Not really anything I hate, but I really wish we had a good, authentic chinese restaurant. I do wish there were more women here liked the natural look, instead of artifcially enhanced everything, bleached, highlighted, sprayed hair, fake nails, high heels and always being dressed to the nines. This is not a town where you can run to the grocery store in sweats and no makeup and a pony tail without looking out of place. I guess that does give me more incentive to look better when I run errands, it is just that after working all week, sometimes you just don't want to fix up just to go to the store. The other alternative is not caring what they think, but anytime I have gone to run errands with no makeup, I feel sorta frumpy and drab.
okie46
JoinedPosts by okie46
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31
Reveal something you hate about your town
by JH inhere, they decided to pick up the trash only once every 2 weeks from now on in the winter time......gee, years ago, they picked it up twice a week... .
just the rats will enjoy this....
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61
What about your JW past are you thankful for?
by nvrgnbk inin the interest of self-healing and finding the peace that comes from being grateful, can you think of anything at all that was positive about having been one of jehovah's witnesses?.
not to be misunderstood with missing something about it, is there something about the experience that has enriched you?.
to answer the question myself, being forced to face the fallacies of the teachings of jwism, i was also prompted to look past those teachings and reevaluate everything i believed in.. that experience was frightening and unsettling, but i'm thankful for it.. i now have a greater appreciation for life in all its wonder than i did when i took it for granted as one of jehovah's witnesses.. i'm more determined now to find meaning in this life, after having lived for so long for a future that was never to arrive..
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okie46
I am thankful for these things that I learned:
1. How to empathize with others and show love to them.
2. How to forgive others, even when someone doesn't deserve it, instead of holding a grudge and letting the bad feelings destroy my soul.
3. How to read and study deep information, how to put together a public speech and give it without being nervous, being able to speak to anyone about anything,
4. How to talk with other people about topics that may be controversial, how to deal with rejection, how to sell myself.
5. How to stand up for what I believe in, even though that eventually meant leaving the organization when I could no longer believe what they were saying.
6. How to reason with my children and to be able to not repeat the cycle of child abuse, so that my children did not receive the abuse that I received as a child.
7. To not be ashamed to be different. Because even though I am no longer a JW, I am still different in many ways from others, due to my upbringing. Now I am learning to use my experiences in the organization, both positive and negative to be a more open minded person.
8. I am thankful that all three of my children had the same father. I am thankful that I had some guidance in raising my children, as they were wonderful children and gave me no grief as teenagers, they have become intelligent, well mannered, productive adults.
9. I am thankful that I was taught to feel love and appreciate people of all races and backgrounds.
10. I am thankful that it gives my Mother a place that she can feel love and support in her old age.
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Relationships/Boundaries
by Madame Quixote ini obtained this today from the refocus group on cult and thought-control recovery issues.
i thought some might find it interesting to read, if not helpful, since many of us here struggle sometimes with boundary issues:.
http://www.refocus.org/boundaries.htm .
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okie46
This is one of the biggest issues I have faced, besides family issues. Learning boundaries, how to set boundaries, self-preservation, not feeling guilty all the time and learning when to say enough! I am finding that the stronger I am becoming, the less bull I am willing to put up with. After years and years of allowing every one called a brother or sister to know my personal life, I have also learned that my personal business is just that "my personal business" and I function on a "need to know basis" now. I have finally started to feel stronger and more confident in my own abilities and not needing to always have the opinion and approval of others. It has been a struggle but it is slowly getting easier.
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Crazy things you were "forced" to do in the Borg
by RR inwere you ever told to do things that had no bearing on the scriptures or even policies of the watchtower?.
we had one co who upon inspection insisted that the body of elders and servants be cleaven shaven, cut their hair and remove their sideburns.. i use to have a patch of hair under my bottom lip.
the co pointing to it asked, "what's that?
