Hello, I'm New Here

[Lavender]

Hi there folks! I wanted to let you know what brought me here, since I've never been associated with The Way.

I've found that certain groups of people can be a lot of fun even if I don't necessarily share a common background with them. I've been on various ex-JW boards for a little over a year now and heard about the fun people here from one of them.

I followed a link posted by Sudo on JWO and decided to try to get acquainted. I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses for over 30 years, with time off for bad behavior. :)-->

I have 2 wonderful children and one perfectly glorious grandson whom I just met last month in Canada. So life, to me, is now good.

I look forward to getting to know some of you as time passes and in the meantime I'll enjoy what you have to say to each other.

[coolchef1248 @adelphia.net]

hello lavender welcome

[Belle]

Glad to have you here, Lavender! We are a fun bunch and it's pretty uncanny the similarities between various spiritually abusive groups. Glad you're enjoying time off! :D-->

[smurfette]

Welcome Lavender! Have a seat and stay a while!

[lindyhopper]

Welcome Lavender,

This place can be interesting to say the least. As long as you don't pull a "Refiner", you should be in good shape. I actually really liked him.

So, start your story...you were raise JW?

[Lavender]

Hi you all, and thanks so much for your welcomes. You make the place sound even better than before.

Lol@Lindyhopper! :)--> I suppose he does have a reputation everywhere he goes. Hahaha.

But I'm nothing like that. Anyway, no, I was not raised a JW; I started studying at 16 and was baptized the same year. The young pioneer crowd totally enveloped me and I loved my new life!

Never could totally, fully, get into it though. Don't get me wrong, I "believed", was sure it was THE truth, of course. But so much of it always rubbed me the wrong way.

Just wish I had figured it out before spending over 30 years in a near-constant state of dis-ease (read dis-ease) over it! But I'm not bitter about it and am not necessarily sorry about who I married (tho subsequently divorced)...just glad to be free of the control and the unreality!

:)-->

[vickles]

Welcome, Lavender.

I was not sure how to respond remembering the last time we has some ex jw's here. It did not sit well with me at the time. But it appears that you are here as a person that is truly wanting to post with us in a good way.

I find exjw's intriguing because we all have so much in common. We were in a cult that is very similar.

So thanks for introducing yourself and hope that your experience here is a good one.

[dmiller]

Hey there Lavender. Welcome :)-->

Do you post on the JWO board?? Your name looks familiar, but I didn't see you listed over there. -->

I go to that site occassionally to see what's happening in that part of the world. We can get rowdy here (from time to time), but this here is a pretty tame site, compared to JWO.

Good to have you here. If you have any questions about our use of abbreviations or *way-speak* (such as wow, twi, pfal, etc.) -- just ask.

David

[dmiller]

woops -- mea culpa. :(-->

quote:

If you have any questions about our use of abbreviations or *way-speak* (such as wow, twi, pfal, etc.) -- just ask.

wow = word over the world;

twi = the way international; and

pfal = power for abundant living.

etc. = etcetera (a normal word!) :D-->

David

[dmiller]

quote:

I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses for over 30 years, with time off for bad behavior. :)-->

Ha!! We are all *dis-fellowshipped* as well (either voluntarily, or other-wise), from twi.

"Time off for bad behavior". Heh heh heh! I like it!

David

[Lavender]

Thanks for being willing to give me a chance, Vickles, I understand! I'm very broad in my acceptance of different types of people too, even though I might behave in a completely different manner than some of them.

And David, yes, I post occasionally over there, though it's not my main board. Quite the rough and tumble neighborhood, huh? LOL! But I'm "visitor1" there. Aren't I the imaginative one?? But I was literally afraid when I first went there! So I "hid" with that nondescript name. Hahaha. They've left me alone. No meanness yet.

I'm not disfellowshipped or even disassociated officially. Just not active for a couple of years now. And how I love the peace!

[Raf]

If nothing else, leaving the Watchtower cult does wonders for the health of your knuckles. :)-->

Lavender, I believe I hold the distinction of being the only person in the target demographic of both message boards. Yup, I am both ex-JW and ex-TWI.

I think I'll just become a Scientologist next and be done with it.

[Steve!]

So where's Lav's coffee, Raf?

[Lavender]

Raf, wow! Two all-controlling cults. You must be a very nice man, to put up with all that! Lol@Scientology! No, you have to become a Mormon next, and fill us all in.

So which was first? I'm guessing JW first, since you're here. But I believe I've addressed you over on another board once. Cool to see you here.

How long were you a dub? Tell me all about it!! I'm not sick of hearing it yet. Still too short a time out; and my kids are both active, so it's still a part of my life in a way.

:)-->

[vickles]

Wow, Raf, I didn't realize you were an ex jw!!!... Wow two cults...

[lindyhopper]

Double your pleasure

Double your fun

Double donations

with Double Cult Gum!

It quickly gets hard to chew and looses it's flavor, but you don't care because you like to blow bubbles.

You move your lips

your mouth

your toungue

you do the blowing

and you get to pull all the gum off your face when it POPs

LOL :P-->

[Nottawayfer]

Welcome Lavender! It is strange to me how similar JWs and Wayfers (a derrogatory name for people who fellowship in The Way) are. I recently hired a temporary in my office who is JW. I kept thinking to myself "I wonder if she's a wayfer." Anyway....we all got a story to tell, and it is wonderful to have discussion forums to talk about it--especially with those who understand it because they were in it also.

Raf, I think you should try Ba Hai' next. They are very benevolent people (except they aren't very gay friendly according to a previous thread here at the cafe).

[dmiller]

quote:

And David, yes, I post occasionally over there, though it's not my main board. Quite the rough and tumble neighborhood, huh? LOL! But I'm "visitor1" there.

Ahhh -- ok. :)--> I've seen your posts then. Yours is the voice of reason in most of those *discussions* -- I can see why it isn't your main board! You're not vindictive like most of them there.

Like I mentioned earlier, if you are curious about some of the abbreviations, and terms we use here at Greasespot -- just ask. Or else CHECK OUT THIS THREAD that defines many of the terms we use. :)-->

David

[moony3424]

My ex was JW before he was TWI (and "converted" his family).

[dmiller]

quote:

My ex was JW before he was TWI (and "converted" his family).

Moomy -- which cult did he convert them too? :D--> ;)--> :D-->

[waterbuffalo]

Lavendar, I love lavendar, the color and the plant.

Won't you have some peppermint espresso, my favorite, and set a spell? Welcome!