About a year and ½ ago, after much conversation with a JW co-worker, we began a formal study. We studied religiously (no pun intended) almost every week unless I was on business travel or there was a sickness or other item that precluded us from getting together.
During that process, we became very strong, close friends… at least that is what I thought was happening. We talked about starting our own business. We worked out at the gym three out of five days a week. We met to run 5Ks on Saturdays. I cherished that friendship because I never had such a close friendship with another man before… I’ve been married for nearly 30 years and had spent so much time building a career that there never seemed to be time for friendships…
One month ago, we both lost our jobs. At that point, he told me he was too busy and could not study with me anymore and he did not know when we would be able to re-start the study. He told me to find someone else in a Hall closer to my own home. I let three weeks go by and still I heard nothing from him despite my phone calls, emails and text messages. I finally sent an email asking what was up and asking if he was angry at me… this behavior on his part totally shocked me (and hurt me). He always talked of love, compassion, and brotherhood… reaching out to help people when they needed it. And, I needed it and he was pretty much ignoring me.
I finally got an email back in which he said he just did not have the time for me. It was disappointing but that’s the way it was…
I am totally bewildered. I apparently made a huge mistake and maybe this is God’s way of telling me that… needless to say, that doesn’t take away the hurt.
When I first started studying, others told me to watch out… that if I didn’t follow suit and get baptized within a time that the JWs decided was acceptable, they would write me off and move on… friend or no friend… Is that what has happened?
What’s Christian about this behavior? How can you just convince someone of your friendship and then just walk away…
I am freaked…