Posts by Robinhood

33

Scriptural rebuttal to disfellowshiping

by JG in

jw
friends

i was thinking that since most of you have experianced shunning due to disfelowshiping or disassociation, that you might have some ideas adn scriptures to show how df and da shunning is unscriptural.

the elders were gracious enough to provide my wife with a packet to show how df'ng is scriptural and gag loving.. sean.

Robinhood

I'm not sure about the scriptural viewpoint on this topic and how to disprove the JW's viewpoint.

However, have any of you ever thought about the fact that Jesus was an apostate (according to JW viewpoint)? He would have been DF'd for exposing the religious leaders of his day and telling others of their injustices to people..

The witnesses like living in their own little world and feel threatened by any who question that world. Those of us that question things threaten their security and they get stressed out. Rather than look and deal with the stress of questioning their beliefs, it's easier to get rid of the one questioning via (DF or DA).

I was a JW for 36+ years before I started questioning and thinking for myself. Whether the DFing belief is scriptural or not I don't care (not sure I even believe the Bible). The fact that it seperates families and causes pain makes me question whether it could be from God. After the things I've been through I don't even know at this point if God exsists. But if he does I as a parent keep thinking of a loving parent. I know I would not punish my daughter forever for anything she does wrong. I feel you have to look at the heart of the person to see truly. For example my brother is Gay. He was molested by a BROTHER (ELDER) who was studying with him. Did my brothers past experiences have something to do with his choices. I think so! He's DA'd and the elder that did it is still an Elder. Now back to my point. My brother is the best person you can be around. He is loving, kind, giving, funny, and a great person. Does his being GAY make him bad or evil? In my opinion...{{{{{{NO}}}}}}}} and I feel that a loving father or mother would have empathy or understanding for WHATEVER their children were going through and look at the circumstances. Now to clarify for some. I'm not condoning GROSS EVIL or WICKEDNESS. I just feel that as humans some of us make mistakes or make choices based on our history or events that take place in our lives and should not be shunned by a religion that is narrow minded, hard hearted and shallow. Only GOD can read the hearts! (if he exsists?) As you can see I'm still struggling w/religion post JW.

Sorry to go on forever but felt like I needed to respond.

Lady Marianne

22

Shunned & I don't seem to care. Can u relate?

by joeshmoe in

jw
friends

here's a concern... i've been shunned by my family for going on 3 months... and so what?

is it wrong that i don't seem to miss them?

i know that this can be painful for many and i wonder why it doesn't seem to bother me?

Robinhood

After reading everyone's posts I felt like I needed to share my experience. This will give you both veiwpoints/sides of the story and as you will see it comes full circle.

I was raised JW and I was pregnant with my daughter when my Mother took up smoking. The elders could never catch her but I knew it and after the urging, coaxing, etc. of my father in law (presiding overseer) decided that even if she wasn't df'd she was still unclean in God's eyes. Thus began 17 yrs of shunning my Mother. This was really hard for me because we were VERY CLOSE & she was my best friend growing up. We (my brother & I) were part of a single parent family. I always felt guilty and missed our relationship even as I continued the shunning. So you can see the pull the Borg have on people. I would take my daughter to see her every now and again but not enough that they could form a strong bond.

Fast forward 17 yrs. I began to have doubts about the organization and decided I could no longer be a part of something like that. The first thing on my list of things to do was to contact my MOM. We sat down and had a long talk. I told her that I wanted to apologize for shunning her all those years and not letting her get to know her granddaughter. Her response still touches me to this day:

She said, "It's okay sweetie. It was not your fault. You were only doing what that RELIGION told you to do." And that was it. NO hard feelings. She said religion with such disdain/hatred in her voice it wasn't even funny. Her anger was directed at the religion that promoted the shunning practice not me.

We have a wonderful relationship today. She also has a great relationship with her granddaughter who is getting married this coming spring to a Catholic. Our daughter is not a part of any religion and does not plan on becoming a part due to her experiences. Much the same as Robinhood & I.

My daughter is DF'd. And the same grandfather (presiding overseer) who gave me the advice about my MOM is now shunning his granddaughter. She is the only living relative / part of their son by the way. Their son (a JW) was killed as a result of an auto accident when she was 2 1/2 yrs old. He refused blood. The grandmother is also shunning her. This in my opinion is SAD. They are missing out on so much and will probably never see the "light" so to speak.

