Posts by Wasanelder Once

9

How the Governing Body breaks people

by krismalone in

we all have likely heard the expression "to break a person" and usually it's in relation to kidnappers, bullies, pimps, human traffickers and cult leaders.. when a person is broken, their spirit, goals, aspirations, pursuits, self esteem, critical thinking and dreams are taken away.

what fills that vacuum is despair, depression, low self esteem, lack of self confidence and individuality.

the victim now believes that they are not worthy of enjoying life and following their dreams and personal satisfaction through personal achievements.

Wasanelder Once

I can only speak from my experience. I was never told I was a sinner. I don't remember the magazines stressing I was a sinner. No one browbeat or made me feel inferior. Even baptism for "forgiveness of sins" was not that big a deal to me. Never did I feel "broken down" by the teachings. I just don't feel this. Yes there was indoctrination in the meetings, but it was indoctrination into a publishing company that repeatedly stressed how to sell magazines and doing more, but NOT because I was inferior. It was always stressed that Jehovah was seeking those "rightly disposed" to everlasting life. If anything, from an early age, it was emphasized that we were "special" people, a people for his name. Maybe others felt like they were under duress and programing, I was not. I loved excelling in speaking and teaching. I never completely submitted to most of their negativity about life.

I'll agree that the congregation was made up of all kinds, but I think indoctrination came easier to certain guilt filled individuals. Remember, knowing the Governing body as rock star popes is only a recent invention. I couldn't name a Governing body member for many years up till the late 80's.

41

Do you have JW-related dreams (nightmares)?

by compound complex in

greetings, dreamers:.

i guess it's never going away: daytime carryovers of jw-related stuff seeping into my dreams.. the majority of these dreams take place at conventions but with really weird trappings.

last night i dreamed i arrived at the site with no books, no lunch, nothing but my car keys.

Wasanelder Once

I do dream of Field Service, but each and every time I lead the group in a revolt so we don't go to any doors!

I disagree with Orphancow, I think cars universally mean payments!

10

On Grief and Loss

by jp1692 in

on grief and loss.

each and every tear is a memory.

and when you feel so intensely all that you have lost, you are also remembering everything that you have had.

Wasanelder Once

I think I got that card when my dad died last month. Its a nice sentiment, thanks.

When you lose someone so close that they have been a part of you, there are more complicated issues than lovely aphorisms can address, though they have their part in retraining the brain and heart to desensitize.

It isn't simply the memories that are involved, there is the ingrained expectation of interaction. The little things you think to share because your mind hasn't come to terms with the permanence of the loss. If one more person says "At least he isn't in any more pain" or "He's in a better place" I will probably barf on them.

Its not the sadness or pain, its the hole blown in your life that must be filled. Only time will do that.

15

Biting my tongue

by Jrjw in

i'm really biting my tongue at the moment with a certain witness.

he said he hates how the churches have lied to people, misled them, controlled them, got money out of them.

gouge can he noht see the wts has done that, i really wanted to say something so badly.

Wasanelder Once

Talk about your child. Drop the God talk.

20

Whatever happened to the "written review"?

by pale.emperor in

does anyone know why the written review was stopped?

i relished the half hour silence they'd give you to "write down your answers", time i spend doodling or thinking up cool song lyrics..

Wasanelder Once

I remember it fostering competition among the congregation. So many used it for bragging rights. It was busy work. Me no like.

21

Family Insists on Having Relationship with My Child -_-

by Cimarrona in

hi gang, i'm a single mother of an 8 month old baby boy.

i've been df'd for over six years now.

my parents are super dubs and most of my siblings are dubs (on paper - a couple have been inactive my entire life but still claim to believe) with the exception of a brother who was never baptized.

Wasanelder Once

We make it harder on ourselves when we compromise as you have expressed. Once you "use" witnoid family to make parenting easier you have invited trouble. So now you are setting boundaries that will serve your child very well. If you stick with it, it will be a protection from a life squandered on fairy tales, conditional love and cult captivity. Stay strong. Just be the parent you signed up to be, throw the child on your hip and get busy!

28

Why do ex-JW's talk so much about being ex-JW's?

by Sour Grapes in

is it because we were in the cult watchtower compound that we talk about being ex-jw's when we stop being active?

i have never heard anyone say that i was an ex-catholic or an ex-lutheran or an ex-baptist.

they just stop going to their church and don't talk about it.. years after not stepping inside a kingdom hell, many of us still have to talk about being ex-jw's.

Wasanelder Once

It is a natural result of having been in a controlling cult which took our futures and turned them to shit for so many years. It is not simply stating a former affiliation, it is a confession of having been abused.

Example: "I went to college in my forties because I am an xjw".

Similar to: "I have trouble walking because I was held captive in a box for 40 years".

You get the idea.

20

"ah yes Dad, do you mean those times when Jehovah made those mistakes and errors?"

by stuckinarut2 in

so...while chatting with my ultra "spiritual elder" father on the phone this afternoon, i couldn't resist using that line!.

i had sent him that video of the recent convention showing brothers and sisters dancing to the "kingdom song" and waving their illuminated phones and arms in the air like some sort of revival church concert.

(perhaps someone can post that link to that thread again here?).

Wasanelder Once

What if they put a hip-hop kingdom song on the broadcast? Would that be a Jehovah inspired improvement? How about some tight pants disco? Times change mister elder dad.

13

Will The Governing Body Sell Out The Watchtower Corporation In A Plea Bargin With Prosecutors?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

as the lawsuits continue to increase world wide against the watchtower corporation and it's branches,, things could get very dire for the governing body to plea bargin for a lighter sentence and so turn over crucial evidence against their fellow f&dss, technically beat their fellow slave and what not.. now i know a lot of you will be thinking: "what on earth could lead to the gb blowing the whistle on fellow his fellow gbs?

" i think that a legitimate question and offer no answer but just use your imagination as if this thing led them to make a run to the opposition to rat on others to get a lighter sentence.. hey i'm thinking about man's powerful desire to save one's own skin at the expense of his loyal companion..

Wasanelder Once

These corporate WT sycophants would gladly fall on a sword for one of "Christ's Brothers".

19

Are there any full preterists here?

by quincemyles in

are there any folks here who believe that armageddon, the "second coming of christ.

" the great tribulation and resurrection are past events rather than future?.

Wasanelder Once

If you have to give it a name you can leave me out.