Help: Been Disfellowshipped for 6 Days

by weskerbouts 36 Replies latest jw experiences

  • weskerbouts
    weskerbouts

    Six days ago, on the 24th, the announcement was made. The prior 3 weeks were an 'interesting' time after having come forward about my sin (problem). (I have an addiction to pornography.) Before the announcement, I spent time with close friends and family (all JWs) and told them what was to come. I was almost sure that I would kick this, and I intend to still, and work towards reinstatement. But I came across jwfacts.com. Long story short, things are as you would imagine--scary. To me this is a matter of importance, for despite what the WTO does, I believe in a God named Jehovah, in His Son, and His Holy Spirit.

    I've prayed on the floor for direction, and there are times during the day when I still think of working towards reinstatment, forgetting what I read, just making a chouice. But this feeling of 'justice'(?) tells me I cannot given mostly the whole 1975 ordeal and the flip-flopping. Scripture indicates God does not work that way. What to do? I have wanted to get an education that I decided not to pursue due to strong influence from dear mentors and WTO's publications advocating trade schools instaed but I need first make things right. I know some here have had these experiences. I do not hate the GB of the WTO, but I do, at present, questions their claims to be 'God's spokesmen' and modern day 'Prophets'. I did have some doubt before baptism in 2005, but not enough to pull aside. I just dug in the literature and closed my ears to everything else and looked to the warmth, love, and encouragement of those around me.

    My immediate family with who I live with are not JWs. But I have come to them with some of the material and they say, "I don't know what to tell you." I understand that, but I am waiting for something. My father is an SDA. Their take on things intrigues me. They have a similar teaching with a no Hellfire, no immortality of the soul, they have a belief that sincere followers of God, from any denomination, will be possibly saved. I had a Chief in Navy Bootcamp tell me this... Whenever he was lost in life he looked around at what he had, not what he didn't, said he would work hardest on those. I think, maybe, my father who did not raise me and who came later in my life as an SDA was brought here for a reason, but again, I'm not sure. I am waiting for a 'sign'. One that speaks to me so clearly. I wonder should I give SDA church a try. I know they are very smiliar to JWs. I read that on jwfacts.

    What I need now is a miracle...

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice

    And the miracle is you!

    Welcome to reality. We all have our stories and have all come to the conclusion that the watchtower is NOT the one true religion it's a high control group.

    Nowhere in the Bible does it indicate that 3 men should make a desicion about you personal life. Nowher in the Bible is the disfellowshipping of the JWs described.

    These men have no authority over you or your life. Cast them off your shoulders. Refuse to recognize their self given authority. Do not recognize the self agrandizing watchtower.

    Take strength from your non JW family and live.

    Research here. Take your time and you'll see how unchristian the watchtower is.

    Keep strong we're all rooting for you. We do not judge you.

  • cofty
    cofty

    Welcome to JWN. Well done on finding JWfacts, you can't unknow what you have learned, there is no way back. Sorry, harsh but true.

    SDA would be out of the frying pan into the fire. Slow down, take a break, its like ending a relationship, its no time to go looking for somebody else on the rebound.

    I am waiting for a 'sign'. One that speaks to me so clearly.

    Then you will read whatever suits you into whatever random stuff happens next. You are vulnerable right now, let go of all religion for now and rebuild your life.

    I have wanted to get an education that I decided not to pursue due to strong influence from dear mentors and WTO's publications

    There is your answer. Get an education, make friends plan for a long future that will NOT include divine intervention

    As for you addiction to porn perhaps it will help once you form new relationships. Sex is like food, the only people who obsess about at gluttons and anoroxics.

