Posts by lauralisa

while i wholeheartedly join in with the backslapping and thundering applause being accorded the relentless and selfless efforts of bill bowen and his silentlambs lobby and other men of integrity and conscience---some still, some no longer, associated with the "christian" congregation of jehovah's witnesses--- in exposing the vileness and hypocrisy of certain of the wts's policies, i am moved to hoist a separate and personal tribute to a woman who has turned out to have more integrity and character and courage and conviction than most people with whom i've ever been acquainted and, more on point, than virtually any of the generally good and decent jws i ever knew in my 30 year association---male or female, regardless his "rank" or his/her jw "pedigree.".

lauralisa

Great post, Amnesian

I hope with all my heart that the Andersons know that they are viewed with deep respect and that they have the gratitude and compassion of thousands of people who have been following their story closely.

The other day a couple of friends and I discussed the unfathomably egregious nature of Joe Anderson's disfellowshipping ordeal. I became overwhelmed with emotion, sobs rising up in my chest, as we tried to imagine what this couple has had to endure. The need to get the truth out re the WTBTS's antics has become even more compelling, at least for me.

Here's to you, Mrs. (and MR!) Anderson

7

Baltimore/DC

by cellomould in

anyone who lives in the area feel free to respond or send e-mail.. i will be in the neighborhood for a research meeting on sept 11.

(interestingly, i began my lab notebook two years ago on september 11. this will be one of my last research gigs before i file my thesis and graduate.

good thing i don't believe in luck, considering the events of last year.

lauralisa

hey cello,

If I still lived in Baltimore, I would definitely make plans to get together w/you.... but I moved three months ago. When I DID live there, I never was able to connect with any ex-dubs; don't know if many peeps live in that area who post. Bboynekko lives kinda near there.

Someone in Baltimore has recently joined the board, and will direct her attention to your post!

good luck with your research - and I would imagine it will be a little trippy around there on 9-11.... be safe!

lauralisa

37

Why do WOMEN remain Believers???

by JT in

jw
friends

http://www.ffrf.org/nontracts/women.html .

the following is merely my opinion on the issue and while some may disagree and that is their right im sure that there are those who will fully understand what i am talking about- (aint it nice to be able to disagree and not be called wicked smile).

since leaving wt and looking back i have been often wondered and it has.

lauralisa

JT:

The quick answer to your question is women are led to believe that the 'headship' thing will work out exactly in real life the way it is interpreted and described in those scriptures about their 'heads' loving them JUST the way Jesus loved his disciples. Also, they are led to believe that if they don't submit to the organization's "arrangements" their butts will fry on A-day

Until a woman is forced to come to her senses (usually due to irrational events that hurt enough to piss her royally enough off) and realize that these mouth-pieces of god are power-abusing freaks, she does not feel the need to question the way things are.

Even a 13yr baptized male is given more respect than a 45yr exp in life female due to the concept of men are over women

I actually watched this happen: A lovely, gentle sister, on babysitting duty for five children one day, was applying sun-screen on all the kids before they went out in the blistering sun. She asked the 13 year old (baptised) nephew to put some on, as well. He wouldn't do it. She insisted. He refused. She insisted. He refused. Grown up sister, knowing damn well who was in charge here, cancels the outside thing.

This little event resulted in a family feud (all jws) which lasted ... well, maybe up until this day....? The credibility of all adults involved, the "qualifications" for the fathers (all elders/MS) were suspect, and in fact the family members (there were like 49 of them) all dispersed to whatever other congregations they could find and they were polarized irreparably.

JT, your posts are always read by me, I learn from them, and some of them have reduced me to tears... thank you for all you do

15

Deception From District Convention

by Mister Biggs in

this is a long article.

the writer's e-mail address is provided at the bottom.

in reading this, you will see how the jw's are misleading, how they use fear and/or scare tactics, and how women get no respect.

lauralisa

Hi, Mr Biggs,

Your post interested me very much, and I have a few thoughts:

I've been to two District conventions in Hawaii. My best friend lived there for two years when her Army Ranger husband was stationed on Oahu. I went there the first time to make sure she actually went (crowbar in hand) and the second time to watch her get baptised. I spent enough time there to get to know the other witlesses, attend the other meetings, and go out to acquire numbers to put on a slip of paper to validate my existence. Oh - and even a witness Tupperware party!

Ironically, my friend attended the Mililani congregation.

The ratio on Oahu of witnesses to regular people is staggeringly high, as is the number of those who pioneer. In some areas they cover their territories in like a couple of hours. I guess the number of witnesses living in the community is such that their potential affect on the local economy and influence on people must be "accommodated" if not outright capitalized on by the press. (An average person encounters a witness virtually every single day; the culture is very oriented around being well-mannered and polite, so there is very little slamming of doors there. One can only surmise that many conversations on many topics take place (just to keep the "time" going for the jw; just to not bring disgrace upon the family by being curt or rude for the non-jw?).

I see the "feature" article of course from this cynical viewpoint.

