Any other reason than the arbitrary explanation that you were brainwashed or seduced by a millenarianist doomsday cult?
Why did you become one of Jehovah's Witnesses?
by Celestial 53 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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leavingwt
I was 10 years old and I didn't have a choice.
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Knowsnothing
I was 10 years old and it was all I knew. Every other religion I had been exposed to had been thoroughly debunked as false. There was also JW peer pressure, and it was argued that it was better for me to get baptised then, before Armaggedon came.
It just took a little longer to see that this religion's claims are just as unfounded as all the others.
BTW Celestial, I sent you a private message on the congregation that marked a kid for having worldy friends. I hope you got it.
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Celestial
I was 10 years old and I didn't have a choice.
I was a born-in. I was hoping to hear from those that weren't.
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yknot
A lot of us are 'born or raised' on this site.
For those who convert it is always based on an emotional response to wanting a relationship or going through a moment of personal crisis.
I am a born-in.
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Tater-T
I was raised in till, Dad was df'd for smoking.. then we all got to go through Jr high and High school worldly.. Drinking age was 19 in Idaho back then.. so I was Drinking and doing drugs(pot) at 15.. my older sister got into coke and moved to Hawaii.. her life fell apart .. and JW's Knocked on her door.. she moved back home right after I graduated HS.. I was missing the group actives HS provided. she showed me the 7 times and 1914 and got me to study... was baptised in 6months, was a very zealous JW..
Then it was a horror story being in the Congragation.. I moved to Palm Springs.. it was the same... got Df'd and figured I could make it through Armegedon on my own .. 23 years later I looked at JWN .. I thank my good senses i didn't stick it out .. whew!!! what a relief
TT
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yknot
The most common are 'to get the girl' reasons
Then there are the 'they showed up at the door after a prayful plea'
The 'knew a JW from work, neighborhood' and 'love bombed into the Org'
Suffered a loss, JWs gave a reason
Appeal of uberfying conformist in a world post 1960s sexual revolution (these usually joined between 1966-1985)
People moments where they are susceptible to influence and away we run with them if they eagerly follow along with a study and are willing to do FS.
My mom joined because she found the girl who offered her a bible study to be wholesome and sweet (mom was 19 I think)
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exwhyzee
Mom and Dad brought us to this country (U.S.) so we would have better opportunities for education and jobs. They had no friends of family here when they arrived. Mom was called on at the door by some friendly ladies who offered to visit her every week and study the Bible. Dad threw a fit....didn't want anytning to do with it. The ladies convinced her that Satan was working through him and also convinced her that he could be won without a word. SLAM went the door on all our supposed opportunities! No Christimas, No Birthdays, No School dances, No Sports, No College.......meetings meetings meetings.....Saturday Field Service, Bible Literature coming out our ears, childhood was spoiled with fears of God destroying our unbelieving father and school friends and global destruction....sitting for days on end listening to Bible Lectures filled with now obsolete information that has been replaced with new light and they reminded us about how bad everyone else in the world is and how happy we are.
Why do you ask?
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wha happened?
It made sense to me at the time. I was 23 in 1987. No internet to research their stuff other than hitting the library which I did.
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Amelia Ashton
Because I was so f*cking gullible and desperate and struggling and alone and my life was sh*t and they said if I joined them God would make it better.
So, back to square one but without the gullible bit now.