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okie46
The CO gave a talk and said that sisters had to wear pantyhose to the meetings, and that their skirts had to be at least 2 inches below their knees. The brothers at one of the congregations I went to also said that only the brothers in the hispanic congregations could wear cowboy boots on the stage because maybe they could not afford dress shoes and the only brothers that could wear beards were those that lived in cold climates like Alaska or in other countries. We were also told not to go on the internet and do any reading about the WT society. Sisters were told at a convention not to watch soap operas. The brothers also frowned on going to counselors or taking anti-depressants. Along with the standard no worldly association, yada, yada, yada
OH, almost forgot one of my favorites, actually two of them.
1) When tornado sirens went off for a tornado warning, the brother continued to give his talk while some of us were freaking out wondering if we should dive under the seats. Finally, a brother was sent outside to LOOK and SEE if he could actually see a tornado. When he did not see one going over. We were told not to worry, and the brother never stopped his talk. I am still pissed over this, my instinct was that is nuts!! A tornado warning is given because There IS A TORNADO coming!! Who were they to decide for everyone that it was okay. I decided right then that would never happen again, I would not allow someone else to make life and death decisions for me. I really think that day was the turning point for me.
2) Being told to get rid of gifts from "worldly" relatives because they had a Ouija board in their home. For years, I was terrified to accept gifts from my grandparents, because of that very reason. Now I mourn treasured gifts that I did not keep because I was so afraid of "demons".
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If a crystal ball would tell you the truth about any ONE Thing you......
by new boy inwished to know concerning yourself, life, the future, or anything else, what would you want to know?
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okie46
Did I make the right decision and was it worth the heartache?
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Time again for........ Congregation roll call
by Jourles init's been a while since this topic has been brought up.
use it as a chance to see if there is someone you might know from years past.
1973-1976 --- lakeside, ca??
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okie46
1966 to 1971 Sunnyside Congregation, Woodside (Queens), NY
1972 to 1975 Muskogee, Oklahoma
1976 to 1987 McAlester, Oklahoma
mid 1987 to mid 1993 Ivywild, Colorado Springs, Colorado
mid 1993 to 1994 Muskogee, Oklahoma
1994 to 1998 Wagoner, Oklahoma
1999 to 2003 Yale Congregation, Tulsa, Oklahoma
2004 to present - out
Went to a few meetings in Boise, Idaho in 2006. That's it.
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If the Watchtower ceased to exist right now, what would this mean for you?
by JH inwhat would it change in your life right now if the watchtower fell apart and didn't exist anymore?.
maybe some would want to join another realigion right away, because they still believed a bit of what they preached and didn't want to join a false religion, just as the jw's brand all other religions..... .
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okie46
It would mean my daughter would speak to me again, hopefully.
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Words Jehovers Witnesses Pronounce wrong...
by vomit injehover being the most obvious.
why was there a group in every hall that pronounced some words like a bad english accent.
also why is it pretty universal, i.e.
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okie46
"We are sorry, we made a mistake"
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52
List What Things Jehovah's Witnesses Are NOT
by minimus inhere's a few-------jws are not "the happiest people on earth".
they are not the "most educated people on earth" in spite of their enrollment in the theocratic ministry school.. witnesses are not the best neighbors because they won't involve themselves with you unless they can preach to you.. .
any others to make up the list??
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okie46
Truthful
Sane
Compassionate
Loving
Open minded
Able to think for themselves
Not
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Have you recovered financially since leaving the Tower?
by lovelylil inremember how many families (maybe even yours) struggled with money issues while being a jdub?
i remember lots of families under stress due to being jdubs.
you are always told by the tower not to work overtime if it conflicts with the meetings and not to go for higher education, for the same reason.
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okie46
I have always made a fairly decent living, mainly because of being a dedicated worker. But I always wanted to work in the medical field and put it off because of the time involved in going to college, and I believed in the "Well you know with the "end of the system of things" coming anyday, why put valuable time into pursuing a worldly education and career". Now I am going to college full time to work in the medical field and soon will be able to work in the field that I have always wanted. Wish I had done this 25 years ago, but better late than never!!!!!!!!!!! My Main regret is that I do not have money put back for retirement, but that will change as soon as I get to work in my new career.