Brother Jeramy, that fact that you empathised with this man's mistreatment and have felt moved to act means you are an upright and honest guy. Leaving the lie is going to be the making of you. I wish you every success as you walk the path of freedom.
A difficult yet necessary decision
by Brother Jeramy 59 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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punkofnice
There is little more I can say other than you are waking up or have woken up.
It is a weird place to be.
when I was waking up I thought that the WBT$ WAS the 'truth(tm)' but had lost it's way due to an 'apostate(tm)' Governing body. Now I know it is no more than a cult...and a very dangerous one at that.
Well done on making your stand. May you inspire many more to escape the slavery of a secular corporation pretending to be a religion.
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KateWild
Brother Jeramy,
It's so nice to see you really understand what a problem the policy of reinstatement is. I couldn't get reinstated either after five letters and 18 months of attending all meetings and doing all prep for meetings.
My daughter knew I was praying more than her so she left WT and talked to me.
Well done for being humble enough to admit the only way to effect change is to leave.
Kate xx
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jookbeard
makes you wonder why they went to all the time and effort with this new brochure, the R&F know the hoops that have to be jumped through to be reinstated , does the brochure deal with those who are DF/DA? if not than it is clearly a deceptive pointless waste of time, Jeramy and you new found pal have made a a brilliant decision to walk away, its worth it! -
My Name is of No Consequence
That disassociated young man is better off. Hopefully in the near future, he will realize that the elders did him a favor by not letting him back. -
Vidiot
The Searcher - "Why play by the wolves' rules?"
What he said.
x
Better to sneak out the back door when they're not looking (i.e. fade) than make a scene walking out the front; after all, all you'd be doing is giving them an opportunity to kick you in the ass on your way out.
Authoritarian regimes live to crush dissent. Why give them what they want on a silver platter?
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Brother Jeramy
I want to thank everyone for the positive responses and the extremely kind words, as well as the sober advice. I will certainly take my time to decompress and consider my steps moving forward.
Regarding my decision to leave, there is the option to fade or to write a formal letter of disassociation. I will weigh everyone's advice on both options. At present, I feel compelled to write a formal DA letter, though I am also seriously considering first sending letters to a number of brothers and sisters in my congregation and neighboring congregations sharing my experience and explaining my decision to leave. This is not to stir up trouble, but it is to tell the truth as an act of advocacy (and justice, for sure) for the young man. I look at it this way: if we Witnesses can go to the doors of strangers sharing religious ideas, then I have no problem sending letters to the postboxes of certain members of my congregation sharing my story. I have no illusions about the end result, but at the very least my letter will be seen, and like a bell that has been rung, it cannot be un-rung.
But again, this will take me some time. I should point out that I have absolutely no concern about losing social contact with the brothers and sisters I've loved for years.This may seem odd. But the fact is, I long ago came to terms with the fact that most friendships in the congregation (as in all JW congregations) are conditional. I have a small handful of very close friends, themselves all dissidents, who I know will remain in contact with me. I also have several very close friends who are not Jehovah's Witnesses who I see very regularly (they are people of deep faith and extraordinary Jesus-like compassion who I've learned much from over the years; a long story for another time).
I have no family in the congregation. It is a long story of traumatic loss that I do not care to go into. But suffice it to say that I am prepared for an exit, both in its social and emotional implications.
I find it also important to note that while I am experiencing an awakening shock to my conscience, my faith remains intact. It took me a long time to recognize that Jehovah and Jesus are not captive to any religious group, and only over the past few weeks has this reality fully sunk in. The "Truth" is not a brand that's manufactured and sold only by a single entity, as if under trademark. Christ didn't say "the Governing Body will be with you until the end of the age," he said HE would be with us until the end of the age. (Matthew 28:16-20). He didn't say all authority was to be found in a Bible or a Governing Body, but that all authority was given to HIM. Moreover, at Pentecost the disciples weren't given a Bible or a manual on how to start and operate a magazine publishing corporation, they were given the holy spirit. And finally, Jesus said his disciples would be identified, not by their theology or by their organizational structure, but by love.
Those small but simple details are what now sustain me as a person of faith.
More later. Again, I appreciate everyone's responses. It means a lot.
BROTHER JERAMY
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Blackfalcon98
So glad you've come to this conclusion.....and I envy your position to immediately exit this cult!
Warm Regards,
BF98
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wallsofjericho
that COBE might just be a douchebag. Perhaps another elder would have appealed to the CO about this guys reinstatement.
Just sayin.... I don't think he handled it the right way. Some elders are douchebags
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FayeDunaway
Jeramy, your words above are faith strengthening for me! Thank you.
I am so happy that you have contacts that are dissidents and will be faithful friends, as well as Christians not associated with the witnesses. I'll pray for strength for you to deal with the traumas in the weeks ahead. It won't be easy. But you are a person of fortitude. Your walls are strong, you will not easily be crumbled.