thehappygoat wrote:
Two of my nephews got baptized at 8 frickin years old!  You know how everyone claps while the condemned file out to change into their very modest bathing suits?  When my nephew started walking out, he practically got a standing ovation!  Seriously.  I was screaming inside "NOOOOO!"  And sure enough, he is all of 22 now, having suffered through alcoholism and drug abuse and now has a baby.  And of course, since he has been completely shunned by my brother and SIL, he has had to go through everything alone.smiley: frown

So you're right, it should be illegal.  Tell us more about your story sometime.  How did you make it on your own?  And are you going back now to live?  Details, details.

Ya 8 is too young... at that age you're just trying to live up to Mom and Dad's dream... and it's shitty that once you realize that it IS just a dream they cut you off so that they can keep dreaming. Some people need to wake up! Awake! haha...

It's too bad for your nephew... Have you been able to lend him a hand or some wise words? Having someone to talk to can be such a turning point in someone's life. I know that for me it was...

At first it was pretty tough on my own. I was pretty naive, had feelings of anger and helplessness, I didn't think I could do anything... I felt behind on every level too...and in a lot of ways I was (education, socially, street smarts). It was a frustrating and often lonely learning process for the first part.

Soon enough though an amazing couple and me met... they essentially took me under their wing as an adopted family member! The wisdom they gave me is something I truly wish I could share to all the brave souls that left... They didn't judge feelings as good or bad... they didn't tell anyone they should be a certain way or think a certain way... They encouraged only to take an honest look inside and to be true to that.

I was lucky to find this kind of unconditional love like I had NEVER experienced in the organization. These fantastic "worldly" people saved me from the tapes of fear that still played in my mind... I was able to see the world as it is... Beautiful, ChAotiC, dark, light, loving, hateful, pure & filthy... and to accept it instead of fear or judge it.

Radical Acceptance and TRULY Unconditional Love pulled me out of the insanity...the knowledge that these qualities exist outside of the "organization". Meeting people who weren't part of ANY religion yet still showed incredible moral/ spiritual strength was what ultimately KILLED the lingering belief in the JW's idea of "Truth".

I'm only going home for a visit and I'll be spending the most part with friends (nonJws) but a visit with the parents is in the plans and it's not something I'm too excited about... who wants to be rejected anyways? Ughhh... More on that later.


~~~~~

Thanks Cacky *starts list for shower gifts :P Gosh, I googled the NGO issue and the oh-so-mighty organization played dumb! "Oh we didn't know we were necking with "the Beast" ...we thought we could just use them and not give anything back".  They got caught with their pants down. Bad Borg! Bad, Bad BORG!