troubled mind

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Posts by troubled mind

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  37

  What's the greatest movie no-one's ever heard of?

  by rory-ks in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  you know, that film you really love, but when you mention it everyone's, like, "eh?".

  i'll get the ball rolling.

  for me: ulee's gold..

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  troubled mind

  Agora
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  37

  Greetings From Deep South

  by snowbird in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello.. it is good to be here again.. love.. sylvia.

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  troubled mind

  Hey ,Welcome Back !
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  33

  "Worldly" Friends vs "True" Friends

  by DuvanMuvan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey guys i am new to the whole forum thing (long time reader, first time postererer) and i wanted to get some other opinions on something that has bothered me ever since i first became a jehovah's witness.. i was always taught at the kingdom hall that friends inside the orginisation were the only ones i could count on and that the ones out of it (mainly at school) were just being controlled by satan to trick me into leaving the religion.. however, i always found it to be the opposite.

  my "worldly"friends were all accepting of my religion (back when i was ok with being a jw) and are the only ones i have really opened up to about wanting to leave.

  the only things i have in common with the other teenagers in my hall (3 boys, 3 girls) are that we've all been raised in the truth and... well that's it.. i was just wondering if anyone else found the same thing when they were a teenaged jw or if anyone still in my age finds the same thing..

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  troubled mind

  When you distance youself from JW thinking you come to see life is not so black and white as you were taught to believe. People are people . Some people have good character traits ,and some don't ....it has nothing to do with what religion they belong to, or if they are religious at all.

  There are some very nice people that are JW's ,but they are ultimately controlled by an organization that is expecting exclusive devotion . Many teenagers are trying to find their individuality at that age ,but it is so hard when the religion is constantly telling them to fit into a pre-determined mold .It becomes frustrating as they want to try out new things ....these teens are not 'bad' or 'good' they are just individuals trying to figure out life .

  I spent 44 yrs as a Witness .After all that time I was told my Witness 'friends' were my 'true ' friends ...this was a lie . Most of those people were only my friend so long as I believed exactly as they did ,and did exactly as they did .That is called conditional friendship and is not authentic. I began to realize this about two years before i actually faded from the congregation .

  I now have made friends with many non-witness people ,and have found we can have differing religious ,political,ect.views ,and still be great friends . Diversity is awesome and interesting .

  Here are a couple of examples I can share that happened to me personally :

  My Mother ,was a Witness for over 50 yrs ,had heart surgery and then suffered a major stroke that left her in a coma and hospitalized for three months . During that time my JW sister in law came to the hospital one time during the actual surgery . In fact none of my so called JW "friends" came to support me emotionally during that whole time . Yet at work my non Witness workmates gave me hugs ,asked to pray for my Mom ,and showed they cared . When my Mom came out of the coma I asked a JW friend if she would come by and see her ,because she was asking about her ...this witness told me she was aux. pioneering that month and had not made her time yet .She was very put off that I would even ask her ! That was a pivotal moment for me . Another awakening moment for me was that my Dissassociated Brother was so loving ,and such a support during this time ,yet I had been told for years to limit contact with him because he was now a 'Worldly" individual .

  Compare that with my experience a few yrs later when I had been faded for a couple of years ,and i had to have surgery myself . My new friends knew I was scared ,and without even asking they came to the hospital for support . One friend even slept next to my hospital bed all night just to make sure I was out of danger ! (This one kindness has made the biggest impression on me in my whole life .) When I got home these new friends that i have known less than three yrs were bringing over meals ,cleaning my home ,and genuinely just showing concern for my well-being . I did not have to ask for this support ,they just knew from the heart what was needed and followed through .

  So in my experience 'worldly' friends have been my true friends in the long run . Of course as I stated in the beginning it is the character of the person that matters ,surround yourself with genuine caring .loving ,honest hearted people ,and you can't go wrong .
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  37

  How often do you see the Witnesses out on the ministry?

  by rory-ks in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i only ask because i hardly ever see them out on the ministry.

  it is a very rare sighting to spot them actively engaged in the house to house ministry.

  or out on the street work, in the marketplace, etc.. the other reason i ask is because they are constantly pictured as being on the preaching work.

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  troubled mind

  I drive by the KH everyday M-F ,and am surprised how many cars are there meeting for service . Wednesday is still the biggest turn out day ,and Thursday the lowest . However I never see anyone going door to door in town ,I wonder about that ? I drive my bus route through the territory, and have never run into a car group doing rural territory either .

  During the spring and summer I will see them in town, usually on Saturday ,going to the donut shop for break . Once a year, usually during the Memorial campaign, I will see them walk past my house . They no longer stop here :)

  They use to meet for Saturday sevice at my neighbors home ,but they moved recently so I don't know where they meet now . Our town is pretty small .
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  10

  Humbled Valentine's chicks pics ;)

  by Bruja-del-Sol in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here's a few pictures of the little chicks saved from the snow and hatched by mom goldie.

  (click on them to see larger pics).

