of day to anybody there!
I certainly did not follow in the footsteps of other single women who were doing favors or jackassing around driving people everywhere.
These single women should have been educating themselves to get skills to support themselves. If a woman doesn’t get married she needs to support herself. (This rule didn’t change because we are in the Millennium.).. Well, at least I kept MY job until retirement.
Since the watchtower always talked about not having careers or having fame, etc, I had the elders come talk with my (ex) husband about sticking with his job till the new system. These assholes told me I was wrong and a man could choose how to make a living. He wanted to be a "rock star" and I wwanted him to keep his union job. Those elders betrayed me completely. I ended up getting a divorce because the "rock star" was cheating. That was not the life I signed up for! Thankfully, I escaped the J W religion and moved on. 35 years ago. I'm married to my second "worldly husband" 29 years now.
Wow. I know a handful of kids at the time that got disfellowshipped for wanting to be rock stars. Actually disassociated because they were not baptized, but they were treated the same at the time. I know them all to this day 30 years later. All still rocking out in varying degrees of success.
What a crazy ass religion.
