Posts by satinka

Wow, another thread that I didn’t see after being away from the site for way too long! Thanks to everyone for your lovely replies. Now that I have re-discovered this thread, it’s high time I responded, don’t you think?
First off, I haven’t found any missing relatives on this board, but I have none-the-less made some new friends here. I made friends with a couple of local folks, but they would have to speak up and identify themselves. I have gotten together with several people for coffee and even went to a meet-up in the distant past. Probably around the first or second year that I moved to B.C., when I was known as ESTEE. I moved here in 2003. It was a very good move where I could make a new life for myself after beingstalked, slandered and df'd.

The quote thingy doesn't work today, so I'll highlight your comments in yellow.

Heaven wrote:

I do often wonder if one day one of my cousins will join.

I have cousins who I lost touch with after leaving the jws and moving away from Manitoba. But, I have since found them on Facebook when my brother died. We are now re-acquainting ourselves. I appreciate those cousins very much! Thankfully when they grew up and left home they did not embrace the JW religion! Good on them!

Snowbird wrote:

I love to see "Hello, I'm New Here." Sweet words. Syl

For sure those are sweet words. Another escapee from the cult is always cause for joy!

AwareBeing wrote:

Any time a mislead victim becomes aware of the methods of manipulation, and is able to flee from abusers is a happy day for both them and us.

Happy day, for sure! Makes my heart rejoice, just like the scripture says!

Billy the Ex-Bethelite wrote:

Whenever a newbie signs on...an angel gets his/her wings!

Lovely words, Billy the Ex-Bethelite! Ones I agree with whole-heartedly!

Found Sheep wrote:

Mine skips a beat too. And I love to read there story and figure out if i know them. So far no one yet

Same here, but we just never know when something like that might happen!

Designs wrote:

Remember that feeling when you were a kid of running over grassy hills in a park, its kinda like that

LOL!!! Are you another one of those hopeless romantics? Or a hapless romantic? Never quite sure which one I am, hopeless or hapless!

Mad Sweeney wrote:

I always try to figure out if I know them, too.

I think it must be kind of natural to wonder if we might know them. The JW organization has become kind of like the big biblical Exodus from Egypt, NO???

Witness My Fury wrote:

Lots of ‘em lately and I’m happy about that

Yes, lots of happiness on this board lately. I hope clarity joins this thread. She keeps a running tab on the newbies arriving here! I’d love to hear her insights!

ABibleStudent wrote:

I am always sad to hear newbies’ stories, and hope that I write something that will make it easier for them to live a happy and productive life.

For sure, I believe that leaving the religion will naturally result in a happier and more productive life! How can it NOT once a person begins using their own self-directed abilities instead of turning over their free will to old men who barely know them!

Ding wrote:

We have been getting a lot of newbies recently. Any newbies want to tell us why you decided to come on NOW? Was it something the WTS recently did or said, or was it just a personal matter?

Yes, it is very interesting to find out what particularly was the tipping point that motivated the arrival of the new members. I love hearing their stories.

Vampire DCLXV wrote:

...I've only ever known complete strangers here and I have made completely new friends that I've never known before. Enjoy the new acquaintances and new friends that you can make here. Don't worry about anyone you have known before. There is that universal tie that binds us all and that's why we're here...

Yes, me too. All new friends since leaving. And I believe you are right about the universal tie that binds us all. What a large army!

Found Sheep wrote:

It’s crazy Vampire man but you are right. I’ve known probably 1,000 or more JW’s in my life. I was around the big Bethel family yet have not met one ex-jw here that I knew. yet thousands of people have looked at this site. ex-jw is bigger then we know it!

I wonder how many members this site really has. And the site is growing all the time. Kind of brings a new meaning to the term, “Many will rove about and the truth will become abundant!” ;) Wouldn’t you say?

