4 years after being a JW

[Sammy420]

Is everyone excited for Christmas? Or are you not so into Christmas?
Some people celebrate, Some people don't.
I grew up not celebrating it until I was 16. Now I love the warmth of the family.
I grew up a JW. No birthdays, no Christmas, no "hanging out" after school, no college dreams or after school activities.. Just service, yes "going door to door", studying for baptism. I can't sleep without thinking Armageddon is going to happen tomorrow.. The thought of death terrifies me now since my mother told me I'd live forever on paradise earth. Reality hit me, and I went to the hospital. After I was out I saw the world really did have a lot to hide.. My small JW world lifted away once I saw how sad everyone was, secrets buried in congregations that authorities should know about. (We have our own "translated" bible named The New Worlds Translations) that is full of mistaken stories stolen from other older religions. I'm sorry but these people are making others mentally ill. Apparently 70% are mentally ill already (Like me). Seriously do some research about JW's and you'll double think before asking for a magazine..
I'm not sure if this post is allowed, but yea.. That's why I feel the love of my boyfriends family during Christmas

This post is not just about Christmas but is about my struggle breaking free from their ties.
Elders literally watched (or stalked) my father after he divorced my mom to prove he was eligible for scriptural divorce and which led to him to being disfellowed. (Which means they needed to see my dad with another women in order for my mother to remarry within our congregation)
Now if your a JW you may think that is a little far fetched but my grandfather is a head elder of what was my small 200 people Kingdom Hall in a little town, and apparently he liked to take things to the full extent.

Another thing I wasn't allowed to do was evolution in school, and most of my science! Yea.. My mother offered and I accepted her to do about 70% of my science courses my whole life (since I was homeschooled to keep me from "worldly people") now I realize since I am finally doing my upgrading at a nice local college that she probably did my science for me to hide the facts of life!
Now I'm not saying I'm into Scientology but it makes more sense than brain washing..

How to Recognize and Avoid Brainwashing: 13 Steps (with Pictures)- please read so you see what these cults do to poor and sometimes ill people.

 

[Laika]

Is everyone excited for Christmas? Or are you not so into Christmas?
Some people celebrate, Some people don't.
I grew up not celebrating it until I was 16. Now I love the warmth of the family.
I grew up a JW. No birthdays, no Christmas, no "hanging out" after school, no college dreams or after school activities.. Just service, yes "going door to door", studying for baptism. I can't sleep without thinking Armageddon is going to happen tomorrow.. The thought of death terrifies me now since my mother told me I'd live forever on paradise earth. Reality hit me, and I went to the hospital. After I was out I saw the world really did have a lot to hide.. My small JW world lifted away once I saw how sad everyone was, secrets buried in congregations that authorities should know about. (We have our own "translated" bible named The New Worlds Translations) that is full of mistaken stories stolen from other older religions. I'm sorry but these people are making others mentally ill. Apparently 70% are mentally ill already (Like me). Seriously do some research about JW's and you'll double think before asking for a magazine..
I'm not sure if this post is allowed, but yea.. That's why I feel the love of my boyfriends family during Christmas

This post is not just about Christmas but is about my struggle breaking free from their ties.
Elders literally watched (or stalked) my father after he divorced my mom to prove he was eligible for scriptural divorce and which led to him to being disfellowed. (Which means they needed to see my dad with another women in order for my mother to remarry within our congregation)
Now if your a JW you may think that is a little far fetched but my grandfather is a head elder of what was my small 200 people Kingdom Hall in a little town, and apparently he liked to take things to the full extent.

Another thing I wasn't allowed to do was evolution in school, and most of my science! Yea.. My mother offered and I accepted her to do about 70% of my science courses my whole life (since I was homeschooled to keep me from "worldly people") now I realize since I am finally doing my upgrading at a nice local college that she probably did my science for me to hide the facts of life!
Now I'm not saying I'm into Scientology but it makes more sense than brain washing..

How to Recognize and Avoid Brainwashing: 13 Steps (with Pictures)- please read so you see what these cults do to poor and sometimes ill people.

Hey Sammy,

I'm not a huge fan of Christmas as celebrating it feels hypocritical as a mildly anti-religious atheist and just a wasteful excuse to buy stuff. I'd love just not to celebrate it or just tone it down to having a big meal one day in December. but on the plus side it's nice for it to become "acceptable" to be nice to complete strangers once a year. I like the fact I can wish the people packing my shopping bags at the checkout a merry Christmas as its a little more humanising. That's something I like about Christmas.

I'm sorry to hear that your experiences with the JWs were so negative. I hope things are improving as you discover life outside of the church.