    Best wishes

    Cofty

  • yknot
    yknot

    Glad you joined The SDA's are our distant cousins from Adventist Movement. So, you are a 'convert' Why and how did you come into the 'truth'? No, worries dear, you will kick your habit if you so desire (moderation) fastest way is by starting to date We all will happily dispel any beliefs in the GB as 'God's Channel' because it simply is a myth .... Huggles
  • losthobbit
    losthobbit

    Hi Weskerbouts

    Your eyes are opening to reality... this is just the beginning. I was never a Jehovah's Witness, so what I say may not be as important as what other people will have to say, but I have two suggestions which I think are very important, based on my own experiences:

    1. Study open mindedness... never stop learning by watching videos, and reading books.

    Watch this video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T69TOuqaqXI

    Read this book (Software for Your Brain - free download):

    http://www.schoolofthinking.org/software.pdf

    2. Regarding your addiction to porn... if you want to be free from your addiction, or just learn more about it, go to http://yourbrainonporn.com/ and watch the videos there. This is a non-religious, open minded / unbiased site, which doesn't actually have an opinion on whether porn is good or evil.

  • slimboyfat
    slimboyfat

    How did you manage to get disfellowshipped for that? Couldn't you just deny it?

    Whatever you choose to do, I hope and trust you will not regret the day you found out the truth about the Watchtower organization. What you choose to do with that information is up to you, but at least you have been empowered to make an informed choice. But my opinion, for what it is worth, is that this wicked organization is not worthy of causing you such psychological distress.

    Big thumbs up to JWfacts for providing the information.

  • LostGeneration
    LostGeneration

    The answer is to start from ground zero and read everything and anything that interests you. Test it all vigorously. Tell yourself you aren't going to believe anything for a period of time, you are just going to absorb it all without any preconceived judgements.

    In the end, you will probably consider your DFing a blessing in disguise. They have set you free! DFing doesn't work anymore, because they cannot control information anymore. People like you can now can test their claims from the comfort of their living room.

    Stories like this make me smile, less than a week away from a DFing announcement and a newly minted apostate starts to emerge. (aside from the pain you are suffering at this time, trust me, it passes quickly and I am sorry for anything you are going through right now).

  • Londo111
    Londo111

    Weskerbouts,

    Welcome to JWN. I'm sorry to hear about your disfellowshipping. I myself confessed to the elders and was disfellowshipped. I realized that something was not right, that Christianity was not being practiced in the organization, and especially in regard to disfellowshipping. You still have value in the eyes of God and Christ, they have not disfellowshipped you.

    My advice is to read Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom by Ray Franz. Also Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan. Read, read, read.

    Whether to seek reinstatement or not is a personal decision, but as you know, you can't help your friends that are still in from the outside (most likely they won't talk to you). If you do get back, then you can work on carefully freeing them.

  • diamondiiz
    diamondiiz

    Hello,

    SDA and WTS have same roots. Research and research some more. What you will discover will sadden you and probably make you angry but that's natural. I've been duped when I was young and naive, thinking that wts was the truth without knowing it's past and many hidden skeletons in its closet. 1975 was big but there are so many other dates that it's so sad that majority of witnesses don't have a clue about. Having no JW immediate family is a blessing, and getting DF probably is another one since it allowed you to look around more freely. Watchtower is hides what it is and you will do yourself a great benefit by researching what you've been taught, what wts use to teach and why they changed the teaching when they did. The amount of misinformation that their publication contain will make your jaw fall to the floor. WTS' entire past is out there in the open for everyone to see and that is why they discourage general witness population from looking outside of wts publications.

    Once you start researching you will want more and more knowledge which surely will take you in direction of examining the validity of the bible itself, did noah's flood really take place, where Jews really in Egypt and cross the Red sea with Moses, did Joshua really destroy the Canaanite cities as claimed and where did the Jews originate from.

    Take your time and search for knowledge as you get over the fear and guilt instilled in you by wts the publishing corporation.

  • jam
    jam

    Weaskerbouts: Here,s A suggestion. Set A goal, lets say

    six months. Read all you can on the various topics about

    JW,s here and I gaurantee you will be glad you were DF.

    Then pursue your education. You will be as happy and free

    as A turkey in A corn field. The DF was the best thing that

    could ever happen to you.

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