Here is s story that I can tell… I had forgotten about this experience… until recently, when I was remembering folks that I once knew – who were JWs.
We have to go into the ‘waaay-back’ machine… the year was about 1986 or 1987. My wife was/is a JW… me – I had drifted long before – and was just trying to keep a low-profile.
I worked for a company – and had been there for about 8 years, when the section I was in was beginning to expand. They brought in one lady – who was working the ‘parts’ section, and would check in and out parts to the engineers and or technicians – as needed. It looked like this new gal – after a while – was swamped with work, and they still needed another person to help out.
My wife knew this woman – and I had met her too – who was a JW. We’ll call her Pam. Pam had 3 children, 2 boys and a girl – and they were teenagers. Pam had just gotten divorced from her husband (who was not a JW) – and got the house in the settlement. She was a bit quirky… but a nice lady.
If I recall correctly, she had been out in some sort of field service work – in a very poor, and dangerous part of town – and some fella had approached her group. She told her daughter and the others in the group to seek safety in the car – and – again – if I recall correctly – this man attacked her – beating her up – to an inch of her life.
Actually – she had died. They ‘brought her back’. After that attack, she was not the same – and while still a nice lady… I think her outlook on life had been altered.
So. I knew that Pam needed a job, and asked her if she wanted to work where I did. She thought she might – and so went in and talked to the supervisors and managers. She left them with a very favorable impression, and soon after she was hired.
She worked out pretty well – handling the parts and all – and got along with everyone there.
There was a fella who worked there, who took a shine to her – as he had a thing for blondes. He was African-American, and professed to be some sort of Muslim type of religion. He began to hang around the stockroom more and more – and having conversations with Pam.
After a bit, she started going out with this fella – dating him. He lost his job at the company, and had to look elsewhere for employment. He found it in Florida. A nice job, if I recall correctly.
Anyway… after a bit of time, Pam left the company too – and moved to Florida to be with him. If I recall correctly, they got married, and within a year or so – she had a new baby by him.
I had always thought that introducing her to a situation like I had done – where she met this fella – was a bad thing, and I really felt bad about it for a long time.
But recently, I realized something. She wanted out. Pam wanted out of the JW religion – and wanted to be free of its’ rules and regulations – many of which – were responsible for her getting beaten badly.
She found her way out. She, no doubt, is living her life as she should – happy – and with a new family.
I don’t feel bad anymore. In fact, I am glad that she found her way out.
Regards,
Jim TX