Did you ever think you'd stop being one of Jehovah's Witnesses? (page 5)

Vic-ex

i never ever thought i would leave the religion. i was always told by me parents that i would be a pioneer which i was for 2 years but finally in 2000 i decided it was time to get on with my life and if i died at 'armagedon' then at least i had lived my life to the full.

it took me 2 years in total and i'm so glad i did. i still see my parents cos i faded away but don't see any of the rest of them (30 other family members who have nothing to do with me).

i was recommended this site on another chat room and it is so nice to know that in my life experiences with the WTS i wsn't alone or singled out - thanks

KAYTEE

The simple answer - like the majority have said is NO.

They portrayed something that all of us at the beginning really wanted - paradise, living forever etc. But there are times when we may feel somewhat depressed when we might consider to ourselves - why god allowed us to stay in that religion, some of us for many, many years when it is obvious now that the Org is so far removed from God

I'm sure that many of you have heard the illustration, but for the sake of all the newbies here it is again

A man fell over a cliff and grabbed a branch on the way down. His shouting brought help from above, they threw him a rope to rescue him, but he shouted out - no, I put my trust in God, they then sent a boat to the base of the cliff again to rescue him, but he said - no, I put my trust in God. They then sent a helicopter as usual this man of faith, said no I put all my trust in God. With that the branch broke and he fell to his death - when he arrived in heaven, he asked God, why didn't you save me, I put all my trust in you. And God said, I sent a rope, a boat and a helicopter to save you but you ignored them.

The moral of this tale - did we see all the signs (about the Organisation) and did we refuse to take any notice ?

In my case (I was in the Org. for over 30 years) I was guilty of ignoring the many signs that came along.

KT

LongHairGal

Abandoned:

I feel as you do. How could a God of justice allow people to be misled? Are we so "worthless" that it doesn't matter if somebody's life is wasted in a wrong pursuit - in his name no less.

Before I found out the truth about JWs, I had done some serious soul searching. I came to the conclusion that in order for me to continue in this religion I would literally have to work by myself out in service and have little or no dealings with the people there because so many of them are unreliable and unaccountable - thinking they can do anything and be forgiven for it. I have enough stresses in the work world, and I had no tolerance for the nonsense you encounter in most congregations and I am not the type to humor some of the arrogant or kook personalities there.

I admit I have a problem worshiping or loving a god (or God) like this. So, with me, the issue goes deeper than whether the JWs are wrong. It has to do with the very nature of the god we worship.

LHG

Quandry

Nope. I remember in 1973, when we first started studying with the witnesses. We were invited to the meetings, and I told my husband ,"Don't you want to go and meet the people we will be living forever with?" He wasn't too keen on going.Of course, it was only going to be a short while till the big A. Stay alive 'till 75 was what we heard. Over thirty years later, and twenty of them my husband was an elder, we are now out, although not df'd. My husband is very bitter when he thinks of the years he spent in the Borg. I try to look to the future.

Abandoned

Thanks for the encouragment LHG. Also thanks to Kaytee. I'd heard that story before but, of course, never figured it applied to me. After all, I was one of the ones who questioned their religion of birth and left it. (God I was gullible!)

Anyway, I had some what of a breakthrough on the whole god issue. I think it's possible to love god after leaving that cult. Today I finally had a prayer that was free of all the guilt and accusations from my subconscious mind. I'm starting to realize that my bible trained conscience was nothing more than the result of brainwashing, pure and simple. Feeling guilty for not preaching enough was from having been brainwashed and not god's opinion on the matter. All the things that I've felt guilty about were from MY JW BRAINWASHED brain and not from god. I can see myself loving him again. I'm still new at this and I know I have a lot of work to get that crap out of my head permanently, but I think I'm going to get through this and become a force to help others escape.

A couple months ago I'd decided I wanted to find a charity I could believe in. I like working with the elderly and I have some experience with alzheimer's so I thought I might look for something in that vein, but now I'm convinced that I need to find away to add to the throngs who are exposing the wt for what it is. It may not be the most important thing that needs to be done, but I think it's something I can be passionate about.

NanaR

Even though I am no longer a JW, I do not steal, kill, intentionally hurt others, I make a conscience effort to be honest even when I'm tempted to lie. As others have told me . . . I live a much more honest life away from the dubs.

Sandy,

I was a 5th generation Witness. I had doubts from an early age, but leaving never seemed an option.

After my father died in 1991, though, I really began to question how much of my supposed belief was really mine and how much was my father's overwhelming influence.

Then one of my dear friends (also raised a JW) experienced every mother's worst nightmare when her teenage son attempted suicide. At the hospital, she confided in me that she had given consent to blood. I was surprised inside myself that my heart agreed with her decision.

After that I believe it was just a matter of "growing away" from the organization.

Honestly, I now cannot imagine how I believed everything I believed then. I feel like I've awakened from a dream, and only now am living in reality.

Great question!

NanaR

sandy

"One day after a Theo school meeting it started to pour with rain. A brother, who lived next door to us delayed leaving the hall so that he would not feel obliged to give us a lift and we didn't ask because I could sense the keep away vibes." This saddens me and angers me at the same time. Unfortunately there are people like this, I know some personally. And I still have a hard time believing people can be so heartless.

lighthouse19something

I figured I would someday get kicked out, didn't think I would just stop being active. Have not DA myself because my parents are still in.

FreeAtLast1914

As a born-in I never thought about life outside the "walls". It was all drug-addicts, whores, rape, and extreme violence, as far as I was told. Yep, I lived in M. Night's "The Village" growing up. I wasn't about to go into the forest. No, sir.

Finally-Free

I joined the cult at 25. For some strange reason I was always intrigued by DF'd people who still came to the hall and sat at the back and tolerated the shunning. I was even more intrigued by people who DA'd, and wondered what motivated them to leave. Unfortunately I never had a chance to talk to them, or I'd have left much sooner than I did.

Deep down, I think I knew I would leave one day. The fact that the JWs usually treated me like crap may have contributed to that.

W

Did you ever think you'd stop being one of Jehovah's Witnesses?

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