Personal Update

passwordprotected

For those who haven't read 'my story' thus far, here are the links;
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/159554/1.ashx
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/159683/1.ashx
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/160124/1.ashx
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/160351/1.ashx

Since my first post here back in June 2008, things have moved very quickly for my wife and I.

As I've previously mentioned, I'm very lucky in that my wife shared my doubts and we're both completely on the same page as to our beliefs and our faith (more on that in a bit).

I resigned as an elder in July and immediately ceased attending meetings. I hoped, at the time, to be able to duck out of making a public statement to that effect, but it just wasn't possible. It was either make it obvious through, not just my actions - ie. not going to the meetings - or come out and say "I won't be back."

Due to 'concerned' phone calls from other elders, I decided to come out and say "I won't be back." This, of course, caused a flurry of activity, including a couple of visits from concerned JW friends who were very emotional and virtually begged me to change my mind. It was really painful to see them upset over my actions, but I was already decided; I was never returning to the WTS. Since then only 2 brothers out of the dozens and dozens of local JWs, including the many I've known and been friendly with since childhood, have had any contact with me. My wife's oldest and longest friendships have died, all because she doesn't go to their meetings anymore. But we knew this would happen.

Telling family about my choice wasn't easy, but that goes without saying. My wife, at first, was also not going to return to the meetings, but she changed her mind and did go to 2 or 3 more meetings. She went on her own, she didn't take the children. She found it hard when bros and sis were commending her for still attending when she knew that she had the same issues as me! She felt a fake. It also bugged her that I was being written off as 'spiritually sick' when she knew that we were both studying the Bible daily.

While this was going on I got a nice email from the PO who said that if we wanted to talk about our 'doubts' he'd be happy to come and talk to us. I was going to let that slide, but already there were rumours of 'serious wrongdoing' going around, which really irked us. So, I emailed ALL of the elders back and gave them the skinny on our 'doubts', letting them know that we weren't involved in ANY wrong doing, but had legitimate issues with the date-setting the WTS is famous for.

We agreed to let two elders visit us. They were very, very kind and didn't push the point with us on anything. They left and we haven't heard from them since.

Throughout all of this my wife and I kept reading the Bible. We started to see the importance of Christ in everything the 1st C Christians did and taught. So, while we left the Org due to them being false prophets, we now see their teachings as fundamentally un-Biblical and that they don't give Christ the honour he deserves.

Back in July my wife looked into going to the Alpha Course. She signed up to attend a local church who were running the course and she's been thoroughly enjoying it. We both attended local church services recently. I even took communion. I started the Alpha Course last night. Obviously, when we explain our JW backgrounds, people are floored!

We're now on the verge of DAing ourselves. We want to move on with our lives without looking over our shoulders, or waiting for one of the kids to blab that they now go to church and then be dreading a phone call inviting us to a JC.

My wife has sat down with her mother and explained that she's likely to DA herself soon, that she's become a Christian and that she goes to church. I've also been seeding that information into the minds of my parents, although a sit-down discussion with them is on the horizon.

We both personally strongly object to the name Jehovah's Witness as there is no basis in the New Testament to drop the name Christ or Christian and take up the name of 'another god'.

We've started making new friends locally with Christians; turns out there are Christians everywhere, and guess what, they're not judgmental or conditional in their friendships!

We've had great help and listening ears from Besty, Sweet Pea, IT Support and others who've both reached out to us and been there for us to vent our frustrations and hurt feelings on.

I've had some great PMs from other JWD user that have been a comfort.

For the first time in our lives we feel at peace. We feel contentment. We feel we can be comfortable in our own skins. We're not anxious about the future. We know we're not being judged and measured by imperfect men.

Looking back to when I first posted here in June, I can't believe how much my life has changed for the better. Back then I was scared and wrought with absolute anxiety. So, to anyone in the position of having doubts about the WTS and believing there's no way out or there's no where else to go, please believe me that there is a happy, contented, peaceful life away from the WTS.