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  troubled mind

  So sweet ! I had a pet chicken when I was 10yrs old .
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  21

  My Former Congregation is Dead

  by Nosferatu in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i left the jw organization, there were about 80 publishers in my congregation.

  within the last month, the congregation was abolished because it only had 29 publishers in it.

  the apparent reason for this was one elder on a power trip.

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  troubled mind

  The Congregation I grew up in was dissolved too ,and no longer exists . They sent the people to suurounding halls . I think there was some kind of Elder trouble going on with in the old hall ,because it had a fairly large group meeting there.
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  50

  How many in the cong visited you when you started fading

  by joe134cd in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm just curious speaking from a person who has stopped going to meetings.

  i have heard reports from inactive ones (or from ones who the elders suspect of going to the dark side) of having so many visits from elders (cong members) that it got to the point of harassment.

  surprisingly i have to say from personal experience and from numerous others that i have spoken to that the exact opposite has been the case.

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  troubled mind

  My husband and I were in the same Kingdom Hall for over 27 yrs . We were regular meeting attenders ,but our field service was very low hrs the last couple of yrs . Then one day we just stopped attending ...I got one call from a concerned sister in the hall ,Someone that had recently moved into the congregation btw . My husband said two sisters stopped by with the magazines a couple of times while i was at work (Which they know when I am at work ,I drive School bus ) But neither one called or made an effort to ask when a better time was to catch me home.

  Yes ,at first you kind of want to know ,will anyone honestly care about me ? For me it really didn't matter because i was already convinced they were liars . I was done with the religion ,however , my husband on the other hand ,could have been swayed back in if someone had shown an ounce of personal interest in him . It was a good thing they acted as I had expected they would ,because that is what helped my husband make his mind up to stay out .

  One Elder ,that we had always viewed as a personal friend ,stopped by after a few months to invite us to the Memorial . It was an informal visit ,and he asked if there was anything we wanted to discuss ....because he seemed sincere we decided to attend the Memorial . At the Memorial people snubbed us ,and I was clearly reminded why I had quit going . That was our last meeting ...after that no one ever came by or called again . My husband began to realize there was no real friendship with any of these people . His own step -brother ,and nephews were servants in the hall ,and never once asked how he was .

  Three yrs later I put some white lights ,and lighted deer out on my lawn during Christmas time . That January the Elder 'friend' came knocking at the door wanted to tell us all about the new meeting changes (as his front ) His real intention was to ask if I was celebrating holidays now . I turned them away from the door because of being sick . Shortly after this he saw me in the grocery store and asked if they could come by for a 'sheparding visit ' ...ummm after three yrs ??! IF THIS HAPPENS TO YOU BEWARE IT IS A TRAP ! Just tell them NO it has been too long and you are not interested . Because I found out too late that if you invite them back into your life for a 'visit' it is like telling them you recognize them as spiritual leaders again .

  This Sheparding visit turned into an avenue for them to ask personal questions . Once again they feigned interest only to later reveal they just wanted us to answer the question 'Were we celebrating holidays?' In other words their only real interest was to find something on us to finally eject us publically from the congregation ,because evidently inactive ones are some sort of loose ends that need to be sewn back into the flock or snipped off .

  I refused to allow them to bully me into answering ,and he suggested I write a DA letter if I no longer wanted to be a Witness . I refused that too because I am stubborn ,and by that time no longer felt I needed to do anything they requested . That lead to harrassing calls and visits until I sent a cease and desist letter .

  I do not know if they ever publically announced anything to the congregation ,but we are shunned .
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  72

  Did you have a bad reaction to flu shot?

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  thanks for sharing.. coco.

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  troubled mind

  My husband gets a flu shot every year ,and has never had a reaction . He hasn't had the flu for many yrs now either.

  I on the other hand am very sensitive to many different types of medications so I have chosen not to get the vaccine . However ,I work around school age children so I am exposed to all kinds of germs ....I go back and forth about whether I should just take the added protection .

  What about you COCO ? Did you have a reaction or are you trying to decide whether to get the shot ?
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  20

  'American Pickers' Star and her Jehovah's Witness upbringing

  by jwleaks in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  danielle colby went from jehovah's witnesses to burlesque dancer to vintage decor goddess.

  dallas news | by joy tipping.

  january 30, 2014. .

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  troubled mind

  I live near Davenport ,Iowa ,and have gone to her Burlesque show a few yrs ago . The Pickers first shop is close to here too in Le Claire . I wonder what her parents names are ,and if we were in the same circuits ?
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  12

  Beard or no beard?

  by ILoveTTATT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i already moved out of the house, but until the elders don't give me (supposedly) the letter inviting me to a jc and then me not going, i am still a witness and my mom can still talk to me.

  my dad wants us to meet, but my mom had said that if i have my beard she might not want to see me (she is a completely blinded jw... beards = apostate = i am a horrible human being).

  so... my question is, given that i can grow it later, should i shave it off so my mom feels more comfortable?

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  troubled mind

  As a Mom I think it is a good idea to talk about your current projects ,and goals as you stated above. This will reassure her you are on a productive path ,and not on the 'road to destruction', she fears so much . Also my suggestion would be to shave if you know it is such a big deal to her . It is a small thing .

  Sounds like you have this under control .