hi everybody and my story (page 3)

My biggest mistake was that I didn't understand that I couldn't just stand up and say, "Hey family and friends, Guess what? We have had the last 50 years of our lives ripped off...lets dump the WT and be free to choose something, or nothing, else.

Now, whenever I come near a JW, even though I was never baptised, they all have their fingers in their ears and are mumbling about Rhubarb Custard.

Never...

Ever...

.....Tell a JW anything. They are not programmed to listen.

They are only programmed to answer questions......certain questions.

So....

Ask the questions that shook your faith, but don't insist on an answer. If they give you a silly answer, just point out that you couldn't, in good conscience, give an answer like that at the door, and explain why.

Allways try to be non-confrontational about it. Especially with family, but keep them on the question that you asked. JWs are very good at changing the subject. I don't think that most of them realise that they do it. Their most common tactic is to rephrase your question to one that they have an answer for. You must retain control of a subject. JWs are the consumate masters of redirection. My father never, ever, answers a question without re-defining it.

If I had my time over again, I would be raging against apostates from the platform while I was asking difficult questions of my family and friends while we were out knocking on doors.

I have blown my chance to get my family out the easy way.

Tread carefully.

Chris

Albert Einstein

Hi inbetween,

your story is quite the same as mine. I just was not born in, I joined on my own...

I very much understand your state of mind ... it took me over 6 years to get to the point where I am today ... I went through hell in these 6 years ... beacouse of fear and guilt... Today my position is clear: I do not consider myself as a JW, but due to the family do not want to DA or be DF. Today my wife knows evrything, she accepted it and is OK.

I have no problem with JWs, still have some friends in... but knowing they might shun me one day, I stared making new friends and starting new relationships... BTW, you wouldnt believe how many good and nice people are "out there"...

I joined JWs 18 years ago in search of the "Truth" and after several years found myself stucked in a destructive mindcontroling sect. For years in service I was reasoning with people: If you realize you follow wrong map and go in a wrong direction, would you.... (You know the picture in Live Forever book...) So now I should make the same mistake?

My point:

I dont care if Jesus died on a stake or on the cross, I dont care about what Holy spirit really is, (If that was really importatnt, Bible would be more specific about that....) BUT BLOOD??? It is about life or death... Hell, will you really teach your kids to tell doctors in the hospital they want rather die if you yourself know its a lie? Does your conscience allows you teach this your kids? Or when this comes, you will tell them "sweetheart dont do it, I myself dont believe it, I was lying to you all the time...."

Does your conscience allows you to teach this (blood) people in service and put them in danger? You cannot take this doctrine away, if you recruit somebody to JW, they will have to accept it one day... If somebody you recruited will in the future die becouse of blood ... how will you cope with that?

My decision (after years of menatal and spiritual strugling) is NO, thats not for me. I started fading, became inactive, and rather risk being DF, but I cannot teach others something I dont believe.

Welcome here!

Albert

mouthy

Welcome inbetween.

Yes your in a very difficult place. "DOUBTS" I only doubted two things when I was in the JW's
One was the invisability of 1914.Didnt jive with me, Since in" Studies in the Scriptures "He had
come a few times before.
Also that Jesus didnt have a beard.????.. Then they got word from Jehovah ..Jesus DID have a beard
So I left 1914 to Jehovah & got baptised. Then after FAITHFULLY serving for 25 years,having NO
blood operation, being in Hospital with a fractured skull,for loving Jah!!! Then saying one day to an elder
I couldnt believe in the 1914 date, I was kicked out.... DEVASTatING!!!!! Lost loved ones MANY!!
But NOW????? I have the promised PEACE scripture talks about.
You said>

on the other hand I would probably support a religion, which is (partly) wrong on serious issues....a loose/loose situation actually
But why????? Just have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Father told us "LISTEN to the SON!!!
HE told us two laws Love GOD! & to do unto others as we would like done to us,(In my own words..

http://exjw.weebly.com/ Grace Gough

DaCheech

welcome, I was in your situation.

