It Seems More Witnesses are Exiting Since 1995 - From Your Responses

by flipper 22 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  willyloman

  What cate said.

  As to the survey, another flaw is that "what year did you leave" doesn't reveal much. I left in '03, physically. But I had an epiphany in 1990 and wrestled with the thought of leaving for the next 13 years before I actually did. And 1995 was a key year for me (see cate's comment, above). However, it took an other 8 years to leave. In 2002, Made up my mind to bail. It took almost another year to do the necessary work to get my immediate family on board, to "step down" as an elder, and to move our cards to another congo as part of a planned fade.

  Why people leave is more interesting (to me) than when. Because "when" fails to take into consideration the huge peer pressure dubs are under to remain in the fold long after doubts arise. There are many, many thousands of dubs in Kingdom Halls right now who have entertained the thought of walking away and leaving behind what they finally realize is BS ... but they'd lose friends, jobs, family, so they cannot act.

  Still, the premise of the original post is good: Since 1995 there has been a lot of traffic in the "exit" lane. The rise of the internet is one reason. The lack of urgency about "the end" is another - a direct result of the JWs new light on "this generation."
• 

  flipper

  BUBBLIE- I hear you. A lot of us are busy these days. I'm glad you got out Bubblie. Hope you are finding happiness .

  CRAZYCRATE- Very true what you say. If Armageddon didn't come in 1975 , and it didn't come in 1995 , and it's now 95 years since 1914 - the big Aisn't gonna come. It's a fantasy, an illusion made up by the WT society to control people and keep them in fear
• 

  steve2

  The changing variable has less to do with increased rates of exodus from the Watchtower and more to do with the increased internet-literacy among computer users. Those who conduct surveys need to be on the alert for third variables that might account for alleged changes.
• 

  flipper

  STEVE 2 - I'm sure that the increased internet - literacy rate has had a lot to do with people exiting the witness cult. But I truly feel that many more are leaving due to being informed by the internet of the witness scams than before. More access to information ! Peace out, Mr. Flipper
• 

  crazycate

  Willyloman: I agree with you. While 1995 made a huge impact on me, I even managed to push that aside and keep going. It wasn't until about 2001 or 2002 that the floodgates of my mind wouldn't hold everything back anymore. I spent the next few years becoming increasingly miserable before finally leaving early last year.

  Cate
• 

  orangefatcat

  I left the organization in 1999 in the month of December, but in my heart I left many many long years before that in the early 80ties. I hardly went to meetings or in the service. I attended the memorial and assemblies and some meetings to make it look good but my heart was far removed. I think my parents knew how unhappy I was as a JW when I returned from Quebec. That is when things started on a downward spiral. I had to bide my time though, as I had my father who was always trying to find ways to have me disfellowshipped. What a great dad.

  I had a mom who hardly ever spoke to me except to preach and lecture me that my spirituality was terrible and she feared I would die at the end. She worked herself into an angry spiteful attack on me two weeks before I left. My dad died in 95 and I wanted to make sure my mom could survive with out me. Anyway I have three other sisters, so I felt they could take care of her. My mom is sometimes just impossible to deal with and my sister and her are always locking horns and I am sure happy I have nothing to do with that.

  It seems to me that had I the courage in the 80's that I had in the 90's I would have been free many long years ago. But then I may never have found true love.

  Orangefatcat
• 

  flipper

  WILYLOMAN- I agree with you that it takes years and years for some people to exit the cult. That being said because of the new faulty " generation " views and the unfulfilled expectations I feel that more are hitting the exit doors since 1995 as you stated.

  CRAZYCRATE- It is usually a delayed reaction before we bail and exit the witnesses. Many times it's a case of working up the courage.

  ORANGFATCAT- I understand where you are coming from. I too had doubts for years before I left the witnesses in 2003 - however I had fear of losing family that kept me ignoring my nagging doubts and trying to keep peace with the JW family members. Finally due to injustices I just couldn't stand it anymore and I hit my breaking point. I think we all hit our breaking point at some time. I'm glad you are out friend
• 

  Farkel

  :It Seems

  That is a WTS trigger phrase and every time I see it, it is like fingernails on a blackboard for me. It says something, yet it really says nothing concrete at all. That is why it is the perfect trigger phrase. It is a way of looking like one is asserting something without really asserting anything.

  Are more Witnesses exiting since 1995? THAT is a legitimate question.

  What "seems" to be happening is whimsical.

  As a bona fide ex-dub I was bred and raised on "it seems" crap because it "seems" to be saying something without really saying something. As a robot JW for me back then "it seems" (fill in the blanks) was gospel truth.

  No more. It "seems" I have wised up about crap like that.

  Farkel
• 

  SouthCentral

  Many J-Dubs are realizing that they willl die in this system. This is a truly a foreign idea prior to 1995. The 15-year plus crowd are tired of the burdensome yoke of the org. Many live a double-life or just leave.
• 

  Homerovah the Almighty

  There may be two possible reasons why there are more folks that have left in the last decade then any decade previous ,

  firstly I think there is generaly more public awareness of religious cults in how they conduct and operate themselves,

  Ever more so I would say on apocalyptic cults like the JWS and similar ones like them. Secondly there is the inter-net now

  where there is a fast amount of readily information about the JW organization, most of it bad. So taking at least these two factors

  and you can see why the membership is starting to cool off and maybe too why they are putting less of a demand onto the members that

  they still have. They are quite aware of how important it is to them retain the membership and that is probably they are cowering

  back of as late.