Welcome, Marion. I read your post after I posted. I was also a lifelong JW, from the age of 4. I read C of C in 1997. Reading that book was the final brick in the wall for me. I refused to ever go back. It ended our "slow fade" and I no longer saw them as anything worthwhile.
My JW friend just read Crisis of Conscience!!
by fullofdoubtnow 41 Replies latest jw friends
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fullofdoubtnow
Thankyou everyone for all your messages of support. Marion has gone home now, she stayed quite a bit longer than she anticipated, and she was overwhelmed by the many replies she got from you all. She will most likely be back tomorrow, and I imagine quite often in the next few weeks, so between us we will be able to keep you updated with her situation. She is, understandably, a little fragile at the moment, and apprehensive about what the next few weeks and months may bring, but she knows that she can rely on the support of Trev and myself whenever she needs it, and, after tonight, the people on this Forum. Believe me, that means a great deal to her, far more than she could put into words tonight.
She has been a close friend of mine for many years, and I know that she is a courageous lady. It took courage to defy the shunning rule and contact us in the first place, courage to look at this site and others, courage to read COC, a taboo book for any jw, and even more courage to admit, first to herself, then others, that the organisation she has been part of all her life isn't, and never has been, the truth. She will need to display the same courage, perhaps even more so, in the ensuing months, but I know that she can do it, and being here will certainly help, so my friends, than you all once again.
love
Linda xxxx
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poppers
fullofdoubtnow,
What a true friend you are. Marion is lucky to have you in her life. -
serendipity
Welcome Marion!
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Es
Thats fantastic fullofdoubtnow, you must be so happy, i so wish i could do that for a few friends and family
I wish Marion all the best and will welcome with open arms and be there to help and support in any way i can
es
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whtdoro
I also was in my fifties when I discovered that I had spent my childhood and whole life in being fooled by the falsehoods fed to me in that organization. I love my freedom and I love God as I never knew him before. Keep searching Marion, true Christianity is wonderful.
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Dansk
Hi Linda, Hi Marion,
I admire your courage, Marion. After all those years as a JW it can't be easy for you to question what you once thought was sacrosanct - as we all did!
It isn't pleasant finding you have been lied to for years and you could feel that you have wasted your life. Believe me, you haven't! You have many good values, have undoubtedly helped numerous people and now have a tremendous experience of being in a cult. You are equipped to help thousands of others and you can start right here!
Please don't waste your time speaking to the elders. We know from experience here that they just won't take on board what you say. They may appear to, then go away and come back with more rubbish. I told two elders who visited me from the outset that I didn't want any more elders calling at my house. They haven't been back and I have never been disfellowshipped - not that I could give a jot! My wife and I were marked but found that some JWs wanted to talk to us, including elders, and others didn't. It's been around 4 years now and coming here was the best thing we ever did!
Claire (my wife) and I wish you well on your journey. You are now amongst TRUE friends!
Love,
Ian& Claire
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Dansk
BTT
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moomanchu
Marion,
Don't believe you wasted those years of your life I don't want this to sound cliche but,
God works all things together for good, who knows what he has in store for you (or me)
I really believe this, I have to believe this.
Your story is touching welcome
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thaisun
This is my first entry on the net answering anything on the JW subject as I find many of the things written are tasteless and hurtful towards sincere JWs. But my heart took off when I read your story Marion, and I just could not wait to add my two pennyworth! Bless you for your courage in reading COC and acting on it and bless your dear friend. You are in good company as you can see from the entries from all the great folk who have responded with their heartbreaking but encouraging stories. My husband and I have been free now from the Organisation since 1990. He being brought up a witness from the age of 9yrs and in it for 40 years and I a convert at the age of 20; in it for 30yrs. I was a regular pioneer and then a special pioneer going on to Gilead in 1966. From there I was assigned to Peru as a missionary. Due to severe health problems I stayed only three years and was hospitalized on my return to England. My husband (then my fiancé) was due to go to Gilead the following spring and we had hoped to marry as soon as the Organisation would let us, some 4 or more years down the track! Due to my health problems and returning to England, he shelved that and we married and were assigned to a Spanish speaking congregation in Paddington, London until we both suffered health problems and had to stop. We were treated in an uncaring way, which hurt us deeply, when we explained our situation to London Bethel . With time we were advised by doctors to get to a warm climate and so we emigrated to Australia in 1971. Years went by and one distressing thing after another happened and finally we drifted out, only attending the memorial. From my previous Christian upbringing I knew something was dreadfully wrong but couldn’t put my finger on it. To cut a long story short I was challenged by a Christian on the deity of Christ. Now, with two children to worry about and my faith in shreds, I ended up under a specialist for my nerves and on antidepressants. These helped me to shelve my fears temporally until the day came when I felt the overwhelming need to search the scriptures for myself using several translations, together with the Kingdom Interlinear on the subject of who Jesus really is. My faith in him had never waned and for 10 years we had prayed every night to know the real truth that would set us free as he promised. At the end of 2 years of study I could see clearly how the Organization had altered the scriptures about the true identity of the Lord Jesus. The Kingdom Interlinear being their worst enemy for revealing this! I cannot tell you what joy, mixed with trepidation, this brought me. Joy because Jesus had been faithful in answering my prayer, trepidation because I knew what leaving the Organization would mean. Well, all I can say is that God is faithful. He stands by what he says when he says “do not fear for I am with you wherever you go”. Ours is a very long story, which I am trying to cut short! My husband had followed my studies during this time and mercifully joined me when I decided to disassociate myself from the Organization and to state the reasons. Since then we have helped a great many people both JWs and those whose loved ones have become involved. God has brought these into our lives; we have not had to knock on doors or go looking. There are so many people who have innocently been harmed by this cult. Probably what I most would like to say to you Marion is: don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Just because a destructive cult has damaged your faith and life, this is only temporary. God is real. He is there and knows all these things. He loves you so very much and in many ways your stand for truth is not unlike the sufferings of many thousands for the Christian faith through the centuries. We are special people with invaluable skills unique to us. No one else understands this struggle like we do. No one else can empathize with another JW like we can. You have a whole new family out there who loves you and is cheering you on, so take heart you WILL be victorious against this great evil and your strong character will be even stronger for it. Remember, only the strong can stand up against this deception. You are a strong person, not weak as they will have you believe. Our eldest son is now in ministry on radio in Sydney and has written a wonderful book. He works with organisations sponsoring children in Africa and India etc. God has blessed us so much and all the suffering in the end is worth it, you’ll see, dearest Marion. We love you. Hold on. It’s a bumpy ride but the freedom is worth it, believe me. Vivienne.