I was MS, asked to be elder.... refused and then let go of MS.

now, I just cruise by

jamiebowers

Coming to this forum is bittersweet for people like you, and I'm sorry for the trauma that you have experienced and will continue to experience upon your awakening. For people like me, finding this forum was nothing but sweet comfort and relief, because I'd been df'd for 19 years by the time I stumbled across JWN. Being a survivor of both child molestation and domestic violence while under control of the organization, I just had to add my two cents about one of your uncertainties...

Child abuse: no offnese but reports are so far one-sided, have to consider it further later on...especially how much is it the fault of an individual and how much is the org involved...

I don't know if the individual to which you are referring is the victim, the perpertrator or the elders, but child abuse and domestic violence aren't simply sins; they are CRIMES. Anyone with any sense of morality and justice would think it necessary to allow experts in criminal justice and counseling to handle such matters. Because I only complained to my mom whom I am certain inquired of the elders, the molestation I endured as a child was simply ignored. But the physical abuse and mental torment my jw husband put me through was so extreme that "worldly" people intervened on my behalf. I did go to the elders several times, and he confessed all that he was doing. He was denied privileges for the most part, and I was counseled to be a better wife and wait on Jehovah. After the authorities forcibly committed him to a mental hospital for the second time in almost 7 years, I filed for divorce. The elders arrived at my house unannounced and uninvited to insist I either remain in the marriage or stalk him long enough to determine if he would commit adultery or murder. I refused and told the elders that I didn't want to be part of an organization that insisted on such and that I would da if necessary. They said, "Don't bother; we'll df you instead." And they did. Remarriage was far from my mind at the time. I just couldn't be obligated to allow this man to have influence over my life any longer. My mother and brother are jws, and it's especially painful that my mom has shunned me for almost 21 years. My ex-husband, on the other hand, may socialize with her at will.

Most abuse stories coming out of the Watchtower usually are one sided, because that's what they are. Victims are victimized by the perpretrators and then revictimized by the elders, who by the way, are operating under the leadership of the WB&TS. My story isn't UNCOMMON. I have reached out to several women who were either molested as children or battered wives. The vile filth that was perpretrated on them has driven many to attempt suicide or commit adultery just to free themselves of the terror.

But you don't have to believe one sided stories from me or them. Read the court documents at watchtowerdocuments.com or speak to Bill Bowen at silentlambs.org. He has a WB&TS representative on tape telling him to leave child molestation acussations in Jehovah's hands, because there was no second witness. Believe the jw child molestors, now in prison, who say their crimes were covered up by the WB&TS for decades to protect the reputation of the organization (see NBC news reports on YouTube).

What it all boils down to, my friend, is that the organization is looking for complete submission, even if a person's chastity, sanity or very life are at stake. The human sacrifices made via child molestation and domestic violence are no different than the ones who suffer and die due to the blood issue. If you need reference materials on this subject, let me know. And if you want to know the human toll this corrupt organization takes on its victims, pm me for my phone number. I am telling the truth and have nothing to hide.

AK - Jeff

A Hearty Welcome to you IB!

I will not add much to the foregoing - I am sure you have much to digest and think about. I recall when it 'hit me' - it was sooooo bitter-sweet. I wanted what I had to be the 'Truth', though I knew there were BIG problems in the organization. I knew that consequences awaited me once my eyes were open - I could not ever go back to what I believed before.

Ignorance is truly bliss, my friend. But it is still ignorance, isn't it? In the end, I chose to walk away. Years later the elders came after me, charged me with apostasy, and forced my disassociation. It did not go as I envisioned. I really thought these 'friends' of mine would just leave me alone, but they didn't. I can never go back.

You have just begun your journey. I bid you courage as you face difficult choices over time.

I personally look forward to watching how things go for you.

Peace/Namaste

Jeff

Hope4Others

either way, it puts me on a real crises of conscience

And that is the book you really need to read,

Welcome to the forum....

h4o

Scarred for life

Welcome to the forum.

Read Crisis of Conscience.

I join AK-Jeff in bidding you courage.

Keep reading and posting on this board.

moshe

If you only knew the whole story about the Watchtower Society. You'll probably need Judge Rutherford's favorite whiskey when you finally figure out what everybody else already knows about your religion. Better learn the defintion of "mea culpa", you'll soon need it. Now, back to my retirement.

hi everybody and my story

Quirky1

Black Sheep