yep.....after 22 years, 19 of which i kept "hidden"...... i finally quit smoking!.
my last butt was on the way to work on monday, valentines day.
i remember saying to gwen i might bum a couple smokes off her cuz i didnt want to buy a pack and not finish it...i never did.
Harold,
I'm so very proud of you too. I admire your strength and your willpower. Give me some, will ya?
I love you very much,
gwen
P.S. When did you get to 1900 posts?? !!!! I'll have to race and catch up to ya! Better yet, to beat ya so I can sing ne ner ne ner ne ner!
i am home today and tomorrow per doctor's orders and i was shocked that of all days, today two jws knocked at my door for the first time in almost 4 years.
they will be back on saturday morning at 10 o'clock.
to you all here, both non and ex jws, and to any lurking jws, i ask the question... what is the difference between a servant of jehovah and a disciple of christ, if any at all?
Hi all!
I am home today and tomorrow per doctor's orders and I was shocked that of all days, today two JWs knocked at my door for the first time in almost 4 years. They will be back on Saturday morning at 10 o'clock.
To you all here, both non and ex JWs, and to any lurking JWs, I ask the question... what is the difference between a servant of Jehovah and a disciple of Christ, if any at all?
Meanwhile I will be searching my new WT cd to see what the answer to the the question would be from the WTS INC. of NY,USA, and preparing what to give to the two JWs who will come back. Because if I have noticed anything inparticular of JWs on the internet, they don't give the same answers that their fellow human "faithful and discreet slave" would give to questions. Which leads me to believe that the the WTS's followers never actually absorb or are not paying attention to what their human leaders teach them. Which is probably why their human leaders tell them to direct others to the organization right from initial contact with outsiders and/or householders because JWs MAY BE ABLE TO LOCATE SCRIPTURES and explain fundemental JW doctrine, but that's about it. And that EVWERYTHING THE JWS HAVE LEARNED HAS BEEN FROM THE ORGANIZATION, not the BIBLE. The JWs at my door did just that by never opening up the Bible that I could see int her book bag, but opening a Watchtower brochure instead. This makes a big difference from when the WTS INC discribed it own followers as BIBLE CHAMPIONS, back in the 70s or 80s.
peace,
gwen
many of the people on this site say that they are apostates.
but that is not the way i feel about myself.. i am not angry with the "witnesses" or the organisation, i don't feel that i wasted my life.
i just think that i was stupid to believe it for 30 years (well sort of believe it, i did have severe doubts on and off).
I fell like I am an apostate of the WT organization because I have apostated from it.
I don't feel like I am an aposte of God because I haven't aposted from God.
The problem with the WT organization and just about all it's followers cannot differenciate the two. The Organization IS GOD to most all JWs.
If that were not true, then the JWs would not say that those who leave the organization even by disassocating from it have "left Jehovah". But because the organization teaches such a thing about those who leave it, then it's followers repeat it and believe it.
pictures will update once a minute.. .
you may have to "refresh" to get the current picture.. .
it started around 3:30 pm 1.22.2005 today.. .
Waving hi to orangefatcat and sending hugs and kisses too! And thank you very much for the Christmas card! I hope all is well with you and hoping that you had wonderful holidays along with all the rest of the days of the year.
And hello to all here too!
Love,
gwen
i have a daughter and son-in-law who are in a j.w.
bible study, thanks to my sister-in-law.
i have been researching the w.t.