So like Scootergirl I've learned acceptance. Most JW's don't speak with me and shun me. But I accept that as what they have been taught. And until they see the error of their ways there is nothing I can do about it. I will not allow them to control my feelings. I can only feel guilt if I'm guilty. I have done nothing wrong. It's their problem.

Lady Marianne

11

Inactive JW attemps suicide........

by Robinhood in

jw
friends

hello my husband robinhood had been posting our story here and will continue soon!

however, something happened this week that brought out the anger and rage against the jw's with me and i really need to vent.

i guess i got a good look at how the borg is treating the people of sherwood.

Robinhood

Just so everyone knows his wife is also an inactive JW. There was no physical abuse, no adultry, no drugs, alcohol etc. Just too much of lifes problems. She has no grounds for divorce. He totally supported her. She has not worked for the last couple of years and this is part of the problem. She doesn't work anywhere not even at home.

She is an only child, totally spoiled, a whiner, doted on & a {{{{{{DRAMA QUEEN}}}}}} who will feed off of her husbands pain for years to come with all of the attention she gets.

They have a three fold cord marriage.......Him, Her and Her MOTHER!

By the way only children don't have to be spoiled because we have one that is a really hard worker and very responsible.

11

Inactive JW attemps suicide........

by Robinhood in

jw
friends

hello my husband robinhood had been posting our story here and will continue soon!

however, something happened this week that brought out the anger and rage against the jw's with me and i really need to vent.

i guess i got a good look at how the borg is treating the people of sherwood.

Robinhood

Hello my husband Robinhood had been posting our story here and will continue soon! However, something happened this week that brought out the anger and rage against the JW's with me and I really need to vent. I guess I got a good look at how the Borg is treating the people of Sherwood.

So I too will remain anonymous to protect my husband. (Although - I really could care less!!!!). For now I will be named Marianne (Get it??????)

Last week we got a call from a friend in the sheriff's office telling us that someone we knew had tried to commit suicide. We have known this person for 17 years and Robinhood has known him even longer. He used to work for RH (Robinhood). He is a really nice guy. It was hard to believe. We also found out that he was inactive like us. We did not know this because we had lost touch and did not want to stir the waters ...if you know what I mean????? We leave people alone if they leave us alone. If they want to remain a JW that is their choice......Just like not being one is MY CHOICE!

I too suffered from depression.. about 7 years ago. I felt suicidal and just happened to tell a worldly friend. They encouraged me to go to the doctor and seek help which I did fortunately.. I was put on antidepressants and saw a therapist. I am so thankful that I shared my feelings that day with this person. I shudder to think where I'd be right now if I'd sought help from the Borg. By the way I got off antidepressants 1.5 yrs ago..Yea! I'm happy again on my own! There are some wonderful things out there for us to experience and so many things to bring joy!

I've been reading the posts on here about JW and mental illness. I can't say they cause it .. BUTthey certainly do not help it. I also think people from dysfunctional families or people having a hard time are more drawn to JW's. Think of all the people you know. Most I've thought about have been contacted or love bombed during a hard time in their life. The JW's show up with ALL the answers. Paradise earth! God's Kingdom!

If you have a problem with depression they usually never tell you to seek a doctor's help, antidepressants or a therapist. Goodness... they may turn you away from the Borg! As my story here will show people.

Back to our friend. He was taken to the local hospital and evaluated. They deemed that he was not in a mental state to return home (thanks to his JW mother in law speaking to the doctor) they made a court order to send him to the State Hospital (mental facility) in the surrounding area. The local elders went to see him in the local hospital and the next day one of them followed him to the State Hospital. The second day he was in the State Hospital the one who followed him to the hospital went to see him..... Now keep in mind this person is depressed enough to attemptsuicide, feels like there is no hope, he's not worthy /good enough to continue living! He worked at a company for 13 years and the company decided to move out of the states for cheaper labor & more profit. He started a new job and his wife (whom I'll not BASH even though I want to very badly!) called his new job told them he was suffering depression and couldn't handle the job .. he was fired that day...the wife then called him and said she was divorcing him!.....What a day huh?????? How would a HEALTHTY PERSON react to all of this??? Much less someone who is battling depression???? That night he made the suicide attempt. That elder had the audacity to tell him that the reason he was having all these problems ............

