What is your thought in this

superman

My wife and I (who are both faders) were having a discussion the other day about how most of the JW kids who were teens in the 90's have now left the religion. I mentioned from personal examples of people I knew, that the one ones who left early (around age 17-19) seemed to end up (though difficult at first) with better lives. I knew of several who went to college, or learned a trade, married out of the religion and eventually moved on with their lives. However, the one who left later usually had more issues, seemed to continue to return and continue to get DF'd, have beem divorced, etc (or at least a large number of the ones we saw). Since the internet was relatively new in the early 90's there weren't many sites like JWD or much widespread info in regards to organization (info that would be considered apostate by witness standards). So why do you think that so many left? Was it because it was just so strict, was it a matter of religious idealogy (hope I spelled that right,lol), was college so important, or was it just the popular attitude of the time conflicted with the JW lifestyle that the teen's were living?

I think that the current generation of teens born in now will leave (it is already evident, and starting), but I am curious about the last generation.

exjwbennymcd1978

i am of the 80's & 90's generation and left mainly because of the whole generation will not die out thing ~ side order of girls helped the progression ~

wobble

I think teens have always left in droves, but now with this site and the rest of the stuff on the 'net ,I am surprised more are not leaving.

I watched the majority leave in the 60's 70's and 80's.

Any suggestions for helping those still in ? I cannot think of a way to easily get them to think,their poor brains have been addled.

Love

Wobble

Heaven

I was a teen in the '70s and knew it wasn't right. Subjugation of women (or anyone for that matter) is NOT principled. I didn't agree with their interpretation of the Bible (the no-blood policy was a big one I didn't agree with), and of course The Big 'A' failed to show in 1975. Contradictions were happening as well... like being told to get a good job at a good company but you can't go to college or university. For 15 to 16 years, my mother maintained that we got here by Creation. She adamently denied Evolution. Then one day she announces that "Well, maybe there IS something to Evolution after all." Their flip-flops didn't work well with me.

I think it's also the hypocrisy that gets under the skin of teens and irritates them. It certainly irritated me! There are double standards and rules for some and not others. I still see this stuff with my JW family today. Even within the same household my parents had different beliefs. My mother believed the WTS was spirit directed and my father did not. How can that be?

The other big thing I saw then and still see now is that the WTS creates disabled thinking people. I wanted nothing to do with any of this.

wha happened?

Yea I saw a huge group of teenagers in the late 80's go bye bye. I thought they were idiots at the time but now I see their wisdom. Like any teenager, some went on and really did things for themselves. The rest were so mindscrewed that they end up losers. Some are on drugs and 1 confirmed death.

feenx

I would have to agree that it's important to leave, and leave completely, in that age range of 17-19. There were plenty of people I knew who were older and would get into trouble, but try and make things work. They essentially had one foot and one foot out, and that in my opinion is the WORST thing you can do. All the people I know that left and left for good are doing well. One is out of the closet and happy, another is successful career wise and engaged, another is following their dream of music. We all left by the time we were 21, and that's as far as being completely out. We all were fading for years before that.

yknot

IMHO.....

It was the "YPA V1" that did them in!