Dillen89 wrote:

I am new here and just looking to make some new friends and help those who have just gotten out of the WTS religion. I am here to help those who have just gotten out of the religion so they can move on after they've suffered from spritual abuse. I am here to help if you need someone to talk to about things...email me any time. :)

Thanks for your invitation for newbies to contact you, dillen89. I believe many folks on this board are open to helping others. In fact, our generous nature is likely one of the reasons we became caught in the cult in the first place.

Below are several success stories in a row about reconnecting with people they knew from the past!

MrMonroe wrote:

Not a new member, but I discovered recently that I was once in the same congregation as relatives of Hopscotch, and that I've almost certainly met her as well many years ago. It provides a bit of a buzz. I also spent five years in the same congo as Sizemik some years ago, so catching up (online) after all that time was good. But I, too, hope that I'll bump into more people here who have woken up and got out of that crazy whacked religion.

and

Mickey mouse wrote:

I’ve come across a few people I know here.

and

Aussie Oz wrote:

Yes i have found past friends and associates here...
I still hope to find one in particular... female who left south aust for canberra, come in!
i hope one day my kids will be here...but i dread them finding threads of mine talking about their journey and my worries.

and

Quandry wrote:

It does happen. I read a "story" by a new poster, and something sounded familiar..I PM'd him, and turns out knew him and his family very well. He is the only one of his family that is out, but so happy for him.

And

Bigmac wrote:

i found my son through Facebook---we chat a bit on there--& he suggested a meet up next time hes in my area--i live on an island off the coast of GB. my son is doing OK in life--has a new partner--home & job: he also maintains regular contact with his 2 kids---obviously not wanting to go through the same as i did. i met his ex wife once. a rabid JW fanatic--he is SO much better off now. ironically his born-in jw mother (my first wife) shuns him totally---her own flesh and blood. dont you just love that religion.

MrMonroe, Mickey mouse, Aussie Oz, Quandry and bigmac had successful re-acquainting stories to share! Wow, people really do re-connect here! I suppose the internet helps our world to become a smaller place just because of the ease of communicating over long distances. I wish my mom could have had a support forum like this one when she left the jws. She might not have gone back like she did. I mean, we just know so much more now that we have this forum to spread our own personal truth --- what is relevant to us personally!

Jamiebowers wrote:

Yes, my heart skips a beat, because I'm happy that so many people are learning the truth about the "truth".Whenever a newbie signs on...

Warms the heart doesn’t it?

Quarterback wrote:

Satinka, Is that you? I’m your cousin,..Benny. let’s have a good family hug, now...How have you been?

LOL!!!

Thanks for all your responses! Clarity, I wondered if you had anything to add, since you have kind of been keeping a running tab of newbies to the forum. I'd love to hear from you.

satinka

36

Quite an interesting first meeting with my Therapist.

by truthseekeriam in

jw
friends

the moment i mentioned jehovah's witnesses he headed over to his file cabinet and handed me this print out.. .

dear beloved one, .

i see your loneliness and fears.

satinka

Red flags are going up for me as well, like with rebel. It is indeed unethical to feed religious stuff to patients. In fact, whenever I shopped for a new therapist, I would ask, "Is this type of therapy religiously-based?" I interviewed them as they interviewed me.

"Heavens no!" was the reply I got from the most recent therapist. "That would not be ethical!"

My advise would be to distance yourself from any specific religion. If you feel you MUST have some religion, then do some church shopping. But, the way I see it, leaving the JWs and going right into another belief system would be like jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. It is most important for you to start exercising your own conscience instead of jumping on another religious bandwagon.

