I Have Been Waiting For Something Like This For Sooo Long!
I was really excited to discover the early stages of a new documentary: Losing My Religion, which I found on VirusHead's blog.
You can view the early trailer here: it's about time, already.
This is a documentary in the works by Stephan McGuire about former Jehovah's Witnesses who are coming into the real world after having been kicked out of the cult. I wish to the high heavens that I had something like this to get hold of when I was first out. I was so afraid and alone. Coming out of the JWs, you have no friends out in the "world". You're taught to shun them. So when everyone in your congregation suddenly starts acting like they can't see you standing right in front of them--well, traumatic doesn't begin to describe it.
I've known former witnesses who've passed out trying to go from the parking lot to the church door. Witnesses are three times more likely to have to be treated for mental illnesses than all other religions. We know all about psychological duress. Those of us who are mentally strong enough to stay out often don't tell people our story. People give you weird looks and think you're probably screwed up in the head for life. Hell, maybe we are.
But they usually end up saying, "Hey, you should write a book about your story." Stephan McGuire finally decided to make a film about his. I think he will be including testimonials in his film. I'd love to share my story, if for no other reason than to bravely declare to myself and the world who cares to watch that I'm through with them and they have no more hold over my life. But I'll support the producer in whatever way I can. And that includes getting out the word.
It's probably obvious how much this means to me, but I'll say it again: THANK YOU Stephan McGuire!
Link him to your blog if you have an interest, or visit his site.
In other news, the very first ever Morgantown Ex-JW Meetup is scheduled to meet Saturday Sept. 9 at 5 pm at the Blue Moose Cafe! Whoo-hoo!! Yours truly is the Organizer (big gulp), and I have no clue what I/we're in for. But I'm sure it'll be fun. Email me if you need directions. Thanks to mad dog for sending somebody my way. Delurk if you want to--if you don't that's fine too. So far we have three members (counting me)! The link is in my sidebar.
I think it's a powerful statement to make just by showing up or supporting it. Plus, there is "trade talk" and whatnot that only we understand, so it's good to have people around you who know what it's like on the inside. I'm considering letting spouses/significant others sit in, as they have to live with us and might as well try to understand where we're coming from. I'm still on the fence about letting JWs who are still in the cult come and sit in though. If they're questioning...maybe. I don't want to turn the group into a debate forum. It wouldn't be fair to the JWs. :D
--Virgil
posted by contemplator at Thursday, August 03, 2006
2 Comments:
-A heads up on the Jehovah Witness-
There is no Armageddon that will annihilate 6.5 billion people,and install Watchtower leaders as world rulers.
The core dogma of the Watchtower organization is that Jesus had his second coming 'invisibly' in the year 1914.Their entire doctrinal superstructure is built on this falsehood.
Jehovah's Witnesses door to door recruitment is by their own admission an ineffective tactic. They have lost membership in all countries with major Internet access because their false doctrines and harmful practices are exposed on the modern information superhighway.
There is good and valid reasons why there is such an outrage against the Watchtower for misleading millions of followers.Many have invested everything in the 'imminent' apocalyptic promises of the Jehovah's Witnesses and have died broken and beaten.
Every Jehovah's Witness member will grow old and die just like everyone else.
----
Danny Haszard Bangor Maine 'expert witness on the Jehovah's Witness'
Thanks for the link. Have you seen the other JW-related pages?
I'm excited about the documentary too, especially because the emphasis is on how people have found ways to rediscover their own paths (and sanity, and thriving) after escaping the orbit of the controlling psychology of the JWs. Most JWs are decent people just trying to do what they believe God wants. Unfortunately, they all but worship the Brooklyn cabal and its publishing empire, and this was the fundamental mistake.
For an ex-JW, what makes the difference between the common psychological self-destruct, or thriving?
Reading, curiosity, maintaining the bits that are still valuable to you while rejecting those that are unethical, misguided, etc. Understanding how the psychological control works, and giving yourself permission to be responsible for yourself rather than as a child-slave to a corporation. Finding higher ground in compassion and caring for all, not just JWs (witnessing is argued as a form of caring, but I'm talking about the most generally-understood definition).
I think the documentary will show the destructive effects of the "organization" that calls itself "the truth" - but at the same time it will model some positive possibilities and alternatives for navigating the post-JW terrain that I haven't seen in other films.
Contact them if you have some thoughts on that from your experience!
(Also, I have to wave to the unquenchable Danny Haszard, who is almost always the first to the scene on any post or news item regarding JWs.)
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