Comments on: The One Thing That Jehovah’s Witnesses Taught Me

By: Sally

Sally — Mon, 23 May 2016 05:58:51 +0000

I totally understand where you’re coming from. I’ve been baptized for over 20 years and have been inactive for the past three years. I came to my wit’s end when it comes to endlessly observing and experiencing hypocrisy, favoritism and the judgmental atmosphere in the congregation.

Jw’s have taught me also how to be lonely. If you are active in the congregation but not ‘titled’ an auxilliary pioneer, pioneer, etc then you won’t be invited into those groups because you’re not putting in enough hours each month. Another example here of favoritism. I have been inactive for the past 3 years and i still don’t know how to make friends.

By: Leona Hanneken

Leona Hanneken — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 18:49:47 +0000

Just keep aware of it. Put yourself around good hearted people. Not users, not takers but just want to be kind. get involved in charity

By: Leona Hanneken

Leona Hanneken — Sat, 23 Apr 2016 18:48:15 +0000

My husband left the jw’s 32 years ago, got a divorce, he is now 65. and moved on for the most part. physically moved on. the mental abuse is still there and its a lot of work keeping it in check. its a daily war. he was taught the wife is a slave, speak when spoken to, and the ignoring is a beast. we have had lots of issues due to me never being a jw. never will be. he does go through the anxiety of being alone, and making friends is hard for him. trust issues are huge. we have been married for 20 years, and yes divorce has been talked about due to his teaching of ignoring, blocking me out. but he is slowly becoming the man Jesus wanted him to be. we are both christians, he’s active in our non religious church. life is beginning to treat him better. never give up, just keep working at it, and keep in mind you were taught abusive things, its not your fault, its theirs. put it where it belongs and that’s on them, shame on them. you are a good person, stay being that good person.

By: CJ

CJ — Mon, 01 Feb 2016 20:43:18 +0000

You are aboslutely right. JW’s teach loneliness well. I too never fit in anywhere. Childhood was painful. There were no friends to be had at our hall and ‘worldly’ kids were taboo. As an adult, we had people over all the time and were noted for our hospitality, we did include the single sisters and we had basically an open door policy…if anyone wanted to come over at any time, they were welcome to. We often had people popping in at supper time unannounced and that was okay. The single sisters would come over and play scrabble or cards and have wine and laugh. Yet we were ALWAYS excluded from other JW families gatherings and would hear about it afterward. It was very painful. There was even a kids party and my son and I were the only ones excluded in several congregations because the organizing sister didn’t like my son, as he was better behaved than her son and she was jealous. THAT still hurts to this day. When we would go out in service, we would be stuck constantly with the undesirable people, the odd people, the elderly complainers. The elders and pioneers would take the fun people. It got to the point where we would show up really late so we wouldn’t have to take the sister who used WAY too much garlic and the one who didn’t speak much English yet again and the brother who took out his false teeth. Some of the people that were difficult actually were pretty nice if you got to know them, they were just odd. To this day, when I see one odd sister, maybe once every 2 or 3 yers, she races over to speak with me as no one else really ever bothered with her. Sad. I left the organization in 2011 and am happier now than I ever was, at least I’m not being under-whelmed at the lack of love by the congregation.

By: Adam knox

Adam knox — Sun, 31 Jan 2016 03:35:57 +0000

The watchtower society practices mind control promoted by their rock and founder who by the way has Freemason knights of Templar symbols on his headstone which is shaped like a pyramid. Jesus said the truth is in front of you to see. There it is…..

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Jan 2016 03:31:17 +0000

Alexandra,
I have been reading your blog and your story really struck me.
Would love to know more about the way you overcame loneliness.

By: mywrtchdnss

mywrtchdnss — Sat, 09 Jan 2016 03:28:06 +0000

You’re welcome. I do not mean it seems like hell because of suffering. I mean it seems like hell because it is so unnatural. It’s WEIRD and it does not seem real.
I think you have a lot of patience. Patience is something real. Love is real. Wisdom is real. Anger is real. Hope is real. Happiness is real. Truth is real. I think that it is true people should talk to one another and not just talk to people who think the same way. That is weird.
I think you should send some of your essays to newspapers. You write well and I wonder if you are college educated? By the way, in some instance f*ck seems to be the perfect word. I do not know why.

By: Alexandra James

Alexandra James — Sat, 09 Jan 2016 01:12:38 +0000

My personal blog posts are a bit buried on my page, they’re not the most important part of what I write so I think a lot of people don’t find them. I also think people agree but don’t know what to say. Some people are very lucky to have gotten out with a spouse or to have other family that were out, but others have had it a lot worse than me. We even have Facebook groups set up as suicide memorials for some who just couldn’t cope with the abuses and emotional pain they’ve felt.

I just got done watching a video of a little boy in Syria asking a journalist for food. I have a roof over my head, steady employment, a few dollars in the bank, food in the kitchen, a car, and no bombs going off outside. I don’t mind expressing what the religion did to me but don’t like to complain too much either. Thank you again for your kind words.

By: mywrtchdnss

mywrtchdnss — Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:28:49 +0000

Now I can see it was ten months ago or more that you wrote this. Wrote well, I might add.
I think it is so strange that there is nobody else who has commented on your loneliness.
I know why people won’t make comments to me. It is because I am NUTS. I do not blame them. But you Alexandra are normal and smart. So maybe this is hell. What do you think?

By: mywrtchdnss

mywrtchdnss — Sat, 09 Jan 2016 00:22:34 +0000

Is Faruq replying to the wrong essay?

Anyway, I understand the loneliness that is learned at the Kingdom Hall. I’ve seen more than my share of it. JWs are kept so busy and fearful that no real friends can be found there. I think what you wrote, Alexandra, is not exaggerated. Please know that I want to be with you through your tribulations. if I could I would.