WAS.......STANDARD WTBTS BULLSHIT! YOUR NOT GOING TO THE MEETINGS.....NOT ENOUGH PRAYER ETC. YOUR PROBLEMS ARE "YOUR" FAULT! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO DO.. NOW TELL ME.......!!!!!!!!! IS THAT WHAT SOMEONE WHO JUST ATTEMPTED SUICIDE NEEDS TO HEAR??? ISN'T THIS GUY FEELING ENOUGH GUILT, FEAR, ANGER, ANXIETY, FEELING OF WORTHLESSNESS, ETC. WITHOUT ADDING TO IT!

What type of degree or credentials do elders have to be giving councel to people with depression..Personally while I was going through my depression going to the meetings was the last thing I wanted to do... I felt like they were expecting too much from me! I just could not give anymore. My first husband died as a result of NO BLOOD TRANSFUSION!, I then pioneered with a child under 2 years old for a few years, remarried , I had to start working full time after marrying RH, he was so busy I had to take care of B - study with child. Not to mention other things.. I always tried to follow the Borgs suggestions (literally) and just got overwhelmed.. No matter how much I did it was not enough....I remember one of the last WT articles that pushed me over the edge. It said that unless you studied/prepaired for meetings for at least 2 hrs that (maybe) {{{{ I always liked their wording don't you'll?}}} you don't have an appreciation for Jehovah. Well I did not have 2hrs (nobody else does either) but I thought this is the last straw... It's just TOO MUCH. The people writing this DO NOT LIVE IN THE REAL WORLD! This does not even count all of the A--holes who would make smartass comments everytime you entered the KH. I got to the point I got MAD and started picking apart every magazine and every talk.. Then I started questioning....A religion shouldn't make people feel like that. I even hated God because of the way the Borg pictured him. I did not want a GOD like that... So more doubts / thoughts. Okay I've digressed from the story.. this is not about me.

We visited him and his family tonight. His father is a former elder who is now only attending meetings on Sundays...Depression. He was there for the corporate take over by the want to be Elders. Once we left they turned on him. The person who attempted suicide is a former Minsterial Servant.

By the way once Robinhood starts writing again he'll tell you all about the congregation they attend and the political backstabbing that went on in the elder body and how they basically ran us out of town. Yep! We were sent there to help by the CO and the local boys did not like it! I say political because once you start going to the congregation and politicing about your position in the hall.... that is what it is...right????

Our friend is home now with his family where he belongs and is trying to get help... The Borg however are on his tail and he FEARS they will try to come after him because of this and if they want to DF him he has the attempted suicide against him. He feels this on top of everything else on his shoulders. Like he does not have enough to worry about! It's such a shame! He also feels that the wife I mentioned earlier now has the upper hand against him and she (who is still going to meetings) & the borg have the deck stacked against him. He feels that talking to them will just set him back and make him feel worse. (NOTE: I don't have my bible here but what happened to the scripture the JW's use about the elders being a hiding place and a refreshment?????) Oh well, most of us KNOW how it really is! The elders always listen to the ones attending meetings! How could they lie or be dishonest? Afterall they are active JW's! :LOL:

Robinhood told him that he did not have to talk to them. Which I don't think he'll do. He has a long way to go to get healthy and we are going to keep in touch and be a REAL FRIEND to him during this process.

Just so you know - we went to their wedding and I KNOW his wife..from way back. So any statements I've made here regarding her have been nice.

Thanks for letting me VENT..

Marianne

Stay tuned for more LIFE stories in the BORG from Robinhood.

Edited by - Robinhood on 8 August 2002 7:58:42

Edited by - Robinhood on 8 August 2002 8:0:20

Edited by - Robinhood on 8 August 2002 9:9:11

2

My Story - continued......

by Robinhood in

jw
friends

oh by the way i do have and use a padded lift for my short leg which is concealed inside my shoe.

well on with the story.

the blessing of being the firstborn is that you are the experiment child because mom and dad are new at raising kids.