Hawaiian women are extremely beautiful..... I've never seen so many acrylic nails, perfectly accessorized outfits, and expert, flawless grooming in one place, ever, in my life. I have to say, though that "modest" is NOT an accurate typification of style. New York's most prominent socialites would look "dowdy" in comparison with these bejeweled princesses... guess it depends on the definition of "modest;" most jw propaganda leads on to believe 'modest' is not calling undue attention to your self. That being said, at one point my friend and I were out walking during the lunch break, and I laughed upon seeing a hooker hanging around the perimeter of the convention site - "guess she won't get much business around here hardy har har" - then we noticed her name badge....

My friend, who'd been my best friend for almost 20 years, who'd grown up in New York, who could take a linebacker down with her pinky and out-swear any sailor, who was a former owner of a health and weight-training business, became a virtual invalid after accommodating the jw lifestyle. She was stubborn enough to force herself to embrace it mentally, but her internal "this is screwed up" alarms would eventually find a way to manifest through physical, inexplicable chronic pain.

She lost her husband, and life savings, and 'spark'. I have pleaded with her to contact me "HEY - we are both out now - let's get on with our lives here!!!" but she will not. I don't know why; perhaps it had something to do with the fact that I felt compelled to threaten to squeal on her after one occasion of reefer madness if she didn't go straight to the elders and turn herself in (OMG - the entire spiritual welfare of her congregation was at stake here and my children would not survive the big A if I didn't do what was "right"...

Val, if you could know how much I miss and need you, and how much I regret being the one to introduce you to this nightmare.....

30

Wait on....

by Farkel in

nothing helps a religion weasel out of the hot seat better than a good arsenal of "back door" words.

the ultimate "back door" expression invented by the watchtower printing corporation is "wait on jehovah" and the purpose of this post is to examine that expression with a microscope.. this expression is always brought out and touted when things are totally screwed-up in watchtowerworld.

"we have a major problem with covering up and enabling pedophiles and expelling the children who are raped by them.

lauralisa

Farkle, you silly,

Don't you know that "waiting on Jehovah" means

"Wait until you're DEAD"

36

I spoke to Joe Anderson...

by Littlebit in

jw
friends

joe anderson thought you'd like to know what caused him to be invited to attend a judicial hearing held in his honor.

fyi, joe sent a copy of his resignation letter to two governing body members, dan sydlik and jack barr, men who joe and barbara were quite friendly with.

he thought that since so much time had passed since barbara's appeal letter was given to the local elders and nothing was happening to bill bowen or barbara, that maybe these gb members were holding things up because of receiving his letter and giving more thought to the whole issue.

lauralisa

bttt

4

Small Signs of Recovery

by OrbitingTheSun in

jw
friends

yesterday, while shopping at a local craft store, i ran into the woman that conducted my study.

being inactive and relatively antisocial, this experience normally would have left me a nervous wreck...but for the first time i sensed the tables were turned.

this woman (a pioneer, the wife of an elder, and the mother of a bethelite) has always used her "spiritual" (political) clout to intimidate and manipulate people in my congregation, yet i could tell that this time she was afraid of me for a change.

lauralisa

Hi Orbiting

Did she actually speak to you or did she make it a point to turn her head away? (Just curious; whether she spoke to you or not will indicate what your "status" is - in her opinion....)

I am SO SO SO happy to hear of how well you weathered the encounter. You're awesome, in MY opinion! I've had only a couple of chance 'run-ins' with people who've treated me like I'm anathema, and each time was difficult and nerve-wrenching. I've moved to a place where no active JW would know me from Adam (Eve? LOL) and don't have to live in fear of such occurances anymore.

My heart breaks every time I imagine what it's like for people who still live in communities where they experience these dehumanizing acts of blatant disregard on a regular basis. (It's easier to get mugged in a parking lot by a stranger; at least you don't have to take a thing like that "personally.")

What an excellent question you asked: "what experience(s) have shown you that you were finally emotionally and intellectually untangling yourself from the WTBTS? For me, "emotionally" untangling is a completely different process than "intellectually" untangling.

The 'intellectual' part was easy. (Well, it was easy after I took the aluminum-foil hat off.)

Emotionally, I don't know if there will ever be a clear, solid point in time where I'll be able to declare that matter "resolved." Each individual has their own amount of 'investment' in the Borg - and corresponding amount of betrayal, grief and loss - if and when they manage to get out. I DO know that the quality of my day to day "life" has improved 149,339,9933,99483987498598345982395879283457295 times infinity Percent since I left. I am NOT exaggerating, either.

It will be interesting to see what others have to say in this thread, and thank you for bringing it up...

You rock! LOVE, laura

34

women, god and religion

by teejay in

jw
friends

i'm close to leaving this place, but before i go, i've been meaning to post this politically incorrect viewpoint.

it's an extension of a conversation i had with my mother in law not long ago, a conversation which was itself an extension of several extensions of thought that i've had over the years about a number of things.. simply put, there are two kinds of people in our world.

those that believe the bible and those that don't.

lauralisa

Um, Teejay,

Part of me wants to ask for someone to hold my hair as I lean over feeling heaves rise.

Part of me wants you to know that I've really "heard" you these past few weeks.... you have having intense conflict; you are missing so much what you think you remember about "unity and friendship and belonging and family and community and ethics"...

It is a dream we once thought we once had a dream about. If only it could be real..... hey, maybe it is real *whisper* maybe it is realllllllll

Whatever or wherever you lean, it's your choice and cool with moi. Just please scrutinize whether you are making an "informed" decision, no matter what.

L, lauralisa