Hubert,
From what you have told us, it is too late to "talk" to them. ANYTHING you say that in any way even suggests that the JWism even could stand a chance of being wrong about ANYTHING will cause your daughter to cut out all communication with you and your wife very soon. I'm surprised that they even celbrate holidays with you and I'm absolutely sure that nobody in the JW congregation knows that they do becuase they keep that to themselves. And I don't think you understand what the WT teaches it's followers ( JWs) about the Catholic relgion spacifically. PLEASE, and I am begging you to talk to Bob Pardon. Get in touch with him, or send him just what you have posted here so that he understands your situation. believe me, as you said, not many people are educated at all about JWism because they do not know too much about the sect. Even parents of rebellious teens have been grateful for sects such as the JW sect. Only when it is too late did they realize that their children, even when grown have gone from the fire to the frying pan. Only those who have been involved, usually for years INSIDE the walls of the JW sect can tell you how it destroyes the family unite so bad that it is heartbreaking. Some adults have PARENTS who are in it and they miss their parents so badly. They regret even trying to talk to their parents about it, because it caused all contect to cease. You have a granchild too. so that makes it even more heartbreaking. I don't even know where to start but to say that it doesn't matter if young or old or educated, ANYONE can fall victim to cults.
So PLEASE, either make a phone call to Bob and you can tell him I told you to call, (My name is Gwen Wallace) or write to him. He will correspond to you my mail of phone. He is located in in Lakeville MA and has helped many people who are in cults, or that have family members in cults INCLUDING the JW cult.
If you wish to contact him by e-mail and forward your post on this board to him, his address is [email protected].
You can read a little about him and his wife Judy ( who is very sick right now so you might not hear from her) by doing a search on google about Bob and Judy Pardon. They hold group sessions that have helped both harold and I immensely. They have helped him as newly trying to exit JWism mentally, and myself too even though I left JWism over 25 years ago. It's harder to exit cultsmentally, than phsically. That is why so many stay. For they cannot handle it mentally, even if doubts eat away at them. Bob and Judy will help any way they can. the group sessions are only for those who WANT to attend. Their is no ostricsim by any means for those who don't want to. It's just added support for those who think they can benefit by it. And I'm telling you this because at first, I was worried that I was going to be involved in another cult if I atteneded. I was afraid of getting sucked into something! Now I know better. :-)
http://www.excultworld.com/interviews/Pardons.htm
peace,
gwen
the final chapter, part nine, the journey home.
part 8 was posted on 21-apr-02 and since then allot has happened.
i moved in with my parents on december 8th, 2001. my whole family was glad to have me back in their lives.
My Harold,
WOO HOO!!!!!
It sure was a long journey home for you and I'm happy that I was able to be here for you during it.
I'm so looking forward to the day i can proudly say, "This is my husband, Harold"
As soon as I feel better, you and I are going to have a real celebration !!!!
I love you,
gwen
how sorry i was to hear from dansk-he is going through a very difficult time.. i would like all prayers, thoughts, please keep this in mind ____ for me!!!!.
the sad news he has cancer.it is lymphoma!!!
they are waiting on the results of the biopsy before determining treatment..... he didnt want me to say anything at first- as he feels you all have your own problems & he didnt want to upset anyone-because he says "they are dear friends".
(((((((((((((Ian)))))))))))))))))
Our thoughts and prayers are with you, and your family.
Love,
somebody and zev/gwen and harold
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i miss mike on here.
he is one of my favorites on this board.. ken p.
Thank you for keeping us informed, Christina.
We wish Mike a quick recovery and hope he'll be back soon!
Wishing you all well,
somebody and zev
.
.
zev---of the ran out of posting limits klass
zev---of the ran out of posting limits klass
so create one.
what would be your philosophy?
doctrines?
Blackman,
I think you should forward your questions to professionals who have succeeded on starting their very own sect and found a way to legally call their own sect a "relgion". They can probably give you their way of gaining and keeping their very own followers using the usual different [strikeout]scare tactics[/strike] doctrines that all cults leaders do. And if you succeeed, your sect could become woth muti-millions of dollars! They can teach you how to abuse the Holy Bible to accomplish starting your very own sect. So to ask professionals, mail your questions to the following address:
Watchtower
25 Columbia Heights
Brooklyn, NY 11201-2483
I must add that their own sect was started by C.T.Russell having an independent bible sutudy, something they warn against in their publications now so that nobody else will do the same. Afterall, that might lead to them losing $$$, and someone else gaining $$.
LOL @ Englishman. Whatever happened to Cygnus97 anyway? Have you heard form him?
peace,
somebody/gwen