Robinhood

Oh by the way I Do have and use a padded lift for my short leg which is concealed inside my shoe. Well on with the story. The blessing of being the firstborn is that you are the experiment child because mom and dad are new at raising kids. My father and mother both believed in the belt, switch, clothes hangers, extension cords, bullwhip, and throwing coldwater in your face as the most forcefull way's of getting you to tow the line. There were no time out's. I remember the long walk's to the closet to get dad a belt. Of course I would select the shortest and skinniest belt I could find. And dad would say, '' That's not a belt, now go back and get me a real belt.'' And then it was crying time. Also you end up being the watchdog for your other sibling's. Your childhood is spent being the extra set of eye's, babysitter, nanny, diaper changer, all around caregiver. One of my mom's favorite line's was, Why were'nt you watching your brother? To be sarcastic and say, Oh gee mom I thought that was your job, would get you a slapped face. Also let me mention my father's lack of patience. With 4 kids that was in short supply. It became easier to yell at me, ''Look at it boy, Think about it boy, Look, Think, Look and Think! I honestly believe Dad picked up this skill from his Drill Sargent in the Navy. Dad did'nt want any dense headed children. Well the job I hold today pay's good and requires a lot of look and think. Actually I consider ''Look and Think to be the GREATEST GIFT he ever gave me. However, I started to think for myself a few years ago. I began to read and I discovered that I was a ''FREETHINKER'', I am no man's slave. And so we left the ''Watchtower Walls'' in 97. A Little more of boyhood day's. Sometime between fifth and sixth grade dad was mowing the lawn and he ran over some wire at which time shot into his leg like a bullet. Surgery and stitches followed and a brief layup from his work. Well mom and dad sat me down and explained that I would be going to work the next day with dad's brother/business partner. They needed me to go to work to help the family. And so off I went and nailed exterior house wall sheathing all day as my dad was a carpentar. Well a young lad has no calus on his hands to fall back on. Major blisters dudes. But they needed me has such a magnetic charge/pull. And as Oprah Winfrey say's, I became infected with the ''Please Disease''. Most JDUBS suffer from this also. The Please Disease is a common sympton of CoDependant Behavioral Problems. As a result of I went straight out of High School and ended up working for my dad for 20 years because the end was just right around the corner. Just a little background. Well here Comes my NO. 3 Arrow---------> as witnesses you are taught that if you do everything that is required of you then you will be bestowed with a measure of protection from Jehovah. But the flipside of that is that time and unforseen occurence befall us all. I have an expression ''EiITHER IT IS OR IT ISN'T ''. As a young lad I had a witness/friend named Randy whose father lost his life on the way home from work in an automobile accident. Randy's father Clifford was also father to a rather large litter of children of other brothers and sisters, regular at meetings and a good provider husband ect. This family suffered a major whammy. AND GOD WATCHED! Here comes my NO.4 Arrow---------> Remember the ''Hair Oil'', well I was greased every day and sent to school with all the other boy's who were sporting the dry look that came into style. Actually the Flag Salute Issue was a cake walk compared to all I had to endure because of my hair. My nicknames were ''Slick, Greaser''. I was forever ruffed up a bit by the other boy's and '' A SERVANT OF THE LORD IS NOT SUPPOSED TO FIGHT BACK ''. Well I endured all this ''persecution'' heaped upon Gods Servant's thru grade school, middle school and after my freshman year in high school. During the summer before entering as a sophmore back in high school I grew in size , height and muscle as I was mowing lawns. I also developed attitude. Well 3 fights later nobody messed with me. That was my last year to wear hair oil. My brother's were spared most of the grief I had to endure. Life Lesson Learned is this '' NEVER EVER GIVE ANYONE THE POWER TO CONTROL YOU''. I almost got killed in one of those fights, I still remember the dudes name. Nethel Ruthford. The other guy's nicknamed him ''Lethel Nethel'' , he was a tall dude with long arm's. He hit me so hard in the side of my face that it almost made me go down. I was so mad at being hit so hard that I caught him with 2 punches immediatly afterwards, he got a busted lip and a bloodied nose. When he saw the blood running down his face he just threw up his hands and said '' I Quit ''. If this guy had hit me just one more time in the face I would have been out cold. I had a no.2 talk that night in the theocratic ministry school scheduled. You guessed it, I was a no show as I had a black eye for serveral day's. I'm going to leave all my new friend's of Sherwood Forest with a thought for the day aimed at the Brooklyn Bullies/Watchtower Mafia. ------------> '' REAL TRUTH DOES NOT CHANGE AND CAN TAKE ANY AMOUNT OF PROBING THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT THE TRUTH''.

