For Any Lurkers Thinking of Joining JWN (don't be scared)

Here are some good things to think about. (disclaimer: I have thrown in the occasional sarcastic barb for spice, but mean no disrespect...)

You are wanted here. Support is available. Apostates are not evil. They just left JW's in the same way they left their former church to join JW's. It didn't make us evil then, and it doesn't now. That is Lie #1 about apostates. Most are VERY good people.

Give some thought to your screen name. You might be a doubter today, and a believer or an apostate tomorrow. Either way, doubt is a transitional phase, not a surname. You might hate gays today, and be gay a year from now. Things change.

While Bethel probably wades over here on an approved computer from time to time, they do not track down most people, unless they post their full name and picture. Which is a pretty dumb thing to do. So don't do that, and you can post as freely and anonymously as you want, unless you are a kid still living at home, or have family living with you still in as a dub.

....so don't post anything too personal on here and you'll be fine. Use your name if you want, encode it, call yourself Gandalf, it doesn't matter. If it is a typical "Jeff", "John" or "Sue" type name, I doubt that will put you on the radar at all. There are plenty of JW's with your name.

You will see the occasional heated debate/flame war on politics or on something even more important, like the last episode of CSI. Don't be scared. If people's opinions offend you or you disagree with one particular poster, just be a grown up and ignore them. You aren't changing their mind, assuming they have one.... Post on other topics.

You can make the experience of being on JWN or other JW boards as positive or as negative as you want it to be. If someone doesn't like you, who cares? They don't even know what you look like or what you are doing other then typing in front of your computer at the moment. No sweat!

Share your story. Share your doubts. Be prepared to grow by accepting the fact that JW's are not the source of 100% truth. And that non JW's have some excellent takes on life and opinions as well. And that can possibly help you to figure a few things out.

Peace!

                You might hate gays today, and be gay a year from now. Things change.

                                                         You can turn Gay on JWN?..

                                                                                  ....................... ...OUTLAW

how do you think I got my new toaster oven?

lol

I would love someone from bethel to pop in and say hello.....come on bethel guys....lighten up a wee bit and hang with the "korah krew" for a bit

                     how do you think I got my new toaster oven?

                                             If you turn Gay on JWN..

                                             You get a Toaster Oven?..

                                                                              ....................... ...OUTLAW

Just to add to Jeff's thoughtful thoughts; everyone has a need to be heard. Your story and experiences count and are important. Even someone who feels that they don't have much to contribute to the discussion (like me), still has a story that is valid and relevant. Sign up, tell us about yourself. It may be just the release that you need to begin to take real steps towards recovery.

That's how I see it, anyway!

zoiks

Great thread!

It may be just the release that you need to begin to take real steps towards recovery.

So true, zoiks.

When I first started reading here, I felt alone.  Even though I had been df'd for about 14 years, the religion still had a hold.  Seeing people on here who had moved on, joked about it, helped me more than anything.

When you see yourself in someone else's words, it makes that person feel better when you acknowledge it.

This place sometimes feels like one big dysfunctional family to me.  We all kinda "grew up together", or more accurately share a common bond, especially those of us who were born in without a choice.  Our mother sucked! (the religion not our Mommies--well, some fo the Mommies sucked--I digress)

I had already rejected JW dogma, but I didn't "get it" until I read on Ronnies board and here.

I have, and continue to learn, a great deal about myself, even when I read the occasional political thread that gets me goin.... :)

Funny, Jeff.  Reading the bible, along with my memory of what THEY said the bible said............made my brain wake up.  It was still painful, cos my awakening hit all at once.  Nothing gradual about it.

Yeah lurkers, come on in and say hi...wait, how many posts do you need before you aren't considered a lurker?

"wait, how many posts do you need before you aren't considered a lurker?"

One.

transparentGreen, hi there!

Is  transparent or Green your first name? lol

Don't answer that. Just saying hi.... :)

But what if I wanna answer that

LOL! Then please, don't let me stop you....

"--->                                                 <---"

...and thats how I chose the name transparentGreen.  Not everyone appreciates the beauty of it, in fact most people don't even believe me that it is a color or even there.  Of course it could just be a defect in/on my monitor...

So that answers your asked but not asked question correct?

LOL

Yes, that answers my question.

Though color blind, it appears you have wit!