"Religion is a snare and a racket" was not said in vain.

satinka

33

why isnt the Revelation book on the jw website.

by Sojae in

jw
friends

i asked my mother( still very much active).

she said books made from '86 and before would not be online.

so we both looked at her physical revelation book and it was made in 88 so it should be there.

satinka

Does that mean the trumpet noises called an indistinct call?

satinka

33

Father of four quits job after attending Annual Meeting

by confusedandalone in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvdegzadefa.

this is completely ridiculous.

even as an uber dub i would bnever ever do this!!!

satinka

"We cannot succeed on our own"...??? Teaching co-dependence with a religion or what?! Don't these people have a conscience to guide them?
Little robot kids, being commanded, "S-M-I-L-E!"
Constant "happy jw songs" to lull theie minds to sleepy, brainwashed, conditioned human shells. I wonder if the music is "back-masked" for quicker indoctriniation.
So, the father is being really responsible in providing well for his family ... by quitting his job? "Food stamps for six, please!" Oh, boy oh boy! Kraft dinners for the rest of their lives!
That poor mom is heading for burnout.

So sad.

satinka

66

My brother died yesterday

by satinka in

jw
friends

"albert" was 55 years old, and the fifth-born of seven children.

i am the second oldest and babysat him often while he was growing up --- and while i was still at home.. yesterday, albert was out taking his usual morning stroll around his small town, when he collapsed on the sidewalk.

the doctors said it was a heart attack.

satinka

Thank you all for your kind words and good wishes. It means a lot to me, knowing so many of you care so much. I would love to thank and acknowledge each one of you, but the response on this forum has been overwhelming.

I took the week off work --- I am fortunate to have compassionate leave time.

I'll let you know more when I can to fill in more of the gaps.

Love you all

satinka

66

My brother died yesterday

by satinka in

jw
friends

"albert" was 55 years old, and the fifth-born of seven children.

i am the second oldest and babysat him often while he was growing up --- and while i was still at home.. yesterday, albert was out taking his usual morning stroll around his small town, when he collapsed on the sidewalk.

the doctors said it was a heart attack.

satinka

"Albert" was 55 years old, and the fifth-born of seven children. I am the second oldest and babysat him often while he was growing up --- and while I was still at home.

Yesterday, Albert was out taking his usual morning stroll around his small town, when he collapsed on the sidewalk. The doctors said it was a heart attack. The weather in Manitoba was -20 degrees yesterday, perhaps even colder in the morning when it happened. He was also a smoker with parents who both died from lung conditions. Not to mention he was on heavy-duty medication, all factors which produce stress on a set of lungs, I figure.

I remember him for his gentle nature.
He was such a sensitive soul --- a man who was not afraid to cry.
He played a mean steel guitar.
He could sing along beautifully to his music.
He didn't shun me when I came to visit him.
He lived an independent lifestyle, separate from the family religion.
He was deeply spiritual.

I feel a deep sadness today as I grieve his loss. Even though, I don't believe that death is the end of everything. Instead, I believe death is more like a time of transition, not unlike winter. Still, I grieve, as I am human.

Thanks for letting me share my sadness.

satinka

45

Depression amongst JWs

by tornapart in

jw
friends

has anyone seen this post on facebook?

the comments below it are staggering!

so many suffering from depression... along with the few judgementalists.

satinka

the best way to control negative feelings was by spending more time preaching.

Billy, yes indeed. That is exactlywhat the elders told me when I got depressed.

professional counselors that they are...

satinka

45

Depression amongst JWs

by tornapart in

jw
friends

has anyone seen this post on facebook?

the comments below it are staggering!

so many suffering from depression... along with the few judgementalists.

satinka

Interesting thread.

When I was a jw I was on antidepressants.

Strangest thing...now I'm df'd, I'm off all medication!

Could be 'cuz I'm no longer a WT robot.

satinka

30

Strange things happening...

by DS211 in

jw
friends

some strange things are happening.. 1. wife started smoking.

2. wife agreed that the whole "clean up after armageddon while growing to perfection" thing is all speculation.. 3. as i was going to the meeting tonight (i had a part and kids are sick so she stayed in) she says "do you have to go?"..

4. when i got home she says " i wanna go out and party..... hmmmmmm.

satinka

Never hurts to get some honest communication going. What are your intentions? What are her intentions?

Could get interesting!

Happy Days!!!

satinka