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Post by nolagtime on Apr 23, 2009 9:27:05 GMT -5
Born and raised, fourth generation, 95% of family on both sides are still in, my wife and I became discouraged approx 6 years ago when all the "hush hush" meetings and letters started up, and then our elder announced they would no longer be having meetings, and then a year later were active in a baptist church...I had great respect for them and it made me wonder. We moved to a new city and just never resumed going to meetings. The local workers tried a few times to visit but I think they realized we were "lost" and left us be. I was surprised by this too... they have no luck recruiting new, think they would try harder to protect their precious membership... guess it depends on how thick your envelope has been over the years. To sum up, out three years and my wife got more than a small taste of 'worldliness', and asked for a divorce, now two years since, and I have lost almost all contact with the friends other than my parents and close family. Surprisingly enough, my wifes family (still legally married although separated for two years) have been such hyprocrites through all of this - claim to be 'professing' yet have supported many 'wrong' actions over the last three years. I hear through the grapevine that the workers won't stay in their home now because they hide a TV (this cracks me up...why hide it - especially when the workers and friends all have internet and there are alot worse things on there if you let it happen).
I am Edmonton area now, wondering if any ex's - who were so wrongfully judged by man (workers), excommunicated, and shunned - are any of them meeting? The friends who used to be friends have gone out of their way more than a few times to steer clear of me, my kids, and our situation. This is saddening. As a supposedly 'saved people', you'd think they would try to share a little? Is this a true Christian attitude, I think not.
We faded out...did not make a big scene or issue of anything really, just stuck to ourselves. Since going through a nasty separation and pending divorce, my eyes have been opened and I have been left wondering... how can anyone claim they are the only true way? I even have a blood relative who had been in the work for over 35 years, who has 'written us off' - kind of evident when we are deleted from the email distribution list!
I could go on and on... found this site when not even looking, actually a friend of mine who is aware of my upbringing and the religion I was part of says to me the other day she is sure there is a site on facebook that is for 'single friends seeking mates' - and sure enough! Guess they are trying to keep the match making off the convention grounds now! It was on that site that I found this site mentioned.... wow!
Cheers!
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Post by Scott Ross on Apr 23, 2009 13:50:28 GMT -5
Howdy nolagtime,! could go on and on... found this site when not even looking, actually a friend of mine who is aware of my upbringing and the religion I was part of says to me the other day she is sure there is a site on facebook that is for 'single friends seeking mates' - and sure enough! Guess they are trying to keep the match making off the convention grounds now! It was on that site that I found this site mentioned.... wow!Welcome to the world of the TMB. Lots of reading here on the board for you to look at!!! Scott
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Post by someguy on Apr 23, 2009 14:49:06 GMT -5
Born and raised, fourth generation, 95% of family on both sides are still in, my wife and I became discouraged approx 6 years ago when all the "hush hush" meetings and letters started up, and then our elder announced they would no longer be having meetings, and then a year later were active in a baptist church...I had great respect for them and it made me wonder. We moved to a new city and just never resumed going to meetings. The local workers tried a few times to visit but I think they realized we were "lost" and left us be. I was surprised by this too... they have no luck recruiting new, think they would try harder to protect their precious membership... guess it depends on how thick your envelope has been over the years. To sum up, out three years and my wife got more than a small taste of 'worldliness', and asked for a divorce, now two years since, and I have lost almost all contact with the friends other than my parents and close family. Surprisingly enough, my wifes family (still legally married although separated for two years) have been such hyprocrites through all of this - claim to be 'professing' yet have supported many 'wrong' actions over the last three years. I hear through the grapevine that the workers won't stay in their home now because they hide a TV (this cracks me up...why hide it - especially when the workers and friends all have internet and there are alot worse things on there if you let it happen). I am Edmonton area now, wondering if any ex's - who were so wrongfully judged by man (workers), excommunicated, and shunned - are any of them meeting? The friends who used to be friends have gone out of their way more than a few times to steer clear of me, my kids, and our situation. This is saddening. As a supposedly 'saved people', you'd think they would try to share a little? Is this a true Christian attitude, I think not. We faded out...did not make a big scene or issue of anything really, just stuck to ourselves. Since going through a nasty separation and pending divorce, my eyes have been opened and I have been left wondering... how can anyone claim they are the only true way? I even have a blood relative who had been in the work for over 35 years, who has 'written us off' - kind of evident when we are deleted from the email distribution list! I could go on and on... found this site when not even looking, actually a friend of mine who is aware of my upbringing and the religion I was part of says to me the other day she is sure there is a site on facebook that is for 'single friends seeking mates' - and sure enough! Guess they are trying to keep the match making off the convention grounds now! It was on that site that I found this site mentioned.... wow! Cheers! welcome to the TMB. I hope you enjoy your stay. Thanks for a little bit about yourself. My hope is that you aren't cheering for Calgary and you are whole heartedly cheering on Vancouver.
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Post by Sylvestra on Apr 24, 2009 11:57:33 GMT -5
Welcome!
Have you had an opportunity to read any of the websites re: the F & W (friends and workers)? There are quite a few, and they were very, very helpful to me all those years ago when I left the meetings.
I look forward to your input on the threads!
Best regards, Edy
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Post by Redwing on Apr 24, 2009 15:05:48 GMT -5
Welcome!! Lots of help here on the board for ex's. as Edy has said, the other sites on F&W are helpful
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Post by ronhall on Apr 25, 2009 10:09:26 GMT -5
We had a similar situation some years ago when our Wednesday night meeting home was suddenly changed. In the new meeting home we sensed a adverse spirit, to the point that we really didn't feel comfortable attending that meeting. It was hard to put a finger on, to identify precisely, but the elder seemed to display an overbearing manner in conducting the meeting. We sensed this in the seating arrangement, his voice, his manner of speaking, etc. We blamed ourselves for being too picky on the little things and for a time decided it was our problem, not his and decided continue for a year without complaining to see if the situation would resolve itself.
Six or seven months later we were again reassigned to a different Wednesday night meeting. Not much was said about the elder and family of the earlier home so we didn't know the issue until many years later when visiting someone in a care facility I recognized another resident as the wife of that home. She had developed a problem with MS until she could no longer take care of herself. It turned out the basic problem was infidelity in marriage which resulted in lack of respect by the teen age children causing a spinning off of a host of other problems.
For ourselves, we learned how important a sincere and loving elder is. Had there not been a change, I don't think our attendance at that meeting would have continued. Hopefully your elder stepped down of his own accord soon after he realized his heart wasn't in the fellowship.
I know you are not me, but what I might do if I were in your situation would be to contact the workers where you live in Edmonton and ask for contact information of a meeting. I might find an entirely different spirit and situation to that I previously experienced. You might also as we did when reassigned to a different Wednesday night meeting.
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Post by CherieKropp on Apr 25, 2009 14:45:09 GMT -5
Here's a list of the websites mentioned above that you might want to take a look at. Were you aware that the 2x2 church is just 110 years old? That the founder was actually a man named William Irvine in 1897 in Ireland? www.tellingthetruth.info/home/links.php
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