Thank you thank you thank you!
zoiks
disclaimer: your mileage may vary.
if you are a married, "active, in good standing" (tm), jw male who has recently discovered that the .
watchtower is not what it claims to be, this thread is for you.
Thank you thank you thank you!
zoiks
i guess it only took three years, but they were hell in so many ways for both of us...she was not happy and lived in denial as much as possible...i was not happy and lived in a bottle as much as possible and glad that is over for me....but it was one of the saddest things i have ever experienced in my life....as was the visit to my parents before i told her....but yes...she said she kind of expected it...was thinking something was going to happen soon as she noticed i had more and more trouble saying i love you back to her when she said it on the phone at the end of goodbyes...and when i was leaving the house...i had noticed it for over a year and it was killing me..... i told her how sorry i was for changing so much again....and that she still walks on water...and is a great person and so pretty....and that she will be ok because she was happy single before me for many years and had all she needs for that again...her closeness to jehovah and her freinds in the congregation...she is very close to both and will be ok i hope...it was very surreal....very calm...very sad.
my bitterness and disdain for wt rules came through when talking to my parents and i was very open about how i feel as to their upcoming shunning of me, and how it feels to my son since he was just 17....and how the fear of losing them had kept me trying in my marriage for the past few years...dad was firm in his position of future action....mom said they will still always love me...and will still talk to me until i get dfd.....oh how this hurts.....dad said there is a name for people who only live for themselves and deny god but could not think of what it was....i told him i was not living just for myself...that i am a good person and there are values from him and the bible i hope i always have....i cry so hard as i type this and tell you just so you can know how painful this is....i told him i so loved the rule of treating others how you want to be treated and have always done that...even allowing myself to be wronged on so many occasions to keep peace....... he said that was a good rule....i agreed and said it was a big one too....and that while i could do it...treat him the way i would like to be treated...he would not be able to!.......left as i became emotional...big hug from mom, but i just barely put an arm on dad............oompa.
My heart goes out to you Oompa.
zoiks
my aunt's father, a formerly life-long adherent to the apostolic church, became a witness last year.. i just learned he went to the last assembly and died.
tripped and hit his head on an armrest.. i'm waiting for the next round of email that talks about jehovah protecting his people with guardian angels.
maybe he missed the memo that this guy was entitled to divine intervention..
Wow I'm very sorry to hear about that. Not to make light of this in any way, but your reference to irony is right on... if something bad is prevented, it was Jah's protection. If something bad is not prevented, it is "time and unforseen occurrence". Sheesh. I hope you and the rest of his family will be ok...
zoiks
i am not a fan of this guy.
i see many half-truths in his ramblings.. however, i did think it might be of interest to know that in this newly released video, he mentions the jws briefly.
he does not say watchtower; he specifically says jehovah's witnesses.. because this guy is so self consumed, i wouldn't put anyone through the torture of listening to the long winded video, so i will cut to the chase.. at 38:20 the interviewer asks a question....and you should start from there.
I tried to listen to him, but I can't take my eyes off his massive, flapping jowls. They are mesmerizing!
zoiks
dear all,.
i discovered this site only a couple of weeks ago and i already feel affection for you.. i am a 48-year-old woman and i live in spain, where i was born and raised, so i apologize in advance for my inevitable lack of style and possible grammar mistakes, due to english not being my native tongue.. i grew up in the truth and jehovah and the congregation have filled my whole life.
i've had little contact with the outside world.
Welcome, Goldensky. I look forward to more of your comments.
zoiks
i got babtized at the age of 23. i was not a so called born in guy.
i started studying the bible at 20, and before that i never heard of the jw-religion.
so everything was pretty new for me.. to make a long story short: a month or so after baptizm, i felt probably lonley one evenig and got drunk right out of my brains.
Oh man, the memories... I remember boozing it up one weekend with some friends a long time ago... we were all underage. One of the kids was "stumbled" and told the elders. Since I was the one who provided the alcohol, I knew I was in for it. I waited for the hammer to come down. And waited. And waited. Finally, one day out in F.S. I accompanied the PO to a door. On the way to the door, he said, "I heard about your little party. Try not to buy alcohol for minors anymore, ok? They always tell someone." That was it! Of course, being an elder's son had its perks... like admitting to the elders to trying marijuana and again... nothing.
Memories
i've been lurking here for many months.
i served as an elder for many years, and regular pioneer for much longer until recently.
i'm also a mts grad and was used extensively on the circuit and district level.
Welcome!
this may have been discussed elsewhere on this board but is something i've become increasingly aware of, and that's the apostasy issue.
growing up, i don't think anyone ever explained what it meant, nor did i ask - i just knew it was 'bad' and punishable by disfellowshipping.
therefore it is fairly embarrassing to say that until a few minutes ago and looking it up in a dictionary, i did not know what the meaning was.
As others have more eloquently brought out, the use of the word Apostate for their own ends is just an example of "loaded language", a common tool of high-control groups and cults. Its misuse by the WTS is blatant and cynical.
zoiks
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in the last year i actually moved to the camp grounds and spent 10 months living right there where i worked.
Thanks for sharing, Cthulhu! I second JimmyPage's curiosity - are you a fan of Lovecraft or Lovecraftian type horror? Oh, and welcome. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts.
zoiks
i wanted to post this as we have so many new ones on the board here - i thought they might benefit from some uplifting words from steve hassan's book " releasing the bonds " .
many newly exiting the jw 's feel lost , like they don't know what to do , or where to turn, what causes that ?
notice these quotes from steve hassan .. on pg.
Outlaw-
I'm beginning to appreciate the character of many who frequent this group... you're definitely one who has a good time with it... I like that!