It's now official: I've "turned apostate."

by Confession 26 Replies latest social family

  • Confession
    Confession

    Thumbnail Details: Lifelong JW and former elder with 30 family members in. Came to realize it wasn't The Truth at age 38, just over two years ago. Have been fading with my 19 year old daughter, making two, major, long-distance moves. Finally told my mother my position regarding the WTS this past March. At first she said she wouldn't tell anyone, but I discovered she told everyone, including siblings and local elders who began knocking on our door. No communication since then.

    Development: My ex-wife (who has also left the organization and with whom I have a good relationship) has been receiving voice messages from Mom. My non-JW aunt has been trying to send me her annual gift of Florida oranges, and Mom wanted my address to give her. Ex-wife avoided conversation until yesterday.

    My mom kept pressuring my ex to tell her where my daughter and I lived, so she finally told her we moved to Arizona. Mom kept asking questions like this over and over...

    "What if something happens to me or his dad? How will anyone contact him?"

    "I'm 73 years old and Dad's 74. Something will happen to us sooner or later; how will he know?!"

    To which my ex replied (exactly as I wanted her to): "Well how about calling him? His cell number is the same it's been for years. Just call him right up."

    "Well I can't just call him. He's turned apostate!"

    My ex (who has not attended meetings in years--but who has, apparently, not admitted her disapproval of the WTS) decided to express herself more forcefully than she has previously. She told her emphatically that I was her son, and anything that kept her from having a relationship with me was wrong. She insisted that she would NEVER cut our daughter off under ANY circumstances.

    I'm told Mom became somewhat acquiescent after that.

    I knew my family must have concluded this, but it's now confirmed: "He's turned apostate!"

  • hubert
    hubert

    The cats out of the bag.

    Congratulations. (Sorry to hear your family are reacting the way they are. It's their loss).

    Hubert

  • lostlantern
    lostlantern

    Me too, I am an apostate too. I found out a little over a month ago, welcome to the club.

  • SWALKER
    SWALKER

    Unbelievable! Your mom is so concerned that she can't even call you!

    Swalker

  • blondie
    blondie

    I don't know your mother, Confession, but many JW sisters I have known thrived on their problems and conflicts. It seemed the only way they could get attention. Now your mother may get the sympathy and attention of others because you are "apostate." Interesting that she can't call you, yet wants your address...probably to send the local elders to the door to save your soul.

    I'm glad you have the support of your daughter and your ex-wife in this matter.

    I can remember still how they would gossip at the KH about those who went "apostate." One brother had the gall to think that more than 144,000 were going to heaven. It was pride on his part supposedly, wanting to be of the 144,000. I thought that was ridiculous since he could have started partaking at any time as a JW and they would have had to accept it (even if they waited 3 years to count him). So many ugly, unfounded rumors, just to add excitement to a boring life.

    Blondie

  • Abandoned
    Abandoned

    Congratulations. The wt deserves enemies. I wish you well in your efforts to thwart their stupid goals...

  • Confession
    Confession

    I guess I just love the expression, "turned apostate." It's like when a person "turns" into a vampire.

    It isn't that I've decided to become honest with myself, and I now don't recognize the WTS as what it claims to be. Instead, apparently, I have left myself open to some kind of evil virus. It has infected my mind, and I am now a rabid, wild-eyed "apostate."

    One thing: If considering ALL the information makes me an "apostate," what do you call someone who refuses to consider all the information?

  • SWALKER
    SWALKER
    what do you call someone who refuses to consider all the information?

    A JW!

  • thecarpenter
    thecarpenter

    hmmm, my mom has been calling me a apostate for the last 8 months... just not to my face. I still go to the house to eat every now and then, she doesn't listen to everything that 'brothers' say anyway... 'their just men' in her own words. We've gotten into a few arguments and we sort of agreed not to talk religion.

  • J-ex-W
    J-ex-W

    blondie---- Actually, his mom would give the address to the elders in her congregation so they can pass it on to the congregation elders near him--and they can mark it down as an apostate Do Not Call (for the protection of the flock).

Share this

Google+
Pinterest
Reddit