Merry Christmas. I hope it's a good one.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Is everyone excited for Christmas? Or are you not so into Christmas?
Some people celebrate, Some people don't.
I grew up not celebrating it until I was 16. Now I love the warmth of the family.
I grew up a JW. No birthdays, no Christmas, no "hanging out" after school, no college dreams or after school activities.. Just service, yes "going door to door", studying for baptism. I can't sleep without thinking Armageddon is going to happen tomorrow.. The thought of death terrifies me now since my mother told me I'd live forever on paradise earth. Reality hit me, and I went to the hospital. After I was out I saw the world really did have a lot to hide.. My small JW world lifted away once I saw how sad everyone was, secrets buried in congregations that authorities should know about. (We have our own "translated" bible named The New Worlds Translations) that is full of mistaken stories stolen from other older religions. I'm sorry but these people are making others mentally ill. Apparently 70% are mentally ill already (Like me). Seriously do some research about JW's and you'll double think before asking for a magazine..
I'm not sure if this post is allowed, but yea.. That's why I feel the love of my boyfriends family during Christmas

This post is not just about Christmas but is about my struggle breaking free from their ties.
Elders literally watched (or stalked) my father after he divorced my mom to prove he was eligible for scriptural divorce and which led to him to being disfellowed. (Which means they needed to see my dad with another women in order for my mother to remarry within our congregation)
Now if your a JW you may think that is a little far fetched but my grandfather is a head elder of what was my small 200 people Kingdom Hall in a little town, and apparently he liked to take things to the full extent.

Another thing I wasn't allowed to do was evolution in school, and most of my science! Yea.. My mother offered and I accepted her to do about 70% of my science courses my whole life (since I was homeschooled to keep me from "worldly people") now I realize since I am finally doing my upgrading at a nice local college that she probably did my science for me to hide the facts of life!
Now I'm not saying I'm into Scientology but it makes more sense than brain washing..

How to Recognize and Avoid Brainwashing: 13 Steps (with Pictures)- please read so you see what these cults do to poor and sometimes ill people.

We used to celebrate it as a family. Now it's very now and then as a family but always as a family. So Christmas is a holiday that means our coming together in communion to eat and laugh with our loved ones.

As for religious ties to it, my family and I are not Christian, so we see it as a holiday not a celebration of Christ's birth.

 

[ADigitalArtist]

As an atheist I still celebrate Christmas as a secular sort of Thanksgiving 2.0.
I studies with JWs for a long time too (never baptized) and I can say that most of the people at my congregation weren't happy people either. There was always an air of victimhood and conflict under the surface, and the pioneers I knew treated it more like a job, quota and all.
I finally left when a family hid their 'missing' sons whereabouts from their daughter because they were afraid she would 'tempt him away' during his struggles. So they let her believe he was still missing so she wouldn't talk to him. It was one of the most agregious examples of cults like isolationist behavior I've seen, and I realized it just wasn't a healthy place to be

 

[Rival]

This will be my first year not celebrating.

 

[Kirran]

Glad you're in a place where things are improving for you.

I don't bother with Christmas much. If I'd got the chance I'd have liked to go to the Christmas Midnight Mass at temple, but doesn't seem I'll be able so I won't do anything. My family's increasingly given up on Christmas the last few years.

If I was a capitalist or a Christian maybe I'd be more into it! Haha. But yeah, it's a great holiday for people who use it as a way to get together and be with family, or who really connect to God through it. Have a good time.

 

[savagewind]

Christmas is for one day without shopping. Oh, the irony!

 

[savagewind]

We're still technicallt waiting for Armageddon, anyway. Doesn't really matter what your Christian persuasion is.

*cough* Christian

What does it mean?

I am not waiting for Armageddon, not technically or otherwise.

I think I can see it. I imagine there are others, albeit too shy, who can also see it.
Maybe some people can see it, but they do not know it is Armageddon.

 

[savagewind]

You aren't A Christian?

What does cough Christian mean?

Do you say that if someone does not expect that Armageddon comes, she is not Christian? I think I can be considered Christian, technically.

 

[savagewind]

They teach that The Lord will come, but before the lord comes Armageddon comes.
I believe both are present and have been since the writing of Revelation.

 

[Sammy420]

As an atheist I still celebrate Christmas as a secular sort of Thanksgiving 2.0.
I studies with JWs for a long time too (never baptized) and I can say that most of the people at my congregation weren't happy people either. There was always an air of victimhood and conflict under the surface, and the pioneers I knew treated it more like a job, quota and all.
I finally left when a family hid their 'missing' sons whereabouts from their daughter because they were afraid she would 'tempt him away' during his struggles. So they let her believe he was still missing so she wouldn't talk to him. It was one of the most agregious examples of cults like isolationist behavior I've seen, and I realized it just wasn't a healthy place to be

Charles Taze Russell - Wikipedia
I left once I did some research on Charles (Founder) and found out who he really is..
Look at his marriage..
Look at his grave.. (Pyramid..)
The "Allegations of immoral conduct"
The miracle wheat.
And of course read the use of Masonic symbolism..