Posts by TheListener

31

Hello...new here

by Sabrina in

jw
friends

[i]i wasn't sure where to post my introduction, so i am going to put it here.

if any admins or mods feel it should be moved, please do so.

i found this forum linked from http://members.aol.com/beyondjw/bj.htm, a jehovah's witnesses recovery site.

TheListener

Welcome Sabrina. I am glad you found us. I wish you much success in your journey.

19

Have you ever commented at the meeting

by homme perdu in

im not talking about q & a from wt literature.

im talking about asking questions to the speaker during a meeting.

if not do you know someone that has did he or she get punished?

There was a time (in the far distant past) where it was acceptable to ask questions during the bookstudy. This was before the society set particular limits for how many paragraphs had to be covered each week. The conductor could afford to go off on little tangents to actually help the flock where they needed it. Now I never hear a regular publisher ask a question - even after the meeting.

27

Slow Fade Progresses

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i wanted to give everyone an update on the current state of my slow fade.

i live in an environment that is hostile to the slow fade so i usually speak in general terms.

this time i plan to give just a little bit more information so i can heal myself as i go through this process.. i have doubted for several years (about 3).

TheListener

Bonnzo,

It's funny but I have lowered my monthly time little by little for the last two years. I'll turn in 3 hours one month and 6 the next. I try to stay over 5 hours on average to remain off the under 5 hour publisher list. It's not an official list, but many halls keep them in order to help the weaker ones.

Audere,

Yes, I've started a hobby and my family has seen that I am happiest when I'm allowed to do my own thing without WT guilt.

31

Job and the resurrection

by peacefulpete in

often the wt claims that the writer of job believed in the resurrection doctrine as espoused by the jws.

the usual verses lifted from context are 14:13-15 which says: .

if only you would set me a time .

TheListener

Wow. Excellent discussion. I love it when I can learn something about the scriptures that I didn't know from this discussion board. I could learn about the scriptures many places, but not with direct correlation to witness beliefs.

Thanks

4

Eye Make-up infor to use with Dubs

by TheListener in

i found these articles while researching information on make-up and eye make-up specifically.

although they are not written by the dubs, i could see the same type of argumentation occurring in a wt article.

this might help any who, like me, need to be ready to defend the idea that the society picks and chooses what is acceptable and what is not.

TheListener

I found these articles while researching information on make-up and eye make-up specifically. Although they are not written by the dubs, I could see the same type of argumentation occurring in a WT article. This might help any who, like me, need to be ready to defend the idea that the society picks and chooses what is acceptable and what is not. This is especially useful information for discussion on birthdays.

http://www.apostolic.edu/biblestudy/files/bwahprt3.htm

http://www.thercg.org/books/tthbm.html

These articles remind me of the Cats are not for Christians parody that I've seen around.

27

Slow Fade Progresses

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i wanted to give everyone an update on the current state of my slow fade.

i live in an environment that is hostile to the slow fade so i usually speak in general terms.

this time i plan to give just a little bit more information so i can heal myself as i go through this process.. i have doubted for several years (about 3).

TheListener

upside/down,

Your comment on justification and detachment is right on. I totally realize that my sitting in the KH seat smiling like a schmuck at the very same part I wouldn't give is a crappy thing to do to everyone else in the hall. I detach myself by thinking of other things. I detach myself by trying not to be concerned with the flock (the very flock I've watched over jealously for years and know so many intimate details about). I justify myself with the fact that the most important thing in my life is leaving the WT with some sort of communication with my family, both immediate and extended. I also justify myself by feeling sorry for myself for all the pain and suffering I've endured while finding out the truth isn't what I believed it was.

I get angry at times that my wife who would have believed anything I said before slowing down now questions every sentence that comes out of my mouth.

I get angry that when I leave, no matter how or why or with what label, everyone in the hall will believe I am a fool and that I've fallen prey to some evil temptation. Never considering for a second that I am happier, healthier and following my own will for a change.

I get frustrated that no matter how many discussions I have with my wife on spiritual issues (not so much anymore) and there is no apparent crack in the armor. No matter how many points she'll agree with individually, she'll not let go of the overall, 'but they're imperfect men and where else would I go' tagline.

I'm tired of getting excited at each little step of mental freedom someone in my family makes only to be depressed when the next step is a total following of the the society's hardline.

I want a slow fade for selfish reasons and selfish reasons only!! I want to do it this way because it makes me feel like I'm going easy on my family. Like I'm easing them into the idea of me being totally gone spiritually one day. Is it right? Is it wrong? I don't know, but it's the course I've embarked upon.

WOW!! that felt pretty good. I guess I'm ready for tonight's meeting now.

27

Slow Fade Progresses

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i wanted to give everyone an update on the current state of my slow fade.

i live in an environment that is hostile to the slow fade so i usually speak in general terms.

this time i plan to give just a little bit more information so i can heal myself as i go through this process.. i have doubted for several years (about 3).

TheListener

Doinmypart,

I know exactly what you mean. My wife has went a couple of days without speaking to me after a WT fight as well. It's funny because I have been an elder for a very long time my wife wants to repsect my spiritual headship but because I don't believe as she does anymore she refuses to. It's very confusing to her. My load was lightened for about 8 months myself. Until the last CO visited. Lightened Load? WTF!! Give that brother some work or let him step aside. Needless to say I've stepped aside.

Good luck with the cold turkey process. I just don't have the guts for it. It might come to that one day but for now I'm trying this slow painful method instead.

I remember cancelling parts because I didn't like the topic and felt that I'd be hypocritical giving it.

20

short introduction

by expendable_mia in

jw
friends

i noticed that everytime i did a search for jw info (various topics) this site has always come up.

so after lurking and reading for 6+ months, i've decided to actually sign up and maybe even post from time to time.

i'm mia, stubborn study of a very patient jw girl, wife of an anti-jw man and mother of 2 young children.

TheListener

Welcome to the forum Exp_Mia! I look forward to your questions and comments. I'd love to hear about what happens when you ask good solid questions of your study conductors.

Please buy your husband a beer (if he drinks) for me.

35

Tears

by Krystal in

jw
friends

i am 20 years old and i left the organization when i was 17. there are of course many gorey details which i will not get into right now... but i just wanted to say how happy i am to have found this fourm.

as many of you remember, we were always instructed not to read anything about jehovah's witnesses that wasn't written by the organization.

well, that instruction stuck, and this is the first time i three years that i have dared to even look.. needless to say, i found some very disturbing information.

TheListener

Welcome to the forum Krystal. Keep an open mind and enjoy.

27

Slow Fade Progresses

by TheListener in

jw
friends

i wanted to give everyone an update on the current state of my slow fade.

i live in an environment that is hostile to the slow fade so i usually speak in general terms.

this time i plan to give just a little bit more information so i can heal myself as i go through this process.. i have doubted for several years (about 3).

TheListener

Min,

Yes the family knows and doesn't much care for it. When I first told them that I wanted to step aside they were pissed. They slowly accepted it. Now the bigger hurdle. Announcing it to the cong. If my guess is correct, they'll be pissed but slowly accept it. That seems to be the case with each small step in the fade. Which one may break the camels back? That is anyone's guess.

As far as sleeping at night - I slept fine when I completely believed everything I was teaching. I truly felt that I was helping individuals recover or maintain a relationship with God - how pompous of me! My conscience bothered me once I doubted and finally didn't believe at all. I belive most elders sleep just fine. Either because they truly feel they're helping people or because they're psychotic.