23

My Story Part 1

by Robinhood in

jw
friends

i chose to remain cloaked as to my true identity for now.

because the watchtower trolls who lurk here need to eat fresh meat.

i will not be a quick and easy disfellowship assignment for the local boys.

Robinhood

I chose to remain cloaked as to my true identity for now. WHY? Because the Watchtower Trolls who lurk here need to eat fresh meat. I will not be a quick and easy disfellowship assignment for the local boys. Brooklyn Bullies dig in for a long list of clues as to who I am. You thugs wronged me in another life and I am steamed about it all. Pay close attention to all my posts for clues. First of all I am a third generation Borg/witness, was an Elder for 7 years, was an Ministerial Servant for 7 years. My father is an Elder, two brothers are Elders, one of them being a Circut Overseer in a third World country, my sister is married to an elder. My father is a very important Figurehead in your Company/Organization, and his position will be revealed at a later time. Between myself and my wife we have been in 16 different congergations, as a old Circut Overseer said '' same old stories with different names.'' I am in my mid forties and we both left in 97. I have served as chairman at a Circut Assembly had Circut Assembly parts, ran food stands when we used to do all that kind of stuff. Not trying to brag or boast, but I WAS USED in other assignments as well. I don't want to give the hit/men too much information at once. My wife Regular Pioneered for almost 3 years prior to and a little after our being married. I Have tried to forgive and forget, and I DID up until the 78th time I feel. Now I am going to shoot my arrows of THE REAL TRUTH begining from my early boyhood day's. My grandfather was contacted by a woman who he refered to as ''Old Lady Reeves''. He accepted literature and began reading and was convinced he had found the answers to all life's problems. He would read every night after dark by the light coming from an oil lantern. He never became babtized, although my mother and grandmother did. Grandfather liked his wine a little too much and was an alcoholic. Our disfunctional family needed a security blanket and they found and accepted all the love bombing of the borganization. My dad married my mom and moved to Califorina, he did a 4 year stint in the navy, left the navy, studied, babtized, and I was born 1 year later the oldest of 4 children. Dad was a ball of fire who later became the Congergation Overseer in a predominantly black congergation. In fact there were only 4 white family's in the entire congeration. I Think that experience has honestly helped me from ever becoming prejudiced, one of the very few things that taught me anything. However I have too many witness friends telling racial joke's, Elders, Circuit Oveerseers and Pioneers and that is not right for anyone in the borginzation. Worldwide Brotherhood of Loving brothers and sisters practice what you preach. Remember that I said I became upset and left after the 78th time, as I relate our experiences I will number them. This being NO. 1. Here comes my NO. 2 arrow of being upset. When I was in the second grade I remember dad and mom having words about how mom had forgot the ''hair oil'' for all us little boy's heads and dad hops in the car with my little brother who was 2 years younger than me and me to get that precious hair oil. Well on the way back we were struck from the right by a car in a open intersection with no stop signs. As a result I was thrown to the windshield , I took serveral stitches to my forehead and my left leg was broken rather severely above the knee and below my hip. My younger brother also hit the windshield and was knocked out for 2 days. So we both took glass to the head, however I got to spend 6 months recovering in a body cast, had to use a bed pan to elinimate body waste, I had the start of gangreen devolope in my left heel as a result of the cast. A few more days in that cast and I would have been an amputee. As a result of dad tearing off in a huff, mad at mom, as it was saturday morning and we needed to be greased for field service, here is the rest of the story as Paul Harvey says. Two automobiles were totaled, both adult drivers suffered minor injuries, two small boys were seriously injured and as a result of this accident I have one leg that is about 3/4 inch longer than the other one resulting in a lifelong accompanyment of pain to my back and leg and I walk with a limp to this day. AND GOD WATCHED his servants get t-boned that morning!. I will try to shoot arrow NO.3 tomorrow. Thank's Randy for allowing us to vent!