Effervescent

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Posts by Effervescent

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  7

  How Would A "Good" JW View Any One Of Us Here?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if a good standing witness ever knew we even might frequent this type of board or that we could be negative against the "truth", how would they react toward us?

  ?---------how are jws supposed to act toward those of us who have left but are not officially judicially removed from the congregation??

  ?

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  Effervescent

  I've always found that this situation causes a sort of panic for Witnesses, when you clearly are not living the JW lifestyle, but haven't been officially black-listed.

  I visited my Elder Father and wife about 10 years ago and were invited to the meeting with my non-JW ex-husband. (I think my Dad was hoping to make an impression on my then husband and lure him in) I had some old friends that still attended the meetings there, and wanted to see them so agreed to go. I've never seen so many darting eyeballs and foot shifting in my entire life. People didn't know whether they should hug me for appearances sake or run screaming the other way for the worldly bad person I was. It was actually quite funny.

  I think they're just worried our Worldly Cooties may rub off on them.
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  28

  It's judgment day with mum and dad

  by sass_my_frass in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, it's been brewing for a long time and i was getting ready for it, but i've finally gotten the shun-for-life from my folks.

  i was going to visit them in a few months and had arranged to see my non-witness grandparents for a few days too, and invited them along.

  here's there responese: (first from dad, then from mum)

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  Effervescent

  
  Your Mother's letter is a case study in everything that is wrong, hateful, and hypocritical in that religion....

  How heartbreaking for you to have to read something like that from someone who should love you unconditionally. From the way she talks, one would assume you are now dealing crack or kidnapping children for a living! Your letter in response is very well spoken!
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  37

  Re: What do you do for a living?

  by MARTINLEYSHON in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you are aware being brought up in the organisation, there was a general directive from the wt that secular education was good, but not encouraged as far as university and further education was concerned.

  many witnesses left school in the 70s with no formal qualifications.

  my question therefore is 2 fold.. 1. what would you have liked to become as far as your career is concerned?.

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  Effervescent

  I've always loved history and would have loved to have become an archeologist. Perhaps I may still pursue that once my children are a little older. If I had ever believed I could have done anything with my life, I'd probably be digging in the dirt somewhere in Greece or Egypt right now.

  Now I do freelance website design and Virtual Assistant work. It's a great thing to be able to work your own schedule when you have little ones!

  I started encouraging my girls to go to University the moment they could understand what I was saying. We have college funds set up and everything. They know already that they can be whatever they want to be and we will help them every step of the way.
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  25

  After being a JW, do you experience panic when someone expresses disapproval

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  having grown up in the wts i was always taught that there are very serious consequences that result when those in authority do not approve of you.. q: what happens when you break a wt rule?.

  a: very quick and brutal punishment in the form of shunning and ostracism.

  there is no middle ground... you either get no punishment or extremely severe punishment.. having grown up knowing only those two possible outcomes i find that i tend to become panicked when friends or authority figures express disapproval.

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  Effervescent

  I can totally relate to this.

  Although, at least for me, I think it's a combination of the religion, and my family life... which in itself was a product of the religion. I have a really really hard time speaking up for myself. I have a tendency to let stronger personalities steamroll right over me, and I am always in fear of upsetting someone or making them mad at me.

  One reason I live far far away from family is for this exact reason. I get a pit in my stomach when I think about being confronted by one of my family members. I could see myself lying rather than standing up for who I am now. It'll be seeing them next summer, and I'm already rehearsing my responses...

  I have gotten better though, thanks to spending some time as an Independent Woman (no "attachments" for 2 years), and then marrying a Jersey boy. He's taught me a lot about ...er.... I guess a nice way to put it is... "assertiveness".
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  46

  Did John Denver hate Jehovah's Witnesses?

  by free2beme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mother once told me a story of how john denver supposedly hated jehovah's witnesses more then life itself.

  my legend, these are two examples i heard while in the witnesses .... 1. at a john denver concert, he once asked all jehovah's witnesses in the audience to leave.. 2. johnny carson once asked him if he did this, and when he said he did, johnny carson asked him to leave the show in rehearsal and re-booked someone else.. ... awhile back i started looking on the internet for information on this and could not see any proof of this and wondered if anyone ever heard this before or was it just something that was in our area.

  i have a feeling it is something others heard of.

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  Effervescent

  My Grandpa used to tell this story... swore up and down he saw it happen on "Johnny" with his own eyes. I think it was just that he had told the story so many times... he convinced himself he HAD seen it.
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  146

  Extra training ... so you know that shooting babies is WRONG ?!?

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  how dumb and pathetic.. no extra training should be necessary for even slightly trained and disciplined soldiers.

  i guess it is for some of the rabble that the us call "troops" though.. of course the real problem is not just those on the ground that have committed the latest attrocity.

  it is the chain of command that tried to cover it up and all the way up to the president who sanctions bombing of civilian targets with nothing more than rumour for "intelligence".. from now on america, you are on your own.

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  Effervescent

  America and Bush is breeding the terrorists of tomorrow

  Yes world- Meet the future baby killers of America!

  Today I taught them how to properly hold a sniper riple and take out a target at a quarter mile...

  

  Generalize much?
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  11

  WHAT WAS THE AGE STRUCTURE IN YOUR CONGREGATION?

  by badboy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  any takers?

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  Effervescent

  Most congregations I attended growing up were made up of more "mature" persons... I'd have to say age 50 and up. There were families that came and went, but very few young ones my age, and almost no young adults. I heard more families moved into the last congregation I attended after I left... but I also heard that A LOT of drama was caused by or involved them. I can imagine the older ones were all up in arms about their world being turned upside down by these families.
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  55

  Were Most Of The Elders Dumb--- That You Knew???

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'd say out of 10 elders, the average "sharp" ones are 2 or 3.

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  Effervescent

  
  It's funny you bring this up... I was just having a conversation with my husband about this.

  My Dads been an Elder for years and years and is one of the smartest people I know. He has a great job as a Satellite Technician and is generally friendly, helpful and sociable. Yet, he's probably one of the Societies biggest advocates and fervently buys into the whole deal lock, stock and barrel. He hasn't seen fit to have his daughter, his son-in-law (whom he's never met or even taken an intrest in talking to) or his grandbabies in his life... all because of his rediculous beliefs.

  I can't even wrap my brain around it anymore...

  This religion doesn't even make sense... the theology is so full of holes you can see through it. And yet he buys into it enough to turn his back on the people he always claimed/claims to love. I guess smart doesn't mean possessing common sense and decency.
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  41

  If The Witnesses Started Going After You Now, What Would You Do?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  would you respond to them?

  let sleeping dogs lie?

  go on the attack??

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  Effervescent

  I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, especially since most of my family is firmly entrenched.

  I don't think I'd bother with giving them the time of day. They could do whatever the hell they want and label me however they want to. It doesn't change who I am, and I'm not going to waste another second of my life buying into their drama.

  I'd just be sure to keep my video camera by the door with my list of questions for my "documentary".
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  59

  I JUST FOUND OUT............

  by Es in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  that im having a baby!!!!!!!.

  its still early days but i did the test and theres 2 lines.

  im so excited.

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  Effervescent

  Congrats!!! What happy news!

  You'll probably get a tons of advice from friends, relatives, women in the store, etc. but there's only one really important word you need to remember....

  EPIDURAL

  ... seriously!