Don't be afraid to let go.

dozy

Good luck mate - hope everything works out for you. Thanks for sharing your experience (ouch - sounds like a line from a circuit assembly!)

excito-are

Fanstastic news. That is a rare quick exit and new found spiritual belief. congratulations. I wonder if this will affect anyone else in your old hall, and make them question any watchtower beliefs or why would an good standing and rational exelder join bablyon the great? Prob not, knowing most witness mindset. Your family still in the truth must be gobsmacked.

Excito

carla

How wonderful you were able to leave with your wife and kids! I'm so happy for you. Sorry for what will be ahead of you re: other family members and 'friends'.

I find this quite interesting- "she's become a Christian "- I have seen that with other ex jw's who research and come to understand the need for Christ rather than the org, I find it interesting because jw's claim they are Christian when speaking to non dubs. What an odd disconnect for jw's, to claim Christ yet they may hear of an 'apostate' who has now become a Christian.

Maybe one day you may feel comfortable enough to give some sort of informal talk with the church members about jw's and what life in the borg really means in daily life and for one's spiritual life.

passwordprotected

@carla "How wonderful you were able to leave with your wife and kids! I'm so happy for you. Sorry for what will be ahead of you re: other family members and 'friends'. I find this quite interesting- "she's become a Christian "- I have seen that with other ex jw's who research and come to understand the need for Christ rather than the org, I find it interesting because jw's claim they are Christian when speaking to non dubs. What an odd disconnect for jw's, to claim Christ yet they may hear of an 'apostate' who has now become a Christian. Maybe one day you may feel comfortable enough to give some sort of informal talk with the church members about jw's and what life in the borg really means in daily life and for one's spiritual life."

Yes, it is interesting that there's a disconnect between being a JW and being a Christian. Let's face it, asides from the 'anointed', JWs do not;
- have Christ as their mediator
- belong to the new covenant via his blood
- partake of the communion

Couple that to the fact that Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that his followers (ie. Christians) would be witnesses of him, not Jehovah. All of that essentially means that JWs aren't Christians.

Just look at the new tract the Dubs have to distribute. The Truth is in Christ, he said so himself. Yet this tract makes no mention of this. Rather than leading people to Christ, within whom there is life and truth and the way to God, the Dubs lead people to their books and by extension, to their organisation.

As for speaking to Christians re. JW teachings etc, that's my goal. I've already been asked to speak to a local Church group, although I can't manage the night they meet. I think it's important that Christians realise that there's no point in trying to go toe-to-toe with JWs re. their beliefs. You'll never win. But there are subtle things they can say or show them in the NWT that may sow a seed of doubt re. their beliefs.

penny2

passwordprotected, that's wonderful. It's all happened very quickly - perhaps that's better than dragging it out and prolonging the agony.

Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

penny

leavingwt

Wonderful news.

wobble

Thanks so much for the update,and please let us know how you get on in the future,any upbeat stuff is great for those of us just leaving.

May God continue to bless you and yours

Your brother in Christ,

Wobble

mind my own

Thank you for the update, your story is very inspiring!! All the best to you!

MMO

New light for you

password protected-

Thanks so much for the update! I swear you guys and us started roughly the same time on this site... its amazing to see how far we've come!

What i'm impressed by is that you've found a new life and new friends. I'm so happy for you for that. Thats where i'm having the harest time. My husband has his old co-workers he's buddied with more.. i'm SOOOO mourning the loss of my "sisters". I realize like you said... after a lifetime, there's only one or 2 that ever called, and even they stop calling QUICK! They all get really scared even though technically i'm in good standing. I miss them SOOO much. My daughter of 8 is having such a hard time with the transition we have her in therapy.

I wish you the best, i'm so happy that you've been able to continue your search in the bible. Since leaving, my husband is not Athiest, and i'm not gonna go that far. I believe in god, and i believe like you said that Christ was more important than we allowed for.

wishing you well- newlight

Personal Update

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